Mary's Cup of Tea: the Self Love Podcast for Women

Mary Jelkovsky
  • 4.9 (673)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Self Love. We cover topics surrounding self love including body-image, confidence, self-worth, body positivity, mindset, mental health, feminism, relationships, and so much more. Along the way, your host Mary lets you in on her personal life, never shying away from the messy, raw, and real conversations that we all crave. So grab a cup of tea, slide in your headphones, and get ready for some self-lovin!

  1. 5d ago

    The Art of Wedding Planning for Women Who Want Something More Meaningful with Priya Parker

    Wedding culture can make so many women feel like they’re producing a performance instead of preparing for a marriage. Between family expectations, social media pressure, people-pleasing, decision fatigue, and endless opinions, it’s easy for women to lose confidence in themselves during a season that’s supposed to feel meaningful. This conversation with Priya Parker completely reframed the way I think about weddings, relationships, community, and gathering. Priya is the author of The Art of Gathering and one of the most thoughtful voices on human connection, conflict resolution, and meaningful community. Together, we explore how women can approach wedding planning with more intention, self worth, confidence, and authenticity — instead of getting swept away by perfectionism or tradition for tradition’s sake. We talk about the emotional side of weddings that nobody really prepares women for: navigating boundaries with family, staying grounded in your values, managing conflict, and creating a celebration that actually reflects who you are as a couple. This episode isn’t just about weddings. It’s about identity, womanhood, mental health, relationships, and staying connected to yourself during major life transitions. Inside this conversation: the question every couple should ask before planning a wedding why meaningful gatherings matter so much for women and community navigating family expectations and difficult conversations creating rituals and traditions that feel authentic instead of performative the difference between planning a wedding versus building an intentional marriage how women can set boundaries and avoid losing themselves during wedding planning how Mary and her husband approached their wedding in a more feminist way why connection, community, and relationships are essential for mental health and self worth Whether you’re engaged, married, single, healing from people-pleasing, or simply craving deeper connection in your life, this conversation offers such a grounding perspective on what it means to gather with intention. Follow Priya on Instagram: @priyaparker Get Priya’s book, The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters Get Priya’s course The Art of Gathering Digital Course — Wedding Edition Share this episode with the women in your life! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @priyaparker Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    54 min

  2. May 21

    How To Find Motivation and Build Confidence When You Feel Lost

    If you’ve been feeling stuck, unmotivated, disconnected from yourself, unsure of your direction, or like your confidence has slowly been slipping away, this episode is for you. In this personal solo episode of Mary’s Cup of Tea, Mary opens up about her own struggles with motivation, burnout, comparison, confidence, and feeling lost in life. From questioning her career path to wrestling with self-criticism and the pressure to always “have it figured out,” she explores how to find the confidence and motivation to move forward when you feel lost. Because maybe the problem isn’t that you’re lazy, unmotivated, or failing. Maybe you’re exhausted from fighting yourself. Mary shares 3 ideas that have been helping her rebuild motivation and confidence. We talk about: the powerful question she’s been asking herself during periods of uncertainty why confidence often comes from clarity how to stop using “brutal honesty” to bully yourself the balance between self-compassion and accountability why feeling lost may actually be part of the human experience how comparison can become useful instead of destructive the surprising way confidence is built through evidence what an “audacity list” is and why it might change your life how doing the opposite of your fear response can help you build momentum why motivation and confidence are often connected to self-trust how to move forward without having all the answers what to do when you feel stuck in the same thought patterns why self-love is not about perfection, but about learning to show up honestly   Remember: You do not need to have your entire life figured out to move forward. Get Mary’s Feeling Lost Guide: maryscupoftea.com/lost Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books: The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself. Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    22 min

  3. May 14

    How She Built a Meaningful Mental Health Brand with Sasha from Self-Care Is For Everyone

    Building something meaningful is rarely a linear process. In this episode, Mary sits down with Sasha, co-founder of Self-Care Is For Everyone, to talk about mental health, entrepreneurship, and the unexpected journey from posting illustrations online to building a multi-million dollar brand and business. Along the way, Sasha opens up about ADHD, grief, burnout, confidence, and what it really takes to keep creating when life gets hard. Let this episode be a reminder that you do not need to feel fully confident before starting something meaningful. You will learn… How Sasha built Self-Care Is For Everyone from an Instagram page into a global brand How ADHD and executive dysfunction can make creativity feel complicated, and how to approach it with self-compassion The difference between needing to “rest” versus needing to “rise” Why slow, sustainable growth may be healthier than chasing enormous success How grief, motherhood, and personal self-love journey shaped Sasha’s confidence   Remember: protecting your mental health matters just as much as achieving your goals. You are allowed to build a meaningful life while still figuring yourself out. Sasha is the co-founder of Self-Care Is For Everyone, a community-centered mental health brand dedicated to making conversations around emotional wellbeing more accessible. Since launching in 2018, the brand has collaborated with over 150 artists, built a community of millions online, given back over $1 MILLION to the mental health causes, and partnered with companies like Kleenex and Target. Follow @selfcaresforeveryone and pre-order their book “How Do I Self-Care: A Guided Journal to Practice Self-Kindness (Even On The Hard Days)” If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life to help spread the self love. Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @selfcaresforeveryone Mentioned In This Episode... The Originals by Adam Grant Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    49 min

  4. May 7

    Dear Mary, how do I know if I’m ready to have kids?

    This is for the women who know they want kids eventually, but don't know if or when they'll be ready. Some questions don’t have a clear answer… they just keep you up at night. “How do I know if I’m ready to have kids?” is one of them. Especially for women. This isn’t a how-to guide. Nor is it a checklist. I’m definitely not someone to tell you what to do with your life. I'm just here for women empowerment which means talking about these things openly. It’s just an insight into my brain, and a real, unfiltered look at what it feels like to sit with that question. The back and forth. The moments where you want it so badly… and the moments where you look at your life and think, I love this, I don’t want to lose it. The weird shift from being terrified of getting pregnant to quietly hoping for it. The anxiety about motherhood and wondering if you’ll be a good parent. The thoughts many women don’t always say out loud. This conversation opens up something a lot of women carry privately: that readiness isn’t a clear, confident “yes.” Sometimes it looks like questioning, debating, researching, and imagining yourself in various versions of the future you can’t fully see yet. If you’ve ever gone back and forth on this… if you’ve ever felt both drawn to and scared of the idea of having kids… if you’ve ever wondered what “ready” is even supposed to feel like… you are not alone. And that’s the point of this reflective, solo episode. It’s a little different than the self-love topics we usually discuss on Mary’s Cup of Tea, but I think it’ll be relatable to many women who are debating whether or not to have children. Remember: You don’t need perfect certainty to make meaningful decisions—just enough candid conversations and self-compassion to explore what feels true in this moment. Mentioned In This Episode: Sophie Ansari’s short TikTok film “how the heck does anybody decide if they’re ready for a kid?” Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books: The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself. Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast And if you’re enjoying our self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps normalize these types of conversations about mental health, womanhood, and self-love. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    40 min

  5. Apr 30

    What Optimism Looks Like When Your Mental Health Isn’t Great with Dr. Deepika Chopra

    What if being a more optimistic person has nothing to do with “staying positive”? In this conversation, we unpack the real psychology of optimism — and why it’s less about feeling good, and more about building resilience, curiosity, and emotional flexibility. If you’ve ever struggled with negative thoughts, anxiety, or your mental health, this episode will bring encouragement, hope, and helpful tools. You will learn… why nostalgia can actually regulate your nervous system and support optimism the real definition of optimism (and why it’s not the same as positivity) how anxiety fills in uncertainty with worst-case scenarios — and what to do instead what optimism looks like when you’re struggling, depressed, or barely getting through the day how curiosity — not confidence — might be the most powerful mindset shift Remember: being a more positive person isn’t about forcing yourself to feel good — it’s about learning how to stay open, grounded, and resilient through the full range of your human experience. Dr. Deepika Chopra, widely known as The Optimism Doctor®, is not your average shrink. A behavioral scientist, health psychologist, national best selling author, podcast host, visual imagery expert and sought after speaker, she holds a doctorate in clinical health psychology and completed a double postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Her book The Power of Real Optimism (Simon and Schuster 2026) is a practical science based guide to staying resilient, curious, and open even when life is hard. Dr. Chopra is a  recurring guest on NBC’s TODAY Show  and her innovative and science based work on Optimism, Hope and Resiliency has been featured in outlets such as Forbes, NPR, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Goop, Variety, Fast Company, Newsweek, New York Times, The Boston Globe and more. She has led workshops and consulted for companies including Google, Amazon, Live Nation, UPenn Health, BCG, and Amex, and spoken at events such as the Aspen Ideas Festival, SXSW, and The Atlantic’sIn Pursuit of Happiness. Dr. Chopra is the founder of Things Are Looking Up®️, a consultancy devoted to the intersection of science and soul, and the creator of the hit optimism card deck of the same name. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @drdeepikachopra Mentioned in this episode: 200 Reasons to Choose Self-Love Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    31 min

  6. Apr 23

    The Reality of Hosting This Self-Love Podcast (Celebrating Our 300th Episode!!)

    Wow!!! I can’t believe this is our 300th episode!! Thank you so so much for listening to Mary's Cup of Tea: the Self-Love Podcast for Women. This episode is a bit more personal and vulnerable. It’s me reflecting on why I started Mary’s Cup of Tea, what I’m struggling with, and if/ how I hope to move forward. I pull back the curtain to share what it’s actually taken to produce this show, use my voice, and keep going even when it’s felt messy and overwhelming. A lot of the times I feel less confident than I wish to be, but keep reminding myself that confidence is not synonymous with perfection. And self-compassion goes a long way. Tune into our 300th episode to hear... a behind-the-scenes look at what hosting this self-love podcast has really been like why celebrating your input matters more than waiting for external validation the tension between growth, pressure, and staying true to yourself what’s next for this show a reminder to honor your own process, even when no one else sees it Remember: self-love is about choosing to show, again and again, in ways that feel kind and true. Mentioned In This Episode... “200 Reasons to Choose Self-Love” (free download) The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron Girls (TV show by Lena Dunham) Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books: The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself. Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast And if you’re enjoying this self-love podcast, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    34 min

  7. Apr 17

    Why Your Self-Worth Feels Low (Even When Life Looks Good)

    There’s a version of life many women are taught to chase: the one that looks put together, successful, desirable, and “right.” But behind the aesthetic routines, curated homes, and picture-perfect moments, so many of us feel disconnected, drained, or dissatisfied. This is the self-worth trap. In this episode, we explore a simple but powerful reframe: your self-worth isn’t built through appearances. It’s built through how your life feels, not how it performs. And when you prioritize appearances over truth, your self-worth will always feel unstable. Tune into our self-love podcast to learn… why something can look perfect but still feel completely wrong the hidden self-worth trap many women live in without realizing it how social media and external validation distort your self-worth the unexpected quadrant where real freedom, confidence, and alignment begin simple ways to stop performing your life and start actually living it This conversation also touches on body image, mental health, and the subtle ways women are conditioned to prioritize perception over truth. Mentioned In This Episode... Lena Dunham interview Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books: The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself. Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast And if you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    27 min

  8. Apr 9

    If You Want More Confidence, You Need To Practice Slowing Down

    Have you ever noticed how the more you rush, the more everything seems to fall apart? Let’s explore how constantly being “on the go” disconnects you from your confidence and inner peace. If you’re constantly rushing, then you’re stuck in your own anxious headspace, not actually connected to yourself and your surroundings. In a world that rewards productivity and hustle, slowing down can feel uncomfortable… even wrong. But what if the very thing you think is holding you back is actually the key to building real confidence? What if taking your time is what allows you to hear yourself clearly again, trust your decisions, and move through life with more ease? This is an “encore” episode, one we’ve already shared on the Mary’s Cup of Tea Podcast but why not revisit it?! Tune into this self-love podcast to learn… why rushing keeps you stuck in anxiety instead of grounded in confidence how slowing down helps you reconnect with your intuition 5 simple ways to practice slowing down how to move slowly through life in a way that naturally builds confidence Remember: When you pause, you breathe, and when you breathe, you harness your power. Self-love requires slowing down. If you’re enjoying Mary’s Cup of Tea, share it with the women in your life! Your support helps spread the gift of self-love! Deepen your self love journey with Mary’s books: The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook to help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts for calming self-criticism and learning to love yourself. Follow Mary's self love journey on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    19 min
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4.9
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673 Ratings

About

Welcome to Self Love. We cover topics surrounding self love including body-image, confidence, self-worth, body positivity, mindset, mental health, feminism, relationships, and so much more. Along the way, your host Mary lets you in on her personal life, never shying away from the messy, raw, and real conversations that we all crave. So grab a cup of tea, slide in your headphones, and get ready for some self-lovin!

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