Sunshine Heart Podcast

Curses! Foiled again by money! This passion project is going on a hiatus, my dear friends. Thank you to each and every person who supports this podcast and my personal growth! This exercise in podcasting and self-love is not in vain- I'll be posting episodes infrequently, but as I have new things to talk about! Until then, stay lovely!

Dear ex-best friend... Dear dad... Dear future me... This week, I'm writing letters to people who impacted my past, present, and even my future. I saw this idea in passing as an ask prompt on the internet, and decided it'd be a good exercise to write them down and read them to you.

Boy oh boy, seasonal depression sure can be a bummer. This week, we're getting SAD with Seasonal Affective Disorder, or even just being generally bummed out, and reminding myself (and you) to be kind and patient with your recovery! It can feel hopeless some days and miserable on others, but we get through these things together by being as strong as we can. Your efforts are paying off, and you're doing great!

There's a bit of a volume warning on this one, friends! I recorded it ASMR-style in my bed after midnight. With seven hours to sleep before another long shift at work, I took a minute between my hectic schedule to sit back and ramble on about the things that I'm most thankful for. Especially when having little time to spend on yourself, it's never a bad thing to be a little bit self-indulgent to remind yourself of the reasons why you're still going. This week, I'm just being thankful without apology, proud without reason, and happy to be me.

What's up, everyone, I'm getting YOLKED. Well, not really, but I'm on the path to success! It takes a lot to motivate yourself to change your lifestyle, even if it's for the better, but every journey starts with a first step. This week, celebrate even your smallest of accomplishments and believe in your ability to make the changes you want to see yourself achieve!

I'm back this week to talk a little bit about working for the most magical place on earth! As a two-time Disney College Program cast member, I feel like I have a bright future ahead in my workplace, and set aside a little time today to talk about what I do and what it's like. If you're interested in the DCP, applications for the Fall semester are open now through sometime in March, and I'm happy to take questions! Sorry this one is late- there's still a little bit of illness I'm trying to get over. (After all, if there's one thing working at Disney is good for, it's an immune system boost.)

This week, I'm discussing one of the most recent phenomena in psychology that I personally discovered- the impostor syndrome. I talk a lot about anxiety on this show, but as this kind permeates the professional and artistic communities that I find myself a part of, I thought it important to give it some attention. Check out Bree Lundberg's awesome comic on Impostor Syndrome and pay what you want here: http://breelundberg.tictail.com/product/impostor-syndrome-comic Check out PsiShow Psych's video on Impostor Syndrome here: https://youtu.be/pOIM0i6PbOE

CW: drug abuse, mental and emotional abuse, mentions of death This episode was tough to record, and this story is tough to tell, but I needed to put it somewhere. This was my mother, and the lessons I've learned from her have shaped me into who I am today. They will continue to shape me as long as I am alive.

Moving forward, even after experiencing significant hardship, can be really hard. All of us at some point have had to make a decision to hang on or let go in order to move forward towards a brighter future. Letting go doesn't mean giving it- it means choosing reality and experiencing life without resentment and unnecessary pain. Be kind to yourself- let yourself feel how you need to, but choose progress over pain. You deserve the peace.

This episode doesn't feature any kind of special introduction or music, as it was recorded at 12:45am in the middle of the week as an impromptu entry. Some days are harder than others, and it's easy to lose faith on those days, especially in your importance as a person. The world is big and we are small, but in those moments, remember that your worth is not determined by one moment. Your worth is not determined by anyone's inability to see that worth. Hang on to hope and keep moving forward, despite any doubts. You are important.

Originality? I don't know the meaning of the word! In Episode 2, I wanted to ramble a little about getting over the fear of creating art that feels uninspired or inauthentic. This year, let's be unafraid to make things that make us happy!

In Episode 1 of this podcast/diary/project/whatever the heck it ends up, we're talking about making realistic goals! Set your New Years Resolutions and keep setting them and keep striving to reach them, allow yourself to keep growing and changing. Happy New Year! Let's kick 2018's butt.

Officially starting in 2018, Sunshine Heart will be a podcast from an average human being named Alyna Jeanne (or just Lyna) which aims to spreading kindness and light in a small but meaningful way. Each episode serves as an audio diary, recounting lessons learned, goals set, and the ways in which someone small can bring light into the world by aiming to better themselves. Intro and outro created on GarageBand in like, five minutes.