Curious And Curiouser Podcast

On this week’s episode of the podcast, Tracey and Cayly are talking to special guest, Staci Humphrey, about her experience growing up in a Conservative Evangelical community in eastern Oregon.   We talk about her journey away from this community as a teenager and adult, and how the experiences of her childhood continue to impact her worldview today, especially as she is now raising two young boys of her own.   Tracey and Cayly are thrilled to bring this conversation and hope it resonates with some of you out there. For Cayly, who moved away from the Mormon church at a young age, much of Staci’s story felt familiar. Perhaps this will be true for others as well. And for those with a completely different upbringing, Tracey and Cayly hope this discussion is interesting and enlightening.   As always, reviews and 5-star ratings in iTunes are appreciated, so please head over to the show page and leave us one if you haven’t yet. Tracey and Cayly would really appreciate it!   Highlights from the episode:   - Transitio

This week’s episode has the potential to ruffle some feathers. Because Tracey and Cayly are talking about the glamorization of drinking in our current cultural climate and the potentially negative effects of this kind of marketing.   Specifically, Tracey and Cayly are asking the question:  Is our society currently normalizing alcoholism for women, especially moms?   Deep breaths before this one, friends.   Any of you who know Tracey or Cayly personally also know they both enjoy a nice tequila now and again. So neither of them are against drinking or are trying to demonize alcohol with this conversation.   What they are trying to do is talk about the difference between enjoying an alcoholic beverage once in a while and the blatant glamorization of alcohol consumption, for women in particular.   This is a conversation that was first brought to Cayly’s attention by several women she follows online (a few of them listed below) who are also all sober. Tracey and Cayly thought it was important to add their non-sobe

In today’s episode of the podcast, Tracey and Cayly are welcoming back Liz Winters of Sprout Wellness to discuss nutrition and how her approach to nutrition has changed since her appearance on the show last year.   Specifically, this conversation explores the ketogenic diet and why it might not be great for women long-term, metabolic flexibility and why it’s important that your body is able to access both carbohydrates and fats for energy, and how Liz helps her clients make more conscious, intentional choices around food.   This episode also includes a discussion about what’s missing from the larger conversation about wellness (i.e. mental health, accessibility, day-to-day stressors) and why it’s important that we start talking about these things if we want to see real change happen.   Highlights from the episode:   - What’s new in Liz’s nutrition business in the past year & her focus on working with women, especially to support them pre- and postpartum - What is the ketogenic diet? What are Liz’s thought

This week on Curious & Curiouser, Tracey and Cayly are welcoming back Liz Winters of Sprout Wellness (http://www.sproutwellnesspdx.com/). If you are a long-time listener of the show, you’ll remember Liz from episodes 14 and 15. Which means you already know how fabulous she is.   If you’re a new listener, here’s what you need to know:  Liz Winters is a nutritional therapy practitioner, crossfit coach, and the Regional Director for Birthfit NE Portland (https://neportland.birthfit.com/). She’s also an all around wonderful human.   In this conversation, Liz talks with Tracey and Cayly about fitness during pregnancy and after birth, pelvic floor health, core strength, diaphragmatic breathing, and so much more. This episode is full of so much useful information — and not just for moms or future moms. You will love it. Guaranteed.     Highlights from the episode:   - What is Birthfit (https://neportland.birthfit.com/what-we-do) - The role of chiropractic care during pregnancy and post partum - Pelvic floor heal

This week’s episode of the podcast came about after an impromptu rant by Cayly recounting her spiritual trajectory thus far in her life and her admission that she feels a little bit lost right now with regard to what she believes.   In this conversation, Tracey and Cayly ask the question:  Why do we want to believe in something? They both explore their spiritual and religious histories, including Cayly’s journey from Mormonism to atheism to Buddhism, and Tracey’s path from pop culture Christianity to Paganism and humanism as an adult.   This discussion also touches on the law of attraction, manifestation, and some of the problems Tracey and Cayly see with new age spirituality, including a failure to acknowledge the important role of privilege and systemic oppression.   This is an honest, open, vulnerable conversation, and Tracey and Cayly hope it serves as an example of how much they are continuing to grow and in evolve in their lives over time.   As always, if you love the episode, please consider leaving th

How do you recognize your role in an unhealthy relationship dynamic? This is the question Tracey and Cayly are asking on this week’s episode of Curious and Curiouser. Using the framework of the drama triangle — a social model originally conceived by Psychologist Stephen Karpman — Tracey and Cayly talk about how to recognize when you’re falling into an unhealthy relationship dynamic, identify which role you are playing, and start moving towards a healthier version of that role.   Tracey and Cayly also talk about which roles they tend towards and their personal experiences of how recognizing these patterns in themselves and their relationships has shifted the way they interact with the people they love.   This conversation is good, y’all. And full of useful tools you can start using right away in your life. Tracey and Cayly sincerely hope you find it helpful!   If you do, please consider leaving us a 5-star rating or review in iTunes. We are really trying to grow our audience right now and need your help! Leavi

Good news! Tracey’s back this week, y’all. Hooray! And our topic for today’s show is loneliness. Specifically:  What is loneliness actually about?   Both Tracey and Cayly had challenging weeks last week. While Tracey was recovering from a medical procedure and Cayly was dealing with some emotional turmoil, they both found themselves struggling to reach out for help and finding themselves feeling extra lonely as a result.   In this conversation, Tracey and Cayly talk about why asking for help can be so hard, how self-reliance can go too far, and why letting people take care of you is essential for building trust and intimacy in relationships.   If you are someone who avoids asking for help from friends and intimate partners, this episode is for you.   As always, reviews and 5-star ratings in iTunes are greatly appreciated, so please consider leaving one if you are enjoying the show. Tracey and Cayly would be super grateful if you did!   Highlights from this episode:   - How just being heard makes a big differe

Hey y’all. Today’s episode of Curious & Curiouser is a little bit different. With Tracey out of commission this week (more on this in a future episode), we had planned to just skip a week of recording and give our listeners a chance to catch up on past episodes. But then, I (Cayly) decided to record this little mini episode on a whim in order to share a story about my experience of anxiety with a real-world example from my life last weekend.   In this story, I talk about narrowly avoiding a full-blown panic attack, what I did to deal with the anxiety, and why “focus on your breath” or “breathe deeply” can be terrible advice for someone in the throes of panic.   Anyhoo, this episode is relatively short and I would love for you to listen. If you are someone who faces anxiety on a regular basis in your own life, I hope this episode makes you feel a little less alone. This is me being real, raw, vulnerable, and honest about what anxiety really feels like for me in my life. May it resonate with and be valuable

This week, Tracey and Cayly are talking all about identity and how it changes over time. They discuss their experiences of getting older, how they’ve had to let go of old identities along the way, and ways in which this process has been challenging for them personally.   They also talk about the role social media plays in how we establish our identities and define ourselves over time, and the importance of not depending upon outside validation to determine your worth in the world.   Enjoy this conversation and consider leaving us a review or 5-star rating in iTunes if you’re loving the show. Tracey and Cayly would really appreciate it!   Highlights from this episode:   - Cayly’s existential crisis about her age - How Tracey feels about turning 50 and Cayly feels about turning 40, and why Cayly never thought she would make it to 40 - Thirty Something (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirtysomething) - What makes Tracey and Cayly feel old - How Cayly feels about her grey hair - Working out differently as we get o

Is it okay not to like people?   Tracey and Cayly are tackling this question in this week’s episode of the podcast, talking about their own experiences of not liking people and times they haven’t been liked by others. Tracey also offers some great advice on what to say to kids who are being excluded, and explains why she doesn’t think we should force kids to include everyone all the time.   This conversation is full of great insights, both for adults interacting with each other and for parents trying to help their kids navigate sometimes tricky social environments.     - What to do if you don’t like someone or you suspect someone else doesn’t like you - Is it okay to not like your own children? - What do you say to a child who is being excluded by his or her peers? - Should we force children to include everyone? - Tracey’s experience parenting a kid who was a little bit of an outlier - How can we allow kids to find their own paths? - Why it’s important for kids to get feedback about their behavior from their

Episode 52: Why You Are Allowed to Feel Overwhelmed Regardless of Your Circumstances Today’s episode is all about overwhelm. Specifically, Tracey and Cayly are asking the question:  Who gets to feel overwhelmed?   Are you allowed to feel overwhelmed if you don’t have children? Are you allowed to feel overwhelmed if you have a flexible schedule that you design yourself? Are you allowed to feel overwhelmed by things you love?   Short answer:  YES.   Listen in to hear Tracey and Cayly talk more specifically about their own experiences of overwhelm, why it isn’t helpful to compare your overwhelm to that of those around you, and how to discern between overwhelm that is the a choice and overwhelm that is an obligation.   Enjoy the show! And please remember to leave a 5-star rating or review if you love it. Tracey and Cayly would really appreciate it!   - A little lovefest between Tracey and Cayly - Update on the chickens - Comparing our overwhelm to others — kids vs. no kids, illness vs. health, working for self vs

Let’s face it. We all procrastinate. ALL of us. Which is why Tracey and Cayly decided to tackle this topic on the podcast.   Today’s question:  What is procrastinating really about?   Because here’s the truth:  It’s usually not about being lazy. And in this conversation, Tracey and Cayly discuss some of the underlying reasons why we procrastinate and put things off. Even those things we claim to believe are important.   Enjoy the episode. And please consider leaving us a review and/or 5-star rating in iTunes. We are coming up on a year of making the podcast and would LOVE to be able to continue making it. But we need your help in order to make this possible.   The best ways to help right now? Leave a review. Tell a friend about the show. Share the show on social media. Yell from the rooftops how much you adore us. Any and all of these things would be greatly appreciated! Tracey and Cayly thank you for your support!   Relevant links:   - The Art of Taking Action by Gregg Krech (https://www.amazon.com/Art-Takin

Today’s episode of the podcast evolved out of an article Tracey wrote recently to address what she believes the connection is between mental health and gun violence. Tracey and Cayly highly recommend reading that article here (http://practicallivingpdx.com/gun-violence-mental-health-connection-not-think/) either before or after listening to the episode.   The conversation Tracey and Cayly have around these ideas are potentially sensitive, and include mention of eating disorders, cutting, suicide, gun violence, and other possibly triggering topics, so please approach this episode with that in mind.   As always if you have anything to add to this dialogue, please send them to curiousandcuriouspodcast@gmail. All thoughts and perspectives are welcome.   Thanks, y’all. If you enjoy this episode and find it useful, please share it with you friends and family. And please consider leaving the show a review or 5-star rating in iTunes. Tracey and Cayly would really appreciate it!     - Atlantic article about mental ill

This week’s conversation has the potential to ruffle some feathers. Because Tracey and Cayly are taking on some charged topics — including gender, feminism, and inclusivity — and asking themselves this question:  Who is allowed to have an opinion anymore?   Both Tracey and Cayly were a little nervous to have this dialogue on the podcast, but also feel like these are important issues to be able to discuss freely in a open forum. So here goes.   If you have anything to add to this conversation, Tracey and Cayly would love to hear from you! Please email them your thoughts at curiousandcuriouserpodcast@gmail.com. And they encourage you to disagree with them and/or challenge their opinions. The more perspectives on these topics the better!   Highlights from this episode:   - The Instagram post that prompted this conversation - Why we need to make space for more diverse stories without invalidating anyone’s story - Tracey’s conversation with her 15yo son about the patriarchy - Inclusivity in feminism and why we sho

On this week’s episode, Tracey and Cayly are welcoming back Stacey Hallal of Curious Comedy Theater (https://www.curiouscomedy.org/people/staff)) to talk with them more about sex, relationships, and — more specifically — the sex industry.   Today’s question:  Is the sex industry good or bad?   Buckle up, friends. This conversation explores everything from strip clubs to pornography to sex shops and more. It’s another open, honest, and fun dialogue about sex and relationships, exploring topics like trust, confidence, and the importance of acknowledging nuance.   - Exploitation in the sex industry and why this industry is more susceptible - Can women feel empowered by the sex industry? - How Stacey’s attitude towards strip clubs changed over time and her experience in different strip clubs in Portland - Going to a strip club with your partner - Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LD1ORBI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1) - Is it ok to appreciate the beauty of someone o

On today’s episode, Tracey and Cayly are welcoming Stacey Hallal (https://www.curiouscomedy.org/people/staff) to the show. A good friend of Tracey’s, Stacey is also the founder of and current artistic director at Curious Comedy Theater (https://www.curiouscomedy.org/) here in Portland, Oregon.   Tracey and Cayly invited Stacey to the show to share her perspective on dating in your 40s, the challenge of communicating with a sexual partner about sex, and the evolution of one’s sexual identity over multiple decades — including navigating through marriage and divorce.   The specific question around which this conversation revolves is:  Why is it so hard to communicate about sex with a partner?   Buckle up, friends. This dialogue covers everything from confidence in the bedroom to female ejaculation to how to talk about sex with your kids. It’s a good one.   Highlights from this episode:   - Does talking about sex take away the magic of it? - How do you suggest that somebody do something differently without making

On today’s episode, Tracey and Cayly are keeping it relatively light, answering the following question:  Why is it important to have a creative outlet?   In this conversation, Tracey and Cayly both talk about their creative passions, explore the positive ripple effects they’ve seen in their lives as a result of these creative outlets, and discuss their experience of flow.   They also talk about failure, how to eliminate distraction, and why doing something you love can sometimes feel really terrible.   If you’re looking for permission to pursue a creative project, this episode is for you.   Enjoy this conversation and consider leaving the show a 5-star review and/or rating in iTunes if you do! Tracey and Cayly would really appreciate it!   Highlights from this episode:   - Creativity by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (https://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Flow-Psychology-Discovery-Invention/dp/0062283251) - How do Tracey and Cayly channel their creative energy? - How creative outlets can give us places to regularly fail

How do we define bad sex? Do men and women see this differently?   On this week’s episode of Curious & Curiouser, Tracey and Cayly are talking about bad sex, female pleasure, sex education, and — yes — the recent Aziz Ansari story currently making waves.   They are discussing the ineffectiveness of sex education in this country, the importance of having conversations with kids about sex, and why adults need to have more open dialogue with each other about sexual pleasure, desire, and fantasy.   If you enjoy this episode, please consider leaving the show a 5-star rating and/or review in iTunes. And if you have opinions or feedback on this week’s topics, Tracey and Cayly would love to hear from you! Email them at curiousandcuriouserpodcast@gmail.com to share your thoughts!       Direct Download (Right click to download)   Highlights from the episode:   - Do men and women see “bad sex” differently? - The Female Price of Male Pleasure on The Week by Lili Loofbourow (http://theweek.com/articles/749978/female-p

Today’s conversation is one Tracey and Cayly were admittedly nervous about having on the podcast. But they ultimately decided it was an important topic to discuss, so, here goes.   The question around which this conversation is oriented is:  Are we to the point that we’re so easily offended that we’re getting in the way of the very change we seek?   See also:  Are we too politically correct?   Tracey and Cayly talk about feminism, the #metoo movement, infighting among liberals and progressives, the importance of maintaining our sense of humor amidst all the political challenges we’re facing today, and shy leading with curiosity is essential to having productive dialogues about important issues.   We hope you enjoy this discussion and welcome any and all feedback on these issues. So please feel free to reach out with any additional thoughts you might have by emailing the show at curiousandcuriouserpodcast@gmail.com or by DMing Cayly through Instagram (@cayly.c).   And, of course, 5-star ratings and/or reviews

What does it actually look like to change your story? What actions can you take to start writing a different narrative?   These are the questions Tracey and Cayly are addressing on this week’s episode of Curious & Curiouser. So, if you’re looking for some concrete advice about how to break out of an outdated story you’re telling in your own life, this conversation is for you.   You’ll also get some insight into the default stories Tracey and Cayly often find themselves coming back to, and the specific things they do to challenge those stories when they arise. Their stories are pretty universal, so it’s quite possible they’ll resonate with many of you as well.   As always, 5-star ratings and reviews in iTunes are sincerely appreciated. So please consider leaving one if you haven’t already! Thanks, y’all!   Highlights from this episode:   - Why is it so hard to change our stories? - Do our default stories ever go away completely? - Getting stuck in the family story when you go home as an adult - Tracey’s ol