Brain Boogerz

Hey friend! This one's about the autumn equinox — Mabon, the second harvest, that quiet pivot where the year starts exhaling and the light and dark find their balance for a moment before tilting. I get into the Welsh myth roots, the modern naming by Aidan Kelly, the symbols (apples, gourds, wine, cornucopia), and how cultures worldwide mark this same turning — Mid-Autumn Festival, Chuseok, Hig...

HALT — Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired: The Four States That Hijack You Ever notice how your worst decisions tend to come from the same four places? You snap at someone you love because you haven't eaten since noon. You send a text you regret because it's 1 a.m. and you're running on fumes. You spiral into a shame loop because you've been alone with your thoughts for too long. That&#3...

"Man up." "Be strong." Two sentences. Almost identical meaning. But if you grew up Black in America — one of them was handed to you. And one of them, maybe, you've already passed on. This is the finale of the Am I Black Enough? arc — and it goes somewhere the whole series has been pointing toward: gender. In this episode, MJ unpacks the gendered scripts embedded in the &quo...

Who wrote the rubric for "authentic Blackness" — and what would it cost to stop trying to pass it? Episode 3 of 4 in Brain Boogerz's Black identity arc. This one goes deep: whiteness as a political construction, colonization as a system of extraction, and the loyalty test as a form of internal colonization that keeps collective energy pointed the wrong direction. MJ walks through the...

In Episode 2 of Brain Boogerz, MJ continues the five-part series on Black identity, belonging, and freedom with a deeper question: if we can name the test, why do we still keep taking it? Am I Black Enough? — Tribalism, Totems, and the New Proctors explores the hidden machinery behind “Black card revoked” jokes, cultural receipts, and the pressure to prove belonging. Through philosophy, Black stud...

In this episode of Brain Boogerz, MJ continues the Sabbat Series with Episode 5: Lammas / Lughnasadh, the first harvest on the Wheel of the Year. Traditionally celebrated around August 1, Lammas is the season of bread, grain, gratitude, effort, and acknowledging what has already grown — even before the whole harvest is complete. This episode looks at scarcity mindset, perfectionism, the “not yet”...

We've all played "Black card revoked." But who built the test? And is the test actually describing something real — or just somebody's very specific, very historical version of what Blackness is supposed to look like? In this first episode of a five-part series, MJ goes deep into the invisible measuring systems that shape how we perform — and police — Blackness. Starting with pre...

We spend so much time chasing the peak — the breakthrough, the glow-up, the moment things finally click. But what happens when you get there? Welcome to Litha — the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, and the point on the Wheel where the sun is at its absolute fullest. It's radiant. It's powerful. And honestly? It can be a little overwhelming. In this episode of the Brain Boogerz...

In this episode of Brain Boogerz, MJ explores how learning anxiety—not lack of intelligence—often blocks adult growth. The conversation goes beyond learning styles and study habits to unpack the emotional, cultural, and psychological layers that shape how we learn. MJ breaks down what learning anxiety can look like in adulthood: procrastination, defensiveness, perfectionism, overconfidence, and av...

In this episode of Brain Boogerz, we explore Beltane—the fire festival that marks the shift into the bright half of the year—and what it can teach us about mental health and “coming back to life” without burning ourselves out. Using fire as a metaphor for the nervous system, we unpack regulated aliveness, discerned desire, and the difference between real activation and trauma-driven urgency. You’l...

Some Rules Are Meant to Be Broken is the Season 1 finale of Brain Boogerz —and it asks a deeper question than “What rules were you taught?” In this episode, MJ explores how many of the “rules” we live by— don’t be too much, keep the peace, don’t question authority, earn your rest, stay loyal at all costs —weren’t moral truths at all, but survival strategies learned under pressure. Drawing from att...

Welcome back to Brain Boogerz — where we talk mental health, personal growth, and the paths less traveled. In this episode, we’re diving deep into Ostara, the Spring Equinox — the moment when day and night call a truce and the nervous system finally starts to thaw. This is not your “toxic positivity, everything is fixed now” version of spring. This is the grounded, honest, cyclical, human version...

Imbolc is gentle. It’s not a dramatic rebirth — it’s a small, steady return. In this episode, we explore Imbolc as a threshold season: the first signs of returning light, the quiet work of care, and what it looks like to come back to yourself after a hard stretch. We talk symbols like fire and cleansing, and we honor Brigid in an inclusive way — as both saint and goddess — holding space for listen...

Ever wonder if someone in your life is a narcissist? Narcissism isn't just one thing—it's a spectrum. In this episode, we're breaking down the types, traits, and patterns that actually matter. No jargon. No judgment. Just real talk about recognizing narcissistic behaviors and protecting your mental health. Understanding narcissism can literally change how you navigate relationships and...

The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year—and Yule is the moment that reminds us: the direction is changing. The light is coming back. In this episode of Brain Boogerz , MJ breaks down what Yule is , where it comes from, why so many winter traditions carry solstice symbolism, and how you can observe it in a way that’s grounded, respectful, and real—whether you live in the city, out in n...

The episode explores Paganism, Wicca, and the Wheel of the Year (Wiccan Sabbats), aiming to demystify these traditions, correct misconceptions, and show their value for personal growth and mental health. Misunderstandings: Paganism and Wicca have long been misunderstood and misrepresented, often painted as “evil” or “strange” due to historical suppression, demonization, and commercialization (e.g....

This episode introduces Erich Fromm’s five character orientations, which describe habitual ways people relate to the world and others. These are not diagnoses but patterns shaped by personal history and culture. The goal is to move toward Fromm’s “Productive Orientation,” marked by love, creativity, responsibility, and authenticity.

The episode explores how much control we truly have over our thoughts, actions, and beliefs, and how much is shaped by outside influences. Locus of Control: Internal locus: Belief that you control your destiny through your actions. External locus: Belief that outside forces (luck, fate, others) control your life. People with an internal locus are generally more motivated and resilient, but sometim...

Do you wonder why you do the things you do when you're dealing with old wounds from childhood? Or why react to someone's voice, tone or approach may cause your body to react in defense? We briefly talk about adverse childhood experiences, or those moments in our childhood that shaped how we manage the world as adults. ***TRIGGER Warning***, you may find solutions as you discover the depths...

Childhood sensitivities shape how we respond to stress, love, and conflict—often without us knowing. In this episode, we unpack common triggers, trace them back to early patterns, and practice simple tools to regulate in the moment. Listen in for grounded steps you can use today to build safer connections—with yourself and others.

Today we unpack SCARF: Status, Certainty, Autonomy, Relatedness, and Fairness—the five social needs that shape how we react. You’ll learn what each one means, how they interact like a dashboard, and how to run quick self-checks in real moments. Walk away with simple reframes and communication tips to lower threat, boost connection, and move forward with intention.

On this episode, I provide a quick pick, providing frameworks and tools that are often presented on other topics. With quick picks, it's an opportunity to get a "full" episode while on your lunch break, dog walk or stroll. Enjoy this and other quick picks, as they provide quick insights for daily self management. This episode is on Fear, Obligation and Guilt, or FOG and how we can us...

We talk about socially patterned defects as presented by Erich Fromm, diving into the why's behind our actions; how complacency, complicity and conformity coupled with ignorance, ideology and inertia keep us locked in a perpetual spin. If you're trying to figure out why you do some of the things you do, join me as I pick at and dig in on this fascinating topic.

Completing the MEAT series with a look at TIME, our relationship with it, it's value and how we can protect it. Join me for a dive into the last part of our semi-renewable resources.

In this episode of the MEAT series, we focus on our Attention, how to manage it, how it's under attack, how it can be manipulated, and how we sometimes create a sense of connection when we empathize with others attention hoarding medical conditions and social structures. We talk about CANOE, attachement styles, HALT, Ho'oponopono, Socially Patterned Defects and more!