Don't Depend On Daddy

Michela Allocca

Learn how to run your life without chaos. Don’t Depend on Daddy blends wellness, routines, and real-life systems to help you feel more grounded, organized, and independent. The conversations are practical and honest, focused on habits that stick, structure that supports your energy, and learning how to take care of yourself without chaos or burnout. The goal is to build independence through small, intentional choices - and create a life that you actually enjoy living. New episodes every Wednesday 3

  1. 1D AGO

    148. How to Enter Your ~Discipline Era~ and Start Respecting Your Time to Change Your Life

    People tell me all the time that I’m “the most disciplined person they know” - and they always want to know how I stay organized, productive, and focused without burning out. In this episode, I want to clear something up: most people aren’t lazy. They’re burnt out, overstimulated, emotionally dysregulated, and trying to rely on motivation instead of systems. We’re reframing discipline as self-respect in action. I walk through why laziness is usually a misdiagnosis, how overstimulation and decision fatigue kill follow-through, and the exact skills that helped me move from “lazy-adjacent” to consistent, focused, and disciplined. If you want 2026 to be the year you actually follow through on your goals - without hating your life - this episode is for you. Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ Personal Finance Starter Kit: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/p/your-personal-finance-starter-kit BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Why people think I’m disciplined (and why “lazy” is usually the wrong label) 03:20 – Why most people aren’t lazy - they’re burnt out and overstimulated 07:10 – Discipline vs productivity (and why discipline matters more) 10:45 – Why discipline is self-respect in action 14:30 – Why motivation fails and systems actually work 18:40 – Lowering activation energy so habits feel easier 23:10 – Non-negotiable minimums that build consistency 27:30 – Rules vs moods: removing negotiation from your life 31:50 – Overstimulation, focus, and respecting your nervous system 38:10 – Productivity that actually moves your life forward

    42 min
  2. FEB 4

    147. February Monthly Curriculum: How I am Becoming Smarter and More Interesting (+ Key Framework)

    One of my goals for 2026 is to learn something new every single month — without feeling overwhelmed, scattered, or like I’m trying to do everything at once. In this episode, I’m introducing my monthly curriculum framework: a repeatable structure I’m using to stay engaged with my life, learn new things, spend less time doom scrolling, and actually make progress on the hobbies and interests I care about. I walk through the full framework step by step, explain why I’m doing this, and then share my February monthly curriculum - including what I’m reading, learning, practicing, and prioritizing this month. If you’ve ever felt like you have too many interests and not enough time, or you want more intention and structure in your free time without turning life into another to-do list, this episode is for you. Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ Personal Finance Starter Kit: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/p/your-personal-finance-starter-kit BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/2rkrysw2 Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca 00:00 – Why I want to learn something new every month 03:10 – What a “monthly curriculum” actually is 06:00 – Why having too many interests can feel overwhelming 09:40 – The full monthly curriculum framework overview 12:00 – Setting a monthly theme, vision, and inspiration 14:45 – Choosing a nonfiction topic or book to study 17:45 – Focusing on one skill, hobby, or practice 20:15 – Domestic and daily upgrades that make life easier 22:40 – Staying culturally engaged without scrolling 25:10 – Solo dates, accountability, and my February curriculum

    33 min
  3. 146. How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by Everyday Life | Manage "Life Admin" & Reduce the Mental Load

    JAN 28

    146. How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by Everyday Life | Manage "Life Admin" & Reduce the Mental Load

    Being an adult is so hard because of the constant, low-level decisions that never stop - the scheduling, the errands, the emails, the meals, the maintenance, and the mental load that quietly piles up in the background of daily life. In this episode, I’m breaking down the systems and skills that have made my adult life feel calmer, more predictable, and more manageable. Instead of relying on motivation or discipline, these are practical frameworks I use to reduce decision fatigue, lower stress, and support my nervous system through everyday life. We talk about scheduling in a way that actually works, why maintenance prevents burnout, how to manage life admin without overwhelm, why feeding yourself consistently matters more than you think, and how self-regulation ties everything together. This episode is about building a life that feels lighter - not by doing more, but by creating systems that support you when things get busy. Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ Personal Finance Starter Kit: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/p/your-personal-finance-starter-kit How to Be Organized Article: https://annanewton.substack.com/p/how-to-be-organised-in-2026 BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Why adulthood feels overwhelming in the small moments 03:10 – The hidden mental load no one teaches you to manage 06:05 – Why willpower fails and systems actually work 09:10 – Scheduling as a tool for mental relief, not control 13:40 – How weekly planning reduces daily overwhelm 18:05 – Why maintenance prevents burnout before it starts 23:10 – Managing life admin so it stops hanging over you 28:30 – Feeding yourself without stress as an adult skill 33:45 – Self-regulation and reducing constant overstimulation 38:10 – Building a calmer, more manageable adult life

    41 min
  4. JAN 21

    145. Why and How I Am Becoming More Analog to Regulate My Nervous System

    As I think about 2026, I’ve realized that for the first time ever, I’m not craving more ambition, more structure, or more systems. I’m craving less, and I want to create more peace and calm in my daily life. In this episode, I’m sharing why regulating my nervous system has become one of my biggest personal goals this year, and how I’m intentionally becoming more analog to support that. We talk about overstimulation, doom scrolling, decision fatigue, and how constant input has quietly become normalized in our lives. I walk through the practical shifts I’m making - from using paper instead of apps, reading physical books, sitting in silence, reducing phone time, and creating calmer mornings and evenings - along with the mental patterns I’m unlearning around productivity, stimulation, and burnout. This is a grounded, honest conversation about slowing down, reducing noise, and creating space to actually feel calm again. Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 NEW RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Why I’m craving less, not more, in 2026 2:10 – Becoming more analog and why nervous system regulation matters 4:00 – Doom scrolling, stimulation, and why silence feels uncomfortable 6:30 – Living alone, constant input, and mental exhaustion 9:00 – Choosing physical cues over digital ones 11:00 – Using paper, notebooks, and writing things out 13:30 – Capturing less and letting moments exist 16:00 – Reading physical books and learning with intention 18:00 – Sitting in silence, sauna time, and walks without headphones 21:00 – Calmer mornings, evenings, and reducing decision fatigue

    38 min
  5. JAN 14

    144. The January Wellness Protocol I Use to Set the Tone for the Entire Year

    January is the one month of the year where I intentionally slow down, simplify, and refocus on my health and wellness without turning it into a rigid challenge or restrictive reset that I can't stick to. In this episode, I walk you through my full January wellness protocol - a flexible, realistic framework I use to rebuild momentum after the holidays, regulate my nervous system, and reset my habits in a way that actually sticks. Instead of forcing myself into things like 75 Hard or Whole30, I focus on daily non-negotiables and weekly add-ons that reduce decision fatigue and support my energy, digestion, sleep, and routines. I break down my daily wellness anchors, my weekly focus habits, how I think about discipline versus forcing, and why January is the easiest month of the year to build sustainable momentum. This episode is meant to feel grounding, practical, and adaptable - whether you’re listening in January or any time you need a gentle reset. Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 NEW RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca 0:00 – Why I don’t do New Year’s resolutions and how I use January instead 2:00 – Why January is the easiest month to build momentum 3:30 – What I actually mean by a “wellness protocol” 5:30 – Discipline vs forcing yourself into restrictive challenges 7:00 – The structure: daily anchors vs weekly focus habits 8:30 – My morning wellness lineup and digestion routine 10:30 – Skincare, body care, and slowing down in winter 12:30 – Fiber, movement minimums, and realistic fitness expectations 14:00 – Sleep hygiene, phone boundaries, and winding down 16:30 – Weekly add-ons: sauna, face masks, juicing, and organizing

    40 min
  6. JAN 7

    143. Why I Don’t Believe in New Year’s Resolutions + My Gentle Reset and Reflection for 2026

    The start of a new year comes with a lot of pressure - to rebrand, overhaul your life, and fix everything all at once. In this episode, I’m sharing why I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions, why I think they fail most people, and how I approach resetting in a way that actually lasts. We walk through a real reflection on 2025: what changed my life, what habits worked, what didn’t, and where I got in my own way. Then I share how I’m setting themes (not resolutions) for 2026 across money, wellness, routines, home, and career - plus the systems I’m putting in place to support them. Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 NEW RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — Intro: why I hate the pressure of New Year rebrands 02:00 — Why New Year’s resolutions don’t work (and abandonment day) 04:00 — No-buy years vs. no-buy January (and why extremes fail) 06:00 — How I think about change: slow, intentional, lifestyle-based 08:00 — Reflecting on 2025: what changed my life 12:00 — Habits that worked: phone boundaries, sleep, cleanliness 15:00 — What didn’t work: cooking ruts, hermit mode, adjustment periods 19:00 — Setting themes for 2026 instead of resolutions 23:00 — Who I want to be by the end of 2026 30:00 — January rituals, documentaries, and closing reflections

    42 min
  7. 12/31/2025

    142. 2026 State of the Union: Habits, Routines, & Mindsets I’m Leaving Behind & What I’m Focusing On

    In this annual State of the Union episode, I’m sharing what’s officially in and out for me in 2026 - from habits and routines to mindset shifts, consumption patterns, and how I want my life to feel going into the new year. We talk about de-centering excessive scrolling, refining consumption, prioritizing sleep and mental health, and leaning harder into hobbies, creativity, and long-form content. I also share the wellness routines, lifestyle shifts, and creators that are inspiring me right now as I move into a slower, more intentional season. This episode is less about resolutions and more about direction — what I’m choosing to give energy to, and what I’m consciously letting go of. 🎧 Topics include: 👉🏻 My 2026 “outs” (habits, patterns, and energy drains) 👉🏻 My 2026 “ins” (routines, hobbies, wellness, and creativity) 👉🏻 De-centering scrolling, drinking, and over-committing 👉🏻 Sleep hygiene, mental health, and early mornings 👉🏻 Analog hobbies, classes, and learning for joy 👉🏻 Creators I’ve been loving lately (on IG/TT) @glowwithella , @thewellnessprocesspod , @beccahimsworth , @gabrielleaihara , @kayliestewart, @plantbasedbaby Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 NEW RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Welcome + 2026 State of the Union overview 2:30 – Gratitude, podcast growth, and leaning into long-form content 5:15 – OUT: Excessive scrolling and low-value TikTok consumption 8:45 – OUT: Drinking culture, over-committing, and overworking 12:30 – OUT: Overconsumption and low-quality spending habits 16:00 – OUT: Anxiety patterns, late nights, and decentering dating 20:30 – IN: Elevated casual living and daily luxuries 23:45 – IN: Tea rituals, bricking my phone, and analog hobbies 27:15 – IN: Early mornings, reading, sauna, and wellness routines 30:00 – Creators I’ve been loving + closing thoughts for 2026

    30 min
  8. 12/24/2025

    141. What I Actually Spent My Money on in 2025 & My Consumption Rules for 2026

    We're walking through my favorite purchases from 2025 - both items and experiences - and reflecting on what they reveal about my consumption habits, priorities, and values. We talk through everything from wardrobe upgrades and wellness investments to the things that didn’t stand out as much as I expected (and why that matters). I also share how I’m approaching a January no-buy, the spending rules I’m carrying into 2026, and how I’m shifting from constant curation toward intentional refinement. 🎧 Topics include: 👉🏻 My favorite purchases and experiences from 2025 👉🏻 Why most purchases fade into the background faster than we expect 👉🏻 Buy less, buy better - what worked and what didn’t 👉🏻 January no-buy intentions 👉🏻 Consumption rules for clothes, beauty, and home in 2026 Subscribe to Beyond Your Budget: https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/ BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES: 💸 Personal Finance Dashboard: https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard 💸 Basic Budgeting Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template 💸 FI/RE Template: https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template 💸 NEW RENT VS. BUY CALCULATOR https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator 💳 Tools + Cards I Use: Rakuten Cash Back: https://shorturl.at/w0PcH SoFi HYSA: https://wealthlink.me/michela-sofi-hysa AmEx Platinum: https://tinyurl.com/mpf7u7uy Bilt Rewards: https://tinyurl.com/4kd8s33a Blue Cash Everyday: https://tinyurl.com/yrcbr2ac All Other Resources: https://breakyourbudget.com/links 👩🏼‍💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/ 📲 Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa 💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 – Welcome to Don’t Depend On Daddy + what this episode covers 3:00 – Why my favorite purchases didn’t immediately stand out 6:45 – What my long-term “favorite purchases” reveal about consumerism 10:15 – January no-buy + why I’m focusing on refinement in 2026 14:00 – Favorite purchase: The Brick and breaking phone habits 18:30 – Favorite wardrobe investment: a long-term everyday bag 24:45 – Winter upgrades: coats, cold weather, and buying the right gear 30:30 – Experiences worth the money: Pilates and tennis lessons 36:15 – Kitchen + wellness favorites (knives, Oura Ring, skincare standouts) 44:30 – My 2026 consumption rules: clothes, beauty, home

    47 min
4.7
out of 5
175 Ratings

About

Learn how to run your life without chaos. Don’t Depend on Daddy blends wellness, routines, and real-life systems to help you feel more grounded, organized, and independent. The conversations are practical and honest, focused on habits that stick, structure that supports your energy, and learning how to take care of yourself without chaos or burnout. The goal is to build independence through small, intentional choices - and create a life that you actually enjoy living. New episodes every Wednesday 3

You Might Also Like