This week, I’m sharing the story of how one bizarre neighborhood party made me stop believing in my own writing — and how I clawed my way back (yes, this is the one about the sex-toy party). From imposter syndrome to unedited manuscripts to agents asking hard questions, this episode is equal parts funny, honest, and full of hard‑earned advice. I wrap with three tips every writer needs: ask boldly, slow down, and champion your work.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

#writingadvice #selfpublishing #mindsetshift #liveyourbestlife #realtalk

I spent years believing the worst things my mind told me. This episode is about taking the mic back. The monsters don’t get the final say. Not anymore.

For years, the monsters in my head dictated how I saw myself, my work, and my worth. After naming the monsters in Episode 10, this episode explores what comes next: the shift from awareness to agency. From self‑loathing to self‑trust. From disappearing to taking up space. This is the beginning of reclaiming the story they tried to write for me. Episode 11 is about learning to stop believing mine.

#Mindsetshift #Livingmylife #Realtalk #Healingjourney #Bodyimage

I didn’t wake up one day with body image issues. They were built slowly — through comments, comparisons, and the praise I got for disappearing. This episode traces the first moments I learned to distrust my reflection. The tiny comments, the too‑small jeans, the praise for shrinking, and the years I spent letting the monsters narrate my worth. This is where they were born.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

#bodyimage #healingjourney #selfgrowth

We all have a gap between how others see us and how we see ourselves. This episode explores why that happens, how the monsters distort our reflection, and what it looks like to let the truth in anyway. An honest look at the disconnect between perception and self‑perception — and why believing the good things about ourselves is harder than it should be.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

#Bodyimage #mentalhealth #healingjourney #eatingdisorderawareness #selfgrowth

A candid look at food, judgment, body image, and the choices we make when no one’s watching. From vegan guilt to public‑health reality checks to the psychology behind fast food, this episode explores what happens when we stop letting labels define us.

In this week’s podcast episode, the host, Shuana Gabriel, talks about the hate she received when she ditched plant-based creams and started using real half-and-half in her coffee again. She also discusses food guilt, body positivity, public health, and why our choices — big or small — say way less about our worth than we think. If you’ve ever been judged for what’s on your plate or in your mug… this one’s for you.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

Disclaimer: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice.

#foodchoices #publichealthcrisis #healthylifestyle #bodyimage #dairy #plantbased

Breaking the Ice on My Own Silence: Why I went quiet—and why I’m back ❄️ I’m finally talking about the fear and self‑doubt that kept me off the mic — and the five coping mechanisms that helped me break the ice and return. This episode is about the silence I chose, the fear underneath it, and the messy, imperfect ways I found my way back. If you’ve ever stalled out on something you care about, this one’s for you.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

Disclaimer: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice.

#FlavoredWord #PodcastLife #FearOfSuccess #Vulnerability #CopingMechanisms

This episode exposes the myth of divine timing, and the internal gatekeepers draining your potential. You’ll learn why messy action beats perfect planning and how to handle the backlash that comes with choosing yourself. In a world that rewards momentum, hesitation is the real risk. The permission you’ve been waiting for is already yours. Waiting for the “right time” will slowly suffocate your dreams.

The Permission Paradox warns you about the social friction that comes with choosing yourself and breaks down the architecture of unauthorized action and the cost of hesitation in a hyper‑competitive world. By the end, you’ll realize the permission you’ve been waiting for was never external — it was yours all along.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

#NewPodcast #SelfGrowth #SelfDiscovery #MentalHealthPodcast

Eating disorders don’t follow a script. There’s no single trauma, no neat origin story, no universal trigger. For some people, food becomes a tool — the one thing they can control when everything else is slipping. In this episode, I talk about the misconceptions, the adrenaline‑then‑shame cycle, and why the “just eat” approach misses the entire point.

Disclaimer: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice.

YouTube: @ShaunaGabriel

Podcast: The Flavored Word

Blog: TheFlavoredWord.com (http://TheFlavoredWord.com)

Food Blog: TheFlexitarianRx.com (http://TheFlexitarianRx.com)

Social: @TheFlavoredWord | @TheFlexitarianRx

#Podcast #EDAwareness #MentalHealthPodcast #HealingJourney