Digital Diary with Hannah Elise

1 | There is no "right time" to do anything - there is just TIME & what you choose to do with it. WELCOME to the FIRST EPISODE of Digital Diary with Hannah Elise (!!!!) I am SO happy to be here with you on this new platform. This has been a dream of mine for so long, and I'm literally ecstatic to get started and see where it can go. I felt today's topic was extremely apt for my first-ever episode as I put off making a podcast (among other things, we'll discuss) because I didn't know if it was the "right time" to do it. Well, I'm here to tell you that the "right time" will never come because it actually doesn't exist at all. Let's talk about it.

2 | People don't tell you who you are; you tell them. And in reality, nobody can tell you sh*t at all... unless you let them. Let's discuss.

3 | The Paradox of Productivity*: how “productive procrastination” actually decreases your overall productivity and makes you miserable — and what you can do about it. I also would like to formally apologize for the extreme amounts of street noise, road rage, and children screaming (??) that were going on as I was recording this & that my microphone picked up. I will be changing my recording location next time to hopefully eliminate this, so pls bear with me as I’m still starting out. Thank you for listening & the info/sources I mentioned in the episode are listed below :) Sources: Lieberman, C. (2019, March 25). Why You Procrastinate (It Has Nothing to Do With Self-Control). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html Saline, S. (2022, June 12). ADHD and Productive Procrastination. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/on-your-way-with-adhd/202206/adhd-and-productive-procrastination Inspiration for the title of this episode from The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz Further reading: The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done by Piers Steel Podcast Instagram: @digitaldiarypod

4 | This week, I'm diving into a topic that I (and most of us, really) know all too well - comparison. To other people and their lives, to everything we see on social media, and even to ourselves sometimes. Comparison is the thief of joy, but we're taking our joy back.

5 | Probably the most vulnerable I have ever been and will ever be on the internet. Today we’re talking heavily about mental health and, specifically, some things I’ve been going through lately that came to a head earlier this week. I feel really anxious even to share this, but if it has the chance to help even one person feel heard and less alone, it’s worth it to me.

6 | This week, we're talking about finding joy in the simple, everyday things in life and also "little things" that actually aren't little. This episode is quite the stark contrast to last week's, but there is a lil update on that at the beginning of this one. I hope these 40ish minutes can be an uplifting light in your day if you need one, and if you don't, then I hope you can smile along anyway :)

7 | HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, FRIENDS! This week, we're talking all about LOVE......... SELF-love that is. As we should. Let's chat through what self love IS and what it means, my personal journey to self-love, and some simple ways to show yourself love. I love all of YOU, today and every day!

8 | It's safe to say we've all heard the phrase, "life is short." But, recently, I heard someone say the opposite - that "life is long" - and it really got me thinking. So, this week, I'm dissecting both of these mindsets, comparing and contrasting, and trying to figure out which one is right. ("So, what is the truth?" -Oprah Winfrey)

9 | Discomfort is inevitable in life, especially considering that it is necessary for growth. Therefore, we need to EMBRACE the uncomfortable to step into our full potential.  This week, we're chatting about what it means to embrace the uncomfortable, my journey to exiting my comfort zone, and why the greatest achievements require the most discomfort.

10 | Welcome to Digital Diary's first ADVICE EPISODE! You asked, I answered.

11 | I recently had an epiphany about life that has made me start looking at things in a different way. Maybe you need to hear this, too.

12 | Ahh, the age-old question - and one that I ask myself every day because I definitely don't feel like I do. I feel so much pressure, internal and external, to have everything figured out right now. But, does anyone ACTUALLY have their lives figured out? Or are we all just faking it 'till we make it?

13 | Today we're doing a FULL Europe trip recap! I just got back from being in France and Italy for about a week and a half, and today, I want to hash out allll the details of the trip. How it came about, how much things cost, what we did & our (loose) itinerary, and how I learned & grew from this trip, some crazy storytimes, & more. Intro & life update (0:00-11:07). How the trip came about (11:07-14:49). Main costs (14:49-19:32). FULL TRIP RECAP & itinerary (19:32-1:12:54). what I learned & took away from this trip (1:12:54-1:25:16). Airbnb links: Paris Naples Positano

14 | I've been thinking about this question a lot lately. It's one that was sparked by a recent conversation with a friend, where we talked about feeling like we were so much more creative as kids. This week, I'm diving deeper into this question -- what is actually going on, why this may be happening, and how we can counteract it. Sources mentioned: - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/19/opinion/sunday/what-happens-to-creativity-as-we-age.html - https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.1700811114 - https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolyncenteno/2018/04/18/fear-shrinks-your-brain-and-makes-you-less-creative/?sh=623281bd1c6d - https://hbr.org/2021/10/4-ways-to-spark-creativity-when-youre-feeling-stressed

15 | I've been feeling so uncertain lately - about money, relationships, my future ....really everything. The truth is, there is uncertainty to everything we do in life (except death and taxes, obviouslty). Today, I want to talk about some ways to manage these feelings, new perspectives to try, and why we should maybe even *accept* uncertainty altogether. Sources: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/dealing-with-uncertainty.htm

16 | I'M 24!!! This year was my golden birthday (I turned 24 on April 24th), so a recap episode is in order. This week, I'm taking you through my WHOLE birthday weekend-long celebration. I'm also talking through 24 lessons I've learned in my 24 years of life thus far - some deep, some not, but all valuable to me in one way or another.

17 | I'm someone who tends to build things up in my head and make them bigger than they are. The truth is - 95% of things are REALLY not that deep. This week, I want to talk about some mental blocks I've been having, deconstructing them, and reminding myself (and all of you) that it's rarely ever *that* deep. Further reading: https://www.oprah.com/inspiration/strategies-for-getting-unstuck?showall=1 

18 | You've probably heard of We're Not Really Strangers - the card game that helps you to form deeper connections with people. This week, I'm playing this game ~alone~ as a way to self-reflect and also open up a bit more to you. We're talking past relationships, people and feelings I miss, happy moments, painful ones, and more. Prepare to get deep and maybe even do some self-reflection of your own. ❤️ Idea creds: https://spoti.fi/3NU3vru  WNRS game: https://www.werenotreallystrangers.com/products/not-really-strangers-card-deck 

19 | I'm a little late, but HAPPY SPRING! One of my favorite parts of the spring season is spring CLEANING. This week, I wanted to take you through my biggest rules for keeping my (small) space organized. I always feel better when my space is clean and organized, so let this be the motivation you need to get up and do the same for yours.

20 | Welcome to the second installment of Dear Diary - my cute name for a q&a/advice session that I'm doing every ten episodes :) This week, we have a lot of hard-hitting topics to get into: post-grad confusion, my faith/religious background & journey, OCD and how I cope, my relationship with food, advice for incoming college students, & more.  If you want to be a part of the next Dear Diary episode, be sure to follow @digitaldiarypod on Instagram and look out for the question sticker on a future story!