13. Let It Go or Let It Wreck You: The Science of Forgiveness & Your Body

13. Let It Go or Let It Wreck You: The Science of Forgiveness & Your Body

In this episode, host Brittany Bijan dives deep into the science and personal side of forgiveness — not as a moral obligation, but as an act of radical self-preservation. Drawing on research from Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and the work of physician Gabor Maté, Brittany breaks down what unprocessed resentment actually does to your nervous system, immune function, heart health, and cortisol levels. She gets personal about watching people she loves carry wounds for years, and shares how she's learning to choose her own health over holding onto pain. This episode is a reminder that forgiveness isn't about letting anyone off the hook — it's about freeing yourself. 5 Key Takeaways: • (1:39) - Forgiveness isn't about them — it's about what unforgiveness is doing to your body. • (3:08) - Your body keeps score: every unresolved resentment quietly costs you your health. • (6:44) - Every time you mentally replay a wound, your body physically relives the stress response. • (13:22) - Forgiveness doesn't mean reconciling or forgetting — it means releasing your body from the burden of carrying it. • (17:22) - The hardest forgiveness is often self-forgiveness, especially for choices made in survival mode. "Forgiveness is not a gift we give to them. It's a gift we give to ourselves — our nervous system, our immune system, our heart, and our soul." -B —------------------------ Loved this episode? If this one hit home, please take 30 seconds to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps B.Real reach more people who need to hear this. And share this episode with someone who's been carrying something they deserve to let go of. 🤍 Connect with B: Instagram: @brittanybijan [https://www.instagram.com/brittanybijan/]

12. 12 Episodes In: Everything We've Covered, Why It Matters, and What's Coming Next

In this special recap episode, Brittany celebrates hitting a major podcast milestone and takes listeners back through every episode from the B.Real archive — episodes 1 through 11. From her raw personal story to burnout, grief, mindset, nature healing, and female friendships, Brittany reflects on the themes, guests, and conversations that have resonated most with her audience. She also opens the floor to listener feedback and teases what's coming next. 5 Key Takeaways: • (7:11) — Brittany's childhood and personal history shaped her into the coach and voice she is today, and she's genuinely grateful for all of it. • (7:10) — Burnout is real and rampant, especially in women — 80% of autoimmune disease sufferers are women, often linked to self-silencing and over-caretaking. • (8:53) — The stories we tell ourselves have the power to either fuel forward progress or completely halt it. • (13:42) — Grief looks different for everyone, and there's no timeline — Brittany didn't feel "okay or normal" until years after losing her sister. • (15:55) — Nature, communication, and authentic friendships are underrated pillars of mental and emotional health. Standout Quote: "I do feel like this podcast can get in the ears of so many different people at once, and that just really excites me — and that's my purpose." — Brittany Bijan Connect with B: Instagram: @brittanybijan [https://www.instagram.com/brittanybijan/]

11. Female Friendships, Motherhood, and Rewriting the Music Industry with Tamar Kaprelian Part 2

In this episode of the B.Real Podcast, Brittany sits down for a deep, honest conversation about authenticity, friendship, motherhood, and creative expression. They explore how writing and music helped heal a fragmented friend group, the many forms of “mothering” beyond parenting, and the story behind two powerful songs: “The Only” and “Mirror, Mirror.” The discussion dives into self-reflection, emotional responsibility, and how artists can use storytelling and social media to build real, transparent connections with their audience. 5 Key Takeaways * [0:00:00] – Authentic, direct communication—paired with vulnerability—can be the catalyst for healing fractured friendships and bringing people back together. * [0:03:04] – “The Only” is part of a series of songs released on personally significant dates, exploring nontraditional forms of mothering and emotional labor. * [0:05:52] – Motherhood is a multifaceted lens that can guide decisions in parenting, business, relationships, and self-care. * [0:11:11] – “Mirror, Mirror” challenges listeners to face their own patterns and “deal with their shit” instead of projecting pain onto others. * [0:14:00] – In a world of AI and curation, artists deepen connection by openly sharing the real stories, emotions, and context behind their work. “We all have our shit, we all have to deal with it… you got to deal with your fucking shit. You cannot, or you don’t—and you’re miserable.” – Tamar Connect with Tamar: Instagram: @tamarkaprelian [https://www.instagram.com/tamarkaprelian] Connect with B: Instagram: @brittanybijan [https://www.instagram.com/brittanybijan/]

10. Female Friendships, Motherhood, and Rewriting the Music Industry with Tamar Kaprelian

In this episode, Brittany sits down with songwriter, artist, and music entrepreneur Tamar to explore how creativity can heal fractured friendships, how motherhood reshapes identity, and what it means to build a female-led, creator-first music company. Tamar shares her journey from full-time artist to founder, the therapeutic power of writing a song for her son, and a candid, vulnerable look at the complexity of female friendships, boundaries, and communication. 5 Key Takeaways * (0:04:13) – Tamar explains why he built a creator-led music company to solve industry problems from an artist’s perspective. * (0:07:30) – He shares how founding a business temporarily pulled him from her own artistry but ultimately created a better system for her creative life. * (0:09:45) – Tamar describes writing and releasing a song for her son as a healing way to process the realities of first-time motherhood. * (0:12:34) – Collaborating on that song with two close friends becomes the unexpected bridge that repairs a fragmented female friendship circle. * (0:18:49) – Brittany and Tamar unpack how poor communication and unspoken conflicts often end friendships, and why clear, adult conversations are crucial. “I definitely didn't expect for that to be the thing that brought us as a friend group again, because we were definitely a bit fragmented, and this was the process that brought it all back together.” – Tamar Connect with Tamar: Instagram: @tamarkaprelian [https://www.instagram.com/tamarkaprelian] Connect with B: Instagram: @brittanybijan [https://www.instagram.com/brittanybijan/]

9. Why are we so disconnected from nature Part 2, with Dr. Lena Dicken

In this episode of the B.Real Podcast, host Brittany Bijan sits down with psychologist and self-described “outdoor mom” Dr. Lena Dicken to explore how therapy gave her the “language” of emotion, why honest conversations deepen relationships, and how simple nature-based rituals can calm our nervous systems. They talk about raising kids to love the outdoors, navigating friendships with real honesty instead of avoidance, and what it means to “do the work” emotionally as adults. 5 Key Takeaways • (0:00:00) - Emotional language is a learned skill, like a new language, and it deepens relationships when practiced regularly. • (0:01:29) - Simple practices like leaving your phone at home, eating outside, and opening windows can create daily moments of calm and connection. • (0:02:33) - Modeling an outdoor lifestyle—beach days, hikes, and star-watching—helps kids associate nature with feeling calm and connected. • (0:07:33) - The “OV method” centers on slowing down, being present, reaching for optimism, and having hard emotional conversations instead of avoiding them. • (0:09:47) - Many adults never learned healthy communication growing up, but we’re still responsible for doing the work and choosing honest conversations in our relationships. “You have to learn how to articulate your feelings, how to listen to somebody else's feelings, and it is a skill… it’s like a muscle. The more you do it, the stronger it gets, and the more you are open to having those conversations, the deeper your relationships.” – Dr. Lena Dicken  Guest & Resources * Guest: Dr. Lena Dicken – Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Founder, The Outdoor Psychologist * Learn more: outdoorpsychologist.com [https://www.outdoorpsychologist.com/] Connect with B: Instagram: @brittanybijan [https://www.instagram.com/brittanybijan/] Join the B. Real Community : https://brittanybijan.myflodesk.com/brealcommunity [https://brittanybijan.myflodesk.com/brealcommunity] Know more about 40Fit blueprint:  https://stan.store/BBijan?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio