Waiting for Approval is Holding You Back | Will Catlett

Waiting for Approval is Holding You Back | Will Catlett

How much of your life has been shaped by trying to earn someone else's approval? In this episode of The Shift, I sit down with my good friend, actor Will Catlett, for one of the most honest conversations we've had about confidence, purpose, self-worth, and what it really means to become the person you're meant to be. We talk about why confidence isn't something you're born with, why boundaries are essential if you want to grow, and how fear often keeps us from pursuing the life we know we're capable of living. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the idea that approval has to come from within. So many of us spend years waiting for someone else to tell us we're enough, when the truth is, that decision has always been ours to make. Will shares what he's learned about believing in yourself, embracing sacrifice, building a legacy, and trusting that your path unfolds one step at a time. It's a conversation between two friends, but I think anyone who's ever questioned their worth or wondered if they're on the right path will find something in it. Because no one else can give you the life you're waiting for. At some point, you have to approve yourself.

What Happens When You Stop Needing All The Answers?

What if the reason you feel stuck has less to do with your circumstances and more to do with what you're unwilling to sit with? In this episode of The Shift, I sit down with my childhood friend Rich Torrisi, chef and co-founder of Major Food Group, for a conversation about curiosity, discomfort, faith, and the unseen forces that shape our lives. We talk about what happens when you stop looking for certainty, why comparison can quietly steal your joy, and how some of the most meaningful experiences in life begin when you're willing to move toward the unknown instead of away from it. Rich shares his journey from a kid with a dream to building one of the most successful restaurant groups in the world, but what stood out to me wasn't the success. It was the mindset behind it. The willingness to choose the harder path, stay curious, trust the process, and keep moving forward without needing all the answers. Because maybe growth isn't about finding certainty. Maybe it's about becoming comfortable enough to keep going without it.

Put the Sh*t Down!

At some point, we all have to get honest with ourselves. We have to look at what's holding us back and ask: Is this still serving me, or is it keeping me stuck? In this episode of The Shift, I'm talking about what it really takes to put down the habits, addictions, and behaviors that no longer align with the life we want to live. Whether it's substances, social media, unhealthy relationships, or any pattern that's keeping you from becoming who you're meant to be, change begins with the willingness to face it. I share some of my own experiences with letting go, the fear that comes with stepping into the unknown, and why simply removing something isn't enough. If we're going to put something down, we also have to pick something new up. Growth can feel awkward. Being a beginner again can feel uncomfortable. But I've found that life truly begins when we're willing to step outside of our comfort zone and take that first small action. If you've ever asked yourself, "What would I do without it?" this episode is for you.

Are You Dating Them... Or Your Past?

In this episode of The Shift, I sit down with Dr. Morgan Anderson for an eye-opening conversation about attachment styles, childhood wounds, authenticity, and the hidden patterns that shape our relationships. We explore why so many of us find ourselves repeating the same relationship dynamics over and over again, even when we desperately want something different. Dr. Anderson explains how our earliest experiences with love, safety, and connection create attachment patterns that often follow us into adulthood, influencing who we're attracted to, how we communicate, and what we believe we deserve. We talk about anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, emotional availability, vulnerability, self-worth, and the concept of repetition compulsion: the unconscious tendency to recreate familiar emotional experiences in hopes of finally resolving them. This conversation also explores healing, mentorship, self-awareness, and the courage required to stop numbing, feel what's underneath, and show up authentically. Because real transformation doesn't happen when we keep running from ourselves. It happens when we're willing to face what we've been carrying and create new experiences that challenge old beliefs. If you've ever wondered why your relationships follow the same script, why healthy love feels unfamiliar, or why you keep attracting the same types of people, this episode will give you a new lens through which to understand yourself.

What Happens When You Stop Chasing Sex?

In this episode of The Shift, I sit down with anonymous author and recovery advocate Justin Bridges for a powerful conversation about addiction, sexual sobriety, emotional healing, and the journey of becoming whole. Justin shares how growing up in a chaotic family system shaped his relationship with addiction, identity, masculinity, and self-worth. After getting sober at just 17 years old, he began a lifelong search for freedom that eventually led him beyond substance recovery and into the deeper work of emotional sobriety. We talk about sexual abstinence, emotional release, higher power, service, relationships, and the uncomfortable process of letting go of old versions of ourselves. Justin opens up about the profound shift that occurred when he stopped looking outside himself for validation and discovered what he calls a "sacred energy" that had been there all along. This conversation explores what happens when we stop running, stop numbing, and stop chasing the things we believe will complete us. We discuss community, recovery, support systems, personal growth, masculinity, and why real transformation often begins when we're willing to sit with ourselves instead of escape ourselves. If you've ever struggled with addiction, relationships, validation, loneliness, or the fear of change, this episode offers an honest look at what healing can actually look like.