In this episode, Monique unpacks the perfectionist spiral — the one that disguises fear as high standards. She shares how writing her book became a masterclass in learning to let go of control, embrace “good enough,” and separate the work of creating from the work of perfecting.

If you’ve ever delayed a project because it wasn’t “ready” yet, this one’s for you. You’ll learn how perfectionism quietly keeps us small, why it’s really about fear, and how to take your next step — imperfectly, but bravely.

It starts as heat across your face.

A flash in your chest.

That uneasy mix of anger, shame, and comparison that we don’t like to admit out loud.

We’ve all felt it: jealousy. Especially in our creative work, where someone else’s success can feel like proof we’re falling behind.

In this episode of Spiraling Forward, Monique unpacks “The Jealousy Signal”, the spiral that shows up when another creative gets what we want, and we start rewriting their story to feel better about our own.

Through a raw personal story about losing a friendship, she explores:

• Why jealousy isn’t random, it’s information pointing to what still matters to us.
• How jealousy often hides a layer of grief for the future we thought we’d have by now.
• How to transform jealousy from self-criticism into clarity and direction.

Monique also shares a simple Tiny Action you can try the next time jealousy flares up, one that helps you decode the feeling instead of drowning in it.

Because when we stop treating jealousy as proof that something’s wrong with us, we can finally start hearing what it’s been trying to say all along.

• Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/spiralingforward
• Follow me on Instagram: @taketinyaction

We’ve all heard the advice: “Just post the content.” But what if showing up online isn’t actually that simple?

In this episode of Spiraling Forward, I share one of the spirals I return to again and again: the struggle over visibility. I’ll take you inside the loop of feeling inspired, hitting a wall of fear, retreating, and then spiraling into shame — and why it’s not just about internet anxiety.

Through my own story, I explore:

• Why visibility often feels more like exposure than opportunity
• How old protective patterns from childhood still shape the way we show up online
• Why your nervous system, not your willpower, holds the key to breaking the spiral
• A simple practice you can use to start teaching your system that visibility can be safe

If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t just “get over it” and put yourself out there, this episode will help you name the pattern underneath the fear and begin the gentle work of updating your internal code.

Share this episode with a friend who’s navigating their own visibility spiral.

• Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/spiralingforward
• Follow me on Instagram: @moniquemalcolm