Note to Self

#268. Before I go on podcast-sabbatical, I’m leaving you with an assignment: your Q4 agenda. This isn’t a winter arc, a life reset, or a list of impossible habits to master before January; it’s 20 worthwhile things to do with the last few months of the year. Think: getting your money and digital life in order, hosting people you love, learning a forever dish, starting something new, building a per...

#267. This week, we’re talking about three ideas making my life materially better (none of them are for sale). Satisficing, raising my uncertainty threshold, and creating as a response to over-thinking. BTW– next week’s episode is my last episode before a fall break!                       ...

#266. In this installment of ASK P, we’re hearing from listeners about surprise breakups, pending breakups, adapting to life post-college, and losing your virginity in your 20s. This is the last ASK P of 2026 — be back in 2027!                            &nbsp...

#265. I’m back with a quarterly favorites episode, this time helping you achieve your coziest fall ever. We’re starting with style– think investment pieces, trends, where to shop– moving on to beauty favorites, home decor swaps, what I’m making in the kitchen, fall rituals, and more. SHOP FALL FAVORITES:  Style Favorites: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/1094536   Beauty, Home, Etc Fav...

#264. Unfortunately, summer is coming to an end (though I'm not ready to admit it). Nonetheless, we have a lot to catch up on. I'm going through the whole summer — France, Texas, Joe's season, Los Angeles, Georgetown, the National Security Summit — plus what this fall looks like heading into the hardest course of my program. I also have some news about the show. FOLLOW PAYTON: https://instagram.co...

#263. Everyone's talking about the oxytocin menu, so this week I'm building mine — with a very honest look at what the research actually supports. Built like the dopamine menu, this episode includes Oxytocin appetizers through specials: the 20-second hug, the long phone call, the standing weekly thing.     FOLLOW PAYTON: https://instagram.com/paytonross    https://www...

#262. We’re talking about the realities of Beauty Maxxing, the good & the bad, with Caroline Stern. In this episode, we are sharing procedures we’ve undergone, what we regret, and touch on the emotional side of beauty maxxing and the desire to change yourself. How far is too far? What is worth the price? Where does one draw the line? All in this episode of Note to Self.    &nbsp...

#261. Kristen went on a date with her task rabbit. Emon can’t stop talking about 4d movies and her nemesis from 2nd grade. Your favorite girls from the now-defunct 3 Way podcast are back on the mic for a few very important life updates.                            &...

#260. The men are not alright in today’s installment of ASK P. We’re talking about relationships, post-college life, guy friends & beyond this week.                                          &...

#259. A re-release of a favorite, Things I Left Behind to Gain Peace, and some of these may be rather controversial. In every era of my life, whenever I notice I’m a little on-edge, I realize I’m more often in need of releasing what doesn’t suit me rather than adding to my life. What are you releasing in this era?               ...

#258. Maddy has been one of my favorite people to follow on socials for years, so when I found out we were crossing paths in Los Angeles, I had to have her on NTS. We’re chatting about her fresh (somewhat traumatizing?) start in LA, the parts of going viral nobody posts about, why we’ve both decided we need significantly more whimsy, our correct opinions, and so much more.     ...

#257. Why is the party girl suddenly everywhere again? This week I trace the shift from clean girl and tradwife aesthetics to a messier, freer moment — the culture, the politics, the history of partying through hard times — plus the party girl commandments and my hoe theory.                    &nbsp...

#256. I'm sitting down with brand strategist, angel investor, and Material Interest writer Kira Mackenzie Jackson to talk about building credibility and wealth when your career doesn't follow a straight line. We get into following a "random" interest until it becomes real expertise, the entry-level truth about angel investing, and Kira's rule for balancing consistency with the innovation that keep...

#255. Am I slowly turning into my mother? I sat down with genetic counselor Natalie Samson to figure out how much of who we are is actually written in our DNA — and how much we get to choose. We get into inheritance, the traits that surprise you, and why your genes are a starting point, not a life sentence.                &...

#254. This week's ASK P tackles the questions you've been scared to ask out loud — navigating friendship breakups and having no close friends in your 20s, spending your birthday alone, advocating for your needs in the bedroom, walking away from a situationship, and moving to a big city on your own. It's a little tough love, a lot of validation, and a reminder that you're allowed to want more. Send...

#253. My best friend, Kristen Ritchie, has one of those jobs everyone's curious about and nobody really understands: she's a celebrity stylist— and she's annoyingly private about all of it. So I made her explain herself. We get into what a day on set actually looks like, how she built a career by leaning on her friends and saying no to almost everything, and why she'd rather let the work speak tha...

#252. I’m mourning the loss of me… but, like, in a good way? In this episode, we are ending over a year of internal personal chaos with realizations about growth, releasing old versions of self, and stepping into a new phase of life. This episode is very much giving *classic* NTS, and for that, we are thankful.               &nb...

#251. Everyone’s favorite seasonal series – summer favorites! I’ve gathered a long list of summertime favorites, from skincare & makeup to most-listened-to podcasts and perspective-changing Substack articles. I’ll link everything linkable on ShopMy, of course. Xx ShopMy links: https://shopmy.us/shop/collections/5876064              &n...

#250. In today’s ASK P, we are discussing mostly relationship-related topics, with a little glow-up note to lighten the mood. Listeners sent in sensitive topics, like “am I dating his potential or supporting him through a period of growth?,” non-existent sex lives, and sacrifices in closing the distance gap in a relationship. The source content:  Reality Disruption: https://www.tiktok.com/t/Z...

#249. If you’ve ever felt like you lost yourself in a season of constant change, this one’s for you. I’m sharing a few things that are actually keeping me grounded right now — from the simplest possible routine to why having a responsibility (even a four-legged one) might be the most stabilizing thing in your life. Consider this your permission slip to stop waiting for things to calm down before y...

#248. Solo travel doesn't have to mean a flight, a passport, or a packed itinerary — it just has to be yours. I'm breaking down exactly how to craft the perfect solo weekend “away,” whether that's a staycation, a short drive, or anywhere in between, plus the must-haves that make it worth it on any budget. This is your sign to book a solo weekend sabbatical asap.  The source content:  Rea...

#247. Social media gets a bad reputation — and usually earns it. But this week, I make the case for the other side: what happens when you curate your feed like a curriculum and actually pay attention. Five ideas worth stealing, from the people worth following.  The source content:  Reality Disruption: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8p8S6oa/ Dealing with Uncertainty without Rumination: https:...

#246. Jaci Marie and Chelsey Jade of What We Said came prepared — and left me feeling like I actually might be too. We covered trimester zero prep, the surprising things motherhood teaches you about productivity and identity, and the parts of yourself that are absolutely worth protecting. The motherhood conversation every woman deserves to have before she needs it.      &n...

#245. In this installment of ASK P, listeners are asking questions about age gap relationships, making an  international move, the positive side of getting older, and the push and pull of situationships.                                &nbsp...

#244. 3 Way Pod is taking over Note to Self in this chatty episode for the girls. Kristen is sharing how to manifest abundance and stay lucky (hint: it’s removing men from your life), Emon is asking very Emon questions, and the girls descend into chaos by the end of the episode (probably from the many beverages consumed before and during recording). Happy 3 Way day!      &...