Soultime Dr. Katja Makowka

In this episode, the focus is on how adult behavior profoundly shapes children’s emotional development. The discussion highlights the importance of modeling authenticity, resilience, and self-compassion, emphasizing that children learn less from what adults say and more from what they observe. By showing how challenges are handled and how one treats oneself with kindness, adults can support childr...

Failure isn’t the problem - the story we tell about it is. In this episode, we talk about how mistakes shape identity, why so many children (and adults) fear failure, and how parents, teachers, and mentors can change that narrative. Failure can become shame… or it can become feedback. Fear… or courage. Avoidance… or growth. When we teach kids that mistakes don’t define their worth, we give them pe...

In this episode, the discussion revolves around the importance of fostering self-worth in children. It highlights how the fear of making mistakes often arises from the narratives they internalize. The episode emphasizes shifting the focus from performance to effort, which can help build resilience and emotional safety. Additionally, it explores the crucial role of adults in modeling self-worth and...

You can love someone deeply and still put down the weight they refuse to carry themselves. You can support, care, show up, and hold space - but you cannot heal for someone who doesn’t want to address their wounds. You cannot rescue someone who would rather stay in the story of their pain than rise beyond it. Healing is a door only the person themselves can choose to walk through. And yet, so many...

This is episode number 202 and you're listening to Soultime, a show that explores the world of unlocking your unique potential. My name is Dr. Katja Makowka, and I’m a teacher at school, a former teacher at universities, and a stress and mental coach, and I’m your host. Today, we’re diving into something so many of us do without even realizing it: shrinking ourselves to fit the noise around us...

Today’s episode touches something many people feel quietly but rarely dare to name out loud: What happens to you when you spend too much time in relationships that make you shrink? The ones that make you second-guess yourself. The ones where you feel too much or not enough. The ones where your softness, your ideas, your honesty, or even your boundaries become treated as inconveniences rather than...

Today, we’re diving into something most of us have been taught since childhood: that being a “good person” or “compassionate” means being nice all the time, saying yes, fixing things for others, and never causing conflict. But what if that idea is holding you back? What if real compassion isn’t always comfortable - and doesn’t always make people like you? Today, we’re unpacking the myths, explorin...

Have you ever caught yourself explaining, performing, or pushing - just to prove you’re enough? Maybe you’ve been the one holding everything together, thinking that if you do more, give more, be more… you’ll finally feel at peace. But here’s the truth: peace doesn’t come from proving. It comes from remembering who you were before you thought you had to. So in today’s episode, we’ll talk about why...

We live in a world that glorifies busyness. A world that rewards “doing it all” - even when “all” leaves us completely drained. Somewhere along the way, we started believing that exhaustion is a sign of worth, and that calm means we’re not trying hard enough. But here’s the truth: Peace is not laziness. Peace is power. And yet, many of us keep trading it away - little by little - for approval, val...

Today, we’re diving into something deeply personal for anyone who feels called to help, support, or guide others: the belief that you have to be the healer in every room. Maybe you’re the one who always listens, always understands, always steps in to hold things together. You’re the calm in the storm, the fixer, the encourager - and that’s beautiful. But sometimes, that same gift becomes a weight....

Today, we’re diving into something that so many of us struggle with quietly - what it means to heal and still hold boundaries. Because here’s the truth: you don’t owe anyone access to the healed version of you. You’ve worked hard to get here - to unlearn patterns, to find peace, to rebuild trust with yourself. But sometimes, the moment you start feeling lighter, someone from your past reappears. T...

Today, we’re talking about something that might sound simple, but it’s one of the hardest things to live out: staying soft when life has taught you to harden. To stay kind when it feels easier to withdraw. To stay patient when the world is moving fast. To keep showing up with empathy, even when you’ve been misunderstood or hurt. Because here’s the truth: softness isn’t weakness — it’s a quiet stre...

Have you ever noticed how uncomfortable peace can feel after a season of chaos? Maybe life finally slows down, but instead of feeling relief, you start to feel restless. Your mind searches for something to fix, something to worry about, something to do. You tell yourself you want calm - but when calm arrives, it feels unfamiliar, even unsafe. That’s not weakness. It’s your nervous system doing wha...

Today we’re diving into a big misunderstanding that so many of us carry - the belief that compassion means always saying yes, always fixing, always rescuing. If you’ve ever found yourself exhausted from carrying everyone else’s problems, or saying yes when your heart was screaming no, this episode is for you. Because here’s the truth: compassion isn’t about losing yourself. It’s about showing up w...

Today we’re diving into a pattern so many of us live by — sometimes without even realizing it: over-giving. You know that feeling when you’re the one who always says yes, who always jumps in to help, who keeps everyone else comfortable - but secretly you’re running on empty? It feels noble in the moment, but the truth is: when you keep setting yourself on fire just to keep others warm, you end up...

Today, we’re talking about something that might sound “soft” at first - but is actually one of the boldest, most powerful choices you can make: choosing love. We live in a culture that often rewards toughness, sarcasm, and putting up walls. We hear messages like, “Don’t let them see you care,” or “Never let them hurt you twice.” And while some of that advice can be helpful when you’re healing, it...

Today, we’re diving into a truth that can feel both hard and freeing: life is too short to keep teaching people how to treat you. Think about it — how often have you found yourself explaining, reminding, or giving endless chances, hoping someone would finally respect your boundaries or value your needs? Maybe you’ve had the same conversation more than once, only to realize nothing really changes....

Today, we’re diving into a habit so many of us carry without even realizing it: the need to explain ourselves. Have you ever said “no” to something, and immediately followed it with a long justification so the other person wouldn’t be upset? Or maybe you’ve caught yourself overexplaining at work, in friendships, even in your family — just to make sure you’re not misunderstood? Here’s the truth: ev...

Today we’re diving into a topic that touches every part of our lives: boundaries. When most people hear the word “boundaries,” they think of pushing people away, building walls, or saying no all the time. But boundaries aren’t about shutting people out — they’re about letting yourself breathe. Without them, your life starts to feel out of balance. You say yes when you mean no. You over-give. You r...

Today we are diving into the topic of what it really means to keep your heart open after hurt. Not just in romantic relationships, but in the way you move through the world—how you trust, how you connect, and how you choose to keep showing up with love, even when life has given you reasons to shut down. We’ll explore why staying open doesn’t make you weak, how self-trust becomes your unshakable fo...

Let’s start with a truth we don’t talk about enough: Some people don’t just have expectations about what you do. They expect you to think like them. Choose like them. Even react like them. And when you don’t? They feel disappointed—maybe even betrayed. But here’s the thing: Their disappointment doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. It just means you’re living from your center, not theirs. And...

Let’s start with a sentence that sounds like a compliment—but quietly keeps you small: “Don’t ever change.” It’s the kind of thing people say when they like you just the way you are. It sounds sweet. Harmless, even. But here’s the truth: sometimes, “I hope you stay the same” is less about love… and more about comfort. Their comfort. In today’s episode, we’re unpacking the hidden message behind tha...

Let’s be real—perfectionism doesn’t always look like fear. Sometimes, it looks like being the overachiever. The one who’s always prepared. The one who gets it right. On the outside, it can look like drive, discipline, high standards. But underneath? It’s often something else. Perfectionism is rarely about being perfect—it’s about being safe. Safe from criticism. Safe from rejection. Safe from the...

Let’s be honest—most of us spend way too much energy trying to explain ourselves. We want people to get us, to approve of our choices, to validate who we are. And sometimes, without realizing it, we start shrinking ourselves just to be understood. But here’s the truth: you’re not here to be understood by everyone. You’re here to live. Fully. Honestly. Authentically. And the more you chase approval...

When was the last time you truly checked in—not just with your to-do list or your obligations, but with your own truth… and the people closest to you? Not the deadlines. Not the notifications. Not the expectations. But you—your energy, your breath, your inner world. And the quality of your relationships—the ones that shape your life and growth. Because when stress hits—when life gets loud, overwhe...