The pressure to “bounce back” after hard seasons, big changes, or major life events is everywhere — and honestly? We’re over it.

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re unpacking bounce-back culture — the idea that you’re supposed to return to your old body, old productivity, old energy, and old life as quickly as possible… as if nothing happened.

We talk about how this mindset shows up after pregnancy, illness, grief, burnout, mental health struggles, and even just normal seasons of change — and why it creates unrealistic expectations that ignore what the body and nervous system actually need.

This conversation is about giving yourself permission to move forward differently, instead of trying to snap back into who you used to be.

💬 In this episode:

• What bounce-back culture really teaches us
• Why “getting back to normal” isn’t always healthy
• The emotional and physical cost of rushing healing
• How comparison fuels the pressure to bounce back
• What a more compassionate approach to growth looks like

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Permission to honor your pace
• A reframe of healing as nonlinear
• Validation that change doesn’t mean failure
• A reminder that you’re allowed to evolve instead of “return”

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us your thoughts on bounce-back culture:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

Let’s be honest — most of us want to be liked. But when does wanting connection turn into bending, shrinking, and abandoning yourself?

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re talking about the deep-rooted need to be liked, where it comes from, and how it quietly shapes the way we show up in relationships, work, and everyday life.

We unpack how the desire for approval often gets mistaken for being “easygoing” or “low maintenance,” when in reality it can look like overexplaining, people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, and saying yes when you mean no.

We also share our own experiences with needing to be liked, how we’ve started challenging it, and what it looks like to choose authenticity over approval — even when it’s uncomfortable.

💬 In this episode:

• Why so many of us crave external validation
• How needing to be liked shows up day to day
• The connection between approval-seeking and self-abandonment
• How fear of being disliked keeps you stuck
• Ways to build self-trust and tolerate disapproval

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Permission to stop performing for acceptance
• A clearer understanding of your approval-seeking patterns
• Tools to prioritize authenticity over likability
• A reminder that being yourself is more important than being liked

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us: where are you done trying to be liked?

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

In this episode, we’re sharing our opinions about overexplaining—why so many of us do it, where it comes from, and how it often shows up without us even realizing it.

We talk about how overexplaining can be rooted in people-pleasing, fear of being misunderstood, or feeling responsible for how others perceive us. We also explore how overexplaining shows up differently in friendships, family dynamics, work, and online spaces—and why it can be so hard to stop once it becomes a habit.

This conversation isn’t about shaming the instinct to explain yourself. It’s about understanding it, questioning when it’s actually necessary, and noticing how much energy it can take to constantly justify our choices, feelings, or boundaries.

As always, these are just our opinions—meant to open up reflection, not offer rigid rules.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What overexplaining actually looks like in everyday life
• Why so many of us feel the urge to justify ourselves
• The link between overexplaining, people-pleasing, and anxiety
• When explanation is helpful vs. when it’s unnecessary
• How overexplaining can drain energy and blur boundaries
• What it might look like to pause, say less, and trust yourself more

If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation wishing you’d said less—or wondered why you felt the need to defend a perfectly reasonable choice—this episode will feel very familiar.

In this episode, we’re sharing our opinions about therapy—why we love it, how our perspectives on it have evolved over time, and why finding the right therapist can make all the difference.

We talk honestly about how therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, and how what you need from therapy can change across different seasons of life. From early expectations to deeper, more nuanced understanding, we reflect on how our relationship with therapy has grown and shifted over the years.

We also get into the process of finding your best-fit therapist—why it can take longer than you’d like, why that doesn’t mean therapy “isn’t working,” and why it’s worth staying open rather than giving up after one or two mismatches.

This conversation is encouraging, realistic, and grounded in respect for both the process and the people involved.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why we genuinely love therapy and believe in its value
• How our views on therapy have changed over time
• Common misconceptions about what therapy should look like
• Why finding the right therapist matters so much
• Why it’s okay (and normal) if the process takes longer than expected

Whether you’re therapy-curious, currently in therapy, or feeling discouraged by the process, this episode is a reminder that therapy is a relationship—and like any relationship, it takes time to find the right fit.

In this episode, we’re diving into our thoughts on pop culture—and how dramatically it’s changed from when we were growing up to now.

With constant access to information through social media, smartphones, and 24/7 commentary, pop culture feels closer, louder, and more personal than ever. We talk about how this level of access can blur boundaries, create a false sense of intimacy with celebrities, and shape the way we consume and react to public figures.

We also get into cancel culture—what we understand about it, where we think accountability matters, and why we struggle with the extremes of how it shows up today. This isn’t about defending harmful behavior, but about questioning whether the current culture of instant judgment leaves room for nuance, growth, or humanity.

This episode is opinion-based, reflective, and open-ended—meant to spark thought rather than provide definitive answers.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How pop culture feels different now compared to when we were younger
• The impact of social media and constant access to information
• Why we feel “closer” to celebrities than ever before
• The psychology behind parasocial relationships
• Our mixed feelings about cancel culture and its extremes
• Where accountability, growth, and nuance get lost

As always, these are just our opinions—and we’re curious how others are thinking about these shifts too. Pop culture isn’t just entertainment anymore; it shapes how we relate, judge, and understand the world around us.

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re talking about something that affects so many women — yet is still wildly misunderstood, minimized, or brushed off: perimenopause and women’s health.

We dive into how often perimenopause is dismissed as “just stress,” “just anxiety,” or “just getting older,” and how frustrating (and exhausting) it can be to advocate for yourself in a healthcare system that doesn’t always listen to women. We talk openly about the gaps in education, the lack of clear guidance, and how hard it can be to find providers who truly understand women’s hormonal health.

We also break down common signs, symptoms, and impacts of perimenopause — from mood changes and anxiety to sleep disruption, brain fog, energy shifts, and changes in the body — and why knowing what’s happening can be incredibly empowering.

This episode is about awareness, advocacy, and reminding women that what they’re experiencing is real, valid, and worthy of care.

💬 In this episode:

• Why perimenopause is so often minimized or misdiagnosed
• The emotional and physical toll of not being believed
• Common signs and symptoms of perimenopause
• How hormonal changes impact mood, energy, sleep, and mental health
• The challenges of navigating women’s healthcare
• Why education and self-advocacy matter

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• Validation if you’ve been told “everything looks normal” but don’t feel okay
• Language to advocate for yourself in medical settings
• A clearer understanding of perimenopause and its impact
• Encouragement to trust your body and ask better questions
• A reminder that women’s health deserves more attention — not less

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and share your experiences with women’s health and perimenopause:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re unpacking people pleasing — what it actually is, why it’s so hard to let go of, and how it quietly impacts your mental health, relationships, and sense of self.

We talk about how people pleasing often gets mistaken for being kind, flexible, or “easygoing,” when in reality it’s rooted in fear, self-protection, and the need for approval. We break down what people pleasing really looks like day to day, the toll it takes over time, and why it keeps you disconnected from your own needs.

Most importantly, we talk about how to start challenging people pleasing — without swinging to the other extreme or feeling like you have to become someone you’re not. This is a compassionate, honest conversation about choosing authenticity over approval and learning to be okay with discomfort as you grow.

💬 In this episode:

• What people pleasing actually is (and what it isn’t)
• The emotional and relational cost of constantly accommodating others
• How people pleasing shows up in everyday decisions and conversations
• Why it’s so hard to stop — even when you’re aware of it
• Practical ways to challenge people pleasing patterns

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• A clearer understanding of your own people pleasing tendencies
• Permission to honor your needs without guilt
• Tools to practice boundaries and self-trust
• A reminder that being honest is not the same as being unkind

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us where you’re ready to stop people pleasing:

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit

It’s that time of year again — new calendars, big promises, and goals that sound good… but don’t always mean much.

In this episode of Girls With Opinions, we’re sharing our honest take on New Year’s resolutions — why so many of them feel arbitrary, rushed, or disconnected from real life, and why that’s exactly why they don’t stick.

We talk about the difference between setting goals out of pressure versus setting them with intention and awareness. If you’re going to create goals for the new year, they should actually matter to you — not just look good on January 1st.

We also dive into the myth that you have to wait for a new year (or a new week or a new Monday) to start, and why “failing” at a goal doesn’t mean you should give up altogether. Often, the answer isn’t quitting — it’s pivoting, adjusting, or scaling back so your goals fit your real life.

This episode is your permission slip to ditch the all-or-nothing mindset and approach growth in a way that’s sustainable, flexible, and meaningful.

💬 In this episode:

• Why most New Year’s resolutions don’t last
• The problem with setting goals without intention
• How to create goals that actually align with your values
• Why you don’t need a “fresh start” to begin
• What to do when a goal stops working
• The power of pivoting instead of quitting

✨ You’ll walk away with:

• A more realistic and grounded approach to goal-setting
• Permission to let go of arbitrary resolutions
• Tools to set intentions that evolve with you
• A reminder that progress isn’t linear — and that doesn’t mean you’re failing

📲 Join the conversation on Instagram and tell us: are you setting resolutions this year — or doing something different?

• Erin: @ErinBurnsWellness
• Kristy: @KristyCastilloFit