The following podcast is a dear media production.
Hello, welcome to Welcome Back to Try Not to Care.
If you're new here, hello, my name is Ashley.
I'm so happy to have you.
Before we get into the episode, little life updates and some merch for a smurch.
I just want to say thank you so, so, so much to anyone who bought merch.
I am so excited for you to get it.
I'm so excited to match with you and I'm just so grateful for your support and all the feedback you've given me.
So thank you for that.
And if you're looking to buy merch still, you can get the crew neck.
It's in the show notes and the crew neck says it's better to be alone than surrounded by people who make you feel lonely and you can get it in red or you can get it in green for Christmas.
But yeah, that's still available to shop and thank you to anyone who bought it.
Like, I just want to squeeze you and give you a kiss on the cheek with consent.
Of course, like I just appreciate your support so much and love you so much.
So thank you now life updates.
I don't know how much I've spoken about this on here.
I talked about on YouTube, but I'm in the process of trying to figure out if I have PCOS based off my symptoms and my ultrasound.
It's looking like I do, but I do want to wait for my blood work.
But one of the main reasons I had decided to go to the doctor and see if I could get diagnosed for PCOS or like see if I have it was because my periods have always been very irregular and I woke up this morning with my period, the worst period I think I've ever gotten ever.
I'm in so much pain.
But do you want to know the last time I got my period?
You know you do want to know the last time I had it September 8th.
The last time I had my period before today was September 8th.
I know. I know. You would think that I was pregnant.
I thought I was too.
I did. I really did.
But I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
None of you are being aunties.
Sorry it's not happening.
Not yet. But I'm not pregnant.
But I might and I probably do have PCOS once I'm officially diagnosed.
I will talk more about it and talk to you about how I'm managing it.
Because I'm sure so many of you are going through the same things or maybe you've been diagnosed with PCOS.
So I'll keep you updated on that.
And also I am in the process of buying a house.
I'm trying to buy a house.
And I just want it to work so badly.
Because I just want to live in a space that's mine.
And I can deconstruct it and do whatever I want with it.
Like I have a vision of building an incredible studio for this podcast.
And that can't really happen until I have a house.
So fingers are crossed.
We put an offer in and we're hoping to hear back this week.
But that's another thing that I'll keep you updated on.
And I'm just so excited that I get to like experience all of this with all of you and share this with you.
So definitely we'll keep you updated on all of that.
Now what most of you are here for the episode.
So if you don't know.
TikTok is potentially being banned.
And by potentially being banned, it's I mean it's kind of looking like it probably is very soon.
Which is sad because I like TikTok.
I like that TikTok is a lot different than other platforms.
Like their algorithm is different.
The way that news could be shared on TikTok is different.
But also the creativity and just openness that people have on there compared to other social media is so different.
I think a lot of people have this fear or like they just are very uncomfortable when it comes to posting on platforms that aren't TikTok.
Because people that follow you on like Instagram are people that you know in real life.
People that you went to high school with or they're from your hometown or they're family members or they're coworkers.
Whereas on TikTok most people who follow you are following you because you have the same interest or they like something about you or they want to keep up with your life rather than feeling like they need to.
Like you guys don't owe each other anything.
And I spoke about this on TikTok briefly the other day.
And I kind of wanted to just expand on it and do an entire episode about it which is why we're here today.
But the reason that you're afraid to post on Instagram and other platforms in comparison to TikTok is because the people on those platforms don't know the real you.
And you're afraid to show them the real you because you're afraid that they won't like you for who you are.
And that is a deeper issue and that is way more important than just like I'm afraid to post on social media.
Like this is about you and your insecurities and you being afraid of people judging you for just like being your most authentic self.
So that's what we're going to talk about today.
Talking about being the real you and being so openly you that you attract the right kinds of people into your life.
When I first started posting on TikTok like back in like 2019 2020 I literally signed up for a fake phone number app to input my phone number to TikTok.
Because at the time it required you to have a phone number connected to your account.
And when you would connect your real phone number it would sink your contacts and it would recommend your page to the people in your contacts who also had TikTok.
And I was so petrified of people that I knew in real life seeing my TikTok account because it was one thing if they followed me on Instagram and were seeing my photos and videos on Instagram because Instagram was very curated.
I was only posting things that were deemed hot and cool and post worthy or at least I thought so.
I was just so worried about what people thought of me and I was so afraid of letting my guard down and letting people see the real me and like what I was actually like and what I was interested in and my personality and just me as a person more than just a pretty face on Instagram.
On TikTok I was posting lip singing videos and talking to my camera and dancing and I was doing hauls and I was just doing all these things that you wouldn't know I was interested in or that I was doing unless you followed me on TikTok or you were someone really close in my life.
And I was just so scared of people knowing that about me because I thought those things about me weren't cool or they were embarrassing or people were gonna see them and just make fun of me and not like me and there definitely was people who did that like there were two girls who had told a friend of mine
that they found my TikTok account and they just spent hours stalking my videos and making fun of me and I try so hard and I'm so embarrassing and now I look back and it's like you're just so bitter and so miserable like imagine being so miserable that you spend your time looking at someone's profile
and making fun of them.
You have nothing better to do than that.
But at the time that was my worst fear.
I was so afraid of that happening.
Like people that followed me on Instagram up until a couple years ago were literally just people that I knew in passing from my hometown, from college, relatives, people who just knew me at surface.
Who I really only had small talk with or they knew me from years ago and you know I've changed so much and I was afraid them seeing this new version of me they wouldn't like that because they liked a version of me years ago and I'm so different from that version of me so it's like if you liked that version of me
there's no way in hell you're gonna like this one because I'm so different than her.
Like I don't even know that girl.
I was also just so insecure in myself and thought that everything that I did was just not good enough or not cool enough.
So when I would post on social media no matter what I was posting I was like oh this is cringe.
Like if I wasn't posting a super hot edited curated photo of me I thought what I was posting was cringy.
This episode is sponsored by Cuddly.
Animal Rescue is such an important part of my life because if you don't know both my dogs are rescues and it's funny because when we got Subby and Izzy we didn't go into it thinking we were going to adopt dogs.
They literally just fell onto our laps.
Like I remember one morning my boyfriend was just scrolling online looking at dogs on like a rescue shelter site and we found Izzy and we went literally two days later and got her.
Because we fell in love with her but rescuing both Subby and Izzy has been the best decision that I've ever made.
I know so many people who also want to rescue animals but they're just not in a position to do that yet.
But just because you can't adopt an animal right now doesn't mean you can't help.
If you're looking to get involved in helping animals check out Cuddly.
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It can be really hard to choose just one animal to donate to like that's why in the past I was hesitant to donate because I'm like I don't know where to start I don't know who to donate to.
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This episode is sponsored by just ingredients holidays are right around the corner and I've gotten so many questions about what to get people for Christmas and like if I can create a holiday gift guide and I definitely will.
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Now let's get back to today's episode.
But what I've learned through the journey of posting so many photos and so many videos and deleting so many photos and deleting so many videos and having people follow me and unfollow me and all of that.
I've learned that whatever you want to post on social media is not cringy.
You showing your talents what you're interested in what kind of music you like giving advice educating people whatever it is that you want to post.
That is not embarrassing.
Those are things that make you you and there's no one who gets to tell you that those things are uncool.
Those are just things that they don't like or they don't feel like they could do.
It's like, am I embarrassing?
Or am I just doing something that you don't have the balls to do?
When you go to post something online and you immediately think like, oh my God, I'm so cringy.
People are going to make fun of me.
You're only thinking that because you're imagining people judging you.
The thing that you're doing isn't actually cringy.
Like this thing that matters to you, right?
Let's say that you want to start posting videos of you acting online.
When you see other people posting those videos, you don't think that's embarrassing.
You think that's cool.
When you see your favorite actor in a movie, you don't think, oh, that's so weird.
So embarrassing. They're acting right now.
You think that's cool.
The reason that you think what you're doing is cringy is because when you do it, you're too focused on other people who aren't interested in that and what they think.
You're worried about people who aren't interested in acting judging you instead of thinking, what are people who are interested in this going to think?
Are they going to be inspired by this?
Are they going to think this is cool?
And guess what? They probably will, just like you think it's cool when you see other people doing it.
You're not afraid of posting what you like.
You're afraid of being judged for what you like.
Because in a perfect world where everyone liked this thing and they weren't going to judge you for it, you would have no problem posting about it.
And that's why you have an easier time on TikTok because a lot of the people viewing your content also like what you like.
You're not afraid of posting.
You're afraid of being judged.
You're afraid of being judged for showing the real you.
For example, there is the clean girl aesthetic trend that's been going on for years.
And people idolize people like Hailey Bieber who are just very put together who, you know, have freshly washed hair.
And if they have a slicked back bun, it's like glued to their head and they're gorgeous and their skin's glowing.
And if they have makeup on, it's very minimal.
And like, I don't need to explain the clean girl aesthetic.
We know what the clean girl aesthetic is by now.
But I tried really hard to hop on the clean girl train and be the clean girl because it seems to be what people gravitate towards.
And in theory, it's easy to become the clean girl online.
You know, you could take photos and videos and curate this image and be that online.
But it's really hard to be that in real life if that's just not you.
And I'm not saying that I'm dirty by any means, like I'm clean.
But like, I don't look like the clean girl aesthetic.
I don't act like the clean girl aesthetic.
Like I just don't. My lifestyle is not the clean girl aesthetic.
And that's totally okay.
I'm loud. I'm obnoxious.
I'm outspoken. I'm chaotic.
I'm like a bull in a china shop.
And that is okay. I try to pick up after myself and I try to be organized.
But things always end up on the floor.
And I try to stick to a routine where I work out and I eat super healthy.
And when I get out of the shower, I moisturize my whole body.
But guess what? I end up still at Taco Bell and I end up not working out for two weeks.
And I end up not wanting to moisturize my body because I'm lazy.
And I don't want to do that.
I grew up with my room always a mess.
Like I remember this is gross.
And I feel like some of you are going to look at me differently.
But I remember my brother telling me that my room was always so messy when I was younger and there was a time where my mom just got fed up and she went through my room and cleaned it herself.
And she went under the bed and there was a ham sandwich.
There was a ham sandwich that was just left there for how long?
I don't know. Days, weeks, we don't know.
But that is who I am.
I grew up idolizing Kesha and people like her.
And there's nothing wrong with being a girl that's like Kesha or being a clean girl.
Or not having an aesthetic at all.
It's like it's not one way or the other.
You don't have to fit into a category.
You're just a person.
And that's fine. But it took me a long time to realize that I don't have to be an aesthetic.
I don't have to be whatever is trending.
I don't need to fall victim to buying into trends and changing my content whenever one trend is doing better than the other.
I could just be myself and that's enough.
And the other day, I made a video on TikTok to a trending sound.
And I don't know what the song is called but it's like, I'm too messy.
I'm too fucking clean.
I think the song is literally called messy.
But the video I made, I literally captioned it saying like I've always tried to be the clean girl but it always just comes back to being messy or something like that.
And I was showing my office space just being a disaster.
Clothes all over the floor.
My closet being a mess.
Things all over my desk and those are things that I typically try to hide when I'm taking photos or I'm making a video.
And I just don't want to show the internet how messy my space is because I don't want to appear as that.
But it's like, that is who I am.
That's what my life be like.
I try to curate it in a way that's like aesthetic and pretty and inspiring rather than what it actually is because I don't think people want to see how it actually is.
And as stupid as it is, I kind of had anxiety posting the video for like a millisecond.
It was so quick. I wasn't like losing sleep over it.
When I first posted, I was like, damn, people are gonna really see what's going on.
And it's just so funny because I upload the video and people that I would see their profiles and I'm like, oh, they are like the clean girl aesthetic.
They really have it together.
They're commenting on my video of my life being a mess and being like same girl, like me too.
It's harder to post on Instagram because the people that are following you on there don't know the real you and you're afraid that posting who you actually are is going to turn them off.
And they're either going to unfollow you or they're going to make fun of you or they're going to send your video to their friends and you're going to feel ashamed.
Whereas on TikTok, the people who are viewing your videos don't know you for the most part.
They're following you from their for you page and they're following you because you have something in common.
And TikTok is very unique compared to other platforms because their algorithm is going to show people content that they typically engage in and content that they like.
So your content's already being pushed out to people who are like you and want to see the content that you want to produce and that they want to see the real you because the real you is just like them.
They relate to you.
It's easier for you to be who you are when you have people who are like -minded that are commenting being like, oh my God, this is so amazing.
I relate to you. Yes, please keep posting this content because you're getting encouragement and you're being praised for something that you actually like rather than being praised for a curated photo of you that you face -tuned and doesn't even look like you.
Like you have people on Instagram being like, oh my God, you're so gorgeous and you're like, really?
Because this photo doesn't even look like me.
Like thanks for the compliment.
Like this photo literally does not look like me.
But going back to the video that I posted about my room being a mess, after I posted the video and I saw people commenting like, same girl like me too.
My room's a mess. Like my life's a mess.
Same. I felt better about myself because it reminded me like, it's okay to be who I am.
Like I don't have to put on a show for other people.
I don't need to carry an image for people to like me.
Like being exactly who I am and sharing what my life is actually like and showing that my life isn't super aesthetic is okay because there's people who are going to relate to that.
There's people that are going to be like, yeah, my life's a fucking mess too, girl.
Like join the club.
And those people who are like me are going to be more drawn to who I am because they see themselves in me.
This episode is sponsored by Equip.
I've always been the friend that people said like, she gets to eat whatever she wants and she doesn't gain weight.
And when I've eaten around people, they've often made comments like, you're still hungry.
You're going in for a second.
That's a lot of food you're eating.
And these comments may seem harmless, but they really do affect a person, especially if they're struggling with an eating disorder.
I have struggled with an eating disorder and with body dysmorphia throughout my life.
And it was really difficult for me to talk about it with other people because it's one of those things that not everyone can see.
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So it was hard for me to open up about it and get help.
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I think having a support system is so important.
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But I also think taking an additional step and having a team like Equip is crucial because you have an even better chance at long -term recovery.
I think having a service like Equip would have really helped me when I needed it the most because I needed more than just people to talk to.
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So I just can't recommend Equip enough if you are struggling.
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Visit Equip .health .tantc to learn more about Equip.
That's Equip .health .tantc.
Now let's get back to today's episode.
That's the thing that people need to realize, whether it's online or not.
There are people who are like you and want to see more of who you really are.
Just because things are popular and trendy and people really like a certain person and the way that they act and the way that they dress and the way that they think, doesn't mean everyone needs to be like that.
Doesn't mean everyone needs to act like that.
You know, as a society, we tend to lean more towards acting a certain way that we think is normal and appropriate because of our fear of rejection.
But just because the majority, I'm putting air quotes around majority, wants that doesn't mean everyone wants that.
Doesn't mean that everyone needs to follow that.
A lot of people don't want that.
They don't want to follow what's cool and what's trendy and what's popular.
They want to express themselves and do what they want to do, but they're afraid to.
And they're like, oh, I can't do this thing that I really want to do or I can't wear this thing that I want to wear.
And I can't say what I actually think and feel because people won't like me.
And it's like if more people were just open with what they actually like and what they want and who they are just as a person, more people would feel more inclined to come out and be that way too.
Think about high school and how high school is portrayed in media.
There's usually the cheerleaders and football players and then there's the theater kids and the popular crowd are the cheerleaders and are the football players.
And they're usually portrayed as rich and snobby, but cool.
And then the theater kids are the nerdy ones and outspoken and no one likes them.
And even in real life, like you look back at school now as an adult and you think about those theater kids and you realize, like they were cool.
They were cooler than the cool kids in high school.
Like the cool kids in high school peaked, whereas the theater kids just keep getting cooler and they have their own identity.
Like regardless of who technically was popular, the theater kids come out on top and they are the cooler people.
And it's because they didn't care about what people thought of them.
They didn't care to fit in.
Or think about your school in particular.
I can almost guarantee you had a horse girl because I feel like every school has a horse girl who galloped through the hallways.
And at the time, no one understood it.
And I'm sure so many people made fun of her.
But you look back and think about that girl now and you're like, that girl had balls like she had balls.
She did not give a fuck what people thought of her.
And she was probably a million times happier because she wasn't trying to fit in.
Yes, she was being made fun of, but she was having fun and she's free.
Like you might be cringy, but you are free because you get to be yourself.
You get to have fun and express yourself.
The reason why so many people hide and don't want to be who they actually are out in the open is because who they are isn't being normalized.
And it's scary. But how do we normalize things by being open and sharing information and sharing our lives?
The reason why certain things are normalized and why they're popular now is because so many people are doing them.
So if you are more open with who you are, people are going to see that and be like, oh, look, I do that too.
Look, I like that. And they become more comfortable being who they are because they see you doing that and being that.
Not only that, but the more that you are yourself, the more you attract people who are like you.
That's why people build such an authentic following on TikTok because people aren't following them because they know them in real life.
Like they're strangers.
They're following them because they like their fashion videos or their makeup videos or their advice or their lifestyle.
And they're just like interested in who they are and what they have to share rather than someone following you on Instagram because you have mutual friends or you hooked up once or your relatives or you met drunk in a bathroom and now you're following them.
And then 10 years later and you're like, oh, I want to unfollow it, but like that's kind of mean.
Like maybe I should just continue following and not engaging in their content.
Most of the people who follow you on TikTok actually care about what you have to say and are interested in who you are.
Whereas on Instagram and other platforms, they're literally there just to hate watch you and just to make things more comfortable by not unfollowing you, which makes you more uncomfortable because you're like, why are you following me if you don't actually like me?
You weirdo, get lost.
So many people ask me like, how do I make friends, especially, you know, not being in school or I moved and I'm going to college now and I don't know anyone.
The easiest way to make real friendships that are going to last is by being yourself and being vocal about what you like, what you don't like, what you care about and what you're looking for.
You can make friends so easily by just adapting and going along with what everyone else likes and what everyone else thinks.
But that's how you make surface level friendships that don't last because it's like, yeah, you have these friends who you're friends with because you have mutual friends or you live in the same town, but you don't have anything in common.
They don't like the same music as you.
They don't have the same hobbies as you.
They don't care about anything that you care about.
You have different beliefs and because you guys don't have anything in common, you keep butting heads because you have nothing to talk about and you don't agree on anything.
Like you ask your friend if they want to get a coffee and go to a bookshop and they're like, I actually hate coffee and I hate reading.
Or you're in the car listening to Taylor Swift and they're like, turn this off.
I hate Taylor Swift.
And anytime you're with them or talking to them, you're not enjoying yourself because your friend essentially does not like you.
They don't like anything that you like.
They don't like anything that you say and you're just not compatible.
It's like, why are you friends?
Why are you friends if you guys don't like each other?
That's why so many relationships don't work out because the relationship is built off attractiveness.
You get into it because you think they're hot and you have sexual chemistry, but you don't have anything in common.
So you're in this relationship, but you're butting heads and arguing because you want to go out dancing, but he wants to stay in and play video games.
And you want to talk about politics, but he has no interest in it.
And you want to watch scary movies, but he hates scary movies and you just can't agree on anything and you don't like each other.
And it's just the relationship falls apart because you have nothing in common.
It's like everything that you like, they don't like and everything they like, you don't like.
And it's like, why do you want to be in a friendship or relationship that's like that?
Why do you want to always be disagreeing?
Why do you want to be in something where you feel like you always have to defend yourself or defend what matters to you because they're constantly making fun of it or don't like it or they don't get it?
You don't have to settle in friendships or relationships just because you want companionship or you want a partner.
Like I know it's hard to believe, but there's people out there who like the same things as you and want to do the things that you want to do.
And they think that your music's cool and they have the same humor as you and they care about the same things that you care about.
Yeah, it's uncomfortable to put yourself out there because it leaves room for people to judge you.
But when you're more open about who you are and what you like and what you want, that's how you attract those people.
Let's say that you post a video on TikTok and you say, I'm looking for friends who like to read and go thrifting and collect crystals and listen to Taylor Swift.
And want to go to coffee shops and want to look at Christmas lights.
And you're just very specific about what you like.
There's going to be people who see that and they're like, oh my God, oh my God, yes, I like all of that too.
Sign me up, sign me up.
And they're going to interact with your content and be like, hi, pick me, choose me, love me.
I want to be your friend.
And those people who are like you aren't going to judge you or make you feel bad about yourself.
If anything, they're going to encourage you to be yourself more and they're going to add to it.
They're going to make you even more of yourself because they're going to give you the confidence to be you openly.
And also it's like, who cares if people don't like you.
If someone doesn't like you because you post videos on TikTok and they're making fun of you for that, you probably wouldn't like them anyway.
It's like, why would you want to be friends with someone who's mean and who's jealous and puts other people down for doing something they enjoy doing?
If someone doesn't like you because you shop secondhand rather than shopping online or like in trendy stores, why would you want to be friends with someone who's judgmental in that way?
Why would you want to be friends with someone who judges other people for their style and how they express themselves?
Why would you want to be friends with someone who makes fun of something that you enjoy doing, like you enjoy going thrift shopping?
If someone's making fun of you for going back to school in your late 20s or in your 30s or your 40s or whatever, why do you want to be around someone who doesn't want you to be better?
Like, what's so funny about deciding to further your career and learn?
Like, why would you want to be friends with someone who has such a closed mindset?
If someone doesn't like you for you, if they're judging you for expressing what matters to you, if they're making fun of how you dress or your music taste or your belief system or what you like to do in your free time, good.
Like, you probably wouldn't like them either.
Like, you probably wouldn't want to spend 10 minutes with them.
So, why does it matter that they don't like you?
Like, good. I'm glad you don't like me.
I'm glad you don't like my music taste.
I don't like yours either.
I'm glad that you don't like me because of my belief system and what matters to me because truthfully, I don't think we align.
And I think if we were in a room together, I'd probably curse you out.
It's like the people that unfollowed me for my repost after election day and the people leaving comments on my podcast being like, I'm boycotting your podcast because of politics.
Like, okay, good. Oh, no, you unfollowed me.
Oh, no, you're boycotting my podcast because of my belief system.
If we're being honest, we just don't align.
We probably wouldn't be best friends if this is where we're disagreeing.
It's honestly very okay with me that you're leaving.
Goodbye. But on the flip side, I gained so many followers for speaking my truth and being transparent about how I feel.
And like, yeah, I lost people, but I gained people who have the same beliefs as me or if not the same, at least closer than I would if I decided to not disclose how I feel or if I posted to make others happy.
Losing people who do not align with you is not a loss.
It is literally just making room for people who do align with you, who do want the same things as you, who have similar beliefs as you, who think you're cool, who are inspired by you, who want to be around you.
It's not a loss if you're replacing people who don't fuck with you and clearly don't want to be in your life with people who actually do.
The people that you surround yourself with should never make you feel small or like you need to hide parts of you for them to like you.
Like, the people in your life should like you already.
They should want to be in your life because of who you are.
They should want to be around you because they want to hear what you have to say and they're interested in your day to day and how you are and what you're doing.
You won't have to change yourself or morph yourself into what's trending right now or what's cool right now or what they like for them to like you.
People who like you for who you are are going to accept you as you are and they're going to be pissed if you change yourself just for a small group of people to like you.
Because guess what?
There's always going to be people who don't like you.
And wouldn't you rather live your life with people disliking you because you're so you, you're so authentically you than have people like you for something that you're not.
Obviously, that's your choice to decide how you live your life and what matters more to you.
But to me, I would rather be myself and be messy and make mistakes and have some people be like, wow, you are a mess.
You are a lost cause.
I want nothing to do with you, but also have people be like, wow, I relate to you and I love that about you and I want more of that.
Rather than live my life trying to please some people and be everything that I'm just not and not enjoy myself and feel so lost in myself and have people that I don't even like be like, yeah, like that's awesome.
And then have people who are actually like me be disappointed and want nothing to do with me.
Life is meant to be experienced.
So have fun with it.
And if people don't like you, they don't like you.
But there's going to be people who love you and are obsessed with you and they want more of you.
Be more encouraged by that, excited by that, inspired by that, than worrying so much about these losers in your ear being like, we don't like you.
You've changed. You're boring.
You're weird. Who cares?
The best people in life, the most interesting people in life, the most successful people in life, the happiest people in life.
Don't spend their time worrying about what others are doing.
Do more of what you want to do and just have fun.
Literally just have fun and be you.
And that's what I'm going to say.
I would say mic drop, but my mic is on a mic stand.
And I also don't want to break it.
So imagine me dropping my mic.
Mic drop. But that is the end of today's episode.
I hope you loved it.
If you did, make sure to let me know on Spotify, Instagram.
My DMS are always open.
If you're listening on Spotify, let me know what episodes you want to wrap the year up.
If you want episodes to help you get into the new year, if you want holiday episodes, just let me know.
Don't forget to check out my socials and the merch and the show notes, but that's everything.
Thank you so much for listening.
Best days. I love you so much.
And I will talk to you next Monday.
I will see you then.
Goodbye besties.