Chapter 6: The Roommate I Didn’t Invite

Chapter 6: The Roommate I Didn’t Invite

There’s no finish line in the war on anxiety—just awkward truces, rogue gummies, and the occasional poem read to a crowd of Dutch wedding guests. In the season finale, I retrace the long, winding road I’ve taken with anxiety: how it shaped my identity, my vices, my voice… and ultimately, my podcast. We cover childhood teasing, alcohol as a confidence prop, therapy breakthroughs, box breathing, reluctant meditation, and what happens when you finally stop fighting anxiety and just let it live in the guest room. Bonus resources below that I mention in the episode, because the tools that helped me might just help you too: * David Nichtern’s Meditation for Everyday Life course [https://davidnichtern.com/meditation-everyday-life-online-course/] * David Nichtern on The Duncan Trussell Family Hour [https://www.duncantrussell.com/episodes/2020/3/30/david-nichtern] * Andrew Huberman’s guide to Breathe Correctly for Optimal Health, Mood, Learning & Performance [https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/how-to-breathe-correctly-for-optimal-health-mood-learning-and-performance/]

Chapter 5: No Fixed Address

What does home mean when you’ve lived in more than one language? When the version of yourself you were taught to be doesn’t survive every border crossing? In this episode of Diary of a Soul, I sit down with my friend Emil to talk about living a life in translation—linguistically, emotionally, and culturally. We explore what it means to build a queer life across countries, how HIV has shaped vulnerability and resilience, and why sometimes, the most intimate parts of ourselves show up in our second language. This one’s for anyone who’s ever asked themselves: Where do I belong? Spoiler: the answer might be a little mismatched.

Chapter 4: Chronic but Cosmic

What happens when your body refuses to play by capitalism’s rules? In this episode, I sit down with my friend Kelley to talk chronic illness and choosing a life outside the default settings. From autoimmune diagnoses to the quiet rebellion of doing nothing, it’s a conversation that explores what healing really looks like when it’s not linear, not cute, and not optimized for performance.

Chapter 3: Dry But Not Dull

What does it take to walk away from something that once felt like comfort and face yourself with nothing to hide behind? In this chapter, Tim shares what it really took to get sober. From early memories of drinking, to the slow unraveling, to the moment everything shifted—this is a story of loss, resilience, and radical self-respect. If you love a good story of becoming, this one’s for you.

Chapter 2: The Tribe at Home

When Amber stepped off the path to a PhD and into a house shared with her parents, grandparents, husband, kids, a cat, and three dogs, she didn’t just change her address—she rewrote the story of what a meaningful life could look like. In this episode, we talk about the chaos and beauty of multigenerational living, the quiet grief of miscarriage, the transformation of motherhood, and the power of choosing presence over perfection when life doesn’t go to plan.