This episode dives into adult self-discovery and the work of unlearning childhood conditioning—how embarrassment, guilt, and survival habits shape how we react, rest, and relate.

Featuring a listener’s dump from Bailey (wifey), practical steps (awareness, compassion, new behavior), and simple homework prompts to start choosing yourself with less shame and more ease.

Melissa and her husband sit down to unpack adult identity, attachment styles, and the habits we carry from childhood that show up in relationships. They mix heartfelt stories with humor, practical takeaways about buffer hours and self-compassion, and listener-style “Am I the Asshole?” segments to explore what it means to grow without shame.

Expect honest conversation, relatable examples of emotional growth, and this week’s Homework for Hot Messes asks: What version of myself am I becoming?

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Stories, chaos, and confessions:

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Hey besties, I'm Melissa and welcome to Brain Dump Podcast — a space for unpacking the habits, family patterns, and emotional inheritances we carry & asking what were ready to set down going into a new year.

In this episode we reflect on leaving the 2025 baggage behind: over-explaining, over-responsibility, guilt about resting, and survival patterns that no longer serve us. We'll dive into mindset shifts over new years resolutions, Q&A listener responses, and choosing to pursue curiosity and small, sustainable steps over perfection.

Take one grounding question with you: "What would make this year feel lighter to carry?" — a gentle nudge to start setting down what was never meant to be permanent.

Listener Submission Link

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