Unlearning Beautiful

Kristina Bruce

For most of us, “beautiful” has meant thin, youthful, glowing, and effortlessly put-together — a look we’ve been taught to believe makes us valuable and worthy. But what if beautiful isn’t about being thin or looking young — but a feeling you experience inside, and already are?Unlearning Beautiful is for women who are tired of worrying about their jean size, fighting the signs of aging, or trying to get everything “right” in the name of health — and are ready to feel genuinely well, at ease, and beautiful from the inside out.Through honest reflections, practical wisdom, and gentle guidance, host and certified coach Kristina Bruce helps you heal your relationship with your body, release appearance-based pressure, and reconnect to the deeper sense of worth that’s always been within you.Because the freedom you’re craving was never in how you look.Kristina Bruce is a Certified Change Coach with training in yoga and meditation, and education in health studies and sociology. With extensive experience in belief work and self-development practices, she works with clients around the world through 1:1 coaching for deep inner transformation, helping women release body insecurity and reconnect with their deepest inner wisdom through compassionate, practical guidance.

Episodes

  1. 5D AGO

    Ep. 9 Why Your Negative Emotions are Actually Your Inner Wisdom

    Have you ever looked at a photo of yourself and felt an immediate wave of anxiety or shame? Most of us interpret that "contractive" feeling as a sign that our bodies are the problem. But what if that discomfort isn't a red alert about your weight or how you look, but a signal from your inner wisdom? In this episode, Kristina Bruce explores the "dualistic" nature of our emotions and why negative feelings are actually a compass pointing us back to the truth. You’ll learn how to distinguish between the loud, survival-driven voice of the mind and the quiet, expansive voice of your true self. In this episode, we discuss: Why we’ve been taught to apologize for "negative" emotions and why that’s holding us back.The difference between "surface thoughts" and the core beliefs (like "I’m not enough") that run in the background.How to use discomfort as a "messenger" to identify when you’re believing something untrue about yourself.The two-prong approach to releasing body shame: feeling the emotion with presence and questioning the narrative.Why "neutrality" is often the first step toward true body peace. RESOURCES MENTIONED The Body Peace Video Series: Get $20 off automatically applied at checkout https://www.kristinabruce.com/bodypeace-podcast Work with Kristina: Learn more about one-on-one coaching to identify and shed the beliefs that no longer serve you.https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching Free Resource: Ready to start listening to your inner wisdom instead of your inner critic? Download my free Guide to Body Peace to begin your journey back to yourself. www.kristinabruce.com/guide CONNECT WITH KRISTINAWebsite www.kristinabruce.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinabrucecoach Enjoyed the episode? Make sure to subscribe and leave a review! It helps other women find this message of body peace. This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    27 min
  2. JAN 29

    Ep. 8 How to Stop Seeking External Validation and Build True Self Worth

    Is Your Self-Worth Outsourced?If no one ever noticed you again—if nobody ever said, "You look great"—how much time, energy, or money would you still spend on your appearance? In this episode, Kristina Bruce dives deep into the cultural conditioning that teaches women to tie their inherent worth to their physical bodies. From the "survival instinct" rooted in historical beauty standards to the modern-day obsession with anti-aging and weight loss, we explore why we are so hungry for external validation—and how it’s actually keeping us miserable. Kristina unpacks the "cyclical cycle" of the beauty industry and offers a path toward divestment: shifting your focus from the surface to the internal, unchanging sense of worthiness that has been with you since the day you were born. In this episode, we discuss:The "Regis and Kathy Lee" effect: How we are taught from childhood that women are for looking at and men are for doing.Why aging feels like a threat to our survival.The trap of "Performance-Based Worth" in our careers and personal lives.The Photo Test: Why seeing ourselves in pictures triggers such a visceral "red alert" in our brains.A simple heart-centered practice to begin reconnecting with your inherent value.Connect with Kristina:📕 Free Guide to Body Peace: Ready to stop the war with your body? Download my free guide to start your journey toward body peace and self-trust: www.kristinabruce.com/guide 💛 1:1 Private Coaching: If you’re ready to go deeper, untangle these false beliefs, and find lasting confidence, I invite you to explore private coaching with me: www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching Website www.kristinabruce.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinabrucecoach Enjoyed the episode? Make sure to subscribe and leave a review! It helps other women find this message of body peace. This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    34 min
  3. JAN 22

    Ep 7. How Toxic Beauty Standards Impact Health: Unlearning Body Shame & Weight Bias

    Stop the cycle of body shame and unlearn toxic beauty standards. In this episode, Body Peace Coach Kristina Bruce reveals how societal "perfection" is a manufactured script designed to keep you feeling small, and can be toxic for your health—physically and mentally. We dive into the science of weight suppression, the history of "cellulite," and why the pursuit of beauty standards might be a source of chronic biological stress. In This Episode, We Discuss:[02:15] The physical toxicity of beauty products and endocrine disruptors.[08:45] The "refrigerator hum" of chronic stress caused by weight suppression.[14:20] The Lucky Strike marketing ploy: How beauty standards are manufactured.[22:10] Why dieting (not weight) is a primary driver of cardiovascular stress and insulin resistance.[29:30] Shifting from "Performance" to "Authenticity" to reclaim your headspace. TAKE THE NEXT STEP:✨ Free Resource: Download the Free Guide to Body Peace to start your unlearning journey: https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide 🤝 Work With Me: Ready to reclaim your power? Book a Free Body Peace Clarity Call to explore how 1:1 coaching can help you detoxify your inner world: https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching CONNECT WITH KRISTINA Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.com RESEARCH & SCIENTIFIC REFERENCESInsulin Resistance & Dieting: Research indicates that weight cycling (yo-yo dieting) can cause "repeated overshoots" in insulin levels and blood pressure.https://www.jomes.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.7570/jomes.2017.26.4.237 The Stress of Weight Suppression: Chronic caloric restriction triggers cortisol spikes which can worsen insulin sensitivity. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/28330744_Consequences_of_Weight_Cycling_An_Increase_in_Disease_Risk Weight-Inclusive Health: A landmark study on why a weight-neutral approach is often more effective for long-term metabolic health.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4132299/ This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    35 min
  4. JAN 19

    Ep. 6 The Childhood Roots of Body Shame (And How to Unlearn Them)

    Before the world told you how you "should" look, you were free. In this episode of Unlearning Beautiful, we explore why so many of us feel stuck in a survival loop of body monitoring and self-criticism. We trace these feelings back to where they began—the childhood comments we heard, the family rules we followed, and the cultural "soup" we all grew up in. The pain you feel about your body isn't a sign that your body is wrong; it is a signal that a false belief is active in your system. Join me as we discuss how to stop the "hamster wheel" of body management and return to your true, unconditioned essence. In this episode, we explore: The Root of the Loop: Tracing the origins of body monitoring back to childhood and culture.Pain as a Signal: Shifting the perspective from "my body is the problem" to "a belief is causing me pain."The "Hamster Wheel" of Management: Why fixing the outside never settles the inside.Unconditioned Essence: How to reconnect with the version of you that existed before the "shoulds" took over. TAKE THE NEXT STEP: ✨ Book a free Body Peace Clarity Call: If you're ready to stop the "hamster wheel" and return to your true self, let’s talk about how 1:1 coaching can support that unlearning process. https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching ✨ Get the Guide to Body Peace: For women tired of fighting their bodies, this free guide is your roadmap to finding ease that doesn't depend on a number. https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide ✨ Body Peace Video Series: Ready for a deeper dive? Use code UNLEARN20 for $20 off the series. https://www.kristinabruce.com/bodypeace CONNECT WITH KRISTINA: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.com This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    24 min
  5. JAN 19

    Ep. 5 Why Letting Go of Appearance Control Feels So Scary

    Have you ever wanted to relax around your appearance—your body, your weight, your age—but felt a deep, instinctive fear at the thought of letting go? In this episode of Unlearning Beautiful, we explore why appearance control can feel so necessary, even when it’s exhausting. We dive into how beauty standards became tied to women’s safety, why those beliefs still live in our nervous systems, and how managing your appearance can eventually become a prison. This conversation isn't about "giving up" on yourself. It’s about understanding the survival-based conditioning that keeps you stuck in a cycle of monitoring and fixing—and how real peace comes from addressing those beliefs at the root. In this episode, we explore: The Safety Link: Why beauty, thinness, and youth became subconsciously linked to our survival.Inherited Pressure: How appearance standards are a cultural inheritance, not a personal failing.The Approval Trap: Why external validation can never create the lasting internal peace you're looking for.The Nervous System: Understanding the "fight or flight" energy that keeps you chasing the next body goal.Loosening the Grip: What it actually looks and feels like to be free from constant self-monitoring. TAKE THE NEXT STEP: If you’re tired of managing your appearance and ready to relax while still feeling good in yourself, I’m here to help:NOTE: The resources mentioned have evolved! Grab the Free PDF Guide and book your Free Clarity Call using the current links below. 🔻 ✨ Book a free Body Peace Clarity Call: A one-on-one space to get clarity on what’s holding this pattern in place and experience what it feels like when the pressure starts to lift. https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching ✨ Get the Guide to Body Peace: My free roadmap for women tired of fighting their bodies—your first step toward feeling safer and more at ease. https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide CONNECT WITH KRISTINA: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.com This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    29 min
  6. JAN 2

    Ep 4. Why Body Goals Don’t Make You Happy

    Achieving your goal weight can feel empowering for a moment, but why does that confidence fade so quickly? In this episode of Unlearning Beautiful, we explore why body goals don’t create lasting happiness and how the pursuit of thinness, health, or appearance often becomes a form of productive avoidance—a way to keep us focused on what’s measurable instead of what’s truly meaningful. If you feel tired of letting your body define your value and are ready to listen to a deeper calling from within, this conversation is for you. In this episode, we discuss: Conditional Confidence: Why appearance-based self-worth is always on shaky ground.The "Safety" Myth: How body goals become subconsciously tied to our need for worth, safety, and belonging.Validation vs. Peace: Learning the difference between seeking external "likes" and finding internal stillness.Meaningful Inquiry: Questions and journal prompts to help you uncover what you truly want beyond a smaller size. TAKE THE NEXT STEP: If you’re ready to move from simply understanding these concepts to actually living them, let’s connect:NOTE: The resources mentioned have evolved! Grab the Free PDF Guide and book your Free Clarity Call using the current links below. 🔻 ✨ Book a free Body Peace Clarity Call: The best first step if you’re considering 1:1 coaching and want to explore how we can work together to find your version of peace. https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching ✨ Get the Guide to Body Peace: For women tired of fighting their bodies, this free guide is your roadmap to finding ease that doesn't depend on a number. https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide CONNECT WITH KRISTINA: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.com This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    27 min
  7. 2025-12-26

    Ep 3. I Tried 25 Weight Loss Plans - Here’s What Actually Created Self-Love

    "If diets created self-love, I would have loved myself a long time ago." After trying 25 different weight-loss plans, I kept discovering the same truth: no amount of weight loss could change the way I felt about myself. Because self-love doesn’t come from changing your appearance—it comes from changing the way you relate to the person in the mirror. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on why weight loss feels so "intoxicating" at first, and why that feeling is so fragile. If you’re tired of chasing a body you think you need in order to feel "okay," this episode will show you a path rooted in unconditional trust rather than constant self-fixing. In this episode, we discuss: The Intoxication of "Success": Why the high of weight loss is temporary and what it’s actually masking.The Blueprint of Conditional Love: How our early experiences shape the belief that we must "earn" our worth.Safety vs. Shrinking: Navigating the real fears that make letting go of dieting feel unsafe.The Emotional Tax: The hidden cost of constantly managing your appearance and how it drains your life force.Building Real Trust: The specific shifts that actually create lasting inner peace and self-love. TAKE THE NEXT STEP:The resources mentioned have evolved! Grab the Free PDF Guide and book your Free Clarity Call using the current links below. 🔻 ✨ Book a free Body Peace Clarity Call: If you're ready to move from self-fixing to self-trust, let’s talk about how 1:1 coaching can support your journey. https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching ✨ Get the Guide to Body Peace: My free roadmap for women tired of fighting their bodies. https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide CONNECT WITH KRISTINA: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.comThis podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    23 min
  8. 2025-12-18

    Ep 2. Why You Stress Eat (And 3 Ways to Break the Cycle Without Willpower)

    Stress eating isn’t about a lack of willpower. It is an understandable response from a stressed-out nervous system—and a deeper signal from your beliefs, emotions, and unmet needs. In this episode, we break down why emotional eating shows up even when you "know better," and how to create change from a place of compassion and awareness rather than force. We explore: The Root Cause: Why emotional eating is a normal coping tool for a system under pressure.The Restriction Trigger: How hidden dieting and subtle restriction quietly fuel the stress-eating cycle.The Role of Anxiety: Understanding how exhaustion and nervous system dysregulation manifest as overeating.The Belief Shift: The deeper stories we tell ourselves that keep us stuck in the shame cycle.Practical Tools: Three powerful practices to calm your system and change the pattern—without willpower or control. TAKE THE NEXT STEP:The resources mentioned have evolved! Grab the Free PDF Guide and book your Free Clarity Call using the current links below. 🔻 ✨ Book a free Body Peace Clarity Call: If you're ready to stop the cycle of stress eating and want personalized 1:1 support, let's connect. https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching ✨ Get the Guide to Body Peace: My free roadmap for women tired of fighting their bodies. https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide CONNECT WITH KRISTINA: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.com This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    32 min
  9. 2025-12-11

    Ep 1. When Weight Loss Didn’t Make Me Happy: How I Found Body Peace Instead

    We’re told that once we finally have the body, everything will fall into place—confidence, happiness, and ease in our own skin. But what if the body you’re chasing is actually pulling you further away from the life you truly want? In this debut episode of Unlearning Beautiful, I share my personal journey: from growing up in a family fixated on weight to finally becoming the "ideal" thin woman everyone praised—only to realize that the more I controlled my body, the more stressed and unhappy I became. I open up about the moment I broke down in tears on my bedroom floor, realizing I couldn't live like that anymore, and the scary, messy process of finally letting go of dieting. In this episode, we explore: The Root of Worth: How early comments about your body become "truths" that shape your identity.The "Wellness" Trap: When health and wellness become socially acceptable forms of body obsession.The Chaos Phase: Why the messy middle of letting go of restriction is actually the bridge to real peace.Rebuilding Trust: How HAES®, intuitive eating, and questioning beliefs helped me find the "other side" of body obsession. If you’ve spent years chasing a smaller body and still don’t feel free, this episode is an invitation to try a different way. TAKE THE NEXT STEP:The resources mentioned have evolved! Grab the Free PDF Guide and explore Private Coaching options at links below. 🔻 ✨ 1:1 Body Peace Coaching: https://www.kristinabruce.com/private-coaching ✨ Get the Guide to Body Peace: My free roadmap for women tired of fighting their bodies. https://www.kristinabruce.com/guide CONNECT WITH KRISTINA: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristinabrucecoachWebsite: https://www.kristinabruce.comThis podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice.

    28 min

About

For most of us, “beautiful” has meant thin, youthful, glowing, and effortlessly put-together — a look we’ve been taught to believe makes us valuable and worthy. But what if beautiful isn’t about being thin or looking young — but a feeling you experience inside, and already are?Unlearning Beautiful is for women who are tired of worrying about their jean size, fighting the signs of aging, or trying to get everything “right” in the name of health — and are ready to feel genuinely well, at ease, and beautiful from the inside out.Through honest reflections, practical wisdom, and gentle guidance, host and certified coach Kristina Bruce helps you heal your relationship with your body, release appearance-based pressure, and reconnect to the deeper sense of worth that’s always been within you.Because the freedom you’re craving was never in how you look.Kristina Bruce is a Certified Change Coach with training in yoga and meditation, and education in health studies and sociology. With extensive experience in belief work and self-development practices, she works with clients around the world through 1:1 coaching for deep inner transformation, helping women release body insecurity and reconnect with their deepest inner wisdom through compassionate, practical guidance.

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