What If vs. Even If

What if I fail? What if I never find love again? What if I make the wrong decision? What if my life never looks the way I imagined? Sound familiar? In this solo episode of Mirror Mirror on the Mic, Malissa explores how two tiny words can completely change the conversation we're having with ourselves. WHAT IF vs. EVEN IF. When we're anxious, "what if" can send our brains spiraling into worst-case scenarios, rehearsing heartbreaks, failures, and disappointments that haven't even happened. But what happens when we replace those words with "even if"? Even if I fail, I can begin again. Even if someone leaves, I can build a beautiful life. Even if things don't go according to plan, I can trust myself to figure out what comes next. Suddenly, we're no longer asking fear to predict our future. We're reminding ourselves that we have the power to navigate it. In this episode, we're talking about: Why our brains love a good worst-case scenario How catastrophizing keeps us stuck in fear and uncertainty The psychology behind cognitive reframing Why self-trust matters more than having all the answers How to practice the "even if" mindset in your relationships, career, parenting, and everyday life And perhaps the most important reminder of all: Self-trust isn't believing everything will go your way. It's believing you won't abandon yourself when it doesn't. You don't need a guarantee that everything will work out to start living your life. You just need to remember that you're allowed to participate in creating what happens next. 💗 READY TO REBUILD YOUR SELF-TRUST? If you're navigating a major life transition, recovering from burnout, rebuilding your confidence, or simply tired of living in survival mode, I'd love to work with you. As a certified life coach, I help women reconnect with themselves, move through uncertainty, and create meaningful change without sacrificing their ambition or authenticity. ✨ A limited number of private coaching spots are currently available. Work with Malissa: https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal  Connect with us on Instagram: @mirrormirroronthemic  🎙️ LOVE THIS EPISODE? Share it with a woman who's been stuck in the "what if" spiral. Sometimes the smallest shift in perspective can open the door to something extraordinary. Follow Mirror Mirror on the Mic on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, and leave us a review to help more women find this community. Remember: "What if" asks, "Will I be okay?" "Even if" reminds you, "I can find my way." #MirrorMirrorOnTheMic #EvenIfMindset #SelfTrust #WomensEmpowerment #LifeCoaching #AnxietyTools #MindsetShift #PersonalGrowth

What if one of the most important stories you've ever told yourself wasn't actually true? Stories shape us. Some teach us about kindness, courage, and connection. Others are born from painful experiences and become beliefs we carry for years without ever questioning them. In this episode of Mirror Mirror on the Mic, Inez and Malissa explore the power of storytelling, from the unexpected life lessons found in children's books like Room on the Broom to the deeply personal narratives we create to make sense of our own experiences. Malissa shares a vulnerable story about childhood sexual assault and the meaning she took away from that experience. A meaning that wasn't true, but one she carried well into adulthood. Together, we explore what happens when we revisit our stories with wiser eyes, challenge the beliefs we've built around them, and realize that while we can't always change what happened to us, we can change the story we tell ourselves about what it means. Because sometimes healing isn't about writing a brand-new story. It's about finally understanding the old one differently. 🎙️ Welcome to Year 2 of Mirror Mirror on the Mic. We're telling more stories, asking deeper questions, and making room for new perspectives. Content note: This episode includes a personal discussion of childhood sexual assault and its lasting emotional impact.

🎂 Mirror Mirror on the Mic is ONE! One year ago, we turned on the microphones with absolutely no idea where this thing would take us. A year later, we’re celebrating with the people who made it possible: YOU. For our first birthday episode, we’re answering listener questions about starting over, rebuilding your life, regulating your nervous system, doing things that scare the hell out of you, and what we’ve learned from a year of showing up behind the mic. We’re talking about the messy middle. The moments when you don’t feel brave but move anyway. What it actually looks like to rebuild trust with yourself. And, of course, all the tangents, laughter, questionable advice, and very Mirror Mirrormoments you’ve come to expect from us. Because if this first year has taught us anything, it’s this: You do not have to feel ready to begin. You do not have to have it all figured out to move forward. And sometimes the thing you’re terrified to do becomes the very thing that helps you find yourself again. So grab your imaginary party hat and come celebrate one year of Mirror Mirror on the Mic with us. 🥂 And to every person who has listened, shared an episode, sent us a message, or told a friend about the show: thank you.You built this with us. 🎧 Follow Mirror Mirror on the Mic wherever you listen, and come hang out with us on Instagram @mirrormirroronthemic ✨ And if you’re in your own season of starting over and want support figuring out what comes next, Malissa is currently opening spots for 1:1 coaching.

One year ago, I sat down behind a microphone without knowing exactly what I was doing, where this podcast would go, or who would listen. I just knew I wanted to start. What I couldn’t have known was that while I was building Mirror Mirror on the Mic, it would quietly be helping me rebuild myself. Behind the microphone, life was LIFE-ING. I was navigating enormous personal changes, motherhood, a career transition, becoming a certified coach, moving, starting over, writing, healing, and figuring out who I was becoming in the middle of all of it. And week after week, I kept coming back to the mic. It became my lighthouse. In this one-year anniversary episode, I’m sharing the biggest lessons I’ve learned from a year of conversations with incredible humans and from simply having the courage to keep showing up before I felt completely ready. We’re talking about starting before you have proof, practicing your way into confidence, celebrating the small wins, discovering purpose through curiosity, the power of telling your story, and one of my biggest realizations of all: Sometimes the thing you create ends up creating you back. If there’s something you’ve been thinking about doing but fear, perfectionism, timing, or the need to “have it all figured out” keeps getting in the way, consider this episode your permission slip. You don’t need the whole map. You just need the next move. 🎙️ Here’s to year two of Mirror Mirror on the Mic. Bigger conversations. More stories. More truth. More curiosity. And a whole lot more doing the thing before we know exactly where it will lead. CONNECT WITH US Follow Mirror Mirror on the Mic on Instagram: @mirrormirroronthemic And if listening to this brings up your own “thing” that you know you’re ready to finally pursue, I currently have coaching opportunities available. My coaching work is about helping you move from I know I want something different to actually figuring out what comes next, building the confidence to act on it, and creating a life that feels like yours. DM me on Instagram to learn more about coaching and working together. Now go do the thing. 💗 Ps, here is Nell’s TedX https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bzRp2sQQNGc&ra=m 

Parenting advice is everywhere. Do this. Don’t do that. Be more present. Set better boundaries. Hold the boundary. Regulate yourself. Regulate them. Make the memories. Pack the lunches. And whatever you do, DON’T SCREW THEM UP. No wonder we’re exhausted. In this episode, we’re talking about what actually matters in parenting, and spoiler alert: it’s probably a lot less than you think. We talk about repair after you get it wrong. Being genuinely curious about who your kids are becoming. Creating structure and predictability where you can. And most importantly, giving yourself some freaking grace. Because if you’re listening to a parenting podcast, researching how to do this better, worrying about whether you’re getting it right, and caring deeply about the humans you’re raising, we need you to hear this: You do not have a damn thing to feel bad about. You’re doing great. Your kids do not need a perfect parent. They need a parent who loves them, sees them, listens to them, apologizes when they get it wrong, and keeps showing up. So unclench your jaw. Drop your shoulders. Put down the imaginary parenting report card. You’re allowed to enjoy your kids, too. And when you’re done listening, send this episode to every parent you know who needs to hear that they’re doing a better job than they think. 💕 🎧 Follow Mirror Mirror on the Mic on Instagram: @mirrormirroronthemic ✨ Want to work with Malissa? https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal  📲 Connect with Malissa: @mirrormirroronthemic

What happens when you’re raising kids, caring for aging parents, managing a career, keeping a household running… and somehow still expected to take care of yourself? Welcome to the sandwich generation. This week, we start with a little life catch-up and some laughs before getting into a very real conversation about what it feels like to be needed from every direction at once. But this episode is also a little different. You’re getting a glimpse into what coaching with Malissa can actually look like. Because coaching isn’t always about optimizing your life, creating a better routine, or finding the perfect solution. Sometimes there isn’t a solution. Sometimes life is simply hard. And in those moments, you may not need another person giving you advice. You may need someone willing to sit beside you, help you untangle what belongs to you and what doesn’t, validate the emotions you’re carrying, and remind you that you’re allowed to acknowledge: this is a lot. Yes, coaching can help you navigate career transitions, relationships, boundaries, emotional regulation, and the messy work of figuring out what comes next. But sometimes coaching is simply having someone sit next to you in the dark for a little while, without trying to rush you toward the light. Because you don’t always need someone to fix your life. Sometimes you just need someone who isn’t afraid to sit in it with you. Ready for support that feels a little different? If you’re navigating a transition, rebuilding after something hard, or simply feeling like you’re carrying too much by yourself, I’d love to sit beside you while you figure out what comes next. 📅 Book a discovery call: https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal  💗 Follow Malissa on TikTok: @MsConnors 🎙️ Follow Mirror Mirror on the Mic: @mirrormirroronthemic And if this episode made you feel a little more seen, send it to someone else who might need to hear it. Sometimes the best thing we can offer each other isn’t advice. It’s the reminder that we don’t have to carry the hard things alone.

I Don’t Know What I’m Building Yet. I’m Just Showing Up. This one is a little stream of consciousness. A little life update. A little gratitude. And maybe a reminder that you don’t have to know exactly where something is going to keep going. We’re talking about emotions and what happens when we stop treating every feeling like an emergency. Emotions are waves. They rise, they peak, and eventually, they fall. I’m also talking about social media, this podcast, and whatever it is I seem to be building right now. Because the truth is, I don’t completely know what it is yet. I just know I keep showing up. And somewhere along the way, people started listening. Not just here, but in countries all over the world. Which is equal parts surreal, humbling, and incredibly freaking cool. Maybe we don’t always need the five-year plan. Maybe sometimes the next right thing is simply to feel what we’re feeling, let the wave pass, and keep showing up for the thing that keeps calling us back. So that’s where I am this week. No perfectly packaged lesson. No neat little bow. Just life in motion. And a whole lot of gratitude that you’re here for it.

Have you ever convinced yourself that if you could just understand why someone hurt you, you could finally move on? Same. In this solo episode, Malissa talks about the mental rabbit hole of trying to solve another person: childhood trauma, attachment styles, psychological frameworks, relationship patterns… surely if you find the right explanation, your brain will finally close the case. Except every answer seems to create another question. What if the search for understanding is actually keeping us connected to the very person we’re trying to move on from? Malissa explores confirmation bias, rumination, our brain’s craving for certainty, and the uncomfortable realization that closure may not come from finally figuring them out. Because maybe the case doesn’t end when you find the answer. Maybe it ends when you decide you don’t need one anymore. 🎙️ Mirror Mirror on the Mic

We all know the strong friend. She’s the one who answers the phone. The one who shows up. The one who remembers what everyone else needs. She’s capable, dependable, and usually the last person anyone thinks to worry about. But who’s checking on her? In this episode of Mirror Mirror on the Mic, we’re talking about what it actually means to support the person who seems like they have it all together. Because “Let me know if you need anything” sounds supportive, but when someone is already carrying too much, asking them to identify what they need, ask for it, and tell you how to help can become one more thing on their plate. We dig into why the “strong friend” can be so easy to overlook, what she may be carrying behind the scenes, and practical ways to show up for her without waiting for her to ask. We’re also talking about the other side of it: if you are the strong friend, how do you start letting people in? How do you stop measuring your worth by how much you can carry? And what happens when you finally admit, “Actually, I could use some help.” Send this episode to the strong friend in your life. And then maybe don’t just send it. Check on her, too. 💗 🎙️ Follow along: Instagram: @mirrormirroronthemic ✨ Ready for some support of your own? If you’re navigating burnout, a major life transition, or realizing you’ve spent so much time taking care of everyone else that you’re not even sure what you need anymore, coaching might be your next step. Work with Malissa: https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal 

What if the feeling that something is “off” isn’t something you’re supposed to ignore? This week, I'm joined by Heather Schmid, creator of the film Voice of the Earth, for a conversation about awakening, intuition, and what happens when women finally start listening to themselves. We talk about the signs we’re often taught to dismiss, the exhaustion that can come from living disconnected from yourself, and the uncomfortable questions that can change everything: Is this really what I want? Is this the life I want to keep living? Is this what I want my daughters to believe life is supposed to look like? Because sometimes the choice isn’t between an easy path and a hard one. Sometimes it’s between continuing down the path you already know… or having the courage to question it entirely. Heather shares her perspective on the feminine awakening she believes is happening around the world, why letting go can actually create more energy, and what it can look like to begin trusting your own voice again. If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be more than this,” this conversation is for you.