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

Mary Jelkovsky
  • 4.9 (674)
  • 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. 6d ago

    Tired of Fixing Yourself? Here's How to Stop Struggling and Start Living (Repost)

    Have you ever felt like you're constantly fixing yourself, yet somehow still don't feel good enough? In this self-love podcast, Mary talks about her struggles with... struggle. Let’s explore why so many of us get stuck trying to fix every flaw, solve every problem, and become a "better" version of ourselves before we allow ourselves to truly live. If you've been struggling with self-worth, confidence, or the feeling that something is always missing, this conversation may change the way you think about self-love. Tune into our self-love podcast to learn… why constantly trying to improve yourself can leave you feeling dissatisfied the connection between self-worth and always feeling like you need fixing how comparison, consumerism, and loneliness can make it harder to love yourself why finding meaning may be more important than chasing happiness the mindset shift that can help you stop struggling and start living Remember: Self-love isn't fixing yourself until you're finally worthy. Self-love is realizing that you were worthy all along. Mentioned In This Episode... Episode #61: Stop Trying to Be Happy (and Do This Instead) 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.

    17 min

  2. Jun 11

    Why Looking “Better” Doesn't Lead to Self-Love with Dr. Lindsay Kite

    Have you ever thought you'd be happier if you were thinner, prettier, younger, or looked “better” in some way? In a culture obsessed with appearance, it's easy to believe that confidence, self worth, and self love are waiting on the other side of changing your body. But what if the real struggle has nothing to do with how you look? Dr. Lindsay Kite joins us to unpack the hidden force behind so many body image struggles. If you're working on self love, healing your body image, or learning how to love yourself in a world that profits from your self-doubt, this episode is for you. This conversation explores the connection between self love, self esteem, self compassion, mental health, body image, beauty standards, diet culture, and the pressure women face to constantly evaluate themselves through someone else's eyes. You will learn… the missing piece of the body image conversation that most women never hear about why changing your appearance often fails to create lasting confidence or self worth how self-objectification shapes the way women move through the world the surprising reason many women still struggle with body image after years of self-love work why so many women continue chasing confidence through appearance without ever finding lasting peace practical ways to build resilience, strengthen self confidence, and feel more comfortable in your skin Remember: self love isn't something you earn after reaching a goal weight, fixing a flaw, or becoming "beautiful enough." Real self love begins when you stop treating your body like a problem to solve. The path to self worth, confidence, and self care may look very different than you've been taught. Dr. Lindsay Kite is co-author of the bestselling book *More Than A Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament – A Research-Backed Health and Wellness Guide for Empowerment and Confidence* and co-director of Beauty Redefined, a nonprofit dedicated to helping women and girls build body-image resilience and reject harmful beauty standards. Alongside her identical twin sister, Dr. Lexie Kite, Lindsay has become a leading voice in the fields of body image, self esteem, media literacy, women's empowerment, and self love. Learn more at morethanabody.org and follow her on Instagram @beauty_redefined. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with the women in your life! Or on social media! Be sure to tag @maryspodcast and @beauty_redefined Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    59 min

  3. Jun 4

    How to Care for Your Health Without Falling Back Into Diet Culture (Repost)

    There comes a point in your self-love journey where the question shifts from How do I stop obsessing over food and my body-image? to How do I take care of my health in a way that doesn't promote diet culture? If you've spent years untangling yourself from diet culture, caring for your health can feel surprisingly complicated. You might want to eat more nourishing foods, move your body consistently, or create healthier habits, but worry that those choices will pull you back into restriction, food guilt, or body obsession. So how do you pursue health without dieting? In this conversation, we're exploring what it looks like to care for your body from a place of self love rather than control. Through personal stories and practical examples, I share the three things that have helped me redefine health as a form of self-care. Especially after going through eating disorder recovery. Because contrary to what diet culture teaches us, loving your body and caring for your health are not opposing goals. In fact, they often go hand in hand. Whether you're recovering from disordered eating, healing your relationship with exercise, or simply trying to find a more sustainable approach to wellness, this conversation offers a gentler path forward. Let’s revisit some reminders about… Why pursuing health can feel scary after healing from diet culture The difference between gentle nutrition and restrictive eating How to choose foods without labeling them "good" or "bad" Why joyful movement matters more than forcing yourself through workouts Questions to ask yourself before starting a new health habit How to build trust with your body again Navigating health goals without making weight loss the focus Why self compassion creates more lasting change than self-criticism How self love can become the foundation of your health journey If you've ever felt torn between body acceptance and health, this episode is your reminder that you don't have to choose. You can pursue health without diet culture, trust your body, and create habits that support both your physical and mental health. 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.

    23 min

  4. May 28

    The Art of Wedding Planning for Women Who Want Something Meaningful with Priya Parker (Repost)

    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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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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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