Stop Being So Accommodating (Here's Why)

You Need a Fun List

After a heavy season, I realized something: I had forgotten how important it is to have fun. In this episode, I'm sharing the summer fun list Bryce and I put together—from putt-putt and picnics to outdoor movies, bike rides, and all the little adventures we're saying yes to this summer. We also talk about why so many of us get stuck in problem-solving mode, how hard seasons can make us forget what brings us joy, and why creating more fun in your life might be exactly what you need right now. Consider this your permission slip to make your own summer fun list and start prioritizing experiences that make you feel alive. It's not that serious... go have some fun. ☀️ In this episode: *  Why fun matters after a difficult season  *  The summer bucket list Bryce and I created  *  How to reconnect with joy in everyday life  *  Simple ways to create more experiences and memories this summer  *  Why you don't need a big reason to do something that sounds fun  Question for you: What's on your summer fun list? 🌞 Let's Connect!  To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram (or the gram as the kids say) @marycatemcdonald [https://www.instagram.com/marycatemcdonald/] For Coaching Inquiries reach out here:  https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact [https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact] Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here: https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter [https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter] Show Support:  If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials.  Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

Stop Inviting Judith to Your Dinner Table: Emotional Boundaries at Work

Stop Inviting Judith to Your Dinner Table: Emotional Boundaries at Work Host and coach Mary McDonald shares lessons from over 10 years in corporate America about handling difficult coworkers, projections, and passive-aggressive dynamics. She recounts being triggered by insecurity and projections early in her career, including a tense performance review, and explains how these experiences strengthened her communication skills and emotional resilience. Using the reticular activating system (RAS), she describes how repeatedly focusing on a frustrating coworker (“Judith”) reinforces negativity and gives that person power over your mental and physical state. McDonald urges listeners to interrupt the cycle by either seeking understanding and having an adult conversation to address issues or choosing to stop replaying the story and talking about it—“uninviting” the person from your dinner table after work. She also recommends visualizing white light to clear and protect your energy before leaving home and before sleep. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 01:02 Corporate Lessons Begin 03:46 Projections and Insecurity 05:54 Performance Review Blowup 08:26 Finding Your Voice 11:02 Reticular Activating System 11:51 Meet Judith the Trigger 15:10 Break the Obsession Loop 18:32 Not at My Table 20:43 Pattern Interrupt for Peace 23:07 White Light Energy Reset 24:47 Wrap Up and Farewell Let's Connect!  To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram (or the gram as the kids say) @marycatemcdonald [https://www.instagram.com/marycatemcdonald/] For Coaching Inquiries reach out here:  https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact [https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact] Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here: https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter [https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter] Show Support:  If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials.  Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

Stop Being So Accommodating (Here's Why)

In this episode, I’m talking about a shift I’ve been making recently:  I’ve stopped being so accommodating. For a long time, I operated from a place of putting other people’s needs first—making things easier for them, anticipating what they might want, and adjusting myself to keep everything running smoothly. But over time, I realized that this pattern wasn’t actually serving me—or the people around me. It was keeping me disconnected from what I wanted, making me responsible for everyone else’s experience, and creating frustration that I wasn’t expressing out loud. In this episode, I share:  – what over-accommodating really looks like (and how subtle it can be)   – how this pattern shows up in work, relationships, and even small daily decisions  – the connection between people-pleasing and losing your voice  – why not communicating your needs leads to more problems—not fewer  – and how I’ve been practicing actually saying what I want (even when it feels uncomfortable) I also talk about how this connects to my Human Design as a Manifestor and a 5/1, and how learning to use my voice again has been a big part of this growth. If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly adjusting yourself to make things easier for everyone else… this episode will help you start looking at that differently. Let's Connect!  To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram (or the gram as the kids say) @marycatemcdonald [https://www.instagram.com/marycatemcdonald/] For Coaching Inquiries reach out here:  https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact [https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact] Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here: https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter [https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter] Show Support:  If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials.  Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

The Death of Being “The Strong One”

In this episode, I’m sharing something I’ve been holding back for a while. It's a vulnerable one. This is a personal one—about my fertility journey, but more than that, about the identity I didn’t realize I was holding onto: being “the strong one.” I talk about what it’s looked like to carry that identity, why it’s no longer working for me, and what I’m learning about letting it go. We also get into:  – how grief and joy can exist at the same time  – why you don’t have to have it all together to move forward  – and what it really means to let yourself be supported If you’ve ever felt like you have to hold everything together… this one’s for you. If this resonated with you, share it with someone who might need it or leave a review—it helps more people find the podcast 🤍 Let's Connect!  To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram (or the gram as the kids say) @marycatemcdonald [https://www.instagram.com/marycatemcdonald/] For Coaching Inquiries reach out here:  https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact [https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact] Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here: https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter [https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter] Show Support:  If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials.  Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!

8 Silly Little Ways to Have more Joy

Joy and imagination are secret sauce to your life. This list of 8 silly little things that I do to bring me more joy in my day are yours to borrow. I promise you that you haven't heard most of these because I made them up so please don't expect this episode to be something "scientific" and "boring" because I bet you haven't tried half of theses but you absolutely should! Let me know what sticks, what resonates, and what you're willing to try all in the name of having more joy.  Let's Connect!  To get more info and updates on the podcast find me on Instagram (or the gram as the kids say) @marycatemcdonald [https://www.instagram.com/marycatemcdonald/] For Coaching Inquiries reach out here:  https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact [https://marycatemcdonald.com/contact] Sign up For My Weekly Newsletter here: https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter [https://marycatemcdonald.myflodesk.com/weeklynewsletter] Show Support:  If you're enjoying this episode, I would love it if you could please rate, review, and subscribe. If you're extra loving it and know someone who would also enjoy your impeccable taste please give it a share on socials.  Thank you again for joining me on this podcast. I am so grateful you are here!