Trash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out

Erin Thomas + Erica Breuer
  • 5.0 (5)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS

What if the so-called “truths” about growth and success are actually keeping you playing small? On Trash Talk, hosts Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas unpack empty platitudes and tired cliches that dominate the business and personal development world. These ideas might be popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re useful. Who listens to Trash Talk? Skeptics and Questioners of hollow adviceThose asking why self-help advice failsPeople done with toxic self-help cultureAnyone who wants a place to finally talk openly about all the advice that makes you roll your eyes

  1. “Choose curiosity over fear.” | Elizabeth Gilbert

    5D AGO

    “Choose curiosity over fear.” | Elizabeth Gilbert

    Curiosity killed the cat? Maybe. But the real question is: who decided curiosity needed a morality clause in the first place?  In this episode of Trash Talk, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas take the mantra “Choose curiosity over fear” for a spin. Popularized by Elizabeth Gilbert, examining how borrowed wisdom and parasocial admiration sneaks into our identity-building. There is a fine line between inspiration and parroting wisdom it for social credit Can a line ever truly become yours? The Trash Talk Hotline Leave a message on the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175—your story could be featured in a future episode.  And while you’re at it, subscribe, drop a review, and pass this episode along to your fellow Trashies. Other Links & Resources Libro.fm is an audiobook platform that lets you listen to great books while supporting your favorite independent bookstore. Get three audiobooks for the price of one with a new membership:  Use code TRASHTALK https://libro.fm/membership Choose curiosity over fear. | Elizabeth Gilbert X Acumen Academy https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f2auXo-p6pE Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264 Tags Trash Talk Podcast, Erica Breuer, Erin Thomas, Cliched Advice, Self-help platitudes, Self-help myths, Toxic positivity, Burnout recovery, why self-help advice fails, toxic self-help culture, harmful motivational sayings, self-help myths debunked, burnout from motivation culture, skeptical about life coaching, questioning popular advice, when advice feels hollow, Choose curiosity over fear, Elizabeth Gilbert, guru culture, identity building, parasocial influence, motivation culture critique, inspirational quotes analysis, motivational cliches, personal growth pitfalls, critical thinking self-help

    33 min
  2. “The Divine Feminine” / Deepak Chopra

    MAR 17

    “The Divine Feminine” / Deepak Chopra

    The Divine Feminine: nurturing, abundant, inspiring… and apparently complicated IF your guru is Deepak Chopra.  Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas dig into why “activating your feminine energy” suddenly feels way less mystical when the messenger shows up in Epstein files.  Does the Divine Feminine empower? Or is it a trap? The Trash Talk Hotline Leave a message on the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175—your story could be featured in a future episode.  And while you’re at it, subscribe, drop a review, and pass this episode along to your fellow skeptics ;) Other Links & Resources Libro.fm is an audiobook platform that lets you listen to great books while supporting your favorite independent bookstore. Get three audiobooks for the price of one with a new membership:  Use code TRASHTALK https://libro.fm/membership Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés Phd https://bookshop.org/p/books/women-who-run-with-the-wolves-clarissa-pinkola-estes-ph-d/5e495faa24961d97 “The Divine Feminine and the Power to Change the World” https://choprafoundation.org/consciousness/the-divine-feminine-and-the-power-to-change-the-world/ Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264

    42 min
  3. "Stop Apologizing" with Kelly Elaine Garthwaite

    MAR 10

    "Stop Apologizing" with Kelly Elaine Garthwaite

    They say you should stop apologizing. But is that always true? We sat down with Kelly Elaine Garthwaite who shares how the phrase “stop apologizing” reshaped her life, and how she (and we) still question the situations where it truly applies. Here’s to figuring out where apologies belong… and where they don’t! The Trash Talk Hotline Ever received bad advice? Is there a self-help cliche or phrase you just can’t stand? Leave a message on the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175—your story could be featured in a future episode.  And while you’re at it, subscribe, drop a review, and pass this episode along to your fellow skeptics ;) About Our Guest Kelly Elaine Garthwaite Co-host of The Naked Room youtube.com/@thenakedroompod or Founder Living in Kindness Substack/YouTube www.youtube.com/@KellyGarthwaite Follow her on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-garthwaite/ Other Links & Resources Libro.fm is an audiobook platform that lets you listen to great books while supporting your favorite independent bookstore. Get three audiobooks for the price of one with a new membership:  Use code TRASHTALK https://libro.fm/membership Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264

    41 min

  4. MAR 3

    “Vulnerability is Courage” / Brené Brown

    Yup: We’re talking about Brené Brown, AGAIN. Why are we so quick to outsource our authority to her? And what does “vulnerability is courage” actually mean? We talk credentials, timing, and the uncanny way this guru blends warmth, data, and storytelling to make her ideas stick. We also unpack what happens when the advice mutates: oversharing, performative vulnerability, and all the ways this phrase gets misused in the wild.  The Trash Talk Hotline Got a guru phrase that makes you roll your eyes? Or a “vulnerability is courage” moment that went sideways?  Call the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175 and leave your story. We might feature it in a future episode. And while you’re at it… subscribe, drop a review, and share this with anyone who’s tired of feel-good word garbage masquerading as fact. Links & Resources Brené Brown's doctoral dissertation https://www.uh.edu/socialwork/about/faculty-directory/b-brown/cv_brenebrown3.23.2022.pdf “The power of vulnerability” TedX Houston https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264

    30 min

  5. FEB 24

    "Coming Out" with Ché Ugwuala

    What does it really mean to let people see the truer version of you?  In this episode of Trash Talk, Ché Ugwuala introduces a bold reframe: the art of unveiling yourself on your own terms. Forget the pressure of a “big reveal”—Ché shows how to reclaim agency regarding your real story. This is a conversation about disclosure reimagined, where power stays with the person sharing (rather than audience receiving). The Trash Talk Hotline Have you ever felt drained by society’s expectations around identity? Want to tell us about the smarter, freer ways you choose to show up in the world? Leave a message on the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175—your story could be featured in a future episode.  And while you’re at it, subscribe, drop a review, and pass this episode along to your fellow skeptics. Links & Resources Follow Ché on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Ché-ugwuala-mba-1749ab21/ Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264

    42 min

  6. FEB 17

    "Everything is Figureoutable" | Marie Forleo

    Welcome to the official kickoff of All the Gurus, our feature experiment in examining ideas that don’t *always* deserve to be nodded at. In this episode, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas take on “Everything is Figureoutable,” the phrase that launched a thousand vision boards and at least one bestselling book.  Popularized by Marie Forleo, this mantra promises forward motion, and it’s a case study for what we’re calling the guru formula: a repeatable pattern that turns relatability, certainty, and a simple idea into a full-blown media engine. The Trash Talk Hotline Heard a guru phrase that sounded brilliant… until it didn’t? Call the Trash Talk Hotline at (719) 819-2175 and tell us all about it. Whether it helped, hurt, or just felt a little too neat, we want to hear it. Leave us a message. We might play it on a future episode. Links & Resources Marie Forleo’s website https://www.marieforleo.com/ "SELF: Bikini Ready Fast" https://youtu.be/QyaLLX1ldTM?si=ggHmGLmvfhFhga2I Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264

    45 min

  7. SEASON 2, EPISODE 32 TRAILER

    Trash Talk — Mid-Season Teaser

    Everyone has advice. Most of it’s garbage. On Trash Talk, we dig into the cliches everyone swears by and figure out what’s actually worth keeping. If you’re new here, jump in anywhere — you’ll get it. New episodes return February 17th, every Tuesday. Don’t forget to leave a review and call the hotline to share your favorite or most cringe-worthy cliches: 719-819-2175 Links   Follow Erica Breuer: LinkedIn  Follow Erin Thomas: LinkedIn Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264

    1 min

  8. 12/31/2025

    "New Year, New You" - BONUS EPISODE

    We’re back, unannounced, and ready to shake up your New Year’s Eve. In this bonus episode, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas examine overhyped New Year’s Eve rituals. They dissect the promises these practices make, the cultural pressures behind them, and why so many self-help platitudes leave us burned out, skeptical, or just plain exhausted.  If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at motivational hype (or felt guilt for skipping the ‘ole resolution ritual) this episode is your permission slip to keep doing it your way. Got a resolution ritual you’ve retired or completely reinvented?  Or maybe a moment when someone hit you with a line like, “Your soul speaks in whispers, not shouts” and it stuck with you? We want to hear it. Leave a message on the Trash Talk hotline at (719) 819-2175—your story could be featured in a future episode.  And while you’re at it, don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast with your fellow eye-rollers.  Links & Resources Follow Erica Breuer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericabreuer/ Follow Erin Thomas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamerinthomas/ Visit Trash Talk Website: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264 Related Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2451264/episodes/18017950

    33 min
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What if the so-called “truths” about growth and success are actually keeping you playing small? On Trash Talk, hosts Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas unpack empty platitudes and tired cliches that dominate the business and personal development world. These ideas might be popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re useful. Who listens to Trash Talk? Skeptics and Questioners of hollow adviceThose asking why self-help advice failsPeople done with toxic self-help cultureAnyone who wants a place to finally talk openly about all the advice that makes you roll your eyes

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