and I didn't die

Making new friends as an adult can feel risky, emotionally and physically. What if it’s awkward? What if you don’t click? What if they kidnap you in the desert?

But also what if it all goes right? 

In this episode, I share the story of visiting my friend Reiko, someone I’d only ever seen on Zoom, and what it taught me about receiving care, hospitality, and friendship without feeling like I had to “earn it.”

If you’ve ever found it eas...

Making new friends as an adult can feel awkward, intimidating, and sometimes downright impossible. But it doesn't have to be.

In this episode, I share how I used my own framework to make friends as an introvert, my mind drama along the way, and how having dinner with 5 strangers on a Wednesday night worked out. I talk about choosing friendship instead of waiting to be chosen, and how to keep the process light and fun for yourself.

If...

I was elbow deep in Dungeness crab, and I hadn’t planned to say it, but I did. I told my mom to seek the help of a therapist instead of venting to me. And thankfully, none of my worst fears came true. 

In this episode, I share what led to that scary moment that stresses me out just thinking about it and what happened after. I reflect on the unspoken emotional labor in immigrant families, and how we get to shape our relationships wit...

I thought becoming valedictorian would feel like a win. Instead, it felt like a quiet defeat, involving an unchosen rivalry with a white boy, a speech I didn’t want to give, and an achievement that created some of the loneliness moments of my life.

In this episode, I revisit a chapter of my life where I did “everything right” on paper, but still felt invisible. I reflect a bit the model minority myth, and I finally share what I was ...

What starts as a story about missing highlighters quickly unfolds into something deeper... resentment, family dynamics, and the invisible pressure of being the eldest daughter

In this episode, I revisit a childhood moment that left me confused, silenced, and questioning right and wrong. I unpack how resentment shows up, why it’s often misunderstood, and what it actually has to teach us.

If you’ve ever held back your voice to keep th...

After two years of Ask an Introvert, I did something that scared the sh*t out of me... I rebranded the podcast.

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of why I changed the name and how and I didn’t die reflects the version of me I’m becoming. I share what I was afraid of (like saying the wrong thing, outgrowing an identity, and disappointing loyal listeners), what shifted in me, and what’s coming next.

If you’ve ever felt like...

The chaos and uncertainty of the outside world is impacting my mental clarity and productivity. What's keeping me rooted in a life I love is my latest vision board.

In this episode, I share personal examples from my vision board and share scientific insights on why vision boards work. I also invite you to my upcoming workshop :)

--

Join us at the Vision Board Into Action Workshop: https://lu.ma/r6jcx7xn

--

(00:20) The Chaos and Brain Fo...

Spilling the tea on my luxurious birthday celebration held at a chef's home in San Francisco. I share what I was anxious about leading up to the event, how it went, and how I felt and feel now that it’s all over.

And of course how I made it more me and made it quintessentially Jennifer :)

(00:34) What I Was Actually Afraid Of

(04:30) The Week Leading Up to the Party

(08:50) The Big Day and My Big Mistake

(21:20) Post-Party Emotiona...

Sharing my experience with planning an audacious birthday celebration for myself. My goal was to be bolder and grow my comfort zone in how I practice self-celebration.

I put myself through a ton of mental gymnastics and practiced self-coaching and leadership to be able to claim what I wanted and to celebrate this way.

(00:26) The Concept of “JENNuary”

(01:41) Planning the Celebration

(03:23) Overcoming Mental Gymnastics

(05:31) Fin...

In this episode, I play the Self Love version of the We’re Not Really Strangers game in real time, exploring past, present, and future versions of myself.

Reflecting candidly and openly, I share insights on and stories about my journey of self love and cultivating my dream life to set the stage for the new year.

--

Contribute to the "advice column vibes" and make your ask at https://byjenniferho.com/askanintrovert

Curious about Tak...

I recently re-entered the dating world, and it is a total mindf*ck, in the worst way. Self leadership has helped me stay aligned with my intentions and continue to trust myself on this journey.

November marked the first chapter of my return to dating, and in this episode, I share my personal experiences including considering a casual “relationship.”

(01:25) Navigating Modern Dating Norms and Unspoken Rules

(03:31) First Steps and M...

I recently re-entered the dating world, and it is a total mindf*ck, in the worst way. Self leadership has helped me set boundaries and personal standards to manage my energy as I navigate online dating.

Tune in for practical advice and mindset tools for intentional introverts looking for love (or tea lol).

(00:17) My Personal Journey and Dating Insights

(03:53) Embracing Self-Leadership

(06:38) Navigating Online Dating aka Online S...

Join me as I practice self-leadership and honestly reflect on my progress towards my 2024 goal of producing 24 podcast episodes. Despite feeling pessimistic and overwhelmed by this goal, I navigated through all the muck in my brain, revisited my original intentions, and developed a three-step approach for dealing with unmet goals.

(00:15) Reflecting on 2024 Goals

(00:38) Facing the Reality of Unmet Goals

(01:51) Embracing Honest Re...

Look back on my "funemployment" period between jobs with me. Back in June, I took two weeks off after leaving a heavy work environment.

I answer community questions about my approach, sharing insights from my break, how I managed finances, and what I did to prepare for a new work environment.

(00:56) Defining Funemployment for Me

(02:00) Navigating Social Dynamics

(04:41) The Joy of Unstructured Days

(05:31) Activities I Found Reju...

I explore the dynamics of being a 'third wheel,' especially for introverts. To navigate feeling left out, I share about reframing your role from being an “extra” and offer advice for both single individuals and couples on nurturing inclusive friendships, emphasizing open communication and self-awareness. No one’s relationship status defines or undermines their worth.

(00:34) The Third Wheel Dilemma

(02:39) Struggling with Singledom

I took this chance to defy my Capricorn tendency of having conversations in my head by truly going off-the-cuff and yapping away about my evolution since 2021.

I’ll read from an old journal entry and comment on the 5 reasons I adopted for living an intentional life, and share how community, self-celebration, and embracing myself has led to my dream life.

(00:00) Overriding My Capricorn Tendency

(00:51) Basking in Introspection

(02:...

People are still asking me about my new job and how I got it, so I sat down to record this once and for all.

I'm breaking down my one week-ish job search back in May.

Most of this is not going to be tactical advice because where I put my focus had less to do with tactics and more to do with my mindset and energy - energy as in my presence and how I show up, not as in source of power or the capacity to do things.

(00:55) Mindse...

Dive deep with me into my recent struggles with being consistent with this podcast. This is my candid share about how I went from discomfort to decisive action, exploring the mental roadblocks and self-imposed rules that held me back.

Simplifying my process, redefining my podcasting identity, and setting realistic goals that make things easier for myself gave me a renewed sense of commitment.

--

(00:29) A Listener's Encouragin...