Have you ever felt an internal pull toward something more—even though your life looks “fine” on the outside?

In this episode, Andrew and Cat explore the quiet but powerful feeling many people experience when they’re ready for growth: the sense that the current version of yourself no longer fits. This conversation unpacks why this feeling shows up, what it actually means, and how to listen to it without burning your life down.

This episode is about identity shifts, alignment, and understanding that wanting more doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful—it means you’re evolving.

• Why feeling unsettled is often a sign of growth, not failure
• The difference between wanting to escape and wanting to align
• Why adults lose permission to explore new versions of themselves
• How future-self awareness begins before action
• Why growth can feel uncomfortable even when it’s right
• How fear shows up when your identity starts to change
• Why imagining a future version of yourself is meaningful
• Letting go of outdated goals, habits, and identities
• Why growth doesn’t require drastic life changes

1. Notice the Nudge – Pay attention to feelings of restlessness or misalignment instead of suppressing them.
2. Name What’s Changing – Ask yourself what no longer fits instead of what’s “wrong.”
3. Release the Pressure – Growth doesn’t require immediate action or dramatic decisions.
4. Honor Both Truths – You can be grateful for your life and still want more.
5. Think in Small Shifts – Identity change happens through awareness and micro-adjustments over time.

• What feels outdated in my life right now?
• What part of me is asking for growth or expansion?
• If I trusted this calling, what might it be pointing me toward?

Andrew reflects on recognizing subtle internal shifts before big changes.

Cat shares the relief that comes from realizing growth doesn’t have to be dramatic or destructive.

This episode begins the Five Year You series.

Next Episode:

Why Starting Over Feels So Scary (And What Staying Stuck Is Really Costing You)

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Every year, millions of people set New Year’s resolutions — and by mid-January, most of them feel frustrated, discouraged, or convinced they’ve failed. In this episode, Andrew and Cat break down why resolutions so often fall apart, why it’s not a personal flaw, and what actually works if you want real, lasting change.

This conversation is about releasing shame, understanding how your brain and nervous system work, and building habits that support who you’re becoming — not punishing yourself into change.

1. Why most resolutions fail by design
2. How going “too big, too fast” overwhelms your nervous system
3. The difference between goals driven by shame vs. excitement
4. Why motivation doesn’t come first — action does
5. How identity-based habits outperform willpower
6. Why systems matter more than motivation
7. How overwhelm leads to avoidance and freeze mode
8. Why rest and flexibility are part of consistency

1. They’re too vague (“get healthy,” “be better,” “lose weight”)
2. They’re rooted in self-criticism instead of care
3. They rely on motivation instead of systems
4. They ignore real life stress, illness, and bad days
5. They don’t account for who you actually are

Start smaller than feels necessary

Tiny, achievable actions build momentum. Big goals still matter — but they must be broken into bite-sized steps your brain can handle.

Create systems, not rules

Motivation fades. Systems stay. Decide how you’ll show up on hard days, not just what you’ll do on perfect ones.

Build identity-based habits

Instead of “I need to work out,” try:

1. “I’m someone who moves every day”
2. “I’m someone who shows up, even imperfectly”

Know yourself honestly

Some people need accountability. Others don’t. There’s no shame — just strategy.

Plan for real life

Have a Plan B for sick days, stressful weeks, and low-energy moments. Missing one day doesn’t break a habit — quitting does.

Action creates motivation

Don’t wait to feel inspired. Do the smallest version of the habit — motivation will follow.

1. Change driven by shame rarely survives stress
2. Overwhelm triggers avoidance
3. Pausing does not erase progress

Rejection can feel deeply personal — whether it’s not getting the job, not hearing back, being left out, or feeling unwanted in relationships. In this episode, Andrew and Cat unpack why rejection hurts so much, what’s actually happening in your brain when it happens, and how to move through it without letting it define your self-worth.

This conversation is for anyone who tends to replay rejection over and over, spiral into self-blame, or wonder what’s “wrong” with them after hearing no.

• Why rejection activates the brain’s pain centers
• How rejection threatens belonging, not your value
• The difference between what happened and the story you tell yourself
• Why rejection often feels like an identity attack
• How timing, fit, and context matter more than personal failure
• Why being rejected doesn’t mean you were evaluated fairly
• How to stop internalizing rejection and move forward with confidence

• Rejection is an event, not a verdict
• Not being chosen doesn’t mean you’re unworthy
• You don’t need universal approval to belong
• Rejection often protects you from misalignment
• One “no” does not define your future

• Let yourself feel disappointed without shaming yourself
• Name the emotion instead of becoming it
• Separate facts from assumptions
• Reconnect with moments where you have been chosen
• Keep your identity bigger than one outcome

You are not your last rejection. You are allowed to grieve it — and you are allowed to move on without carrying it as proof of anything about you.

Andrew shares a moment of calm and presence before a busy season, while Cat reflects on the joy of a slow, grounding day spent resetting her space and energy.