Gratitude practice and self-esteem are connected in ways that directly impact your confidence and ability to achieve your goals. When you're stuck in frustration, comparing yourself to others, and overlooking your micro wins, you're lowering your self-worth. But gratitude helps you recognize your progress, value what you have, and build the confidence you need to keep moving forward.

Why this matters right now:

 * Micro wins are progress even when they don't feel like enough (the friendships you've built, skills you've learned, obstacles you've overcome)
 * Comparison steals joy and lowers your self-esteem (your challenges are different from theirs)
 * Gratitude practice improves psychological wellbeing and directly boosts self-worth (less stress, better sleep, higher confidence)

You don't need to journal essays. You don't need a huge commitment. You can pick one gratitude practice: write one thing in your planner, make a mental note, or tell someone how much you appreciate them. That's it. That's enough to shift how you feel about your own worth and your progress.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that your micro wins matter.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! What's one micro win you've been overlooking? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]



Want to read what I referenced?

 * Psychology Today: Gratitude [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/gratitude]
 * RADIAS Health: The Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude and How to Cultivate It in Your Life [https://www.radiashealth.org/the-mental-health-benefits-of-gratitude-and-how-to-cultivate-it-in-your-life/]
 * HelpGuide: Gratitude, The Benefits and How to Practice It [https://www.helpguide.org/mental-health/wellbeing/gratitude]

How To Recognize Micro Wins and Value Your Current Life & Confidence

Boredom feels like a luxury I can't afford anymore. I'm busy, and constantly reaching for my phone the second I feel even slightly bored. But here's what I've learned: boredom is actually essential for creativity, stress relief, and mental health. Our phones have rewired us to escape boredom instead of experiencing it, and it's affecting our ability to think, create, and rest.

Why boredom matters right now:

 * Boredom allows your mind to wander and create (showers, mindless activities, that's where ideas come from)
 * Phone escaping is actually making you more anxious and depressed (doomscrolling doesn't help, it hurts)
 * You can practice boredom again without a full digital detox (meditation, reading, waiting without your phone)

Boredom used to be something I experienced all the time as a kid. Now I actively avoid it. My generation grew up with enough boredom to know how to handle it, but now I need to relearn that skill. We're all reaching for our phones constantly, and it's stopping us from the creativity and mental clarity that comes from just sitting with our thoughts.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that your phone is a tool, not a requirement.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! Do you find yourself reaching for your phone whenever you're bored? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

👓 Research referenced: 

‣ Potential Benefits of Boredom [https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/benefits-of-boredom]

‣ Boost your brain with boredom [https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/boost-your-brain-with-boredom]

‣ 5 Benefits of Boredom [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-of-choice/202004/5-benefits-of-boredom]

The Value of Boredom for Your Creativity and What It Means to Me

Nonfiction audiobooks are my strategy for learning when traditional reading feels like a struggle. I'm out of my reading slump and ready to learn about investing, feminism, economics, and tech through four books that are calling to me. All of these have changed how I think about women, money, and society.

What's drawing me to these books right now:

 * Financial independence is a feminist issue (investing means women can have freedom and agency)
 * Retirement is personal (as a millennial without a pension, I need to understand my future)
 * Everything connects to economics (feminism, attraction, democracy, even tech fascism all tie back to economic systems)

The four nonfiction books I'm reading are:

 1. "Friends That Invest" by Simran Kaur, [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9781394377770]
 2. "How to Be a Rich Old Lady" by Amanda Holden, [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9781668066928]
 3. "Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism" by Kristen R. Ghodsee [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9781645036364], and
 4. "The Nerd Reich" by Gil Duran [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9781668221402]

All are also audiobooks because that's how I actually finish nonfiction.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that learning through nonfiction is an investment in yourself.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! What nonfiction audiobooks are you reading? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

Four Nonfiction Books I'm Actually Reading

Reading slumps happen, especially when life gets chaotic and burnout creeps in. But the thing is, reading makes me feel alive. So finding cozy fall books is my strategy to break out of the slump and fall back in love with reading during the season I love most. These four books are exactly what I need right now: low stakes, autumn vibes, romance, and the kind of stories that heal.

What I'm looking for in cozy fall reads:

 * Low stakes stories that don't demand emotional labor (give me bookshops, tea shops, tea, dragons, magic without the heavy plot trauma)
 * A little bit of romance mixed with cozy vibes (the kind that makes you feel safe while still feeling butterflies)
 * Stories about understanding and connection (whether it's goblins and halflings bridging cultural gaps or vampires finding love)

The four books I'm reading this fall are "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" by Rebecca Thorne, "My Vampire Plus One" by Jenna Levine, "They Love Me Not" by Winnie Aster, and "How to Lose a Goblin in 10 Days" by Jessie Sylva. Some are cozy fantasy, some are romance with low stakes. All of them are exactly what my nervous system needs right now.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that fun is part of a healthy lifestyle.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! What are you reading this fall? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

📚 Books mentioned: 

 * Can't Spell Treason Without Tea: Rebecca Thorne [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9781250333292]
 * My Vampire Plus-One: Jenna Levine  [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9780593548936]
 * They Love Me Not: Winnie Aster  [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9798232269838]
 * How to Lose a Goblin in 10 Days: Jessie Sylva [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9780316585910]

(All linked in the show notes with affiliate links)

4 Books For a Cozy Girl Fall: My Must-Read Recommendations This Autumn

You're not shy and they're not your people. This is about understanding that not vibing with certain people doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It means you've found people who don't match your energy or compatibility, and that's completely okay. Acceptance here is powerful.

Three things about finding your people:

 * Shy is a label, not who you are (kids are honest, not shy, about who their people are)
 * Energy compatibility matters more than commonality (demanding vs welcoming interaction types are different)
 * Accepting they're not your people brings peace (stop trying to force friendships that don't work)

Growing up I was labeled shy for being honest about who my people were. I spent years trying to figure out what was wrong with me when I didn't vibe with certain people. The truth is simpler. Some people are your people. Some aren't. And that's not a character flaw in either direction. As an introvert, my segment of people who are my people might be smaller, but that doesn't make it worse. It just makes it real.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that not everyone is supposed to be your people.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! Have you experienced the "they're not my people" moment? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

You're Not Shy, They're Not Your People and That's Okay

Being quiet isn't a character flaw or something that needs fixing. It's about how your brain is wired to process stimulation and manage energy. Understanding introversion means understanding that quiet people aren't antisocial or shy, we're just selective with our energy and the people we engage with.

Three things that define being quiet:

 1. Energy management is everything (introversion is an energetic style, not a personality flaw)
 2. Selectivity with people and activities matters (it's about how your brain handles stimulation)
 3. Your brain chemistry is different (dopamine vs acetylcholine means you need different things to feel good)

From childhood until I understood what introversion actually was, I thought something was wrong with me. But learning that Carl Jung defined introversion in the 1920s and understanding the science behind it changed how I see myself. My quiet nature isn't a flaw to fix. It's just how my brain works.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that quiet doesn't mean boring or broken.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! Which introvert trait do you most relate to? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

👓 Articles:

Introverts and Extroverts: The Brain Chemistry Behind Their Differences [https://therapychanges.com/blog/2016/12/introverts-extroverts-brain-chemistry-differences/]

What Makes Someone an Introvert: Definition, Personality Traits, and Self-Care Tips [https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/introvert/guide/]

What It Really Means To Be a Quiet Person: The Science and Lived Experience

Being introverted isn't a character flaw or a weakness that needs fixing. It's part of who you are. I spent years believing my quiet nature was something wrong with me, something I needed to change. But accepting my introversion became the foundation of real confidence and self-acceptance.

Three things I learned:

 1. Your introversion doesn't make you broken (accepting yourself is the first step to confidence)
 2. Confidence has nothing to do with being extroverted (quiet confidence is real confidence)
 3. You can learn social skills without changing who you fundamentally are (both can coexist)

From childhood pressure to be more outgoing to forcing myself into activities I didn't want, I learned that trying to change your fundamental nature is exhausting. It doesn't work. The moment I stopped fighting my quiet nature and started honoring it, everything changed.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that there's nothing wrong with being an introvert.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! Are you an introvert on a similar journey to acceptance? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

There Was Nothing Wrong With Me: Being Introverted Isn't a Character Flaw

How to solo date when you have social anxiety. Everyone's watching you. Everyone's judging. But the truth is far less dramatic, and building confidence happens through small, sustainable steps, not forcing yourself into discomfort. Solo dating is how you build your own life and prove to yourself you're capable.

Three key strategies:

 1. People aren't thinking about you at all (they're thinking about themselves)
 2. Work with your anxiety, not against it (force creates burnout)
 3. Take small steps outside your comfort zone (incrementally build tolerance)

Solo dating saved my life because it taught me I don't need anyone else to do things I love. I became my own companion. I stopped waiting for someone to be available. I started living. That confidence shift changed everything.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that you don't need permission from anyone to live your life.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! What's one thing you want to do solo? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

Solo Dating Survival Guide for the Anxious Girlie

Three books changed how I see the world in 2026. Even though I'm behind on my reading goal, these specific books stuck with me and taught me things I never learned before. Reading recommendations that matter and why these stories need to be heard.

Three impactful books:

 1. The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9780399592706] - hidden stories of invisible communities 
 2. Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9780525556572] - how everything connects to systems and history
 3. A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon [https://bookshop.org/a/56486/9780063469242] - depression and recognition in the pages

What they taught me: History I never learned in school. Systems I couldn't see before. Myself reflected on the page. These books showed me perspectives that matter and stories that need hearing.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that books show us what we need to see.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! What book changed how you see the world? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

The Most Impactful Books I've Read in 2026 (And Why I Can't Stop Thinking About Them)

It's July and your goals have derailed. Instead of pushing harder, sink into yourself and ask three questions that will show you exactly what's wrong. Centering yourself is the key to achieving goals that actually align with who you are.

Three questions to recalibrate:

 1. Why do you want this goal? (Check your connection and investment)
 2. How will you feel when you achieve it? (Remember the emotional payoff)
 3. Is the process enjoyable? (Sunk cost fallacy check and making it better)

Goals are tied to your self-perception, confidence, and self-esteem. When you sink into yourself, you ensure you're working toward something that actually matters. Make the process enjoyable with micro goals, progress tracking, and self-compassion instead of negative self-talk.

Subscribe. Share. Remember that your goals should serve you, not the other way around.

Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨

Join the conversation! What's one goal you need to recalibrate? DM me on Instagram @YourCoachMari!

💬 LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] | Growing with Sol Podcast [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/]

Buy Me a Cafecito [https://hustling-innovator-3453.kit.com/products/buy-me-a-cafecito]

Mari's Book List: https://bookshop.org/shop/Marisol-Book-List

🌱 LET’S GROW TOGETHER: Schedule your discovery call [https://calendly.com/yourcoachmari/30-minute-discovery-call]

How to Center Yourself and Actually Achieve Your Goals This Year

Marisol Moran (@mmoran29) · Zencastr

Marisol Moran (@mmoran29)

Life's little lessons with a big impact. 

Welcome to Growing with Sol, where we explore the moments and stories that shape who we're becoming. I'm Marisol, and I love having conversations about growth, self-discovery, and learning to put yourself first.

Whether we're diving into books that change our perspective or unpacking personal experiences that teach us something new, this podcast is for women who are done playing small and ready to embrace their own journey.

If you've struggled with putting everyone else first or battled self-doubt, you're in the right place. This isn't about perfection—it's about the messy, beautiful process of growing into yourself.

Come grow with me 🌱

Let's stay connected! Join our growing community @YourCoachMari [https://www.instagram.com/yourcoachmari/] and @GrowingWithSolPod [https://www.instagram.com/growingwithsolpod/] on Instagram, and catch me on TikTok @YourCoachMari [https://www.tiktok.com/@yourcoachmari] for bite-sized growth tips between episodes.