Growth doesn’t wait for a finish line. This episode leans into the messy middle—where self-care becomes more consistent, mirrors from friends provide a much needed self-reflection, and you realize you’ve been practicing a new identity long before you felt “ready.” I talk about the milestones that surprised me, like releasing 40 podcast episodes, and the realization that our self-growth can be inhibited when we (unconsciously) keep ourselves stuck in old identities. I begin to wonder about what can shift when you embrace growing into your new identities now and celebrate who you are today instead of waiting until you fully "arrive".

I open up about living with depression and choosing a different lens—one that holds the weight of despair while insisting on hope, possibility, and choice. That’s not sugarcoating; it’s strategy. By tending to the nervous system, slowing down conflict, and inviting co-regulation, new options appear in relationships and daily life. Along the way, feedback becomes a powerful relational growth tool. When listeners and colleagues reflected back “I learned something from listening” or “I see light in you,” it was a mirror that helped me acknowledge and integrate lost parts of myself. Community is more than support; it can be a catalyst for identity change.

You’ll hear why celebrating progress as it happens matters, how visibility can become safe, and why small steps—taken today—beat perfect plans tomorrow. If you’re navigating mental health, relationship stress, or the long arc of healing, this is a grounded invitation to claim more of your true self, not someday, but now. Join our community, share your reflections, and let’s keep building spaces where authenticity and hope can breathe.

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If you and your partner are ready to co-create the roadmap to the relationship of your dreams, join us for the next in-person "Getting the Love You Want" Weekend Couples Retreat!

For support in how to have deeper connections and better communication in the relationships that matter most in your life, follow the host, Trish Sanders on Instagram , Bluesky or LinkedIn.