Season 1 of Soul Points has come to an end! We're taking a break to do some self-care and plan the next season. In this episode, we reflect back on the last few months to see how our lives have changed. We talk about our love of HBO's Insecure, the problem with personality tests, Summer Affective Disorder, Vera finally kicking her sex camp habit,  the complications that come with starting to date after a breakup, interpretive science, the sliding hair scale, and more! Topics/things mentioned in today's ep: Insecure HBO: Dro is played by Sarunas J Jackson, also mentioned S 1 Ep 6 - Guilty as F*ck and S 1 Ep 8 - Broken as F*ck Ask Polly  https://www.thecut.com/2019/08/ask-polly-im-so-indecisive-about-everything.html We refer to an unreleased Soul Points episode where Vera talks about the end of sex camp (too emo for public consumption) Growing Pains (which we thought was Step by Step) 7th Heaven - S 3 Ep 8: "No Sex, Some Drugs, and a Little Rock n Roll" How Youtube works - Recode Decode with Tristan Harris, May 5th 2019 (starts around 28:18) Hot Priest's speech from S2 Ep 6 of Fleabag Hey! We would love your feedback! If any topics have particularly resonated with you and you want to hear more, or if you have suggestions for new topics/segments for next season, message us on instagram or email us at get.soulpoints@gmail.com. We love you!

Soul Points

Season 1 Wrap Up

On today's episode, we dive into the good things we learned or took away from our ex partners. Collectively we've spent many years in relationships, and our partners really shaped us as people. They shaped our music tastes, sharpened our cooking skills, and helped us explain ourselves more eloquently. And while the relationships ultimately didn't work out, we've kept these tastes and skills in our lives, and we're better people as a result! Plus, Maureen's grandma is a genius, Vera almost dies on a motorcycle, and engineers really are the best people!

Things We Learned from our Exes

We're back, and today we talk about our individual journeys in therapy, different therapy types, the struggles of finding the right therapist (which can sometimes feel harder than finding your soulmate), and more! Vera dives into EMDR therapy, its efficacy, and how it changed her life. Maureen reminisces about her first therapist and their connection, and we both rant about our healthcare system and how frustrating it can be to navigate as it relates to mental health.  Disclaimer: we are not doctors, we are just two dummies on the internet who talk about their own mental health journeys! If any of the information here interests you, we highly encourage you to do your own research and talk to your healthcare team. This especially applies to any medication you may or may not be on. Ok disclaimer over. You guys are all smart enough to know this.

All About Therapy!

This week, we take a break from talking about dating and all the fun it brings, and dive into one of our favorite topics - the things we love to do by ourselves! We explain the real difference between introverts and extroverts, ponder our own place on the intro-extrovert spectrum, and gush about cozy inside and outside things anyone can do on their own. Plus, Vera's brain is a browser with 1,000 tabs open, why sharing art is terrifying, why we can't just watch TV without also eating or checking the weather, why everyone and everything is competing for our attention, and how Maureen talks to her plants. Cuddle up with your favorite inside activity and enjoy!

Favorite Introvert Things!

In today's episode, we examine the ways in which we talk about our mental health in new / newish / established dating situations. Do we dive right in and openly discuss our journeys? Why are some people so afraid of certain words like "therapy?" Why would we ever pretend to be someone else when first meeting somebody? How do we leave partners who "need" us? Where is the evidence that we're terrible people? Plus, Vera starts believing that the Universe is sending her signs, Maureen's "I don't give a shit" attitude is contagious in the best way, and the biggest turn-on in the world is a man who's actively working on himself! Also Netflix recs.

Mental Health Conversations in Dating Situations

On today's episode, we dive into "self-improvement". Ever since we were little girls, we dreamed of being normal human beings who can blend into walls. Collectively, we spent thousands of dollars on things that were supposed to make us more palatable but ended up making us feel worse about ourselves, and today we talk about all of them! We reminisce about the first time we thought "Hey, something's wrong with me, I need to fix it," the first time we realized our eyebrows weren't up to par, our major depressions in college, the time we wasted on doing things that "adults" are supposed to do, and how no one will give you a trophy at the end of your life for having the perfect morning routine. We also talk about simple things that have worked to make our lives a little better and easier (spoiler alert - they are all very boring and obvious - but they work). Here's to hoping we can save some of you hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on stupid shit you do not need!

The Endless Pursuit of Self-Improvement

In this slightly disorganized episode we continue to ponder our dating lives, but only after a lengthy discussion about fake dairy (what is even the point)?  So, how do we navigate  ambiguous relationships? What are the parameters and how do we communicate them? Why are we attracted to less people as we grow older? Plus, Vera has a very hyper date, Maureen checks out a book from the library to help with sex camp, and we send compassion to our younger selves.

Dating Part 2: Everyone Has Given Up a Little

We're back! In This Episode, we dissect our dating histories and spill the beans on what it really means to be dating as straight women in our thirties (spoiler alert - it's tricky). We ponder the question we didn't even ask ourselves until our 3rd decade on this planet - do we actually want a partner? Vera talks about her one day on Tinder. Maureen refuses to get on apps. Plus single shaming, why no one picks anyone up in real life anymore, going back to sex camp, and how it really is possible to make dating fun again!

Dating Part 1: No One Knows What They're Doing

Talking to humans - how do we do it? Or do we not do it? In this episode, we talk about all things social anxiety. How do we deal with it at work? Do our faces look weird while we're in conversation? Vera is deathly afraid of being a burden, so she will clean your house if you invite her over. Maureen meets a man who is freaked out by public transportation and doesn't know that libraries still exist.  Plus: why some men don't see us as whole humans, why female comics don't get laid on tour, and why Fleabag is the greatest show on TV.

The One About Social Anxiety

Our mental health is a full time job, and sometimes our brains call in sick. In this episode, we talk about being in a rut and the things we do to help ourselves get through it. We discuss what we do when our energy budget is blown, listening to our bodies, endorphins (ugh they're hard to get but we need them), and more. Vera's suggestions include short meditations from Insight Timer, simple and calming yoga at home, and expending the least amount of energy to get the maximum results. Maureen's suggestions include interpretive dance, never eating salad again, and her #1 foolproof method to snap you out of any negative emotion (this one is worth billions and I hope we can somehow monetize it). We also discuss how the wellness industry can make us feel worse by pointing out all the things we "should" be doing (thanks, capitalism!) Plus there's a dated Game of Thrones discussion (it's a new perspective, I swear). We hope this can help you get through some tough days, or at least make you feel better about your own life in comparison. Have a good whatever! 

The One About Being in a Rut

In this episode, Vera and Maureen introduce the pod! They talk about why they wanted to start a podcast, the lens through which they view the world, and where the term Soul Points originated. Other topics include: mood swings - are we possibly manic depressive? Do people actually want to hang out with us when we're not super witty and entertaining? Are we responsible for someone else's ego? Also, Vera learns to talk about feelings, Maureen doesn't know how to navigate romantic relationships, hot yoga can change the world, and our favorite things from the week. 

The One About Our Origin Story

Dating, traffic, meal prep, crippling mental illnesses - sometimes life is hard, and we gotta get those soul points where we can. Here on Soul Points we talk about sex camp, mental health, social and work anxieties, the traps of capitalism, dating as heterosexual women in our thirties, and more (I bet we had you at sex camp!) In a world that can sometimes seem like a giant trash pile on fire, we hope to feed your soul with just a little bit of comfort in knowing that you're not alone.

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Soul Points

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