Fine, I'll Talk About It

External Validation: Why Social Media Hijacks Your Self-Worth and How to Take It Back | Rob McCarthy

Rob McCarthy spent years buying a life he thought he was supposed to want. Two bankruptcies later, he figured out that the problem was never the money. It was that he was financing his own self-worth. In this conversation, Danielle and Rob get into how social media keeps us chasing a version of ourselves that mostly lives on a screen. They talk about the script we get handed early, college and debt and the wedding made for a queen, and how "keeping up with the Joneses" went from one neighbor's new car to every stranger with a phone. They cover the highlight reel problem, why marketing is built on making you feel like a piece of garbage for what you don't own, the dopamine loop that leaves you feeling worse after you scroll, and the keyboard warriors who would never say a word of it to your face. The throughline is Rob's whole message: own your shit. The hardest conversation you will ever have is the one with yourself, and self-respect is the thing that pulls everything else back into line. ABOUT OUR GUEST Rob McCarthy is an author, podcast host, and entrepreneur focused on identity reconstruction and personal ownership. His book F*ck the Script and his podcast F*ck the Standard challenge the comfort culture, calling out avoidance, validation addiction, and the quiet denial that keeps people stuck. Coming from a blue-collar background and a late-career pivot, he blends raw storytelling with behavioral psychology, accountability, and practical self-rebuild frameworks. Rob’s work centers on one theme: rewrite your identity through action, not performance. Fthestndard.com [http://Fthestndard.com] Book: F*ck The Script available on Amazon Facebook: FTheStandard Podcast TikTok: @fthestandardpodcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DlreEYrKuU5uER4F3AIGQ?si=42JWW-pASweGsmg3IERaFg [https://open.spotify.com/show/2DlreEYrKuU5uER4F3AIGQ?si=42JWW-pASweGsmg3IERaFg] Connect with Danielle: Instagram @inspiredactionwellness or inspiredactionwellness.com [http://inspiredactionwellness.com] social media, self-identity, external validation, personal growth, financial struggles, self-acceptance, mental health, societal pressure, podcast, entrepreneurship

You Didn't Fail Because You Stayed with Dr. Rita Renee

Content note: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse and domestic violence. Most people don't want to talk about domestic violence. It's uncomfortable. It's heavy. It's the thing survivors are taught to stay quiet about for everyone else's sake. This episode is for the women who've been there. Danielle sits down with Dr. Rita Renee, founder of Ultimate Powerhouse Coach and Powerhouse Speakers Unmute. Dr. Rita is a TEDx speaker, author, and corporate healthcare leader who helps women come off mute emotionally, spiritually, and vocally. She is also a domestic violence survivor. Dr. Rita spent 16 years in a marriage that included emotional abuse, deception, and bleach in her contact solution. She left with what she could fit in storage. She slept on family floors. She moved to a new state. And she rebuilt. What she shares in this conversation is the part nobody tells you. Leaving is the beginning, not the end. ABOUT DR. RITA Dr. Rita Renee is an International Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker, author, and corporate healthcare leader with 35 years in nursing, including 21½ years in national corporate leadership. As the founder of Ultimate PowerHouse Coach, she equips women to “come off mute” by reclaiming their confidence, voice, and God-designed identity. A survivor of childhood molestation and domestic violence, she speaks boldly about healing, resilience, and leadership with integrity. Dr. Rita blends faith, strategy, and authenticity to help women transform silence into strength, purpose, and influence in every room they enter. Connect with Dr. Rita Renee: * Website: www.drritarenee.com [http://www.drritarenee.com] * Instagram: https://instagram.com/drritarenee [https://instagram.com/drritarenee] https://instagram.com/drultimatepowerhousecoach [https://instagram.com/drultimatepowerhousecoach] * Facebook: https://facebook.com/DrRitaReneeUltimatePowerHouseCoach [https://facebook.com/DrRitaReneeUltimatePowerHouseCoach] * LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drritarenee [https://linkedin.com/in/drritarenee] * YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drritarenee [https://youtube.com/@drritarenee] Connect with Danielle: * Website: inspiredactionwellness.com [http://inspiredactionwellness.com] * Instagram: @inspiredactionwellness * Book: From Surviving to Thriving: A Journey Beyond Trauma If you're working through trauma stored from domestic violence or childhood abuse, Somatic EMDR sessions are open. This work helps the body process what the mind has held onto so the memories lose their charge and you can move forward. Learn more at inspiredactionwellness.com [http://inspiredactionwellness.com]. Resources: * National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE), or text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org [http://thehotline.org] * RAINN (sexual assault): 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) * If you're in immediate danger, call 911

The Part of You That You Left Behind with Kate Bares

Most people don't want to admit they carry shame. It's the thing we hide. The thing we bury. The reason we stay too long, settle for less, and abandon ourselves to keep the peace. In this episode, Danielle sits down with Kate Bares, creator of the Soul Integration Method, to talk about what's actually underneath the patterns we keep repeating. Kate spent almost a decade in a covert narcissistic relationship. She did the trauma work. She thought she was back. Then the panic attacks started. What she found is what most people miss in their healing. The shame was already there long before the relationship. And until she reclaimed the part of herself she'd left behind to survive, she couldn't fully come home. In this conversation, Kate and Danielle get into: * Why shame is the root of most self-abandonment patterns * The difference between shame and guilt, and why one is healthy and one is not * What "you're out of runway, turn around" really means * How childhood interpretations get rooted in the nervous system * Why healing isn't linear and never was * Co-regulating with the part of you that's still stuck in time * Reaction versus response, and what shifts when your adult self walks back into the room If you've done the trauma work and still feel stuck, this one is for you. Kate A. Bares is a transformational guide, founder of The Center for Well Being of Austin, and creator of The Soul Integration Method™ - a unique process that helps people reconnect with their authentic Self after emotional trauma, betrayal, or burnout. For over 30 years, Kate has guided women (and a few brave men) to move beyond survival patterns of anxiety, codependency, and self-doubt - and into the freedom of living true to who they are. Her work blends grounded psychology, soul wisdom, and intuitive energy healing into a gentle, powerful path home to the Self. Connect with Kate: * https://www.thecenterforwellbeing.com [https://www.thecenterforwellbeing.com] * https://www.instagram.com/soulintegrationmethod [https://www.instagram.com/soulintegrationmethod] * https://www.facebook.com/kateabares.soul [https://www.facebook.com/kateabares.soul] Connect with Danielle: * Website: inspiredactionwellness.com [http://inspiredactionwellness.com] * Instagram: @inspiredactionwellness * Book: From Surviving to Thriving: A Journey Beyond Trauma Ready to work directly with your stored trauma? Somatic EMDR sessions are open. Learn more at www.inspiredactionwellness.com/somatic_emdr [http://www.inspiredactionwellness.com/somatic_emdr]

Trauma Recovery: Why "Fine" Isn't the Goal

If you've done the trauma work, gotten to a place where life feels "fine," and quietly wondered if this is really it, this episode is going to crack something open. Kate Shipp is a holistic trauma specialist, international bestselling author, certified yoga therapist, and one of my former yoga teachers. She's spent over 14 years helping people transform trauma, stress, and survival patterns into safety, self-trust, and freedom. She's also walked her own journey through complex developmental trauma, a mental health break in 2016, and the loss of her dad, and she came out the other side with a clear message: don't settle for fine. In this conversation we get into what it actually takes to move past survival mode and into a life that feels good. Kate shares how she built what she calls a "false sense of safety" for years, why true safety is intrinsic and lives inside your nervous system, and the lightning-strike moment in Scotland that woke her up to how much more was available. We talk about the integration of Eastern and Western medicine, why no single modality is "the answer," what a joy trauma response is, and the tiny moments that signal your nervous system is finally regulated enough to feel good things. We also get into the question that changed how Kate works with clients: not just what happened to you, but what didn't happen for you. That one will sit with you. About Our Guest Kate Shipp is an Authentic Life Strategist, Holistic Trauma Specialist, and International Best-Selling Author devoted to helping others remember their wholeness. With over 14 years of experience integrating yoga therapy, neuroscience, somatics, energy medicine, intuitive development, and Integral Breath Therapy, she guides individuals in transforming pain into purpose and fear into freedom. Creator of The Shipp Method™ of Trauma Recovery and co-founder of Choose Happy Travels, Kate leads retreats and programs that awaken joy, authenticity, and divine connection. Her work is rooted in love, compassion, and the sacred light that lives within us all. Connect with Kate: www.kateshipp.com [http://www.kateshipp.com] instagram and FB @kateshipp333 Substack - The Lightning Path About Your Host Danielle is a domestic violence survivor, Master Certified Life Coach, Somatic EMDR trained, Certified Nervous System Trainer, Certified Self-Inquiry Coach, and trauma-informed yoga teacher with 15+ years of experience. She helps women heal from trauma, rebuild confidence, and create emotional independence. Through Inspired Action Wellness, social media, and speaking engagements, she provides tools and strategies for women to break free from survival mode and take control of their lives. You can find her at: www.inspiredactionwellness.com [http://www.inspiredactionwellness.com] or IG: @inspiredactionwellness Copyright & Legal Disclaimer All content in this podcast episode is the intellectual property of Danielle Young and Fine, I’ll Talk About It, unless otherwise stated. This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, mental health, legal, or professional advice. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Listener discretion is advised. Any actions you take based on this content are done at your own risk. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited. Keywords trauma recovery, healing, nervous system, emotional safety, self-discovery, joy, grief, relationships, mental health, holistic therapy

Compare, Despair, Repeat: How Social Media Hijacks Your Self-Worth

We are not supposed to talk about this. That social media is making us miserable. That it's affecting our mental health. That we're outsourcing our self-worth to an algorithm and calling it a Tuesday. In this episode, I sit down with Mari Wuellner — founder of The Crew Life and a multi-business owner who took a three-month social media sabbatical last summer and came out the other side with some uncomfortable truths. We talk about what actually happens when you cut the cord. The withdrawal symptoms (yes, they're real). The faux loneliness that disappears the second you start having actual coffee with actual humans. The "in-between moments" we've trained ourselves out of — the grocery line, the red light, the wait at a restaurant — that we now reflexively fill with scrolling because we've forgotten how to just be. We get into the compare-and-despair loop, the way the algorithm decides your worth on any given day, and the racket of "everyone's an expert now" (yes, we drag Mel Robbins, you're welcome). We talk about hate comments, body comments, and the desensitization that happens when the algorithm serves you a puppy video, then a grandpa with a baby, then a woman being murdered in the street. And we talk about what to do about it. Not in a perfect, Pinterest, ten-step-system way. In a real way. If you've felt like social media is doing something to you and you can't quite name it, this one's for you. About Mari Mari Wuellner is a feisty entrepreneur, multi-business owner, and founder of The Crew Life Coaching Collective. She opened her insurance agency in 2008, growing it to $3MM in annual premium, and launched her coaching practice in 2017. After her kids kept saying "don't post it," Mari took a 3-month social media sabbatical that revolutionized how she shows up in business and life.Now [http://life.Now] she helps women design lives they actually want to live—not just perform online. Mari is married to Tom, mom to three kids, real estate investor, podcaster, and avid traveler who believes in living on purpose, not by default. Connect with Mari: * Instagram: @mariwuellner * The Crew Life: www.thecrewcc.com [http://www.thecrewcc.com] Connect with Danielle: * Instagram: @inspiredactionwellness * Website: inspiredactionwellness.com [http://inspiredactionwellness.com] Copyright & Legal Disclaimer All content in this podcast episode is the intellectual property of Danielle Young and Fine, I’ll Talk About It, unless otherwise stated. This episode is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, mental health, legal, or professional advice. Views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host. Listener discretion is advised. Any actions you take based on this content are done at your own risk. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.