When Growth Becomes a Performance: You Don’t Have to Heal on Display

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Somewhere along the way, growth got marketed like a lifestyle brand.
If you're not posting your latest breakthrough, journaling five pages before sunrise, meditating with crystals, or sipping mushroom tea under a full moon… are you even growing?

And when you're not doing all those things? It’s easy to feel like you’re failing. Like you're "behind" or "doing it wrong."

But here’s the truth most people won’t say out loud:
Some of the deepest growth looks like finally resting without guilt.
Saying "I don't know" without shame.
Letting yourself simply exist without needing to fix, improve, or perform.

You don't need a highlight reel to prove you're healing.
Real transformation isn’t loud—it’s honest. And sometimes, it’s invisible to everyone but you.

That’s why we’re sipping on Aligoté this episode—a crisp, soulful varietal often overshadowed by flashier wines. It doesn’t need to steal the spotlight to be worth savoring. Just like real growth—it’s not here to impress; it’s here to be real.

This beautiful wine pick was requested by one of my dearest friends, Kayla Koep (thank you, Blinkie!), and it's the perfect pour for today’s conversation. 

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Tag me on Instagram @sipswithdenise or email me at [e-mail]—I’d love to know how these moments land for you.

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Have a topic you’d love to hear explored—whether it’s in the spiritual realm or the world of wine? Or maybe a favorite wine you’d love to see paired with a deeper theme? Let me know. You just might hear it featured in a future episode.