In this episode, I explore what happens when the labels we once wore like armor start to feel more like chains. This week’s mindfulness card challenged me to look at the identities I defended out of habit—daughter, church girl, overachiever—and ask myself which ones actually belonged to me, and which ones I kept out of fear.

I share how old beliefs about success, gender, politics, and “being right” shaped me for years, and how learning to let them go felt like molting—uncomfortable, vulnerable, and strangely freeing. Through reflection and mindfulness practice, I began to realize that not every battle deserves my energy, and not every identity is meant to travel with me into adulthood.

This episode is an invitation to question what you’re still holding on to:

Which labels no longer fit? Which beliefs are draining more than they serve? And what might become possible if you loosened your grip?

Mindfulness reminds us that identity is fluid, curiosity is a teacher, and release can be a form of self-protection.