The Ms. Michaela Mae Show

The Brilliance of The Blacklist

She's back on the mic — for real this time. After months of recording with just her headphones (no pressure, no script, no agenda), Michaela Mae returns to the full setup in Episode 32 of The Ms. Michaela Mae Show — and she's bringing one of her all-time favorite shows with her. The episode opens with Michaela sharing what the last several months have looked like behind the scenes: grieving the loss of her horse Capone, feeling creatively and physically depleted, and slowly building herself back up through fasting, warm lemon water, kelp for thyroid support, magnesium citrate, and morning pages. It's honest, it's real, and it sets the stage for everything that follows. From there, Michaela dives into The Blacklist — a show she's been watching since she was 16 years old and just recently rewatched in full as a 30-year-old. What she discovered on that second watch surprised her. A show she had written off as getting weaker in its later seasons revealed itself to be something far more nuanced and far more true. She explores the idea that we never watch the same show twice — because we're never the same person twice. The lens we bring to a story is shaped by everything we've lived, and when we change, what we see changes with it. This time around, she saw Raymond Reddington's surrender in the final seasons not as weakness, but as wisdom. She understood it in a way she couldn't have before losing Capone — because she was finally living through her own version of it. And then there's the line that stopped her cold. When Dembe tells the FBI that Reddington's greatest resource isn't his empire or his connections — it's his mind — Michaela realized she'd been handing that same resource away without even noticing. The mind is the horse, she says. And she'd let the horse run the show. This episode is equal parts personal reflection, pop culture deep dive, and a quiet but powerful reminder that the most important thing you'll ever own is already yours. Spoiler alert: there are Blacklist spoilers in this episode. Michaela warns you up front — and she also shares her one true spoiler devastation (Dobby. Always Dobby.). MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE * The Blacklist (NBC) — available on Netflix * Morning Pages practice from The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron * The Barn Off of Colfax Lane by Michaela Mae [https://amzn.to/4wzIzK5] — available now KEYWORDS The Blacklist review, Raymond Reddington life lessons, personal development podcast, grief and creativity, morning pages Julia Cameron, pop culture and self growth, the mind is your greatest resource, Ms. Michaela Mae Show, creative block recovery, rewatching shows with new eyes, James Spader, letting go of identity, Dembe Zuma, holistic wellness podcast, emotional resilience CONNECT WITH MICHAELA 🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://buzzsprout.com/2544416 [https://buzzsprout.com/2544416]  📩 Join the email list: https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy [https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy]  🛒 Shop the Stan Store: https://stan.store/msmichaelamae [https://stan.store/msmichaelamae]  📸 Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/ms.michaela.mae [https://instagram.com/ms.michaela.mae]

The reason you can't see your gifts (yes you have them)

In this reintroduction episode of the Ms. Michaela Mae Show, Michaela Mae opens up about why she's decided to continue running two separate podcasts — the Ms. Michaela Mae Show and The Western Hippie — and why that decision is rooted in clarity rather than fear. She shares powerful epiphanies from a recent weekend that led her to a message she believes is deeply collective: most people are severely underestimating how necessary their gifts are to the world. Michaela breaks down the paradox of the internet — how it has simultaneously expanded our world and closed it — and how living inside an online "think tank" causes creators, coaches, and healers to assume their knowledge is common when it isn't. Using real-life examples, including a conversation with a well-known figure in the spiritual space and the rise of Rachel Hollis, she illustrates why the thing you think is "obvious" is actually life-changing information to someone outside your circle. She also touches on the connection between unused gifts and depression, addiction, and self-destructive patterns — and why showing up fully with what you have to offer isn't just good for your audience, it's necessary for you. Michaela wraps up with an update on her content schedule, what's coming next for the show, and a peek at a possible new daily video format. SEO KEYWORDS Ms. Michaela Mae Show, personal development podcast, spiritual laws podcast, mindset and healing podcast, online think tank, underestimating your gifts, showing up online, personal brand podcast, emotional healing teachings, spiritual principles, Rachel Hollis, content creator burnout, unused potential, two podcasts strategy, Western Hippie podcast, holistic lifestyle podcast, fear of being seen, gift and purpose, depression and unfulfilled potential, energy and addiction, podcast relaunch 2026

Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary: REACTION & REVIEW

Twenty years later, Hannah Montana is still making us feel all the things — and Ms. Michaela Mae is not holding back her reaction. In this episode of the Ms. Michaela Mae Show, Michaela shares her honest, heartfelt take on the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, including why she went in with low expectations, what made her cry more than once, and why she thinks this special means something so much bigger than a nostalgia trip. From breaking down Alex Cooper's involvement as producer, to unpacking Miley Cyrus's healing journey and what it took for her to step back into Hannah's shoes, Michaela covers it all with her signature blend of honesty and depth. She also gets personal about what Hannah Montana represented during one of the hardest seasons of her own life — and why she believes this anniversary is asking all of us to grieve what we've lost and reclaim what we left behind. If you grew up watching Hannah Montana, this one is going to hit. Michaela makes the case for why your disappointment in the special might actually be about something much deeper — and what to do with all of that. She breaks down the best moments worth watching, the ones worth skipping, and the emotional gut-punch that is Miley singing Best of Both Worlds for the first time in nearly two decades. This is a must-listen for any millennial who grew up with Hannah Montana, anyone following Miley Cyrus's personal and artistic evolution, or anyone who has ever felt the grief of realizing a chapter of their life is officially over. Drop your favorite Hannah Montana song in the comments — if you're a fan, you already know.  🤍 CONNECT WITH MICHAELA Listen to the Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544416 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2544416]  Join the Email List: https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy [https://thewesternhippie.myflodesk.com/d2r6vqphfy]  Shop & Work With Me: https://stan.store/msmichaelamae [https://stan.store/msmichaelamae]  Follow on Instagram: https://instagram.com/ms.michaela.mae [https://instagram.com/ms.michaela.mae] KEYWORDS Hannah Montana 20th anniversary, Hannah Montana anniversary special reaction, Miley Cyrus Hannah Montana 2025, Best of Both Worlds Miley Cyrus, Alex Cooper Hannah Montana producer, Hannah Montana special Disney Plus, Miley Cyrus healing journey, Hannah Montana nostalgia millennial, Ms. Michaela Mae Show, Hannah Montana reaction video, Miley Cyrus EMDR therapy, Dr. Daniel Amen Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana special review, millennial nostalgia podcast, Hannah Montana special worth watching, grieving childhood nostalgia, reclaiming your inner child, Miley Cyrus Billy Ray Cyrus reunion, Hannah Montana cast special, Call Her Daddy Alex Cooper podcast

Pressing Pause, Not Eject: My Horse Died, and it Broke Me

In this deeply personal episode, Ms. Michaela Mae shares an update she didn’t plan to make — but felt called to record. After the loss of her childhood horse, Capone, Michaela reflects on grief, acceptance, and a realization that arrived in one of the hardest moments of her life: she’s still been trying to control how she’s perceived instead of allowing herself to be seen in her full truth. This episode explores what happens when we live fragmented — sharing certain parts of ourselves in certain spaces, filtering who we are to feel safe, and trying to manage perception instead of embodying wholeness. Michaela opens up about how Capone’s greatest lesson to her was acceptance — and why that lesson is now asking her to turn inward. As a result, Michaela shares her decision to press pause on The Ms. Michaela Mae Show — not as an ending, but as an act of integrity and self-trust. She explains why she’s choosing to pour her energy back into The Western Hippie, and why pausing something meaningful doesn’t mean failure — it means listening. In this episode, Michaela talks about: * Grieving an animal who shaped her life * Acceptance as a healing force * Living split lives and filtering identity * Creativity as a grief-processing tool * Why pausing can be healthier than pushing * Trusting intuition even when it doesn’t make logical sense * Giving yourself permission to stop — without quitting This episode is both a reflection and a permission slip. You don’t need to announce every move.  You don’t need to justify your pauses.  And sometimes, the most aligned choice is simply pressing pause — not eject. Listen to The Western Hippie Browse the full catalog of episodes here:  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968454 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/1968454] Keywords / Tags grief and acceptance, pressing pause, personal growth podcast, identity and authenticity, grieving a horse, animal loss grief, intuition and trust, creative healing, ms michaela mae show

Zootopia 2 Review: Stop making it something it isn't.

In this episode, Ms. Michaela Mae shares a perspective she felt called to record in the moment — no video, no polish, just an honest conversation about culture, parenting, and a movie that’s become unexpectedly controversial. After seeing Zootopia 2 twice (and planning a third viewing), Michaela addresses the concerns circulating online and offers a grounded, experience-based take for parents who are on the fence about taking their kids to see it. Drawing from her background in film school, her deep awareness of how sexualization impacts children, and her own lived experience, Michaela explains why she does not see Zootopia 2 as hypersexualized — and why, if she did, she would be the first person to speak out against it. This episode isn’t about defending Disney blindly or dismissing valid concerns. It’s about discernment, context, and doing your own research instead of reacting to viral clips or rumor mills. Michaela talks about: * Why hypersexualization of children is a serious issue (and why she takes it personally) * How child predators identify and target vulnerable kids * The difference between projection, assumption, and what’s actually on screen * Why the characters people are upset about were already in the first movie * The importance of movie theaters as a shared, focused experience for families * How fear-based reactions can sometimes overshadow reality * Her honest film critique of Zootopia 2 as a sequel — what works and what doesn’t If you’re a parent, caregiver, or someone who cares deeply about children and culture, this episode offers a calm, thoughtful lens in a moment that feels anything but calm online. 🤍 Thank You for Listening If this episode resonated with you, Michaela would be grateful if you’d rate, review, and subscribe. It helps the show reach more people who value thoughtful conversations about culture, psychology, and real life. Keywords / Tags (for podcast platforms) Zootopia 2, parenting and culture, children’s movies, Disney sequels, media literacy, protecting children, film analysis, cultural commentary, discernment in media, Ms Michaela Mae Show