Do your thoughts really become things? Ana-Marija's skeptical, Sam's willing to believe, and somehow Jay Leno ended up on a vision board. We dive deep into the manifesting phenomenon, from "The Secret" (2006's spiritual blockbuster) to the ancient philosophical roots of thoughts shaping reality. But what happens when manifesting goes wrong? Ana-Marija coins "shadow manifesting"—when you accidentally manifest your worst fears. We create our own vision boards live on air, complete with parachutes for trust, disco balls for self-shine, and yes, Jay Leno!

Key Takeaways:

• Manifesting has ancient roots in Hinduism and Stoicism, not just Instagram culture
• "The Secret" (2006) commodified manifestation into a billion-dollar industry
• Shadow manifesting: when your thoughts become negative self-fulfilling prophecies
• Vision boards are basically goal-setting with more glue and magazines
• The Serenity Prayer philosophy might be more useful than pure manifestation
• Sometimes the real benefit is just taking time to think about what you actually want

Tags: manifesting, vision-boards, the-secret, law-of-attraction, goal-setting, spiritual-wellness, positive-thinking, self-help, mindfulness, philosophy

Can a flimsy piece of paper and a pen solve all your problems? Sam's been journaling religiously for over a decade (morning pages, bullet journaling, EDC notebooks—he's got it ALL), while Ana-Marija writes in hers maybe twice a year before burning it out of embarrassment. We explore whether journaling is actually beneficial or just an expensive way to document your spiral. From Leonardo da Vinci's 7,000 surviving journal pages to our live gratitude exercise, we discover that maybe the real treasure was the "struggle archives" we made along the way. Plus: why serial killers shouldn't use journals for murder planning (looking at you, Amazon order history).

Key Takeaways:

• Sam journals so much that Ana-Marija wonders what inner chaos he's not sharing with her
• Journaling can help process emotions, improve self-awareness, and clear mental "garbage thoughts"
• Famous journal keepers include Da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, Anne Frank, and surprisingly, Oprah
• You don't need fancy notebooks—phone notes or email threads work too
• The "Struggle Archives" is now officially a thing we coined
• Live gratitude practice reveals Anna is grateful for butterflies and Sam's equipment setup skills

Tags: journaling, bullet-journaling, morning-pages, mental-health, gratitude-practice, EDC, wellness-habits, self-awareness, therapy-alternatives, mindfulness

What happens when you mix an inflatable pool, some sea salt, and two comedians who clearly didn't think this through? Ana-Marija and Sam dive headfirst into the world of sensory deprivation tanks—from Ana-Marija's traumatic first experience (complete with imaginary stabbing scenarios) to Sam's zen-like float sessions in Venice Beach. They unpack the surprising 1954 origins of float tanks, attempt their own backyard version, and discover that sometimes the best wellness hack is just having your spouse stand guard while you float. Spoiler alert: Ana-Marija's wetsuit was NOT made for her body.

Key Takeaways:

• Sensory deprivation tanks were invented in 1954 by Dr. John C. Lilly—way older than we thought!
• Your first float experience can be terrifying (thanks, overactive imagination) or zen-like, depending on your mental health journey
• DIY float tanks work surprisingly well with sea salt, an eye mask, and a very patient partner
• Sometimes you need a lifeguard for your wellness journey, and that's totally okay
• The real benefit might be appreciating how chaotic the world actually is when you return to it

Tags: sensory-deprivation-tank, float-tank, wellness-trends, DIY-wellness, mental-health, meditation, comedy-podcast, married-comedians, fad-or-rad, couples-therapy