Voice Hugs
Voice Hugs is a podcast hosted by Vivian Van and Rowena Tsai about becoming our best selves and embracing all seasons of life. They share reflections on cultivating meaningful relationships with ourselves and others. The show features stories, giggles, and sometimes tears, with free voice hugs for listeners.
Episodes
#109 - Why Your Story Matters (Even If You Think It's Ordinary)
How much can one stranger's story actually change your life? When Viv's husband suffered a serious burn last year, the thing that got him through recovery wasn't a doctor or a product—it was a blog he stumbled on by chance where one man quietly documented his own recovery journey 🩹
That little blog cracked open a big conversation: why shared stories make us feel less alone, what the internet felt
#108 - Why We Isolate When Life Feels Out of Control
Why is it so hard to answer a simple "how are you” sometimes? You see someone you haven't seen in months, they give their little life update, it's your turn, and your brain just… buffers 🍥
This exact moment happened to both of us recently, and it cracked open something bigger: how social interactions can mirror back what we’re actually going through, why we downplay big life changes (hi, pregnanc
#107 - How Do We Live in an Age of Information Overload?
How do you make a decision when there are 24 kinds of everything and the algorithm has an opinion on all of it? 🌀 From the grocery store to your For You page, we're more overwhelmed by information than any generation before us. Whether we’re aware of it or not, this is quietly running our moods, our spending, and our sense of self.
We get into a study that proves too many options make us worse at
#106 - 20 Questions to Ask Your Best Friend (that get chaotic fast)
Sometimes you just need a lighthearted one 🃏 We pulled out a get-to-know-you card game and answered 20 questions—from "what fictional world would you absolutely not survive in?" to "if your life had a warning label, what would it say?"
It got chaotic fast: dinosaurs, zombies, Ro's very confident belief she'd be amazing at literally everything, and one warning label Viv agreed with a little too qu
#105 - How to Keep Going When Everything Feels Stuck
How do you get through a hard season when you can't see the end of it? There's an "unwritten rule" that says every long stretch of hardship is followed by a quantum leap—all it requires is that you don't give up on yourself ❤️
We get honest about what a hard season actually feels like day to day (not the cleaned-up version), why "high-functioning" struggling is so easy to miss, and where the line
#104 - Why You Stopped Dreaming Big (And How to Start Again)
How can we dream bigger when life has trained us to play it small? As kids we wanted everything, unapologetically—then somewhere along the way we learned to want less, to be realistic, to play it safe 🌱
We get into where that voice actually comes from (hint: you didn't come up with it), why it's so easy to see everyone else “playing small,” and the honest, unglamorous story of how Ro finally got
#103 - The 100-Year Calendar That Will Change How You Spend Your Time
Viv came back from a work conference with a story she hasn't been able to shake: a Japanese company’s chairman hands every new employee a 100-year calendar and says, “Somewhere on this page is the date of your death.” 🕰️🤯👀
A little morbid, sure, but it's really about awareness. Awareness that our time here is finite, and that most of us don't waste it dramatically… we waste it accidentally (hi, 6
#102 - How Do You Know You're Ready to Be a Mom? (Listener Email 💌)
How do you actually know when you're ready to have a baby? It's one of the biggest questions of your 20s and 30s, and no one really prepares you for how much of it is both emotional AND logistical. This was a question from our Aussie listener, Nat—thanks for writing in!! 💌
We break motherhood readiness into two parts: the logistical (finances, division of labor, gender roles, and the conversation
#101 - The Truth About Our Podcast After 100 Episodes
100 episodes in, and we finally sat down and asked ourselves the questions we'd been avoiding: What have we built?? Do we still want to do it? And where do we actually want it to go from here? 🥹
We're getting honest about the parts of Voice Hugs we've never really said out loud—how we've (not) treated it, what we're a little scared of, and what it would take to dream bigger without losing the sof
#100 - Our 100th Episode: Thank You for Being Here ♥️ | SPECIAL GIVEAWAY!
❣️ MUG HUGS LAUNCH + GIVEAWAY BELOW ❣️ Four years. One hundred episodes. We still can't believe we get to say that out loud 🥺 What started as two perfectionists in Ro's parent’s living room—taking a full 30min to record a two-sentence intro—somehow became 100 episodes of us growing up along side one another.
This really is one is a giant love letter to YOU. Whether you've been here since day
#99 - The Quiet Panic of ‘Falling Behind’
Am I behind? Am I stuck? Is everyone else moving forward except me? We received an email from you feeling behind in all aspects of life—from career to relationships. We hear you & we feel you 🥹
In today’s episode, we’re getting into the difference between feeling behind and feeling stuck (they're not the same thing and it matters!), why comparison has existed since literally the dawn of time, wha
#98 - How to Be Single & Love Your Own Company
How do I be single? How do I date myself? How do I be alone? We’ve talked a lot about relationships in Season 3, but we have yet to tackle one of the most important things we can do for our current or future relationships: work on the relationship we have with OURSELVES 🫶
Viv made herself stay single through all four seasons of the year because she wanted to know she could handle the holidays alo
#97 - The Communication Style No One Taught You (But Everyone Needs)
Alright, you know how we say "embracing all seasons of life with open arms" every single episode?? Well, we took a personality assessment and it turns out neither of us are on the warm and accepting side of the spectrum 👀 Exposed!! But honestly that's kind of the whole point of this episode xoxo
Viv puts on her professional DISC facilitator hat for the pod and walks us through the four communicat
#96 - How Do You Know You’re With the Right Person?
We saw this quote about Beef on Netflix that said “everyone is with the wrong person” and it got us thinking “how do you know you’re with the right person?’”🌀 We share our college theory about the red string of fate getting tangled by modern dating, why butterflies in your stomach are actually your nervous system detecting a threat and not love, and what it really means to show up as yourself in a
#95 - The Hardest Part of Growing Up No One Warns You About
Our sweetest bbs, this one came out of us like a wave we didn't see coming 🥹 We mentioned in our 3rd Hugs Hotline (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7mqDW2aTcHj99nzeDP0wKy?si=sGY_l5YHT6CuCtXlQlko_w) how much we looove growing older… but it recently dawned on us that - oh! there’s actually plenty for us to grieve from our past selves 👀
As Viv is entering her third trimester and feeling the weight o
#94 - What Deleting Instagram For A Week Actually Does To Your Brain
Our sweetest bbs, the day hath cometh. We’ve been wanting to talk about social media for many years now, and instead of just talking about it, we decided to do something about it. For the plot. And to no ones surprise, our screen time went downnnnn unda 🪸🐬🐚✨
We get into phantom scrolling (the first hour was brutal), the boredom that turns into creativity, and the friends we actually called instea
#93 - Quarter Life Crisis? Let's Talk About It | Hugs Hotline (ep. 3) ☎️
This week's episode is extra special 🥹 We're answering your Hugs Hotline voicemails from our bed, on our very first Voice Hugs retreat!! The two of us haven't gone on a trip together since we were in our early 20s, so this was already special before we pressed record, and then we pressed record and heard your voices 😭
You called in with really beautiful and honest questions, from navigating a qua
#92 - We're Having Another Baby!!! Pregnancy journey & all the feels
Okay so we've been keeping a secret 👀 One of us is pregnant… and we're finally sharing everything!!! From the moment she found out, to the feelings nobody warned her about, to the dog who somehow knew before she did 🐶
We talk about wanting to be a mom since literally six years old, getting pregnant ten days after the wedding (!?!!), and then the unexpected part: sitting on the bathroom floor in s
#91 - Two Words That’ll Change Every Relationship in Your Life
Have you ever given a friend advice, watched them nod along, and then do the exact opposite? Or caught yourself nagging your partner about the same thing for the hundredth time knowing full well it's not going to work? Yeah, us too 😅
This episode we're breaking down The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins — a deceptively simple framework that's honestly changed how we think about every relationship in
#90 - The Loneliness Epidemic: Why It’s So Hard to Find Your People
Hi besties, when was the last time you made a new friend in the wild? We’ll go first: It’s been a long while for both of us.
This episode we're getting honest about community: what it actually means, why it's so much harder to build as an adult, and why some of us would rather homebody than put ourselves out there.
Viv spent months at a ceramics studio without saying hi to a single person 👀 Ro s
#89 - How to Romanticize Your Life Without Losing Reality
Ever come back from a trip completely convinced you need to uproot your entire life? Yeah, that was Viv after three days in New York 😅
This episode we're talking about romanticizing—the places we dream about living, the highlight reels we replay after a breakup, and why our brains do this in the first place. Viv walks us through her full New York whirlwind (Harry Styles, Times Square, rats and al
#88 - Why Resting Makes Us Feel Guilty (& How to Stop)
Why does a "good” day always seem to mean a "productive” day? And why does resting, actually resting, come with this wave of guilt that makes you feel like you're falling behind?
In this episode, we're unpacking our complicated relationship with productivity and rest. Ro takes us through her full arc—from waking up at 4:30am during her peak hustle era, to making burnout content until her audience
#87 - The Antidote for Stress, Fear, and Doubt
Ever seen a quote that made you pause mid-scroll and immediately text to your best friend? That's exactly what happened when Ro stumbled this one 👀
We spent this episode unpacking what that flip means for us—from Viv's confession that she has a really hard time trusting people, to Ro projecting her stress onto James (his words not ours 🙃), to why saying sorry feels like the hardest thing in the wo
#86 - Friendship Anxiety, Wedding Compromises & Healing After a Breakup | Hugs Hotline (ep. 3) ☎️
Hi, you’ve reached Hugs Hotline ☎️✨ Today we have the pleasure of listening to our very first VOICEMAILS from our listeners 🥹 You left the sweetest messages with questions and we’re answering them all - from navigating the anxiety of feeling like the least liked person in your friend group, to compromising with your partner during wedding planning, to healing after a breakup as a generally anxiou
#85 - How to Actually Live by The Four Agreements (and Why It’s So Hard)
Ever been left on read and convinced yourself it's because they secretly hate you? 😅 Yeah, us too. In this episode, we're diving into The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and pairing it with the psychology concept of "rupture and repair."
How do we stop taking things so personally? How do we catch ourselves before we spiral into Assumption Land? And how do we actually repair when things get mess
#84 - The Lives We Could’ve Lived
From mountain tops to ocean floors, let’s explore all the lives we could have lived, almost lived, and might still live one day 🦈🎤🦕👀 Ro very enthusiastically proclaims her love for great white sharks, ancient civilizations, and deep sea diving before revealing she's been secretly vibe coding an app from bed at night. Viv shares about auditioning for SM Entertainment at 14 (!!), dreaming of being t
#83 - What we wish we knew before 30
Buckle up besties, we're going back in time ⏰✨ In this episode, we're revisiting who we were 10+ years ago with all the angst, crippling uncertainty, and boy-FILLED journal entries 👀 How did we handle the overwhelming pressure of post-grad life? How much mental real estate did boys take up in our younger years (it’s embarrassing but we’re sharing anyway)? What actually helped us find our footing?
#82 - Making Friends in Adulthood: Real Talk on Connection
Ring ringggg Hi, hello! We’re back with another Hugs Hotline 📟✨ This time, we’re diving deep into the mystical and often confusing land of ~aDuLt FrIeNdShIpS~
“How do you have meaningful conversations with friends? And how do you build real trust over time?” —Long time listener, M 🌸
From the art of listening to asking thoughtful questions, we talk about how we’ve personally navigated making friend
#81 - How Marriage Changed Us (In Ways We Didn't Expect)
So... do you actually feel different after getting married? 💍 In this episode, we're spilling the buh-EAnz on our marriage: the hot, the honey, the classy 🍽️, and everything in between.
We talk about identity shifts, the difference between relationships in your 20s vs 30s, why the problems before marriage don't magically disappear after saying "I do," and the biggest lesson we learned 👀
☎️ HUGS HO
#80 - How to Plan a Wedding That's Actually YOU
It’s wedding szn here on Voice Hugs, besties 👰🏻♀️💐🕊️🥂💕 Ro opens up about her secret destination wedding that had guests showing up not even knowing where they were going 👀 While Viv shares about her intimate celebration (& the handmade gifts that made Ro shed many-a-tears).
Today, we are getting REAL about weddings and what happens when you strip away everything you're "supposed" to do.
We talk a
#79 - Setting Intentions That Feel Good: A Voice Hugs Guide to the New Year
It’s tiiiiimeeee~ for Voice Hug’s annual New Year episode 🪩🥂🎀✨ Join us for an honest, heartfelt conversation about setting intentions without the pressure of perfection. In this episode, we're ditching the rigid resolutions and embracing a more gentle approach to the new year.
Whether you're feeling behind, overwhelmed, or just need a reminder that your timeline is your own, this episode is your p
#78 - Relationship Hot Takes, Old Flames & Dating Chaos 💌 Hugs Hotline
We’re answering your juiciest questions, sharing hot takes, and re-living stories from our college days that’s never been shared online 👀 Lots of internal thoughts best kept internal were shared out loud… Do we love or not love this episode???
From dating red flags to stalking our exes following list, cheating vs “being on a break,” running into MULTIPLE exes in the wild… we hope you enjoy seeing
#77 - Real catchup: motherhood, new routines, and everything in between
Ok, now it’s time to really catch up, Voice Hugs style 😉 We’re talking candidly about motherhood, engagement, and the quiet identity shifts that come with entering a new ~season~ of life.
Ro shares honestly about becoming a mom and giving herself permission for all the things one is (violently and lovingly) forced to confront when entering new parenthood. Viv reflects on approaching… MIDDLE AGE 👀,
#76 - New Mom, New Bride, New Season of Voice Hugs
Voice Hugs is back bb!! Thank you for being the sweetest & most patient 🥹 We’re picking up right where we left off—just a full year older 🫶 Ro is no longer pregnant 👀 and Viv is officially entering her bridal era wootweeeew~ We’re sharing intentions for season 3, introducing new segments for the pod 🥳, and filling each other in on the LIFE (!!) that has been lived offline.
We’re so happy you’re he
#75 - Season 2 Finale: Embracing the Unknown in Marriage, Motherhood & Major Life Transitions
🎙️ And with that, the 2nd season of Voice Hugs has come to an end 🎵 As always, to wrap up another wonderful 365 days around the sun, we’re sharing upcoming big life changes, along with lessons we learned from the year from growing pains, our friendship, and the unexpected twists & turns 👀
With how uncertain life may seem at times, we’re grateful to be able to weather every season right alongside
#74 - Dealing with insecurities and social anxiety
Insecurities ~ yep, we all have them (ugh, right?) In this episode, we share moments that have made us feel insecure—from the fear of farting in public to stressing over what to wear to a party, and even the networking and small talk that make you want to hide. Whether it’s the fear of rejection or the constant pressure to fit in, we’re all navigating these uncomfortable, and sometimes overwhelmin
#73 - Lacking motivation *again*
Lacking motivation? This time of year got us feeling some type of way… Whether we’re beating ourselves over all the things we didn’t do this year, or brimming with hope for a fresh start that’s right around the corner, you’re not alone in feeling either or BOTH feelings at the same time. In this episode, we explore the complex relationship between mental health and motivation, hitting out limits,
#72 - Learning to accept love ~ annual gratitude episode!
GIVEAWAY BELOW 🫶 Welcome to our annual gratitude episode bbs! It’s no secret that being in a state of gratefulness can be transformative, so today we’re taking a deep dive into our personal journeys of learning to embrace gratitude—which surprisingly (or unsurprisingly) comes hand in hand with, yes, vulnerability.
From highkey gushing over our significant others to sharing how we’re both opening
#71 - If you're feeling behind, remember we're exactly where we are meant to be 🥹 (solo ep)
Beeeeep, you got a new voicemail ☎️✨ Hi besties, Ro here ~ something I've been reflecting on in light of recent life updates 👀 is this feeling of falling behind in life. In the overly digitized world we live in, it's so easy to compare ourselves with our friends, peers, and strangers online so here's just a little reminder that we are exactly where we are meant to be, and that we're in this twoget
#70 - We’re having a baby! Pregnancy journey & all the feels
🎉 Voice hugs is having a baby!! 🎉 A very very special episode today, as we take you through one of our pregnancy journeys (can you guess who’s expecting?!) and all the feels that have come along the way. We hope you’re as excited as we are for bb & this next season! 🐣 🍼
Mentions:
Book: Transformed by Birth by Britta Bushnell
E58: Taking big risks & betting on yourself w/ Liah Yoo
E63:
#69 - No more people pleasing
Do you find it difficult setting boundaries? How about saying “no” without feeling guilty? Or are you constantly thinking about what others are thinking about you? People pleasers, put your hand up 🙋♀️🙋♀️
From best friendships to romantic relationships, it’s easy to overextend ourselves and sacrifice our own needs in the name of “being a good friend” or “being a fantastic girlfriend.” But are w
#68 - How do you feel about growing up & getting older?
Was it just us, or were we the only ones SO ready and excited to grow up 🐣 We couldn’t wait to get our drivers license, make our own money, and taste that sweet independence. Isn’t it interesting how when we’re young, we can’t wait for time to move faster, but as we grow older, we often wish we could slow it down?
There is a delicate balance ~ a dance if you will 🩰 ~ between striving for the futu
#67 - Societal expectations in your 20s vs 30s: marriage, motherhood, & career
Ever found yourself trying to dodge questions like, “when are you getting married?” or “when are you having kids?” at family gatherings? You’re definitely not alone! While we’ve touched on societal expectations before, hitting your 30s brings a whole new level of pressure that we now have to navigate ✌🏼
This week, we dive into how our views on marriage, motherhood, and career have changed since o
#66 - I just want to be happy & successful........? 🫠 (solo ep)
Hi friends ◡̈ Viv here with an October voicemail. Sharing my recent thoughts on (what feels like) this never ending chase for success & happiness and how it often stems from deeper issues - like tying our self-worth on external validation and possessions 🙃 They say it's not about the destination, it's about the journey ~ but embracing the art of living in the moment can be pretty dang hard sometim
#65 - Maintaining friendships in adulthood
We’ve all faced moments of frustration with our friends, even with our best of friends. But why is it so hard to address those feelings and talk it out? This week, we share how it took us nearly 11 years into our friendship to have our first *conversation* with a capital C 🤯
Let’s be honest - these conversations can be super awkward and uncomfortable. What if they get mad? What if it ruins the fr
#64 - From girl boss to girl moss: Finding hobbies & interests as an adult
In case you haven’t heard, the hustle culture of being a "girl boss” is fading, and it’s time to welcome a more laid-back, organic approach to life. That’s right - we’re officially in our "girl moss" era!
While the idea of slowing down, reconnecting with hobbies, and prioritizing fun and playfulness sounds straightforward, we have found that transitioning to “girl mossing” hasn’t been as easy as
#63 - Learning to see the world sparkle again, as it always has ✨ (solo ep)
Hi bbs, it’s Ro here for our second solo episode 🤭 We’re trying something new! We’re trying something different. Think of this episode as a long overdue voicemail from your bestie, catching you up on her life & recent learnings. In honor of this more lowkey format, we’ll also keep this description lowkey. Well, be on your way now. You just got a new voicemail ☎️
Mentions:
The Book of Ichigo Ic
#62 - The reality of quitting your 9 to 5 w/ Chloe Shih (@chloe.shih)
Hi Voice Hugs fam, today we’re having an incredibly lovely conversation with Chloe Shih 🦄🧁👾👩🏻💻🍉, a brilliant content creator and product lead who has worked at Discord, Meta, Tiktok, and Google.
Even before she was laid off from Discord (her 9-5) earlier this year, her thesis has always been that every one of us yearns to create something of our own (our 5-9s), and she’s made it her mission to s
#61 - Life changing magic of choosing yourself w/ Remy Morimoto Park (@veggiekins)
Hi friends, please welcome Remy Morimoto Park, also known as Veggiekins, to Voice Hugs!! 🌸🌿🎀🍵🌷 Remy’s a dear friend, an incredible vegan recipe developer, food photographer (her aesthetics is immaculate 🤌🏻), cookbook author, founder of an elevated matcha brand called Frauth, and an all-around amazing humanbean 🥹
Remy's story is a truly inspiring one. Having grappled with addiction and disordered
#60 - Let's talk anxiety
Do you ever get anxious? Cause we do. Often 🙂 Cozy up with us as we deep dive into a feeling we all know too well: anxiety. Inspired by our recent movie night watching Inside Out 2 (spoilers alert!!), we chat about how the heartwarming film mirrors our own experiences with those oh-so-familiar chest/stomach/full body flutters 🦋✨
While anxiety often has negative connotations surrounding it, can it
#59 - Stop being so hard on yourself (solo ep)
Our first ever solo episode with Viv is here! ◡̈ Ro and I wanted to experiment with new episode formats in season 2 so we’ll be bringing these solo ones to the poddy once a month!
This week’s chat, while deeply personal, is on a topic that sooo many of us can relate to :’) It’s about that little voice within that tells you “you’re not good enough,” “you can’t do it” “you’re not worth it”… sound fa
#58 - Overcoming dark times, taking risks, & betting on yourself w/ Liah Yoo (@liahyoo)
Voice Hugs fam, please give the warmest welcome to our second guest of the season: Liah Yoo!! 🌴🍇🍵🥳 Liah started her career at one of the biggest South Korean beauty conglomerates, went on to become the first YouTuber in Korea (!!), and built a literal skincare empire, KraveBeauty, while simultaneously taking on the whole beauty industry.
From sharing her journey of taking significant risks in a s
#57 - How to find your inner voice & heal parental relationships w/ Leah Wei (@leahsfieldnotes)
Our first friend on the show!! Voice Hugs fam, please give Leah (@leahsfieldnotes) the warmest welcome 🥹 We’re so honored to be joined by one of our dearest & sweetest friends, better known as Leah’s Fieldnotes to her community of almost 1M subscribers on Youtube.
In today’s episode, we dive into Leah’s many big life decisions that led her to where she is today (from going to art school after hav
#56 - Feeling lost is a very normal and human experience (+voice hugs shop launch!!)
Welcome back for Season 2 besties 🥹🫂🫶 In this long overdue catch up, Viv and Ro chat about where they’ve been mentally, physically, and emotionally, which just so happens to be centered around the shared feeling of being lost, and the power that comes from acknowledging it.
We also provide a sneak peek of what’s to come in Season 2, including special guest interviews (!!) and solo episodes, along
#55 - Season 1 Finale: Lessons learned and how we've changed :')
Voice Hugs season 1 finale is here! 🎉 We made it to 55 episodes friends!! And we definitely could not have done this without *you* 🥰
In this episode, we talk about our lessons learned since starting Voice Hugs in 2021 and what has been the most challenging and rewarding parts of podcasting. We reveal some funnn behind-the-scenes moments including which episode was stitched together with multiple
#54 - Vivian Van on People Pleasing, Lonliness, and Self-Love
As promised, Ro interviews Viv on her life story in this week's episode ◡̈ We've shared bits and pieces of our experiences throughout the first 50 episodes, but as we wrap up season 1, we wanted to dedicate a get-to-know-you episode to each host to share a fuller picture of our story!
We hope these episodes will help you understand us more as people, friends, partners, and hosts and discover ho
#53 - Rowena Tsai on Mental Health, Purpose, and Content Creation
The day has finally come! Our first Voice Hugs episode recorded and filmed together in-person :')
This week we try something new with Viv interviewing Ro on her life story. We’ve shared bits and pieces of our experiences throughout the first 50 episodes, but as we wrap up season 1, we wanted to dedicate a get-to-know-you episode to each host to share a fuller picture of our story (next week will
#52 - Season of healing & a very overdue catchup 🫶
Hi friends! First thing’s first, we want to apologize for the unannounced hiatus… one week turned into two weeks turned into a few months, and all of a sudden they’re now serving pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks :’) Friends don’t ghost friends, and we should have done better!
Even though we’ve been MIA, we have not stopped thinking about you
#51 - Between Cultures: Growing up Asian-American
Kicking off this week with a sweet little story time: Viv meets a listener for the first time IRL! 🥰
In this episode, Rowena and Vivian share about their experience growing up Asian-American and the influence that culture and ethnicity have on various aspect of their lives. From navigating between two cultures, to redefining success and forging their own paths, the duo each share their own un
#50 - Jealousy: what it's really showing us & how to embrace it
What is your jealousy trying to tell you? We’ve all experienced it firsthand. Whether in romantic, platonic, or familial relationships, jealousy can show up in various facets of our lives often bringing forth complex emotions and challenging our sense of self.
In this episode, Ro and Viv explore the origins of their jealousy and how it may be more closely related to other emotions such as fear a
#49 - Opening up to people is hard
Fear of intimacy can show up in our lives in many different and unexpected ways. Connection is so important to our human experience, yet we are often afraid of it.
In this episode, Ro and Viv dive into a listener’s question of why it's difficult to truly open up, and why it's often harder to open up to strangers than it is with ourselves. In order to connect, we must first want to connect and be
#48 - The Art of Nonviolent Communication: Building empathy & connection
Having trouble communicating with your loved ones? Are you tired of feeling misunderstood? Do you ever feel like your words get lost in translation?
This week, Ro and Viv explore the world of nonviolent communication (NVC), a method of communication that promotes understanding, empathy, and connection between people. The foundation of NVC encourages us to focus on our needs and emotions and to ex
#47 - Why is it so hard to say “I’m sorry” ft. 5 Apology Languages
We've all heard of the 5 love languages, but have you heard of the 5 apology languages?
In this episode, Ro and Viv explore the intricacies of apologizing and dive into the 5 different apology languages. Discover why it can be difficult to apologize and how understanding the different apology languages can improve communication and relationships. Tune in for insights on how personality types and
#46 - Talking about someone behind their back (can gossip ever be good?)
On this episode of Gossip, Viv and Ro take a deep dive into the world of gossip and its impact on our daily lives. They explore the power of words and the importance of being mindful of how we use them. Tune in as they discuss whether gossip can ever be good, the act of talking about someone behind their back, and the allure of spilling tea. Along the way, they share their past experiences with go
#45 - It's okay to not be okay | grief & loss
Grief is a universal feeling that comes in many shapes and sizes. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, the loss of who you used to be, or what could have been, grief is a difficult emotion that we all experience.
In this episode, Ro and Viv share their personal experiences with grief. Ro lost her sibling at the age of 17, and Viv recently lost a parent. They both talk about how they coped with
#44 - Navigating big life transitions: moving, kids, asking for help
It's time for some life updates! This week, Ro and Viv talk about entering new life stages and navigating the in-between period between seasons. We all go through many transitions in life—naturally as we grow older, whether you’ve moved to another city, started a new job, or you have made a lifestyle change.
Whatever it may be, these transitionary periods can tend to be turbulent as we adjust to
#43 - Do you ever get angry? cause we do 😇 (POPPING OFF!!!)
What do you do when you get angry? Do you bottle it up and let is pass? Or do you see red and explode with rage? Or maybe it comes out in the form of passive aggression? Whichever way your anger comes out, we’ve all been there. This week Viv and Ro discuss how anger comes out in many forms in different people, the differences between anger and aggression, and share stories of personal anger—from t
#42 - Dealing with FOMO & comparing yourself to others
After scrolling on Instagram or TikTok for three hours, you feel rejuvenated, refreshed, supported, and you’re ready to take on the day…. said no ever lol. Why do we obsessively check social media to see what others are doing only to feel crappy about ourselves when comparing your life to theirs?
This week we talk all about FOMO (fear of missing out) and the affects it has on us when we compare o
#41 - Care Team 101 (how to create support systems!)
What is a "care team", and how do you create one? In this episode, Vivian and Rowena revisit "care teams" (a concept introduced in episode 33) and discuss in depth the definition, composition, and importance of having one - how can you create your own or find your role in the care teams of those around you?
While people often form the foundation of a support system, your care team can also consis
#40 - Navigating, maintaining, & outgrowing friendships
Like any relationship, friendships take work if you want them to last.
Whether it's making new friends, maintaining current ones, or outgrowing friendships, this week the duo dive into all things friendships 🤓
How do you navigate the ebbs & flows of a close relationship? What do you do when you have differing expectations of what it means to be a good friend? Is it necessary to have a formal bre
#39 - What to do when lacking motivation
So you’re feeling unmotivated: it’s hard to get anything done let alone get out of bed, and the voice in your head is telling you “get your butt up,” “stop wasting your precious time,” “why are you sleeping in AGAIN”… what do you do??
This week’s episode is a part two to motivation (check out eps. 28 for part one, one of our most popular episodes in 2022!). The dynamic duo share how their approac
#38 - Self-love, self-acceptance, self-everything episode (Happy Valentine's Day!)
How do you learn to love yourself? Whether you’re snuggling up with a SO or livin’ that Single Pringle life this Valentine’s day, a friendly reminder that the most important and greatest love at the end of the day is the love you have for yourself!
This week, Viv and Ro time travel back to ~2013 and paint a picture of the relationship they had with themselves in their early 20s (or lack there of)
#37 - Doctor's order: less burnout, more PLAY!
How do we prevent burnout in 2023? (hint: the answer is a lot more fun than you think!)
This week’s episode is all about PLAY and the benefits of “losing yourself in play.” Whether it’s throwing clay in a ceramics class like Viv or swimming with sharks in Hawaii like Ro (ooo story time!), “play” can help bring us to the present moment, relieve stress, and prevent overthinking.
It’s easy to get s
#36 - Best way to get to know yourself (Listener Q&A)
Grab some Takis or shrimp chips and have a fun Q&A with us this week! Our wonderful community of listeners have some questions, and Viv and Ro have got the answers!
Are there any new things you’ve implemented into your routine?
Go to comfort food?
Favorite thing at the moment (clothing piece, food, activity, etc.)?
What has been the best way to get to know yourself?
When was the last t
#35 - The need to be "perfect" & how to accept yourself
What would you say to your inner child? What thoughts come up as you remember yourself at that age?
Many of us may relate to varying extremes of perfectionism (we know our VH community can relate! EP18 “Overcoming resistance and perfectionism” was one of our top episodes!) Whether it’s curating the perfect IG feed or crafting the perfect persona - we can likely find a link back to our tendencies
#34 - Less in our heads, more in our hearts (intentions for 2023)
It’s 2023!!! And we’re so excited to start a brand new year with you!
Dive into this episode with Vivian and Rowena as they each share three words highlighting their intentions for 2023. Rooted from much of the same thoughts, they share the process of picking their three words and why.
✨ Vivian: Consistent, Connection, Create
✨ Rowena: Discipline, Supported, Growth
These words serve as reminde
#33 - Power of setting intentions & creating care teams (2022 reflections)
Can’t believe it’s already the end of 2022! In this special, last episode of the year, Vivian and Rowena reflect on lessons learned and memorable experiences they each had.
Ro shares how setting intentions at the beginning of the year allowed her to experience feeling free despite going through a transitional period in her professional and personal life.
Vivian talks about the challenges that t
#32 - Finding light in darkness (the power of gratitude)
What moments or experiences sweep your mind when thinking about gratitude? Who or what immediately comes to focus?
As we head into Thanksgiving next week, Viv and Ro spotlight the powerful emotion we call: gratitude. In our darkest moments, gratitude can be the pathway out and into “the state of being free” - as Ro would vividly describe.
Ready to cultivate gratitude into your 2023? Share how yo
#31 - Overcoming the fear of judgement
Everybody is thriving. Everybody has the perfect life. Everybody is so happy.
Ah, that inner voice of ours speaking our insecurities into reality. Who is this elusive “everybody” that we all seem to know? Whose voices are we listening to?
This episode highlights the book “Finding Your Own North Star” by Martha Beck. Viv and Ro explore a concept in Chapter 4 about an “other” voice guiding our eve
#30 - Knowing your limits & setting boundaries
This week we chat about boundaries: The invisible line we draw between work, play, family, friends, you name it - and ourselves to protect our headspace 💆🏻♀️ When too many people step into our headspace (the metaphorical “home”) due to poor boundaries, the effects can be felt as resentment, guilt, burnout, stress, anxiety, among others.
Listen as Viv and Ro share their growing pains of learning
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