Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Mary's Cup of Tea: the Self Love Podcast for Women

We all know what it feels like to be hard on ourselves, question whether we're good enough, or let someone else's opinion become our own inner voice. All of this comes down to self-trust.

In this deeply personal conversation, three-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn (!!!) and I talk about self-worth, perfectionism, creativity, long-term dedication to your craft, and the lifelong process of learning to trust yourself. Hilary shares what decades of performing have taught her about self-trust, quieting her inner critic, finding her own style, and staying connected to the parts of herself that exist beyond achievement.

You will learn…

• How perfectionism can disconnect you from your creativity, and what Hilary has learned about letting go of the need to get everything exactly “right”
• Why self-worth cannot depend on awards, praise, or other people's opinions, and how to recognize the voices you've internalized
• What performing has taught Hilary about self-trust, presence, and getting out of your own head
• Why your imperfections may actually be part of what makes your work and your presence more authentic and human
• How to cultivate creativity by giving yourself time to think, experiment, process, and develop your own ideas
• What it means to stay committed to your craft

Remember: Your self-worth does not have to be earned through achievement or perfection. Self-trust grows when you learn to listen to your own voice, recognize what you value about yourself, and give yourself permission to be fully human.

Hilary Hahn is a three-time GRAMMY Award-winning violinist known for her expressive musicality, technical expertise, and curiosity both within and beyond the classical music world. She has commissioned and championed works by more than 40 living composers, while her recordings have earned some of the highest honors in the music world. She also created #100daysofpractice, a social media initiative that has transformed practicing into a community celebration of creativity and artistic development, with more than one million posts shared by performers and students. She currently serves on the string faculty at Juilliard and continues to perform, record, commission new works, and connect with audiences around the world.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @violincase.

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There’s a lot more to self-love than feeling good about yourself. Though self-compassion is clearly associated with better mental health, stronger relationships, healthier behaviors, and greater resilience, the interesting part of the research is what happens underneath all of that: how changing the way you relate to yourself can actually change the way you behave, especially when you fail, struggle, or suffer.

So let’s dive into the science of self-love and self-compassion to uncover some surprising ways they can change your motivation, emotional regulation, and relationship with failure.

Tune into our self-love podcast to learn…

• Why self-compassion may be more stable than self-esteem, and why constantly evaluating yourself can get in the way of feeling good about yourself
• Whether positive affirmations can be too positive, and why believing you’re exceptional might make failure feel even scarier
• Why being kinder to yourself can actually make you more motivated to improve after you mess up
• How your inner voice can work more like a supportive coach than a drill sergeant
• Why self-compassion may help us regulate uncomfortable emotions and stop putting off things we know are good for us
• Why something can feel comforting when you say it to yourself but completely insensitive when someone else says it to you, especially during grief

We’ll also get into a surprising question: do you have to think highly of yourself in order to love yourself? The science suggests there may be another way to feel secure in yourself, one that doesn’t require being the prettiest, smartest, most successful, or most impressive person in the room.

Remember: self-love isn’t about convincing yourself that everything is great. Self-love is about building a relationship with yourself that allows you to be imperfect, learn from your mistakes, and keep going LONG ENOUGH TO GET BETTER.

Mentioned In This Episode...

• Kristin Neff’s review of the research on self-compassion
• Neff & Vonk (2009), self-compassion and self-esteem
• Breines & Chen (2012), self-compassion and motivation after failure
• Research on inflated praise and self-esteem
• Research on self-compassion and bedtime procrastination
• Research on cultural differences in self-compassion
• Research on grief support and messages after a death
• Research on helpful and unhelpful grief support
• Heart rate variability and the HeartMath technique

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

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Learning to love yourself can be complicated when the world around you keeps sending messages that you’re not worthy of self-love. Today we are joined by Dr. Thema Bryant to explore how racism, colorism, generational trauma, and survival strategies can shape the way we see ourselves.

You will learn…

• How Dr. Thema’s childhood in Baltimore and time living in Liberia shaped her confidence and self-esteem
• How to help young girls be more resilient to beauty standards
• The difference between personal, intergenerational, and collective trauma, and how survival strategies can be passed down through generations
• How to recognize when you’re living in survival mode, even when your life may look successful from the outside
• Why you can begin to heal and cultivate joy even while living in circumstances that continue to challenge you
• Why some of our deepest healing happens in healthy relationships, community, and through dance, music, and movement

Remember: You don’t have to wait for the world to become perfectly safe before you begin to love yourself. Healing can mean learning to stay connected to yourself while continuing to navigate an imperfect world.

Dr. Thema Bryant is a psychologist, author, professor, sacred artist, and minister who is leading the way in creating healthy relationships, healing traumas, and overcoming stress and oppression. Her life changing books include Matters of the Heart, Homecoming, Reclaim Yourself: The Homecoming Workbook, and The Antiracism Handbook: Practical Tools to Shift Your Mindset and Uproot Racism in Your Life and Community. Her work empowers readers to connect with themselves and others while exploring mental health, relationships, trauma, and liberation.

Get Dr. Thema's new book, Matter of the Heart: https://drthema.com/matters-of-the-heart/

Dr. Thema completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Duke University and her post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical Center’s Victims of Violence Program. She is currently a tenured professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, where she directs the Culture and Trauma Research Laboratory. Dr. Thema is also an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and leads the mental health ministry at First A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. In 2023, she served as president of the American Psychological Association and is the host of The Homecoming Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @dr.thema

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Think of this like an extra-long voice note from a friend you haven’t heard from in a while.

A lot has happened over the summer, but also, nothing at all.

I took a little break from this self-love podcast thinking I’d have everything figured out before I came back. But jokes on me. 😂

This is somewhat of an “in-between” season for me, a knowing that change is on the horizon coupled with the realization that patience is not my strong suit.

Nevertheless, I’m so happy to be back hosting our self-love podcast!

In this comeback episode, I’m opening up about…

• how chronic pain has been affecting my mental health
• a social media experiment I did over the summer
• why we moved from Phoenix to Northern Arizona
• my journey of trying to conceive
• how I’m approaching this self-love podcast a little differently than before…

Remember: self-love isn’t always about becoming a better version of yourself. Sometimes it’s learning to be okay with the version of you who is still figuring it out.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Mary’s Cup of Tea is nothing without the support of our self-lovers.

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If you’ve ever felt like you’re somehow responsible for remembering, planning, anticipating, organizing, and keeping track of ALL THE THINGS in your relationship, this conversation with Eve Rodsky is going to make you feel very seen.

Eve and I talk about the mental load women carry in relationships, the invisible and unpaid work that can be so difficult to put into words, and why creating a more equal partnership can completely change the way you experience your relationship. Whether you’re married, dating, single, or thinking about the kind of partnership you want someday, this is relationship advice you’ll want to hear.

You will learn…

• Why women so often end up carrying the mental load in relationships
• The invisible work that goes into keeping a household and family running
• Why some of the most frustrating relationship dynamics are about much more than chores
• How cultural expectations can shape the roles we fall into with our partners
• What it can look like to create a more equal relationship without keeping score
• Why “doing it all” isn't necessarily a sign that you're doing relationships well
• How to start thinking differently about responsibility, partnership, and fairness

If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Why am I the one who has to think about everything?”, you are absolutely not alone. The mental load can be exhausting precisely because so much of it happens internally — and because a lot of the work women do in relationships doesn't look like work from the outside.

And while we talk about this through the lens of heterosexual relationships, this conversation is really for anyone who feels like they’re taking on more responsibility than their partner. The goal isn't to blame women or men. It's to understand the systems and expectations we’ve inherited so we can start creating relationships that actually work for the people in them.

Remember: the imbalance isn't your fault, but you can still be part of changing it. A healthy relationship doesn't have to look perfectly equal from the outside. It should, however, feel like a partnership where both people’s time, energy, and contributions matter.

Eve Rodsky transformed her “blueberries breakdown” into a catalyst for social change when she applied her Harvard-trained background in organizational management to ask a simple question: What would happen if we treated our homes as our most important organizations?

Her New York Times bestselling book and Reese’s Book Club Pick, Fair Play, introduced a gamified life-management system designed to help partners rebalance their domestic workload and rethink the value of unpaid labor and care.

In her follow-up book, Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World, Eve explores creativity, productivity, resilience, and the importance of reclaiming time for yourself.

Learn more about Fair Play and Unicorn Space at fairplaylife.com

If you enjoyed this episode, share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @fairplay so we can see!

Mentioned In This Episode...

• the Fair Play card deck
• Extreme Ownership book
• TED Talk Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness

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How do you know if your romantic relationship consists of real, healthy love versus just chemistry, anxiety, or the excitement of something new? I’m talking all things love and relationships with renowned relationship psychologist Dr. Alexandra Solomon in one of my favorite conversations from the archive.

You will learn…

• What actually makes a healthy relationship work long-term
• Why you shouldn’t necessarily trust the butterflies as much as you think
• How to become more self-aware in your relationships without overanalyzing everything
• What to do when you feel like you’re carrying more of the emotional burden
• How relationships, attraction, and desire naturally change over time

This conversation is full of the kind of relationship advice I wish we all got before getting into serious relationships. We talk about green flags, communication, emotional labor, self-awareness, sex, marriage, and what it really looks like to build a healthy relationship with another person. And what makes a partnership last long-term.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is how much permission Alexandra gives us to stop trying to perfect our relationships. A healthy relationship doesn't mean you never get annoyed with your partner, never disagree, or never wonder if you're doing it “right.” It's about learning how to be curious about yourself and each other, communicate what you actually need, and keep growing together.

Whether you're single, dating, married, or somewhere in between, there's so much relationship advice here to take with you. And if you're anything like me, you'll probably walk away thinking about your own relationship in a slightly different way.

Remember: a healthy relationship isn't something you find and then magically get to keep forever. It's something you build, revisit, and grow into together.

Dr. Alexandra H. Solomon, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, professor, author, and relationship expert. She is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern University, a licensed clinical psychologist at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, and the creator and host of the Reimagining Love podcast.

She is also the author of Loving Bravely: 20 Lessons of Self-Discovery to Help You Get the Love You Want and Taking Sexy Back: How to Own Your Sexuality and Create the Relationships You Want.

Learn more at dralexandrasolomon.com and follow her on Instagram at @dr.alexandra.solomon

If you're enjoying this self-love podcast, send it to the women in your life! Or screenshot it and share it on social media. Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @dr.alexandra.solomon so we can see it!

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Perfectionism isn't making your life better. It's keeping you stuck. If you've been waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect plan, or the perfect version of yourself before taking action, this episode is for you. I'm sharing the mindset shift that helped me stop chasing perfection and start living with more confidence, freedom, and self-worth.

You will learn…

• why perfectionism isn't a personality trait
• how perfectionism keeps you stuck in overthinking and fear
• the difference between being perfect and perfecting
• why choosing presence over perfection leads to more confidence
• how to trust yourself and take action before you feel ready

Remember: You don't have to be perfect to be worthy. Growth happens when you're willing to begin before you have everything figured out. Confidence comes from showing up, learning as you go, and trusting the process.

If perfectionism has been stopping you from going after what you want, I hope this episode reminds you that your worth isn't something you earn. You don't need to have all the answers. You don't need to get it right the first time. You just need to take the next step.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the perfectionist in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast so I can see you're listening.

Mentioned In This Episode...

• Episode #50: How to Let Go of Control & Perfectionism

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You can be successful and still not feel confident about money. In this conversation, money expert Tori Dunlap joins me to talk about the connection between confidence, self-worth, and financial freedom. We explore why so many women (including feminists!) still struggle to feel confident about money, where those beliefs come from, and how to build wealth without shame, intimidation, or perfectionism.

You will learn…

• why so many women don't feel confident about money
• how self-worth shapes your confidence and financial decisions
• why women are conditioned to doubt themselves (and how to break free)
• the biggest investing mistakes to avoid
• how to build wealth with more confidence and less fear

Remember: The more you strengthen your self-worth, the more your financial confidence will improve too. 

Tori Dunlap is an internationally recognized money and career expert, founder of Her First $100K, bestselling author, and host of the #1 business podcast, Financial Feminist. After saving $100,000 by age 25, Tori left her corporate career to fight financial inequality by helping women negotiate higher salaries, build wealth, invest confidently, and achieve financial freedom. She has helped millions of women improve their relationship with money through her educational content, courses, and podcast.

Follow Tori Dunlap @herfirst100k on Instagram and TikTok and check out her podcast, Financial Feminist.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @herfirst100k.

Mentioned In This Episode...

• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
• Treasury Investing App

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Have you ever felt like you're constantly fixing yourself, yet somehow still don't feel good enough? In this self-love podcast, Mary talks about her struggles with... struggle.

Let’s explore why so many of us get stuck trying to fix every flaw, solve every problem, and become a "better" version of ourselves before we allow ourselves to truly live. If you've been struggling with self-worth, confidence, or the feeling that something is always missing, this conversation may change the way you think about self-love.

Tune into our self-love podcast to learn…

• why constantly trying to improve yourself can leave you feeling dissatisfied
• the connection between self-worth and always feeling like you need fixing
• how comparison, consumerism, and loneliness can make it harder to love yourself
• why finding meaning may be more important than chasing happiness
• the mindset shift that can help you stop struggling and start living

Remember: Self-love isn't fixing yourself until you're finally worthy. Self-love is realizing that you were worthy all along.

Mentioned In This Episode...

• Episode #61: Stop Trying to Be Happy (and Do This Instead)

Deepen your self love journey with Mary's books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you're enjoying Mary's Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you ever thought you'd be happier if you were thinner, prettier, younger, or looked “better” in some way?

In a culture obsessed with appearance, it's easy to believe that confidence, self worth, and self love are waiting on the other side of changing your body. But what if the real struggle has nothing to do with how you look?

Dr. Lindsay Kite joins us to unpack the hidden force behind so many body image struggles. If you're working on self love, healing your body image, or learning how to love yourself in a world that profits from your self-doubt, this episode is for you.

This conversation explores the connection between self love, self esteem, self compassion, mental health, body image, beauty standards, diet culture, and the pressure women face to constantly evaluate themselves through someone else's eyes.

You will learn…

• the missing piece of the body image conversation that most women never hear about
• why changing your appearance often fails to create lasting confidence or self worth
• how self-objectification shapes the way women move through the world
• the surprising reason many women still struggle with body image after years of self-love work
• why so many women continue chasing confidence through appearance without ever finding lasting peace
• practical ways to build resilience, strengthen self confidence, and feel more comfortable in your skin

Remember: self love isn't something you earn after reaching a goal weight, fixing a flaw, or becoming "beautiful enough." Real self love begins when you stop treating your body like a problem to solve. The path to self worth, confidence, and self care may look very different than you've been taught.

Dr. Lindsay Kite is co-author of the bestselling book *More Than A Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament – A Research-Backed Health and Wellness Guide for Empowerment and Confidence* and co-director of Beauty Redefined, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women and girls build body-image resilience and reject harmful beauty standards. Alongside her identical twin sister, Dr. Lexie Kite, Lindsay has become a leading voice in the fields of body image, self esteem, media literacy, women's empowerment, and self love. Learn more at morethanabody.org and follow her on Instagram @beauty_redefined.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @beauty_redefined

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There comes a point in your self-love journey where the question shifts from How do I stop obsessing over food and my body-image? to How do I take care of my health in a way that doesn't promote diet culture?

If you've spent years untangling yourself from diet culture, caring for your health can feel surprisingly complicated. You might want to eat more nourishing foods, move your body consistently, or create healthier habits, but worry that those choices will pull you back into restriction, food guilt, or body obsession.

So how do you pursue health without dieting?

In this conversation, we're exploring what it looks like to care for your body from a place of self love rather than control. Through personal stories and practical examples, I share the three things that have helped me redefine health as a form of self-care. Especially after going through eating disorder recovery.

Because contrary to what diet culture teaches us, loving your body and caring for your health are not opposing goals. In fact, they often go hand in hand.

Whether you're recovering from disordered eating, healing your relationship with exercise, or simply trying to find a more sustainable approach to wellness, this conversation offers a gentler path forward.

Let’s revisit some reminders about…

• Why pursuing health can feel scary after healing from diet culture
• The difference between gentle nutrition and restrictive eating
• How to choose foods without labeling them "good" or "bad"
• Why joyful movement matters more than forcing yourself through workouts
• Questions to ask yourself before starting a new health habit
• How to build trust with your body again
• Navigating health goals without making weight loss the focus
• Why self compassion creates more lasting change than self-criticism
• How self love can become the foundation of your health journey

If you've ever felt torn between body acceptance and health, this episode is your reminder that you don't have to choose. You can pursue health without diet culture, trust your body, and create habits that support both your physical and mental health.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Wedding culture can make so many women feel like they’re producing a performance instead of preparing for a marriage. Between family expectations, social media pressure, people-pleasing, decision fatigue, and endless opinions, it’s easy for women to lose confidence in themselves during a season that’s supposed to feel meaningful.

This conversation with Priya Parker completely reframed the way I think about weddings, relationships, community, and gathering.

Priya is the author of The Art of Gathering and one of the most thoughtful voices on human connection, conflict resolution, and meaningful community. Together, we explore how women can approach wedding planning with more intention, self worth, confidence, and authenticity — instead of getting swept away by perfectionism or tradition for tradition’s sake.

We talk about the emotional side of weddings that nobody really prepares women for: navigating boundaries with family, staying grounded in your values, managing conflict, and creating a celebration that actually reflects who you are as a couple.

This episode isn’t just about weddings. It’s about identity, womanhood, mental health, relationships, and staying connected to yourself during major life transitions.

Inside this conversation:

• the question every couple should ask before planning a wedding
• why meaningful gatherings matter so much for women and community
• navigating family expectations and difficult conversations
• creating rituals and traditions that feel authentic instead of performative
• the difference between planning a wedding versus building an intentional marriage
• how women can set boundaries and avoid losing themselves during wedding planning
• how Mary and her husband approached their wedding in a more feminist way
• why connection, community, and relationships are essential for mental health and self worth

Whether you’re engaged, married, single, healing from people-pleasing, or simply craving deeper connection in your life, this conversation offers such a grounding perspective on what it means to gather with intention.

Follow Priya on Instagram: @priyaparker

Get Priya’s book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

Get Priya’s course The Art of Gathering Digital Course — Wedding Edition

Share this episode with the women in your life! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @priyaparker

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If you’ve been feeling stuck, unmotivated, disconnected from yourself, unsure of your direction, or like your confidence has slowly been slipping away, this episode is for you.

In this personal solo episode of Mary’s Cup of Tea, Mary opens up about her own struggles with motivation, burnout, comparison, confidence, and feeling lost in life. From questioning her career path to wrestling with self-criticism and the pressure to always “have it figured out,” she explores how to find the confidence and motivation to move forward when you feel lost.

Because maybe the problem isn’t that you’re lazy, unmotivated, or failing.

Maybe you’re exhausted from fighting yourself.

Mary shares 3 ideas that have been helping her rebuild motivation and confidence.

We talk about:

• the powerful question she’s been asking herself during periods of uncertainty
• why confidence often comes from clarity
• how to stop using “brutal honesty” to bully yourself
• the balance between self-compassion and accountability
• why feeling lost may actually be part of the human experience
• how comparison can become useful instead of destructive
• the surprising way confidence is built through evidence
• what an “audacity list” is and why it might change your life
• how doing the opposite of your fear response can help you build momentum
• why motivation and confidence are often connected to self-trust
• how to move forward without having all the answers
• what to do when you feel stuck in the same thought patterns
• why self-love is not about perfection, but about learning to show up honestly

Remember: You do not need to have your entire life figured out to move forward.

Get Mary’s Feeling Lost Guide: maryscupoftea.com/lost

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Building something meaningful is rarely a linear process. In this episode, Mary sits down with Sasha, co-founder of Self-Care Is For Everyone, to talk about mental health, entrepreneurship, and the unexpected journey from posting illustrations online to building a multi-million dollar brand and business.

Along the way, Sasha opens up about ADHD, grief, burnout, confidence, and what it really takes to keep creating when life gets hard. Let this episode be a reminder that you do not need to feel fully confident before starting something meaningful.

You will learn…

• How Sasha built Self-Care Is For Everyone from an Instagram page into a global brand
• How ADHD and executive dysfunction can make creativity feel complicated, and how to approach it with self-compassion
• The difference between needing to “rest” versus needing to “rise”
• Why slow, sustainable growth may be healthier than chasing enormous success
• How grief, motherhood, and personal self-love journey shaped Sasha’s confidence

Remember: protecting your mental health matters just as much as achieving your goals. You are allowed to build a meaningful life while still figuring yourself out.

Sasha is the co-founder of Self-Care Is For Everyone, a community-centered mental health brand dedicated to making conversations around emotional wellbeing more accessible. Since launching in 2018, the brand has collaborated with over 150 artists, built a community of millions online, given back over $1 MILLION to the mental health causes, and partnered with companies like Kleenex and Target.

Follow @selfcaresforeveryone and pre-order their book “How Do I Self-Care: A Guided Journal to Practice Self-Kindness (Even On The Hard Days)”

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life to help spread the self love. Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @selfcaresforeveryone

Mentioned In This Episode...

• The Originals by Adam Grant

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This is for the women who know they want kids eventually, but don't know if or when they'll be ready.

Some questions don’t have a clear answer… they just keep you up at night.

“How do I know if I’m ready to have kids?” is one of them. Especially for women.

This isn’t a how-to guide. Nor is it a checklist. I’m definitely not someone to tell you what to do with your life. I'm just here for women empowerment which means talking about these things openly.

It’s just an insight into my brain, and a real, unfiltered look at what it feels like to sit with that question. The back and forth. The moments where you want it so badly… and the moments where you look at your life and think, I love this, I don’t want to lose it. The weird shift from being terrified of getting pregnant to quietly hoping for it. The anxiety about motherhood and wondering if you’ll be a good parent. The thoughts many women don’t always say out loud.

This conversation opens up something a lot of women carry privately: that readiness isn’t a clear, confident “yes.” Sometimes it looks like questioning, debating, researching, and imagining yourself in various versions of the future you can’t fully see yet.

If you’ve ever gone back and forth on this… if you’ve ever felt both drawn to and scared of the idea of having kids… if you’ve ever wondered what “ready” is even supposed to feel like… you are not alone.

And that’s the point of this reflective, solo episode. It’s a little different than the self-love topics we usually discuss on Mary’s Cup of Tea, but I think it’ll be relatable to many women who are debating whether or not to have children.

Remember: You don’t need perfect certainty to make meaningful decisions—just enough candid conversations and self-compassion to explore what feels true in this moment.

Mentioned In This Episode: Sophie Ansari’s short TikTok film “how the heck does anybody decide if they’re ready for a kid?”

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying our self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps normalize these types of conversations about mental health, womanhood, and self-love.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if being a more optimistic person has nothing to do with “staying positive”? In this conversation, we unpack the real psychology of optimism — and why it’s less about feeling good, and more about building resilience, curiosity, and emotional flexibility. If you’ve ever struggled with negative thoughts, anxiety, or your mental health, this episode will bring encouragement, hope, and helpful tools.

You will learn…

• why nostalgia can actually regulate your nervous system and support optimism
• the real definition of optimism (and why it’s not the same as positivity)
• how anxiety fills in uncertainty with worst-case scenarios — and what to do instead
• what optimism looks like when you’re struggling, depressed, or barely getting through the day
• how curiosity — not confidence — might be the most powerful mindset shift

Remember: being a more positive person isn’t about forcing yourself to feel good — it’s about learning how to stay open, grounded, and resilient through the full range of your human experience.

Dr. Deepika Chopra, widely known as The Optimism Doctor®, is not your average shrink. A behavioral scientist, health psychologist, national best selling author, podcast host, visual imagery expert and sought after speaker, she holds a doctorate in clinical health psychology and completed a double postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Her book The Power of Real Optimism (Simon and Schuster 2026) is a practical science based guide to staying resilient, curious, and open even when life is hard. Dr. Chopra is a  recurring guest on NBC’s TODAY Show  and her innovative and science based work on Optimism, Hope and Resiliency has been featured in outlets such as Forbes, NPR, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Goop, Variety, Fast Company, Newsweek, New York Times, The Boston Globe and more. She has led workshops and consulted for companies including Google, Amazon, Live Nation, UPenn Health, BCG, and Amex, and spoken at events such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, SXSW, and The Atlantic’sIn Pursuit of Happiness.

Dr. Chopra is the founder of Things Are Looking Up®️, a consultancy devoted to the intersection of science and soul, and the creator of the hit optimism card deck of the same name. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @drdeepikachopra

Mentioned in this episode:

200 Reasons to Choose Self-Love

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Wow!!! I can’t believe this is our 300th episode!!

Thank you so so much for listening to Mary's Cup of Tea: the Self-Love Podcast for Women.

This episode is a bit more personal and vulnerable. It’s me reflecting on why I started Mary’s Cup of Tea, what I’m struggling with, and if/ how I hope to move forward. I pull back the curtain to share what it’s actually taken to produce this show, use my voice, and keep going even when it’s felt messy and overwhelming. A lot of the times I feel less confident than I wish to be, but keep reminding myself that confidence is not synonymous with perfection. And self-compassion goes a long way.

Tune into our 300th episode to hear...

• a behind-the-scenes look at what hosting this self-love podcast has really been like
• why celebrating your input matters more than waiting for external validation
• the tension between growth, pressure, and staying true to yourself
• what’s next for this show
• a reminder to honor your own process, even when no one else sees it

Remember: self-love is about choosing to show, again and again, in ways that feel kind and true.

Mentioned In This Episode...

• “200 Reasons to Choose Self-Love” (free download)
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
• Girls (TV show by Lena Dunham)

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There’s a version of life many women are taught to chase: the one that looks put together, successful, desirable, and “right.” But behind the aesthetic routines, curated homes, and picture-perfect moments, so many of us feel disconnected, drained, or dissatisfied.

This is the self-worth trap.

In this episode, we explore a simple but powerful reframe: your self-worth isn’t built through appearances. It’s built through how your life feels, not how it performs. And when you prioritize appearances over truth, your self-worth will always feel unstable.

Tune into our self-love podcast to learn…

• why something can look perfect but still feel completely wrong
• the hidden self-worth trap many women live in without realizing it
• how social media and external validation distort your self-worth
• the unexpected quadrant where real freedom, confidence, and alignment begin
• simple ways to stop performing your life and start actually living it

This conversation also touches on body image, mental health, and the subtle ways women are conditioned to prioritize perception over truth.

Mentioned In This Episode... Lena Dunham interview

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you ever noticed how the more you rush, the more everything seems to fall apart? Let’s explore how constantly being “on the go” disconnects you from your confidence and inner peace. If you’re constantly rushing, then you’re stuck in your own anxious headspace, not actually connected to yourself and your surroundings.

In a world that rewards productivity and hustle, slowing down can feel uncomfortable… even wrong. But what if the very thing you think is holding you back is actually the key to building real confidence? What if taking your time is what allows you to hear yourself clearly again, trust your decisions, and move through life with more ease?

This is an “encore” episode, one we’ve already shared on the Mary’s Cup of Tea Podcast but why not revisit it?!

Tune into this self-love podcast to learn…

• why rushing keeps you stuck in anxiety instead of grounded in confidence
• how slowing down helps you reconnect with your intuition
• 5 simple ways to practice slowing down
• how to move slowly through life in a way that naturally builds confidence

Remember: When you pause, you breathe, and when you breathe, you harness your power. Self-love requires slowing down.

If you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Spring is a natural time for renewal, and this is your reminder to come back to self love in a grounded way. Not a full reset, not a glow up, just a check-in. A moment to notice what feels good, what feels off, and where you might need a little more care from yourself right now.

Here are 3 questions that are designed to make you feel more alive and aligned. I invite you to ponder these questions or better yet, use them as prompts for bullet journaling! Feel free to share your thoughts with me in a comment, message, or review.

You will learn…

• How to bring more self love into your life by noticing everyday moments of magic
• Where you can disconnect from constant stimulation and reconnect with yourself
• A gentle way to check in with your thoughts without overanalyzing them
• The surprising impact of slowing down and going “analog” in your daily routine
• How to identify what part of you needs attention, care, or support right now

Remember: Self love is magical, and so are you.

So instead of another generic gift, give your mom, mother figure, or even yourself the gift of comfort. Discover how Cozy Earth turns everyday routines into moments of softness and ease. Head to http://cozyearth.com/ and use my code MARY for an exclusive 20% off. And if you get a post-purchase survey, you can mention you heard about it on Mary’s Cup of Tea.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread women empowerment and self-love!

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...

• Anna Karenina
• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
• Mary’s Self Love playlist: maryscupoftea.com/playlist

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Seven years together, three years married, and somehow we’re still learning new things about each other!

In this episode, Husband joins Mary to reflect on moments that shaped their relationship.

This isn’t relationship advice or a step-by-step guide to a perfect marriage. It’s just us looking back at what we’ve been through and realizing how those experiences changed the way we communicate, support each other, and show up in our relationship. Get ready for funny stories, peak memories, and relatable relationship dynamics!

You will learn…

• how different communication styles can either clash or deepen connection in a healthy relationship
• what happens when you stop trying to control your partner’s emotions
• our favorite, most chaotic travel stories
• why shared experiences build confidence and emotional intimacy in a relationship
• how couples therapy helped us break unhealthy patterns
• the small ways respect, trust, and self-awareness show up in a strong marriage

Remember: building a healthy relationship takes communication, self-awareness, and a willingness to grow together. And that can only happen through trial and error, forgiveness, resilience, and sometimes, couples therapy.

About Mary’s Husband:

Stan is Mary’s husband and occasional podcast guest who is either unintentionally insightful or unexpectedly hilarious. He immigrated to the U.S. from Uzbekistan and brings a grounded, practical perspective to conversations about relationships, growth, and life. When he’s not helping Mary pack for trips or supporting her ideas, he’s working in the automotive industry and perfecting his Tony Soprano impression.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode…

• 101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged
• Shrinking on Apple TV
• Our honeymoon in Tanzania recap
• Our 1-Year Married Episode

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Five years ago, I published The Gift of Self-Love. Writing that book when I was just 20 years old was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. And its message around confidence, healing, and self-love still feels deeply true to me today.

But five years of living, growing, and talking with thousands of women about their experiences has also expanded my understanding of self-love in ways I could not have fully seen back then.

In this reflective episode, I look back on the book with fresh perspective and share a few ideas I might approach differently if I were writing it today. This conversation explores how our understanding of self-love can deepen over time, especially as life experiences reshape how we see ourselves and the world around us.

Get my books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, it’s never enough? Same. Let's talk about inadequacy– how to snap the F out of it and shift into confidence.

Mary introduces her powerful self-love formula, which intertwines self-esteem, self-compassion, and self-worth, as she challenges listeners to confront their feelings of inadequacy. We also unpack the heavy feelings of inadequacy and shame and how redefining self worth can help you stop measuring yourself against impossible standards.

You will learn...

• the difference between insecurity and deeper feelings of inadequacy
• how to question the timelines, expectations, and systems shaping your sense of self worth
• confront uncomfortable emotions instead of avoiding them
• reconnect with your inherent worth and rebuild confidence on your own terms
• create an “audacity list” to step outside comparison and reclaim agency in your life

Remember: the goal isn’t to finally become “enough.” The freedom comes when you realize that standard was never yours to begin with.

So instead of another generic gift, give your mom, mother figure, or even yourself the gift of comfort. Discover how Cozy Earth turns everyday routines into moments of softness and ease. Head to http://cozyearth.com/ and use my code MARY for an exclusive 20% off. And if you get a post-purchase survey, you can mention you heard about it on Mary’s Cup of Tea.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to continue spreading the gift of self love.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.

100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned in this episode:

• Why Self-Help Isn't Always Helpful for Self-Love
• How To Feel Confident When You Speak with Ryan O'Shea
• Why Manifestation Doesn't Work Without Self-Worth with Samantha Chung

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve ever felt like you have to constantly optimize your life to deserve self-love, this conversation will help you rethink how you approach personal development. A deep dive into the complicated relationship between self-help and self love, and why the self-help industry can sometimes leave women feeling more inadequate instead of more confident.

You will learn how to...

• recognize when self-help messaging is subtly making you feel broken instead of helping you build self-love
• break the exhausting cycle of pressure → shame → burnout that comes from most self-help advice
• cultivate self love through community, connection, and self-acceptance rather than endless self-improvement

Remember: you don’t need to become a better version of yourself to deserve self-love. The most powerful form of self love is learning to accept yourself exactly as you are, even on the days when nothing feels optimized.

So instead of another generic gift, give your mom, mother figure, or even yourself the gift of comfort. Discover how Cozy Earth turns everyday routines into moments of softness and ease. Head to http://cozyearth.com/ and use my code MARY for an exclusive 20% off. And if you get a post-purchase survey, you can mention you heard about it on Mary’s Cup of Tea.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life!

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...

• My conversation with Oliver Burkeman about productivity
• Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
• My conversation with Amelia Nagoski about Burnout
• Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Reddit discussion: Why self-help books are so popular in North America
• TikTok creator Paige Turner on self-help advice and gender
• Episode: How to Stop Comparing Your Current Self to Your Past Self
• Kurt Vonnegut & Joseph Heller story about “enough”

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your voice changes when you feel insecure. It gets tighter, faster, or smaller, and suddenly you don’t feel confident anymore. In this conversation, we explore how to build real confidence by regulating your nervous system and learning to speak from a grounded, embodied confident place.

Mary is joined by voice and communication coach Ryan O’Shea to explore how your voice can make or break your confidence. And no, this isn’t about fixing vocal fry or sounding “more professional.” It’s about learning how to feel more grounded, authentic, present, and confident no matter who you’re communicating with.

You will learn…

• Why some people naturally command attention while others feel chronically unheard
• How nervous system regulation directly affects your voice and presence
• The difference between rambling and inhibition — and how to find the sweet spot
• A simple real-time practice you can use before a presentation, job interview, date, or hard conversation to feel more confident
• The 3 components of a powerful vocal presence

Remember: confidence isn’t about sounding perfect. It’s about feeling safe and connected in your body when you speak. Your voice isn’t something to fix — it’s something to reclaim.

Ryan O’Shea is a Los Angeles based voice, accent, and communication coach certified in Fitzmaurice Voicework®, Knight-Thompson Speechwork®, and Organic Intelligence®. Ryan combines her experience as an actor and coach to develop a holistic approach to voice and communication. She wants her clients to feel that learning voice and communication skills can help them feel more like themselves, so she merges voice and delivery skills with tools of nervous system regulation and presence. Ryan works with actors who you've seen (and heard!) on HBO, Showtime, Netflix, AppleTV, Fox, ABC, as well in audiobooks, commercials, and theatres across the world. And she’s worked with countless entrepreneurs, and corporate communication clients from Adidas, Tinder, Alpinestars, and more.

Website: https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/

Instagram: @voiceandspeechwithryan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-o-shea-27a473277/

Self-led Voice Course: Foundations of Voicework, https://www.voiceandspeechwithryan.com/foundations-of-voicework

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @voiceandspeechwithryan

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Eating disorder recovery is a journey, and sometimes old patterns will show up even after you’re fully recovered. Let’s talk about 5 disordered habits you might still be doing (despite knowing better) and how to stop doing them.

These subtle disordered eating are often framed as “normal” in our culture, but in reality, they’re leftover patterns from diet culture. Whether you’ve been in eating disorder recovery for years or are just beginning to heal your relationship with food and your body, it’s important to notice these sneaky habits so you can break free from them once and for all.

Mary talks about the common ways women internalize harmful beauty standards and how those beliefs show up in everyday choices. From body-checking to moralizing food, these eating disorder behaviors might feel second nature, but they don’t serve your self love journey. Recovery is about unlearning toxic patterns and choosing self love, compassion, and confidence instead.

Take a moment to reflect: Which of these 5 eating disorder habits are you still holding onto? Becoming aware is the first step toward true healing and building a positive mindset around food, body image, and self love.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread women empowerment and self-love!

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With special guest: my Sister!!! For my 28th birthday, I sat down with my 18-year-old sister to share 28 truths about confidence, dating, boys, people, and being a woman with self-worth.

This conversation moves from chaotic sister humor to the deeper realities of building confidence as a woman. We talk about why most mistakes get made after midnight, how everything feels more dramatic in the dark, and why intensity is not the same thing as compatibility. We unpack the difference between attraction and anxiety, and why calm, secure love can is often the healthiest.

Beyond dating and relationships, we get into the foundations of self-love: choosing your environment wisely, eating consistently, setting boundaries without over-explaining, and remembering that no one is coming to save you. We talk about body image, spotlight syndrome, conquering insecurities, being the average of the people you spend time with, getting to know your mom as a person, and why embarrassment is a choice.

I hope this Mary’s Cup of Tea episode feels like a confidence pep talk from your virtual big sister.

Remember: “The worst thing in the world can happen, but the next day the sun will come up. And you will eat your toast. And you will drink your tea.”

Hope this episode is somehow entertaining and somewhat useful to your self-love journey.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread women empowerment and self-love!

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary Jelkovsky on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...

Mary’s Self-Love Playlist: maryscupoftea.com/playlist

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When the external world feels heavy, your internal world must stay regulated. Self-care is not about escaping reality. It’s about standing steadily inside it. This conversation is about how to stay emotionally regulated when the noise feels constant and the news cycle never ends.

We’ll talk about protecting your energy, being intentional with your attention, and practicing self-care through boundaries with yourself. If your mental health has felt stretched thin by the state of the world, this episode offers perspective and encouragement.

You will learn about…

• how social media functions similarly to propaganda
• why energy management might be better than time management
• how I approach giving and charitable contribution
• the idea of “joy stacking” as a form of self care
• why eye contact is a form of resistance
• small rituals that help you come back home to yourself

Remember: self-care is not disengagement from the world, it is how you stay resourced enough to meet it. Real self-care supports your mental health AND lets you contribute to causes you care about.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support expands our self-love circle and shows others that mental health matters.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self care journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...

• A Small Light series on Prime Video
• “I’m Russian. Here’s how propaganda really works” by Silent East

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many women talk about anxiety as if it’s a personality trait, but Dr. Ellen Vora offers a different lens: anxiety could be a mind-body signal that something in your mental health ecosystem needs support. In this conversation, we unpack what women misunderstand about anxiety, why mental health is deeply physical, and how to stop seeing anxiety as a personal flaw.

You will learn…

• the difference between “false anxiety” vs. “true anxiety” (and why that distinction changes everything)
• is it the mind-body connection or the body-mind connection?
• how women’s bodies, hormones, and cultural stressors create a unique anxiety landscape
• the drawbacks of traditional cognitive behavioral therapy
• physical ways to take care of your mental health

Remember: Anxiety doesn’t automatically mean something is mentally wrong with you. Often it’s your physical body asking for care, and sometimes it’s your inner compass asking for honesty. Either way, you deserve support that helps you feel safer in your body and steadier in your mental health.

Dr. Ellen Vora is a board-certified psychiatrist who takes a functional medicine approach to mental health. Dr. Vora received her B.A. from Yale University and her M.D. from Columbia University. She’s also the bestselling author of The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body’s Fear Response where she shares a whole-person perspective on anxiety, mental health, and overall well-being– especially for women.

Follow Dr. Ellen on Instagram: @ellenvoramd Get Dr. Ellen’s book, The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body’s Fear Response

And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @ellenvoramd

Mentioned In This Episode...

• Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whitaker
• Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection by Dr. John Sarno
• The Way Out by Alan Gordon
• research on Ketamine-assisted therapy
• Wizard of Oz & Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd Theory EXPLAINED

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sometimes the parts of us we’re trying hardest to fix are the ones working the hardest to protect us. Inspired by one of the best mental health books I’ve read recently, this episode offers a compassionate framework for understanding your inner world without pathologizing it.

If you’ve ever felt conflicted, inconsistent, or torn in different directions, this conversation is for you. It explores why inner tension does not mean you are failing at mental health. It might actually make a lot of sense. This episode reviews my biggest takeaways from the book No Bad Parts by Dr. Richard Schwartz.

We’ll explore ideas like:

• Why there are no bad parts — only misunderstood ones
• How self-compassion creates internal safety instead of control
• The difference between being protector-led vs. Self-led
• Why mental health isn’t about eliminating inner conflict, but learning how to relate to it
• What it looks like to stay engaged with the world while still protecting your energy

We also touch on something many of us struggle with: how to care deeply about the world without letting its weight completely overwhelm you. And why true self love does not require numbing out, bypassing reality, or carrying everything alone.

Remember: Every part of your personality that you do not love will become hostile. The goal is not to get rid of parts of yourself, but to change how you relate to them.

If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread conversations about mental health, confidence, and self-love in a way that feels real and sustainable.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...

No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz 

“How to talk to the worst parts of yourself” TEDx talk by Karen Faith

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

WOW!!! This just might be the most enlightening, inspiring interview on Mary’s Cup of Tea, thanks to our guest, Samantha Chung. Rooted in self-love and self-worth, Sam’s approach to manifestation is deep yet simple, grounded yet expansive, firm yet deeply compassionate.

Contrary to popular belief, isn’t about positive thinking, vision boards, or proving your worth — it’s about the relationship you have with yourself. Sam explains why healing shame, releasing self-criticism, and relating to yourself with compassion is what actually changes what you attract.

You will learn about...

• the surprising link between loving yourself and manifesting your dreams
• how to reconcile manifestation teachings with privilege, access, and real-world limitations
• why Sam hates the word “manifestation” and the connotations it comes with
• how to repair a punitive, damaged relationship with yourself
• why self-compassion will not you complacent
• what body-image struggles reveal about safety, control, and self worth
• how to face your own unworthiness and make contact with a deeply supportive part of yourself
• the ONLY emotion that lowers your vibration
• access the emotional experience you think money, love, or success will finally give you
• see manifestation as a lifestyle rooted in self-love, not a method to fix yourself

Remember: Manifestation doesn't work without self-worth. It's not about getting or achieving something, it's about who you become along the way.

Samantha Chung is a transformational life and mindset coach, viral content creator, and host of the top-ranking podcast Spiraling Higher. She is on a mission to help people break free from their conditioned narratives and awaken to their most authentic, limitless selves. Her paradigm-shifting perspectives have inspired millions to step into self-love and embody their highest potential. Today, she’s here to help you do the same.

Follow Sam on Instagram: @simplifying.sam

Learn more about Sam’s private coaching here.

Share this self love podcast with the women in your life or on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @simplifying.sam

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Self love isn’t just about accepting yourself as you are or chasing a better version of yourself. It’s about learning how to hold contradictory parts of yourself with self compassion and curiosity.

This conversation explores self love, confidence, mental health, body image, and self-awareness through the lens of growth, rest, insecurity, joy, and becoming. If you’re in your late 20s, or going through a big life transition, this episode is for you.

You will learn how to…

• reframe the way you think about insecurities
• question diet culture, beauty standards, productivity, and comparison
• understand how pleasure can coexist with pain

Remember: self love is not about reaching a healed or perfected version of yourself. It’s about staying honest, present, and compassionate through every season of becoming.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to continue spreading the gift of self love.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Mentioned In This Episode...

• Beauty Sick by Dr. Renee Engeln
• No Bad Parts by Dr. Richard Schwartz
• Flesh World, Substack by Jessica DeFino

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Astrology can be a grounding, practical tool for self-love and mental health, especially for women navigating change. Daniela from Cosmic Latte joins me to break down rising signs, moon energy, and Saturn returns—and how understanding your zodiac chart can help you meet yourself with more compassion, confidence, and care. Whether you’re looking to add a little whimsy to your life or fully devote yourself to the stars, this episode is equal parts fun and educational.

You will learn about...

• why most daily horoscopes are incorrect
• the importance of knowing your rising sign
• how the moon influences mood, energy, and confidence
• how astrology can help you build routines that support your mental health
• what a Saturn return brings up in your late 20s (and why it’s not all doom)
• the astrology of weekdays i.e. how to plan your week around the planets

Remember: Self-love isn’t about fixing yourself—it’s about understanding yourself and letting that understanding soften the way you show up. Daniela Karpenos is a New York-based astrologer and founder of Cosmic Latte, a community of 200,000+ unique souls worldwide devoted to feeding spiritual curiosity, creativity, and connection. With her Leo sun flair and Cancer moon intuition, she shares playful astrology content to help you discover your “you-niverse.”

Get your personalized eclipse guidebook from The Cosmic Latte here!

Or book a private astrology reading with Daniela at thecosmiclatte.com and follow her on Instagram @thecosmiclatte

Mentioned In This Episode...

• The Astrology of Days Guide
• Stardust (moon + cycle tracking app)
• No Bad Parts by Dr. Richard Schwartz

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @cosmiclatte so we can share this self-love journey with you!

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A vision board can be a powerful tool for self love when created intentionally. In this episode, Mary shares how to approach vision boarding as a self-love practice rooted in intention, self worth, and presence rather than pressure, perfection, or productivity.

If you want Mary’s vision board template, you can get instant access at maryscupoftea.com/vision and follow along.

Instead of focusing on how your life should look, this process invites you to reconnect with how you want it to feel — offering a refreshing approach to self love that prioritizes intention over outcome, being happy in your life (not just happy with it), and learning to enjoy the process of becoming someone you’re proud of.

Tune in to learn…

• How to make a digital vision board that feels supportive instead of overwhelming
• Why intentions are much better than traditional goal-setting
• How to manifest from self compassion rather than control
• The difference between being “happy with your life” vs. being happy in it
• What a vision board becomes when it’s rooted in self-worth, not pressure

Remember: Your vision board is not a contract — it’s a conversation with your future self. What’s meant for you is already unfolding, and your only responsibility is to stay present, responsive, and kind to yourself along the way.

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to continue spreading the gift of self love.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary's self-love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

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As women, we’re often praised for being “good” — benevolent, proper, generous, and agreeable. But that version of goodness often comes at the expense of your mental health. And it requires a type of self-abandonment which leaves little room for complexity, creativity, or truth.

Poet and writer Joy Sullivan joins Mary to explore why being “good” can be antithetical to being fully human. Together, they unpack purity culture (both religious and progressive), moral performance, and the shame that follows many women. They also explore Joy’s viral essay Tiny Evils and why allowing ourselves small, imperfect, human transgressions can actually reconnect us to creativity.

You will learn how to…

• Question moral perfection without abandoning integrity
• Understand why goodness is often performative
• Reclaim creativity as survival, not productivity
• Write and create with confidence and without censoring your vulnerability

Remember: You don’t have to be flawless to be worthy. Your self worth is inherent. If you can love yourself as you are, your creativity will skyrocket.

Joy Sullivan is a poet, teacher, and author of the national bestseller, *Instructions for Traveling West.* She received a Masters in poetry from Miami University and has served as the poet-in-residence for the Wexner Center for the Arts. Her work has appeared in places like Goop, Oprah Daily, and The Sunday Paper.

In addition to leading international writing retreats, Joy has guest-lectured in classrooms from Stanford University to Florida International University and is the founder of Sustenance, a community designed to help writers revitalize and nourish their craft. Read her thoughts on the creative life in her Substack newsletter, Necessary Salt

Follow Joy on Instagram: **@**joysullivan

Get Joy’s poetry book *Instructions for Traveling West.*

Learn more about Joy’s writing community, Sustenance, here.

And if you enjoyed this episode, screenshot it and share it on social media! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @joysullivan so other women can find this self-love podcast.

Mentioned in This Episode…

• Tiny Evils by Joy Sullivan
• Glamour UK feature
• Miranda July
• Ellen Bass
• Ada Limón

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In this episode, Mary explores seven principles of self love, using her Self-Love Tree framework as a calm and grounding guide for your year-end reflection and renewal.

You will learn how to…

• Understand the roots of self-love: self-esteem, self-compassion, and self-worth
• Apply the Self-Love Tree framework to your spiritual, emotional, mental, physical, social, romantic, and existential wellbeing
• Create your own personalized self-love template to support next year’s intentions

May you always ground yourself in your own unique individual framework for self love, whether that's a tree or something else you want to plant.

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends to spread the self love tea!

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books: 
1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are. 

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mary talks with licensed psychotherapist Whitney Goodman about the harmful effects of toxic positivity on our mental health. We’ve all heard it, seen it, and experienced it — those moments when someone brushes off your pain and tells you to “just think positive!” It’s dismissive, overwhelming, and the opposite of self compassion.

Whitney shares with us about... 

• what toxic positivity is and the different areas it shows up in (specifically how it appears in religion, workplace, health, grief, etc)
• how toxic positivity differs from true self compassion
• the antidote to toxic positivity 
• how to talk to your loved ones when they are experiencing pain
• self talk tools that will support your mental health without the pressure to have a positive mindset 24/7

Whitney Goodman is the radically honest psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account @sitwithwhit, the founder of Calling Home, author of Toxic Positivity, and owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center, a private online therapy practice in Florida. Her work deeply resonates with women who are navigating boundaries, complex family systems, and the pressure to stay “positive” no matter what.

Whitney earned her undergraduate degree at Tulane University and her graduate degree in Counseling Psychology from The University of Miami. She has advanced training in couples work, trauma, family dynamics, and chronic illness. Her writing appears in Psychology Today and she has been featured in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, NY Magazine, InStyle, and Good Morning America.

A millennial therapist committed to making mental health information accessible, Whitney believes authenticity and emotional expression are essential to living a grounded, meaningful life. Her transparency around her own humanity helps normalize the full spectrum of feelings we all experience.

Remember: “Happiness and positivity have become both a goal and an obligation.” But you don’t have to buy into that—real well-being honors your full emotional landscape and protects your mental health.

Follow Whitney on Instagram: @sitwithwhit

Get Whitney’s book Toxic Positivity here.

And if you're enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @sitwithwhit.

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If decision fatigue has you spiraling, this episode will help you reconnect with your needs, wants, desires, and values. Mary shares 7 steps for soothing anxiety, finding clarity, and making choices with confidence and from a place of self-love. 

You will learn how to... 
- Stop outsourcing your life to other people’s opinions 
- Regulate your nervous system so you can make decisions from a place of confidence and self love 
- Clarify your values and return to your own inner guidance 

Remember: self love isn’t about making the “perfect” choice. It’s about making the choice that honors who you are right now. This episode is a self-love reminder for women who feel stuck or overwhelmed by decision fatigue. 

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to continue spreading the gift of self love. Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books: 
1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself. 

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast 

Mentioned In This Episode: 
Podcast Interview: Why Self Worth Starts in Your Body with Beatriz Victoria Albina 
Book: Stop Emotional Outsourcing by Béa Victoria Albina 
Mary’s viral video: “What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do”

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Relationship conflict doesn’t have to feel like walking on eggshells. With the right tools and a sense of confidence and self trust, even the messiest moments can become turning points for deeper intimacy. This conversation with relationship expert Baya Voce is packed with research-backed relationship advice that helps you understand why you fight the way you do—and how to shift patterns that have followed you for years.

You will learn... 

• what healthy fighting look like and how to navigate conflict with confidence
• the different types of toxic tendencies many of us default to when triggered
• do men and women differ when it comes to default patterns?
• Gottman’s 4 Horsemen, the subtle-but-deadly behaviors that quietly erode connection
• what to do when you’ve asked your partner to change, but they can’t or won’t
• how to decide whether to stay in or leave a relationship

Remember: A healthy relationship isn’t defined by “never fighting.” It’s about navigating conflict with confidence, a regulated nervous system, and trust in your ability to repair.

Baya Voce is a relationship repair expert helping couples fight better and make up faster. She holds an MSW from Columbia University, is in ongoing supervision with Esther Perel, and is trained and mentored by Terry Real. Baya collaborates with Columbia University, MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), and Rick Doblin on pioneering research into MDMA-assisted couples therapy. She regularly speaks at SXSW, and with over 5 million views, her TEDx talk on loneliness highlights the often-overlooked impact of relational disconnection.

Follow Baya on Instagram: @bayavoce

Baya’s Workbook on How To Bridge the “Effort Gap” in Your Relationship 

Get Baya’s free guide on what to say to your partner after a fight

And if you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life to spread the gift of self love! Make sure to tag @maryspodcast and @bayavoce

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If intuitive eating feels harder during the holidays, you’re not alone. Between buffet tables, endless trigger foods, family comments, and social anxiety, it’s easy to slip into old, disordered eating habits. In this solo episode, Mary shares a simple but powerful intuitive eating tip that can help you feel less crazy around food. This mindset shift will help you approach holiday eating from a place of self compassion and self trust.

This episode isn’t about what’s on your plate — it’s about how you relate to it. Because when food becomes tangled up with guilt, rules, or anxiety, it takes away from your ability to be present in the moment. Instead of succumbing to diet culture, use this intuitive eating tip to rebuild your sense of safety around food and feel more full, whole, and complete.

If you’ve ever found yourself circling the snack table, cutting slivers of dessert, or trying to outsmart your hunger, this one’s going to hit home.

You deserve to be fed, nourished, and loved.

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, please review the show and share it with the women in your life. Your support not only helps the show grow, but also spreads the message of self love– from intuitive eating to positive body image to self compassion as a whole.

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People mistakenly believe that self worth lives in the mind. Like if you just think confident thoughts or repeat affirmations like “I’m a worthy woman,” it’ll magically click. But if you’ve ever tried to think your way into feeling like you are enough, you’ve probably noticed… it doesn’t last. That’s because true self worth doesn’t start in your head — it starts in your body.

In this episode, Mary talks with Beatriz Victoria Albina, a Somatic Life Coach and author of End Emotional Outsourcing, to explore how reconnecting with your body can transform your relationship with yourself. Béa explains that so many women have been taught to “emotionally outsource” — to base their worth on other people’s validation, approval, or emotions. Traditionally, this has been labeled as codependency, but Béa offers a more compassionate lens that helps us understand why we do it and how to heal.

Together, they unpack what emotional outsourcing really means, how to regulate your nervous system, and how to come back home to yourself. This conversation will help you move beyond people pleasing and perfectionism and into a sense of embodied safety — where self worth isn’t something you have to prove, but something you feel.

In this episode, you will learn…

• why and how self worth starts in the body
• what emotional outsourcing is and how it differs from codependency
• how to break free from self abandonment and practice self compassion
• ways to stop chronically people pleasing and detach from others’ emotions

Beatriz Victoria Albina, NP, MPH, SEP (she/her) is a UCSF-trained Family Nurse Practitioner, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Master Certified Somatic Life Coach, author of "End Emotional Outsourcing: a Guide to Overcoming Codependent, Perfectionist and People Pleasing Habits" (published Sept 30) and Breathwork Meditation Guide with a passion for helping humans socialized as women to reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems and rewire their minds, so they can break free from codependency, perfectionism and people pleasing and reclaim their joy. She is the host of the Feminist Wellness Podcast, holds a Masters degree in Public Health from Boston University School of Public Health and a BA in Latin American Studies from Oberlin College. Born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Béa grew up in the great state of Rhode Island. She has been working in health & wellness for over 20 years and lives with her wife, Billey Albina and their handsome all-black cat Wade.

🌿 Order Béa’s book End Emotional Outsourcing → beatrizalbina.com/book/

🧘‍♀️ Try her free meditations → beatrizalbina.com/free-meditations/

💌 Follow Béa on IG → @beatrizvictoriaalbinanp

💖 Tag @maryspodcast and share this episode with the women in your life to spread the gift of self love!

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Self love isn’t a one-time epiphany; it’s a lifelong practice of coming home to yourself. True self-love is rooted in deep self-awareness — because you can’t fully love yourself without first knowing yourself.

This Best Of Mary’s Cup of Tea episode brings together some of my favorite clips about healing through self-love. My hope is that these reminders meet you exactly where you are and offer a gentle nudge to keep showing up for yourself, even when the path feels messy or uncertain.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• why the cure to burnout is NOT self care
• how to detach your self worth from your productivity
• tools for healing from heartbreak and breakups
• a simple trick for practicing compassionate self talk
• the power of slowing down and resting
• how to hold onto hope when everything sucks
• ways to reconnect with yourself when you feel lost
• simple, grounded ways to prioritize self love every day
• mindset shifts for self love, confidence, and knowing that you are enough

Whether you’re coming out of burnout, trying to separate your worth from your work, or putting yourself back together after heartbreak, this episode is your reminder that self-love isn’t selfish. It’s essential.

✨ Deepen your self love journey with the full episodes featured:

• #237: 7 Self-Love Lessons I’m Taking Into My 27th Birthday
• #243: How to stay hopeful, soulful, and joyful with Victoria Hutchins
• #217: The Mistake We Make with Self-Love
• #180: Detaching Self-Worth from Productivity
• #138: Healing from Heartbreak
• #223: Dear Mary, how do I know if I’m on the right path?
• How to Love Yourself Through Trauma, Grief, and Chronic Pain
• Ep. 177: The Power of Slowing Down
• Ep. 209: The Cure for Burnout is Not Self-Care with Amelia Nagoski
• Ep. 156: Compassionate Self Talk
• #212: How To Be Honest with Yourself
• #122: Your Self-Love Survival Guide for When Everything Sucks
• #186: 5 Habits that Have Made Me a Better Person

Listen to the other episodes in this Best of Mary’s Cup of Tea Series:

1. Eating Disorder Recovery Tools for Women Who Are DONE with Diet Culture
2. Body Love & Self Worth for Women Who Hate Beauty Standards
3. Female Friendships Advice for Women Who Crave Deeper Connection
4. Healthy Relationship Advice for Women Who Value Love That Lasts
5. Powerful Mental Health & Mindset Shifts for Women Who Feel Lost
6. Confidence Practices for Women Who Want to Trust Themselves Again
7. Self Love Reminders for Women Who Are Ready for Healing

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to continue spreading the self love tea!

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Confidence isn’t something you either have or you don’t — it’s something you practice, lose, question, rebuild, and redefine a hundred times over.

This “Best Of Mary’s Cup of Tea” episode brings together some of the most powerful confidence advice. Whether you’re rebuilding your self confidence after a setback, learning to trust yourself again, or simply trying to quiet that inner critic, this episode is your reminder that confidence is a practice. It’s for women who want to embody AUTHENTIC confidence.

We will unpack…

• signs that you’re struggling with self confidence
• mindset shifts that will help you feel more confident
• why your insecurities might secretly be your strengths
• advice from my teen sister (aka my confidence icon) on embracing your uniqueness
• how to stop comparing yourself to other versions of you
• ways to deal with criticism and rejection
• how the language we use shapes our worldview
• why affirmations don’t work (and what to do instead)
• what purpose means in the context of self love
• how to deal with uncertainty and self doubt

Whether you’re looking to boost your confidence or learn to trust yourself again, let this episode be a reminder of your self worth.

If you want to dive deeper into the confidence tips, here are the full episodes:

Full episodes:

• Ep. 167: 5 Signs You’re Struggling with Self Confidence
• Ep. 251: Delusional Mindset Shifts that Will Instantly Boost Your Confidence
• Ep. 197: The Only Way to Conquer Insecurities
• Confidence Advice for Teen Girls Feat. My 17-Year-Old Sister (video)
• Ep. 127: Nervous About Your Purpose? Listen to this.
• Ep. 189: 5 Thought Patterns Keeping You Stuck in a Negative Mindset
• Ep. 202: Dealing with Criticism
• Ep. 69: Is Diet Culture a Cult? with Amanda Montell
• Ep. 183: The Best Book on Communication
• How To Build Confidence Through Mindfulness with Dr. Ellen Langer
• Ep. 66: Dealing with Uncertainty, Fear, and Doubt
• Ep. 57: Why Affirmations Don’t Work (and What to Do Instead)
• Ep. 135: On Being a Multi-Passionate, Empathetic Creative with Arielle Estoria

💡 If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life!

Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary Jelkovsky on Instagram: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Taking care of your mental health is never one-size-fits-all, especially for women who experience self-criticism, overwhelm, and constant comparison.

This is part of our “Best Of Mary’s Cup of Tea” series, where I gathered some of the most powerful conversations we’ve had across 250+ episodes. Today’s episode focuses on mental health and positive mindset shifts for women who are ready to get unstuck.

You’ll hear clips on…

• motivating yourself with self compassion vs. self criticism
• letting go of control and perfectionism
• why women must approach mindset work through a feminist perspective
• how to redefine success on your terms
• healing your relationship to money and abundance
• the underrated power of enthusiasm
• mantras to carry you through hard times
• how to process emotions effectively
• coping with feeling lost or “behind” in life
• using the power of your mindset to cope with mental health struggles

Let this compilation be one giant reminder that you are enough and you are not alone. This self love podcast is here to support your mental health and mindset.

✨ Deepen your journey with the full episodes on our self-love podcast:

• Ep 101: Stop Judging Yourself
• Ep. 250: Productivity Meets Self-Compassion: Overcome Overwhelm with Oliver Burkeman
• Ep. 207: Why Women Are Trapped in the Virgin/Mother/Whore Paradigm & How to Break Free w/ Kara Loewentheil, J.D.
• Ep 98: How to Cope with Capitalism and Embrace Courageous Living with Rha Goddess
• Ep 189: 5 Thought Patterns Keeping You Stuck in a Negative Mindset
• Ep. 53: Money, Abundance, and Alignment with Melyssa Griffin
• Ep 195: The Most Underrated Emotion
• Ep 134: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living
• Ep 90: To My Perfectionists
• Ep 226: 5 Mantras to Get You Through Hard Times
• Ep 224: How to Process Feelings and Emotions Effectively
• Ep 233: Motivating Yourself with Self Compassion
• Ep 163: Feeling Lost? Listen to this.
• Ep 185: Feeling Behind in Life? This one's for you.

💡 If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, please share it with a friend who could use a gentle reminder that they’re not alone.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary Jelkovsky on Instagram: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Healthy relationships are such a big part of self-love.

But love, dating, and long-term partnership can feel complicated — especially when it comes to intimacy, communication, and navigating conflict. In this self-love podcast episode, we’re diving into relationship advice for women who value love that lasts.

This is part of our “Best Of Mary’s Cup of Tea” series, where I pulled together some of the most powerful conversations we’ve had across 250+ episodes. Today’s episode focuses on relationship advice. Whether you’re single, dating, married, or hoping for long-term partnership, you deserve safe, healthy love.

You will hear about…

• early-stage dating advice from me and my husband
• keeping intimacy and sexual connection alive in long-term relationships
• easy ways to build eroticism and closeness with your partner
• how to create an egalitarian partnership
• navigating conflict, fighting fair, and communicating effectively
• recognizing and healing from toxic dynamics
• coping with heartbreak and learning to enjoy being single
• building up your self-worth to attract healthy, stable love

Whether you’re looking to boost your confidence in dating or strengthen your long-term partnership, tune in for practical, heartfelt relationship advice rooted in women empowerment.

May this be a reminder that healthy relationships — romantic or otherwise — are a key part of self-love.

If you want to dive deeper into relationships, intimacy, and healing, here are the full episodes:

• #199: Celebrating 1 Year Married w/ Husband! Dating and Relationship Advice
• #128: Making Your Relationship Last with Dr. Alexandra Solomon
• #194: How to Love Someone Without Losing Yourself with Dr. Alexandra Solomon
• How to Feel Sexy in a Long-Term Relationship with Sexologist Shan Boodram
• #147: Make Your Relationship(s) Better with These 2 Tips
• #38: Sex, Orgasms, & Masturbation with Emily Nagoski
• #239: My Unfiltered Opinions on Marriage, Dating, and Love
• #168: Imbalances in Relationships & How to Fix Them with Eve Rodsky
• #203: Coping with Getting Ghosted and Family Estrangement w/ Minaa B., LMSW
• #157: Wedding Reflections w/ my HUSBAND!
• #175: When It Feels “Too Good To Be True”
• The #1 Relationship Tip That Transformed My Marriage, Family, and Friendships
• #73: Healing from Toxic Relationships, Embracing Sobriety, and Growing Up Asian-American with Kelly Uchima
• #138: Healing from Heartbreak
• #238: The Art of Moving On… Breakup Advice with Kendra Allen

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. The Gift of Self-Love – An interactive workbook that helps you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. 100 Days of Self-Love – A guided self-love journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and embrace who you are

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, share it with your partner, friends, or anyone you want to nudge toward better relationships — and maybe try the eye-gazing challenge while you’re at it! ;)

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This self love podcast is ALL about women empowerment, and friendships are such a key part of that.

But female friendships in particular can feel complicated, especially as women navigate a world that often undervalues their emotional needs and social bonds. In this self-love podcast episode, we’re diving into friendship, connection, and how women can cultivate meaningful relationships in adulthood.

This is part of our “Best Of Mary’s Cup of Tea” series where you’ll hear a compilation of clips from our self-love podcast. Today’s episode focuses on friendships, connection, and the joy of being close to like-hearted women.

You will hear about…

• how to make new friends as an adult
• ways to get closer with your existing friends
• breaking past surface-level “catch-up culture” and building rituals that matter
• the different types of friendships women can cultivate and why quality matters
• navigating conflict in female friendships with compassion
• overcoming fear of rejection and people-pleasing in relationships
• why in-person gathering is an important part of community-building
• why asking for help is a powerful way to strengthen bonds

Whether you already have great girl friends and want to get closer or are looking to find your people, this episode will help you with the who/ what/ where/ how and why.

May this be a reminder that meaningful relationships are a key part of self-love and women’s empowerment.

If you want to dive deeper into female friendships and building your support system, here are the full episodes:

• #236: Making Friends as an Adult – Where, How, and Why
• #236: How To Make Adult Friendships Easier with Kat Vellos
  • Kat’s blog post about my neighbor’s BBQ
• #159: How To Make Your Friendships Stronger
• Feeling Lost After Eating Disorder Recovery and Befriending Like-Minded Women with Jessi Jean
• #230: Bestie Break-Ups and Why Female Friendships Feel So Fragile with Danielle Bayard Jackson
• #219: Should Your Partner Be Your Best Friend? with Rhaina Cohen
• #231: Meet My Bestie Dahli Durley! Neurodivergence, Retreat Reflections, and 2025 Goals
• #146: Overcoming Rejection and People Not Liking You
• #165: People-Pleasing Thought Patterns & How to Break Them with Béa Victoria Albina
• #190: How to Ask for & Receive HELP without Feeling Guilty
• #188: 12 Lessons Learned in 2023 (on Marriage, Family, and Friendships)

Let these conversations be your friendly nudge to show up for the women who matter in your life. Because the people around you can make or break your self love journey.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life to support womens empowerment and promote self love.

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Body love can feel impossible in a world obsessed with beauty standards, especially for women. In this self love podcast episode, we’re diving into body love, self worth, and how women can navigate a world that often undervalues them.

This is part of our “Best Of Mary’s Cup of Tea” series where you’ll hear a compilation of clips from our self love podcast. Today’s topic addresses how to love yourself beyond your appearance and approach body image challenges with self compassion.

You will hear about…

• how to be body positive and navigate health challenges with self compassion
• detaching your self worth from beauty standards and external validation
• the slew of socio-cultural forces that make body love really fckn hard for women
• how to decide what clothes to wear when you’re having a bad body image day
• body shame in the bedroom
• dealing with weight gain
• practical ways to cultivate body love and self worth

Whether you’re starting your journey toward body love or just need a refresher, these conversations will remind you that your self worth is not determined by your appearance.

If you want to dive deeper into your body love journey, here are the links to the full episodes:

• Can Food Freedom Coexist with Chronic Conditions (PCOS, Celiacs, Crohns, IBS, etc)? with Abbie Attwood
• How to Be Body Positive AND Pursue Health
• Conquering Summer Body Image Struggles
• How Women's Body Image is Plagued by "Beauty Sickness" w/ Dr. Renee Engeln
• Your Summer Body (a Pep Talk for Body Love)
• Where Beauty Standards Come From and How to Stop Self-Objectification with Dr. Lindsay Kite
• How to Love Yourself Through Bad Body Image Days
• Feeling Like Your Body Betrayed You with Grief Expert Ashley Lemieux
• Conquering Body Shame in the Bedroom
• Dealing with Weight Gain

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary Jelkovsky on Instagram: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to challenge beauty standards, inspire body love, and spread the gift of self love.

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Eating disorder recovery is possible, even if it feels difficult at times. So many women struggle in silence with disordered eating and the constant pressure of diet culture, even if they’re not formally diagnosed with an eating disorder.

In this special “Best Of” episode, I’m sharing some of the most powerful moments from our self-love podcast. And today’s topic is eating disorder recovery, breaking free from diet culture and leaning into intuitive eating. You’ll hear bits and pieces of my personal eating disorder story, what helped me recover from bulimia, as well as advice from therapists and dietitians.

You will hear about...

• how diet culture works in insidious ways
• my experience with an eating disorder (bulimia + binge eating)
• the root cause of binge eating and how to break the cycle
• what finally helped me overcome binge eating
• why intuitive eating works is so much more liberating than any diet or weight loss program

Whether you are just beginning your eating disorder recovery journey or you’ve been working at it for years, these conversations will remind you that recovery is not only possible—it’s worth it.

Here are the links to the full episodes:

• Sneaky Eating Disorder Habits You Might Still Struggle With
• The Spiritual Side of Eating Disorder Recovery with Dr. Anita Johnston
• How Diet Culture Hijacks Women’s Wellness with Christy Harrison, MPH
• Giving Up Fitness Influencing (Christy Harrison Interviews Mary Jelkovsky)
• My Entire Eating Disorder Story: the Dark Side of Bikini Competitions
• Why Binge Eating Isn’t Really About Food with Nutritionist and Therapist Ryann Prentice
• How Intuitive Eating Helped Heal with Elyse Resch, MS, RDN
• An Intuitive Eating Mindset Hack: Balance vs. Harmony

If you’re enjoying our self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to combat diet culture, promote positive body image, and spread the gift of self love.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself.

Follow Mary Jelkovsky on Instagram: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many women phase bad body image days, especially in a world that equates beauty with self worth.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and struggled to feel comfortable in your skin, then this episode is for you. The relationship between body image and self-love is complex, but I’m here to remind you that body love is possible.

By shifting our focus from our body image to how our bodies feel, we can reject beauty standards and build our self esteem.

Tune in to learn...

• why the phrase “body image” or “body positivity” is a bit misleading
• a somatic exercise that will instantly help you love yourself
• one question to ask yourself to invite in more confidence and self-love

This episode is not just about body love; it's a heartfelt discussion on self confidence, self esteem, and reclaiming self worth beyond our bodies.

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books:

1. *The Gift of Self-Love,* an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself.
2. *100 Days of Self-Love,* a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.

Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life to help spread this self love tea!

🫖 P.S. This self love podcast episode pairs beautifully with: Mary’s TEDx Talk about body-image

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Diet culture has a sneaky way of showing up everywhere. From weightloss plans disguised as “lifestyle changes” to wellness trends promising to heal everything from your skin to your soul. In this encore episode, I’m joined by Christy Harrison, MPH, RD—author of The Wellness Trap and Anti-Diet—to unpack how diet culture infiltrates the wellness world and impacts women’s health in ways that are anything but healthy.

Christy explains how the multi-billion-dollar wellness industry often sells us pseudoscience, dubious diagnoses, and rigid food rules that can lead to disordered eating, body image issues, and mental health struggles. We talk about why so many people—especially women—get caught in this cycle, how eating disorders aren’t always obvious, and why scientific literacy is one of the most powerful tools for protecting your health.

You will learn... 

• Why diet culture’s obsession with weight loss harms physical and mental health
• How wellness trends exploit fear to sell ineffective or harmful solutions
• The connection between restrictive eating, binge eating, bulimia, and long-term health issues
• Why women are extra susceptible to falling into diet culture and wellness trends
• How social media and our political climate contributes to wellness mis- and dis-information

Remember: Your worth isn’t measured by your weight, your diet, or how “well” you follow health trends. Real wellness is about freedom and self compassion.

Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and journalist who has been covering food, nutrition, and health for more than 20 years. She is the author of two books, The Wellness Trapand Anti-Diet, and host of the podcasts Rethinking Wellness and Food Psych. Christy’s decades of work in journalism, nutrition, and intuitive eating have helped thousands break free from the false promises of diet culture and find a more compassionate, evidence-based approach to food and health. Whether you’ve struggled with dieting, fallen into the wellness trap, or simply want to support women’s health in a more sustainable way, this conversation will help you see wellness culture in a whole new light.

Get Christy’s latest book: The Wellness Trap: Break Free from Diet Culture, Disinformation, and Dubious Diagnoses and Find Your True Well-Being

Learn more about Christy at christyharrison.com and follow her on Instagram @chr1styharrison

Mentioned in This Episode: Fears About Food Additives, article by Christy Harrison Is Red Food Dye Dangerous?

If you’re enjoying this self love podcast, share it with the women in your life to combat diet culture, promote body positivity, and spread self love.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.