Already Friends – Details, episodes & analysis

Ep 219: Allison and Ceara wrap up their 'How to Thrive in 2025' series by sharing mindsets, quotes, advice and tips that are helping them become their best selves. Some key discussion points include the importance of taking action, hiring help for personal tasks, overcoming perfectionism, Sunday resets, and prioritizing rest. The conversation also touches on travel experiences and the significance of quality over quantity in life and wellness.

A core value of our show and personal ethos is to “romanticize our lives” so a lot of what we share in this episode goes back to that. 

TAKEAWAYS:

• Take action in any direction to gain clarity.
• Hiring help can relieve stress and improve mental health.
• Letting go of control can lead to personal empowerment.
• Overcoming perfectionism is a continuous journey.
• A calm nervous system contributes to a healthier lifestyle.
• Being busy does not equate to being productive.
• Intuitive movement allows for a more personalized fitness journey.
• Daily spiritual practices help ground and center oneself.
• Mindful eating can transform meal times into meaningful rituals.
• Romanticizing the ordinary can lead to greater fulfillment.
• Choosing authenticity over aesthetics.
• Holistic wellness encompasses all aspects of life for true thriving.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00): Introduction to Thriving in 2025  

(05:00): Personal Updates and Life Experiences  

(10:05): Travel Hacking and Flight Tips  

(14:52): Wellness Practices and Self-Care  

(20:02): Overcoming Perfectionism and Control  

(24:52): Quality Over Quantity in Life and Work  

(25:24): The Power of Reading and Learning  

(29:01): Quality Over Quantity in Social Media  

(30:37): Establishing a Sunday Reset Routine  

(32:45): Finding Creative Energy Through Music  

(34:40): Prioritizing Intuitive Movement  

(36:19): Daily Spiritual Practices for Grounding  

(40:40): Romanticizing the Ordinary  

(42:45): Embracing Natural Beauty and Self-Care  

(45:31): Mindset Shifts for Success  

(52:44): Building Supportive Relationships  

(54:56): Holistic Wellness and Intentional Living

RELATED EPISODES:

Ep # 124 - What’s Currently Inspiring Us: People, Places and Things

Ep # 152 - Accountability and Discipline: The Duo for Success

Ep # 178 - Our Current Favorite Wellness Practices

Ep # 134 - Human Design: Unlock Your Life’s Purpose

MENTIONS:

Book Flights with Points - Seats.aero

Jillian TikTok, “Just Take Action”

Allison Hotel Rec in Tulum - Panamera and Sana (Moroccan)

Allison Massage Ritual Rec in Tulum - Quinto Elemento

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

Get Shopify Point of Sale for your business! Shopify.com/ALREADYFRIENDS to get your $1 a month trial! 

Try Hormone Harmony - Happy Mammoth's nature-inspired formula for women's hormone and gut health. Get 15% off your entire order with the code ALREADYFRIENDS 

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing. Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email hello@alreadyfriendspodcast.com

Ep 218: Allison and Ceara continue their 'How to Thrive in 2025' series, discussing common feelings of being stuck in one's career, especially among young professionals. They explore the reasons behind these feelings, the emotional and mental toll of stagnation, and the importance of taking action to realign one's career path. 

We emphasize the need for self-reflection, identifying root causes of dissatisfaction, and the significance of networking and mentorship in finding clarity and direction. They also highlight the importance of taking risks and making small, actionable steps towards career fulfillment.

CHAPTERS:

(00:00): Navigating Career Clarity

(01:42): Personal Updates and Life Reflections

(10:06): Spring Energy and Personal Growth

(20:14): Feeling Stuck in Your Career

(25:10): Identifying the Root Causes of Career Stagnation

(31:15): Taking Action to Overcome Stagnation

(38:04): Finding Clarity and Direction in Your Career

(44:45): Practical Steps for Career Transition

TAKEAWAYS:

• Spring brings a sense of renewal and energy.
• DIY solutions can save money and provide a sense of accomplishment.
• Romanticizing your current situation can enhance your experience.
• Embracing change is part of personal and professional growth.
• Celebrating small victories is important to maintaining momentum.
• Identifying the root causes of feeling uninspired is crucial.
• Taking action helps overcome feelings of stagnation.
• Networking can create unexpected opportunities.
• Mentorship can provide valuable insights.
• It's important to reflect on what energizes you.
• Self-awareness is key to understanding your career satisfaction.
• You are not defined by your job; your career is just one aspect of your life.
• Setting timelines for transitions can keep you accountable.

RELATED EPISODES:

Ep # 105 - Career Advice, How To Change Careers and Burnout with Ashley Stahl

Ep # 157 - Pursuing Your Career Goals While Maintaining Health and Happiness with Sam Noddle

MENTIONS:

Journal Prompts on Already Friends Website

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

Get Shopify Point of Sale for your business! Shopify.com/ALREADYFRIENDS to get your $1 a month trial! 

Try Hormone Harmony - Happy Mammoth's nature-inspired formula for women's hormone and gut health. Get 15% off your entire order with the code ALREADYFRIENDS 

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing. Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email hello@alreadyfriendspodcast.com

Ep 209: Allison and Ceara kick off their 'How to Thrive in 2025' series, discussing the distinction between goals and vision. We emphasize that while goals are the steps to take, your vision is the underlying motivation to fall back on when challenges arise. 

We share practical advice on creating a vision board, whether physically or digitally, to visualize and manifest aspirations. We talk about the role of journaling in clarifying goals and utilizing the eight dimensions of wellness as a framework for setting meaningful objectives. 

Then we dive deeper into the energetics behind achieving your dream life, including the importance of removing limiting beliefs, creating a positive home environment through quotes and affirmations, the significance of choosing a 'Word of the Year' to guide personal growth, and the practice of savoring life's moments. We wrap up with tips for daily micro-visualizations and the necessity of accountability for personal development.

TAKEAWAYS:

• Goals are the steps, while vision is the motivation behind them.
• Creating a vision board requires clarity about your goals.
• Having a clear vision helps in staying accountable to healthy habits.
• Removing limiting beliefs is crucial for achieving one's vision.
• Visual reminders can help reinforce goals and aspirations.
• It's important to take small steps towards larger goals.
• Daily micro-visualizations can reinforce your vision.
• Your daily routine shapes your future success.

RELATED EPISODES:

Ep #103: Self-Care Series: The 8 Dimensions of Wellness

Ep #98: How To Embrace Hygge and Make Your Home The Ultimate Cozy Vibe

Ep #51: Goal Setting Process for 2022 + Sharing Our Goals

MENTIONS:

Ceara’s Restaurant Rec in St. Louis - Balkan Treat Box

Ceara’s Cafe Rec in St. Louis - Telva at the Ridge

Allison Beach Club Rec in Tulum - Panamera

Allison Italian Restaurant Rec in Tulum - Canova

Allison’s Beach Town Rec in Mexico - Puerto Escondido

Maui Rec - Coconut Information

Allison’s Spa Rec in Tulum - Quinto Elemento

Allison’s Mantra Playlist on Spotify

Book Recommend - Eat Move Sleep by Tom Rath

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

Get Shopify Point of Sale for your business! Shopify.com/ALREADYFRIENDS to get your $1 a month trial! 

Try Hormone Harmony - Happy Mammoth's nature-inspired formula for women's hormone and gut health. Get 15% off your entire order with the code ALREADYFRIENDS 

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing. Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email hello@alreadyfriendspodcast.com

Plant care is self-care. That’s Maria Failla of the Growing Joy with Plants Podcast’s motto.

Maria Failla has built an entire career and podcast community around the practice and belief that plants are good for us physically, mentally, and spiritually. Maria is a New York-based “plant killer turned happy plant lady” on a mission to make the world a kinder and greener place by helping everyone successfully care for houseplants. 

A former Broadway performer, Maria now uses her voice to help her community of thousands of “plant friends” care for plants successfully, grow their indoor jungles, and cultivate more joy in their lives through the Growing Joy with Plants Podcast and her debut book “Growing Joy: The Plant Lover’s Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants). 

Plants, and the lessons that have come from caring for them, have been the single most impactful wellness tool in Maria’s life, and she hopes Growing Joy helps empower others to experience the incredible shifts that come from reconnecting with nature. 

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show so thank you in advance! 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

Pranamat: Pranamat is an acupressure mat that helps relieve various types of pain. Use code ALREADYFRIENDS for a 10% discount on all sets!

MENTIONS:

Growing Joy: The Plant Lover’s Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)

Growing Joy with Plants - The Podcast 

Plant Personality Quiz

Maria’s Socials: Instagram, TikTok 

Gift Idea: Growing Joy Book + Philodendron Plant

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5.55 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.

In the spirit of Earth Day weekend, we wanted to celebrate by sharing ways to incorporate sustainable practices into our daily lives and by interviewing someone who has been creating waves in the world of eco-friendly entrepreneurship. Lucky for us, the founder of Anueva Jewelry, was able to come on our show and share her journey! 

Anueva Jewelry is all about sustainability, ethics, and timeless beauty rolled into one. They create fine jewelry that is nature and antique-inspired, using ethical gems and recycled gold. As they say on their website, ‘anueva is made for mermaids and mountaineers.’ Her pieces are not only incredibly beautiful, but they also tell a story of conscious consumerism and responsible sourcing. A purchase that you can feel good about is always a win!

During our conversation, Jennifer Vinje shares how Anueva went from a small etsy shop to a large online business - and all the advice that came during that growth period. We talk about pivoting in your business and career, building a reliable team, scaling at a sustainable rate, making relations within your industry, setting boundaries early on and the importance of building your business around your life (not your life around your work). 

If you’re passionate about travel, nature, mindful consumption and entrepreneurship - then this episode will be right up your alley. We are honored to have had the opportunity to sit down with Jennifer today and hear her words of wisdom. If you’re in the market for an engagement ring or special-occasion jewelry piece, definitely keep Anueva in mind. 

MENTIONS: 

Anueva Jewelry - Website

Anueva Jewelry - Instagram

Allison Zero Waste Shopping - TikTok

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show so thank you in advance! 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

Pranamat: Pranamat is an acupressure mat that helps relieve various types of pain. Use code ALREADYFRIENDS for a 10% discount on all sets!

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5.55 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.

This is the TLDL (too long didn’t listen) summary of what we learned from our ‘8 Dimensions of Wellness Series’ that kicked off in January. We interviewed experts in the fields of emotional, occupational, spiritual, social, physical/nutritional, environmental, financial and intellectual wellness. These were truly life-changing conversations that we are so grateful to have experienced. The information in these episodes can be incredibly impactful to one’s personal growth journey. It was an honor for us to share it with you!

In this episode, we recap the general gist of what each episode entailed, what resonated with us the most, ‘AHA’ moments and key takeaways that we want to continue incorporating in our lives. We hope you enjoyed this series to start off 2023 and that some of the concepts, ideas and talks will stick with you into the future. 

This certainly isn’t the end of our wellness conversations, so if you did enjoy it, stick around! We already have our wheels turning on additional topics, projects and more. Subscribe to our email newsletter on our website to stay in the loop. 

Special thank you to our guests - Tiana Gidley, Ashley Stahl, Dheandra Nicolette, Dr. Chelsea Shields, Iliriana Balaj, Sydney Adams, Terri Cummings, Erin Confortini and Dr. Saundra Shillingstad. Be sure to follow their channels if you enjoyed their content!

MENTIONS:

Loneliness And Finding A Third Place Episode #77

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show so thank you in advance! 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

Pranamat: Pranamat is an acupressure mat that helps relieve various types of pain. Use code ALREADYFRIENDS for a 10% discount on all sets!

SOCIAL LINKS

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5.55 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.

Continuing with our ‘8 Dimensions of Wellness Series,’ we are joined today by Allison's mom who is a professor in the College of Education. We dive into our 8th and final dimension - Intellectual Wellness. Dr. Saundra Shillingstad believes that good intellectual wellness means the cognitive capacity to show up in the world as your authentic self.

Saundra grew up in a household that encouraged creativity, curiosity and self-exploration. This support fostered a healthy home environment that allowed her to feel safe to be herself and do what she loved.

On her lifelong pursuit of diverse real-world experiences and knowledge acquisition, Saundra has discovered many tools over the years that help keep her in a stable mindset. She shares her journey from living in a state of chaos to creating a life of peace, love and contribution.

We talk about being present and pursuing your own path. Through our conversation, we realize how vital maintaining intellectual wellness is to the building the vibrant, healthy, balanced life of your dreams.

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show so thank you in advance! 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

Pranamat: Pranamat is an acupressure mat that helps relieve various types of pain. Use code ALREADYFRIENDS for a 10% discount on all sets!

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5.55 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.

WWYBD is our ‘What Would Your Bestie Do?’ segment where we anonymously answer questions our community submitted via our website. If you have a question, you can ask it in our question box anytime and we’ll save it for the next WWYBD episode. 

In today’s episode, we also catch you guys up on what’s been going on in our lives lately! We’ve missed you and wanted to take the time to candidly talk. 

We answer your questions about navigating an alcohol-free lifestyle with friends who still drink often, how to maintain a social life once you’ve entered adulthood and have a lot of responsibilities, ways to avoid gossiping, creating a healthy relationship with food and what to do when you want to change careers but have already invested a lot into your current industry. 

Checkout our Spring Clean Episode from last spring.

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show so thank you in advance! 

Pranamat: Pranamat is an acupressure mat that helps relieve various types of pain. Use code ALREADYFRIENDS for a 10% discount on all sets!

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

MENTIONS:

Spring Cleaning List Ceara’s Using

TikTok About Gossip

SOCIAL LINKS:

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5.55 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - Join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.

Financial wellness is the ability to meet basic needs and manage money in both the short and long term. We know money can be a stressful topic so we wanted to make this conversation approachable and relatable. 

We wanted to bring on a guest that lives a similar lifestyle to most of us - loves to shop, travel, buy $8 lattes, live in a cute place and hang out with friends but has also found a way to prioritize saving, investing and planning for their future. We connected with Erin via social media. She works full-time as an auditor but is also a content creator on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube where she transparently shares her weekly spending, finance tips, budgeting tips and resources with her 200k+ community. 

In this episode, Erin shares her story how she has been able to learn financial literacy, create a budget for herself, live within her means and contribute to her long term goals. We dive into the topics of good and bad debt, saving strategies, bank accounts, credit cards, emergency funds and ways to improve one’s financial situation. Erin says to her, “financial wellness means setting up my life so that money is no longer a stresser nor the main driver in decision making day-to-day.”

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show so thank you in advance! 

Book Recs:

I Will Teach You To Be Rich

The Simple Path To Wealth

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Set For Life

Podcast Recs:

Bigger Pockets

ChooseFI 

Erin Confortini - LinkedIn

Erin Confortini - TikTok

Erin Confortini - Instagram

Erin’s Budget Spreadsheet

SOCIAL LINKS

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5.55 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.

Continuing with our ‘8 Dimensions of Wellness Series,’ we are joined today by Sydney Adams! She is a fitness and lifestyle influencer with over a million followers across her social media channels where she shares content about her daily routines, workout tips, healthy habits and nutrition. Sydney is a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant. 

She was the first person we thought of to have on the show for the physical dimension of our wellness series. Sydney has a positive mindset that is incredibly contagious and is super passionate about helping others find confidence and be the best version of themselves. Her content has inspired people around the world and we’re so grateful she came on to share her journey and advice. 

MENTIONS:

Sydney Adams - TikTok

Sydney Adams - YouTube

Sydney Adams - Instagram

Sydney Adams - Website

Allison’s Walking Pad

SPONSORS + DISCOUNTS: 

biBERK Small Business Insurance - Get a Quote online here or call 1-866-757-4487 to talk to an insurance expert. Using that link to purchase your insurance supports our show, so thank you in advance! 

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/ALREADYFRIENDS and get on your way to being your best self.

Nuuly - ALREADYFRIENDS20 for $20 off your first month

SOCIAL LINKS

Already Friends Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Allison's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Ceara's Socials: Instagram, TikTok

Already Friends Patreon: $5 a Month for Bonus Episodes

Let's be friends - join the Already Friends FB Group!

If you enjoyed this episode, we would really really appreciate it if you left a rating and review on Apple Podcast / Spotify or share the show with a loved one. This helps us grow the show so that we can keep doing what we are doing! Thank you so much for the support!

To sponsor our show, email werealreadyfriends@gmail.com.