Episode Details

Before we get started, a special shout-out to listener Wendy for her lovely feedback about the podcast and her financial support. Learn more here. 

00:00 - 02:24 | Welcome to Bound & Determined℠, Dustyne Bryant and Cat Ferris!  Dustyne and Cat are each one-half of the duo that hosts the podcast Awkward Insurance, sponsored by The National Alliance. 

02:25 - 05:54 | Meg is checking from Denver this time - the sun is shining for her today. Dustyne is in central Arkansas and has a different feeling about winter weather after a recent trip to Florida. Cat is in north-central Florida - where you can wear both a parka and flip-flops in the very same day. Meg shares more about the wardrobe challenges she faces as a #digitalnomad. Limited options mean she's wearing things out which helps her to appreciate what she has in a different way.

05:55 - 06:44 | When three podcast hosts come together on a podcast, it's natural to talk about...a podcast! Meg was previously a guest on Awkward Insurance and is viewing this conversation as a continuation of the great dialogue they started there. One of the challenges of hosting a podcast is the willingness to go deeper into topics - holding space for our guests to do the same.

06:45 - 09:30 | Cat shares more about her start in podcasting; Dustyne hosted for a full year before Cat joined the show, which helped her to see her own path to success. Embracing social media has been the true challenge for her in this season of her life - letting others have a glimpse into our personal lives can be a real shift - and a rush. 

09:31 - 11:32 | The 5 Love Languages are a real thing - Meg shares that hers is "words of affirmation" and social media can provide that dopamine hit that she craves. But strangers on the internet are just that - and unless those consuming content with those who create it choose to engage, there can be a loneliness to showing up on social media. Social media helped provide a bridge during the pandemic, too, in many cases.

11:33 - 12:44 | Do you have a best friend at work? Both Cat and Dustyne started in their current roles working remotely. Building and maintaining connection in the virtual world is a challenge. 

12:45 - 16:59 | Dustyne shares more about the origin of Awkward Insurance - she didn't start hosting willingly, but has been able to embrace the role of host beautifully. Having a mentor who sees our abilities and pushes us in a healthy way to see our potential is an invaluable gift.

17:00 - 18:53 | We are 100% our own worst critics. Dustyne felt a vulnerability - keeping her in her head and up at night. It gets better with time, but can feel so heavy. 

18:54 - 20:09 | Dustyne talks through the idea of having split social media personalities - work and personal - and how she's challenged to do this. She's created a work-around that allows her to share the open parts of her life, but it's not a perfect solution. 

20:10 - 22:59 | Boundaries are so important - even as podcast hosts, there are things we still won't talk about, and that's the decision each of us has to make. Some push those boundaries and others don't - either way, this is real life and is different for each of us. Cat reminds us that we don't owe anyone more of ourselves than what we're willing to share. 

23:00 - 24:59 | Parenting o