Heard it on the Podcast - February 25, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

25-FEB-2026

S6E8: What is a Friend?

In this episode, we ask a deceptively simple question: What is a friend? From honesty that stings (in a good way) to the kind of openness that builds real trust, we explore what it means to show up fully for someone—and let them do the same for you. We talk about calling each other out on our crap with love, creating space for growth, and choosing acceptance, warts and all. It’s a candid conversation about the friendships that challenge us, change us, and stick around anyway.

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• Listen to our "Enneagram" episode
• Cindy's "What I Am Is What I Am" blog post
• Listen to our "Why Are We Compelled to Share Our Beliefs?" episode
• Cindy's "What Does it Mean to Be a Perfectionist" blog post

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think! 

Heard it on the Podcast - February 18, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

18-FEB-2026

S6E7: Bachelor Nation

In our next episode, we’re sharing our longtime love for the world of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, along with all the unforgettable spinoffs that keep us coming back for more. As we gear up for the new season, we’re reflecting on what makes this franchise such a guilty pleasure and why we can’t stop watching. Join us for a fun, lighthearted conversation that celebrates all things Bachelor Nation as we get ready for the premier of the new season of The Bachelorette airing in March.

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• Listen to our episode about Gameshows here
• The Bachelor
• The Bachelorette
• Bachelor Pad
• Bachelor in Paradise
• The Golden Bachelor
• The Golden Bachelorette
• Unreal
• Cheaters

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think! 

Heard it on the Podcast - February 11, 2026

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

11-FEB-2026

S6E6: What Constitutes Cheating?

What constitutes cheating? While an extra-marital affair definitely fits the description, what about a simple dinner with a person of the opposite sex? Can you have friendships outside your marriage? What about flirting? Where do we draw the line between harmless connection and betrayal, and who gets to decide?

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Sorry, there are no links to this week's podcast, but please check out our blogs here: Modern Musings Blog

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think!  

Heard it on the Podcast - February 4, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

4-FEB-2026

S6E5: National School Counseling Week

In honor of National School Counselors Week, Amber pulls back the curtain on a role that’s often misunderstood and undervalued. What do school counselors really do? How do they support students beyond schedules and transcripts? And why does their work matter more than ever? This episode is a must-listen for parents and students who want to better understand—and better use—the support available in schools.

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• American School Counselor Association - National School Counseling Week

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think! 

Heard it on the Podcast - January 28, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

28-JAN-2026

S6E4: Handwriting and Note-Taking on Paper

Have you ever wondered why you can remember that tidbit you wrote on a sticky note over a year ago, but you can't remember the specifics of the notes you took on your computer yesterday? In this week's episode, we're exploring why handwritten notes and journaling is better than typing for memory and emotional processing.

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• Anatomy of an Epidemic, Modern Musings podcast episode (1/14/26)
• Annotating Books, Modern Musings podcast episode (1/21/26)
• Cosmetology notebooks as seen on Cindy's blog post
• Sketchnoting
• Finding My One Little Word blog post (12/29/25)
• Christen mentioned Oxford Notes, but meant Cornell Notes
• Bubble Mapping, Concept Notes, Flowcharts
• Burn Books as seen on Cindy's blog post
• Layout-A-Day page as seen on Cindy's blog post
• Richard Webster, Write Your Own Magic
• Write Your Own Magic poscast series
• Part 1:  Richard Webster: Words Are Magic (10/8/25)
• Part 2:  Richard Webster: Telling the Universe... (12/17/25)

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think! 

Heard it on the Podcast - January 21, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

21-JAN-2026

S6E3: Annotating Books

In this episode, we talk about annotating books: what to mark, how to do it, and how annotations can help you read more actively and remember more.

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth
• A New Earth Modern Musings podcast series (2022)
• Chapters 1 and 2 part 1:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-club-a-new-earth-by-eckhart-tolle/id1592238451?i=1000546974623
• Chapters 1 and 2 (part 2): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-club-a-new-earth-by-eckhart-tolle-part-2/id1592238451?i=1000547071656
• Chapters 3 and 4:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-new-earth-chapters-3-and-4/id1592238451?i=1000553401129
• Chapters 5 and 6:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-new-earth-chapters-5-and-6/id1592238451?i=1000559799906
• Chapters 7 and 8:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-new-earth-chapters-7-and-8/id1592238451?i=1000568830737
• Chapter 9:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-new-earth-chapter-9/id1592238451?i=1000578910157
• Chapter 10 (Conclusion):  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-new-earth-chapter-10-conclusion/id1592238451?i=1000579053475
• Brene Brown, Rising Strong
• Rising Strong  Modern Musings podcast (June 5, 2024)
• 5 Ws + H: who, what, when, where, why, and how
• George R. R. Martin
• Anatomy of an Epidemic, annotated, as seen on Cindy's blog
• Non-sequeter
• Notice and Note method
• Cornell Notes method
• SOAPSTone method for speeches
• TPCASTT for poetry: title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shifts, title, theme 
• Rebecca Yarros, Fourth Wing
• Gary Paulsen, Hatchet

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think! 

Heard it on the Podcast - January 14, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

14-JAN-2026

S6E2: Anatomy of an Epidemic

Investigative journalist and author Robert Whitaker examines the roots of today’s mental health epidemic in his book Anatomy of an Epidemic. In this episode, we review his arguments and question whether the psychiatric drugs we trust to heal us may be contributing to the crisis. Are the treatments meant to make us better actually making us worse—and if so, why?

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker

More on this topic will follow in future episodes. Until then, don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think!  

Anatomy of an Epidemic

 

In 2022, I read Robert Whitaker’s Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America. To say that I was skeptical would be an understatement. I started this weighty discourse ready to debunk the author’s claims. After all, we’ve had psychiatric medicines for years – surely they are helpful to the millions of Americans, including myself, who take them daily, right? The idea that the medications that are supposed to cure us could be worse than the condition itself is unthinkable. Yet this is the very concept Robert Whitaker is presenting.

It did not take long for my skepticism to evolve into outrage as I read case study after case study in which patients were very obviously misdiagnosed and over-medicated. The book also revealed how these psychotropic drugs were discovered in the first place, and why the concept of a “chemical imbalance” is not only a misnomer, but an out-and-out lie. By the time I got to the end of this book, I was determined to get off my prescribed antidepressants and to convince my family members to do so as well.

This week’s podcast is the beginning of an exploration of this profoundly disturbing book. We started recording and realized, almost two hours into the episode, that we had barely touched on the subject and would need to break it into multiple installments, as we did with the series on Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth in 2022. It’s a lot of information, but I hope you’ll stick with us. I promise it will be worth it in the end. It might just change your life. It has certainly changed mine.

Beliefs, Ego, and Boundaries

 

This week, our podcast focused on the need for some people to share their personal beliefs whenever the topic of discussion touches on an area where it would fit. These assertions are most often about politics and religion, but can also pertain to other, less contentious topics. While Christen and Amber say they are more likely to “check out” of the conversation, I’ve found I can’t do that, especially when the comments are directed at me. It’s tough because I am often the leader or organizer of the group, so it's in my best interest to help maintain the peace. I also know that I am not the only one facing this behavior. So, what is a girl supposed to do?

While our conversation helped me see other points of view on the matter, it didn’t really help me resolve my problem. Talking about ego (a la Eckhart Tolle) and the various mental health insights provided by Amber helped clarify the why of this behavior, but offered no real clues on how to discourage it without hurting anyone’s feelings. I needed suggestions, so I dared to ask ChatGPT.

Posing the question to AI allowed me to use a few more specifics about the situation that I couldn’t share on the podcast (don’t worry, I didn’t share any names or personal info). We had a nice little “chat” about it, and I feel like I understand the situation even better than I did after we recorded the podcast. And while Christen was at least partially right about ego being involved, AI confirmed that the behavior isn’t so much about social identity (fitting in) or convincing others as it is an affirmation for the individual – basically self-validating their beliefs. It’s basically an emotional survival function. People repeat certain beliefs not to convince others, but because they need to hear it again themselves. Without this reaffirming statement, the individual might begin to doubt their belief and might therefore have to confront particular anger, injustice, or powerlessness that they don’t want to face. No malice involved here…just self-preservation. I get it. I’ve done it myself.

I am reminded of something I read in Brené Brown’s Rising Strong. In it, Brown asks, “Are they doing the best they can?” I often have to ask myself this question when I see people behaving in ways I question or dislike. I have to admit that the answer is usually, “yes.” I find that when I understand why someone behaves in a certain way, it’s much easier to give them the benefit of the doubt – to be more forgiving. When we look at things that way, we are all doing the best we can under the circumstances, right? And I can see that in most cases, this behavior helps the person who’s doing it in some way. More than likely, they assume that since the belief is helpful to them, it would be beneficial to others as well. 

However, understanding why someone does something does not negate the need for specific boundaries. If a behavior is hurtful, whether intentional or not, it must be addressed; otherwise, we risk irreparably damaging the relationship. Often, an individual may not even realize that their statements are dismissive or harmful to others. Boundary blindness is a common issue and refers to difficulty recognizing, respecting, or maintaining personal boundaries – either one’s own, other people’s, or both. Boundaries are one of the most frequently reported problems in relationships. Establishing and maintaining boundaries can be difficult, but it is well worth it for keeping the peace. Here, again, AI had a few suggestions.

The key, according to ChatGPT, is to address the issue without attacking the underlying belief. 

• Never argue about whether the belief is true. Instead, focus on impact and boundaries. If you argue the validity of the belief or state that you (or others) believe differently, you activate defensiveness in the other person. It will only make them dig in harder as it threatens their psychological safety. Focusing on how you feel, not what they are doing wrong, separates that person’s belief (which is valid for them) from its impact on you (it’s not helpful).  For example, “I know that believing _________ brings you comfort, and I respect that. But when I’m dealing with _________, hearing __________ actually feels painful and invalidating to me.” 

• Name the repetition Gently. Point out how often the topic comes up by saying something like “I’ve noticed this comes up almost every time we talk about hard things, and I want to be honest that it’s hard for me to hear repeatedly.” This shifts it from being accusatory to being descriptive. 

• Set a boundary if needed. If the person persists, then it’s okay to get firmer, just don’t be cruel. You could say something like, “I understand this belief is important to you, but I need to ask that you not apply it to my experiences. If it comes up again, I may change the subject or step away.” It’s a boundary, not a punishment.

Having this conversation may not convince the person that their belief is unhelpful in general, but you can make it clear that it is unhelpful to you. If the person is emotionally healthy enough, they will adapt. Otherwise, it might be time to limit how much you share with this person. You may have to adapt yourself to avoid discussions that could lead to undesirable outcomes. Or you could honor your boundary and leave the room.

Heard it on the Podcast - January 7, 2026

 

 

 

Did you miss a link we mentioned on the podcast? Here's a quick post we'll do every Wednesday to share any links or information from the podcast. We'll also keep a running post on the "Links from the Podcast" tab so you can refer back to any previous episode. 

7-JAN-2026

S6E1: Why Are We Compelled to Share Our Beliefs?

We all know about the topics one should never discuss in polite company, so why are we compelled to share our beliefs even when we know others may not agree? Is it ego? Do we seek validation? Or are we just stirring the pot?

Listen to the podcast:   HERE

Here are the links from this episode:

• Social Identity Theory
• Cognitive Disonance
• Confirmation Bias
• Psychological Reactance
• Dialectical Thinking
• Contrarian Thinking
• Edge Method of Teaching/Learning

Don't forget to visit our Facebook group, MMC Chat. Let us know what you think!