This is a Metaphor

Mo Houston
  • 5.0 (1)
  • COMEDY

There are so many ways to be a person. This Is A Metaphor is what happens when a curious creative can’t stop connecting dots. Life hands you a breakup, a bird call, a bagel? Boom. That’s a metaphor. This show isn’t therapy, and it isn’t theater, but it is art. It’s an existential treasure hunt—with jokes. Hosted by Mo Houston, a sharp-witted, soul-deep storyteller who views life through many lenses. She who knows the world makes sense… if you squint really hard. She’s lived out of suitcases and studios, built brands and burned out, laughed onstage and cried in voice notes. This podcast is kind of a memoir, a mirror, and definitely a metaphor.

  1. Negative Film, Negative Space & Positive Thoughts w/Stephen Zane

    3D AGO

    Negative Film, Negative Space & Positive Thoughts w/Stephen Zane

    Uncertainty is everywhere right now, and it can either shut you down or sharpen you. Mo sit’s down with Stephen Zane, a portrait photographer and the owner of Ybor City’s Coastal Film Lab, in Tampa Bay Florida. Together they talk about what it really takes to build a creative business while protecting your mind. We get into the boundaries that keep you informed without getting swallowed by news, and why a little positivity is not naïve, it is necessary fuel. Before you dive into this wonderful episode, please know we recorded in the bustling studio space and took ample time to figure out the best Audio editing in order to see to this conversation being published. If there are any hiccups in the sound—we’ve done our best and feel the conversation is worth the busy background! They also pull back the curtain on the unglamorous side of analog photography and film development: leases, staffing, backlogs, and the constant game of fixing what is most broken. Stephen shares how he approached risk without taking on debt, how the lab grew faster than the space could hold, and what happens when an open concept shop becomes both a community magnet and a chaos amplifier. If you are building any kind of small business, the lessons on systems, efficiency, and gradual improvement translate fast. Then they go deep on craft and focus. How do you master the technical side of photography so you can stop thinking about settings and start making intentional images? What does a creative plateau actually mean, and why do warm-up periods happen before you hit flow? Mo and Stephen talk ADHD, hyperfocus, walks and showers as reset tools, competitiveness turned into steady improvement, and why your attention span might be the most valuable asset you have. You can find Stephen & the whole crew over at https://www.coastalfilmlab.com/ or him directly at https://stephenzane.com/ And see all the cool film things at https://www.instagram.com/coastalfilmlab  If you have ever felt pulled between ambition and burnout, this one is a doozy. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share it with a friend who is building something, and leave a review so more creative people can find the show. Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    1h 11m
  2. Musings: Better than Branding

    MAY 11

    Musings: Better than Branding

    Two strangers at a coffee shop say “branding is everything,” and one of them tries to prove it with a straight face: she’s been wearing black since before black was “a thing.” That tiny, ridiculous claim opens a much bigger question Mo can’t ignore anymore. When did personal branding become a substitute for having a personality?  This week, Mo digs into what brand strategy should be anchored to: integrity. Not a perfect color palette, not a flawless logo, not a curated “shtick,” but the harder stuff like follow-through, honest course correction, and alignment between how you show up online and how you treat people in real life. We talk about why “cohesion” can be a trap when it’s used to mask inconsistency, and why authenticity isn’t a vibe you buy, it’s a behavior you repeat. In the world of purchasing power, money matters, but Mo calls it what it really is: a resource for busy people, an efficient shortcut when time and energy are limited. She explores bartering, community support, and the underrated power of kindness, connection, and a real network. Mo also looks at the places and brands that are beautiful on the surface but feel off, versus the ones that last because they do what they say they’ll do. If you’re building a personal brand, a small business brand, or any kind of public identity, this conversation is your reminder that the real work is visible in your actions.  Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who’s building something, and leave a review with your take: what does integrity look like in your brand? Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    16 min
  3. Starseeds in the Studio w/Twin Essence

    APR 25

    Starseeds in the Studio w/Twin Essence

    Welcome back to This is a Metaphor — it’s been a few weeks and in this episode, Mo sits down with Twin Essence for a fast, wide-ranging talk that moves from paranormal childhood stories to Starseed identity, ascension work, and the real-world challenge of staying sovereign inside everyday systems.  A Starseed is: A lightworker, Star People, Old Soul, Galactic Soul. They have a deep intuition, deep interest in space and stars, and are focused on spiritual healing and ascension. This week was a wonderful teaser for a follow up conversation between the Mo, Lacey, and Marley. Until then, you can find out more about their work and how to connect below: Join The Starseed Portal Membership at https://www.twinessence.com/starseed-portal-membershipConnect with them further at http://www.twinessence.comFollow Twin Essence on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twinessencellcFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TwinEssenceLLC/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twinessencellcYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TwinEssenceLLC Do you have some questions and follow-up curiosities you’d love for Mo to ask next time? Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    52 min
  4. Musings: Good Grief Girl

    MAR 27

    Musings: Good Grief Girl

    Mo hit a point where she couldn’t tell if she was gathering insight or just collecting noise, so she pulled out the one tool she can’t escape: discernment. With the Pisces new moon overhead, she talks through what happens when astrology, tarot, and “readings” start to replace your own knowing, especially when you’re low-key trying to survive a breakup you don’t want to admit mattered. The emotions are honest and a little funny, because that’s the Pisces way sometimes: laugh so you don’t cry, and then cry because you can. She unpacks the grief that isn’t only about a person, but about losing a witness to your life. The simple nervous system comfort of sleeping beside someone, having a built-in sounding board, and sharing the extraordinarily ordinary. She also names the weird loneliness that can show up when friends get back into relationships and you feel the lopsidedness. From there, Mo looks straight at avoidant attachment patterns, the tug of love that keeps pulling away, and how avoidance often isn’t about “the thing” at all, it’s about avoiding a feeling. Then we pivot to creation and self-trust: making music by feeling instead of technique, learning to recognize the body’s unmistakable “this is it” signal, and facing a big decision about investing in space for art. Our hostess talks about crying as somatic release and nervous system regulation, why gratitude can bring tears too, and the idea that fear and joy may live in the same root system.  Plus, there’s a Spotify playlist treat waiting for you called “Good Grief Girl.” Download and listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/64ltGbMTWEC5nRgctaYhAg?si=gk86nAEfTdODrFmuZns9_A&pi=ahZyyYKyQkOUk  If this hits, listen through, share it with a friend who’s rebuilding, and leave a review so more people can find it. What feeling are you ready to stop avoiding? Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    33 min
  5. She Said What? w/Madeline Sargent

    MAR 17

    She Said What? w/Madeline Sargent

    Recording a podcast is one of the fastest ways to meet yourself, especially when the Wi‑Fi lags, Riverside refuses to cooperate, and you still decide to hit record. Mo sits down with Madeline Sargent, creator of the She Says It Podcast, to talk about the unglamorous truth of starting a podcast: the tech hiccups, the nerves, the editing spiral, and the pressure to market something that still feels tender. What surprised them most is how quickly all of that friction turns into momentum once they kept showing up.  They get into the craft and the business in a very real way. Madeline shares how she thinks about podcast editing, solo episodes that feel like journal entries, and the confidence boost that comes from finally accepting your voice as it is. They also unpack the push-pull between creativity and podcast SEO: titles, episode length, discoverability, and how to make “content” without letting the word drain the art out of it. Threads (the anti X platform) comes up as a rare bright spot for community building, guest booking, and finding talented indie shows that deserve more attention.  The conversation widens into self-compassion and discipline: journaling prompts for clarity, what to do when writer’s block hits, and why half marathon training mirrors the long game of creative work. We talk visibility fears, handling low-validation weeks, and the quiet power of choosing kindness as a standard in your work and relationships.  If you’re building a show, a brand, or a braver version of yourself, listen through and then share this with a friend who needs the push. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: What part of podcasting feels hardest right now? Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    1h 11m
  6. Ep. 21: Quantum Possibility w/Mario Radinger

    MAR 6

    Ep. 21: Quantum Possibility w/Mario Radinger

    A cold DM turns into a rare, generous exchange about how we actually hear ourselves. Mo sits down, virtually, across time and space, with a quantum hypnotist, Author, and Akashic Reader Mario Radinger, whose “higher self” sessions reveal something both simple and hard to practice: when trust and safety are present, letting go can be easy. He shares how Dolores Cannon’s work lit the fuse, why most clients come seeking purpose, and what it takes to build a space where answers arise from within rather than being handed down from above. Mo and Mario explore the difference between intuition and a wired-up nervous system, and how the body marks each with a distinct signature. There’s honesty about resistance—performing, pleasing, doubting—and why the session window is spacious by design, giving time for edges to soften. Purpose shows up as remembering, not hunting, and the higher self leads by elevating perspective instead of prescribing fixes. That makes the insight stick. They also step into forgiveness, where a photo becomes a doorway and time finishes the work talk can’t force. Acceptance and compassion come through as powerful energetic correctives: when you stop arguing with reality, much of the pain loses its job. Beyond trance, they talk Akashic readings as a peaceful route for those who hesitate to enter altered states, and the move from solo practice to teaching so more people can access this work. Along the way, ego takes its rightful seat—useful in life, quiet in session—and the craft matures through surprise after surprise until prediction gives way to presence. If you’ve wondered how to hear your higher self, how to separate signal from static, or how to hold purpose without pressure, this conversation offers language, tools, and a felt sense you can take with you. Check out Mario: @the.soul.journeys & https://www.thesouljourneys.com/ If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find these conversations. What did your body say while you listened? Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    1h 44m
  7. Musings: “Rich Girl”

    MAR 5

    Musings: “Rich Girl”

    A single line from an interview can change how you see wealth, and today that line reorients everything toward the inside. We follow a thread from Jessie Buckley’s interview from The Colbert Late Show in which she talks about her character, Agnes, from her award winning performance in Hamnet. From which Buckley says about her character, “She is rich”— which asks us to go into the deeper question of what richness really means when it isn’t about money, optics, or curated perfection. Along the way, we bring in Stella Adler’s electrifying idea that some souls aren’t used up by life; they’re overflowing and need a stage. That lens reshapes ambition, identity, and the roles we choose just to hold all that feeling. Our backdrop is Miami, a city built from glass and angles where being watched is easy and being witnessed is rare. We talk about reflections—literal and social—and how a culture of poses can sharpen or flatten who you become. I share what happens when the noise drowns out your voice and you’re left reading micro-movements, questioning whether you want attention or understanding. That tension pushed me back to making with my hands. When language fails, clay speaks. A weird, perfect sign pointed me toward sculpting noses for a new product launch: classical texture, modern attitude, a playful nod to Greek sculpture in the middle of nightlife neon. This is a story about inner wealth as a practice: how craft pulls you into presence, how a city can train your posture, and how confidence shifts from costume to muscle when you prefer witness over watch. We explore creativity as a way of knowing, brand as art rather than noise, and the quiet power of saying “I am” until it’s true from the inside out. If you’ve been craving more depth, more stage for your soul, and a way to show up rich without a price tag, you’ll feel at home here. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a confidence reboot, and leave a quick review—what does “rich on the inside” mean to you? Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    21 min
  8. Musings: What if the Thing You’re Meant to do Today is the One Thing You Didn’t Put on Your List?

    FEB 13

    Musings: What if the Thing You’re Meant to do Today is the One Thing You Didn’t Put on Your List?

    On her most unhinged episode yet, and possibly most insightful, Mo asks what if the thing you’re meant to do today is the one thing you didn’t put on your list? She starts with a playful ode to singing to money, stumbles into an Irish accent breakthrough, and then steps straight into the deep end: real-world flirting far exceeds the fatigued dating-app world and why acting on a single inspired ping beats three hours of tidy procrastination. She shares how Saturn’s heavy lift through Pisces stripped away her favorite illusions—about time, productivity, and the story of who she’s supposed to be in public. She talks karma, discipline, and the uncomfortable grace of dismantling cages built from safety. If January and February felt long and weird, you’re not alone. There’s a rhythm inside that slowness, and it starts with choosing the next right task, the one that actually moves the needle. That choice builds self-trust, and self-trust changes everything. She digs into identity without hard edges—why visibility doesn’t have to mean a fixed label and how ambiguity can be a superpower. Then comes our favorite part — the metaphor: the Fight Club archetype as your inner rebel, the part that protects and provokes. Mo’s showed up as a loud yes to designing a vision board that truly fits her studio. Saying no to that spark? Instant anxiety. Saying yes? Relief she can feel in her shoulders. Along the way in this episode we get honest about Tampa’s single energy, the thrill of meeting eyes across a room, and the small choices—like a carrot salad for eternally glowy skin—that make you feel ready to be seen. If you’re craving momentum, let’s make it practical. Act while the energy is hot. Trade that concept of “certainty” for aliveness where you can. Let micro-promises compound into real confidence. And if you’re walking through a season where time feels strange and your outcomes won’t land, keep going—you might be closer to the jump than you think. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review to help more people find us. Do you want to be on This is a Metaphor? Send Us a Text! Instagram: @tiam.podcast &  @joyscout.mo  For Guest Inquiries, collaborations, and questions: Email Mo: mo@joyscoutstudio.com “Don’t get Deterred, get Inspired”

    39 min
See All (28)

Trailer

About

There are so many ways to be a person. This Is A Metaphor is what happens when a curious creative can’t stop connecting dots. Life hands you a breakup, a bird call, a bagel? Boom. That’s a metaphor. This show isn’t therapy, and it isn’t theater, but it is art. It’s an existential treasure hunt—with jokes. Hosted by Mo Houston, a sharp-witted, soul-deep storyteller who views life through many lenses. She who knows the world makes sense… if you squint really hard. She’s lived out of suitcases and studios, built brands and burned out, laughed onstage and cried in voice notes. This podcast is kind of a memoir, a mirror, and definitely a metaphor.

Information

  • Creator
    Mo Houston
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 This is a Metaphor
  • Show Website
    This is a Metaphor