Babbles Nonsense

Johnna Grimes

Welcome to my verbal diary where I want to discuss any and all things that is essentially on my mind or have wondered about. Sometimes I will be solo and then other times I will have some amazing guests to bring all different perspectives in life. The ultimate goal is to hopefully bring some joy, laughter, inspiration, education, and just maybe a little bit of entertainment. Don't forget to like, rate, and share the podcast with a friend!

  1. 1D AGO

    Babbling About: Why You Feel Like A Different Person Each Week

    #217: You wake up at 3 a.m. again. One week you feel sharp, social, and driven, and the next week you’re tired, irritable, and stuck in your head. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why do I feel like a completely different person every week?” We’re putting language to that experience and grounding it in hormone health, sleep, and the real-world messiness of being cyclical. We start with insomnia and cortisol, the stress and alert hormone that’s supposed to stay low at night and rise closer to morning. When cortisol spikes too early, you can end up wired but tired and stuck in those middle-of-the-night wake-ups. From there, we zoom out to hormone testing and why a single blood draw can miss the bigger picture. Cycle mapping (tracking hormone metabolites across the full menstrual cycle) helps us see the whole curve instead of one snapshot, which matters when your labs are “normal” but you still don’t feel like yourself. Then we walk through the four phases of the menstrual cycle in plain language: follicular, ovulatory, luteal, and menstrual. We talk estrogen peaks, progesterone as a grounding hormone, why hormone ratios can change how a phase feels, and how you can be cycling on schedule yet still not be at your optimal levels. We also name the taboo that keeps so many people quiet, and why tracking your patterns is a form of self-respect, not obsession. If you want clearer answers about mood swings, fatigue, hot-at-night sleep, and perimenopause-style symptoms, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    19 min

  2. MAR 24

    Babbling About: Low Dopamine In Real Life

    #216: Something feels off, but nothing is obviously “wrong” and that’s what makes low dopamine so confusing. We wanted to wrap up our dopamine series by getting out of the science and into real life: the way motivation fades, the way stable love can start to feel “boring,” and the way our brains can mistake intensity for connection when we’re chasing stimulation. We start with dating and relationships, because that’s where the pattern can hit hardest. When the early uncertainty wears off, a calm and emotionally available partner might stop giving your brain that reward hit, and you may assume the spark is gone. We unpack why hot-and-cold dynamics can feel like chemistry, how novelty can become addictive, and why some people chase “newness” in ways that destroy trust. It’s not an excuse for cheating or harmful choices, but it can be a lens that helps you understand behavior, take accountability, and stop repeating the same cycle. Then we move into friendships, work, and emotions. Low dopamine can look like pulling away from people you love, taking forever to respond, or feeling like plans are effort. At work it can look like procrastinating until pressure forces a dopamine spike, creating the procrastinate-panic-perform-crash loop. Emotionally it can feel flat rather than sad, with anxiety stepping in to keep you alert. We also share what changed after a social media detox, why constant scrolling can blunt your reward system, and how noticing your patterns can bring real relief. If this hits home, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with the pattern you’re trying to break. You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    23 min

  3. MAR 17

    Babbling About: Your Brain Might Not Be Broken, Just Wired Differently

    #215: Your brain isn’t a character flaw, and “lazy” is not a medical explanation. We’re pulling on a thread that a lot of people feel but rarely get clarity on: why your life can look like ADHD on the outside while the root cause might be dopamine signaling, sleep debt, stress overload, thyroid function, or shifting hormones. I share what I learned from my own pharmacogenomic genetic testing and how to read the results without spiraling. We talk through key genes that show up in dopamine and mood conversations, including COMT (dopamine breakdown speed), ABCB1 (blood brain barrier transport and medication sensitivity), DRD2 (dopamine receptors), BDNF (neuroplasticity and learning), and the endlessly discussed MTHFR methylation pathway. The point isn’t to self-diagnose from a report, but to understand why focus can be effortless in high-interest moments and impossible when something is boring or draining. Then we bring it back to what you can actually do this week: sleep support, morning sunlight, exercise, enough protein, novelty, and real social connection, plus a reality check that thyroid health and hormones can strongly shape brain chemistry. If you’ve been questioning whether it’s ADHD vs low dopamine, this will give you a clearer framework and a lot more self-compassion. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s been stuck in self-blame, and leave a review then tell me: what part of your motivation pattern finally makes sense? You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    20 min

  4. MAR 10

    Babbling About: I Thought I Had ADHD… But It Might Just Be Dopamine Addiction

    #214: What if the real dopamine hit lands before anything good even happens? We pressed pause on social media for Lent and followed the trail into how anticipation drives our reward system, why constant pings can flatten motivation, and how a slower life can quietly rewire focus. Along the way, we talk candidly about ADHD questions, a short Adderall trial, and the confusing overlap between true attention disorders and a brain saturated with novelty. We dig into the science in plain language: dopamine as the fuel for pursuit, not just pleasure; how slot machines, inboxes, and infinite feeds hook us with maybe; and why tolerance builds until the same habits feel empty. Then we get practical. From turning off nonessential notifications to batching messages, logging out of apps to add friction, and swapping fast hits for slower rewards like reading and walking, we share the tools that actually lowered our urge to scroll. We also connect the dots between gut health, key nutrients like iron, B6, and magnesium, and a steadier neurochemical base for mood and attention. If you’ve been feeling scattered, irritable, or oddly bored while constantly stimulated, you’re not broken—you’re adapting to an environment engineered for attention capture. Rebalancing isn’t about doing more with slick productivity hacks; it’s about wanting less, on purpose, and giving boredom the room to spark depth and creativity again. Listen for a grounded mix of personal story, approachable neuroscience, and small steps that add up to a big reset. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs a scroll break, and leave a review to tell us what slow habit you’re trying next. You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    25 min

  5. MAR 3

    Babbling About Aging: The Chaos, the Wisdom, and the WTF Moments

    #213: Ever feel like time started sprinting while you were busy checking boxes? We dive straight into the prickly parts of aging—why it scares us, how it reshapes identity and control, and what actually gets better when we stop fighting the mirror and start working with reality. From late-night cortisol spikes to chin-hair confessions and a dress-like-an-old-lady birthday, we use stories and science to reframe getting older with humor, honesty, and heart. We break down the five big fears: physical changes, loss of flexibility, identity shifts, control slipping, and the dread of becoming invisible. Then we counter them with research-backed insights you can feel: collagen does decline, recovery slows, and yet confidence often rises, creativity peaks in midlife, and our circles deepen as the brain prioritizes meaning over noise. You’ll hear practical ways to support your body—sunscreen, sleep, strength, protein—and your mind—micro-novelty, mobility, boundaries, value mapping, and small rituals that stretch time instead of letting it blur. If you’ve been living like life is a checklist, this is your pause-and-choose moment. We talk faith and surrender, why letting go can increase agency, and how to build a life that fits now, not a past role you’ve outgrown. Expect candor, a little cupcake nostalgia, and a reminder that you can remake yourself many times—with intention and maybe a touch of Botox—without apologizing for any of it. Press play, then tell us: what belief about aging are you ready to retire? If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a reframe, and leave a quick review to help more people find us. Your words keep this community growing. You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    27 min

  6. FEB 24

    Babbling About Accountability: The Mirror We All Love to Avoid

    #212: What if accountability could feel like relief instead of punishment? We take a hard, honest look at the patterns that drive our reactions—scrolling to numb, anger to protect, silence to avoid—and explore how awareness turns pain into data and boundaries into self-respect. I start with a small but telling experiment: deleting social media during Lent to cut the dopamine loop and face what I’ve been avoiding. From there, we unpack the difference between false accountability (self-blame, people-pleasing, carrying others’ failures) and the real thing: noticing our triggers, naming our patterns, and taking ownership of the part that’s ours, no more and no less. We walk through why inner work is messy but liberating. Anger often feels safer because the nervous system rewards it with certainty and adrenaline; vulnerability shakes us open. I share practical language shifts—how “I don’t care” often hides “I cared and it hurt”—and the two questions that change everything: Where have I felt this before? Why did this affect me so deeply? Those prompts help trace the roots of our reactions and stop the spiral from repeating. We also clear up a buzzword: everyday narcissistic tendencies are common protective reflexes, not a diagnosis, and accountability is the antidote that brings us back to truth. Three real-life examples ground the ideas. When someone’s silence stings, the work is recognizing capacity and not arguing with reality. When work stress spikes irritability, the work is asking for help and dropping loads that aren’t ours. When overgiving leads to resentment, the work is repairing boundaries and taking responsibility for the energy we continue to spend. Relationships move forward not by copying each other’s styles, but by learning each other’s wiring—communication, capacity, and care included. If you’re ready to trade blame for clarity and avoidance for growth, press play and sit with the questions that set you free. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to help others find these conversations. What pattern are you unlearning this week? You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    26 min

  7. FEB 17

    Babbling About Why Saint Valentine Wouldn't Approve

    #211: Love proves itself in presence, not in posts—and that’s the heartbeat of our latest conversation. We start by zooming out from the flower-and-feed version of Valentine’s Day to the story of Saint Valentine, a reminder that love began as a risky choice rooted in conviction. From there, we challenge the modern script: the pressure to perform, the chase for butterflies, and the quiet ache of measuring ourselves against curated timelines. We unpack a steadier definition of love through the Corinthians lens—patient, kind, not boastful—and contrast it with the stories that shaped us. Disney rescue arcs and grand gestures taught many of us to confuse attention with love and chemistry with compatibility. As we compare fantasy to adult life, we talk plainly about what endures: consistent behavior, repair over blame, and a willingness to listen without making someone shrink to fit. That’s where attachment styles enter the chat. Naming anxious or avoidant patterns can help, but we refuse to use them as a hall pass. Accountability is the bridge from insight to change. Real talk: sometimes love isn’t enough. If capacity, timelines, or values don’t align, the kinder choice is to stop chasing potential and choose clarity. We explore what calm, chosen love feels like—clear signals, mutual effort, and room to be fully yourself—and why safety isn’t boring; it’s the soil where connection grows. Along the way we tackle the “if they wanted to, they would” mantra with nuance, emphasizing patterns over promises. The goal isn’t to want less; it’s to want the right kind of love and to pick situations that match it. If Valentine’s Day stung, treat it as data, not defeat. Share this with someone who needs the reminder that care without consistency is not the same as love. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what pattern are you ready to stop chasing? You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    20 min

  8. FEB 10

    Babbling About Needing a Break

    #210: We’re taking a break this week with everything going on in the world—it’s heavy, and it’s draining. But we’ll be back next week with more babbling. If you’re the praying type, I ask you to pause and say a prayer for my good friend Brittany at The Skin Refinery in Fayetteville, Tennessee. Her shop caught fire this past weekend, and it’s absolutely devastating, but I know, without a doubt, she’s going to come back stronger than ever. Until next time, guys… bye. 🤍 You can now send us a text to ask a question or review the show. We would love to hear from you! Support the show Follow me on social: https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

    1 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
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About

Welcome to my verbal diary where I want to discuss any and all things that is essentially on my mind or have wondered about. Sometimes I will be solo and then other times I will have some amazing guests to bring all different perspectives in life. The ultimate goal is to hopefully bring some joy, laughter, inspiration, education, and just maybe a little bit of entertainment. Don't forget to like, rate, and share the podcast with a friend!

Information

  • Creator
    Johnna Grimes
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    229
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Babbles Nonsense
  • Show Website
    Babbles Nonsense

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