THE ONE THAT GLITTERS with Michelle Lang (Current series: BTS called GLITTER MOUTH)

Episode Synopsis:

[Audio Diary 8.12.25]

In this episode of Glitter Mouth, I'm celebrating getting two new swim lesson inquiries after my cancellation spiral, warming up to the idea of selling my PDF despite my salesy fears, then diving deep into alien theories and consciousness connection with Ian while realizing my word triggers are just childhood insecurities playing out in marriage. 

Perfect for entrepreneurs learning to trust the ebb and flow, couples recognizing their communication patterns, and anyone grappling with how to be an artist. 

In this episode, I talk about:

• Warming up to selling the PDF despite my fear of being salesy: "I believe so strongly in it”

• "Rejected" starting hot at 22K views then mysteriously slowing down while Malibu Falls crushes it at 1.9 million

• My efficiency frustration: "I can't just post that check the box next task" like I do producing movies -

• The beautiful homecoming moment: hugging my older kids after they were away, Jack's tiny hand smelling like frosting while sleeping

• Feeling ready to "shed the skin" and "burst out like a butterfly in a cocoon" - moving with assurance instead of overthinking

• Ian's alien theories blowing my mind: different alien types might be humans from different future time periods, consciousness not tethered to time/space

• My pattern recognition breakthrough: listening to our old arguments and seeing how specific words trigger deep childhood insecurities

• The word trigger analysis: mine are about being dismissed/not understood, Ian's are about control - 

• My spiritual vision flashback: dying in meditation and getting "hugged by the universe" for 20 seconds, told "don't be scared, you are protected"

Episode Synopsis: [Audio Diary recorded 8.11.25]

In this cancellation chaos and creative crossroads episode of Glitter Mouth Season 2, I'm spiraling about multiple swim lesson cancellations thinking I've "blocked the energy" by not being excited about the royal family gig, then getting a universe gift in the form of Sam - a fashion-savvy stranger who becomes my impromptu creative director and gives me the missing piece of my content strategy. 

Perfect for entrepreneurs dealing with feast-or-famine cycles, creators seeking authentic feedback, and anyone overthinking their brand identity at 1am.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Waking up to "so many cancellations" and immediately catastrophizing that I "blocked the energy" and now I'll be "broke on the streets"

• The swim lesson business reality: "it's just an ebb and flow" but my brain goes straight to financial doom

• My "rejected" post slowing down overnight at 52K views, making me question if the weird energy around my first call-to-action killed the momentum

• Malibu Falls crushing it at 1.6 million views - realizing maybe that script on my desktop was always meant to be this viral post, not a feature film

• My pattern recognition breakthrough: listening to old arguments with Ian and seeing I keep "climbing into the same rabbit holes" about word triggers and insecurities

• The universe gift of meeting Sam at my facialist's - a fashion-loving stranger from London who becomes my instant inspiration guru

• The breakthrough moment: "behind the scenes before the scene" showing my fashion choices, set design, and creative process

• My 1am research spiral into LTK (Like to Know It) and whether I should monetize fashion links or stay focused on pure artistry

• The $32-33 profit margin rule for running profitable ads - realizing I need higher-priced products to make advertising worthwhile

• My torn identity crisis: wanting to help people with the PDF while staying true to being an artist, not a teacher

• The bio struggle: trying to capture "high fashion meets falling down stairs" in a catchy tagline that doesn't feel cheesy

• The trust-fall metaphor with my swim student who's too trusting of the water to fight for safety - like me needing to "skip ahead" and trust my art

Episode Synopsis: [Audio Diary recorded 8.11.25]

In this episode of Glitter Mouth, I'm wishing I could teleport instead of spending seven hours a day driving to LA for swim lessons, celebrating my new video, “Rejected” potentially being the biggest viral video I’ve made to date (Spoiler alert, it wasn’t, despite having over 30K views almost immediately) all while having full-body anxiety about posting my most vulnerable content yet about getting the cold shoulder at a Hollywood party. 

PDF to help you be YOU on Social Media & Merch: www.Theonethatglitters.com

In this episode, I talk about:

• The gift of connecting with people online between lessons: "to be able to chat with people all across the world through social media, I feel so divinely blessed"

• My left eye compulsively twitching from expansion anxiety: "all this expansion is giving me morning sickness" like creating a baby

• The "rejected" post about getting cold-shouldered at a Hollywood party: and how it’s making me spin. 

• My obsessive design process to my videos: making the text triangle match the stairs going up, breaking words deliberately for emotional impact

• The vulnerability hangover: "every single part of this expansion is so physically" painful - heart racing, hands shaking, feeling nauseous

• The awkwardness of call-to-actions: struggling with "follow for part two" because it feels salesy when my content is "free enterprise"

Episode Synopsis: [Audio Diary from 8.9.25]

In this royalty calls and relationship reflection episode of Glitter Mouth, I'm waking up to the blissful sounds of Ian and Jack playing paddle ball in the yard, celebrating my sister's breakthrough inspired by the podcast, then fielding a wild call about teaching swim lessons to an actual royal family while questioning whether I even want the gig. Finally, my husband and I get ready for a “date.” 

Perfect for small business owners setting boundaries, siblings supporting each other's breakthroughs, and anyone navigating the weird world of high-profile clients.

In this episode, I talk about:

• The perfect morning wake-up: sounds of Ian and Jack playing paddle ball while the dog frolics in freshly cut grass - "a little slice of heaven"

• My sister Tess's major breakthrough after listening to three podcast episodes: finally posting a photo without her wig for her alopecia, inspired by my vulnerability

• The mission accomplished moment: "I put out the pod with the hopes to inspire one person and it was my sister"

• Getting an unexpected call about teaching a royal family: "we have a royal family coming in and we're told how amazing you are"

• My conflicted feelings about the royal gig: debating whether I even want it because "I was really hoping to work on my series and on this podcast"

• The empowering realization: "I'm not desperate for that experience" - finally feeling confident enough to turn down high-profile work

• My rate philosophy: giving the same rates to everyone regardless of status because "I don't want to take advantage"

• The Instagram victory: the gross "where can I see your P-U-S-S-Y" commenter getting removed from the platform

• Malibu Falls hitting 1.1 million views and gaining 40 new "connections" (I hate the word followers because of my Catholic upbringing)

• My meditation revelation about needing "unshakable conviction" in what I stand for, just like I have in the swimming pool

• The technique lesson dilemma: not wanting to teach boring stroke work to kids who already know how to swim

• Ian's fascinating history lesson about the Great Wall of China's archer windows actually facing inward to keep people from fleeing

• The heavy energy discussion about visiting Pompeii and concentration camps - places where you can still "feel the terror"

• My parenting hack: when kids repeat something important, literally write it down to make them feel heard

• The pre-date cocktail preparation: Spindrift cosmopolitan 

• The reality of family dates: going to Nordstrom Rack for Ian's birthday shopping with a four-year-old in tow

Episode Synopsis

[Audio Diary Recorded 8.8.25]

In this marathon episode recorded over multiple sessions, I navigate extreme sleep deprivation (Jack woke me up repeatedly at 3am), celebrate Jack's last day of preschool after 12 years of paying for three kids' private education, and experience the emotional whiplash of Instagram taking down my Malibu Falls post for policy violations before reinstating it. I work through my first collab attempt, struggle with my talking head video getting only 637 views, and process deep feelings about acquaintances I've given too much power to—realizing they're "literally not paying attention at all." The episode captures my revelation that the people I was scared would judge me don't care, my decision to invest Jack's $1,400/month tuition into podcast editing now that he's moving to public school, and my commitment to stop tiptoeing around creating "real truth art" for fear of making others uncomfortable.

• Extreme parenting exhaustion: Jack woke me up repeatedly at 3am every time I almost fell asleep—"I am a non-functional human today"—reminding me "how many times you have to still get up and move your butt and take care of everybody else"

• Instagram policy violation and reinstatement: My Malibu Falls post got pulled for glorifying self-harm, almost at a million views—"I'm skirting the line of light and dark and that is why the posts are as successful as they are"—but Instagram reviewed and reinstated it with an apology

• The people I feared don't care: The acquaintances I was "worried would judge me literally they could care less"—"not a single one has reached out" about my podcast—and "that should be very freeing and is very freeing for me"

• First collaboration anxiety: I did my first collab and immediately wanted to qualify "if you don't like it, you don't have to share it"—recognizing my pattern of falling into the "helper helper category" because I fear people won't reciprocate

• Reinvesting tuition money: After 12 years paying for private preschool ($1,400/month for Jack's Montessori), I'm now investing that money into getting my podcast edited—"if I could do that for Jack's school, I can figure out how to spend that money" on my art

• Stop tiptoeing for others' comfort: I'm "done tiptoeing around and not creating real truth art for fear that it will make other people uncomfortable"—including using real situations from parties where I felt unwelcome, without naming names

• The shed skin metaphor: Looking back at honest episodes I'm scared to post, I realize "that episode was like my shed skin from that time—it really came from me but it's not who I am now"

• Breathing through impatience: On day two of no sleep, I had to consciously practice patience with Jack wanting to help cook—"usually I'm cheering on, let's explore life, but today I was like, can we please just prep dinner"

• Proposal memories and control issues: Reflecting on Ian's surprise proposal where I was covered in oil paint, I realize "I'm the problem in that equation—why am I such a planner that I can't just get over the fact that I wanted to control what I looked like"

• The 10-year master plan: This is my strategic timeline—create the series now while kids are young, then "when they are older and in college, mommy's now filming this as a TV show, this is my master plan"

Episode Synopsis:

[Audio Diary Recorded 8.6.25]

In this episode of Glitter Mouth I’m launching this podcast, touring a stunning mansion overlooking the mountains, celebrating my podcast going live with 13 plays, and then spiraling into perfectionism hell as I obsess over every detail of my trailer edit. 

Perfect for creators launching new projects and perfectionists who can't stop tweaking their work. 

In this episode, I talk about:

• My fantasy of using the upstairs room of this mansion on the hill as my podcast studio with neon "The One That Glitters" sign and dual chandeliers framing my desk

• Celebrating my podcast launch milestone: 13 plays without even posting a single reel yet - "I'm stoked that anyone has listened to it literally at all"

• Keeping the IP separate: deciding to maintain "Glitter Mouth" for the podcast and "The One That Glitters" for the book series for future licensing deals

• My impulsive Sunday night launch: "I was like, I'm doing it. I feel it. It needs to be birthed right now. We're happening. We're in labor."

• The trailer creation process: watching footage, letting my brain work overnight, then doing a "really quick rough" that turned out good

• Ian's medium rating of my trailer and Jack's hilarious "50 stars" review after saying "ew" to the gross game footage

• The 80/20 rule  - learning when to stop fussing and move forward

NOTE: Salient characteristics of the mansion have been changed to protect client confidentiality.

TRIGGER WARNING: self harm/strong language from Instagram comment section mentioned in this episode.

Episode Synopsis:

[Audio Diary Recorded 8.5.25]

In this vulnerable and strategic episode of Glitter Mouth, I'm grappling with my deep fear of asking for help while crafting the perfect trailer for my podcast, teaching swim lessons at stunning LA mansions, and having profound realizations about focus versus being a "jellyfish swimmer" who goes everywhere but nowhere. 

Perfect for creators struggling with perfectionism, artists learning to ask for help, and anyone trying to focus their scattered talents into one powerful direction.

Audio Diary Recorded 8.5.25

In this episode, I talk about:

• My terror of asking for help after being told I was "condescending" by a producer who thought simple tasks were "beneath" him - versus me cleaning "shit and glitter" off floorboards while directing

• The giddy breakthrough of identifying my core fear: I'm "deeply afraid that no one will like me" and realizing I can take power away from that consequence

• Finding gold footage that Trayton shot cinema verite style when I had a newborn - moments I thought were annoying but now treasure for my trailer

• My "so what?" exercise: if no one likes me, it doesn't change how my family feels about me or how I know my heart is good

• Teaching at one of the most beautiful mansion estates I've ever seen - sculptures, bubbling fountains, thousands of manicured hedge circles

• The gross moment of stepping in Layla's poop between my toes, contrasted with receiving boxes of my published mermaid swim books

• Reading Trayton's latest book "The End of the World or Is It Too?" and marveling at his natural storytelling ability with forward-moving plot and humor

• Dealing with disgusting Instagram comments asking "where can I see your pussy?" and briefly considering OnlyFans for my feet to make money

• The split poll results on my podcast name - 50% say keep "Glitter Mouth," 50% say "The One That Glitters" - realizing it doesn't matter, I just need to choose

• My revelation about being a "jellyfish swimmer" - having lots of enthusiasm but no focused direction, spinning in the center instead of reaching goals

• Ian's insight about the Bob Evans story: don't chase every opportunity, but don't block the "easy layups" when they naturally arise

• The painful truth that I'm "good at a lot of things but never dove into one with enough focus to make anything pop off"

• My 10-year vision finally crystallizing: building The One That Glitters into a company, not just being an employee to other brands

• The identical mosquito bites on the exact same spot of both arms - a weird "glitch in the matrix" moment

• The life lesson from Ian's movie: "You miss the focus, you lose the focus" - my new mantra for staying on track.

[Audio Diary recorded 8.3.25]

In this marathon behind-the-scenes episode of Glitter Mouth, I'm processing an intense day of swim lessons while deep-diving into my SIARE method for teaching kids, then spending hours wrestling with the technical nightmare of uploading my first podcast episode of this series to Spotify. 

Perfect for service-based entrepreneurs understanding client psychology, creators dealing with perfectionism and technical overwhelm, and anyone learning to embrace their authentic self despite fear of judgment.

In this episode, I talk about:

• My social anxiety about revealing what I do for work, fearing swim clients will judge me for my stunt content

• The deep fear of only being liked for what I can do for people rather than who I am as a person

• How I've spent 12 years morphing myself to make everyone else comfortable instead of being authentic

• My revelation that emotions are actually my strength, not my weakness, after years of trying to hide any darkness

• The grueling 4-hour technical battle to upload one episode to Spotify, getting lost in details like fonts and titles

• Discovering there's already a band called "Glitter Mouth" and having an existential crisis about my podcast name

• The internal struggle between wanting to hide behind my work versus being a talking head on social media

• My late-night perfectionism spiral, staying up until 12:46 AM redesigning cover art and questioning every decision

[Audio Diary Recorded 8.2.25]

PDF’s to help you be YOU on social media: www.theonethatglitters.com

In this deeply vulnerable episode of Glitter Mouth, I'm battling social anxiety at a fancy LA pool party while processing the reality of watching kids I knew as toddlers become teenagers, ultimately finding grounding through a therapeutic stair fall session in downtown Los Angeles. 

Perfect for anyone dealing with social anxiety, parents watching time accelerate with their children, and creators using art to process difficult emotions.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Finding comfort and grounding by holding my 4-year-old Jack's hand and playing with balloons by the pool instead of forcing small talk

• The gross hot tub loogie incident that a tiny dog accidentally ate, providing both entertainment and horror

• Watching high schoolers cannonball with pure joy while reading Instagram comments calling my own joy "weird psychological addiction for validation"

• My realization that being "grown up and disillusioned" shouldn't be the pinnacle we're all trying to achieve

• Feeling disconnected from LA's "what can you do for me" networking culture and not caring about meaningless small talk. 

• My therapeutic stairfall mission through downtown LA's one-way street maze and protest crowds

• Getting kicked out of my first stair location but succeeding at the famous Bunker Hill Steps despite nervous energy

• The post-dinner doubts (PDDs) hitting after feeling rejected at the party and questioning everything I'm doing

• Finding joy in people's Instagram bios like "sorry for being so weird, this is my first time being alive"

• Creating a PDF of life-changing questions rather than answers, because the questions themselves unlock everything

[Audio Diary recorded 8.1.25]

PDF to help you be YOU on social Media: www.theonethatglitters.com

In this episode of Glitter Mouth Season 2, I'm finding editing groove after rarely-drinking gummy-induced detailed-process notebook documentation that Claude AI turned into Creative Career Domination Worksheet in ten seconds saving three hours, then celebrating August 1st 2025 as last-day-ever paying thousand-plus monthly preschool bills with 0.00 ledger reading wanting to cry, cycling through Shopify digital-product struggle and singer-collaboration-letter overthinking with Ian about demo-request wording. 

In this episode, I talk about:

• Claude AI worksheet ten-second creation: Put gummy-induced detailed transcript into AI asking for worksheet - "something that would have taken two-three hours did in 10 seconds"

• Creative Career Domination Worksheet structure: Core identity questions, unique combination identities, systematic approach to branding - "questions I've sent Spark Labs Northwestern alum for years"

• Shopify digital-product struggle: "Really wish it would just be click here to add digital project - have to download separate app, so many steps"

• August 1st 2025 last-preschool-bill hallelujah: Jack starting TK, ledger reads 0.00 - "kind of want to cry, 12 years of thousand-plus monthly fees, rolling directly into podcast editor"

• $14.99 Fiverr-typo-check guilt: Almost didn't hire because expensive, then realized would pay assistant $50 - "why am I not hiring somebody for $14.99"

• No-no's-only-choices parenting motto: "Never say no to anyone, give choices - smooth compliance slash working together to solve problem"

• Armpit-rash-trauma-trust-broken: Last season painful breakout like cymbals-crashing in ear, now constantly checking - "never thought about armpits until that happened"

• Singer-collaboration-letter overthinking: Writing UK singer about Travis Howard theme song - Ian helping simplify "would you be open to exploring singing in it"

• 2023 ATX Everyone's-Doing-Great premiere timeline: Kariba and Alex listening to lost-in-motherhood struggle - "their belief to jump in and be excited kicked me into gear"

• Hotel-room-downtown-Austin seven-season-outline: Ian saying don't have to write all seven, me saying "I do because how will I know what to set up in season one if I don't have season seven done"