Ever had someone’s well-meaning advice leave you feeling more judged than helped? Or maybe you’ve been on the other side—tried to help someone and ended up feeling like your “support” wasn’t received the way you meant it? In this episode of Life in the Grey, we explore something we call “presumptuous care”, when help comes with assumptions, expectations or even unintended guilt.
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✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
This isn’t a “how-to” episode. It’s more of a “come sit with us while we wrestle” kind of conversation, even with a phrase as cringe as, “It’s not you, it’s me”. We talk about friendships that both give life and drive us up the wall, kids who push every button and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes the problem isn’t them—it’s us. But not in the shame-filled, “I’m the worst” kind of way. More in the, “Wait . . . maybe my expectations are the real trigger here” kind of way. If you’ve ever asked yourself whether your reaction says more about your past than the person in front of you, you’ll feel right at home in this one.
Related links:
✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
Ever felt cornered by someone’s absolute certainty—about parenting, health or even quinoa—and found yourself scrambling to defend your every thought? In this episode of Life in the Grey, we unpack the magic of two little words: “It depends.” Not as a cop-out, but as a way to hold space for nuance, curiosity and compassion—without caving to the pressure to agree or advise—saving you from quinoa-induced stomach cramps.
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✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
In this episode of Life in the Grey, we dive into the messy and uncomfortable relatable territory of apologies, blame and that sneaky little voice that tells us everything is somehow our fault. From saying sorry to our kids (even when our ego protests), to navigating guilt, expectations and the fine line between accountability and over-apologising—we’re talking about all of it.
Is saying sorry always the right thing? What if you don’t agree with the other person’s version of events? And how do you know if you’re standing in integrity or just gaslighting yourself?
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✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
You know how everyone’s a psychologist these days? Throwing around words like “narcissist” or “trauma” like they’re personality types on a BuzzFeed quiz? In this episode, we chat about what happens when labels get tossed around too quickly—especially the big ones. Where’s the line between naming something helpful and just slapping on a diagnosis that doesn’t fit? And what does it mean for our relationships when we get it wrong?
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✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
Have you ever been labelled something—like “not a morning person”—and then felt like people stopped seeing anything else about you? In this episode, Melody vents about a friend who just won’t let go of the “night owl” label, even though she’s up at 6am most day. And Faith shares the time a doctor didn’t believe she could be struggling with mental health . . . because she had make-up on. Together, we explore how labels and stereotypes—even the ones that seem harmless—can box us in, shape expectations, and sometimes stop us (or others) from seeing our full potential. But are labels always bad? Can they sometimes help us access the support we need? We talk about the grey space between helpful and harmful, the danger of self-fulfilling prophecies, and how adopting a growth mindset can change the narrative.
Related links:
✨ Ready to be a little kinder to yourself? Download our free 5-day self-compassion challenge—with daily prompts, gentle exercises and tools to help you stop the spiral of self-criticism and start speaking to yourself like a friend.
From the flawed origins of BMI to the deeply ingrained narratives that tell us our bodies need to be “fixed”, we unpack the emotional weight of these beliefs and what it takes to unlearn them. In this episode of Life in the Grey, we dive into the unspoken rules and expectations around body image, health and self-worth. Tune in as we explore what it really means to love and appreciate our bodies—just as they are.
Notes/additional info:
At 12:11: A technical issued caused a change in our audio quality. Sadly, we were unable to fix it post-recording. Sorry!
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Is food really “good” or “bad”? In this episode of Life in the Grey, we unpack the hidden power of language in shaping our eating habits, self-perception and even how we talk to our kids. We explore how labels influence our choices, the origins of food guilt, and why shifting toward a more balanced perspective matters. Join us as we challenge old mindsets, question the power of words and try to live in the grey.
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From childhood memories of scrutiny to caring what others think in our adulthood, we explore the lasting impacts of judgement on our lives and relationships. How does the feeling of being judged shape our present-day reactions? How do we hold space for the grey areas where assumptions meet reality?
Notes/additional info:
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Why do good, practical advice miss the mark in life's messy realities? We dive into the complexities of technical solutions versus relationship challenges, and explore the power of pausing, practising self-compassion, and embracing the grey areas of life and relationships.
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