Best Julie Merica Podcasts (2025)

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1639 || 10 ways to connect to your purpose 11:14

Play Pause

4h ago11:14

11:14

Today I share 10 scientifically backed ways to connect with your personal (subjective) sense of purpose. You can watch the original video that I quoted in today's episode here. SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!) DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund AND THE Sudan Relief Fund GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast…

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you're not running late (rerelease) 8:09

7h ago8:09

8:09

You haven't peaked. You haven't plateaued. You aren't "cooked" or "spent" or "done". You may actually be suffering from something called "hurry sickness" and it can be managed with some conscious effort. Psych Central's Hurry Sickness Article Healthline on Hurry Sickness SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!) DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund…

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the end result of chronic stress (re-release) 8:51

1d ago8:51

8:51

Originally posted on day 1375 Stage 1 – Honeymoon Initial commitment and excitement to engage in tasks. For example, when you first start your journey in a new activism group. Stage 2 – Onset of stress Common symptoms of stress start being felt, such as fatigue, lower productivity and sleep disturbances. Stage 3 – Chronic Stress Lack of motivation …

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1638 || breaking up with your phone 8:56

2h ago8:56

8:56

Instead of trying to get rid of dopamine, focus on stepping away from habits and behaviors that no longer serve you. Read the Harvard Article on Dopamine Fasting here. Read the Cleveland Clinic's: Dopamine Detoxes Don’t Work: Here’s What To Do Instead Read Can the ‘Dopamine Detox’ Trend Break a Digital Addiction? SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!) DONAT…

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1637 || how to stop scrolling so damn much 9:59

2d ago9:59

9:59

How to stop scrolling. Start from where you are. Recognize what is a systemic issue. Practice "deciding" with intention when scrolling. Practice staying focused and catching yourself when you get distracted on your phone. Decouple your association of "dopamine" with "scrolling. Practice the standard addiction coping strategies: Make the desired hab…

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1636 || dopamine detoxes are useless 10:15

10h ago10:15

10:15

Why would you want to disconnect from your joy, when trying to restore your sense of joy? You can't go on a T-break for pleasure. Instead, focus on the modifying the way you get your pleasure, instead of eliminating the pleasure itself. Dopamine is just one neurotransmitter responsible for our sense of pleasure + joy. We can't and shouldn't want to…

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1635 || it really is these damn phones 9:01

3d ago9:01

9:01

I've been working on my relationship with my phone, on and off, for years. Sometimes, I use it as a tool. Sometimes, it feels like it's using me as a tool. Genuine + deeply rooted ad fatigue, traumatic events sprung upon me, most content is some form of engagement/rage/anxiety/fear bait, brain rot + ai slop, trolls + bot accounts. Misinformation + …

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1634 || when nothing sounds fun anymore 9:26

7d ago9:26

9:26

People associate the feeling of feeling the most alive when they’re laughing and playing and goofing off. People feel the most connected with their purpose and life and future and desire to make the world a better place, when they are connected to joy + their ability to have fun once in a while. But for some reason, as we get older - we make less a…

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1633 || analyzing the fun out of it 8:30

2h ago8:30

8:30

I overthink things that don't require second thought. I suck the fun out of joyful activities by worrying about doing it "correctly" or "perfectly" or performing "well enough to not embarrass myself" yet... even when there is no audience, I find myself performing. The expectations take away the true joy that comes from "creating" and "play" and "lo…

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1632 || allergic to wondering 9:25

1h ago9:25

9:25

We love answers. We love conclusions. We tend to steer clear of open ended problems and tasks, because of this. But there are so many things that leave us with open ended problems that we will never be able to solve. Learning to tolerate that discomfort is an important skill to practice. The "right" answers don't exist. Let go of your "need" to kno…

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1631 || are you becoming the morality police? 10:37

10d ago10:37

10:37

have been trying to stop thinking of every single decision I make as some deep moral test. Every time I stay in the shower a little too long, or support a shitty company, or buy a product wrapped in single use plastic, isn’t a condemnation of all of my character. I am not going to hell. I am not broken. I am not a piece of shit. I am a human being,…

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1630 || the swiss cheese method 10:32

11d ago10:32

10:32

I have complex feelings about our personal responsibility. As we know the richest 1% cause more climate damage than over half of humanity. 57 companies are linked to 80% of greenhouse emissions, but our society has pushed us into the thinking its ALL our personal responsibility OR it's not at all. But all or nothing thinking is counter-productive a…

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1629 || shifting from apathy to agency 10:18

13d ago10:18

10:18

We can actually build a better world, but we have to break the cycle of cynicism, first. THE CYCLE OF CYNICISM 1. Finding out about a problem 2. Wanting to do something to help 3. Not seeing how you can help 4. Not doing anything about it 5. Feeling sad, powerless, angry 6. Deciding that nothing can be done 7. Beginning to shut down 8. Wanting to k…

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1628 || shifting from a cycle of cynicism to a cycle of hope 9:59

14d ago9:59

9:59

We can actually build a better world, but we have to break the cycle of cynicism, first. THE CYCLE OF CYNICISM 1. Finding out about a problem 2. Wanting to do something to help 3. Not seeing how you can help 4. Not doing anything about it 5. Feeling sad, powerless, angry 6. Deciding that nothing can be done 7. Beginning to shut down 8. Wanting to k…

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1627 || but we're all so cynical 10:58

15d ago10:58

10:58

We can actually build a better world, but we have to break the cycle of cynicism, first. Read the Inner Self Article on How to Make the World a Better Place. Watch a video about Kinesin (motor protein). Read the report on Violent Crime And Media Coverage In One City: A Statistical Snapshot Read the American Military University article on media cove…

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1626 || time worship 10:34

16d ago10:34

10:34

The invention of the modern clock has turned time into a commodity. It's something you can spend, save, waste, lose, or trade for money directly. Clocks should be a tool, not a box. Yet we have curated our entire lives around the 24 hour clock, sometimes to the detriment of our natural biology. World Atlas on the History of Time The philosophy inst…

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1625 || one must imagine sisyphus happy 11:02

17d ago11:02

11:02

“Do you think that the trees grow tired every winter of having to shed their leaves and think to themselves, I don’t want to go through another bitter winter? And when it comes time to regrow them in the spring, do you think they say “I don’t want to push new buds out, I don’t want to form new growth and bear new fruits.” “You don’t have to struggl…

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1624 || longtermism 10:40

18d ago10:40

10:40

A society grows great when old men plant trees under whose shade they know they’ll never sit. Yesterday we discussed the difficult task of creating Long-term nuclear waste warning messages, today I want to talk about longtermism, or the idea of doing the right thing for the future generations. William MacAskill on Longtermism Read about Long Term N…

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1623 || what to talk about, after the arguing (the nuclear waste problem) 10:12

19d ago10:12

10:12

If you need a conversation starter to break the awkward lulls and post-fight silences at your Thanksgiving dinner, I HIGHLY suggest looking up the wikipedia page for Long-term nuclear waste warning messages + discussing it with any and everyone who will engage. The question: How can we effectively communicate a truly DEADLY danger 10,000 years in t…

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1622 || the limiting nature of overthinking 10:16

20d ago10:16

10:16

"If we focus [too much] on ourselves and how we feel, then we are limiting our experiences by definition." Victoria Spratt wrote, in her article: "You’re Thinking About Yourself Too Much" SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!) DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund AND THE Sudan Relief Fund GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdam…

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1621 || finding purpose at an all you can eat buffet 12:09

21d ago12:09

12:09

Finding your purpose in life is like finding your favorite food at a brand new "all you can eat" buffet. You arrive hungry and excited, and everything looks pretty delicious. You try to fit a little bit of everything on your plate. You try tiny nibbles and some disappoint. Others surprise. Others are what you expect. And when it’s time to go back u…

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1620 || self absorbed vs. self aware 11:57

22d ago11:57

11:57

"If we focus [too much] on ourselves and how we feel, then we are limiting our experiences by definition." Victoria Spratt wrote, in her article: "You’re Thinking About Yourself Too Much" Try Huel with 15% OFF for New Customers today using code MYDB at https://huel.com/mydb. SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!) DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief …

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1619 || stop overthinking yourself 9:54

23d ago9:54

9:54

"I think about myself a lot, and not in a good way. I find myself obsessing over past mistakes, cringey moments, etc. and end up feeling guilty and panicked. Eventually I end up concluding that I'm a terrible person who deserves to be feeling this way." Here is the Original Post on the Meditation Reddit: Read the Substack from Soft Perception who s…

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1618 || we’re in a self-objectification crisis 11:07

24d ago11:07

11:07

Understanding your identity is honestly, none of your business. Don't attach yourself to an identity, because identity, is inherently limiting to it's understood definition. Some of us are trying to fit in where we don't belong, and we wonder why we're uncomfortable. Watch the full aurora quote: " It’s easy to feel safe in yourself when you stop an…

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1617 || if your screen is your kingdom 10:44

25d ago10:44

10:44

Some of us don’t engage with the rest of the world anymore not because the rest of the world sucks any more than it always has - but because you have built an intolerance for the world where you are not the dictator. As Siece Campbell put it, “your algorithm worships you. You are the only one who lives inside this tiny box, let’s say you’re spendin…

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1616 || how to do hard things 9:38

26d ago9:38

9:38

The brain’s main goal is to protect us, so when we ask it to do anything new (particularly if you are neurodivergent) it signals to the brain that there may be danger lurking - so it refuses to do it, because it believes that is what keeps us safe. Many brains looks at all new tasks like a hot stove. So how do we manage this? According to kdimerc w…

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1615 || the hot stove conundrum 9:02

27d ago9:02

9:02

Our brain’s main goal is to protect us, so when we ask it to do anything new (particularly if you are neurodivergent) it signals to the brain that there may be danger lurking - so it refuses to do it, because it believes that is what keeps us safe. Many brains looks at all new tasks like a hot stove. So how do we manage this? According to kdimerc w…

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1614 || how to do a cost/benefit analysis on your habits 9:40

28d ago9:40

9:40

How do we hold space for two contradictory ideas? How do we hold space for the reality that things won't always make sense? We can't control everything, but we can build up our "tolerance for distress", which can lead us to wanting to control the stuff we can't, less. The source: https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/distress-tolerance/cost-benefi…

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1613 || running from your shadow makes it bigger 8:39

29d ago8:39

8:39

"Living systems theory has been so helpful to me. I think there is a drive within living systems to complexify, to wake up—there is an evolutionary movement. I speak out of the love and excitement generated by my little work, which many people are doing with me. It does require being able to experience pain. It does require tears and outrage. It do…

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1612 || the great unraveling 9:23

30d ago9:23

9:23

Today we talk about what Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone's book Active Hope. Specifically the three stages of dealing with the current crisis. “Business as Usual” - Those who refuse to change. The people that believe that the current system is the best or only way. “The Great Unravelling” - Those who are inundated with despair about the fact that p…

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1611 || are we blaming the wrong guy? 7:45

1M ago7:45

7:45

America has a habit of blaming poor people + immigrants for the problems that policy makers create. Stop letting the oppressors scapegoat the oppressed, and start focusing your outrage on the people who perpetuate (and profit from) this harmful false narrative. The Big Short Script: https://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/wp-content/uploads/screenpla…

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1610 || break some rules for justice 8:29

1M ago8:29

8:29

"Perhaps the greatest failure of liberal democracies is their historical failure to successfully protect the vital economic and security interests of their less advantaged citizens through their institutions." "It is a cruel irony that this great promise of democracy is rarely realized in practice." "The job of trade unions, parties, and even radic…

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1609 || how do you know? 9:19

1M ago9:19

9:19

How do we really know anything? Well, it starts by connecting with what you feel. Faron Sage's article: "How Do We Make Heads or Tails of What's Going On?" SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!) DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund AND THE Sudan Relief Fund GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com TUNE IN ON INSTA…

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1608 || when rules are meant to be broken 7:55

1M ago7:55

7:55

It's that time again, where we take a step back and check in with the cop in our heads. “One day you will be called upon to break a big law in the name of justice and rationality. Everything will depend on it. You have to be ready. How are you going to prepare for that day when it really matters? You have to stay "in shape" so that when the big day…

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1606 || buck what society says 9:38

1M ago9:38

9:38

Your brain does what is reliable, not what is best. It does what is safe, not what is productive. Our culture has shaped each and every one of us through rules + repetition. How has society tampered down the way you connect to your body and to others? How has society's expectations stifled you? How have our societal norms impacted the way you feel?…

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1605 || habit hacking 7:57

1M ago7:57

7:57

optimize your cues + your environment to create + reinforce better habits + discourage your "not so good" ones. Time cues < (paired with another) action cues. "I will do this at 7 am every single day" is waaaaay harder to commit to than committing to something with something else, "I will do this after I do that." Intrinsic motivation > external re…

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1604 || old dog, new tricks 9:58

1M ago9:58

9:58

You can, in fact, teach an old dog new tricks - if you use a couple of old ones. Habits are formed and reinforced through repetition, salience (how much it stands out), time, intensity, specificity. Today we talk about what that means. https://www.carolinafnc.com/post/10-principles-of-neuroplasticity https://www.joincarbon.com/blog/the-neuroscience…

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1603 || repetition (for good vs. evil) 7:40

1M ago7:40

7:40

Repetition is how we learn, so be careful what (and who) you're listening to. The source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-main-ingredient/202509/harnessing-the-power-of-repetition-for-good-and-evil More reading: https://www.neurolab360.com/blog/principles-of-neuroplasticity-repetition-matters Use findhelp.org is an amazing website where…

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1602 || satisfaction vs. pleasure 8:17

1M ago8:17

8:17

Today we talk about how to build your tolerance for discomfort. THE SOURCE: https://shoesandshots.substack.com/p/discomfort-is-the-price-you-pay-for Further reading: https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/dealing-pain-discomfort/ and: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/living-well-when-your-body-doesnt-cooperate/202405/stret…

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1601 || urge surfing 8:50

1M ago8:50

8:50

It's not about giving in, and it's not about fighting it. Sometimes, you can just observe, ride the wave, and allow it to pass. Resisting Impulse Spending: https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/holiday-shopping-personal-finance-spending.html Urge Surfing: https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/sites/default/files/2021-03/urge-surfing.pdf Stop impulse S…

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1600 || broke, but connected 10:12

1M ago10:12

10:12

You are not a failure if you’re struggling right now, though it may feel like it. But your value and worth is not reflected in your ability to pay your bills that don’t stop growing, and your ability to get up and do anything beyond work that never stops coming. Poverty is a systemic failing, not a personal failing. Remember you can’t really think …

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1599 || becoming less reactive 10:22

1M ago10:22

10:22

Did you know you can "hack your brain" for things beyond your productivity? You can become more resilient, more conscious, more in control, through a few simple practices. It's not about avoiding anything that makes us feel sad, but it's about becoming conscious of the process of engaging with it. It's not about the content, but the process. Empowe…

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1598 || a few more brain hacks 8:55

1M ago8:55

8:55

Feeling disconnected or unsure? Dr. Pat suggests: Body Check-In: When you consume news about social or political issues, what sensations do you notice in your body? Do you feel tense, numb, energized? Triggers and Ancestry: Think about a recent moment you felt fear or shut down in response to authority or conflict. How might this reaction connect t…

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1597 || easy brain hacks 8:58

1M ago8:58

8:58

Did you know you can "hack your brain" for things beyond your productivity? You can become more resilient, more conscious, more in control, through a few simple practices. It's not about avoiding anything that makes us feel sad, but it's about becoming conscious of the process of engaging with it. It's not about the content, but the process. Empowe…

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1596 || your brain is play-doh 9:51

1M ago9:51

9:51

Our brains are malleable, and we can actually enrich our experiences to encourage more "plasticity" or adaptability in our own heads - if we know what to look for. Very Well Mind on Brain plasticity: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886#:~:text=Strengthening%20existing%20pathways:%20Neurons%20that,adapt%20to%20the%20changin…

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1595 || brains are lazy, we are not 9:34

2M ago9:34

9:34

Think about a good joke. If you knew the punchline right away? It's less funny. If you had to have the punchline explained? Less funny. But if you understood the punchline within a few moments, and got the satisfaction of "realization" in real time? That makes a BANGER of a joke. It's all about the appropriate level of challenge and thinking. Accor…

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1594 || dropping the cognitive load 9:37

2M ago9:37

9:37

It's not about spinning all the plates, it's about setting most of them down so you can actually focus on the spinning process. THE SOURCES: Reducing cognitive load to learn: https://theelearningcoach.com/learning/reduce-cognitive-load/ Getting into flow state: https://rts-1988.medium.com/getting-to-flow-state-while-studying-simulating-mental-effor…

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1593 || parenting yourself with love + logic 10:18

2M ago10:18

10:18

When I’m having a rough time, trying to treat myself like I liked to treat my students, with empathy, compassion, patience, kindness, attention, care, time, etc. and in an effort to build muscles that can provide them with that empathy, compassion, patience, kindness, attention, time, care, etc. for themselves? I feel like the everyday things that …

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1592 || consulting with love + logic 8:37

2M ago8:37

8:37

Instead of trying to control others, become a consultant. "Children need thoughtful guidance and firm, enforceable limits. We set those limits based on the safety of the child and how the child’s behavior affects others. Then we must maintain those limits to help children understand that they are responsible for their actions and will suffer reason…

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1591 || micromanager vs. drill sargent 8:23

2M ago8:23

8:23

"Effective parenting centers around love: love that is not permissive, love that doesn’t tolerate disrespect, but also love that is powerful enough to allow kids to make mistakes and permit them to live with the consequences of those mistakes. Most mistakes do have logical consequences. And those consequences, when accompanied by empathy — our comp…