The Dark Side of Perfect

DOP #23 | Burnout, Resumes, & The Dark Side of Job Hunting

Look, we’ve all been there: scanning a job description and thinking, "I could do that," while your gut is screaming "Please don't." Maggie is joined by her friend Katie to talk about what happens where being a Perfect Girl meets the corporate world. We’re skipping the stuffy career coach advice and getting into the real stuff: the physical toll of wearing too many hats, why we both basically ignored our professors' advice to post on LinkedIn, and how to actually organize a job search without losing your mind. We’re getting into: Job application preparation, Networking strategies, Interview tips and STAR stories, Handling rejection and acceptance, Using design thinking for career clarityEpisode Outline: 00:00 Introduction and Context of Career Transition 01:36 Meet Katie: A Journey Through Multiple Careers 02:50 Knowing When It's Time to Move On 06:31 Where to Start Your Job Search 08:44 Using Design Your Life for Career Clarity 11:18 Setting Up for Success: Resume, LinkedIn, and Organization 15:30 Tracking Applications and Networking Effectively 17:13 LinkedIn Profile Tips and Engagement 19:51 Networking: How to Reach Out and Build Connections 27:37 Applying for Jobs: Finding Descriptions and Tailoring Applications 32:39 Interview Preparation and Tips 39:21 Follow-Up, Rejection, and Acceptance Strategies Resources mentioned: Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans  [https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Your-Life-Well-Lived-Joyful/dp/1101875321] Connect with the show: Follow @darksideofperfect.pod [https://www.instagram.com/darksideofperfect.pod/] on Instagram Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation⁠ [https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation]License code: SHGS6N0MJVDB8LXL

DOP #22 | Productivity Addict ✦ Finding Productivity within your Humanity

Whatever makes you feel human is productive In this episode, Maggie officially kicks off Part 3 of Season 2: Navigating Life. We’re moving away from the should trap and into the gritty reality of redefining success. If you’ve ever felt like your worth is tied to how many emails you sent or how clean your kitchen is, this conversation is your permission slip to stop. Maggie gets vulnerable about the malaise of burnout and why the traditional, linear view of productivity is actually a detour from our true selves. She breaks down her 7 personal productivity hardships—from the Dopamine Trap to the "I’m Lazy" mindset—and shares the tangible, non-corporate tricks she uses to pull herself out of the procrastination hole. P.S. This was my first video pod and is a bit of a learning curve! Thank you for your patience In this episode, we cover: The Rot Night Philosophy: Why watching Vampire Diaries with friends is a productive act of recovery. The Malaise Hole: How to use micro-steps like putting on real jeans to combat the morning burnout. The Identity Trap: Why we feel like failures when we drift between hobbies (and why nothing in life is actually linear). 7 Hardships of Productivity: A deep dive into the triggers that keep us stuck, including Set it and Forget it and No External Pressure. Tangible Resets: The Glass, Steel, Rubber priority system and the magic of a 10-minute transition period. Episode Outline 00:00 Introduction to Navigating Life 01:22 Redefining Success and Productivity 05:54 Understanding Burnout and Productivity Challenges 14:26 Identifying Barriers to Productivity 18:34 Practical Tips for Overcoming Productivity Challenges 26:49 Managing Digital Distractions 29:12 Challenging the 'Lazy' Mindset 31:54 Dealing with Time Constraints 34:42 Building Self-Trust and Accountability 37:44 Creating a Productive Environment Connect with the show Follow The Dark Side of Perfect on Instagram @darksideofperfect.pod [https://www.instagram.com/darksideofperfect.pod/] Subscribe on YouTube @darksideofperfect [https://www.youtube.com/@darksideofperfect] Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation [https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation]License code: SHGS6N0MJVDB8LXL

DOP #21 | The Dark Side of Sustainable Living ft. Megan

If you’ve ever felt like an eco-hypocrite because you forgot your water bottle or realized your sustainable haul was still full of plastic or honestly even if you are getting started on your crunchy girl journey and need some encouragement, this episode is for you. Today, Maggie sits down with her friend Megan who brings both professional experience in environmental conservation and a healthy dose of real-life perspective. Together they talk about the overwhelming world of sustainability. We’re moving past the all-or-nothing guilt trip and talking about how to be a conscious guest on this planet without losing your mind (or your bank account). In this episode, we discuss: The Curse of Knowing: How to manage the overwhelming flood of information once you start caring about your impact. The Convenience Conflict: Why sustainability often clashes with our busy, modern lives—and why it’s okay to acknowledge that struggle. Low-Tox vs. Low-Impact: Do we have to choose between our health (organic cotton/glass) and the planet (using what we already own)? Thrifting as a Habit: Why the most sustainable item is often the one that already exists, and how to make thrifting work even when you live in a small town or an apartment. The 80/20 Rule: Why we need a million people doing sustainability imperfectly rather than a handful doing it perfectly. Resources Mentioned: The Yuka App: A tool for checking those pesky endocrine disruptors in your products. Boulder Thrift Stores: Boulder Sports Recycler, Greenwood Wildlife, True Thrift, Pig & Pearl Connect with the Community: Follow @DarkSideOfPerfect [https://www.instagram.com/darksideofperfect.pod/] on Instagram If this episode helped you feel inspired to leave the planet better than you found it, leave a review or share it with a cutie who needs to hear it. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation [https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation]License code: SHGS6N0MJVDB8LXL

DOP #20 | Cycle Syncing & The End of Linear Productivity

In our last episode, we talked about intentionality. Today, we’re applying that concept to the most complex system we own: our physical bodies. If you’ve ever felt like a superhero on Monday and a ghost of yourself by Friday, this episode is for you. For too long, the Perfect Girl mindset has taught us to be linear, to perform at 100% every single day. But as people with cycles, we aren't built to be linear. We are built to be seasonal. In this deep-dive solo episode, Maggie breaks down the science and the holistic idea behind cycle syncing, sharing her personal journey of coming off birth control and learning to work with her body's natural rhythm instead of society's systems. In this episode, we discuss: * The Power of the Pivot: Why cycle syncing is for everyone (even if you don't have a cycle). * The Pregnenolone Steal: How stress and cortisol literally steal the building blocks of your happy hormones and lead to inflammation. * The 4 Seasons of the Body: A breakdown of the Follicular, Ovulatory, Luteal, and Menstrual phases—what’s happening, what to eat, and how to move. * The Low-Tox Trap: Why the stress of being a "perfect" eco-consumer is often more inflammatory than the products themselves. Phase-at-a-Glance: * Follicular (Spring): New ideas, light foods, and neuroplasticity. * Ovulatory (Summer): Peak power, high intensity, and magnetic energy. * Luteal (Autumn): The "Inner Critic" phase, complex carbs, and finishing details. * Menstrual (Winter): Rest, reflection, and cozy on the couch. Resources Mentioned: * The Yuka App: For checking endocrine disruptors in products * Maggie’s DOP Tea: Raspberry leaf (I use loose leaf tea that I steep in a kettle), ginger fresh, and turmeric (The prostaglandin blocker!) Connect with the Community: * Follow @DarkSideOfPerfect [https://www.instagram.com/darksideofperfect.pod/] on Instagram * If this episode helped you feel a little more grace for your body, leave a review or share it with a cutie who needs to hear it. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation [https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation]License code: SHGS6N0MJVDB8LXL

DOP #19 | The Measured Move: Cultivating Intentionality ft. Jolene

What happens when the dream job you accidentally created starts to feel like a shiny bubble you never wanted? In this episode, Maggie sits down with Jolene Collins—the former founder of JoJo’s Sriracha and current Community Engagement Manager at Palmer Land Conservancy. Jolene is someone who radiates a calm, grounded intentionality, but as she reveals in this episode, her inner landscape is often just as swirling as ours. Together, they discuss how to navigate the massive tectonic shifts of life, how to move from risk-taking to security-seeking without shame, and why curiosity is the ultimate antidote to the Perfect Girl pressure. In this episode, Maggie and Jolene talk about: * The Accidental Entrepreneur: How Jolene's 15-year Sriracha journey started with a simple yoga teacher training and a change in diet. * Tectonic Shifts: Jolene shares the raw reality of her 2022 and how it forced her to reassess her relationship with risk. * The Should Trap: Breaking the quasi-celebrity identity of being The Sriracha Girl to find a role that actually fits her current values. * Intention as Energy: Why Jolene views intention as a non-verbal pointing forward into the unknown. * Up Days & Down Days: A practical look at tracking your energy as data points * Media Literacy: How to protect your inner universe from the comparison trap of social media. Connect with Jolene: Learn more about her work with the Palmer Land Conservancy [https://www.palmerland.org] Connect with the show: Instagram: @darksideofperfect.pod [https://www.instagram.com/darksideofperfect.pod/] Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation [https://uppbeat.io/t/torus/fragmentation]License code: SHGS6N0MJVDB8LXL