🎙️ Episode Title: The Next Right Things

Episode Description: Do you ever find yourself stuck—replaying a mistake, sitting in guilt, or continuing a pattern simply because it feels comfortable? In this first episode of 2026, Megan shares the phrase that’s helping her move forward when life feels heavy: The next right thing.

Instead of striving for perfection or getting trapped in regret, this episode invites you to pause, breathe, and ask one simple question that can shift everything. Whether you’re navigating parenting struggles, business mistakes, financial slip-ups, or just feeling behind, this episode is a reminder that progress doesn’t come from fixing everything at once—it comes from taking the next step forward.

This conversation is gentle, honest, and meant to meet you exactly where you are.

✨ In This Episode, We Talk About:

• Why we stay stuck in problems instead of moving forward
• How comfort can keep us repeating the same patterns
• What “The Next Right Thing” actually means in everyday life
• Letting go of guilt after mistakes—especially in parenting and business
• Why you don’t need a perfect plan to make progress
• How small, intentional steps can change the direction of your year

🧠 A Few Moments That May Hit Home:

• “We can’t go back—but we often sit in that space too long.”
• “The goal isn’t perfection. It’s forward motion.”
• “The next right thing after a mistake is learning—not spiraling.”

💛 Take This With You:

You don’t have to fix everything today. You don’t have to be perfect to move forward. All you need is the next right thing.

Sometimes that’s apologizing. Sometimes it’s resting. Sometimes it’s showing up again tomorrow.

🎧 Listen If You’re:

• Feeling stuck or behind as the new year begins
• Struggling with guilt after a mistake
• Trying to balance parenting, business, and personal growth
• Looking for a gentle, realistic way to move forward

In this episode, I’m reflecting on why this podcast began, what this first year has taught me, and where I’m heading next. What started as an idea that lived in my head for nearly two years turned into a space for honest, real-life conversations — the kind you’d have on the couch, in the car, or across the table with a cup of coffee.

This year wasn’t about perfection. It was about experimenting, showing up imperfectly, and figuring out if podcasting truly had a place in my life and business. And the answer is yes.

As I share this episode from the car while driving between North Carolina and Maryland during a big family transition, I open up about why these conversations matter so much to me — and why I believe they shouldn’t stop with just two people talking. Conversations that make us feel less alone, more inspired, more motivated, or simply understood deserve to be shared.

Looking ahead to 2026, I’m excited to commit more fully to this podcast with:

• Weekly episodes
• Guest conversations (at least one per month!)
• Continued discussions for moms, business owners, creatives, and women navigating full, meaningful lives

This next season feels like a full-circle moment — both personally and professionally — and I’m grateful to bring you along for the journey.

Whether this is your first episode or you’ve been here from the beginning, thank you for listening, supporting, and being part of The Photographer’s Couch.

Here’s to growth, potential, and meaningful conversations in the year ahead.

✨ What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• The original vision behind The Photographer’s Couch
• Why starting is often harder than continuing
• Lessons learned from a year of podcasting
• Why conversations help us feel less alone
• Reflections on purpose, potential, and personal growth
• What’s coming next for the podcast in 2026

As 2025 comes to a close, Megan shares an episode straight from the heart — not about hustle, resolutions, or last-minute goals, but about what it really means to finish strong.

Recorded just after Christmas, this episode of The Photographer’s Couch is your gentle reminder that “finishing strong” isn’t about checking more boxes — it’s about reflection, honesty, and grace. Megan invites you to pause before stepping into 2026 and take a real look at your year — the good, the hard, and the in-between — and ask yourself:

“What could I have done differently? What do I want to carry forward? And what am I proud of?”

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🧠 Key Takeaways

• Finishing strong doesn’t mean doing more. It’s not about squeezing in extra workouts, cleaning your house, or hitting one more business goal. It’s about mental strength — awareness, reflection, and honesty.

• Look in the mirror. Ask yourself what worked, what didn’t, and what was in your control that you didn’t take control of. Awareness leads to growth.

• Don’t beat yourself up. Growth doesn’t come from shame — it comes from grace and self-compassion.

• Don’t get complacent. Improvement isn’t the same as fulfillment. Just because things are “better than last year” doesn’t mean you stop striving for more meaning or joy.

• Be proud. Even if this year was tough, there is something to be grateful for — a small win, a relationship, a lesson learned, or simply the fact that you made it through.

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💬 Megan’s Reflection

“The strongest person is the one who can look in the mirror and say,

‘Here’s what I could have done differently — and here’s what I’m going to do moving forward.’”

As Megan reflects on her own journey, she reminds listeners that reflection isn’t about regret — it’s about clarity. Every year offers a chance to reset and realign, but the work starts now, before the new year even begins.

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💡 A Simple Challenge

Before you flip the calendar to 2026, take five quiet minutes to ask yourself:

1. What could I have done better or differently this year?

2. What am I proud of or grateful for?

3. What’s one thing I want to carry with me into the new year?

Write it down. Say it out loud. Or simply take a moment to acknowledge it.

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✨ A Sneak Peek

Stay tuned for the final episode of 2025 releasing on New Year’s Eve, where Megan shares her personal routines and mindset practices to start 2026 strong and intentional.

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🗣️ Connect with Megan

If this episode resonated with you, share your reflections or your favorite 2025 moment with Megan.

Find her at https://www.mgioeliphotography.com or on Instagram @mgioeliphotography (https://www.instagram.com/mgioeliphotography).