The Evergreen Rx

Ep. 78 Ambition, identity, & belonging with Meera Lee Patel

Today I’m joined by artist and author Meera Lee Patel, whose work centers on self-reflection, emotional awareness, and intentional living. Through her illustrations and writing, Meera helps people ask better questions and develop a deeper relationship with themselves. Her newest journal, Learn to Let Go, was inspired by her own journey of accepting where you are, embracing change, and finding the courage to release what no longer serves you — which made her the perfect person to help answer today’s listener question. Dear Evergreen,I’ve been trying to live more mindfully, but part of me feels guilty for letting go of ambition and the pressure to “do more.” How do you find peace with simply being when the world keeps telling you to become more? In this conversation, we explore: * Letting go of ambition and redefining what a meaningful life looks like * The tension between mindful living and productivity culture * Identity, belonging, and living in alignment with your values * Developing an authentic voice and expression over time * Learning to accept where you are while still growing A thoughtful conversation about prioritizing yourself, listening inward, and creating a life that feels true.  FIND MEERA:  WEBSITE: https://www.meeralee.com [https://www.meeralee.com/] SUBSTACK: https://meeraleepatel.substack.com [https://meeraleepatel.substack.com/] INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/meeraleepatel [https://www.instagram.com/meeraleepatel] FIND ME:  INSTAGRAM: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theevergreenrx] TIKTOK: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@theevergreenrx] YOUTUBE: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvergreenRx] WEBSITE:⁠ theevergreenrx.com⁠ [http://theevergreenrx.com/] For submitting questions or business inquiries, please email me at ⁠theevergreenrx@gmail.com [theevergreenrx@gmail.com] Disclaimer: Everything posted here is for educational or entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for individualized medical or mental health treatment. Please reach out to a professional therapist or doctor if you are in need of assistance. Listener questions may be specific to one individuals life or an amalgamation of common experiences and dilemmas.

Ep. 77 Insecurity, fear-based choices, & building self-trust

In this episode, I’m unpacking how insecurity quietly shapes our choices, relationships, and sense of self — from people-pleasing and overthinking to shrinking ourselves to avoid judgment. We talk about fear-based decision-making, the difference between knowing something intellectually vs. actually trusting yourself, and how self-trust is built through lived experience, not affirmations.  We’ll cover: * How insecurity subtly informs everyday decisions * People-pleasing, overthinking, and shrinking to avoid judgment * Fear-based motivation vs. self-trust * Head knowledge vs. embodied knowing * Why self-trust is built through experience, not affirmations * Dealing with a fear of perception  A grounded, honest conversation about where I am at in my growth journey and the insights I have gained along the way. Also, here’s to 99 episodes and an end to season 5! Follow along so you don’t miss everything that is coming for you next season.  FIND ME:  INSTAGRAM: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theevergreenrx] TIKTOK: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@theevergreenrx] YOUTUBE: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvergreenRx] WEBSITE:⁠ theevergreenrx.com⁠ [http://theevergreenrx.com/] For submitting questions or business inquiries, please email me at ⁠theevergreenrx@gmail.com [theevergreenrx@gmail.com] Disclaimer: Everything posted here is for educational or entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for individualized medical or mental health treatment. Please reach out to a professional therapist or doctor if you are in need of assistance. Listener questions may be specific to one individuals life or an amalgamation of common experiences and dilemmas.

Ep. 76 Losing the spark, drifting apart, and evolving friendships

Ever notice that a friendship that once felt electric can start to feel… quieter? Less exciting? Less intense? That doesn’t automatically mean something’s wrong — but it can bring up a lot of questions about whether you’re drifting apart or just settling into a new phase of connection. In this episode, we talk about: * Why friendships can lose their “spark” over time (and why that’s normal) * How the honeymoon phase shows up in friendships, not just romantic relationships * The difference between infatuation with a person vs. building real connection * How attachment patterns can shape who we feel drawn to  * What to look for once the initial intensity fades * When it’s worth staying curious vs. when it might be okay to let go * Why depth often comes after the spark, not during it * Why you don’t have to figure it out alone (yes, you can talk to them) Not every friendship is meant to stay intense forever — but some are meant to deepen once the initial excitement fades.  RESOURCES MENTIONED:  Friendship playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSb3KVICLbYTJUOCFrXnvzJEPocHbeZVD&si=MyOpaxfDHxHN1Eld [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSb3KVICLbYTJUOCFrXnvzJEPocHbeZVD&si=MyOpaxfDHxHN1Eld]  Intro to Attachment: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4CHkSpPSr6M53Uu9UGGnNF?si=5abb12d730e74c5a [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4CHkSpPSr6M53Uu9UGGnNF?si=5abb12d730e74c5a]  FIND ME:  INSTAGRAM: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theevergreenrx] TIKTOK: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@theevergreenrx] YOUTUBE: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvergreenRx] WEBSITE:⁠ theevergreenrx.com⁠ [http://theevergreenrx.com/] For submitting questions or business inquiries, please email me at ⁠theevergreenrx@gmail.com [theevergreenrx@gmail.com] Disclaimer: Everything posted here is for educational or entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for individualized medical or mental health treatment. Please reach out to a professional therapist or doctor if you are in need of assistance. Listener questions may be specific to one individuals life or an amalgamation of common experiences and dilemmas.

Ep. 75 Moral grandstanding, virtue signaling, & outrage culture

In this episode, we’re talking about moral grandstanding — the tendency to use moral talk, social media posts, or public outrage to boost our own reputation rather than genuinely engage with a cause. From pile-ons and one-upping to exaggerated emotional displays, the internet has created an environment where being seen as “morally right” can become its own form of status. But what does this do to our relationships, our mental health, and our ability to actually address real injustice? This conversation explores the psychology behind moral grandstanding and how it shows up in current events like the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni case.  We’ll get into: * What moral grandstanding actually is * The different types: piling on, ramping up, trumping up, and more * Holier-than-thou attitudes on social media * Why outrage can feel productive in times of powerlessness * How constant moral signaling leads to exhaustion and disconnection * Why we should condemn the behavior, not the person A messy, nuanced conversation about morality, the internet, and how to stay grounded in public discourse. RESOURCES MENTIONED:  Ep. 74 AI is not your friend or your enemy…it’s a computer  Grandstanding: The Use and Abuse of Moral Talk by Brandon Warmke and Justin Tosi  Moral grandstanding articles referenced: https://medium.com/curious/moral-grandstanding-23f6f113ced8 [https://medium.com/curious/moral-grandstanding-23f6f113ced8] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-health/202108/the-challenge-moral-grandstanding [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-health/202108/the-challenge-moral-grandstanding] https://thewalrus.ca/the-inescapable-rise-of-moral-superiority/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=referral [https://thewalrus.ca/the-inescapable-rise-of-moral-superiority/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=referral] FIND ME:  INSTAGRAM: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theevergreenrx] TIKTOK: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@theevergreenrx] YOUTUBE: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvergreenRx] WEBSITE:⁠ theevergreenrx.com⁠ [http://theevergreenrx.com/] For submitting questions or business inquiries, please email me at ⁠theevergreenrx@gmail.com [theevergreenrx@gmail.com] Disclaimer: Everything posted here is for educational or entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for individualized medical or mental health treatment. Please reach out to a professional therapist or doctor if you are in need of assistance. Listener questions may be specific to one individuals life or an amalgamation of common experiences and dilemmas.

Ep. 74 AI is not your friend or your enemy…it’s a computer

I use AI to help me with every podcast episode I make. Topic generation, writing descriptions, making titles — AI has been a big part of my podcast process for a long time. I was an early adopter, I’m not planning to quit, and no, this is not an episode telling you to cut AI out of your life. But lately… I’ve been feeling disillusioned. In this episode, I sit in the gray area and talk through my evolving relationship with AI — what it offers, what it takes, and why something about it has started to feel unsettling. We’ll cover: * Using AI as a therapist, expert, artist, and even a friend * How confidently wrong AI can be — and why that matters * The way AI can undermine critical thinking and creative struggle * Outsourcing communication, ideas, and emotional labor * Feeling skeptical of everything online and questioning what’s real * How constant AI-generated content can flatten nuance and push us into black-and-white thinking * Why you don’t have to be fully for or fully against it * Staying open-minded, human, and intentional in a rapidly changing digital world There’s no hot take or final answer here — just a real-time processing of how to stay thoughtful and grounded while engaging with a tool that’s not going anywhere. FIND ME:  INSTAGRAM: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theevergreenrx] TIKTOK: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@theevergreenrx] YOUTUBE: ⁠@theevergreenrx⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvergreenRx] WEBSITE:⁠ theevergreenrx.com⁠ [http://theevergreenrx.com/] For submitting questions or business inquiries, please email me at ⁠theevergreenrx@gmail.com [theevergreenrx@gmail.com] Disclaimer: Everything posted here is for educational or entertainment purposes only and is not a replacement for individualized medical or mental health treatment. Please reach out to a professional therapist or doctor if you are in need of assistance. Listener questions may be specific to one individuals life or an amalgamation of common experiences and dilemmas.