The Self-Help Podcast with Deepali Nagrani

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Self-Help Podcast with Deepali, we’re talking about something many of us experience but struggle to name: the emotional weight of being around consistently negative people. Have you ever walked into a room feeling completely fine, only to leave a conversation feeling drained, anxious, or suddenly unsure of yourself? Whether the negativity comes from family,...

Send us Fan Mail What if a single conversation could turn a cliff’s edge into a bridge? That question sits at the center of our conversation with artist and educator David Deighton , who has spent years engaging strangers in public spaces to transform political heat into human connection. Instead of chasing debate wins or feeding algorithmic outrage, David uses playful art installations and three...

Send us Fan Mail A boy raised on a working farm learns to rise before dawn, help his neighbors, and earn every inch of progress. Decades later, that same boy—now a Marine veteran named Jay—faces three near-deaths, a wrecked body, and a quiet fourth battle most never see: choosing to live when moving even a finger feels impossible. Jay shows how faith and grit can stand in the same room. He unpacks...

Send us Fan Mail We trace the arc from conditional belonging and conformity to brain fitness and unconditioning, challenging labels that keep people small. We share tools to shift from comparison and fear to inside-out thinking, so you can reclaim your uniqueness and make real change. • childhood conformity and conditional belonging  • conformity across school, work and culture  • innovation parad...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like you’ve tried all the “right” things—new habits, new goals, even a new look—yet keep ending up in the same loop? In this episode, intuitive leader and reinvention expert Tara Wisco shares how a life-or-death wake-up call revealed the real work: clearing your energy, shifting identity, and stopping self-abandonment to keep others comfortable. We explore why external c...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode, Deepali sits down with Ian Chamandy , the creator of the world-famous 7-Word Purpose framework , to explore what purpose really means — beyond job titles, passion projects, or the social media version of “living your best life.” For 20 years, Ian has helped over 400 CEOs, organizations, and individuals distill their essence into seven words or less — and...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is a little different because today(Dec 23rd is my BIRTHDAY!) No expert guest.  No framework.  No polished “lessons learned” wrapped in a bow. Just me — pulling back the curtain and sharing 25 honest, sometimes messy, sometimes beautiful facts about who I am beyond the podcast mic. From the parts of my story that shaped me…  to the beliefs I’m still unlearning…  to th...

Send us Fan Mail We unpack why habits fail without a shift in self-perception and how making identity visible can unlock lasting change. Gregory James shares stories, reframes, and practical tools that help us meet the person we already are and write the next chapter with intention. • self-help focusing on tactics over self • borrowed mirrors shaping identity and worth • kintsugi as a reframe for...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Self-Help Podcast , Deepali sits down with Bobbi Barrington — speaker, storyteller, coach, and a living testament to the power of late-life reinvention. Bobbi spent 26 years in the wrong marriage , 40 years in the wrong career , and 59 years in the wrong body — until she chose change. Her story is not just about transition; it is about liberation, identity,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Self-Help Podcast , Deepali sits down with Dr. Len Lopez — nutritionist, strength coach, sports chiropractor, peak-performance specialist, and creator of the transformative 5 S.T.E.P.S. a Day framework. For over 25 years, Dr. Len has helped people elevate their physical health… only to discover that true wellbeing requires something deeper: your thoughts, yo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Self-Help Podcast , Deepali sits down with Colin Corby — technologist turned digital-wellbeing expert, TEDx speaker, endurance athlete, and a leading voice on attention, identity, burnout, and what it means to stay human in an AI-driven world. Colin doesn’t approach digital wellness as a trend — he approaches it as a lived experience. After personally facing...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Self-Help Podcast , Deepali sits down with Laura Bratton — motivational speaker, author of Harnessing Courage , and a woman whose journey redefines what inner strength truly means. Laura lost most of her sight as a young child, but what she gained along the way has shaped her entire life’s purpose. She brings a rare blend of candor, humility, and hard-earned...

Send us Fan Mail Listen to our new episode that tells Dan's resilience story. At 28, Dan MacQueen was leading a healthy, active life - until suddenly he wasn't. Dan has survived two emergency brain surgeries, weeks in a coma, and months in a rehab hospital.  What he found out along the way might surprise you: there is nothing like a brain injury to refocus the mind.  Driven by a positive...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Self-Help Podcast with Deepali, I’m joined by Eric Gee — a compelling author and personality-based life coach who’s reshaping how we understand ourselves and others.  As the founder of The Youtopia Project, Eric brings a fresh and human-centered approach to personality typing, helping us communicate better, lead with clarity, and connect beyond our “usual packs.”...

Send us Fan Mail We sit with therapist and survivor Zulma Williams to explore resilience, reinvention at midlife, and how a mindset shift from why me to why not me can turn pain into purpose. She shares grounding tools for anxiety, myths about trauma, and why healing is hard but worth it. Zulma Williams is the founder of Dragonfly Therapy Services and the main provider of therapeutic services. Zul...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I am joined by an expert-functional gut health coach and family nurse practitioner Lola MacLean to explore the gut-brain connection. We dive deep into and trace “just IBS” to a root-cause approach that links gut health with high performance, clarity, and joy in food.  • IBS label challenged and root causes explored • Gut-brain axis linked to energy and focus • Blo...

Send us Fan Mail We share 13 everyday habits that quietly overload the nervous system and offer clear, practical swaps that build calm, energy, and focus. Start with one change, layer slowly, and teach your body safety through kinder rhythms and routines. • why phone-first mornings spike cortisol and what to do instead • screen apnea and a simple hourly breathing reset • calm, present eating to sw...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel your whole body light up from a small slight, a sharp tone, or a missed expectation—and then wonder why the reaction feels so big? We dig into that moment and uncover how triggers can become powerful teachers that guide healing, clarity, and choice. You’ll get concrete tools you can use right away: a two-minute morning check-in, micro resets that pair breath with emotion...

Send us Fan Mail We challenge the myth that fulfillment requires quitting your job and offer a practical path to thrive inside a 9 to 5. Through quiet thriving, simple rituals, and firm boundaries, we show how to turn work into a canvas for meaning rather than a grind to endure. • reframing a 9 to 5 as a canvas for growth and contribution • defining quiet thriving and making small intentional chan...

Send us Fan Mail We go deep on reframing pain into purpose, choosing obsession over balance, and letting action lead confidence instead of waiting for confidence to arrive. We start by flipping the script from “Why me?” to “Why not me?” and explore why every comeback story gives us chills: strength is forged in the fire, not in comfort. Expect practical prompts, clear examples, and a push to take...

Send us Fan Mail We break down a practical framework to talk to anyone with calm confidence, from first words to a graceful exit. Curiosity, micro-wins, and simple scripts turn shyness into momentum while advanced tools like pivots, pauses, and stories make you memorable. • conversations as bridges to opportunity, connection, influence • reframe shyness as learning rather than failing • three-part...

Send us Fan Mail We share 25 microhabits that boost energy, calm stress, and improve focus without relying on willpower. Simple, fast moves stack into real change, from water before coffee to a one-song dance and a two-minute tidy. • hydration before caffeine to wake digestion and focus • morning stretch and sunlight to set circadian rhythm • walk-and-talk calls and movement snacks to offset sitti...

Send us Fan Mail We reflect on a year that stretched us and taught us to trade balance for focus, fear for a compass, and perfection for progress.  25 lessons unfold through stories on boundaries, time, presence, and the quiet power of small daily wins. • vulnerability as a doorway to connection • self-care and saying no as a lifeline • obsession over balance to build momentum • acceptance that no...

Send us Fan Mail We pull apart the myth of linear healing and show how progress often looks messy, slow, and invisible. Through stories, psychology, and practical tools, we reframe pain as a teacher, set kinder boundaries, and honor the quiet wins that change a life. • challenging the speed myth and linear timelines • the U-shaped curve and recalibration • naming the messy middle and honoring scar...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel like everyone else is lapping you while you’re stuck at the start line?  We dig into the psychology of comparison culture and reveal why chasing after someone else’s timeline keeps you on a treadmill that never stops.  We get real about the cost: joy leaks out, peace gets postponed, and your worth is held hostage by strangers’ milestones.  Ready to run your own race and...