Self Care, Healing & Authentic Living: A Guide to Women’s Empowerment with Melissa Crook

The FEEL Podcast Celebrates 5 Years of Healing, Self-Care & Women's Empowerment!

Five Years Of FEEL! - We’re aiming for 500 Paid Subscribers for $5/mo or $50/year by July 31st, 2026 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠Five years ago, The FEEL Podcast launched with one mission: to help people heal, rediscover themselves, and prioritize emotional wellness. Today, we're celebrating an incredible milestone—five years of inspiring conversations, personal transformation, and authentic living.Since premiering on July 12, 2021, with Emotional Health & Physical Health Connection to Our Overall Wellbeing, The FEEL Podcast has grown into a thriving platform dedicated to mental health, emotional wellness, self-care, personal growth, healthy boundaries, women's empowerment, and holistic healing.Over the past five years, we've proudly created:✨ 10 transformational podcast seasons✨ 266 inspiring episodes✨ Embracing Layers Unapologetically✨ A radio show✨ An online course celebrating its first anniversary✨ A growing global community committed to living authenticallyIn this special 5th Anniversary Celebration, Melissa reflects on the personal health journey that inspired The FEEL Podcast and the mission that continues to guide every conversation. You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories, revisit meaningful moments from the past five years, and celebrate alongside members of our incredible community.This anniversary event also features returning guests, audience questions, and reflections on some of the conversations that have impacted listeners around the world—including one of our most downloaded episodes featuring Leslie Draffin, Unmasking the Layers: Eating Disorders, Sexual Shame & the Journey to Self-Healing.Whether you've been with us since the beginning or you're discovering FEEL for the first time, this episode celebrates the power of emotional healing, self-care, resilience, and choosing yourself without guilt.💛 Ways to Connect:Share your favorite FEEL Podcast episode or quote in the comments.Download the free Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life sample.Explore our book, online course, and additional resources.Schedule a complimentary 30-minute session with Melissa.Subscribe and join us as we continue empowering people to heal, grow, and embrace every layer of who they are.💡 Ways to Engage:Tell us in the comments: What has been your favorite FEEL Podcast episode or lesson over the past five years? We'd love to hear how this community has impacted your journey and which conversations you'd like to see in the future.Remember: It's never too late to heal, start over, prioritize yourself, and become the healthiest, most authentic version of you.#TheFEELPodcast#MentalHealth#EmotionalWellness#SelfCare#PersonalGrowth#HealingJourney#WomensEmpowerment#AuthenticLiving#MindsetMatters#SelfLove#HolisticHealth#HealthyBoundaries#TraumaHealing#MentalWellness#WomenSupportingWomen#InnerHealingWant to be a guest on The FEEL Podcast? - Send Melissa Crook a message on PodMatch, here:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The FEEL Podcast Celebrates 5 Years of Healing, Self-Care & Women's Empowerment Part A

Five Years Of FEEL! - We’re aiming for 500 Paid Subscribers for $5/mo or $50/year by July 31st, 2026 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast]⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast ⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast] Five years ago, The FEEL Podcast launched with one mission: to help people heal, rediscover themselves, and prioritize emotional wellness. Today, we're celebrating an incredible milestone: five years of inspiring conversations, personal transformation, and authentic living. Since premiering on July 12, 2021, with the episode Emotional Health & Physical Health Connection to Our Overall Wellbeing featuring Melissa Crook, The FEEL Podcast has grown into a thriving platform dedicated to mental health, emotional wellness, self-care, personal growth, women's empowerment, boundaries, and holistic healing. Over the past five years, we've proudly released: * 10 inspiring podcast seasons * 266 transformational episodes * The FEEL book: Embracing Layers Unapologetically  * A radio show * An online course celebrating its first anniversary * A growing community committed to living authentically Melissa shares how her personal health journey inspired the creation of The FEEL Podcast. After experiencing firsthand the challenges of burnout, healing, and self-discovery, she became passionate about helping others avoid the same struggles. That mission continues to guide every episode. Throughout the years, we've explored topics including: * Emotional health * Mental wellness * Self-care strategies * Healthy boundaries * Women's health * Personal development * Healing from trauma * Authentic living * Confidence and self-worth * Living unapologetically * Holistic wellbeing While our message is for everyone, we've recognized the unique need for women to reclaim their wellbeing in a culture that often encourages them to put everyone else first. At FEEL, we believe you cannot pour from an empty cup. Prioritizing yourself isn't selfish, but it's essential for living your healthiest, happiest life. This special anniversary episode celebrates not only how far we've come, but also the incredible stories, guests, and listeners who have made this journey meaningful. We're also looking ahead to the future as we continue empowering people to heal, grow, and embrace every layer of who they are. Join our 5th Anniversary Live Celebration on YouTube on July 14, 2026, at 12 PM EST / 9 AM PST, where Melissa welcomes returning guests, shares behind-the-scenes moments, and reconnects with our amazing community. You'll also hear from Leslie Draffin, featured in one of our most downloaded episodes: "Unmasking the Layers: Eating Disorders, Sexual Shame & the Journey to Self-Healing." * Join our live anniversary celebration on Substack & YouTube. * Share your favorite FEEL Podcast episode and the quotes that have inspired you. * Download the free Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life sample. * Explore our book, online course, and additional resources. * Schedule a complimentary 30-minute session with Melissa. * Begin your journey toward emotional wellness, self-care, healing, and authentic living today. * Visit https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact for more information [https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact] Ways to Engage:  After listening to this celebration kickoff, Join us live on YouTube at 12 PM EST/9 AM PST for our anniversary celebration! Ask questions, share your favorite episodes, and tell us the quotes you live by - https://www.youtube.com/live/pR-QgpbRmwI?si=enBv9h0hVy20zsuu Remember: It is never too late to heal, start over, prioritize yourself, and become the healthiest, most authentic version of you. #TheFEELPodcast #MentalHealth #EmotionalWellness #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #WomensEmpowerment #AuthenticLiving #MindsetMatters #SelfLove #HolisticHealth #EmotionalHealth #HealthyBoundaries #TraumaHealing #WellnessPodcast #PersonalDevelopment #MentalWellness #WomenSupportingWomen #InnerHealing Want to be a guest on The FEEL Podcast? - Send Melissa Crook a message on PodMatch, here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021]

Money Mindset, Financial Boundaries & Guilt-Free Spending with Linda Grizely

Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast]⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Money is about more than finances—it's closely connected to our mindset, emotions, confidence, and self-worth. In this empowering episode of The FEEL Podcast, financial coach and author Linda Grizely joins Melissa to explore how developing a healthy money mindset, setting financial boundaries, and creating intentional spending habits can lead to greater financial confidence and long-term freedom. Linda explains why so many women experience guilt when spending money on themselves and how shifting your relationship with money can transform both your financial wellness and your overall well-being. She introduces her simple but impactful "Me Money" budget, a practical budgeting strategy that encourages intentional spending without shame while still supporting your long-term financial goals. Together, we discuss how limiting beliefs, emotional spending, and money anxiety influence everyday financial decisions, and why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to personal finance. Linda emphasizes the importance of creating a personalized financial plan that aligns with your values, lifestyle, and current season of life, helping you build sustainable habits rather than striving for perfection. Whether you're just beginning your budgeting journey or looking to strengthen your financial literacy, this episode offers practical tools for managing money with confidence, reducing financial stress, and building a healthier relationship with your finances. • Developing a healthier money mindset • Building financial confidence without guilt • Creating a personalized budgeting plan • Setting healthy financial boundaries • Managing emotional spending and money anxiety • Small habits that support long-term financial freedom Ways To Engage: Create your own monthly "Me Money" budget. Choose an amount dedicated entirely to yourself. Whether you save it for something meaningful or spend it on something you enjoy, allow yourself to do so without guilt. Financial wellness includes giving yourself permission to enjoy what you've worked hard to earn. #MoneyMindset #PersonalFinance #FinancialFreedom #Budgeting #FinancialWellness #WomenAndMoney #MoneyManagement #FinancialLiteracy #WomenEmpowerment #FinancialConfidence #BudgetTips #MoneyGoals #SelfCare #MindsetMatters #FinancialPlanning #WealthBuilding #PersonalGrowth #WomenInBusiness #FinancialEducation #Podcast Timestamps: Prioritizing Self Care - ( 3:09 ) Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 8:33 ) Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 15:40 ) Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 24:33 ) Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 29:19 ) Living Out of Your Own Expectations - ( 31:29 ) Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 33:47 ) Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 38:18 ) 5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 39:29 ) 5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 40:22 ) Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Want to be a guest on The FEEL Podcast? - Send Melissa Crook a message on PodMatch, here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.p [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021]⁠ [https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact]odmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021]

Summer Body Expectations: Building Body Confidence, Setting Boundaries & Embracing Self-Acceptance with Melissa Crook

Five Years Of FEEL! - We’re aiming for 500 Paid Subscribers for $5/mo or $50/year by July 31st, 2026! Become a Paid Subscriber and help us continue creating conversations, resources, and community that remind women they are valuable because of who they are, not what they do. -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast]⁠⁠https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast] ⁠⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast]Summer has a way of bringing sunshine, vacations, and opportunities to make memories, but for many women, it also brings something much heavier. The pressure to have the "perfect summer body." Suddenly we're questioning whether we should wear the shorts, buy the swimsuit, take the family photo, or simply enjoy being present without worrying about how we look. We've been taught that confidence comes after we change our bodies. But what if confidence was never meant to be dependent on your appearance? This week's Empowerment Tuesday episode of The FEEL Podcast is an invitation to challenge the expectations we've carried for far too long and begin building a healthier relationship with our bodies. In this conversation, we explore: * Why "summer body" culture continues to affect so many women * How unrealistic beauty standards influence our confidence and emotional well-being * Why comments about someone's body, whether intended as compliments or criticism, can leave lasting impact * How to establish healthy boundaries around appearance-based conversations * Why every body deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to take up space One of the most important reminders in this episode is this: Your value has always existed because of who you are, not whether your body fits some unrealistic, untrue, societal standard. That doesn't mean loving every part of your body every single day. It means learning to treat yourself with the same kindness, compassion, and respect you so freely offer to others. It means choosing comfort over comparison. Joy over judgment. Presence over perfection. As you listen to this episode, I invite you to reflect on these questions: * What expectations about your body have you been carrying that no longer serve you? * What would change if you stopped waiting for your body to be "good enough" before fully living your life? * How can you begin speaking to yourself with greater compassion today? Because confidence isn't something you earn once your body changes. It's something you build by recognizing your worth has never wavered. 💛 You are worthy. 💛 You are valuable because of who you are, not what you do. 💛 And you get to choose. I'd love to hear from you in the comments: What's one thing you appreciate about your body today? If today's conversation resonates with you, here are a few ways to continue investing in yourself: ✨ Download the free Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life sample https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad [https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad] ✨ Schedule a complimentary 30-minute conversation with me if you're ready to take the next step toward living in alignment with your values - https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact [https://www.embracinglayers.com/contact] ✨ Our Embracing Layers Network online courses are 50% OFF through August 31! https://www.patreon.com/cw/EmbracingLayersNetwork/shop [https://www.patreon.com/cw/EmbracingLayersNetwork/shop] Use promo codes: CLEANSE50 ESSENTIALS50 VIP50 These courses are designed to help you strengthen your self-worth, develop healthier boundaries, and embrace every layer of who you are. Thank you for being part of this community. Let's create a space where we celebrate ourselves, not because we've achieved perfection, but because every body deserves kindness, respect, and the freedom to simply be.#BodyConfidence #BodyImage #SelfAcceptance #BodyNeutrality #SelfLove #SummerBody #EmotionalWellness #MentalHealth #HealthyBoundaries #WomenEmpowerment #SelfWorth #Confidence #PersonalGrowth #TheFEELPodcast #MelissaCrook #FindingEmpowerment #EmbracingLayers ⁠⁠⁠ [https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad] Want to be a guest on The FEEL Podcast? - Send Melissa Crook a message on PodMatch, here:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021]

The Power of Putting Yourself First with Val Jones: Overcoming People Pleasing & Embracing Self-Care

Support our work by becoming a Paid Substack Subscriber Here -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast]https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast⁠⁠ [https://substack.com/@thefeelpodcast%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0]⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of emotional abuse. In this empowering episode of The FEEL Podcast, Val Jones shares her journey from chronic people-pleasing and "Good Girl Syndrome" to living with confidence, healthy boundaries, and self-worth. Through honest reflection, she explains how choosing to put herself first transformed her mental wellness, relationships, and personal growth. Together, we explore why self-care is not selfish, how emotional abuse and people-pleasing can disconnect us from our authentic selves, and what it takes to break free from patterns rooted in guilt and perfectionism. Val encourages listeners to redefine "selfish" as an act of self-respect, showing that prioritizing your needs allows you to show up more fully for yourself and others. Drawing from her book, The Selfish Year: The Power of Putting Yourself First, Val shares practical insights on building confidence, setting healthy boundaries without guilt, and reconnecting with your mind, body, and values. This conversation is a reminder that emotional healing begins with self-awareness, curiosity, and giving yourself permission to live authentically. If you've ever struggled with burnout, low self-worth, or the pressure to constantly put others first, this episode offers encouragement to reclaim your voice, embrace self-love, and create lasting mindset shifts. Ways To Engage: Instead of asking yourself, "What's wrong with me?" try asking: "What's wrong?" Approach yourself with curiosity rather than criticism. The way you speak to yourself has the power to shape your healing. National Domestic Violence Hotline 📞 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) 📱 Text START to 88788 #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth #WomenEmpowerment #PeoplePleasing #SelfLove #MentalHealth #HealingJourney #Boundaries #SelfWorth #AuthenticLiving #PersonalDevelopment #MindsetShift #EmotionalHealing #WomenSupportingWomen #ConfidenceBuilding #BurnoutRecovery #EmpoweredWomen #TraumaRecovery #LifeTransformation #PodcastForWomen Timestamps: Prioritizing Self Care - ( 4:12 ) Confidently Setting Boundaries - ( 14:34 ) Taking Care of Your Emotional Health as much as Your Physical Health - ( 21:31 ) Support self & other women unapologetically - ( 29:36 ) Coming Back to Your WHY and Your VALUES - ( 35:04 ) Living Out of Your Own Expectations - ( 41:47 ) Accepting the Layered Aspects of Yourself - ( 45:05 ) Living out FEEL, how does it affect your relationships - ( 55:47 ) 5 Activities That Nourish You - ( 58:59 ) 5 Words for How You Want to Feel in the Next Six Months - ( 1:02:31 ) Original Music by Rio & Valencia Saint-Louis ✨ Free Download: Embracing a FEEL Fueled Life Sample Freebie ✨- https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad [https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:02ce6c2f-90ed-4741-bdab-e62e20c2e7ad] In this empowering bonus resource, we’re giving you a free sneak peek into the Embracing a F.E.E.L Fueled Life course! This downloadable PDF guides you through reconnecting with who you truly are—beyond your roles, responsibilities, and expectations. Want to be a guest on The FEEL Podcast? - Send Melissa Crook a message on PodMatch, here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/feel2021]