This is a super vulnerable and real conversation with my childhood friend, Mallory Andrews, about what it means to trust yourself when everything you've known begins to shift. Mallory opens up about walking away from her evangelical Christian community and the recent end of her almost 20-year marriage—and what both experiences have taught her about true belonging.
We cover:
Why leaving a community can bring both relief and grief at the same time
How the pressure to conform removes the ability to be fully engaged and attached to people
Why it’s not always true that during hard seasons we need to reach out…sometimes that cocooning period is helpful
…and more.
Whether you're navigating a shift in faith, relationships, or identity, this episode is a reminder that you deserve to belong exactly as you are — no performance required.
MENTIONED THIS EPISODE:
Ep 71: How Growing Up in a Cult Made Me More Intentional
MALLORY ANDREWS:
Instagram: @lifebymallory
Substack: If I’m Being Honest
PARING DOWN (SHANNON LEYKO):
Sign up for my newsletter! The L.E.S.S. Express
Website: www.shannonleyko.com
Instagram: @shannonleyko
TikTok: @shannon_leyko
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shannonleyko
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shannonleyko.paringdown
Substack: Blog & Additional Support (free trial!)
PARING DOWN RESOURCES: CLICK HERE for free checklist, hacks, worksheet, & more!
SPONSORS:
$250 off Air Doctor Pro air purifier: https://airdoctorpro.com/ - Use code PARING
Get 10% off your first order of OSEA skincare (sitewide) with code PARING at OSEAMalibu.com
Go to BornShoes.com today for a 15% discount plus free ground shipping on all full-price shoes when you use my promo code, PARING
10 Free Meals from Hello Fresh + Free Breakfast For Life: www.hellofresh.com/paring10fm
Only $2.99 per meal from Every Plate + 10% off for a month: www.everyplate.com/podcast - CODE: paring299
Ethical, luxury women's clothing at Quince.com/paring for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!
Find furniture, decor, and essentials that fit your unique style and budget. https://www.wayfair.com/
20% OFF any AquaTru water purifier when you go to AquaTru.com and use promo code PARING
15% off oneskin.co/PARING with code PARING
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com