Barely Untamed

This week, we talk about luxury brands and why some people (including Veronica!) are so drawn to them. We also talk about luxury brand dupes, the quiet luxury trend, and if we buy generic at the grocery store. Resources: Luxury Goods Statistics https://www.news.market.us/luxury-goods-statistics/ Quiet luxury isn’t just a trend https://www.fastcompany.com/90967767/quiet-luxury-isnt-just-a-trend-its...

In this episode, we share our childhood memories of libraries and discuss what libraries are like now, why libraries (and librarians!) are so important for communities, the crisis that libraries are currently facing, and how we can help. Resources: How to support your local library https://www.libbylife.com/2024-02-12-love-the-library-here-s-how-you-can-support-your-local-branch- Libraries in the...

This week, we’re lamenting all the midlife doctors and appointments you suddenly have to start going to, including preventative healthcare like colonoscopies and mammograms. Aging is not for the faint of heart! Resources: A User’s Guide to Midlife: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/06/24/well/live/midlife-health-body-changes-guide.html We want to hear from you! Seriously, connect with us. E...

In this episode, we dive deeper into our religious upbringings and how we feel about religion now, including concerns about control, agnosticism vs. atheism, and some tips if you’re struggling with organized religion. Resources: Agnosticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnosticism Atheism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism 6 Ways to Cope with Religious and Spiritual Struggles https://www.psych...

Sometimes our bodies are a little bit gross, especially as we age, so let’s talk about it! In this episode, we dive into sweat, body odor, farts, and more. After all, everybody poops, right? Resources: Body odor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_odor The WASH Foundation https://thewashfoundation.org We want to hear from you! Seriously, connect with us. Email us at barelyuntamed@gmail.com and foll...

In this episode, we’re talking about habits: good, bad, and ugly! We get into the difference between habits, routines, and addictions, how to build up good habits, how to break bad habits, and why it’s so hard to do either. Resources: Habit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habit We want to hear from you! Seriously, connect with us. Email us at barelyuntamed@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram @barel...

This week, we talk about loneliness, finding contentment in solitude, how the structure of our society has made us more lonely, why we feel so lonely even when surrounded by people, and how to build connections within our communities. Resources: The Anti-Social Century https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/02/american-loneliness-personality-politics/681091/   Interview with Derek Thomp...

On this episode, we talk about gossip, including if gossip is ever okay, what to do when you find out people have been gossiping about you, and how to stop gossiping when it feels so good to do it. Resources: Gossip https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossip 6 Ways to Stop Yourself from Gossiping https://www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/philosophy/6-ways-to-stop-yourself-from-gossiping-and-why-it-matters/ W...

If you’ve also been feeling generally overwhelmed lately, then this episode is for you. We talk about the long January we all had, why we get so sucked into bad news, and coping mechanisms for when you just can’t take one more thing. Resources: Stress Response https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-does-fight-flight-freeze-fawn-mean Media overload is hurting our mental health https://www.apa.org...

It’s Valentine’s week, so we’re talking about dating! Specifically, dating over the age of 40 (and after divorce!), the toxicity of dating apps, the dating pool as you get older, and why you only get three wishes for your future partner.   Resources: The Science of Happily Ever After https://www.amazon.com/Science-Happily-Ever-After-Enduring/dp/037389290X We want to hear from you! Seriously, conne...

Do you ever feel like an imposter? We do all the time! This week, we talk about imposter syndrome, self-esteem, confidence, self-love, and tips about how to become more confident and how to build up other people. Resources: Imposter Syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome You’re Not an Imposter. You’re Actually Pretty Amazing. https://hbr.org/2022/01/youre-not-an-imposter-youre-ac...

In this episode, Veronica teaches Sarah about Chinese New Year and her family’s merging of Filipino and Chinese cultural traditions, and we have a larger conversation about both genetics and cultural appropriation (and how to not do it). Resources: What is cultural appropriation? https://youtu.be/VQgF1f557YY?si=KSb5Pr-ljt0mo9WL   We want to hear from you! Seriously, connect with us. Email us at ba...

They say you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping (or you should), so in this episode, we talk about sleep hygiene, our getting-ready-for-bed routines, sleeping in the cold, and snoring, plus we break down circadian rhythms and the stages of sleep. Zzz… Resources: Sleep Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep Facts About Sleep https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/myths-and-facts-a...

In this episode, we get reflective about how fast time is slipping by and how resistant we are to change. We talk about seasons of life, knowing a big shift is coming and dreading it, and how we can deal with changes better. Resources: Roots of the midlife crisis https://www.reachlink.com/advice/roots-of-midlife-crisis   Dealing with change https://www.healthcentral.com/mental-health/dealing-with-...

We both recently had silly accidents and injured ourselves, so in this week’s episode, we talk about clumsiness, living in your head versus living in your body, and the intricate connection between our bodies and our brains. Resources: What is proprioception? https://www.brainbalancecenters.com/blog/clumsiness-whats-happening-in-the-brain Psychology behind clumsiness https://www.psychmechanics.com...

How is it 2025?! In this episode, we talk about New Year’s traditions, what we want to focus on this year, and resolutions, including the history of them and how to set a realistic resolution that we might actually have a chance of completing. Resources: New Year’s Resolutions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year%27s_resolution Goal Setting Techniques https://www.nsls.org/goal-setting-techniques...

Merry Christmas! This week, we ramble about how we celebrate the season, the origins of some Christmas traditions, the religious side of the holiday, and how to handle the stress that comes with the merriment. Resources: Krampus parade in Norway https://www.tiktok.com/@_false_face/video/7441658882050510110 Origin of Krampus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus Expedition Unknown St. Nick https://...

To celebrate our 50th episode, we’re talking all things podcasts, including how we got into podcasts, which ones we like, what our thoughts are now that we’re 50 episodes deep, and we make a special announcement about our first ever merch! Here  are some of our favorite podcasts: My Favorite Murder: @myfavoritemurder Optimal Living Daily Buried Bones: @buriedbonespod Spooked: @spookedpod Ten Fold...

Sometimes you lose and it totally devastates you. In this episode, we talk about what we do when we don’t get something we want, how to get out of the mental spiral the loss causes, the importance of developing grit as a trait, and tips for moving on. Resources: Grit & Resilience: Qualities Everyone Needs For Life’s Curveballs https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2023/09/20/gri...

Bullying sucks, and in today’s episode, we talk all about it. We dive into our own experiences with bullying, bullying in adults and in the workplace, family bullies, the cruelty of indirect bullying, and how to handle bullies. Resources: 11 Facts About Bullying https://dosomething.org/article/11-facts-about-bullying   How Bullying Manifests at Work – And How to Stop It https://hbr.org/2022/11/how...

In this episode, we get ready for Thanksgiving! We discuss our Thanksgiving traditions, Black Friday & Cyber Monday sales chaos, the myth and probable reality of the first Thanksgiving, and how to avoid (or deal with) family conflict over the Thanksgiving holiday. Resources: How to talk about politics with family this Thanksgiving https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/mental-health/3...

In this episode, we talk about all things music, including the emotional impact of music, what kind of music we listen to, our favorite sad music, our favorite rage music, music therapy, how the music industry has changed, and when it’s okay to listen to Christmas music. Resources: Music as Therapy https://www.alz.org/blog/alz/february_2012/caregivers_take_note_%E2%80%93_music_as_therapy   Music T...

What better time to talk about traveling with friends than when we’re on a road trip? In this episode, we discuss how to find someone who travels well with you, tips for traveling in groups, our favorite road trip snacks, and what the heck we’re doing in Death Valley. Resources: Tips on Traveling with Friends https://carlyahill.com/tips-on-traveling-with-friends/ Avoiding Travel Drama: Best Practi...

In this episode, we’re discussing menopause! We talk about Veronica’s hysterectomy, the stages of menopause, symptoms and complications from menopause, tips for talking to your doctor about it, and why we need to talk about it more. Resources: Perimenopause https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21608-perimenopause Menopause https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause  ...

In this Halloween Spectacular episode, we share our favorite Halloween memories from childhood, talk about the best candy, debunk (and confirm) some Halloween urban legends, and end with a special reading of a listener-submitted seance story. Trick or treat! Resources: Wikipedia: Halloween https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween Wikipedia: Poisoned Candy Myths https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisone...