By the end of January, the noise usually fades.

The resolutions.
The pressure to reinvent.
The sense that you were supposed to have everything figured out by now.

This Season 2 opener of The Sync’d Self isn’t about starting over. It’s a check-in. A moment to slow down and reflect on what’s actually been showing up in your life so far this year.

In this episode, Jesse shares what it looks like to stay the same person while living with a little more honesty and a lot more intention—through real, everyday moments, not big declarations. We talk about common January myths, why motivation often fades, and how intentionality matters more once the newness wears off.

Jesse also offers a grounded look at where Season 2 is headed, with conversations around medication and mental health, grief, relationships, leadership, and identity—always keeping the focus on real life, not perfection.

If you’re listening and realizing you’re still very much you, this episode is here to remind you: that doesn’t mean you’re behind.

New year. Same you.
A little more honest.
A lot more intentional.
You are the expert in your own life.

We’re taught that the holidays are supposed to feel joyful—but for many people, they don’t.

This bonus episode of The Sync’d Self is an honest, grounded conversation about seasonal depression, grief, and the quiet stress that often shows up during the holidays—especially for those who are used to holding it together.

Joining me is Cesar Pacheco, LMFT, founder of Warrior Path Therapy. Together, we talk about why this season can feel heavier than expected, how seasonal affective disorder and emotional fatigue actually show up in real life, and why feeling more tired, numb, or “off” doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.

I also share personally about navigating the holidays for the first time after losing my mother—and how grief can change the way this season feels in ways that aren’t always visible to others.

This isn’t an episode about forcing positivity or fixing the holidays. It’s about naming what many people are feeling, normalizing it, and offering permission to move through this season with honesty, compassion, and care.

If the holidays feel different this year…
If your joy feels quieter…
If you’re just trying to get through it — this conversation is for you.

The Season 1 finale arrives with a message many of us didn’t know we needed: slow down, breathe, and recognize how much has shifted inside you this season.

This episode pulls together the breakthroughs, the tough truths, and the quiet inner work we’ve explored — from burnout and boundaries to micro-habits, emotional clarity, sleep, self-awareness, and the courage it takes to finally pause. It’s a moment to look at who you were when you started… and who you’re becoming now.

You’ll also hear the behind-the-scenes truth of building this show: the doubt, the late nights, the unexpected growth, and the overwhelming gratitude for every listener who chose to be part of this journey. The Sync’d Self has evolved into something deeper than a podcast — it’s become a space for reflection, healing, and honest connection. And that’s because of you.

If you’ve been feeling stretched thin, stuck in old patterns, or ready for a real reset, this finale meets you right where you are — and invites you into something more grounded, more clear, and more aligned.

Thank you for listening.

Thank you for growing.

Thank you for showing up for yourself.

Take a breath.

Settle in.

And get ready — this reset will stay with you long after the episode ends.

Why is it that the moment the world gets quiet, your mind gets loud?

Why do the hardest thoughts, the old memories, the fears, and the “what ifs” all seem to wait until you finally lie down to rest?

If you’ve ever felt exhausted but somehow still wide awake — this episode is going to feel like someone finally turned the lights on inside your experience.

In this deeply personal and eye-opening conversation, Jesse shares his own journey with sleepless nights — the racing thoughts, the tension that wouldn’t loosen, the nights where lying in bed felt anything but safe. He’s then joined by psychologist Dr. Liz Ross, Ph.D., owner of The Coping Resource Center in Houston, Texas, who breaks down what’s really happening behind the scenes when sleep stops working.

Together, they explore:

✨ Why the body can be tired but the brain refuses to turn off
✨ How anxiety, trauma, and hypervigilance show up at night
✨ Why nighttime becomes emotionally “loud” for so many people
✨ The real reason scrolling, numbing, or staying up late feel easier than trying to rest
✨ How your upbringing, identity, and nervous system shape your relationship with sleep
✨ What your restless nights might actually be trying to communicate
✨ Compassionate, realistic tools — not perfection, not aesthetics — that help the body feel safe enough to rest

This episode goes far beyond sleep hygiene.
It speaks to the person lying in bed with a tight chest.
The person who feels wired at midnight.
The person who dreads the quiet.
The person who thinks something is “wrong” with them.

It’s validation.
It’s clarity.
It’s a new understanding of your body’s attempts to protect you — even when those attempts keep you awake.

If you’ve been carrying a lot, if you’ve been pushing through your days and unraveling at night, if sleep has become confusing, unpredictable, or emotional… this conversation may be the reframe you’ve needed.

Real rest begins with understanding — and that’s exactly what this episode offers.

If you’ve ever kept yourself busy to avoid slowing down…

If stillness makes you anxious instead of calm…

If you’ve relied on work, scrolling, productivity, or even substances to take the edge off…

This episode is going to resonate deeply.

In this conversation with Paige Abbott, a Registered Psychologist and practice owner of Sana Psychological, we explore why many high-performing individuals struggle to acknowledge their emotions — and why slowing down can feel unsafe, overwhelming, or uncomfortable.

We talk about:

• Emotional numbness and why it shows up

• Busy schedules as a coping strategy

• How addiction often grows from avoidance, not “weakness”

• What happens when the body protects us by shutting down feelings

• Why stillness can activate the nervous system

• Boundaries that support emotional regulation

• How to begin reconnecting with yourself in small, doable ways

Paige brings nearly two decades of experience working with addiction, avoidance, and emotional processing — and her insights will help you see your coping patterns with more compassion and clarity.

If you’ve been moving fast for too long…

If you feel disconnected from yourself…

Or if you’re tired of holding everything together…

This episode is your invitation to pause, breathe, and feel again. 🤍

This episode is for the helpers — the teachers, caregivers, therapists, support staff, medical workers, social workers, and all of us who hold space for others every single day.

We talk a lot about caring for people… but we don’t often talk about the weight that comes with caring.

The emotional labor.

The quiet exhaustion.

The pressure to stay “strong,” steady, and supportive — even when we’re struggling ourselves.

In this conversation, I’m joined by Morgan, Special Education teacher, ABA graduate student, and founder of She Shapes Behavior, to explore what it really means to care deeply while still protecting your own energy.

We discuss:

• Compassion fatigue and the emotional toll of helping

• Why “being the strong one” feels so heavy

• The guilt that can show up when we try to set boundaries

• How to support others without disappearing in the process

• What sustainable, grounded care looks and feels like

If you’ve ever felt tired in a way that sleep doesn’t fix — this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

You are not alone. And your care matters — including the care you give to yourself.

We’ve all heard the voice that whispers:

“Who am I to be doing this?”

“What if I’m not good enough?”

“What if I mess up?”

In today’s episode, we’re talking honestly about perfectionism and imposter syndrome — the pressure to perform, to sound confident, to always have it together… even when we don’t.

I’ll share my own story of navigating these feelings while building The Sync’d Self, and how I learned to keep showing up — not because I had everything figured out, but because I didn’t.

We’ll unpack:

• Why your brain creates self-doubt (yes, there’s real psychology behind it 🌱)

• How “perfect” becomes the enemy of progress

• The micro-shifts that help you show up even when you’re unsure

• And how to start relating to yourself with more compassion

This one is for anyone who’s ever held themselves back because they didn’t feel ready, prepared, or “qualified enough.”

You don’t need to be perfect to make an impact.

You just need to show up — as you are — today.

Tune in, sync up, and thrive. ✨

Big dreams don’t start with giant leaps — they start with small, intentional steps.

In this milestone 10th episode of The Sync’d Self, host Jesse Quijada explores how micro-goals can help you beat procrastination, rewire your brain for progress, and turn small actions into unstoppable momentum.

Drawing on research from Harvard, Stanford, and leading psychologists, Jesse breaks down why our brains resist big goals, how dopamine drives motivation, and why celebrating small wins builds lasting confidence.

Whether you’re tackling burnout, rebuilding a habit, or just trying to move forward, this episode will remind you:

🌱 Progress isn’t about perfection — it’s about rhythm, repetition, and reward.

🎙 Tune in, sync up, and take your first small step toward big momentum.

#TheSyncdSelf #MomentumMindset #MicroGoals #WellnessJourney #MindBodyHustle