Happy Growing

Since August 2021, Happy Growing has been a big part of my life and there hasn’t been one week without a new episode. I have taken you on travels, recorded in closets in AirBnBs and somehow always had ideas and time that I wanted to share with you. Not to mention all the incredible guests & stories I got to learn about & share on Happy Growing.

I have been saying for a while how my life has been changing. In a way, it’s been changing drastically since I’ve started this podcast. But since last summer, more things have become clearer & clearer. I have found back to my dreams & been working towards them ever since.

With everything happening at the moment, I have decided to discontinue weekly episodes of Happy Growing. I don’t know when the next episode will find its way to you, but I know that it will.

There is so much happening in 2024 & I know that I will be telling you about it all. I can’t wait to see what I will be sharing with you first. I am so excited for 2024 & for this life!

Thank you for always being here & supporting me. It means the world. 

All my love,
Verena

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen
Verena's Instagram: @verenaberndt_

Sometimes, your life turns out differently than planned. And that can be for many reasons. It might be that something unexpected happened, that you realised you actually want your life to be different, that your plans were dependent on another person and your relationship with them ended, or so much more.

No matter if your life changes for the positive or negative, you deserve to grieve the life you thought you might live. You deserve time to let go, say goodbye, or sometimes out your plans on hold and knowing that what you want will happen eventually, you just have to hold on a little while longer.

In this week’s episode, I talk about my current process of change and grieving a life I thought I would have. This episode is as personal and relatable as it is hopeful and full of encouragement and empowerment. Everything happens in its own time.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

I don’t know about you, but for me, not following my dreams and fitting into society’s expectations and ideals instead, means living a life of unfulfillment.

This week, I talk about the internal conflict of following a life you want to life or doing it the way you should be. And the confusion of finding out what dreams and goals are really yours, and which you have been made to believe by others.
You learn how to find your right path in life and how you can embrace your freedom as an act of self-love and to support others.

If you were on your d3athbed, what would you regret doing/not doing?

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovely people. If you celebrate it or not, today and the past few weeks have been all about love.

As we know, the most important love in your life is the one you have for yourself. It’s about the connection and relationship with yourself. As I’ve shared with you before, I went through a journey of finding back to myself and learning to love myself again last year. So, I put together all the amazing things that helped me along my journey of finding back to myself and that I know can support you, too. And there are quite a few that came to my mind.

This episode is as much a love-letter to you than it is to myself. Always remember your worth and what you are capable of.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

The love-at-first-sight-happy-ever-after-loves, don’t we know them all? Or at least from film and books? Or maybe even from our grandparents, the older generation? But what is the reality of a love like this now?

Our fast-paced modern society seems to be applying all-present overconsumption, capitalism and an unrealistic want for a perfect life driven my social media to the reality of modern love. Modern love is seeing too many options, ghosting, being indecisive, unclear about who we are and what we want and about ending things as soon as they appear slightly inconvenient.

But can this be changed? How could you find the fight partner for you? How can we bring romance back and build a partnership that stays?

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Opening up is one of the strongest and bravest things you can do. It’s something that you can be incredibly proud of.

Though, many of us are finding it difficult to open up, and that can be for many different reasons. Maybe you haven’t learnt how to, maybe you were told not to talk about feelings or maybe you have had a negative experience being vulnerable with someone. No matter your reasons, it’s all human, normal and something that’s part of your journey.

This week’s episode is about vulnerability in our society, now and in different generations. I talk about my own experience with being told not to show certain emotions, and share ideas on starting your journey of being more vulnerable.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

It’s always about the next big move in life. It’s about the career progress, getting married, having babies, travelling to certain places and all the materialistic wishes becoming reality. But none of this is ever something on its own. There is so much more.

If you think back in time, how many first kisses, great meals, good conversation, laughs and cries and even smiles come to your mind? I’m sure there are many. And weirdly, sometimes we don’t even know why something has stuck with us and grown into such a special memory.

This episode focusses on all the seemingly small beauties of life. How they can bring you more joy and excitement for the future, and how they can even help you feel more grateful and positive about the present moment.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

With a lot of personal growth that’s been happening over the past couple of months, I’ve had a lot of understandings and insights surrounding myself that I felt I wanted to share with my past-self. And with you.

I’ve done an episode giving myself advice before, in December 2021 (Ep. 20). A lot has changed since then and at the same time, I feel like I’m getting closer to a version of me I used to be.

This episode is full of personal talk, emotional support, important reminders and proof that we are in this together. We’re all doing life together and I know that much of this episode will speak to you very directly (and kindly).

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Many of us see January as a rather depressing month. It’s still dark and cold, but the holidays have just passed and there isn’t much to look forward to. We have to adjust to the new year and there might even be pressures put on us by the capitalistic stream of ways to ‘better’ ourselves for the new year.

But there are many ways of making this month, and the following colder months, much more enjoyable, fun and a beautiful start to creating a year with many things you have never done before. It’s all about perspective and what you create.

Let’s romanticise January, let’s be the main character, let’s get cosy, slow down and experience new things. Let’s start the year the special way.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

At the beginning of a new year we are always bombarded with new ways and products and subscriptions and plans to make ourselves ‘better’. But most of it creates stress and pressure and is far off from actually improving our lives.

There are really only very few things that make your life better, and non have anything to do with trying to make you ‘better’ - because you are already amazing and unique just the way you are.

In this first episode of 2024, I talke about your most important goals to work on this year and all of them come from my own experience and personal growth. Happy New Year and always remember to show yourself love!

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Reflecting on the year that has just been is one of the most important and beautiful things you can do. And doing it myself for this episode has proven this all over again.

Happy Growing’s last episode of the year is all about my personal experience of 2023. You’ll hear about my journey with my physical health, ups and downs, cultural and travel adventures and the things I’m most grateful for this year. This year has been a lot about personal growth, which has been a very different and mature change, that hopefully inspires you too

 Thank you so much for being here this year. Thank you for listening every week, for reaching out and for supporting Happy Growing. It means the world to me. I wish you the very best start into the new year 2024 and remember to be gentle with yourself.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Merry happy everything! It’s Christmas Day, and it’s the third Christmas-Special Q&A for Happy Growing. Thank you all for sending in your questions and for being here and supporting Happy Growing!

This Q&A answers many personal questions from my life in London, babies, moving plans, new projects, non-monogamy and much more.

I’m sending you lots of love for those last few days of 2023 & courage to create the life you wish for!

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Winter and the holiday season can be overwhelming times for many. The reasons for overwhelm, stress or loneliness depend on you and your individual situation. But just as there are many reasons that can make this time challenging, there are also many ways you can support yourself through this season.

And even better: you might not only be supported, but actually learn to embrace and use this season of slowness, comfort, love and connection. Not just connection with others, but connection with yourself.

This week’s episode is all about protecting yourself and your energy during the holidays, and ultimately building a stronger relationship with yourself and understanding for your wishes and needs.

I’m sending you lots of love, hugs and strength for this time of the year. May you celebrate yourself and the love for yourself over everything else.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Let’s have arguments, messy flats that don’t fit a certain aesthetic, let’s have laundry drying in out bedrooms & cutlery that doesn’t match. Let’s be real, let’s change & do it with emotions. Let’s share our worries, be scared, grow & let life move & flow.

This week’s episode is about the beauty of embracing real life. What even does it mean when we talk about ‘real life’? How has Social Media influenced our realities, authenticities & individualities?

We talk about all this & more in this week’s episode of Happy Growing. Especially during winter & around holiday times it’s important to remember that your life is just right the way it is. And the more open we are with each other, the more real connections we build & the more we feel like we are belonging & part of a community.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Social Media and content everywhere shows you how best to look after yourself. How to journal, get your nails done, move your body, what to drink and eat, how much to sleep and how to think. And to be honest, I think it’s great to have so much inspiration and motivation around. But, all those things require a lot of energy and can feel like things to tick-off on one of many to-do lists.

Whatever happened to watching TV, laying around and eating takeout or snacks? Because I think we should bring it back. I think, we should claim doing-nothing and declare it one of the most important wellness tools.

Because the most important thing in life is balance. And doing nothing as part of a balanced lifestyle is exactly what we all need from time to time. And if it’s a day or a whole weekend of laying in bed and watching shows, then let it be. Let’s all do a lot more of nothing and really lean into the messages our body sends us when we crave slowness, relaxation and just want to let go.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Over are the times of always being in school-classes with others, always being around people your own age, studying together all week and being able to relax on the weekends. At least that’s what school looked like for many people.

In adulthood, we have our weekly schedules and want to make sure we work, live a healthy life, look after ourselves, keep the house and laundry clean, have all our life-admin sorted and of course, look after pets and children. There is a lot to do everyday, so where is the time to socialise?

And even for those of us who are regularly around others, we might still feel lonely. There might be a lack of connection or changes happening that distance us from each other. All of this is normal. But how can you make sure to support yourself and put changes in place to make deeper or new connections, if that’s what you wish to have in life?

We talk about this and much more in this week’s episode. But most importantly, this episode is here to remind you that you are never alone with your experiences and that you are in charge of your life.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

Your experience of happiness is uniquely yours & no definition or logical explanation could ever live up to it. But why is happiness so unique? Why is it important? And how can you work towards your own happiness?

In this week’s episode, I talk about my own experience with happiness and episodes of being unhappy. We talk about the importance of contentment & fulfilment & why happiness shouldn’t be the massive ‘highs’ in contrast to a life with many ‘lows’.

You’ll learn keypoints to following your own happiness & I’m sharing tasks & exercise to support you on your journey.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

I’m currently going through a lot of change and much of it is actually being brought to life and happening next year. A lot had to happen for me to get to where I am now, and things are never going to stop changing - and that’s okay. That’s normal. And that’s also exciting.

In this week’s episode, I’m giving you a little bit of a life update, and also talk about the importance (and enjoyment!) of not having life figured out. Because mine certainly isn’t all clear and certain, and how boring would it be, if it was?

Topics:
What my life has been like
Personal changes
Why I don’t have life figured out
Why not having things figured out it great!
Aren’t ‘life’ and ‘change’ the same thing?
The beauty of life
What I’ve been prioritising

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

This week’s episode is a very personal reminder for how great you are. For all the effort, love, care and energy you put into your daily life. You are so great at doing life.

And sometimes, things might not seem right. Something might feel like it’s missing or there might be a sense of lack, but that’s okay. In this episode, we are talking about how you can tackle feelings of confusion or unhappiness in your current situation. There is especially one thing, that we keep going back to in this week’s episode. And I know how important this one thing is, because I’ve been reminded of it in my own life very recently.

Topics:
Why you’re great at doing life
Something I’ve been going through
One thing to always support yourself
Comparison is the thief of joy
Status and materialistics don’t bring fulfillment

TW: There are brief mentions of abuse is this episode. Please look after yourself.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen

This theory from the 90s is most likely something, you have at least heard about over the years. But what is it really about? What are the Five Love Languages and how do they work? Are they actually benefitting relationships? And how can you find out you own?

The answers to these and many more questions are in this week’s episode. And of course, I also talk about my own experience and past relationships.

Instagram: @happygrowingpodcast
Photography & Design: @eva_poglajen