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Welcome to her time to Talk. I'm Megan Clark, a licensed professional counselor and the founder of Her Time Therapy, a group practice dedicated to supporting women's mental health. This podcast is for women by women, and is all about creating a safe place for our experiences, amplifying our voices, and empowering each other with the knowledge to improve our mental health.

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Hi friends, and welcome to this special end of the year and end of season one, wrap up to her time to talk. Today I wanna talk to you about stepping into the new year in a way that is gentle, empowering, and truly for you, not for anyone else. If you stick with me until the end of this episode, I have a free gift that will help you make the most of the new year and your personal growth journey. If you're a woman, you know what it's like to be under constant pressure, to look a certain way do more work manage relationships perfectly, and basically have it all together. when we can't live up to those impossible standards, we feel terrible. That's when that vicious negative self-talk starts. I'm not enough. I should be doing more. I should be able to do all of this. I'm a failure even. I'm sure for a lot of you listening, that sounds familiar, and this year I want to invite you to pause that cycle. Instead of setting harsh resolutions or trying to change everything about yourself to fit society's checklist of who you should be and how you should look, let's talk about setting intentions that are truly for you, intentions that honor your body, mind, relationships, and what you want for your life. here's the key. Intentions are different from resolutions. Resolutions often set you up to fail. They're about achieving something external or proving something to the world by achieving a nearly unattainable goal. Intentions on the other hand, are about aligning with what you actually want and need. They leave room for compassion and flexibility. Research on goal setting shows that realistic values, aligned goals are far more likely to create lasting change than any kind of vague, socially dictated ones. So this year, instead of saying, I'm gonna try to lose 20 pounds by March, or I'm going to finally be the perfect mom or partner or employee, try asking yourself, what do I truly want for myself this year? What kind of relationship with my body, my mind, and my emotions feels sustainable and nourishing. What do I want to experience, feel, or create? Not what I think I should want to feel, experience, or create according to someone else or to societal standards. For example, some very female centered intentions might sound something like. I will move my body in ways that feel good and joyful not to punish it, or to deserve to eat. I'll carve out one hour each week just for myself, whether that's therapy, reading, or rest. That hour doesn't need to happen on the same day or the same time every week. You can be flexible with yourself and the demands of your life. Another intention might sound like I will set boundaries in my relationships that protect my energy and my voice, and I will ask for what I need, when I need it from the people who love and care about me. notice how none of those intentions are about performing for others. They're all about you, your wellbeing and your desires. One concrete way to honor yourself this year is by making therapy and intention part of your bigger self-care goals. what would it be like to have even just one hour every week that is completely dedicated to you? Therapy isn't about fixing yourself or being broken. It's a dedicated time each week to deepen your relationship with yourself, by paying attention to your thoughts, feelings, and patterns. It's a place to heal from past traumas or ongoing stress. Ultimately, it's a place to strengthen your confidence, relationships, and ability to reach your life goals. When you set an intention for the new year to take time for yourself, to care for, and love yourself through an activity such as joyful movement, creativity, or therapy, you're showing yourself that you matter. Your mental health matters and your growth matters. the benefits of this will be exponential, not just for you, but for the work you do, the relationships you nurture, and the life that you wanna create. So here's a simple framework for setting kind you centered intentions this year. start by reflecting on your current season of life. What do you have going on? Are you starting a new job? Do you have a baby at home? Maybe things are pretty calm right now, and you're in a routine. Think about what is realistic, given your energy, your obligations, and your needs. Next, I encourage you to focus on what you want, not what society wants, what your parents are pushing you to do, or what you're seeing on social media. think about breaking that image into the smallest, most actionable steps possible. Remember, progress and consistency is gonna be far more sustainable than perfection ever can be. And lastly, remember to stop and celebrate yourself along the way. Every intentional choice, even tiny ones are meaningful and they deserve some acknowledgement because it builds momentum and motivation to do the next small step for yourself. lastly, no matter what's going on or what that negative self-talk is telling you, you are enough just as you are. Your intentions are a gift to yourself, not a punishment. If you choose to set intentions this year, which I wanna remind you is. Not required. You can absolutely set an intention not to have any intentions or resolutions this year, and that is also totally fine. Intentions are a radical act of self-care in a society that constantly asks women to give more and do more than is sustainable for any person. So as we wrap up season one of her time to talk, my hope for you is that the new year brings more self-compassion, more clarity, and more connection. I hope that you can treat yourself as the most important project that you'll ever work on because you are. If making therapy a part of your year feels like a supportive next step, know that it's not just an hour of your time. It's an investment in yourself and the future that you want to live and look forward to. Thank you so much for listening to season one of her time to talk before we part for the holidays, here's that free gift that I mentioned for you. In the show notes, you'll find a link to download our brand new guide called Her Time to Heal, a Woman's Guide to Starting and Succeeding in Therapy. This guide has over 30 pages and was created by myself and other licensed mental health therapists who specialize in women's mental health. It's full of educational content, guiding prompts and resources to help women who are just getting started in therapy or who are already in therapy and wanna deepen their work. This guide has tons of resources to help you work through identifying your goals. It helps you find the right therapist and plan for your therapy appointments while keeping the work going between sessions so that you reach your goals faster. We have so many exciting episodes and guests planned for you in the new year, so I hope you stay tuned for season two, which we'll be launching soon. I wish you all a happy new year filled with intentional, gentle, and joy filled choices that truly honor you and the life that you want to live.

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If you're feeling empowered by today's episode, be sure to subscribe and leave us a review. You can also follow us on social media at her time to talk for more updates and tips. And if you'd like to support the show, consider becoming a patron. If you're ready to take the next step in your mental health journey, visit her time therapy.com and schedule a free consultation with one of our therapists. Thank you for taking the time to talk today. Remember, your story matters. Your voice is powerful, and your mental health is worth prioritizing. Until next time, take care of yourself. This is your time. The information shared on this podcast is not intended to be personal mental health advice, and listening to this podcast does not create a therapeutic relationship between the listener and the therapist featured on this podcast. We encourage listeners to engage with a licensed therapist for personalized mental health treatment and advice.