There is a particular kind of frustration that comes from knowing yourself well enough to recognize a pattern, and still feeling unable to stop it. You understand what you are doing. You may even understand why. And yet the behavior keeps showing up anyway.

In this conversation, I’m sitting down with licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health educator Kati Morton to talk about why habits that no longer serve us can be so hard to change. Not because we lack insight or discipline, but because many of these patterns began as emotional coping habits. At one point, they helped us feel safer, more connected, or more in control. Over time, they quietly turned into ways we stay stuck.

We explore how early relationship experiences shape perfectionism and control patterns, why self-sabotaging behaviors make sense once you understand the nervous system’s role in survival, and how shame keeps habits locked in place rather than motivating change. Kati shares why willpower is rarely the solution, and what compassionate habit change actually looks like when you stop trying to override yourself and start listening instead.

We also talk about what happens when these patterns show up inside relationships, how to raise concerns without controlling or shaming your partner, and why understanding the function of a habit matters far more than trying to eliminate it. This episode is about breaking habits that keep you stuck by learning how to meet the underlying need in a healthier, more sustainable way.

As you listen, I invite you to reflect on this question: What has this behavior been doing for me, and what might become possible if I approached myself with more curiosity and less judgment?

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Why willpower is not enough to change habits

03:49 How early relationship blueprints shape behavior

08:51 Perfectionism, people pleasing, and self-abandonment

12:25 Conditional love and control patterns

18:06 Nervous system regulation and survival responses

24:04 Emotional coping habits outside of relationships

31:03 Why shame reinforces habits

37:54 Addressing the root instead of cutting off symptoms

44:27 Supporting change in relationships without control

50:53 More from Kati Morton

If this episode brought clarity to patterns you have been struggling with, and you would like support as you work toward change that actually lasts, I want to extend a personal invitation. You can schedule a free consultation with me or a member of my team. This is a private, secure space where you will answer three quick questions so we can help match you with the right counselor or coach for what you are navigating right now. Think of it as a thoughtful starting place, not a commitment. Just support, perspective, and help finding the right next step.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs  to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

If you’ve been dating for a while and you’re starting to feel tired, discouraged, or quietly wondering why this seems so much harder than it should be, you’re not imagining things. Modern dating can wear people down, the endless swiping, first dates that go nowhere, the emotional energy it takes just to stay open and hopeful. Many of the people I work with start to doubt themselves, not because anything is wrong with them, but because the process itself is exhausting.

In this episode, I’m joined by Tim Molnar, a dating coach and former sociology professor, to talk about dating burnout recovery and how to approach dating with more clarity, intention, and emotional steadiness. Instead of pushing harder or checking out completely, we explore how to date more thoughtfully,  in ways that protect your mental health and help you stay connected to yourself along the way.

We talk about why modern dating mental health struggles are so common, how swipe culture and endless choice can distort decision-making, and why so many good people end up feeling depleted rather than excited. Tim shares a research-backed, intentional dating strategy that helps you make better decisions sooner, reduce emotional drain, and focus your energy where it actually matters.

If you’ve been trying to date without losing yourself — your values, your peace of mind, or your sense of hope — this episode offers a calmer, more grounded way forward. As you listen, you might reflect on this question: What would change if dating felt less like a test of your worth and more like a process you could approach with intention and self-trust?

Episode Breakdown

00:00 Dating Burnout and Self-Doubt in Modern Dating

02:17 Tim’s Journey to an Intentional Dating Strategy

07:24 Why Modern Dating Impacts Mental Health

12:52 The “Third Door” Approach to Dating Without Burning Out

16:05 Expanding Your Social World Without Losing Yourself

21:15 Why Dating Apps Create Burnout and Inertia

25:49 Real-World Connection, Rejection, and Emotional Risk

36:29 Making Better Dating Decisions Earlier

39:43 The 80/20 Approach to Dating Without Burnout

43:40 Chemistry vs. Compatibility in Healthy Relationships

46:22 What Research Says Predicts Long-Term Relationship Success

50:47 The Power of the Slow Burn in Dating

If dating has started to feel heavy, confusing, or emotionally draining, and you’d like a thoughtful place to land as you sort through what you need next, I want you to know there’s support available to you.

I’d love to invite you to schedule a free consultation with me or a member of my Growing Self team. This is a private, secure space where you’ll answer a few simple questions so we can understand what’s been weighing on you and thoughtfully connect you with the right counselor or coach — someone who understands dating burnout, relationship decision-making, and how to help you stay open to love without losing yourself.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. This is simply an opportunity to feel understood, supported, and less alone as you find a calmer, more intentional way forward.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs  to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

If therapy feels like talking in circles, you’re not un-helpable. Your therapy might be the wrong kind of help. In today’s episode we’re talking about the big fat elephant in the therapy room: The disconnect between what therapists actually do, and what people are expecting to get out of it.

Listen to get clarity about what therapy is actually designed to do, and more importantly what therapy is not—and how to choose the right support.

The truth is that evidence based psychotherapy can be a literal life-saver. If you’re dealing with mental health issues, getting connected with a good, competent therapist can make all the difference between suffering, struggling, and having a nice life. Psychotherapy is valid, important, and effective for the treatment of mental health conditions. 

But what about the 50% of people who show up for therapy who aren’t dealing with a mental health condition? Who are there to learn, grow, and develop themselves so that we can get traction in our lives, and have support to get where we want to go? 

Those people? So many of them walk away from therapy feeling frustrated, stuck, or even wondering if they’re the problem. In this episode, I’m getting real about why therapy sometimes falls flat—and how you can reclaim your growth by understanding the actual purpose and process of therapy vs coaching.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why traditional therapy sometimes feels like “talking in circles” (and why it’s not your fault)

• What therapists are really trained for (hint: it isn’t always growth or day-to-day challenges)

• The major differences between therapy, mental health therapy, relationship therapy, and coaching—and how to know which one you need

• Red flags and disconnects to listen for during your first session

• How to interview a psychologist or counselor so you actually get results (not just insight)

• When coaching is more effective than therapy for life, relationship, and career issues

• What to know about insurance and why it matters if you’re not getting “treatment”

Xoxo, 

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

PS: On this show you’ll hear me talk about my coach training program for therapists, and the opportunity to work with one of them at a deeply discounted rate ($49!). Learn more and see if this is right for you.

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors:

Shopify: The all-in-one platform to build and grow your online business. Explore exclusive listener discounts at shopify.com/lhs
Working Genius founder Patrick Lencioni is on a mission to create self understanding and connection by helping people understand their genius and that of others. Listen to our conversation, then discover your strengths and get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

There’s a particular kind of emotional stuckness that’s hard to explain until you’ve lived it — the constant thinking about someone, replaying conversations, scanning for meaning in small moments, and slowly realizing that your inner world has begun to revolve around another person. That’s the experience we’re talking about today.

In this episode, psychologist Orly Miller joins me for a thoughtful conversation about limerence vs love, and why intense longing can sometimes cross a line into something that feels more consuming than connecting. We talk about what limerence actually is, how it differs from healthy romantic attachment, and why it can be so difficult to move out of once you’re in it. For anyone quietly wondering how to stop limerence, this conversation offers clarity, language, and relief without judgment.

As you listen, I invite you to notice how uncertainty, hope, and emotional focus may be shaping your experience of love,  and what might shift if more of that energy were returned to you, rather than staying fixed on someone else.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Loving Too Much: When Longing Becomes Painful

01:42 How Limerence Shows Up in Real Life

08:52 What Limerence Is (and What It Isn’t)

11:00 Limerence vs Love: Why Healthy Love Moves Forward

17:55 The Three Ways Limerence Can Exist

20:47 Hope and Doubt: What Keeps Limerence Alive

22:34 When Limerence Becomes Unhealthy

33:06 Inside a Limerent Episode

42:52 Why Healing Isn’t About the Other Person

44:54 Reclaiming Yourself and Moving Forward

When patterns like these start to come into focus, it can bring relief, and also raise questions about what comes next. If this conversation stirred something for you and you’d like thoughtful support while you sort through it, I’d love to invite you to schedule a free consultation with me or a member of my Growing Self team.

This is a private, secure space where you’ll answer a few simple questions about what’s been happening in your relationships and emotional life, and what you’d like to feel differently. From there, we’ll help you get matched with the right counselor or coach so you can move forward with clarity, self-trust, and care,  instead of staying stuck in patterns that no longer serve you.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs  to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

Struggling with a dead bedroom? Talking about sex can feel more vulnerable and more terrifying than almost any other conversation in relationships, but it's the key to bringing back the spark. In this episode, you'll learn how to talk about sex with your partner in ways that strengthen emotional intimacy, reignite sexual intimacy, deepen connection, and help couples communicate without shame, fear, or defensiveness.

If you’ve ever wanted more closeness or desire in your relationship but felt frozen when it came time to talk about sex, you’re not alone. For many couples, learning how to talk about sex with your partner feels risky—even when love is strong and the longing for connection is real. Fear of rejection, conflict, or hurting each other can keep these conversations stuck beneath the surface, quietly eroding intimacy over time.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Tara, a Kinsey-certified sexologist and tenured professor of sexual and relational communication, to talk about how to communicate better about sex in ways that actually build safety, trust, and closeness. We explore why sexual conversations feel so charged, how cultural conditioning shapes desire and avoidance, and what helps couples rebuild trust sexually after long periods of distance, rejection, or disconnection.

You’ll hear practical guidance for starting these conversations gently, expanding what sexual intimacy can look like in long-term relationships, and taking responsibility for your own sexual self—without blame or shame. As you listen, I invite you to reflect on this question: What might become possible in your relationship if talking about sex felt safer, clearer, and more connecting than it does right now?

Episode Breakdown

00:00 Why Talking About Sex Feels So Hard in Relationships

06:30 The Cost of Avoiding Conversations About Sex

15:00 How Sexual Communication Affects Intimacy and Connection

22:00 How to Talk About Sex Without Fear or Defensiveness

27:30 Understanding Your Sexual Self Before Communicating Needs

30:00 Redefining Sexual Intimacy Beyond Penetration

33:00 How to Ask for What You Want Sexually (Without Hurting Your Partner)

39:00 Navigating Sexual Differences in Long-Term Relationships

47:00 Rebuilding Sexual Trust and Attraction After Distance

52:40 The Core Skill: Knowing What You Want and Communicating It

If this conversation stirred something for you—maybe a desire to feel closer, more confident, or more understood—you’re invited to schedule a free consultation with me or a member of my team. It’s a private, secure space where you can share what’s been happening in your relationship and what you’re hoping will feel different.

You’ll answer three quick questions so we can thoughtfully match you with the right counselor or coach for your needs. It only takes a couple of minutes, and it’s designed to help you find support that fits, whether you’re working on communication, rebuilding sexual trust, or finding your way back to connection.

Consider this a gentle next step and an open door, if and when you’re ready.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs  to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

When love and relationships turn into constant conflict, the problem isn’t that you’re bad at communicating; it’s that you’re negotiating without a strategy. In this episode, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby sits down with negotiation expert Rebecca Zung to unpack how communication breaks down in narcissistic relationships and what it really takes to negotiate effectively in a marriage or partnership marked by high conflict.

If you’ve ever found yourself explaining, accommodating, or giving more and more in the hope that things will finally calm down, only to feel resentful or powerless later, this conversation is for you. Rebecca shares why negotiation is not just a legal skill, but a relationship skill and a self-worth skill, especially when you’re dealing with someone who is unpredictable, manipulative, or unwilling to meet you halfway.

We talk about how to negotiate with a narcissist without losing yourself, including why mindset and preparation matter more than saying the “right” thing in the moment. Rebecca explains how common negotiation tactics like over-giving, people-pleasing, and JADE-ing (justify, argue, defend, explain) quietly undermine your position, and how clarity around your values, boundaries, and walk-away points can change the entire dynamic.

You’ll also hear practical strategies for staying grounded and strategic in high-conflict relationships, setting boundaries without escalating conflict, and using leverage in ways that protect your energy, your self-respect, and what matters most to you.

As you listen, I invite you to reflect on this: Where have you been negotiating against yourself just to keep the peace? And what might shift if you approached these conversations with more clarity, intention, and respect for your own needs?

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Why Negotiation Is a Relationship Skill

01:38 Rebecca Zung’s Personal Path to Negotiation Expertise

09:31 The First Negotiation Is With Yourself

13:26 Why Mindset Determines Negotiation Outcomes

18:24 Over-Giving, People-Pleasing, and Resentment

28:18 The Five I’s of Negotiation Leverage

43:30 Never JADE: How to Stop Giving Away Your Power

46:43 Setting Boundaries in High-Conflict Relationships

If this episode resonated, and you’re realizing that navigating a high-conflict relationship requires more than just trying harder or explaining yourself better, I want you to know that support is available.

I’d love to invite you to schedule a free consultation with my team at Growing Self. This is a private, secure space where you can share what’s been happening in your relationship and where you’re feeling stuck or drained. You’ll answer a few quick questions so we can thoughtfully connect you with the right counselor or coach, someone who understands high-conflict dynamics and can help you move forward with greater clarity, confidence, and self-trust.

You don’t have to keep negotiating without a strategy, and you don’t have to do this alone.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

Imagine realizing the person you trusted was intentionally deceiving you the entire time. This episode pulls back the curtain on how con artists operate and the psychological devastation left in their wake. You'll learn how deception works, why even smart, capable people fall victim, and the lasting emotions from stress and anger to deep regret. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to increase your awareness, find the right professional support, and begin to move on safely. It’s a heavy but important conversation that may help you recognize danger before it’s too late.

In this episode of Love, Happiness and Success, I’m joined by Johnathan Walton, an Emmy-winning former TV reporter and current reality TV producer, who became a leading voice on the psychology of the con artist after surviving a deeply destabilizing betrayal himself. He’s also the host, writer, and executive producer of the hit podcast Queen of the Con, and the author of Anatomy of a Con Artist.

Together, we talk about how con artists manipulate emotions (not intelligence), why “I’m just trying to help” can be an early warning sign, and what happens to your brain and body when the relationship you thought was real turns out to be built on lies. We also get practical: the red flags that show up across scams, romance cons, and long-game manipulation, plus steps you can take to protect yourself—and what to do if you realize you’ve already been pulled in.

A gentle note: This conversation includes explicit language and frank discussion of trauma responses, including intrusive revenge fantasies. Please take care of yourself while listening, and skip this one if you’re not in the right headspace today.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 The Moment You Realize Someone Isn’t Who They Say They Are

01:05 Con Artists, Betrayal Trauma, and Why This Conversation Matters

02:05 Trigger Warning and How To Listen Safely

07:04 Johnathan’s Story: The “Irish Heiress” Con Artist Case

11:20 How a Con Artist Hooks You Through Emotional Manipulation

30:33 The Red Flags of a Con Artist and How Patterns Form

41:27 The Trauma Aftermath: Shame, Rage, and Losing Trust in Yourself

46:38 Protecting Yourself After a Con Artist Betrayal

52:35 Dr. Lisa’s Guidance on Betrayal Trauma Support

If you’re listening and realizing this episode connects to your own life, whether through a relationship, a financial loss, or the unsettling sense that something once trusted wasn’t real, I want you to have support, not just information. As a gift, I’d like to invite you to schedule a free consultation with my team at Growing Self. You’ll answer three quick questions, and we’ll help you book a private, secure consultation with the right counselor or coach for what you’re navigating right now. This is a thoughtful, low-pressure way to get clarity, feel supported, and take a steady next step forward.

You don’t have to navigate this alone.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

What do you do when you're blindsided by unexpected and total life changes? I’m talking about the kind that shatter your sense of identity, happiness, and success all at once. How do you manage those overwhelming emotions and find a direction again? In this episode, you’ll learn just that: how to grow and heal when everything falls apart, find direction when you’re feeling trapped, and rebuild your sense of well-being for a new version of love, happiness, and success.

I’m joined by Maya Shankar, a cognitive scientist, creator of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, and the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations. Maya brings both personal experience and research-backed insight to the question so many people ask during major life transitions: Why does this feel so exhausting, disorienting, and scary — and how do I move forward without losing myself?

Together, we talk about why life changes often feel like a threat to your identity, why uncertainty can drain your energy, and why there’s no single “right” way to grieve after major life events. Maya shares gentle, practical ways to begin healing that don’t require pushing yourself to be positive, rushing the process, or overhauling your life when you’re already tired.

As you listen, I’d invite you to reflect on this: When so much has changed at once, what parts of you are still here? And what might become possible if this chapter isn’t the end of your story, but the beginning of something different?

Episode Breakdown

00:00 When Life Falls Apart

01:23 Why Total Life Changes Feel So Destabilizing

01:55 Maya’s Story: Losing Big Dreams During Major Life Changes

07:10 How Life Transitions Threaten Identity

07:44 Finding Your “Why” After Everything Changes

11:17 There’s No One Right Way To Grieve Life Events

15:51 Why Uncertainty Is So Exhausting During Life Changes

22:33 A Self-Affirmation Tool For Identity After Total Life Changes

28:20 Moral Elevation: Finding Hope During Difficult Life Transitions

37:14 Why Community Helps You Heal After Major Life Events

42:35 Shared Psychology: Different Life Changes, Same Emotional Truths

45:40 Share This Episode With Someone Navigating Change

If you’re living through total life changes right now and could use steady, thoughtful support as you find your footing again, I want to offer you something. I’ve created a simple way for you to schedule a free consultation that’s designed to truly meet you where you are.

By answering three quick questions, you’ll be personally matched with the counselor or coach who’s best suited for what you’re navigating right now. This is a private, secure process, it only takes a couple of minutes, and it’s my way of making sure you don’t have to figure all of this out on your own.

If this episode helped you put language to what you’ve been carrying, consider this an open door.

xoxo,

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

If you want to feel happier in your relationships, understanding Enneagram types changes everything. This growth-focused conversation dives into love, happiness, and emotional intimacy through the lens of personality. You'll learn why different Enneagram personality types experience emotions and relationships differently and how couples can grow and heal by improving communication, mindset, and self-awareness through understanding each other's Enneagram type.

In this episode, I’m sharing a meaningful and wide-ranging conversation with Ian Morgan Cron, a bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, and host of the Typology podcast. Together, we explore how Enneagram types shape relationship dynamics, why misunderstandings happen even in loving partnerships, and how learning each other’s emotional wiring can lead to deeper connection instead of ongoing frustration.

We talk about why love and attachment can feel so powerful, why it’s often harder than expected to let go of unhealthy relationships, and how personality patterns influence conflict, empathy, and emotional pacing. We also dig into Enneagram and relationships, including how different Enneagram types process feelings, respond to stress, and experience intimacy in very different ways. I share personal insights about discovering my own Enneagram 7 tendencies and how that awareness changed the way I understand closeness, independence, and emotional connection in my own relationships.

As you listen, I invite you to notice where you may be assuming your partner experiences the world the same way you do. Understanding Enneagram personality types isn’t about labeling or fixing yourself or your partner. It’s about building compassion, improving communication, and creating relationships where both people feel understood and emotionally safe.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 The Relationship Mistake That Affects All Enneagram Types

03:55 Dr. Lisa’s Enneagram Shift: From Type 3 to Enneagram 7

10:15 Enneagram Testing and Why Many People Mistype

15:54 Enneagram 7 in Relationships: Emotional Pacing and Empathy

23:43 Is Love Addictive? Attachment and Codependency in Relationships

34:50 Enneagram Types and Relationships: Using Differences to Grow

39:13 Compatibility vs. Companionability in Enneagram Relationships

52:05 A Relationship Exercise to Understand Your Enneagram Dynamic

If this episode helped you see your relationship patterns more clearly, or helped you understand why certain dynamics keep repeating, I’d love to offer you a thoughtful next step. You’re invited to schedule a free consultation designed to help you find the right kind of support for where you are right now. By answering three quick questions, we’ll thoughtfully match you with a counselor or coach who understands relationships, personality, and the kind of growth you’re working toward. This is a private, secure experience and a genuine gift of support, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get started.

xoxo, Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

“How to be more confident” is one of the most common things people tell me they want, and also one of the most misunderstood. If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll finally feel confident once I calm my anxiety, stop second-guessing myself, or stop worrying about what other people think,” this conversation offers a very different starting point.

In this episode of Love, Happiness and Success, I’m joined by Dr. Aziz Gazipura to talk about confidence as something deeper than appearances or bravado. I’m revisiting this episode on why confidence is really about your relationship with yourself, how social anxiety and people-pleasing quietly erode self-trust, and why trying to look confident often leaves people feeling more anxious and disconnected.

We also talk about the inner critic as a misguided safety system, how avoidance keeps anxiety alive, and why confidence grows through practice, self-compassion, and supported risk-taking rather than positive thinking alone. If you struggle with social anxiety, harsh self-talk, or the habit of saying yes when you mean no, this conversation offers a steadier, more realistic way forward.

As you listen, I’d invite you to reflect on this: Where in your life have you been trying to feel confident without being on your own side? And what might shift if confidence started with how you treat yourself when things feel uncomfortable or imperfect?

Episode Breakdown:
00:00 What confidence really means (and why it’s misunderstood)
01:48 Confidence as your relationship with yourself
07:32 From social anxiety and people-pleasing to real confidence
12:45 The inner critic and the “safety police”
16:51 Social anxiety vs. low confidence (and why avoidance makes it worse)
22:56 How confidence is built through practice and exposure
31:11 People-pleasing and “niceness” as anxiety patterns
38:21 Boundaries, authenticity, and healthy relationships
45:03 Projected dislike and changing self-talk
50:28 Final takeaways + where to find Dr. Aziz

If this episode resonates and you’d like support building real confidence (the kind rooted in self-trust, authenticity, and emotional safety), I’d love to invite you to schedule a free consultation. This is a private, secure space where you can share what’s been weighing on you and what you want to feel differently. You’ll answer three quick questions so we can help match you with the right counselor or coach on my team. Many people experience this as a meaningful first step toward feeling more grounded, more supported, and more confident in their lives.

xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com

Have you been feeling ready to start a new chapter in life, but also unsure how to begin? Not because everything is falling apart, but because something inside you knows it’s time for more. In this classic episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast, I’m joined by my colleague Dr. Lisa Severy to talk about how rewriting your story can open the door to real, lasting change—in your career, your relationships, and the way you see yourself.

Dr. Lisa specializes in narrative career counseling, a powerful approach that helps people understand the deeper life themes shaping their choices. We talk about why traditional career advice often misses the mark, how work and identity are deeply connected, and what it really takes to move forward when you feel stuck, restless, or quietly dissatisfied—even if your life looks “fine” from the outside.

This conversation is for you if you’re sensing that a new beginning is calling, but you don’t want to jump into another situation that looks different yet feels the same. Together, we explore how insight comes before action, why patterns tend to repeat when the internal story doesn’t change, and how giving yourself permission to rewrite old narratives can be one of the most meaningful decisions you ever make.

Episode Breakdown:
00:00 How to start a new chapter in life by rewriting your story
02:27 Meet Dr. Lisa Severy and the narrative approach to career change
06:18 Why traditional career counseling doesn’t work for real life change
11:14 Life themes, meaning, and choosing work that fits who you are
19:30 The emotional cost of staying comfortable but unfulfilled at work
23:30 What to do when you feel stuck and overwhelmed by options
29:24 Giving yourself permission to change and release old “shoulds”
35:27 The Great Resignation and reclaiming agency in your career
41:57 Why career patterns repeat when the internal story doesn’t change
47:54 A powerful exercise to clarify what’s missing in your next chapter
52:58 Final reflections and how to get support for your next chapter

I want you to know that you don’t have to figure your next chapter out on your own. One of the ways I support people at this point is by inviting them to schedule a free consultation with me or a member of my Growing Self team. It’s a private, secure space where you can talk honestly about what’s been feeling stuck, what’s been weighing on you, and what you hope might feel different going forward. You’ll answer just three quick questions, and we’ll help match you with the right counselor or coach for where you are right now. I hope you’ll see this as a small but meaningful gift to yourself as you begin shaping what comes next.

xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Growing Self

Special thanks to this month’s sponsors of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast:

Shopify — The all-in-one platform for building and growing your online business. Visit shopify.com/lhs to explore their tools and access exclusive listener discounts.

Working Genius — A powerful assessment that helps entrepreneurs and leaders focus on what they naturally do best. Get 20% off with code LHS at workinggenius.com