Claim OwnershipIt’s Okay If… Permission Slips for Mental Health, Self-Acceptance, and Growth
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© Copyright 2025 Matt Gilhooly
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What if you didn’t need to have it all figured out?
It’s Okay If… is your weekly permission slip to be human.
I created this short-form podcast as part of my own healing process — a way to slow down, process grief, and reconnect with what I was feeling.
Each bite-sized episode (just 3 minutes or less) offers a short, honest reflection to challenge perfectionism, embrace your real self, and remind you that you're not alone.
Hosted by Matt Gilhooly, creator of The Life Shift Podcast, this show delivers midday nudges of self-acceptance, insight, and calm – whether you're walking the dog, stuck in traffic, or just need a breath.
No fluff. No fixing. Just a moment of truth.
New episodes every Wednesday at noon. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
It’s Okay If… is your weekly permission slip to be human.
I created this short-form podcast as part of my own healing process — a way to slow down, process grief, and reconnect with what I was feeling.
Each bite-sized episode (just 3 minutes or less) offers a short, honest reflection to challenge perfectionism, embrace your real self, and remind you that you're not alone.
Hosted by Matt Gilhooly, creator of The Life Shift Podcast, this show delivers midday nudges of self-acceptance, insight, and calm – whether you're walking the dog, stuck in traffic, or just need a breath.
No fluff. No fixing. Just a moment of truth.
New episodes every Wednesday at noon. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
30 Episodes
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When your feed is full of celebrations — new jobs, babies, milestones, engagements – it can feel like everyone else is moving forward while you're just trying to stay upright. And even when you're genuinely happy for others, holding their joy can feel heavy when you're in a harder season.This short reflection reminds you that it's okay to step back. You don't have to force smiles or fake enthusiasm. You're allowed to honor where you are, even if it's not a place of celebration.Joy will return – but in the meantime, you can protect your peace.Subscribe to "It's Okay If…" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
If you’re someone who feels deeply, stays informed, holds space for others, and tries to care about the world, you know how heavy that can get. Compassion fatigue is real. And sometimes, your heart just needs a break.This short reflection reminds you that it’s okay to feel worn out from caring. It doesn’t mean you’re cold or selfish. It means you’re human. You’re allowed to rest your empathy muscles and protect your own well-being.You’ll come back to it when you’re ready. But for today, you can set it down.Subscribe to "It’s Okay If…" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Remember those slips of paper in school that let you step out of class without question? Sometimes, as adults, we still need that same kind of permission — to pause, to disengage, to take a breath.This short reflection invites you to give yourself a hall pass. Not because something’s wrong. Not because you need an excuse. Just because your capacity is low, your well-being matters.You’re allowed to step out of the noise, even if just for today. No questions asked.Subscribe to "It’s Okay If…" on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
In a world that glorifies big goals and five-year plans, it can feel like you’re falling short if you’re not constantly reaching for something massive. But not every dream has to be bold, loud, or scalable to matter.This short reflection invites you to embrace the beauty of small dreams – the kind that fit your life right now. The kind that don’t demand more than you have to give. The kind that feel soft, doable, and deeply personal.Dreaming small isn’t settling. It’s honoring your capacity. And it’s always enough.
Grief isn’t always about what we’ve had and lost – sometimes, it’s about what we never got to have. The versions of ourselves that didn’t get to grow. The lives we might have lived under different circumstances.This short reflection explores the quiet ache of wondering who you could have been – if a relationship had lasted, if a dream had taken root, if life had unfolded differently. It’s the kind of grief that’s often invisible, but deeply valid.You’re allowed to feel that loss. You’re allowed to grieve the you that never came to be – without shame, and without apology.
When it comes to healing, therapy, or personal growth, it’s easy to feel like you’re behind – like everyone else has done the work and you’re still just trying to start.But here’s the truth: there’s no set timeline for becoming your most whole self.This short reflection reminds us that being in process doesn’t mean you’re failing. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You’re allowed to be messy, incomplete, and still worthy.Wherever you are on your journey – just beginning, pausing, or circling back – this is your permission to be right where you are.
Sometimes life looks good on paper – steady job, supportive community, meaningful work – and yet something in you still aches for more. More creativity. More alignment. More connection. And along with that desire often comes guilt.This short reflection is a reminder that wanting more doesn’t make you ungrateful. It means you’re alive. It means you’re paying attention to what still matters to you.You’re allowed to honor what you have and still reach for what’s next – without apology, and without guilt.
Sometimes, the scroll gets too loud. The opinions, the highlights, the endless noise – it can overwhelm your system before you even notice it’s happening. And even when your mind says, “just deal with it,” your body often knows better.This short reflection is a reminder that it’s okay to set boundaries with your digital world. You’re allowed to unfollow accounts that drain you. You’re allowed to unfriend people you no longer have capacity for. You’re allowed to unplug without apology.If your heart or nervous system is saying “enough,” you’re allowed to listen.
Some days aren’t meant for progress or productivity – they’re meant for surviving. Whether you're processing loss, holding emotional weight, or just feeling the heaviness of it all, it’s okay if all you can do is make it through.This short reflection is a gentle reminder that getting through the day is enough. You don’t need to be “on.” You don’t need to be productive. You don’t need to carry more than you have the strength for.You’re allowed to rest, to feel, to move slowly. Today doesn’t have to be anything more than that.
There are days when the world feels overwhelming – too loud, too heavy, too divided. And in the middle of all that noise, it’s easy to wonder if your voice, your work, or your presence really makes a difference.This short reflection is a reminder that feeling small doesn’t mean you don’t matter. It means you’re paying attention. It means you care.You don’t have to fix everything. You don’t have to change
Celebrating others often comes naturally. But when it comes to our own wins – even the big ones – we tend to downplay them, skip over them, or move straight to the next task on the list.This short reflection explores why it can feel awkward or even selfish to celebrate ourselves – and why it’s still worth doing. Acknowledging your growth, your effort, and your resilience isn’t arrogance. It’s self-recognition. And it matters.If you’ve ever struggled to pause and say, “I did that,” this is your permission slip to try – even if it feels uncomfortable.
There’s a lot of pressure to stick to one path, to commit and never waver. But what if changing your mind isn’t a sign of weakness – what if it’s a sign you’re listening to yourself?This short reflection explores what it means to pivot, start over, circle back, and shift directions without shame. You’re not flaky. You’re not failing. You’re evolving.You don’t need to have one perfect path. You’re allowed to change your mind – more than once – and still trust that you’re becoming who you need to be.
Letting go of something you poured your heart into – a job, a relationship, a project, a version of yourself – can feel like betrayal. But sometimes, what once fit perfectly no longer feels like yours to carry.This short reflection reminds us that releasing something doesn’t erase its worth. The effort mattered. The time mattered. And choosing to let go doesn’t mean you failed – it means you’re growing.If you feel that quiet nudge today, this is your permission slip to honor what you built and still choose to move forward.
When everyone else seems to be moving faster – checking boxes, hitting milestones, and living picture-perfect lives – it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind. But that feeling isn’t always the truth.This short reflection is a reminder that there is no universal timeline. There’s no race. And the invisible checklists the world hands us? You don’t have to follow them. You’re allowed to move at your own pace – even if it looks slower, even if it looks different.You’re not behind. You’re becoming.
Being the strong one can become a role you never asked for – the dependable one, the steady one, the one who keeps it together no matter what. But what happens when you're exhausted from carrying that weight?This short reflection is a gentle reminder that strength doesn’t always look like holding it all. Sometimes, it looks like stepping back, being honest about your limits, and letting yourself be soft.You don’t have to prove anything today. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to be held. You’re allowed to not be the strong one – even just for now.
In a world that often equates value with income, it can feel uncomfortable to pour your heart into something that doesn’t turn a profit. But some of the most meaningful parts of our lives aren’t monetized – and they don’t have to be.This short reflection is a reminder that passion doesn’t need a paycheck. Whether it’s a creative outlet, a quiet ritual, or something you simply love doing, it doesn’t have to make money to be worthwhile.You’re allowed to love what you love – for joy, for meaning, for you.
Loneliness doesn’t always look like isolation. Sometimes, it shows up in the middle of conversations – in a full room, during meaningful work, even when you’re surrounded by people.This short reflection explores the ache that comes from being present for others while feeling unseen yourself. When you're the one holding space, listening deeply, showing up – but no one’s holding space for you in return – that loneliness is real.You’re not wrong for feeling disconnected in the middle of connection. You’re not broken. You’re human. And you’re allowed to feel lonely, even if everything on the outside looks fine.
Some stories rise up again and again. You tell them in conversations, in quiet moments, or when something unexpectedly brings them back. And maybe you wonder – shouldn’t I be past this by now?This short reflection offers a gentle reminder: repetition doesn’t mean you’re stuck. It means you’re still making meaning. Telling the same story is one way our minds and hearts process what we’ve been through. It’s how we soften the edges of something that once felt unbearable.You don’t need to rush your healing or silence your story. You can keep telling it – until it tells you something new.
Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t knowing that something isn’t working – it’s not knowing what to do next. You might feel the urge to walk away from a job, a routine, or a version of your life that no longer fits. But without a clear path forward, it’s easy to stay frozen in place.This short reflection offers a quiet reminder: wanting to quit doesn’t make you ungrateful or lost. It means you’re listening to something deeper. And even if you don’t have the next step mapped out, you’re still allowed to want something different.It’s okay if you’re not ready to leap. Naming the discomfort is a brave first step.
We all have a “before” – a version of ourselves that existed before the loss, before the diagnosis, before the breakup, before the shift. And sometimes, we miss that version of ourselves more than we know how to say.This short reflection is a reminder that it’s okay to feel that longing. Missing who you were before everything changed doesn’t mean you’re broken or not moving forward. It simply means you remember.You’re allowed to hold love for who you used to be and compassion for who you are now. Missing your old self is part of honoring the life you’ve lived — and the one you’re still becoming.
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