The Real Reel Podcast Nation

Episode 273: 17 years is a long time to know someone, let alone stay best friends for that long! But that’s exactly what Nat and her best friend Katy have done—develop a friendship that adapts and grows as they do too. Even though they live in different cities and their lives are taking different paths (Katy has a 1-year-old son and is moving to Hong Kong!), they still put in the work to stay connected in each other's lives, which has been super rewarding for both of them. In this episode, Katy reflects on how much personal growth she’s had since her marriage and the birth of her son and how important it is to really know yourself before you jump into a relationship. Nat and Katy share stories and insights on how they both stay grounded during life’s uncertainties and the benefits of self-care, supportive partners, and their faith. It’s a conversation filled with warmth, laughter, and insights into friendship, career choices, motherhood, and navigating the complexities of adulting. If you needed a friendly podcast hug this week, this is it!
 
You can follow Katy on her travels @travel.with.katyd

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.

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Episode 272: Ever wanted to go behind the scenes of the NFL and hear what life is like for a player? Here’s your chance! This week, Nat sits down with NFL Quarterback Sam Howell (boyfriend of Nat’s sister Chloe) to hear all the inside details on what that’s like! Sam has recently been traded to the Seattle Seahawks and is super excited about the new team and fan base he’s joining. He shares insights into the pressures of his position, from the intense physical demands of the sport to the mental aspect of needing to memorize every single player’s job for every single play they run! Nat and Sam talk about what it takes to succeed as a pro athlete as well as what it takes to perform at peak fitness week-in and week-out. Lastly, Sam also shares his thoughts on the added publicity in the league ever since Travis and Taylor became an item and tells us whether he’s a true Swiftie or not (tune in to find out!). 

You can follow Sam on Instagram @sam7howell

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.

This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:

EarnIn - Download EarnIn today in the Google play or Apple app store. When you download the EarnIn app type in Real Reel under PODCAST when you sign up – it’ll really help the show. 

OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.
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Episode 271: This week’s solo episode is all about transformation. Nat’s been thinking a lot about that lately as she looks back on how much she’s changed over the course of her twenties and what she wants for the future. For one, she’s no longer a ‘relationship girl’, and that feels good! In fact, it’s allowed her to focus on her career and set more time aside for her personal growth, which she is super proud of. She knows that the right person is out there for her, so for now she’s not rushing it, but she also sometimes can’t help but feel those societal pressures to get married and start a family. She’s been feeling both confident and insecure about her future at the same time, a tough position for anyone to find themselves in. But thankfully, her faith has been a huge source of comfort for her, and she’s come to the realization that letting go of what you can’t control may actually be the best way to brush off the anxieties she’s been feeling lately about work, life, and relationships. It’s sage advice for anyone who’s been feeling weighed down lately and needs a perspective shift as Nat approaches it with a combination of self-love and personal reflection—two things we can probably all agree we need more of!

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.

This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:

EarnIn - Download EarnIn today in the Google play or Apple app store. When you download the EarnIn app type in Real Reel under PODCAST when you sign up – it’ll really help the show. 

OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.
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Episode 270: Moving to a new city has its challenges, especially if that city is New York! But a new perspective is exactly what Nat’s guest this week, Crystal Tan, needed. Having recently gone through a breakup, Crystal came to NYC from the San Francisco Bay area in search of inspiration as a content creator and also for work as a data analyst at TikTok. Despite outside noise telling her she had to choose one thing or another, Crystal talks about how having two very different interests has been so beneficial for her personally and how one really compliments the other. Nat and Crystal talk about everything, from the pressure of putting out consistent content to the trap of perfectionism to the therapy that comes with doing the things you love. This week’s episode is all about the importance of embracing new opportunities and letting your individuality shine!

Find Crystal on Instagram and TikTok at @itscrystaltan

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.

This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:

EarnIn - Download EarnIn today in the Google play or Apple app store. When you download the EarnIn app type in Real Reel under PODCAST when you sign up – it’ll really help the show. 

OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.
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Episode 269: Let’s get meta and talk social platforms! This week, Nat talks to fellow founder Lillie Sun, whose beta social platform is aiming to shake up the way we share info about ourselves through the sharing of lists. Lillie has always been a ‘list person’ and she talks about how she was always using her notes app to share her lists with friends, and it just wasn’t efficient. Enter her solution: Breezi. Breezi is a social platform that connects people through sharing, liking, and commenting on lists of their favorite songs, foods, first date ideas, cute dog names, etc. The possibilities are endless! Lillie also talks about her journey from Starbucks barista to hustling entrepreneur and, along the way, offers some valuable insights into what’s helped her get to where she is and why she thinks that social media is ripe for a revolution!

Find out more about Breezi at getbreezi.com and follow Lillie on socials @lilliesun or her website lilliesun.com

Thank you so much for being a part of our podcast community! Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast.

This show wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors. Check out these deals just for you:
OUAI - Get on your OUAI to save for the holiday. Go to theouai.com for 15% off sitewide and enter promo code REALREEL.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 268: This week, Nat's sitting down with her little sister Chloe for all the tea on what it’s really like to be an NFL girlfriend in the Taylor and Travis era. The sister duo kicks off the episode with insight into their evolving relationship and dynamic as sisters. They also dive into some high school reminiscing, childhood memories, traumatic nicknames, and other shared experiences from growing up in the Barbu household. Chloe then dispels myths, discusses sacrifices, and shares insights into the financial benefits and other perks that come along with the NFL lifestyle. Get ready for all the laughs, a heartwarming sisterly convo, and a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the NFL world. 
 
Please be sure to rate, follow, review, and of course, post to your highlight reel. Follow your host Natalie on Instagram @nataliebarbu and @therealreelpodcast. Follow Chloe @chloe_barbu  
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