Your mindset isn't something you have, it's the lens every experience arrives through. You've never once experienced reality directly, only your mind's version of it. So if your sense of self is built on borrowable ground, a relationship, a job, a body, someone's approval, then anything that can be moved can move you. This episode is about why that foundation matters more than almost anything else in your life, and how to root it in something that can't be taken. The mystics and the neuroscientists agree, your reality is built within you. So build it like you know that.

We’ve been sold the idea that the more we suffer, the more we grow, that fun is what happens once we’ve earned it. This week, I’m breaking that belief, because there is no prize for suffering.

I get into why joy is the highest spiritual vibration in Kabbalah, and what actually happens in your brain when you let yourself have fun. We talk about the guilt so many of us carry, especially as women, the box people try to put you in when you’re “the spiritual one,” and why enjoying the physical world isn’t a detour from the path. It is the path.

Plus the small, everyday practices I’m using to bring more fun in: romanticising the ordinary, dressing up for no reason, meeting new people, breaking the routine, and moving my body for the joy of it. Because presence isn’t found in the big milestone you’re waiting for. It’s here, in the moment you’re in right now.

You asked, so I’m answering 🤍

This week’s episode is a little different, no topic, just a very honest Q+A. I’m answering your questions about love, relationships, faith, spirituality, purpose, and everything in between. Some of these questions made me think, some made me laugh, and a few took us way deeper than I expected.

Basically, consider this one big girls’ chat. Nothing is off limits. Put your headphones in and come hang with me. 🤍

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

Elul is the last stretch before Rosh Hashanah, the window when change is most available. This episode breaks down what this time actually means, the practices to do before the new year, and how to finally turn “this is what I want” into a year that actually looks different.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

When I was nine years old, my mum told me something that would shape the way I saw myself for the rest of my life: “The way you look will always be the least interesting thing about you.”

In a world that teaches women to obsess over how we look, this episode is about remembering what our bodies were actually created for. We’re talking body image, the exhausting pursuit of becoming “enough” through the lens of Judaism and Kabbalah.

I explore the Jewish idea of the body as a vessel for the soul, why taking care of yourself can be an act of spirituality without making your appearance your identity, and what changes when you stop asking, “How do I look?” and start asking, “What am I here to do?”

Your body deserves to be loved, nourished and cared for. But it was never meant to be the most interesting thing about you.

This one is for every woman who has ever looked in the mirror and forgotten who she is.

Resources for those struggling:

https://butterfly.org.au/get-support/helpline/

https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

Your prayers aren’t being ignored. Sometimes the thing you’re begging for can’t be held by who you are yet, and the waiting is the Creator building the vessel. Drawing on Omer Shemtov’s story, Kabbalah, and Neuroscience, this is the reframe that changes how you pray: stop asking for what you want. And start asking what He wants from you.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

We are our own harshest critics. No one will ever have to criticise a woman, because she’s already doing it to herself. This week i’m going into self-judgment, negative self-talk, and the voice in our heads that shapes how we see ourselves, through Kabbalah and through neuroscience. Because you were never meant to shame yourself into someone better. you were meant to love yourself all the way there. 🤍

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

In this episode i’m walking you through what a breakup actually is, spiritually, kabbalistically, and neurologically. why tzimtzum means the empty space isn’t empty. why the vessels had to shatter. why some relationships are enormous and short. what the brain scans actually show about heartbreak and why the grief you’re in right now is the exact process building the version of you your person will recognise.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

Someone says something that stings, and before you’ve decided anything, your chest is tight and the words are already out.
That space between what happened and what you did feels like nothing. Kabbalah says it’s the most important ground you own. Neuroscience says it’s about a fifth of a second.
In this episode we go into the gap. Why your alarm system fires before your judgment does. Why restraint, isn’t the opposite of love but the vessel that holds it. Why the Tanya says the first thought isn’t you, but the second one is a choice. And why G-d’s first creative act was holding back.
Plus four things you can actually do, starting today.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios

What if the biggest glow-up of your life has nothing to do with your appearance?
In this episode, we’re redefining beauty through the lens of Judaism, Kabbalah, neuroscience, and psychology. We explore why science associates beauty with symmetry, why Kabbalah teaches that true beauty is alignment, and how authenticity, purpose, and inner peace shape the way we experience ourselves—and the way the world experiences us.
We’ll talk about the paradox women face around beauty, what it really means to have a spiritual glow-up, why I always feel more beautiful in Israel, and how becoming the most authentic version of yourself might be the most beautiful thing you’ll ever do.
Because maybe beauty isn’t something you chase.
Maybe it’s something you reveal.

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bydanielleshai/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club WhatsApp Community Chat: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://chat.whatsapp.com/JG5BuHlmqD90WvlPT55qET?mode=gi_t⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Jewish Girls Club Merch Collection: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://df1ax6-si.myshopify.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Substack: ⁠⁠https://open.substack.com/pub/danielleshai/p/my-israeli-love-story-a-spiritual?r=89m1h3&utm_medium=ios