Nobody likes criticism… but most of us get a surprising amount of it—sometimes even on purpose.

In this episode of The Steady Steps Podcast, we talk about what it actually looks like to accept criticism well

Why does feedback hit so close to the bone? Why do we either want to defend ourselves immediately or crawl under the nearest table?

And what would change if we treated criticism as information instead of a verdict on our worth?

This isn’t about becoming immune to feedback or pretending it doesn’t sting. It’s about learning how to listen without spiraling, how to sift what’s useful from what isn’t, and how criticism—handled well—can quietly become one of our most practical tools for growth.

If feedback makes you tense up, shut down, or overthink everything you’ve ever done… this one’s for you. 🦊

Why does worry feel like caring… even when it’s draining the life out of us?

In this episode of The Steady Steps Podcast, we explore the subtle but powerful difference between worry and healthy concern.

Using everyday examples—from tense moments watching a big game to those 3 a.m. mental spirals—we unpack why worry so often masquerades as responsibility, love, or preparation.

This is a practical, grounded conversation about:

• Why worry feels productive even when it isn’t

• How caring can quietly turn into carrying outcomes we don’t control

• The shift from mental loops to small, steady action

• And how to ask a simpler, lighter question: What’s mine to do today?

If you’ve ever felt exhausted by your own concern—for your family, your future, or things you can’t quite fix—this episode offers a calmer, more sustainable way forward.

Sometimes the most grounded thing we can do is care deeply… and then loosen our grip.

When everything feels urgent at once, it’s easy to freeze. The inbox fills up, the to-do list grows, and even simple tasks feel hard to start.

In this episode, we talk about a simple rule for moments like that: do the next thing. Not the perfect thing. Not the whole plan. Just one small, concrete action that actually finishes something.

If you’ve been stuck lately, this episode offers a practical way to get moving again — one real step at a time.

“Don’t overreact” sounds like good advice—until you realize it doesn’t tell you what to do instead.

In this episode, we unpack why overreactions happen and how responding too fast or measuring a situation too big can throw us off.

The goal isn’t to suppress emotion, but to slow the moment down and respond in proportion.

We all experience Intrusive thoughts – strange, unwantedideas that pop into our minds and can be hard to shake. They can be frustrating or even unsettling.

This episode is a calm, practical conversation about how torespond to those thoughts without fear or self-judgment.

Instead of trying to fight your mind, we explore gentler, more effective ways to stay grounded, refocus your attention, and keep moving in the direction that matters to you.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated, worried, or stuck in your own head, this episode is for you.

With thanks to Emma McAdam and Therapy in a Nutshellfor the ACT-based illustration shared in this episode:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyinaNutshell

Some questions don’t have clean answers.

In this episode, we step into one of the hardest and most uncomfortable conversations many people quietly carry: pain, suffering, and where God fits when life just doesn’t make sense. When faithful people suffer. When good lives are cut short. When illness, loss, or heartbreak feels random and undeserved.

We talk about why the tidy explanations we often hear — everything happens for a reason, this is just a lesson, God must be teaching you something — don’t always line up with real life.

Drawing from Scripture, personal stories, and an unexpectedly profound moment from The Office, we explore a different framework: a broken world, real randomness, and a God who doesn’t need to cause every hardship in order to be present in it.

This episode leans more clearly into a Christian perspective than most, not to offer easy answers, but to make room for honesty.

We wrestle with the difference between seeing God as the author of suffering versus trusting Him as the Redeemer who walks with us through it. We look at passages from Genesis, Job, Romans, and Philippians, and ask what it really means to trust God when understanding never comes.

If you’re hurting, questioning, or simply tired of forced optimism, this conversation is for you. And if faith isn’t where you are right now, you’re still welcome here.

Life is unpredictable. God is faithful. Sometimes holding both is where peace begins.

A tiny shift in language can completely change the way we face our day.

In this episode, we explore the difference between saying “I have to” and “I get to,” and how this simple reframing can lighten difficult tasks, soften tough conversations, and bring a sense of purpose back into ordinary moments.

If you’ve ever felt weighed down by responsibilities or stuck in dread before an uncomfortable interaction, this mindset might surprise you.

Give it a try — and see how a few changed words can reshape your perspective.

Episode 20 is a special one. We’re hitting a meaningful podcast milestone, and in this episode we take a step back to talk honestly about what it’s taken to get here—what’s gone well, what’s been harder than expected, and why so many shows quietly fade out around this point.

We look at the statistics behind pod-fade, the realities of creative burnout, and the gap between the podcast we planned to make and the one we’ve actually created. And somewhere in the middle of all that, we end up confronting a pretty ironic truth: a podcast built around small, steady change can still fall into the trap of trying to make every episode life-changing.

This is a reflective, honest look behind the scenes—about expectations, growth, and giving ourselves permission to be works in progress.

If you’ve ever tried to build something meaningful over time, this one might resonate.

Share it with a friend, send a thought our way, and thanks for being here for episode twenty.

It’s easy to let life settle into routine — work, home, screens, repeat. But staying curious and deliberate about learning can keep your mind sharp, your spirit awake, and your sense of purpose alive.

In this episode, we explore why lifelong learning matters, what keeps people from doing it, and how even fifteen minutes a day can make you better than most in any skill you choose.

Whether it’s a new hobby, a deeper faith, or simply the joy of growth, this episode reminds you that it’s never too late to keep learning!

We all want to be liked — but when the need for approval starts shaping our decisions, it can quietly drain our energy, cloud our judgment, and even lead to moral compromise. In this episode, Brian Volpone shares a personal story about learning he was a “people pleaser,” and explores what happens when kindness turns into approval addiction.

The conversation dives into how people pleasing shows up in everyday life — from overexplaining a simple “no” to seeking someone else’s blessing before making a choice — and offers small, practical steps to rebuild confidence and autonomy.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for disappointing someone or pressured to justify your decisions, this episode will help you take steady steps toward freedom from approval addiction.