No one talks about how networking can feel absolutely awful.

In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine get brutally honest about the pressure of meeting new people, making small talk, and pretending networking doesn’t drain the life out of you.

Jeanine shares that she’s literally driven to networking events, sat in the parking lot, and left without ever going inside. More than once. And honestly? A lot of us probably get it.

The conversation dives into why networking can feel fake, awkward, exhausting, and weirdly performative, especially for introverts or people who overthink every conversation. They also talk about the pressure behind the question, “So… what do you do?” and why that question can feel a little too personal, a little too loaded, and a little too much like being sized up.

There are also plenty of funny moments along the way, including:

“I evaluated all my operating systems, and they said no.”
An accidental debate about Planet Fitness
A failed attempt to join a laughing group at an event
And the idea of creating a “no BS” networking group where nobody asks what you do for a living
If networking makes you want to hide in your car, this episode is probably for you.

Tune in, laugh with us, and maybe send us your best “how to survive networking” tips. We clearly need them.

Sometimes the hardest relationships to leave aren’t romantic ones.

In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Jeanine and Maria tackle the messy, emotional, deeply human question:

How do you know when it’s time to walk away from a relationship?

From friendships that quietly fade…
to family estrangement…
to values that no longer align…
to the pain of being ghosted by someone you genuinely loved…
this conversation gets honest fast.

The episode explores:
Friendship breakups
Family obligation vs. self-protection
Giving difficult feedback
Political/value differences in relationships
Ghosting and emotional avoidance
Boundaries, intuition, and self-awareness
The emotional weight of obligation and expectation
There are no perfect answers here, just two people trying to think through complicated things in real time.

And honestly? That’s probably why this one feels so relatable.

If you’ve ever wrestled with whether to stay, leave, reconnect, forgive, or let go… this conversation is for you.

💬 We’d genuinely love to hear from you in the comments:
Have you ever walked away from a relationship and known it was the right choice?

Quitting sounds simple… but it never feels that way.

In this episode, Maria and Jeanine dig into a question most of us quietly wrestle with: when is it actually okay to quit?

They grew up hearing, “don’t be a quitter.” Finish what you start. Push through.

But now? Life looks different.

They talk about jobs, parenting, relationships, and the pressure to stay… even when something clearly isn’t working.

At one point, Maria admits she’s stayed in situations way too long, saying she held on “until they became unhealthy for me.”
And Jeanine shares how she knew it was time to leave when she felt like she was “beating [her] head against the wall every single day.”

It gets real, but it also gets practical.

They explore the difference between quitting too soon and staying too long.

They talk about how guilt, fear, and even pride can keep you stuck.

And they land on something that actually helps:

Know your values.

Because once you’re clear on what really matters to you, the decision gets a whole lot easier.

If you’ve ever stayed somewhere longer than you should have… or wondered if it’s time to move on… this one will hit home.

Tune in. You’re going to feel seen.

What would you do… really?

Not the polished answer. Not the “right” answer. The real one.

In this episode, Maria and Jeanine start with a heavy story, a tragic accident, a split-second decision, and a question that doesn’t have a clean answer. Then they follow it somewhere unexpected.

Because once you start asking “what would you do if…,” it turns into everything.

They talk about intention vs. consequence, and how hard it is to draw a clear line when life gets messy. As one of them puts it, “Where is the line? I don’t know where the line is.”

And then, just like real life, the conversation shifts.

Suddenly it’s about splitting the dinner bill, feeling “cheap,” and that weird moment when the check hits the table and no one knows what to do.

Then it goes even deeper, into honesty.

When someone asks for feedback, do you tell the truth if it might hurt? Or do you soften it? Or stay quiet?

There are no perfect answers here. Just real ones.

Some heavy. Some funny. All very human.

Tune in, you’re going to see yourself in this one.

Can you lie… and still be a good person?
This episode starts simple, but it doesn’t stay that way.
Maria and Jeanine dig into a question that gets real, fast: can two things be true at once?
They talk about what it means to trust someone, why lies hit so personally, and whether intent really matters. Along the way, they explore everything from “harmless” lies to the ones that completely change how you see someone.
At one point, Maria shares something that hits deep: when someone lies, it feels like “why don’t you feel like I’m a person you can tell the truth to?”
And Jeanine offers a different lens, reminding us that not all lies come from a bad place. Sometimes, they come from protection, fear, or even kindness.
They also get into:
The difference between lying and intention
Why some people see things in black and white, and others don’t
What trust really means in relationships
And how curiosity might change everything
It’s thoughtful, a little messy, and very real, just like their conversations always are.
If you’ve ever questioned someone’s honesty or your own reaction to it, this one will stick with you.
Tune in and see where you land.

In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine start with a simple breakfast question, should couples sit on the same side of the booth, and somehow end up talking about pet peeves, table manners, dating dealbreakers, love languages, and why water flossing apparently matters a lot more than most people think.

Jeanine is firmly on team “sit across from me so I can see your face,” while Maria makes the case for closeness, hand-holding, and maybe not needing a full-on staring contest over breakfast. From there, the conversation takes a hilarious turn into chewing with your mouth open, bad restaurant chairs, turn signals, gross eating habits, and the very real possibility that some habits might be enough to end a relationship.

One of the funniest parts is Jeanine’s dead-serious rule: “If you want to put your tongue in my mouth, you need to water floss.” Honestly, that sets the tone.

But underneath all the laughs, there’s something real here too. Maria and Jeanine talk about how the little things that bother us can reveal bigger things about how we connect, what makes us feel close, and what we actually value in relationships.

It’s funny, oddly deep, and very them.

Come for the booth debate. Stay for the judgments. You’ll definitely have opinions on this one.

We say it all the time.

“I have anxiety.”

But what does that actually mean?

In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine take on a topic that a lot of people talk about, but not always with the same understanding, anxiety.

Jeanine admits she doesn’t experience much anxiety herself. Maria shares what it feels like living closer to it. That difference sparks a thoughtful conversation about something many of us do without realizing it: using the word anxiety to describe everyday nerves.

They explore the gap between feeling anxious and living with clinical anxiety, and how casually throwing the word around can unintentionally minimize what people with real anxiety go through.

One moment that stands out is the idea that anxiety can feel like “a constant hum in the background,” something that doesn’t just show up for big moments but quietly stays with you.

They also talk about labels. When we say “I have anxiety,” are we describing a moment… or defining ourselves?

This conversation isn’t about judging how people use the word. It’s about understanding it better, and recognizing that everyone’s experience with anxiety is different.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re feeling nervous, anxious, or something deeper, this episode will definitely make you think.

Take a listen and join the conversation.

Your Nose Has Secrets
How One Sniff Changes Everything

Have you ever smelled something and suddenly felt like you were six years old again?

In this episode of Brains Gone Bold, Maria and Jeanine talk with scent scientist Dr. Rachel Herz to explore something we all have… but rarely think about - our sense of smell.

They dive into why the smell of popcorn can take you straight back to a childhood movie, why your high school boyfriend’s cologne can mean three totally different things over time, and why losing your sense of smell can deeply impact your mental health.

Dr. Herz explains something that might blow your mind: “Taste is only sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Everything else is smell.” Yes - bacon and potato chips both “taste” salty. Your nose is mainly responsible for telling you which is which.

They also unpack:

• Why lavender isn’t magically calming for everyone
• How those with depression often have a diminished sense of smell
• Why two people can hate and love the same scent
• How to build your own “personal apothecary”
• And why actively sniffing each day is actually brain healthy

One big takeaway?
We don’t realize how much smell shapes our emotions, memories, relationships, and even our sense of self - until it’s gone.

By the end, you’ll want to stop and smell the roses a lot more.

Tune in. You’ll never experience scent the same way again!

About the Guest

Dr. Rachel Herz is a neuroscientist and world-renowned expert on the science of smell. She studies the powerful (and often surprising) connection between scent, memory, emotion, and human behavior. She has shared her work on multiple TED or TEDx stages, as well as in her books entitled Why You Eat What You Eat, That’s Disgusting, and The Scent of Desire. She is a valued consultant to international corporations, an entrepreneur, and serves on the faculty at Brown University. Most recently, she is the newly-elected President of the International Society of Neurogastronomy.

Learn more about her fascinating work here: https://rachelherz.com/

Be sure to check out her book: Why You Eat What You Eat on Amazon