The Constant Need for Validation

Today I want to talk about AI and something I have been noticing lately. The way it can slowly start to mess with our confidence in our own voice if we are not careful.Over the past year, I have caught myself reading posts or emails and thinking, this sounds polished, but it does not feel like a person. And the moment I sense that, I check out a little bit. Not because the message is bad, but because I want to hear someone’s real thoughts. Their perspective. Their personality.What made this topic hit home for me is realizing that it was happening to me too. The more I used AI to help with wording or structure, the more I started to second guess myself. I would write something and then wonder, is this good enough, or should I run it through a tool just to be sure?This episode is not about being anti AI. I use it. It can be incredibly helpful. But I have also learned that there is a line between using a tool and slowly handing over your voice.And that is the tension I want to explore today. How do we stay supported by technology without becoming dependent on it. How do we keep showing up as ourselves in a world that makes it very easy to sound like everyone else.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the attention economy and how our attention has quietly become something that can be tracked, measured, and monetized. Mostly because I’ve noticed how hard it’s become to switch off. If I’m not actively doing something, I’m on my phone. Scrolling, searching, reacting. And honestly, I miss boredom.This episode is a reflection on how we got here, from a time when attention was local and limited to a world where algorithms compete for it around the clock, and what that constant stimulation might be doing to our nervous systems, our relationships, and our sense of self. It is not about blaming technology, because we cannot really opt out anymore, but about reclaiming some agency over where we place our attention.I also share a small experiment I tried. Eating lunch without my phone. Just me, my food, and a notebook. It sounds simple, almost ridiculous, but it reminded me how good it feels to be present with myself and how easily we lose that when we are constantly consuming everyone else’s voices.Because maybe the goal is not to unplug completely.Maybe it is to create small guardrails that help us choose our attention instead of having it taken from us.

Week four of being back behind the mic and the excitement of the comeback has officially worn off. The novelty is gone, the doubts have crept in, and suddenly showing up feels harder than it did at the start.This episode is about that moment - the wobble that happens when momentum meets reality. When inspiration disappears, motivation dips, and you start wondering if it’s even worth continuing. Instead of forcing a polished topic, I decided to talk about the resistance itself and what it really takes to keep showing up when things stop feeling new and exciting.Because consistency isn’t always about inspiration.Sometimes it’s just about putting on your shoes and doing the thing anyway, knowing you’ll rarely regret showing up, but you often regret not trying.

Unless you've been under a rock the last 3-4 weeks, you'll have hear about the Kyle & Jackie O blow up. I wasn't sure I was going to add to the noise, especially as it feels I'm a little late to the game and the news cycle has moved on. But I'm still getting asked by friends, and new details are coming to light (some even since I recorded this at 11am this morning, so I figured I'd sit behind the mic and unpack this saga. Just heard Kyle has a press conference lined up for Tuesday arvo, and ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) have announced they are imposing additional licence conditions on ARN for any show featuring Kyle or Jackie for 5 years. They are a little late to the party too, so maybe I'm right on time. Haha

After a few life hurdles, more than a few false starts, and one full episode you won't be hearing anytime soon, here's the 2nd official episode of Karly's podcasting comeback.

After a few years of flipping and flopping and dropping any practice of using her voice, Karly returns to the mic for a fresh start.

As I'm stepping into the discomfort of using my voice, my constant need for external validation is hitting hard.

Behind the mic for the first time in a long time, to give you a bit of an update on life, and where I see the world (and us) heading.

After 7-8 months on a waitlist (and almost 47 years), I sat down with my psychiatrist yesterday to FINALLY receive an ADHD diagnosis. You guys had some questions on instagram, so here I am digging it and breaking it down. Obviously, this is my experience only and is not health advice.

Liss Amyah... wow. I mean, talk about living a big life. Liss was married with a baby by 19, at 28 she left her fundamentalist church with 6 small humans in tow, she built an instagram following and business many would dream of, and then burnt it all to the ground. Today, we tell her story. Follow Liss on instagram @lissamyah Follow me on instagram @karlosophies