Why are we obsessed rebranding ourselves? There’s always space for a rebrand now days, but does reinventing ourselves actually give us a fresh start or is there a root problem that we’re not addressing? Whether it’s girlbossing, soft life, a new health and wellness kick, a career pivot or an aesthetic change, is the rebrand just a new version of capitalism who loves a shift if it means we’re buying more stuff. Actual growth and change is often gradual, quiet, personal, un-aesthetic, so is this pressure to reinvent ourselves manufactured?

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

Recommendations:

Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser

The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

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“Younger you would be so proud” – this trend is popping up online and it’s made us question, do we actually want younger versions of us to be proud? 12-year-old us or even 21-year-old us would think we’re really stupid for quitting what was once a “dream job” or would be really judgy for decisions that we make now that prioritise things like health, sleep and work-life balance. Do we really want to be impressing the younger version of us that didn’t have the context, world experience or information about where you are now and why?

The summer reading list (and so much more) can be found here https://growthinprogresspodcast.substack.com/

Recommendations

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Great Company Podcast with Jamie Laing and Dr Rangan Chatterjee

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We all like to think we’re self aware people, and arguably we are all more self aware than we used to be as a society. However, just because we’re aware of our shortcomings it doesn’t mean we’re any good at addressing them. In fact, sometimes we’re left realising that we’ve done nothing to address them. Yes, acknowledging a problem is the first step to solving it, but if you never take the next step, what does that mean?

The summer reading list (and so much more) can be found here https://growthinprogresspodcast.substack.com/

Recommendations

How to fail with Elizabeth Day & Pamela Anderson

The Ridiculously Interesting World of American Accents on The Culture Studies Podcast

You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego

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This week we’re discussing the importance of “picking your hard” and reminding yourself that you often have more choice than you realis. Often decisions are classed as either easy or hard, and we know picking the hard thing is often not all that appealing. But as with so many things, the reality is far les binary; instead even the easiest of things can end up leading to hard decisions down the line. So how do we pick our hard? How do we remind ourselves that whether it’s big decision or just an everyday reaction, we have the opportunity to make a choice and pick which hard thing you’re going to do.

The summer reading list (and so much more) can be found here https://growthinprogresspodcast.substack.com/

Recommendations

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

Untammed on Netflix

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In an era where boundaries are part of everyday conversation and something we are all trying to prioritise, we’re more comfortable than ever setting and maintaining our own boundaries. But part of life is doing things you don’t always want to do, it’s about showing up for the peope around you, so when boundaries are so important how do we actually balance that with staying accountable to ourselves and others? Are we really setting boundaries, or are we just avoiding something?

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

Recommendations:

Back In Action on Netflix

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Mel Robbins: Why adult friendship is so hard

Tamara Darden’s Substack Char mentioned

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We as millenials grew up in an era of hustle culture and we absorbed so much of the girlboss culture but it’s led to our jobs being part of our identity and tying our worth to our job success. We know it’s not a healthy mindset, but how do we go about breaking up with our job and identifying ourselves outside of that when our job makes up so much of our life?

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

Recommendations:

Working Hard podcast with Grace Beverley: Fearne Cotton – Why You’re Tying Your Self Worth to your Job and How to Stop It

Trainwreck: The Cult of American Apparel

Also mentioned:

The Rest is Entertainment AI conversation: Mushroom Murders episode

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We’re chatting books to read this summer (why are there so many meanings for the word canon?) and we’re chatting about one of our favourite things: Nuance. Things in life are rarely black and white, many things in life exist in the grey area but have we lost the ability to involve or consider nuance? And why do we feel the need to caveat EVERYTHING.

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

Recommendations:

After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim

Also mentioned:

Munroe Bergdorf’s Loose Women Interview

No Cancellations at the box office – Shameless podcast (Brad Pitt conversation)

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We are back this week with a conversation about the impact of digital burnout, how we’re all affected by it, the overwhelm of the sheer volume of what is online and what is our responsibility when it comes to showing up online – we’re all online, how do we work with it rather than against it?

We’ve also got some rogue conversations about bedbugs, pickles and the kid’s table at family gatherings.

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

Recommendations:

I’m Not Ready for a Baby – Call Her Daddy podcast

How 2000s Culture Messed Us Up – Culture Study Podcast

Also mentioned:

Helli’s Bedbugs reel

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We’re back, we’ve got stories from our latest trips and more than enough recommendations to make up for our (slightly) longer-than-planned break! Reality TV, books that will end a reading slump, podcasts…we’ve got it all. And then we’re chatting about trolling, accountability and the fine line between constructivly criticising people and just piling onto the hate. We are discussing it all and want to hear your thoughts too!

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

We will be back in a couple of weeks after our end of season break, if you have any topics you’d like us to cover, send us a message. Or you can join us on Substack where we regularly post content even during our break.

This Family by Kate Sawyer

Sirens on Netflix

Also mentioned: America’s Sweethearts on Netflix, Should I Delete That with Harriet, Shameless “Toddle Off” episode

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Charlotte has got an exciting trip coming up and Helli had a much less exciting weekend involving a blown tyre and flagging down cars on the side of the road. We’re lamenting the clothing sizing issue that women face, especially when shopping for jeans and have a surprisingly long sports chat (unexpected, we know). We’re chatting about how we often feel like we should wait for the “perfect time” to do things and the problems that causes. How do we know when to just start and how do we find the confidence to do something even when it’s outside our comfort zone?

For more content, including bonus episodes, become a paid member of our substack right here.

We will be back in a couple of weeks after our end of season break, if you have any topics you’d like us to cover, send us a message. Or you can join us on Substack where we regularly post content even during our break.

Recommendations:

Drops on Skyscanner App for 20% drops in flight prices

Simone Biles documentary on Netflix

Also mentioned:

Unchained on Netflix

Never Enough on Netflix

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