The Rediscovered Self

In this episode of The Rediscovered Self, Erica explores why we can become so harsh with ourselves—especially when our capacity changes or life slows us down.
Drawing from her own experience of a slower-than-expected recovery from hip surgery, Erica explores the way we often are stuck comparing our present selves to old versions of ourselves, and the unconscious wiring that is underneath it all: the wiring that says that our worth and safety is dependent on external accomplishments and productivity.
But what if self-comparrison and self-criticism isn't actually motivating us or even serving our greatest interest? What if self-critism–although rooted in the idea of protection– actually keeps us from being our best selves? 
Together, we'll explore:
Why achievement can become intertwined with our sense of safety, belonging, and worth
Why comparing yourself to an older version of yourself can be just as painful and unhelpful as comparing yourself to someone else
What might be underneath the voice that says, “I should be doing better” or “I should be further along by now.”
How self-criticism can protect us from feeling grief, vulnerability, and tenderness
Why compassion creates more space and resilience than shame
How to notice the inner critic without becoming the critic & letting it run your life
Four simple practices for meeting yourself with more curiosity, compassion, and presence
Journal Questions
As a child, what did I need to do to feel seen & accepted?
As a child, Who did I need to be to belong?
Where am I comparing myself to a past version of myself?
What am I actually grieving beneath my self-criticism?
What belief makes me think I have to be "better" before I deserve compassion?
If my closest friend were struggling with what I am struggling with, what would I say to her?
What would it feel like to measure my life by presence instead of performance?
 
Accompanying Meditation for Cultivating Safety in your Nervous System: Click Here
 
A note from your host: 
I hope this podcast episode serves you in some small way. 
If it does, don’t forget to send me an email at Erica@TheRediscoveredSelf.com – Introduce yourself, let me know you’re tuning in, and let me know which part of the episode resonated for you. You can also reach out on Instagram @TheRediscoveredSelf. I can’t wait to hear from you!
Looking forward to continuing to grow and nurture this group of women, mothers and leaders who are ready to reclaim their birthright - which is to heal, shine your light, and thrive (not merely survive).
Thanks for being here,
With love,
Erica

Sometimes the hardest part isn't the obstacle itself—it's believing we're capable of facing it. In this episode, I share a simple moment while driving that became a powerful reminder: maybe life isn't asking us to avoid every challenge. Maybe it's inviting us to slow down, build resilience, and remember who we already are.
 
If you've been trying to get somewhere in life, yet there's something blocking your path or asking you to slow down... this episode is for you.
 
The companion meditation from Episode 7 might feel supportive in conjunction with this episode. Sign up for my email list and check it out @ https://the-rediscovered-self.kit.com/
 
Share your story & connect by sending an email to Erica@TheRediscoveredSelf.com
or by sending a DM on Instagram @TheRediscoveredSelf

This week, I almost didn't record this episode.
My kids are home for the summer, my healing journey (post hip surgery) has slowed me down, my routines have unraveled, and the inspiration which often moves me - simply wasn't there.
Instead of waiting until I felt creative again, I decided to explore what happens when inspiration doesn't come.
In this episode, we talk about why overwhelm can make us feel like we've lost ourselves, how our nervous system influences creativity, and why presence—not perfect conditions—may be the true beginning of meaningful work.
Together we'll explore:
Why creativity isn't something you force, but something you create space to receive.
What your nervous system may actually be experiencing when inspiration feels absent.
The difference between being disconnected from yourself and simply being overwhelmed.
How motherhood, healing, and life's interruptions can become part of the creative process rather than obstacles to it.
A simple grounding practice to help you return to the present moment whenever life feels noisy or uncertain or when you are feeling lost. 
If you've been waiting to feel motivated, clear, or "ready" before beginning something meaningful, this conversation is a gentle reminder that your light hasn't disappeared.
Sometimes the most creative thing we can do is simply become present enough to notice what this moment is asking of us.
Because maybe inspiration isn't the starting line.
Maybe showing up with presence is.
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Thank you so much for being here. My hope is to build community around healing, self rememberance and self re-discovery.
Follow along on Instagram so that I know your listening & send me an email: Erica@TheRediscoveredSelf.com
Share your experience, what part of the show you're vibing with most, and what you'd like to hear about next. 
Getting to know my community is my favorite part of this journey, so don't forget to be in touch! <3 
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Much love, 
Erica

In the last Episode of The Rediscovered Self Podcast, we reflected on ways in which we’re trying to control life.
In this weeks episode, we ask: What happens when we stop trying to control?
And we explore the next step: Surrender
Not surrender as giving up. Not surrender as becoming passive.But surrender as releasing the grip on what was never ours to control...
and returning our energy to what truly matters.
 
Together we’ll consider...
the subtle difference between agency and control,
why overcontrol is often rooted in fear and anxiety,
and how the practice of letting go allows us to become more present, connected, and available for the life unfolding in front of us (i.e. our purpose)
I’ll also guide you through a simple embodied practice to help you notice where you’re gripping, striving, or holding on too tightly—and how to begin releasing that energy through the wisdom of the body.
If you’ve been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, stuck in your head, or like you’re carrying the weight of everything on your shoulders...
This conversation is an invitation to:Soften,Trust,and Remember that you don’t have to hold it all alone.
Thank you so much for being here. Please consider following the show, leaving a review, and sharing this episode with a friend.
 
You can share your experience, recommend topics for reflection, and connect by sending me an email: Erica@TheRediscoveredSelf.com
or finding me on Instagram @TheRediscoveredSelf
 
Until next time,
Healing is Remembering. Your Light isn’t LostIt’s waiting to be Rediscovered

As mothers, we want what is best for our children.
We care deeply about them and their wellbeing.
We research. We plan. We think stress over every decision--trying to make the right one.
We carry the weight of wanting to create a life where our children can thrive.
But what happens when care quietly becomes control?
In this deeply personal reflection, I explore the moment I realized that my search for the "right" educational path for my children had become something more than thoughtful decision-making. It had become anxiety. It had become an attempt to control uncertainty. It had become a way to protect a younger part of me that still felt wounded and afraid.
 
In today's episode...
Together we'll explore:
When caring turns into controlling
Why anxiety disguises itself as problem-solving
When optimization keeps us from presence, relationship, and true wellbeing
How our own childhood experiences influence our parenting decisions and the things we get *stuck on*
The nervous system cost of trying to optimize every outcome
The role of trust in motherhood (and in our own lives)
Why our children need our presence more than perfect situations
If you've ever found yourself
obsessing over decisions,
endlessly researching,
or feeling responsible for creating the perfect childhood for your child/children...
this episode is a gentle invitation to exhale, soften, and remember:
You can love your children deeply without carrying the impossible responsibility of controlling every outcome.
 
Thanks so much for being here.
If this episode resonates, please share it with a friend, and let me know your experience. 
You can email me at Erica@therediscoveredself.com
or DM me on Instagram at @TheRediscoveredSelf
 
Until next time, friend, don't forget...
Healing is Remembering
Your light isn't lost--
It's waiting to be REDISCOVERED.
 
With love,
Erica 
 
**Note: When this episode first uploaded, a chunk of audio was missing around 5 min & 5 seconds. The episode has now been fixed. If you are experiencing the error, try removing your download of the episode and re-downloading again. To do so, from your homes screen on Apple Podcast, find the episode. Do not open the episode fully. Click the 3 dots. Scroll all the way down. Select: Remove Download - it's in red writing. Now, to re-download: From the same screen click on the three dots. This time, instead of scrolling down, you should see a download icon at the very top (I think on the left).

In this episode, Erica explores a different way of relating to anxiety—one that moves beyond trying to fix, control, or eliminate uncomfortable feelings.
As mothers and caregivers, it's easy to assume that anxiety means something is wrong or that immediate action is required. Yet many of the situations that stir anxiety are not problems to solve, but natural responses to change, uncertainty, growth, and caring deeply.
Together, we'll explore the difference between anxiety and intuition, the hidden cost of resisting our emotions, and how creating space to be with ourselves can help us respond more consciously instead of reacting from fear. This conversation is an invitation to soften, to listen inwardly, and to discover the steadiness that can emerge when we stop fighting what we're feeling.
If you've been caught in cycles of overthinking, planning, researching, or trying to make life feel certain, this episode offers a gentle reminder: not every feeling requires fixing.
Sometimes anxiety is simply part of being alive.
In This Episode
Why anxiety isn't always a sign that something is wrong
The difference between responding and reacting
How resistance can create more suffering than the emotion itself
Anxiety versus intuition: learning to discern the difference
Creating an inner sense of safety through presence and self-compassion
The practice of allowing emotions without letting them take the wheel
Gentle Reflection
What if the feeling you're trying so hard to get rid of is simply asking to be acknowledged?
 
What if the feeling of anxiety that you're experience is not signaling that something needs to change, be controlled, or figured out -- but that something needs to be acknowledged and felt?
Let's Continue the Discussion...
I encourage you to reach out, ask questions, challenge the notions, and share your experience. 
You can email me: Erica@TheRediscoveredSelf.com
Instagram: @TheRediscoveredSelf 
Thanks so much for being here!
With love,
Erica
 

What if the fatigue, overwhelm, burnout, anxiety, or sense of disconnection you’re experiencing isn’t a sign that something is wrong with you—but an invitation to come back into alignment?
In this episode, Erica explores the concept of the Layers of Self and how many of the challenges we experience physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually may arise when these layers begin to fall out of coherence with one another.
Together, we’ll explore:
The physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and spiritual layers of self • Why burnout often signals more than exhaustion • The hidden cost of living primarily from the mind while neglecting the body and soul • How nervous system states influence creativity, problem-solving, and perspective • The difference between survival mode and living from your deeper inner wisdom • Practical ways to begin checking in with yourself and returning to wholeness
This episode is a gentle invitation to pause, listen, and remember the parts of yourself that may have been overlooked along the way.
 
Because healing isn’t becoming someone new.
It’s remembering who you’ve always been and the parts of you that are always present.
Until next time, friend, don’t forget:
healing is remembering.
Your light isn’t lost— it’s waiting to be rediscovered.
 
If you are interested in receiving the Layers of Self Meditation, please send me an email: Erica@therediscoveredself.com
of find me over on Instagram @TheRediscoveredSelf and send me a DM! 
I'd love to send it your way! 
(Website: Coming Soon)
 
Thanks for being here, friend.
With love,
Erica

In this deeply grounding and experiential episode of The Rediscovered Self, Erica explores the journey so many of us experience of disconnecting from the body — and the gentle path of returning home to ourselves again.
Together, we explore how stress, trauma, overwhelm, cultural conditioning, survival responses, and painful life experiences can slowly pull us away from the felt sense of being alive and embodied.
Erica reflects on the ways many of us learn to fear sensation, suppress emotion, or disconnect from the wisdom of the body in order to survive.
This episode includes a guided embodied reflection and gentle nervous system supportive practice to help listeners reconnect with safety, sensation, awe, gratitude, and the experience of simply being present within the body again.
Inside this episode:
The connection between embodiment, nervous system states, and aliveness
How disconnection from the body develops over time
Why many people feel numb, exhausted, disconnected, or “not fully here”
A compassionate guided embodiment and grounding practice
Relearning safety within the body
Moving from disconnection toward presence, softness, and self-inhabitation
The relationship between spirituality, healing, and embodiment
This episode is an invitation to slow down, soften, and remember:Your body is not the enemy.Your body is an important part of your path and purpose.
If this episode resonates, Erica would love to hear from you.
Feel free to share your reflections, experiences, or the parts of the practice that felt most supportive for you. You can send Erica a DM on Instagram @TheRediscoveredSelf. Website and email address coming soon.
Don't forget to follow and rate the show on Apple Podcast and to share this episode with a friend!

*** This episode has a companion guided practice to help you gently connect with a felt sense of safety and support in your body. Click the link below to join my email list and the link to the practice will be sent your way***  https://the-rediscovered-self.kit.com
 
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In this episode of The Rediscovered Self, Erica explores motherhood overwhelm through the lens of the nervous system — not as a personal weakness, failure, or character flaw, but as an intelligent response from a body carrying too much for too long. If you have been feeling reactive, overstimulated, exhausted, touched out, emotionally stretched thin, or quietly wondering why you “can’t just get it together,” this conversation is an invitation to see yourself with more compassion. Together, we explore the invisible load so many mothers carry — emotional labor, decision fatigue, mental tabs, sensory overload, constant planning, and the pressure to hold everything together — and how this chronic demand can shape the way the autonomic nervous system responds. Through a grounded and accessible introduction to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, Erica shares how fight, flight, fawn, and shutdown can show up in motherhood, parenting, relationships, creativity, and daily life. This episode offers a reframe: your overwhelm may not be proof that you are failing. It may be your nervous system asking for more safety, support, restoration, and reconnection. This is a conversation about moving from self-blame to self-understanding, from survival mode to sacred safety, and from inner criticism to a more compassionate relationship with your body, mind, and heart. Because healing is not about becoming someone new.
Healing is remembering how to come home to yourself. This coming home to self will foster safety, connection, and healing within that will ripple out to your loved ones around you.    
************************************************************************* This episode has a companion guided practice to help you gently connect with a felt sense of safety and support in your body. Click the link below to join my email list and the link to the practice will be sent your way
https://the-rediscovered-self.kit.com
Thanks for being here!
With love,
Erica  

There are moments in life when everything just feels… heavy.
When everything feels overwhelming in a quiet, yet consuming way that makes even the smallest steps feel impossible.
In this episode of The Rediscovered Self, we explore what’s really happening in those moments—not from a place of judgment, but through the lens of the nervous system, mindful awareness, and self-compassion.
If you’ve ever found yourself shutting down, losing motivation, craving comfort, or feeling like all of your progress disappears when things get hard… this episode is for you.
You’ll learn:
Why your nervous system moves into shutdown or collapse
How your responses are not failures—but protective patterns
The difference between trying to “fix” yourself and actually supporting yourself
A simple, gentle 3-part practice to help you move through overwhelm
Most importantly, this episode introduces a powerful shift:
Learning how to stay with yourself… instead of abandoning yourself in the moments you need support the most.
This is not about pushing through.
It’s about meeting yourself differently.