thoughts at 2am

nostalgia pt. 2: was 2016 actually better? (ft. mercy)

nostalgia pt. 2 with mercy part 1 was about personal nostalgia relationships, memories, holding onto the past. part 2 is about cultural nostalgia: was 2016 actually better? was the music better? was life better before phones? spoiler: mercy looked back at her 2016 journal and it was one of her worst years. we talk about: - why everyone romanticizes 2016 (and why we need to stop) - the uni nostalgia trap (missing the version of yourself, not the experience) - does social media make nostalgia worse? - how instagram creates fake memories (highlight reels ≠ reality) - why journaling stops you from lying to yourself - lack of gratitude vs. nostalgia mercy's take: journal everything. voice record if you can't write. you'll realize 2016 wasn't that great. my take: we're nostalgic for who we were, not when we were. mentioned: - 2016 music (drake's views) - covid as the turning point for nostalgia - memory suppression & coping mechanisms - the 10% memory decrease from recording experiences subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. links: newsletter (thursdays): ⁠thoughtsat2am.substack.com⁠ 2am confessions form: ⁠forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78 [forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78]

nostalgia is lying to you (ft mercy)

"nostalgia is denial of the painful present." my first guest episode with mercy (!!) we're talking about why we romanticize the past, how nostalgia complicates relationships, and why your instagram memories are lying to you. we reference midnight in paris, talk about journaling as the antidote to self-deception, and debate whether we'd rather talk to past us or future us mercy gets vulnerable about holding onto people because of nostalgia. i rant about instagram being curated highlights. we both agree: the past wasn't as good as we remember. this got long, so it's split into two parts. part 2 next week. mentioned: - midnight in paris - verity (colleen hoover) - anne hathaway is an arsenal fan (important) - journaling & voice recording links: newsletter (thursdays): thoughtsat2am.substack.com 2am confessions form: forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78 [forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78]

we're always locking in but never locked in

welcome back after a 3-month disappearing act. In this episode, I get honest about why the podcast felt like a chore, why I kept avoiding recording even though my mic was literally next to my bed, and why we're all exhausted from constantly "locking in" but never actually staying locked in. we're talking about the great Lock in, the winter arc, and whatever new challenge is coming in january - and why these performative cycles of motivation keep us stuck in day one, day one, day one instead of making real progress. if you've ever announced you're "locking in," felt motivated for 3 days, fell off, felt guilty, then waited for the next viral challenge to restart the cycle... this one's for you. let's talk about borrowed motivation, all-or-nothing thinking, and why we need to stop announcing and just start doing. recorded from a co-working space because apparently I can't do anything productive from my bed anymore. links: newsletter (thursdays): ⁠thoughtsat2am.substack.com⁠ 2am confessions form: ⁠forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78⁠ [forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78]key words: productivity, self-improvement, motivation, personal growth, lock in challenge, winter arc, 75 hard, New Year resolutions, burnout, mental health, mindset, discipline, accountability, self-awareness, adulting, life advice, millennial struggles, consistency, goal setting, habit building, procrastination, self-development, lifestyle podcast, late night thoughts, real talk, honest conversations, Gen Z, personal development, authentic living, wellness journey

star student to hobby abandoner

In this episode, I’m unpacking the whole idea of “gifted child syndrome” you know, when doing well really young sets you up for burnout later on. I talk about how being labeled early shapes your identity, how chasing academic validation can get exhausting, and how society often flattens intelligence into just one definition. I also get into why a growth mindset matters, the different ways brilliance can actually show up, and a bit of my own reflections on navigating those expectations. links: newsletter (thursdays): ⁠thoughtsat2am.substack.com⁠ 2am confessions form: ⁠forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78⁠ [forms.gle/ShsmXLE6ewUq6bz78] keywords:gifted child syndrome, academic validation, mental health, fixed mindset, growth mindset, identity, intelligence, childhood experiences, adulthood challenges, emotional intelligence

the inconvenience of friendships; we are losing the recipes

Friendship feels so different these days. No one wants to be inconvenienced anymore, everything is scheduled like a meeting, and we’re lonelier than ever even though we’re ‘connected’ all the time. In this episode I talk about how vulnerability, community, and just showing up (even when it’s inconvenient) might be the real recipes we’re losing. I’m not a perfect friend none of us are but I’ve been having this convo a lot lately and wanted to sit down and share my thoughts with you too. please follow my socials :) ⁠substack⁠ [https://thoughtsat2am.substack.com/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://thoughtsat2am.substack.com/]⁠playlist⁠ [ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7oY1JEZPR7iC2zQuCe4oGb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] ⁠instagram: thoughts@2ampod ⁠ [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsat2ampod/⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠] keywords: friendship, social media, loneliness, vulnerability, catch-up friends, idealized friendships, intentional gatherings, deep connections, emotional isolation, genuine relationship