Mirror Mirror On the Mic

I Don’t Know What I’m Building Yet. I’m Just Showing Up.
This one is a little stream of consciousness. A little life update. A little gratitude. And maybe a reminder that you don’t have to know exactly where something is going to keep going.
We’re talking about emotions and what happens when we stop treating every feeling like an emergency. Emotions are waves. They rise, they peak, and eventually, they fall.
I’m also talking about social media, this podcast, and whatever it is I seem to be building right now. Because the truth is, I don’t completely know what it is yet. I just know I keep showing up.
And somewhere along the way, people started listening. Not just here, but in countries all over the world. Which is equal parts surreal, humbling, and incredibly freaking cool.
Maybe we don’t always need the five-year plan. Maybe sometimes the next right thing is simply to feel what we’re feeling, let the wave pass, and keep showing up for the thing that keeps calling us back.
So that’s where I am this week.
No perfectly packaged lesson. No neat little bow.
Just life in motion. And a whole lot of gratitude that you’re here for it.

Have you ever convinced yourself that if you could just understand why someone hurt you, you could finally move on?
Same.
In this solo episode, Malissa talks about the mental rabbit hole of trying to solve another person: childhood trauma, attachment styles, psychological frameworks, relationship patterns… surely if you find the right explanation, your brain will finally close the case.
Except every answer seems to create another question.
What if the search for understanding is actually keeping us connected to the very person we’re trying to move on from?
Malissa explores confirmation bias, rumination, our brain’s craving for certainty, and the uncomfortable realization that closure may not come from finally figuring them out.
Because maybe the case doesn’t end when you find the answer.
Maybe it ends when you decide you don’t need one anymore.
🎙️ Mirror Mirror on the Mic

We all know the strong friend.
She’s the one who answers the phone. The one who shows up. The one who remembers what everyone else needs. She’s capable, dependable, and usually the last person anyone thinks to worry about.
But who’s checking on her?
In this episode of Mirror Mirror on the Mic, we’re talking about what it actually means to support the person who seems like they have it all together. Because “Let me know if you need anything” sounds supportive, but when someone is already carrying too much, asking them to identify what they need, ask for it, and tell you how to help can become one more thing on their plate.
We dig into why the “strong friend” can be so easy to overlook, what she may be carrying behind the scenes, and practical ways to show up for her without waiting for her to ask.
We’re also talking about the other side of it: if you are the strong friend, how do you start letting people in? How do you stop measuring your worth by how much you can carry? And what happens when you finally admit, “Actually, I could use some help.”
Send this episode to the strong friend in your life. And then maybe don’t just send it. Check on her, too. 💗
🎙️ Follow along:Instagram: @mirrormirroronthemic
✨ Ready for some support of your own?If you’re navigating burnout, a major life transition, or realizing you’ve spent so much time taking care of everyone else that you’re not even sure what you need anymore, coaching might be your next step.
Work with Malissa: https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal 

What if the feeling that something is “off” isn’t something you’re supposed to ignore?
This week, I'm joined by Heather Schmid, creator of the film Voice of the Earth, for a conversation about awakening, intuition, and what happens when women finally start listening to themselves.
We talk about the signs we’re often taught to dismiss, the exhaustion that can come from living disconnected from yourself, and the uncomfortable questions that can change everything: Is this really what I want? Is this the life I want to keep living? Is this what I want my daughters to believe life is supposed to look like?
Because sometimes the choice isn’t between an easy path and a hard one. Sometimes it’s between continuing down the path you already know… or having the courage to question it entirely.
Heather shares her perspective on the feminine awakening she believes is happening around the world, why letting go can actually create more energy, and what it can look like to begin trusting your own voice again.
If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be more than this,” this conversation is for you.

This week, you asked the questions…and we’re definitely not sugarcoating the answers. 🎙️
Malissa and Inez are diving into real listener dilemmas about the things so many women are quietly trying to figure out: burnout, breakups, boundaries, friendship, and what happens when you realize you can’t keep carrying everything yourself.
What do you do when you know you need to delegate, but no one does things quite like you? How do you respond when friends who disappeared during your hardest season suddenly come back? And when a relationship ends and everyone tells you to “focus on yourself”…what does that actually mean if you’ve spent your whole life looking outside of yourself for happiness?
There may not be perfect answers, but there are some uncomfortable truths worth talking about.
You asked. We’re not sugarcoating it.
🎧 Listen now, and if you have a question you want us to tackle in a future episode, send it our way.
CONNECT WITH US
🎙️ Follow Mirror Mirror on the Mic: Instagram @mirrormirroronthemic✨ Coaching with Malissa: https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal 

What would change if we all got a little better at owning our stuff?
In this episode of Mirror Mirror on the Mic, I'm joined by my business coach, mentor, and author of Own Thy Stuff, Joe Machicote, for a conversation about accountability, leadership, relationships, growth, and what it actually looks like to take responsibility for the way we show up.
Joe shares why accountability isn't about being perfect or taking the blame for everything. It's about recognizing the part that's yours, owning it, repairing when necessary, and moving forward.
We talk about how this shows up everywhere: in leadership, marriage, parenting, difficult conversations, and the relationship we have with ourselves.
One of my favorite reminders from this conversation?
True growth isn't about becoming superior to someone else. It's about becoming better than the version of yourself you were yesterday.
If you've ever struggled with accountability, communication, boundaries, or simply figuring out what part of a situation is actually yours to own, this conversation is for you.
IN THIS EPISODE:
What it really means to "own thy stuff"
Why accountability and shame are not the same thing
How tone, intention, and impact affect our relationships
What strong leaders understand about personal responsibility
Repairing after we get it wrong
Why becoming better doesn't require becoming perfect
📚 GET JOE'S BOOKOwn Thy Stuffhttps://a.co/d/01pn0wV1 
CONNECT WITH JOELinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-machicote-a3858a5/
💗 WORK WITH MALISSA
If you're ready to rebuild your confidence, get out of survival mode, and start creating a life that feels like yours again, I offer one-on-one coaching for women ready to take that next step.
Coaching: https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal 
🎙️ CONNECT WITH MIRROR MIRROR ON THE MIC
Instagram: @mirrormirroronthemic
If this episode resonated with you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review. It helps more people find these conversations.
Until next time, keep looking in the mirror. 🤍

What would happen to humanity if everyone knew exactly how much time they had left?
And what if that time ended at 22?
In this episode of Mirror Mirror on the Mic, Malissa sits down with T.A. Thompson, author of the dystopian novel The Mark, to explore a world where no one lives past the age of 22.
It creates a fascinating question: What happens to a society when there is no long term?
When life has a hard expiration date, urgency changes. Maturity changes. Relationships change. And the consequences of today’s decisions become someone else’s problem because, quite literally, you won’t be around to see them.
Malissa and T.A. unpack the ideas beneath The Mark: how the limitation of time shapes human behavior, what happens when a society is run by people who never have the opportunity to grow old, and whether wisdom itself requires something we often take for granted: time.
They explore mortality, responsibility, power, human nature, our ability to imagine a future beyond ourselves and the uncomfortable question of how much our choices would change if we knew we’d never live long enough to experience their consequences.
And because this is Mirror Mirror on the Mic, the conversation also somehow ends up involving sharks. 🦈
If you love stories that entertain you and then follow you around asking existential questions for the next three days, this episode is for you.
📚 Grab a copy of T.A. Thompson’s The Mark and ask yourself: What would you do differently if you knew exactly how much time you had? https://a.co/d/0iN47sDN 
And maybe that question doesn’t only belong in dystopian fiction.
Because none of us actually knows how much time we have.
If you’re ready to stop spending yours in survival mode, Malissa works with women and organizations ready to move toward calm, clarity, confidence, and intentional action.
✨ 1:1 Coaching for women ready to stop living in constant reaction and intentionally create what comes next.
🎤 Speaking Engagements for organizations looking for honest, human conversations about resilience, leadership, burnout, rebuilding, and the power of calm.
🌿 Workshops for groups of women ready to regulate the noise, reconnect with themselves, and move forward from a steadier place.
Ready to bring more calm into your life, your team, or your community? Connect with Malissa to explore coaching, speaking, or workshop opportunities. https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal 
We may not know how much time we have. But we do get to decide how we spend it.

There are some teachers on this planet who never learned our language...yet somehow understand us better than we understand ourselves.
In this fascinating conversation, we welcome back coach and horse-guided facilitator Nell Debevoise Dewey to explore what horses can teach us about emotional regulation, leadership, healing, and being fully present.
You'll learn why horses have survived for nearly 56 million years, how their remarkable hearts create powerful electromagnetic fields that can help regulate our nervous systems, and why they instinctively conserve energy instead of fighting against life. Along the way, we uncover surprising lessons about stress, intuition, connection, and what it means to truly feel safe.
Whether you've spent your life around horses or have never been near one, this episode will leave you looking at both animals and yourself in a completely different way.
In this episode, we explore:
Why horses have survived for millions of years
The fascinating science behind horses and nervous system regulation
What horses teach us about emotional awareness and leadership
Why slowing down is often our greatest source of strength
How connection, not control, creates transformation
If this conversation resonates with you, we'd love for you to leave a review, share the episode with someone who needs it, and subscribe so you never miss a conversation.
✨ Interested in coaching with Malissa? https://stan.store/MalissaConnorsCoaching/p/coaching-call-wmal 
✨ Learn more about Nell and Kelly's horse-guided retreats in the show notes.
https://www.equusinspired.com/-retreats 
https://nell3d.substack.com/ 
Sometimes the greatest wisdom doesn't come from another person.
Sometimes...it has four legs and a really big heart.

What If Your Life Doesn't Follow the Script?
From the time we're young, many women are handed the same blueprint: grow up, find a partner, get married, have children. But what happens when your life takes a different path? And why does that make so many people uncomfortable?
In this honest and heartfelt panel discussion, Malissa and Inez are joined by two incredible women who have chosen lives without children. Together, they explore the expectations society places on women, the questions they're constantly asked, the assumptions people make, and the freedom that comes from living authentically.
This isn't a conversation about whether women should or shouldn't have children. It's about something much bigger: honoring the fact that every woman's journey is different.
Whether you're a mom, child-free by choice, navigating infertility, still deciding, or simply someone who believes women deserve the freedom to define success for themselves, this episode invites you to listen with curiosity and compassion.
Because a meaningful life doesn't come from following someone else's script.
It comes from having the courage to write your own.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why women are so often expected to justify their life choices.
The difference between choosing a child-free life and grieving a life you hoped for.
How societal expectations shape our ideas of fulfillment.
Why empathy matters more than assumptions.
What it means to create a life that feels authentic to you.
✨ If this conversation resonated with you, we'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who could use the reminder that there is no one "right" way to build a beautiful life.
Connect with us:📱 Follow us on social: @mirrormirroronthemic
Interested in coaching or bringing Malissa to speak at your organization? Email me at mirrormirroronthemic@gmail.com 

What do aliens, stand-up comedy, mental illness, and chasing impossible dreams have in common?
More than you'd think.
This week on Mirror Mirror on the Mic, I sit down with comedian, writer, and creator Rosie Tran for a conversation that starts with one ridiculous question ("How would you explain humans to aliens?") and somehow turns into one of the most honest discussions we've had about resilience, rejection, and believing in yourself.
Rosie shares what it's really like to be a woman in comedy, the highs and lows of performing for live audiences, and why bombing on stage isn't the end of the world. She also tells the incredible story behind Rosie Tran Presents, the show she created after being told "no," choosing to invest her own life savings to bring her vision to life instead of waiting for someone else's permission.
One of my favorite moments comes when Rosie compares comedy to music. Not everyone loves jazz, and that doesn't make the musician bad. The same is true for comedians, creators, entrepreneurs, and honestly...all of us. You don't have to be for everyone. You just have to find the people you're meant to reach.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why rejection doesn't always mean you're on the wrong path
The reality of being a woman in stand-up comedy
Mental health and finding humor in life's hardest moments
What bombing on stage can teach us about resilience
Why waiting for permission keeps so many dreams on the shelf
The courage to keep going, even when the evidence says you shouldn't
Whether you're building a business, changing careers, pursuing a creative dream, or simply trying to trust yourself again, this conversation is a reminder that the people who eventually succeed aren't always the most talented. Often, they're the ones who decide to keep going anyway.
Connect with Rosie Tran on Instagram @rosietranpresntstvBe sure to check out Rosie Tran Presents and follow Rosie to see what she's creating next.
If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear from you. Please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the reminder to keep believing in themselves.
If you're looking for career coaching, leadership development, keynote speaking, or support as you navigate your next chapter, you'll find all of my coaching and speaking information @mirrormirroronthemic on Instagram 
Thanks for listening to Mirror Mirror on the Mic. ❤️