What if your current life isn’t proof of your limits - but proof of the beliefs you’ve been loyal to?

In this episode of Be Unrealistic, we’re kicking off a powerful new series with a deep, honest conversation about mindset, possibility, and what it really means to stop shrinking your life to fit other people’s expectations.

We talk about how most of the beliefs shaping your life were never consciously chosen, they were absorbed. How “being realistic” often had less to do with truth and more to do with belonging. And why wanting more freedom, more ease, or more joy doesn’t mean something is wrong with you… it means you’re waking up.

This episode is an invitation to:

1. Question the beliefs you’ve been operating from
2. Stop using your past as evidence for what’s possible
3. Separate safety from approval
4. Take your power back from other people’s limitations
5. Begin trusting yourself — quietly, consistently, and without permission

I also walk you through small, doable action steps you can start using right now to dream bigger, believe in new possibilities, and take one aligned step at a time.

If you’ve ever thought, “There has to be more than this,” this episode is for you.

✨ This is the first of many conversations about living unrealistically - in the most freeing, grounded, soul-aligned way.

Come hang out with me over on Insta at This Cozy Chapter!

Heyyyy friends! In this episode, I am sitting down with Esther Bontrager, a wife and mama to a beautiful growing family. Esther is the sweetest soul and she's passionate about helping women/teachers navigate the world of homeschooling and find ways to inspire their kids to thrive and grow. You can find so much goodness over on her podcast Homeschool with Excellence.

This episode is one of those conversations that just flows - the kind where you start talking about one thing and suddenly realize you’re naming a whole season of life.

Instead of a traditional interview, this episode is a real, honest conversation about what’s been shifting after the 14-Day Reset with Cathy Heller - from identity and self-trust to homeschooling, freedom, and what we’re dreaming up next.

We talk about unlearning old stories, letting go of identities that no longer fit, and choosing a softer, more aligned way forward - without burning everything down or forcing clarity.

If you’ve been feeling that quiet nudge that something in your life is changing… this one’s for you 🤍

⏱️ Episode Highlights & Timestamps

00:00 – Letting the conversation unfold

We start by letting go of control, perfection, and “doing it right” — and talk about what happens when you trust the conversation to go where it’s meant to go.

07:00 – The 14-Day Reset & choosing peace as a standard

How the reset shifted our internal world more than anything external — and why peace, not pressure, is becoming non-negotiable.

14:00 – Shedding old identities & the start-stop cycle

Letting go of dabbling, proving, and constantly restarting — and choosing commitment over perfection.

21:00 – Feelings over outcomes

Why choosing how you want to feel changes everything — and how to access those feelings now, not someday.

29:00 – Releasing people-pleasing & reclaiming your voice

A real conversation about letting go of how others perceive you and why that freedom matters more than we realize.

35:00 – Homeschooling, curiosity & redefining learning

We dive into homeschooling, reading aloud, creativity, and what it really means to raise curious, thoughtful humans.

49:00 – Big vision, freedom & what’s next

Dreaming forward — podcast growth, writing, workshops, and choosing an unrealistic future on purpose.🤍

This conversation is for anyone who feels the quiet pull to live differently - and is ready to stop abandoning themselves in the process.

🔗 Resources/Shout Outs

A Thomas Jefferson Education

Cathy Heller - Cathy just celebrated her 1,000th podcast episode 🎉 and as a little celebration gift, she’s opening up This Abundant Lifewith a $1 trial for one week.

Rachel Demille

At the heart of it, this episode is about:

1. Unlearning the “be realistic” conditioning
2. Letting go of identities rooted in pressure, guilt, and proving
3. Choosing standards over goals

In this episode of Be Unrealistic, I’m getting real about something that keeps so many of us stuck - self-abandonment.

This month has been deeply transformational for me, especially after participating in the 14-Day Reset with Cathy Heller. What I thought would be a mindset refresh turned into a full-on reset of my identity, my nervous system, and honestly… my entire brain.

If you’ve ever:

1. Started strong and fizzled out by February
2. Talked yourself out of dreams that mattered
3. Chosen what’s “practical” over what feels true
4. Felt stuck even though you want more

This episode is for you.

We talk about the subtle, socially acceptable ways we abandon ourselves every day - and how those patterns keep us small, hesitant, and disconnected from the lives we actually want.

More importantly, I walk you through practical, doable ways to interrupt self-abandonment and start choosing yourself again — without pressure, perfection, or hustle.

1. Why motivation isn’t the problem — identity is
2. How self-abandonment actually shows up in daily life
3. The moment to watch for when you’re about to talk yourself out of what you want
4. Why action (not confidence) creates momentum
5. How community and energetic alignment change everything
6. What shifted for me during the 14-Day Reset
7. Why completion and follow-through are acts of self-trust

✨ This Abundant Life — a daily energetic reset and community centered around alignment, abundance, and possibility

✨ DONE — a 90-day embodiment and completion experience starting in February, designed to help you follow through and stop starting over

Your desires aren’t random.

They’re not selfish.

They’re not unrealistic.

They’re invitations.

And every time you ignore them, you abandon yourself.

Every time you choose them — even in small ways — you come home.

Come hang out with me on instagram at This Cozy Chapter! :)

~ Kristin

Just a heads-up: a few links I share may be affiliate links. I only recommend what I truly believe in, and using them helps support the show at no extra cost to you. I appreciate you so much.

What happens when you stop trying to fix yourself and finally move?

In this episode, I’m sharing a raw truth-bomb about why I’m done waiting for clarity, done shrinking, and done treating myself like a project instead of a person.

We talk about why so many women feel stuck, how self-improvement can quietly turn into self-rejection, and why action actually creates clarity—not the other way around.

This episode is for you if you’ve been:

1. waiting to feel “ready”
2. stuck in overthinking
3. feeling like something must be wrong with you
4. craving momentum instead of more information

I also share how immersing myself in Cathy Heller’s work and community has supported this shift, including:

This Abundant Life

Business Class

DONE (starting in February)

You don’t need perfect clarity.

You don’t need permission.

You don’t need to become someone else first.

Move first.

Clarity will follow.

If this episode resonated, I’d love for you to come hang with me over on This Cozy Chapter. It’s where we talk about books, intentional living, mindset shifts, and creating a life that feels cozy, meaningful, and fully yours. You’re always welcome there. 🤍

~ Kristin

Quick note before you go: some of the links I share are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to sign up—at no extra cost to you. I only ever share things I genuinely love, use, and would recommend anyway. 🤍

Welcome to Episode One of Be Unrealistic.

In this episode, I’m sharing the real story behind why this podcast exists - not as a brand decision or strategy, but as a response to a feeling I couldn’t ignore anymore.

For years, I walked around feeling like I was “too much.”

Too many ideas. Too many dreams. Too hopeful. Too everything.

I talk honestly about:

1. Being told to “be realistic” and how that shaped my self-doubt
2. Starting and stopping — and the shame that came with it
3. Realizing I wasn’t flaky or failing, I was searching
4. Why consistency (not confidence or perfection) was the missing piece

I also share a mindset shift that’s changed everything for me lately:

setting standards instead of goals.

Instead of chasing future outcomes, I’m learning to anchor into who I’m becoming - and how I show up consistently, even when it’s boring or uncomfortable. This idea, which I’ve been learning from my mentor Cathy Heller, has helped me stop quitting on myself and start building in a way that feels steady, kind, and sustainable.

This episode sets the foundation for what Be Unrealistic is really about:

1. Living intentionally
2. Doing work that aligns with your gifts, talents, and purpose
3. And building a life that actually fits you - without hustle culture or burnout

If you’ve ever felt like you were too much, didn’t fit the mold, or kept starting over again and again… this episode is for you.

✨ Resources mentioned:

1. Cathy Heller’s 14-Day Challenge
2. This Abundant Life community

Thanks for being here. I’m really glad you found your way to this space.

♾️ Welcome to Be Unrealistic.

~ Kristin 🤎 (Come hang out with me on Instagram @thiscozychapter)

Some of the links shared in this episode may be affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase through one of these links, I may earn a small commission — at no additional cost to you.

I only share resources, programs, and communities that I genuinely use, love, and believe support intentional living, personal growth, and building a life that feels aligned. Thank you for supporting the podcast and the work I share here 🤍

Welcome to Be Unrealistic — a podcast for dreamers who are done watering themselves down.

In this trailer, I share why this podcast exists. I’ve always been a head-in-the-clouds, big-ideas kind of girl, and for years I was told to “get my head out of the clouds,” “come back down to the real world,” and most of all… be realistic.

While people usually mean well, those phrases often translate to:

don’t want too much, don’t shake things up, and stay where it’s comfortable.

For a long time, I tried to listen — shrinking my dreams, second-guessing myself, and softening my ideas to make other people more comfortable. But as I move into 2026, I’ve realized something clearly: I’m done doing that.

Be Unrealistic is about choosing commitment over perfection, freedom over default, and building a life and work that actually align with your gifts, talents, and values.

On this podcast, we’ll talk personal growth, mindset shifts, books, and I’ll be interviewing women who’ve chosen work that fits their lives instead of letting work run their lives.

This isn’t about hustle culture or overnight success — it’s about small, consistent steps toward a life that feels aligned and intentional.

If you’ve ever felt like you were “too much” or were told to be realistic one too many times, this space is for you.

🎧 Episode one drops January 8 ♾️

📲 Follow along on Instagram: @thiscozychapter

I’m really glad you’re here.