In this refreshingly honest episode of The Ms. Michaela Mae Show, Michaela peels back the curtain on what really happens after you publish your first book. Spoiler: the world doesn’t suddenly make sense, the heavens don’t part, and you still wake up with the same thoughts you had before launch day.
With humor, humility, and her signature heart, Michaela talks about chasing validation through achievements, realizing that no external milestone can fix an internal wound, and how “wherever you go, there you are” became the theme of her Saturn return. She shares the lessons she learned about self-worth, taking herself for granted, and finding peace in simply being proud of the woman she’s become — book or no book.
It’s a gentle wake-up call for every creative who’s ever thought, “If I just finish this thing, then I’ll finally feel enough.” Spoiler #2: you already are.
CHAPTERS
00:00 — Welcome to The Ms. Michaela Mae Show
02:10 — Why publishing my book didn’t fix anything
06:45 — The illusion of accomplishment as validation
12:00 — “Wherever you go, there you are” — and what that really means
18:30 — Taking myself for granted (and how to stop)
24:20 — Learning to feel accomplished without needing proof
KEYWORDS
writing journey, creative process, self-worth, validation, personal growth, healing, Saturn return, mental health, emotional awareness, authenticity, self-acceptance, The Ms. Michaela Mae Show
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
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