Scenic Route, Social Change and Mental Health for Tired Perfectionists

12 Nights of Magic: Tarot, Rauhnächte & Intentional Planning for 2026

Tired of entering a new year already depleted? This 35-minute conversation is your invitation to something slower, softer, yet powerful. Nadia Gabrielle returns to The Scenic Route to talk about the 12 Nights of Magic – her annual program that guides hundreds of participants worldwide through the liminal space between December 25th and January 6th. Rooted in the European Rauhnächte tradition, these nights create a portal where each day reveals the energetic theme of a month in the year ahead. In this episode, we explore: * What the Rauhnächte actually are (and why they're more than Instagram witchcraft aesthetic) * How to use tarot or oracle cards for year-ahead planning without making them "tell you what to do" * The power of street cleaning (literal and metaphorical) before crossing into a new year * Why some months show up as literal "NO" cards — and what that protection actually means * Real stories: When pulled cards predicted the exact energy of months ahead (Jennifer's viral January, her creative drought in April-May) * Wish fulfilment practices backed by participant feedback spanning years * The radical permission to do nothing: why "it's safe to potter" might be the most revolutionary advice for burned-out women This isn't a course. It's not homework. It's permission to breathe. Whether you go full ceremonial with candles and altars, or just pull a card each morning with your coffee, the 12 Nights of Magic meets you exactly where you are. Perfect for: Perfectionists, overthinkers, oldest daughters, women who've been the rock for everyone else, anyone craving a year-planning practice that feels like self-trust instead of strategy. Listen now to discover how a centuries-old tradition can help you enter 2026 lighter, more aligned, more yourself. Join 12NOM with Nadia Gabrielle [https://www.nadiagabrielle.com/12nom] Send me a DM [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2004940/open_sms] _____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/] – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION * Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsjenniferwalter/] * Follow on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjenniferwalter] * Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@itsjenniferwalter] 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations] is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=buzzsprout] ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW? Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Luck, Burnout & Lemon Cake: What 3 Years of The Scenic Route Taught Me About Slowing Down

Three years, 111 episodes, and countless conversations later — host Jennifer Walter sits down for a full-circle moment with Lauren Best to celebrate The Scenic Route’s third birthday. They flip the mic to talk about what really happens when you stop hustling and start listening: to your body, your luck, your burnout, and your joy. From viral posts to creative dry spells, from slow living to self-trust, this episode explores how to create — and live — at your own pace in a world that keeps shouting “more, faster, better.” If you’ve ever wondered how to build a life that feels honest, sustainable, and still a little rebellious, this one’s for you. In this episode, we talk about: ✨ What burnout taught Jennifer about rest, creativity, and play  🍋 Why luck matters (more than hustle) — and how to make space for it  💬 The power of Honest (Self-)Talk in work, art, and mental health 🌿 Learning to trust the process (even when it’s messy) 🎧 What it really means to “slow down” without giving up ambition 🔥 Why slow living is not an aesthetic — it’s a quiet rebellion Perfect for you if… You’re a smart, thoughtful woman juggling too many tabs open — craving more meaning, less noise, and permission to do life differently. Think: academic brains, creative hearts, recovering perfectionists, and quietly radical feminists. About Lauren Lauren Best is a Transformation Designer, Wellness Facilitator, Certified Hypnotherapist, Multi-Best-Selling Author, Founder of Possibilities Universe, and Writer of Possibilities In Between on Substack [https://possibilitiesinbetween.substack.com/]. After navigating her own experiences with perfectionism, overwhelm, and burnout, she now guides people to trust themselves, take aligned action, and expand what’s possible in their work and lives. Send me a DM [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2004940/open_sms] _____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/] – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION * Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsjenniferwalter/] * Follow on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjenniferwalter] * Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@itsjenniferwalter] 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations] is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=buzzsprout] ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW? Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Why “Getting Your Life Together” Might Be Making You Less Resilient

The Words You Need to Hear When Perfectionism Is Running Your Life Ever find yourself thinking: “I should be further along by now”? Our society is so OBSESSED with finishing things… what if strength lives in what’s still taking shape? I’ve been taking an adult learning programme on resilience at my old university, University College Cork,  and spending more time in my friend Juli’s clay studio. There, I noticed: the clay pieces I tried to make perfect felt lifeless. The ones with flaws felt alive. This naturally led me back into the world of Wabi‑sabi — the Japanese aesthetic of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness — and how it mirrors resilience. In this episode, I walk you through: * The cultural myth of “completion” and why we still chase it * How wabi-sabi challenges that myth * What resilience really is — and how it shows up in softness not hardness * A short practice you can use this week to lean into being unfinished If you felt even a flicker of recognition in this episode, share it with someone who might need a reminder that perfection isn’t the point — being alive is. And if you’re ready to lean into being imperfect and resilient, head to my site and check out my coaching options → jenniferwalter.me/coaching [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/coaching] Send me a DM [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2004940/open_sms] _____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/] – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION * Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsjenniferwalter/] * Follow on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjenniferwalter] * Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@itsjenniferwalter] 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations] is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=buzzsprout] ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW? Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Body Image, Burnout & Belonging: Unlearning the Shame We Carry

We inherit shame like an unspoken family heirloom — stitched into our bodies, our ambition, our idea of enough. It’s the quiet undertone behind so many brilliant women asking, “Why do I still feel like I’m not enough?” In this conversation, Jennifer Walter sits down with therapist and facilitator Kyira Wackett to unpack the hidden ways shame shapes our lives — from body image and burnout to perfectionism and belonging.  Together, they explore how shame isn’t just a feeling — it’s a learned survival strategy. One we can unlearn. You’ll hear about the difference between “good” and “bad” pain, why setting boundaries feels so hard, and how to start building shame resilience without burning yourself out. This episode is part psychology, part real talk — a compassionate deep dive into the quiet stories that keep women performing, proving, and people-pleasing. If you’re tired of hustling for worth, this one’s your permission slip to rest, reflect, and begin again. 🎧 In this episode: * The psychology of shame and why it runs so deep * How shame drives burnout, perfectionism, and self-criticism * The social scripts women inherit about worth and belonging * Boundaries, self-compassion, and how to build real resilience * Why healing shame starts with curiosity, not fixing 💬 Connect with Kyira Wackett 👉 adversityrising.com [https://adversityrising.com] A highlight from the Scenic Route archive Send me a DM [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2004940/open_sms] _____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/] – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION * Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsjenniferwalter/] * Follow on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjenniferwalter] * Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@itsjenniferwalter] 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations] is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=buzzsprout] ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW? Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Flourish > Happy: The Positive Psychology Shift You Didn’t Know You Needed

Gratitude journals. Green juices. Meditation apps. We've been taught happiness is a checklist, but what if that's only half the story? In this episode, we dive into the world of Positive Psychology and the concept of flourishing– living deeply, not just lightly.  We explore the PERMA‑H model (Positive Emotion • Engagement • Relationships • Meaning • Accomplishment • Health) and what it really means to feel alive even when life isn’t easy.  If you’ve done all the “right” self‑care things and still feel off… you’re not failing. You’re human. And this episode is your gentle invitation to stop chasing happiness and start tending what matters.  What You’ll Discover: * Why happiness as a finish line keeps us stuck * How the PERMA‑H model gives us a fuller picture of wellbeing * How cultural expectations twist engagement, achievement, health & more * A simple journaling exercise to map where you’re full and where you need space * Why flourishing is rhythmic – not balanced or perfect  “Flourishing is the whole spectrum – light and dark, joy and grief, purpose and pause. And learning to hold all of it – that’s what it really means to be alive.” 🎧 Ready to go deeper? If your brain’s been working overtime trying to “fix” you – maybe it’s time to stop thinking… and start feeling. My Colour Reading & Integration Session blends Aura‑Soma with guided meditation to help you reconnect with your inner calm. Book your session and let your intuition speak 🫶 [https://itsjenniferwalter.setmore.com/services/3f258f0c-4dd6-4840-a359-99866a4bcdd7] Send me a DM [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2004940/open_sms] _____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/] – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION * Follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/itsjenniferwalter/] * Follow on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@itsjenniferwalter] * Follow on Threads [https://www.threads.net/@itsjenniferwalter] 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations] is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card [https://www.jenniferwalter.me/scenic-route-affirmations?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=buzzsprout] ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW? Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.