Stop Falling for Pretty Cookbooks That Lowkey Hate You aka Food is Political

Three years, 111 episodes, and countless conversations later — host Jennifer Walter sits down for a full-circle moment with Lauren Best to celebrate The Scenic Route’s third birthday.They flip the mic to talk about what really happens when you stop hustling and start listening: to your body, your luck, your burnout, and your joy. From viral posts to creative dry spells, from slow living to self-trust, this episode explores how to create — and live — at your own pace in a world that keeps shouting “more, faster, better.”If you’ve ever wondered how to build a life that feels honest, sustainable, and still a little rebellious, this one’s for you.In this episode, we talk about:✨ What burnout taught Jennifer about rest, creativity, and play 🍋 Why luck matters (more than hustle) — and how to make space for it 💬 The power of Honest (Self-)Talk in work, art, and mental health 🌿 Learning to trust the process (even when it’s messy) 🎧 What it really means to “slow down” without giving up ambition 🔥 Why slow living is not an aesthetic — it’s a quiet rebellionPerfect for you if…You’re a smart, thoughtful woman juggling too many tabs open — craving more meaning, less noise, and permission to do life differently. Think: academic brains, creative hearts, recovering perfectionists, and quietly radical feminists.About LaurenLauren Best is a Transformation Designer, Wellness Facilitator, Certified Hypnotherapist, Multi-Best-Selling Author, Founder of Possibilities Universe, and Writer of Possibilities In Between on Substack. After navigating her own experiences with perfectionism, overwhelm, and burnout, she now guides people to trust themselves, take aligned action, and expand what’s possible in their work and lives.Send me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

The Words You Need to Hear When Perfectionism Is Running Your LifeEver find yourself thinking: “I should be further along by now”? Our society is so OBSESSED with finishing things… what if strength lives in what’s still taking shape?I’ve been taking an adult learning programme on resilience at my old university, University College Cork,  and spending more time in my friend Juli’s clay studio. There, I noticed: the clay pieces I tried to make perfect felt lifeless. The ones with flaws felt alive. This naturally led me back into the world of Wabi‑sabi — the Japanese aesthetic of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness — and how it mirrors resilience. In this episode, I walk you through:The cultural myth of “completion” and why we still chase itHow wabi-sabi challenges that mythWhat resilience really is — and how it shows up in softness not hardnessA short practice you can use this week to lean into being unfinishedIf you felt even a flicker of recognition in this episode, share it with someone who might need a reminder that perfection isn’t the point — being alive is. And if you’re ready to lean into being imperfect and resilient, head to my site and check out my coaching options → jenniferwalter.me/coachingSend me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

We inherit shame like an unspoken family heirloom — stitched into our bodies, our ambition, our idea of enough. It’s the quiet undertone behind so many brilliant women asking, “Why do I still feel like I’m not enough?”In this conversation, Jennifer Walter sits down with therapist and facilitator Kyira Wackett to unpack the hidden ways shame shapes our lives — from body image and burnout to perfectionism and belonging. Together, they explore how shame isn’t just a feeling — it’s a learned survival strategy. One we can unlearn.You’ll hear about the difference between “good” and “bad” pain, why setting boundaries feels so hard, and how to start building shame resilience without burning yourself out.This episode is part psychology, part real talk — a compassionate deep dive into the quiet stories that keep women performing, proving, and people-pleasing.If you’re tired of hustling for worth, this one’s your permission slip to rest, reflect, and begin again.🎧 In this episode:The psychology of shame and why it runs so deepHow shame drives burnout, perfectionism, and self-criticismThe social scripts women inherit about worth and belongingBoundaries, self-compassion, and how to build real resilienceWhy healing shame starts with curiosity, not fixing💬 Connect with Kyira Wackett 👉 adversityrising.comA highlight from the Scenic Route archiveSend me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Gratitude journals. Green juices. Meditation apps. We've been taught happiness is a checklist, but what if that's only half the story?In this episode, we dive into the world of Positive Psychology and the concept of flourishing– living deeply, not just lightly. We explore the PERMA‑H model (Positive Emotion • Engagement • Relationships • Meaning • Accomplishment • Health) and what it really means to feel alive even when life isn’t easy. If you’ve done all the “right” self‑care things and still feel off… you’re not failing. You’re human. And this episode is your gentle invitation to stop chasing happiness and start tending what matters. What You’ll Discover:Why happiness as a finish line keeps us stuckHow the PERMA‑H model gives us a fuller picture of wellbeingHow cultural expectations twist engagement, achievement, health & moreA simple journaling exercise to map where you’re full and where you need spaceWhy flourishing is rhythmic – not balanced or perfect “Flourishing is the whole spectrum – light and dark, joy and grief, purpose and pause. And learning to hold all of it – that’s what it really means to be alive.”🎧 Ready to go deeper? If your brain’s been working overtime trying to “fix” you – maybe it’s time to stop thinking… and start feeling. My Colour Reading & Integration Session blends Aura‑Soma with guided meditation to help you reconnect with your inner calm. Book your session and let your intuition speak 🫶Send me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Tired of buying cookbooks that collect dust (or shame you for not owning grape molasses)? Same. In this episode, we’re talking about how to choose a cookbook that actually fits your real life and not some Pinterest-perfect fantasy.I’ll show you how to spot the red flags (hello, pancetta prep on a Tuesday night 😵‍💫), how to tell if a cookbook is for beginners or pros, and what makes a recipe book actually useful.This isn’t just a rant – it’s a full-on guide to picking the best cookbooks based on who you are, how you cook, and what you’ll actually make. Whether you’re a total kitchen newbie or just cookbook-curious, this episode will help you skip the hype and find books you’ll use on a random Tuesday.✨ WHAT WE COVER:How to spot a cookbook scamThe difference between recipes vs. how-to cookbooksWhy food photography is lying to youThe 80/20 rule for ingredientsWhy cooking is lowkey resistance (yup, we go there)🎧 Prefer to skim? Head to the full episode transcript at www.jenniferwalter.me 📲 Say hi or share your fave cookbooks on Instagram @itsjenniferwalterSend me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

What if freedom isn’t the absence of limits, but the presence of form?In this episode of The Scenic Route, Jen explores the paradox of constraints – why the boundaries we resist might be the very thing that saves us. Drawing on the work of sociologist Zygmunt Bauman and his idea of liquid modernity, she unpacks how modern life’s obsession with flexibility and endless options has left so many of us overwhelmed, exhausted, and floating without structure.You’ll hear:Why too much freedom can make us feel lost instead of liberatedWhat Bauman meant by “liquid modernity”, and how it shapes our daily anxietyHow chosen limits can create space for creativity, rest, and meaningWhy personal boundaries matter and why collective ones matter even moreThis isn’t a call to hustle smarter or embrace toxic gratitude. It’s a quiet rebellion against a system that asks you to be endlessly available and endlessly improving. Jen invites you to build a life – and a world – solid enough to hold you.Survival is individual. Transformation is shared.They drained the public pool and sold you swimming lessons. The goalposts keep moving; nothing ever feels complete.You don’t need to fix yourself; you need structures that hold you.If you’ve been feeling like you’re always treading water, this episode is your permission to stop swimming and start building your boat.🎙️ The Scenic Route is a podcast for tired minds seeking depth over speed.Send me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Why do people still say women make “careless” decisions about abortion – and how can you shut that argument down fast? And what does it have to do with a shocking PhD thesis on endometriosis?In this episode of The Scenic Route, you’ll get:A toolkit to counter the “careless abortion” myth from three angles: logic, evidence, and power.Evidence-based insights you can drop in conversation to cut through opinion with data.A clearer lens on structural bias – why women’s pain is underfunded and dismissed, and how the “default male” still shapes medicine.Practical ways to spot and challenge bias in your own life, research, and everyday conversations.Mentioned in this episode:Criado Perez, C. (2019). Invisible women: Exposing data bias in a world designed for men. Abrams Press.Foster, D. G., Biggs, M. A., Ralph, L., Gerdts, C., Roberts, S., & Glymour, M. M. (2018). Socioeconomic outcomes of women who receive and women who are denied wanted abortions in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 108(3), 407–413. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304247National Institutes of Health. (2023). Estimates of funding for various research, condition, and disease categories (RCDC). Retrieved from https://report.nih.gov/funding/categorical-spendingBy the end of this episode, you’ll have the arguments, the evidence, and the confidence to dismantle abortion myths and to recognise structural bias whenever women’s health and autonomy are sidelined.👉 Hit play and add these tools to your feminist toolkit.Send me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Why do we procrastinate, overthink, avoid, or hold back just when things matter most? Your social media feed at 2 am calls this self-sabotage, but is it?In this episode of the Scenic Route, we unpack fresh psychology research that flips the story of self-sabotage on its head. You’ll discover three hidden patterns that shape how we repeat harmful choices:Sensitives: quick learners who adapt after mistakesUnawares: people who miss the cause-and-effect until it’s explainedCompulsives: those who know better but can’t break the cycleYou’ll hear why common advice like “just use willpower” or “learn from your mistakes” fails so many of us, and what actually works instead.Because here’s the twist: you’re not broken, lazy, or your own worst enemy. What looks like sabotage is often safety in disguise. And once you see that, everything changes.Paper mentioned:Zeng, L., Park, H. R. P., McNally, G. P., Jean-Richard-dit-Bressel, P., et al. (2025). Causal inference and cognitive-behavioral integration deficits drive stable variation in human punishment sensitivity. Communications Psychology, 3, Article 103.Send me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

September rolls in and suddenly life speeds up – school runs, work deadlines, holidays on the horizon. And with it comes the pressure to “get organised,” “finish strong,” and set bigger, better goals.But here’s the truth: SMART goals don’t work for most women juggling kids, work, and real life. They focus on outcomes you can’t fully control — which often kills momentum before you even get started.In this episode of The Scenic Route, we’re rethinking goal-setting from the end of summer to the end of the year. You’ll learn a framework that actually fits real life: lead and lag goals. Instead of chasing perfect outcomes, you’ll discover how to focus on the small, repeatable actions that build momentum, create daily wins, and carry you through even the busiest seasons.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why SMART goals often backfire (and why you’re not failing – the method is)The difference between lag goals (outcomes) and lead goals (actions you can control)Two simple ways to start setting goals using this framework, whether you’re outcome-driven or action-drivenHow to shift from chasing results to building momentumPractical examples for family life, work, self-care, and even the holiday seasonIf you’re tired of feeling like you’re always behind on your goals, this episode will give you a gentler, smarter way forward.See you on the Scenic Route!Send me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.

Can a student’s body size affect their grades? Research says yes. In this episode of The Scenic Route, Jen explores how fat bias and socioeconomic bias shape grades, opportunities, and self-worth.You’ll hear:A personal story of how weight stigma shows up in healthcare.A German study of 14,000 students showed that overweight and lower-income kids receive lower grades than equally capable peers.Why grades often reflect compliance, neatness, and bias more than actual learning.How to judge whether a study is credible using reliability, objectivity, and validity and why validity is the trickiest.Practical steps for parents, teachers, and students to challenge fatbias in schools and beyond.Grades don’t just decide report cards. They decide futures. When body size and class bias affect grades, kids are taught that some people matter less.This episode is a call to question those systems and to push for a world where all kids can thrive.👉 Listen now and share this with another parent, teacher, or friend who cares about equity in education.Mentioned studyNennstiel, R., & Gilgen, S. (2024). Does chubby Can get lower grades than skinny Sophie? Using an intersectional approach to uncover grading bias in German secondary schools. PLOS ONE, 19(7), e0305703. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0305703All other mentioned resources are listed on scenicroutepodcast.comSend me a DM_____________________________________________________________________ Visit jenniferwalter.me – your cosy corner where recovering perfectionists, tired minds, and those done pretending to be fine find space to breathe, dream, and create real change. 💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION Follow on Instagram Follow on TikTok Follow on Threads 🔮 DAILY DOSE OF CHILL The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass again. What does your card say? Share it with us! 👉 Pull Your Free Card ⭐ LOVE THE SHOW?Leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls discover the Scenic Route podcast.