Don't Cut Your Own Bangs

Hello, hello! In this week's "Best Lessons of the Year" recap, we're diving into two surprisingly connected themes: How easy it is to lose ourselves in conflict How possible it is to find ourselves in nature We start with a clip from my solo cast, Winning Isn't Everything, where I break down what really happens when our nervous system floods and suddenly our partner becomes… the enemy. (Yes, even if 10 minutes ago they were our favorite person.) Then we shift into wide-open wonder with adventurer and wildlife guide Eli Martinez, who reminds us that reconnecting with the natural world isn't just "nice" — it's an actual portal back to intuition, presence, and our truest selves. Some quote that stand out "Stepping out of win-lose dynamics isn't weakness. It's wisdom." "When we stop fighting for control, we start listening — and that's when we find our way back to ourselves." "Wonder cracks us open in ways certainty never can." Key Takeaways Winning in conflict often means both people lose. We aren't built for battles in our closest relationships. Curiosity is a superpower — in conversation, in conflict, in connection. Nature resets the nervous system. Watching a sunset can be more therapeutic than a dozen self-help books. Adventure and intimacy feel the same in the body. Fear + excitement + vulnerability = transformation. The real lesson? Learning to trust yourself is a practice, not a one-time achievement. Full Episodes Featured Exploring the Wild with Eli Martinez https://youtu.be/nLyXdWeEKI4 Winning Isn't Everything https://youtu.be/VHc_kt3yQ3U Rate, Review & Subscribe If this episode sparked something in you — a whisper, a nudge, a little "Oof… that's for me" — please rate, review, and subscribe. It helps the show grow and helps conversations like this reach people who need them. Connect with Danielle Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VFZulonTvaa2HIPyJa4Tq Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs Community: Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dontcutyourownbangs/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontcutyourownbangspod Books & Journals: Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal Wrestling a Walrus (Children's Book): https://danielleireland.com/wrestling-a-walrus Website: https://danielleireland.com/

Welcome back to The Don't Cut Your Own Bangs Countdown: Best Lessons of the Year — your cozy December rewind of the conversations that cracked me open, cracked me up, or came back to whisper, "Hey… you needed to hear that again." This week we're celebrating two big themes we ALL lived through this year: 1. Learning in real time (aka: The Messy Middle) 2. The courage to say a brave, wholehearted "No" You'll hear moments from my solo cast on "Tech Sweats" (yes, the kind where you curse at software and question your entire identity), plus one of my favorite conversations of the year with CityMom founder Janine Bobmeyer. Her story of burnout, truth-telling, and redefining success is one of those episodes you feel in your chest. A few moments you'll hear: • "Learning is rarely graceful. It's… sweaty." • "A 'no' spoken from truth is always a 'yes' to something better." • "Being in the middle of a mess doesn't mean you're doing it wrong — it just means you're in the middle." If you want the full episodes these clips came from, you can watch them here: • Full Jeanine Interview • Full Solo Cast: What It Feels Like to Learn in Real Time Please rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it truly helps grow our community and connects these conversations with people like you :) Connect with The CityMoms: https://thecitymoms.org/ Connect with Danielle Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VFZulonTvaa2HIPyJa4Tq Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922 Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs Community: Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontcutyourownbangspod For purchase: The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal Wrestling a Walrus (Children's Book): https://danielleireland.com/wrestling-a-walrus Free Gift for You: https://danielleireland.com/free

Welcome to The Don't Cut Your Own Bangs Countdown: Best Lessons of the Year — a special December series celebrating the moments, conversations, and insights that stayed with us long after the episodes ended. This week's theme: Frustration… and Magic. We're kicking things off with highlights from my solocast What Is Your Frustration Telling You? — an episode where we explored frustration not as a problem, but as information. As a whisper. As guidance disguised as discomfort. A favorite moment from the solocast: "Your emotions aren't roadblocks. They're signposts pointing to what matters most." Then we shift into an unforgettable conversation with coach, speaker, and magician John Kippen, pulling some of the most moving and resonant moments from his story of resilience and healing. ✨ A favorite quote from John's interview: "Magic didn't just save my life — it gave me a reason to keep choosing it." This curated "Best Of" isn't linear — think of it like flipping through a scrapbook of the most meaningful moments from the year. If a clip resonates, you can always listen to the full episodes below. Watch or listen to the full episodes anytime: ✨ What Is Your Frustration Telling You? (full solocast) Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs ✨ John Kippen Interview – Magic Saved My Life Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs Please rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it truly helps the grow our community and connects these conversations with people like you:) Learn More About Today's Featured Guest: John Kippen Website: https://www.johnkippen.com Watch John's TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/john_kippen_magic_saved_my_life Connect with Danielle For the show: Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0VFZulonTvaa2HIPyJa4Tq Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922 Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs For community: Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontcutyourownbangspod For purchase: The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal Wrestling a Walrus (Children's Book): https://danielleireland.com/wrestling-a-walrus For FREE! https://danielleireland.com/free

Welcome back to Don't Cut Your Own Bangs — the podcast that makes big feelings feel less scary and approaching them feel possible. Today I'm joined by someone who embodies ease and joy and wants to help you do the same - La Shell Wooten, and this conversation is one you're going to feel in the best way. We dive into the messy middle — that "What the hell am I doing?" space we all land in sometimes — and explore how to stop ditching yourself when life gets overwhelming. Instead, we talk about how your emotions can become your emotional GPS system guiding you forward — toward ease, possibility, and joy that doesn't require heroic effort or a personality makeover. What we explore: Why the messy middle is unavoidable (and often surprisingly useful) The difference between self-abandonment and self-trust Seeing emotions as information, not something to fear How to find "the next right thing" without forcing it The power of choosing joy — even when life is uncertain Favorite moments & quotes: "Your emotions aren't obstacles — they're messengers." "You don't have to overhaul your life to invite joy in." "Sometimes clarity whispers before it ever shouts." This episode is warm, funny, and deeply grounding — the perfect companion for your walk, your car ride, or your "I need a moment" moment. 💛 If this episode resonated, please rate, review, and subscribe. Your support helps this community grow — and it truly means the world. Connect with La Shell Wooten https://liinks.co/lashell.wooten Connect with Danielle: Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0VFZulonTvaa2HIPyJa4Tq?si=JyAzazfISPWyg6I11hAylg Podcast on Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1427579922 Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal Wrestling a Walrus: https://danielleireland.com/wrestling-a-walrus Substack: https://danielleireland.substack.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontcutyourownbangspod

This week on Don't Cut Your Own Bangs, I welcome back one of the most impactful guests in the show's history — Marianne Talkovski, emotional wellbeing strategist, acupuncturist, Chinese medicine practitioner, author, coach, and the creator of The Wellbeing Code. Marianne has been one of the most trusted practitioners in my personal healing journey, and in this conversation she breaks down the deep connection between our emotions, our physical body, and how burnout and anxiety take root when we ignore what we feel. Through her lens of Chinese medicine, emotional intelligence, and nervous-system regulation, Marianne helps us understand: 💛 Key Takeaways Why regulating your nervous system is the first step to healing burnout How emotional suppression shows up in the body as symptoms, stagnation, and stress What the five Chinese elements reveal about your personality type and emotional patterns How to know the difference between striving from fear vs striving from wisdom Why travel, adventure, and stepping outside your "operating life" can spark profound clarity The four-part Wellbeing Code: Regulate, Rewire, Resync, Radiate Why belonging to yourself is the foundation for belonging anywhere else One of my favorite quotes from the episode: "You can't outthink your emotions. Regulation has to happen before transformation." Whether you're recovering from burnout, craving emotional clarity, or learning how to trust yourself again — this episode will gently guide you back home. Connect with Marianne Talkovski Website: https://mariannewellbeing.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marianne_talkovski Marianne's Books: https://mariannewellbeing.com/books Connect with Danielle YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DontCutYourOwnBangs Website: https://danielleireland.com The Treasured Journal: https://danielleireland.com/journal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielleireland_lcsw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielleireland.LCSW Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dont-cut-your-own-bangs/id1372599664 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2b7Ybj9RbM3c3Lh56N3D2G If this episode resonated… Please rate, review, and subscribe — it helps the show reach more people who need this work. And as always, thank you for being here. You belong here.