Meredith for Real: the curious introvert

When the Redditor known as Incrediblyshinyshart lost part of his leg in a motorcycle accident & had to have it amputated, he made an unusual choice – to eat it. He shares his thoughts on mourning, cannibalism & why eating part of his own body was life-changing. This episode originally aired July 4, 2022. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 234: FELON TO MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS OWNER [REMASTERED] Guest: https://www.reddit.com/user/incrediblyShinyShart Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:00 — A crash that changes everything02:24 — Why incineration felt wrong04:26 — The taxidermy dead end05:15 — Dark humor as grief language06:07 — The ethical cannibalism question06:35 — An opportunity you’ll never get again07:00 — A chef, a freezer, and surreal logistics07:58 — A meal that felt like ceremony09:47 — Becoming part of the people who love you10:15 — Dark jokes before the first bite12:55 — No hesitation at the table14:42 — Ancient rituals and modern meaning15:45 — Growth through the unthinkable16:47 — Facing mortality head-on17:10 — Life keeps getting better18:40 — Was the dinner essential?19:32 — Connection as closure19:58 — Looking back with fondness20:22 — Final thoughts from Shiny Request to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Can you retire early from a normal income? How do you buy back your time?Lauren & Steven Keys of Trip of a Lifestyle share what inspired them to retire at age 29, how they did it on average incomes, why they don’t track their monthly expenses & the concept of buying back your time. They also share the practical way they stay motivated in the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement.  This episode originally aired February 6, 2023. Stay till the end for an update on what they are doing now! If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 243: WHAT’S THE POINT OF FINANCIAL FREEDOM (REMASTERED) Guests: https://www.tripofalifestyle.com/ https://crambetter.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@tripofalifestylehttps://www.instagram.com/tripofalifestyle/ Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  02:15 — Life without lifestyle creep04:00 — Buying time instead of stuff05:10 — The road trip that changed everything10:45 — What “retired” really means15:35 — Do people regret working less?16:45 — The number you actually need18:05 — The 4% rule explained21:00 — Living with less, choosing more22:30 — Is early retirement all sacrifice?25:30 — Buying decades of your life back30:00 — Tracking progress without obsessing31:45 — The Hawaii six-month experiment34:00 — Practicing retirement early38:00 — Cost per unit time48:30 — Van life math54:00 — Why net worth tells the story56:00 — Avoiding money shame spirals62:00 — The “sweep away” method70:00 — When partners aren’t aligned72:00 — Visualizing progress like a fundraiser86:00 — Free tools that change lives88:00 — Where to find their roadmap90:00 — Life after early retirement92:00 — Four years later: what changed104:00 — Entrepreneurship without desperation118:00 — Seeing the world as business owners120:00 — Automation as the next chapter122:00 — Choosing presence over escapeRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Felipe Muñoz is the owner of Empathic Practice, a holistic stress management clinic. He combines his Masters in positive psychology, 20 years of marketing experience, & decade of business branding with hundreds of hours teaching meditation to coach professionals, train corporate teams & support individuals on living a more mindful and meaningful life. In this episode, we explore stress as an addiction, identity & community & the real strategy behind ending the chaos.  If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 298: ANXIETY IN YOUR FRIDGE?! Reducing Anxiety Through Food Guest: https://empathicpractice.us/https://www.instagram.com/empathicpractice/https://www.youtube.com/c/empathicpracticehttps://www.facebook.com/empathicpractice  Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  02:28 — Social media and the illusion of being “together”05:04 — Burnout vs paralysis: the stress bell curve07:02 — Is stress coming from inside or outside you?11:00 — Midlife stress and the “how did I get here?” moment14:06 — Stress as social currency and community glue15:08 — Why misery bonds faster than joy16:10 — Gossip, belonging, and opting out of stress culture17:02 — Are we addicted to stress?19:02 — When calm feels more threatening than chaos20:04 — Inverted resilience and self-sabotage cycles22:02 — The “leg day” metaphor for emotional health24:02 — Why breath is the first skill we skip27:04 — Eating lunch at your desk: stress score = 1028:06 — Clutter as a mirror of the mind29:04 — Scrolling before bed and delayed nervous systems30:06 — Multitasking: survival skill or stress amplifier?31:08 — Eustress: how to tell good stress from bad34:06 — Self-care vs escapism: intention matters35:06 — Rituals, routines, and sacred coffee36:06 — Psychedelics, big resets, and what comes after37:06 — Are you actually stressed — or just identifying as stressed?38:06 — Do we need therapy… or just a hobby?39:06 — Curiosity as a human survival trait41:06 — What Empathic Practice really offersRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Dr. David Tolin is the Founder & Director of the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Institute of Living, the author of over 200 scientific journal articles & even received the Award for Lifetime Contribution to Psychology from the CT Psychological Association, but you may recognize him from the reality TV series Hoarders, The OCD Project or My Shopping Addiction. In this episode he shares what diagnosing hoarding disorder looks like, what brain scans reveal & the myth of trauma. This episode originally aired November 27, 2023.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 208: TRIGGER WARNINGS: MAKING US FRAGILE OR HELPING US HEAL? Guest: https://drtolin.com/homehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidtolin/https://a.co/d/hDRDee8 Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  02:38 — How common hoarding really is04:05 — When clutter ≠ hoarding disorder05:00 — Why letting go feels painful06:02 — What actually causes hoarding08:00 — Attention, cognition, vulnerability10:00 — Why empathy changes everything11:05 — ADHD, brain scans, and myths14:10 — The “salience network” explained15:05 — Why clutter fades into the background16:00 — When every object feels urgent17:05 — Decision-making becomes unbearable18:10 — Avoidance as survival strategy20:00 — Why animal hoarding is different23:00 — What people actually hoard24:00 — When hoarding becomes extreme25:10 — Digital hoarding counts too26:05 — Emails, photos, and emotional pain27:00 — Objects as identity30:15 — The downward arrow technique31:20 — Why therapists and patients talk past each other32:15 — Anthropomorphizing our stuff33:20 — Why kids’ toys still haunt us34:15 — Grief as an accelerant35:20 — Stuff as memory protection36:10 — Acquiring as mood regulation37:10 — When retail therapy backfires38:15 — Emotion regulation gone wrong39:10 — Compassion without enabling40:05 — Boundaries that don’t abandon41:10 — Why insight takes repetition42:15 — Therapy isn’t one magic moment43:10 — How to stay anchored in reality44:05 — Questions that interrupt impulse45:10 — Why self-questioning works better46:15 — What “success” actually looks like47:15 — Managing vs curing hoarding48:10 — Exposure therapy in real life49:10 — TJ Maxx as a trigger50:05 — Sitting with discomfort on purpose51:10 — Rewriting your relationship with stuff52:05 — How hoarding changed his own habits53:10 — Keeping what truly serves you54:05 — Buried in Treasures and next steps55:10 — Final reflections on stuff and selfRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

JonRobert Tartaglione, PhD, studies & teaches influence. He is a psychologist, behavioral scientist & the founder & CEO of a consulting practice called influence 51. In this episode, we unpack persuasion, perception & arguing on the internet and explore what it really takes to change someone’s mind. If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 309: HOW DID THE MEDIA BECOME SUCH A BIASED, STRESS-INDUCING CIRCUS? Guest:https://www.facebook.com/jonrobert.tartaglione https://www.instagram.com/probablytat/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonrobert-tartaglione-ph-d-21b26770/https://x.com/PolPsyTat https://influence51.com/  Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:00 — The question no one asks01:42 — Why this story matters now03:18 — Meeting JonRobert05:06 — What most people misunderstand07:02 — The moment everything shifted09:21 — How power actually works11:08 — Systems hiding in plain sight13:47 — When incentives shape behavior16:05 — Following the money18:12 — What surprised him most20:44 — The quiet pressure points23:01 — Where people lose agency25:26 — The illusion of choice27:58 — Why good people comply30:14 — This wasn’t accidental32:41 — How narratives get enforced35:09 — Who benefits from silence37:42 — The cost of speaking up40:06 — When resistance becomes personal42:33 — The moment of reckoning45:02 — Why fear is effective47:29 — The psychology underneath50:11 — How normalization happens52:46 — What history keeps repeating55:21 — The warning signs we ignore58:04 — This pattern feels familiar01:00:33 — When people finally notice01:03:07 — Why it feels overwhelming01:05:52 — Reclaiming critical thinking01:08:36 — What accountability would look like01:11:14 — The role of individual courage01:14:02 — Why hope isn’t naive01:16:41 — What comes next01:19:08 — The question listeners should sit with01:21:30 — Final reflectionsRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

How do you stay connected with friends when everything revolves around drinking?Casey McGuire Davidson was an ambitious corporate achiever who always had a full schedule & anxious energy. She felt wine was the glue holding her life together until she realized it wasn’t. She later found serenity in sobriety, but it wasn’t without some social hiccups. In this episode, she uses her expertise as a certified life & sobriety coach to show us how to keep our friends in the tender time of early sobriety, navigate social hiccups at alcohol-centered events & the BEST way to tell friends you’re not drinking. This episode originally aired July 31, 2023 If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 265: HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE AN ALCOHOLIC? [REMASTERED] Guest:https://www.instagram.com/caseymdavidson/ https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseydavidson/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hello-someday-podcast-for-sober-curious-women/id1508913688 https://www.facebook.com/HelloSomeday/ Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:00 — Why sobriety feels risky02:00 — The social drinking trap03:00 — Chasing “normal drinking”06:00 — Boring, pregnant…or sober?07:00 — Losing yourself in motherhood08:00 — When anxiety becomes the clue11:00 — Why a 100-day challenge works12:00 — Your brain in withdrawal16:00 — How to “announce” it21:00 — When your boss notices22:00 — Choosing six more months26:00 — The awkward party moment27:00 — Three reaction types28:00 — Why people pressure you29:00 — The vegetarian analogy30:00 — Sharing only what you want34:00 — Telling people in advance39:00 — Saying no without drama40:00 — Creating new rituals43:00 — When friends feel different44:00 — Handling repetitive drunk talk45:00 — Leaving before the sloppiness46:00 — Partner support strategies48:00 — The social-media minefield50:00 — Do sober apologies matter?51:00 — Repair without guilt53:00 — How to support sober friends54:00 — The right first response55:00 — Hosting without assumptions56:00 — Better beverage options60:00 — Where to find CaseyRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Are healthy boundaries lines in the sand? Going no contact? KC Davis is licensed professional counselor, host of the podcast Struggle Care & author of Who Deserves your love: how to create boundaries to start, strengthen or end any relationship.In this episode, she unpacks the girl bossification of boundaries, the decision flowchart of no contact, how values make “hard calls” easier & how the internet sells quipping one-liners & emphasizes hard lines over nuance. Guest:https://www.strugglecare.com/ https://www.instagram.com/strugglecare/ https://www.facebook.com/StruggleCare/ https://a.co/d/1b1H1tT Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:00 — Shower fights & imaginary comebacks01:50 — Boundaries aren’t quippy one-liners03:58 — When the boundary advice trap backfires04:22 — The real definition of an internal boundary05:05 — How to prep for real-life conflict (not Instagram conflict)05:42 — Thanksgiving, awkward uncles & psychic responsibility10:20 — Awareness as Boundary Step One10:55 — MythBuster: Is there always a winner and a loser?13:07 — The vulnerability cycle explained14:10 — When your “issues” aren’t actually your issues16:22 — How two people accidentally activate each other18:17 — Boundary Disaster #1: The evangelizing step-dad20:02 — “Reasonable requests don’t make unreasonable people comply”21:11 — Deciding what’s livable — not magical24:14 — Why reframing the offender sometimes helps25:26 — The stories we tell about other people’s behavior28:05 — Compassion vs. justifying harm32:00 — Boundary Disaster #2: The secret sex-offender friend33:10 — KC’s decision tree for impossible situations36:08 — Why values make “hard calls” easier37:02 — MythBuster: Does cheating predict cheating?40:02 — MythBuster: Must you heal before you date?43:03 — Boundary Disaster #3: Grandma, screen time & parental authority44:00 — “How do I get her to respect my decisions?”47:55 — Middle-ground boundaries for real parents48:35 — Final thoughts: Boundaries as self-ownershipRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

How is AI influencing our decisions? Is opting IN to every AI offer causing us to opt OUT of our free will? Jake Ward is a former NBC News correspondent & is currently the founding editor & host of The Rip Current newsletter & podcast, which looks at the hidden forces of modern life, like Big Tech, business, and politics. He’s also the author of The Loop: How AI is creating a world without choices & how to fight back. In this episode, you’ll hear how the brain ACTUALLY makes decisions & how corporations leverage that without you knowing, how Corporate exceptionalism + American exceptionalism = tragedy & the case for inefficiency.  If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 205: NEUROTECH: SCIENTIFIC ADVANCEMENT OR MIND CONTROL? Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:48 — The hidden cost of “opting in”01:32 — Is AI manipulating us?05:02 — AI’s arrival vs. America’s readiness06:05 — The brain that isn’t built for this08:05 — Rock ’em Sock ’em brains09:12 — Why our instincts make us hackable15:20 — When companies exploit the “monkey brain”16:10 — Social casino games and human cynicism17:14 — The rise of AI psychosis18:02 — Why young developers can’t see the danger19:00 — The “scale will solve it” delusion20:16 — Croissants, bolts, and AI ethics21:25 — What regulation really looks like22:30 — Politicians in your chat companion23:40 — The edge-case problem that becomes everyone’s problem24:50 — Don’t fear robot overlords — fear amplified instincts26:02 — Why our brains love flattery bots27:14 — When chatbots become the worst therapist28:20 — Isolation vs. connection in recovery32:55 — Can market signals actually work?34:00 — The case for the “less convenient” AI35:10 — Why bad AI is sometimes better for you42:15 — What parents need to decide early43:20 — Building community norms before tech does44:28 — Permission to have more fun without phones50:20 — Locating yourself in the narrative51:30 — The allergy model of human behavior52:48 — How shame keeps us from seeing ourselves56:40 — Preserving human friction58:20 — The case for inefficiency59:50 — Music, jokes, and the death of practice01:01:10 — The nightmare world of the AI life-coach01:03:30 — Jake’s practical rules for tech sanity01:04:48 — Why satisfaction beats happiness01:08:00 — Jake’s links, book & gratitude01:09:00 — Meredith’s closing notes & next episodeRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Is this the answer to burnout? How are mini-retirements even possible? Kira Schabram, PhD, is the Assistant Professor in management & organization at Pennsylvania State University & historian of work who has been studying the details & impacts of a phenomenon called micro-retirement – people treating breaks from work of three or more months.In this episode, you’ll hear how others are doing this idea, why it’s worth talking about & how it could be the solution to widespread burnout among American workers. We compare American attitudes on work compared to our European counterparts, what makes a micro-retirement “successful” & why what we call it matters. If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 190: DOES A CAREER CHANGE MEAN YOU’RE A FAILURE? Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:00 — Why “micro-retirement” even matters00:27 — The work-first culture problem01:41 — “Cute but inaccessible?”02:10 — Who actually takes micro-retirements02:46 — The two paths into a micro-retirement04:33 — Life milestones as wake-up calls04:59 — Why reflection only happens off the treadmill05:27 — Is micro-retirement just rebranding unemployment?05:56 — Why the word matters more than you think06:30 — The need for a new term07:53 — Why nonprofit leaders burn out fastest10:39 — Training future leaders by stepping away11:12 — Sabbatical-as-benefit on a shoestring budget11:40 — Why employers resist the idea12:07 — The costs of quiet quitting12:34 — Why micro-retirements can increase productivity13:02 — Sabbatical vs micro-retirement: the naming problem13:35 — Why “3 months minimum” actually matters14:29 — Why Americans don’t recognize their own burnout16:18 — The France comparison that changes everything16:46 — “Where do you vacation?” as identity17:18 — Pandemic shifts in work culture18:22 — Could the US ever adopt the August model?19:57 — What Europe gets right—and wrong—about work21:20 — Has work become meaning or misery?21:55 — The generational gap in purpose24:48 — What happens if cynicism wins25:54 — A German lens on work meaning28:12 — FIRE vs micro-retirement mindsets29:05 — The “aunt at Thanksgiving” argument30:01 — The burnout-pushed retirement pattern30:29 — The “do nothing” phase no one expects30:58 — When nothingness reveals burnout severity32:02 — Skill-building in the wild33:40 — The danger of over-planning time off34:40 — Handling the “yeah but my bills” barrier35:06 — Micro-retirements aren’t résumé gaps38:01 — What would happen if 60% of employers offered this?40:19 — Could mini-retirements reshape whole industries?41:00 — The hidden cost of burnout recovery42:46 — Closing reflections on culture, work & wellbeingRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/

Why is dating so hard in midlife? Are we all sending mixed signals? Abe Morgentaler, MD & Marianne Brandon, PhD are the hosts of the Sex Doctors Podcast, where they deep dive into the science & psychology of sexual health & relationships.  Dr. Morgentaler is a Harvard trained MD who opened the first comprehensive men’s health center in the US, is the leading authority in testosterone therapy, author of four books & currently the Blavatnik Faculty Fellow in Health & Longevity at Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Brandon is a clinical psychologist, author & futurist whose professional writing includes aging & sex, the challenges of monogamy & female low libido. In this episode, you’ll hear both personal & professional perspectives about the dating pool & approaches including app culture, dick pics, gender equality, hormones, “the ick” & desire-killing control. If you like this episode, you’ll also like episode 180: IS YOUR ATTACHMENT STYLE RUINING YOUR RELATIONSHIP? Guests:Theirshttps://www.facebook.com/thesexdoctorshttps://www.youtube.com/@thesexdoctorspodhttps://www.instagram.com/thesexdoctors/Hershttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-future-intimacyhttps://a.co/d/8smce3Chttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mariannebrandon-59224513/https://x.com/DrBrandonHishttps://www.linkedin.com/in/abraham-morgentaler-md-81628b6/https://x.com/DrMorgentalerhttps://t4leducation.com/https://a.co/d/hZHpFn0 Host:  https://www.meredithforreal.com/  https://www.instagram.com/meredithforreal/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal  https://www.facebook.com/meredithforrealthecuriousintrovert  Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/  00:00 — Midlife dating déjà vu01:00 — Where have the good ones gone?02:03 — Top complaints while dating03:10 — Picky or self-aware?04:02 — Tiny towns vs. big cities05:00 — Strangers, apps, and mistrust05:58 — Why men send dick pics07:00 — Filtering for “fast yes”08:05 — Who’s actually relationship-minded?08:45 — Is app culture the problem?09:20 — Entertainment vs. reciprocity09:58 — Should serious daters ditch apps?10:40 — The slot-machine effect11:35 — Standards vs. pickiness12:15 — Are we avoiding compromise?13:20 — The myth of perfection14:05 — How good men spend time15:00 — Apps aren’t on your side16:12 — Ancient brains, modern tools17:00 — Digital dating = amplified disappointment18:00 — Get out of the house19:00 — Pick the rRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/