The Honest Pause

When the world feels heavy and hard, it’s not just emotional—it’s physiological. Our nervous systems are constantly taking in headlines, alerts, images, and urgency, even when nothing is happening directly to us. And over time, that nonstop exposure can leave us feeling tense, exhausted, numb, or on edge without fully knowing why.

In this episode, Maryam and Teryl explore what living in a 24/7 news cycle does to the body, not just the mind. They break down how chronic stress keeps us stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode, why so many people feel “tired but wired,” and how cortisol and adrenal overload quietly shape our daily experience of anxiety, burnout, and disconnection.

You’ll learn why your body can feel unsafe even when you logically know you’re okay, what Heart Rate Variability (HRV) reveals about your capacity to recover from stress, and why regulation—not more information or willpower—is the key to resilience. The conversation also offers simple, nervous-system-friendly tools to help you come back to your body, set healthier boundaries with news and media, and find moments of safety in a heavy world.

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel overwhelmed, braced, or emotionally drained just by existing right now, this episode will help you understand what your body is responding to—and how to support it with more compassion, steadiness, and care.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

When you hear the phrase self-care, do you think spa days and bubble baths? You’re not alone. But real self-care isn’t about indulgence—it’s about the small, consistent habits that keep you grounded in everyday life.

In this episode, Maryam and Teryl unpack why so many people struggle with self-care and redefine it as something realistic, sustainable, and essential. They’ll share research-backed insights (like why 67% of people say they “don’t have time” for it, and how lack of sleep affects 1 in 3 adults) while breaking down the building blocks of a routine that actually works: sleep hygiene, movement, hydration, mind care, connection, and boundaries.

You’ll hear how to start with micro-habits—like three deep breaths before a meeting or stretching after brushing your teeth—and how to anchor self-care into the flow of your day. Plus, they’ll walk through an example of a simple, realistic self-care routine that anyone can try.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not doing “enough” for yourself, this conversation will remind you that balance begins with just one small habit, repeated with intention.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

Have you ever reached the end of the day and thought, I was busy all day, but did I actually live it? In this episode, Maryam and Teryl explore how to move beyond the cycle of constant busyness and create days that feel balanced, energizing, and sustainable.

Together, they break down why balance is so hard in today’s world of nonstop notifications and interruptions, then share simple “anchors” that can ground your day—from morning rituals and focused work blocks to intentional pauses, connection, and evening wind-downs. You’ll hear research-backed strategies (like why morning sunlight boosts your mood, or how a 5-minute break every hour sharpens focus) and see what a practical flow for a balanced day can actually look like.

Most importantly, Maryam and Teryl emphasize that balance isn’t one-size-fits-all. They’ll guide you in identifying your own non-negotiables so you can design a daily rhythm that restores rather than drains you.

Whether you’re feeling stretched thin or just want more intention in your day, this conversation will help you reclaim your time with small, doable shifts.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

You send the text. Then you reread it 10 times. Then you wonder if it was too friendly… or not friendly enough. And by the time you’ve spiraled through every possible interpretation, the moment (and the conversation) has passed.

If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you.

In this deeply relatable conversation, Maryam and Teryl explore the all-too-familiar trap of overthinking: why we do it, how it hijacks our peace, and what’s really going on in the brain when we can’t stop spinning. Spoiler: your brain isn’t broken—it’s trying to protect you. But that protection often comes at a cost.

Together, they unpack:

• Why your brain confuses rumination with problem-solving
• How anxiety and trauma wire us to overanalyze
• What neuroscience reveals about the Default Mode Network (aka, your inner overthinker)
• Practical tools to interrupt spirals and rebuild self-trust
• Why “good enough” decisions are more powerful than perfect ones

This episode is your gentle, science-backed permission to step out of the mental maze—and remember that peace doesn’t come from overthinking everything… it comes from trusting that you can handle whatever happens next.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

Episode: Why Does Doing Nothing Make Me Anxious?

Episode Description:

You finally clear your schedule for a well-deserved break… and five minutes later, you’re reorganizing the pantry, answering emails, or deep-cleaning the bathroom “for fun.” Why does slowing down feel so uncomfortable—even when we want to rest?

In this episode of The Honest Pause, Maryam and Teryl explore the quiet guilt that sneaks in when we try to rest in a world obsessed with productivity. They unpack why rest feels unsafe for so many of us, how cultural and generational conditioning wires us to equate worth with output, and how to gently rebuild your capacity to be still—without shame or justification.

You’ll hear:

• Why your nervous system can resist rest, even when you’re exhausted
• How productivity culture distorts your sense of self-worth
• The hidden emotions that surface when you stop “doing”
• Simple, no-pressure ways to practice “rest without rules”
• Why choosing stillness can be a bold act of self-respect

If you’ve ever felt anxious doing “nothing” or needed to earn your rest to enjoy it—this episode is your reminder that rest isn’t a reward. It’s a right.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

Episode  — “Why Is It So Hard to Say No to People?”
 (aka: The Quiet Guilt, People-Pleasing, and the Courage to Choose Yourself)

Episode Description:

You said yes—again. Even though you didn’t want to. Even though you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or just not feeling it. So… why is it so hard to say no, especially to people we care about?

In this episode of The Honest Pause, Maryam and Teryl dive deep into the emotional roots of people-pleasing, boundary guilt, and the invisible weight we carry when we overcommit. Together, they unpack the real reasons behind our “yes reflex”—from childhood conditioning to nervous system wiring—and share how learning to honor your “no” can be a radical act of self-respect.

Expect honest stories, practical tools, and mindset shifts to help you:

• Understand why saying no feels risky (spoiler: it’s not just about the other person)
• Recognize how self-abandonment hides behind “being nice”
• Navigate the discomfort of setting boundaries—without drama
• Use scripts and small practices to say no kindly, clearly, and confidently
• Reframe boundaries as compassion, not rejection

If you’ve ever RSVP’d “yes” to a thing you immediately regretted, or felt that sinking-stomach spiral of “why did I agree to this?”—this episode is your permission slip to pause, reflect, and choose yourself (without apology).

Because your “no” isn’t selfish. It’s sacred.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

Episode — “What Is Intuitive Coaching—And How Can It Actually Help?”
 (aka: It’s Not Woo. It’s You—Learning to Trust Your Inner Compass Again)

Episode Description:

Ever heard the term intuitive coaching and thought, “Cool… but what is that, actually?” You’re not alone. In this episode of The Honest Pause, Maryam gets curious and Teryl gets real about what intuitive coaching really is—and what it definitely isn’t.

Together, they unpack:

• How intuitive coaching differs from therapy or traditional life coaching
• Why we’re all craving inner alignment, not just outer accomplishments
• The role of the body, emotion, and energy in making grounded decisions
• What it feels like when your intuition speaks—and why we often ignore it
• Real stories of clarity, permission, and quiet breakthroughs

Teryl brings clarity, candor, and zero fluff as she demystifies the often-misunderstood world of intuitive coaching. Whether you're a skeptic, a feeler, or somewhere in between, this episode is a gentle guide to reconnecting with the part of you that already knows—beneath the noise, the shoulds, and the second-guessing.

Because sometimes, the most powerful shifts don’t come from advice—they come from finally hearing yourself.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

- Curious about your enneagram type? book a typing session and get 10% off with code HONEST.

Episode  — “I Feel Lost—But Don’t Know Why”
(aka: The Quiet Kind of Lost & How to Find Your Way Back)

Episode Description:

You’ve checked the boxes—career, relationships, routines—and from the outside, it all should feel fine. But inside? Something’s off. In this episode of The Honest Pause, Maryam and Teryl dive into that subtle, often silent experience of feeling lost… without a clear reason why.

Together, they explore:

• Why “feeling lost” isn’t a crisis—it’s a signal
• How life transitions (even the good ones) can shake up your sense of self
• What identity lag is—and why it leaves you feeling like a stranger in your own life
• The difference between realignment and reinvention (hint: you don’t have to burn it all down)
• Gentle mindset shifts and micro-practices to start reconnecting with you

This episode offers real talk, neuroscience-backed insights, and vulnerable moments about what it’s like to outgrow parts of your life you never thought you would. Whether you’re floating in the fog or just wondering why “fine” feels so far from fulfilled—this one’s your soft place to land.

And if you’ve ever typed “why do I feel off” into Google at 2AM or gotten teary during a random commercial, you’re in the right place.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

 Curious about your enneagram type? Book a typing session and get 10% off with code HONEST.

Episode: Finding Sacred Stories in Modern Life (with Allison Stieger)

Episode Description:
What if the answers you’re searching for aren’t out there in the next achievement—but buried inside the stories you carry? In this episode, Maryam and Teryl sit down with mythologist, author, and storyshaper Allison Stieger to explore how ancient myths can help us navigate modern life. From personal transformation to collective healing, this conversation will help you reconnect with meaning, tap into timeless wisdom, and begin to see your life as the sacred story it truly is.

Whether you’re feeling lost, burned out, or just craving a deeper connection to yourself, this episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and remember:
 ✨ Your life is a myth worth honoring.

Stay Connected:
📸 Follow us on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Allison Stieger:
🌐 Website: www.mythicstories.com
📸 Instagram: @mythicstories
🎥 TikTok: @mythicstories
💫 Free 30-minute call and coaching at Mythic Stories

Connect with Teryl Rothery:
🌐 Website: www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri:
🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram
💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

Episode Title: Episode 5- Is Everyone Just Making It Up as They Go?

Episode Description:

Ever looked around and thought, “Wait... who let me be an adult?” You’re not alone. In this episode of The Honest Pause, Maryam and Teryl unpack the quiet truth no one talks about: we’re all just winging it.

Together, they explore:

• Why nobody actually has their life figured out (even the confident ones)
• How social media fuels the illusion of “having it all together”
• The real difference between confidence and competence
• What it looks like to live — and grow — without a map

You’ll also hear vulnerable moments, hilarious adulting fails, and mindset shifts to help you let go of the pressure to have it all planned. Because the secret is out: nobody knows exactly what they’re doing... and that’s okay.

If you’ve ever Googled “how to do taxes” while eating cereal for dinner or wondered how everyone else seems so sure — this episode is your gentle, funny, and deeply human permission slip to figure it out as you go.

Stay Connected:

 📸 Follow on Instagram: @TheHonestPause

Connect with Teryl Rothery

🌐 Website: https://www.terylrothery.com
📸 Instagram: @terylrothery
🧠 Book a Discovery Call

Connect with Maryam Taheri

🌐 LinkedIn
📸 Instagram

💼 Everground Advisory: Coaching & Business Strategy

- Curious about your enneagram type? book a typing session and get 10% off with code HONEST.

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