The Art of Showing Up

CHAPTER 58 - WHEN SELF-CARE ISN'T CUTE BUT IT STILL COUNTS

What if self-care isn’t supposed to look aesthetic all the time? In this deeply honest and conversational episode, Jes talks about the side of healing nobody really posts about: the messy, quiet, deeply human forms of self-care that don’t earn applause but still keep us connected to ourselves. This conversation explores: 🔥 ugly-cry self-care 🔥 nervous system exhaustion 🔥 survival-mode healing 🔥 micro-decisions that prevent self-abandonment 🔥 performative wellness culture 🔥 solitude vs isolation 🔥 emotional overwhelm and overstimulation 🔥 healing that looks boring, repetitive, and invisible Jes reflects on: * why aesthetic wellness culture can make struggling people feel like they’re “doing healing wrong” * how tiny acts of care matter more than people realize * the difference between performative self-care and honest self-care * sitting with yourself gently instead of punishing yourself * the quiet choices that slowly help people reconnect with themselves This episode is not about becoming perfect. It’s about learning how to care for yourself honestly—even when the care looks messy, ordinary, exhausted, inconvenient, or deeply un-photogenic. If you’ve been struggling lately…burned out…overstimulated…emotionally exhausted…or quietly trying to hold yourself together in tiny ways nobody sees…this episode is for you. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theartofshowingup.org/] 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small.

CHAPTER 57 - SHOWING UP FOR SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO DISAPPOINT YOU

What if one of the deepest forms of emotional safety is knowing a relationship can survive humanity? In this deeply honest episode, Jes explores the fear so many people carry of becoming disappointing inside relationships—and what it means to create emotional space for imperfection without immediately turning mistakes into abandonment. This conversation dives into: 🔥 fear-based attachment 🔥 emotional hypervigilance 🔥 perfectionism in relationships 🔥 people-pleasing and performance 🔥 conflict tolerance 🔥 emotional safety 🔥 accountability and repair 🔥 the difference between harm and humanity 🔥 learning how to stay connected through disappointment instead of collapsing under it Jes also reflects on: * why mistakes can feel emotionally catastrophic * the fear of being “one mistake away” from losing love * relationships built around performance instead of honesty * why intimacy cannot deepen without disappointment eventually entering the room * what healthy repair actually looks like * creating relationships strong enough to survive humanity This episode is NOT about tolerating abuse, abandoning boundaries, or excusing repeated harm. It’s about learning how to love imperfect human beings without treating every hard moment like proof the relationship is doomed. If you’ve ever felt terrified of disappointing people you love…or struggled to feel emotionally safe being fully human around others…this episode is for you. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theartofshowingup.org/] 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small.

CHAPTER 56 - SHOWING UP IN A WORLD WHERE HUMANITY FEELS CONDITIONAL

What happens when empathy starts coming with conditions? In this deeply personal and emotionally grounded episode, Jes explores the heartbreak of living in a world where humanity itself can start feeling politicized, conditional, and unsafe. This is not a debate episode. It’s a conversation about: * moral fracture * dehumanization * family estrangement * conditional love * outrage culture * empathy fatigue * surviving emotionally unsafe environments * the normalization of cruelty * protecting your humanity in hard times Jes reflects on the emotional impact of watching relationships fracture over ideology, the exhaustion marginalized people carry while their humanity is debated publicly, and the terrifying ways cruelty has become normalized in modern culture. This episode also explores: 🔥 the difference between disagreement and dehumanization 🔥 grief over relationships with people who are still alive 🔥 how outrage culture reshapes empathy 🔥 maintaining compassion without abandoning yourself 🔥 protecting boundaries without becoming emotionally cruel 🔥 what it means to stay human in dehumanizing times If you’ve been feeling heartbroken, exhausted, emotionally unsafe, or overwhelmed by the current social climate…this conversation is for you. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theartofshowingup.org/] 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small.

CHAPTER 55 - WHEN "I'M FINE" ISN'T FINE.

Most people won’t tell you when they’re running on empty. They’ll say they’re fine. They’ll say they’re just tired. They’ll keep showing up…just differently. In this episode, we’re talking about how to recognize the quieter signs of emotional exhaustion—the ones that don’t get said out loud—and how to show up for the people in your life without forcing, fixing, or overwhelming them. This is the other side of last week’s conversation. Not just what it feels like to be unseen…but how we become people who see better. What We Talk About * Why people don’t always say they’re struggling * What unspoken exhaustion actually looks like in real life * The difference between respecting space and missing signals * How to check in without adding pressure * What real support looks like (and what it doesn’t) * The subtle ways we sometimes get it wrong * Turning the lens inward—when you’re the one saying “I’m fine” KEY TAKEAWAYS: * “I’m fine” isn’t always the full story * Exhaustion is often quiet and easy to miss * You don’t need perfect words to show up well * Support doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful * Consistency matters more than intensity * People can’t always receive support if they don’t feel safe being seen We've hit 50 episodes, and I want to hear from you. Send me: * A moment where you showed up in your life * A time you wish someone had shown up differently * Or a question you’re sitting with right now CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theartofshowingup.org/] 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small.

CHAPTER 54 - WHEN THEY NOTICE YOUR ABSENCE, NOT YOUR STRUGGLE

You can be fighting for your life internally… and the only thing some people notice is that you’re not showing up the same way anymore. In this episode, Jes digs into the quiet, unseen kind of struggle—the kind that doesn’t look like a breakdown, but feels like one. The kind where your capacity drops, your energy shifts, and suddenly people start noticing your absence instead of your pain. This conversation explores what it means when people react to what you stop giving instead of asking what you’re going through. It unpacks the tension between who you’ve always been for others… and who you actually have the capacity to be right now. We’re talking about: * The emotional weight of being misunderstood while you’re struggling * Why “you’ve changed” can feel so heavy (and what it often really means) * The difference between being valued and being relied on * What happens when you stop over-functioning in your relationships * Learning to pull back without over-explaining yourself * Recognizing who shows up for you when you can’t show up the same way * Choosing yourself—even when it shifts your relationships This one is for anyone who’s been quietly holding it together… while feeling like they’re being seen all wrong. KEY TAKEAWAYS: * Not everyone notices your pain—some only notice your absence * A shift in your capacity is not a character flaw * Being needed is not the same as being valued * Real connection adapts when you don’t have as much to give * You don’t owe constant access to anyone * Pulling back is not failure—it’s information * The right people won’t require you to abandon yourself LISTENER REFLECTION: * When someone said “you’ve changed,” what did you wish they asked instead? * Where in your life have you been over-giving out of habit? * Who checks in on you without making it about themselves? * What would it look like to protect your energy without explaining it away? CALL TO ACTION: If this episode hit home, I’d love to hear from you—What’s something you wish someone had noticed about you… instead of what you stopped giving? CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup] Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast] YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick] Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theartofshowingup.org/]