The Art of Showing Up

Jes Mendoza

Life is weird. Grief is heavy. Healing isn’t linear. Relationships are complicated. And sometimes showing up looks less like thriving and more like barely keeping your shit together. • Welcome to The Art of Showing Up. • Hosted by Jes Mendoza, this podcast is where raw honesty meets deep reflection. Through unfiltered conversations about mental health, love, loss, friendship, identity, burnout, self-worth, and everything in between, Jes reminds listeners they don’t have to navigate life alone. • Real stories. Real emotions. Real f*****g human.

  1. 1d ago

    CHAPTER 77 - SHOWING UP FOR THE PLOT TWIST

    How the unexpected can change what we believe is possible. Some of the best parts of our lives weren’t part of the plan. The friendships we never saw coming. The adventures we almost missed. The unexpected interests that somehow become part of who we are. And those wonderfully ridiculous moments that leave us wondering how the hell we ended up here. In this episode of The Art of Showing Up, Jes explores the ways unexpected experiences can change not only what we know about the world, but what we believe is possible for ourselves. Along the way, she shares the story of a spontaneous whale shark adventure that began with her terrified to get into the ocean and ended with an unforgettable experience, newfound confidence, and friendships that continue to this day. We’re talking about curiosity, accidental connections, surprising ourselves, and why being open to possibility doesn’t mean saying yes to every opportunity that comes our way. This isn’t about pretending every unexpected turn is a blessing. It’s about appreciating the moments that genuinely surprise us in the best ways. Because maybe the plot twist isn’t always what happened. Sometimes it’s who you became because it happened. And sweet friends, you haven’t surprised yourself for the last time. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

  2. Oct 12

    CHAPTER 76 - SHOWING UP WHEN THE WORLD FEESL LIKE IT'S FALLING APART

    CONTENT NOTE: This episode touches on war and the genocide in Palestine, immigration enforcement and ICE, violence, racism, anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and policies, economic hardship, and the fear and grief that can come with watching people’s safety, rights, and humanity be threatened. Where the f**k do we even start? There is so much happening in the world right now that sometimes caring about it feels like trying to hold water in your hands. Genocide. Violence. Immigration enforcement. Rising costs. Attacks on LGBTQIA+ people. Violence against women. Racism. People fighting for the basic right to exist safely and freely while the rest of us watch more suffering arrive through the tiny rectangles in our hands. And somehow, after taking all of that in, we’re supposed to answer emails, make dinner, laugh in the group chat, go to work, love our people, and continue being ordinary humans. So what do we do with all of it? In this episode of The Art of Showing Up, Jes isn’t offering a pep talk. This is an honest conversation about how we remain awake to suffering without allowing it to consume us—and how we stay human in a world that sometimes gives us every reason to become numb. We’re talking about fear that isn’t irrational. Anger that deserves somewhere to go. The impossible math of caring about everyone. The guilt that can creep in when we experience joy while other people are suffering. The limits of what one person can carry. And the places where our hands can still reach. Because caring deeply doesn’t require destroying yourself. Joy isn’t evidence that you’ve stopped paying attention. Rest isn’t indifference. And you don’t have to be powerful everywhere to be meaningful somewhere. Maybe showing up when the world feels like it’s falling apart isn’t about convincing ourselves everything is okay. Maybe it’s about refusing to let everything that’s broken convince us that nothing is worth tending. IN THIS EPISODE: ​When fear is a reasonable response to what’s happening around us​The emotional weight of having the world’s suffering constantly within reach​Making room for anger without allowing cruelty to remake us​Why despair isn’t proof that you care​Experiencing joy without treating it like betrayal​Finding your own radius of reach​Caring about things you cannot personally fix​Accountability without dehumanization​Knowing what is—and isn’t—yours to carry​Staying human anyway LISTENER REFLECTION: ​What is mine to carry?​What matters deeply to you?​Where can your hands actually reach?​And what have you stopped allowing yourself to experience because somewhere else in the world, somebody is hurting? You don’t have to stop caring about the world to live inside your own life. Your humanity has to count, too. There are no graphic descriptions, but please take care of yourself however you need to while listening. You don’t have to consume something painful to prove that you care. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

    CHAPTER 76 - SHOWING UP WHEN THE WORLD FEESL LIKE IT'S FALLING APART

  3. Oct 5

    CHAPTER 75 - SHOWING UP FOR YOUR NEEDS BEFORE THEY SCREAM

    How bad does it have to get before you decide you’re allowed to need something? Tired? Not tired enough. Overwhelmed? Still functioning. Running on caffeine, spite, and whatever emotional reserves you found underneath the driver’s seat? Apparently fine. Then one completely innocent person asks you a completely reasonable question and suddenly you’re internally screaming: WHY DOES EVERYONE NEED SOMETHING FROM ME?! And maybe that’s when it finally occurs to you: Oh. I might need a f*****g minute. In Chapter 75 of The Art of Showing Up, Jes talks about learning to recognize our needs before they become emergencies and why functioning isn’t always proof that we’re okay. This isn’t another self-care checklist. It’s a conversation about noticing our own patterns, questioning why we require ourselves to be “bad enough” before accepting care, listening to resentment instead of immediately judging it, and recognizing that knowing what we need doesn’t always mean we have access to it. Because preventative care isn’t about perfectly avoiding burnout, breakdowns, or hard seasons. It’s about building a relationship with ourselves where our breaking point isn’t the first version of us we’re willing to believe. IN THIS EPISODE: Why we wait until things are “bad enough”Learning what your personal 70% looks likeThe quieter signals we tend to dismissWhy functioning and being okay aren’t the same thingHow we cross-examine ourselves before admitting we need somethingWhat resentment might be trying to tell usRecognizing needs we can’t immediately meetWhy awareness still matters when circumstances can’t changeMoving from crisis response toward earlier careLearning to hear ourselves before our needs have to scream LISTENER REFLECTION: Think about the last few times you hit your wall. Now rewind. Not to ask What should I have done differently? Ask: Who was I on the way there? What does your 70% look like? Because your needs don’t suddenly become legitimate when they become unbearable. They were legitimate when they were quiet, too. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

  4. Sep 28

    CHAPTER 74 - THE F*****G GROUP CHAT DESERVES AN AWARD

    Not every act of love arrives with a heartfelt speech. Sometimes it arrives as a screenshot with: “GIRL. WHAT THE F**K DO I SAY?” Sometimes it’s an eight-minute voice note that was allegedly going to be “quick.” Sometimes it’s an emergency meeting over punctuation. And sometimes it’s a perfectly timed raccoon meme sent on a day when absolutely nothing else could make you laugh. In this episode of The Art of Showing Up, Jes takes a much-needed lighter look at the beautifully unhinged ways friendship shows up in our everyday lives. Because care doesn’t only count when life is falling apart. It’s also in the inside jokes nobody else understands. The friend who remembers your weird little preferences. The emergency group-chat war room. The people who can tell the difference between your regular “lol” and your I am about to walk into the woods and become folklore “lol.” Underneath all that ridiculousness is something pretty f*****g beautiful: We keep thinking of each other. And sometimes, showing up looks completely unserious from the outside. IN THIS EPISODE: The sacred summons of “Bitch, are you awake?”Why screenshots are evidence submitted for peer reviewMemes as a legitimate form of emotional intimacyThe voice note that was absolutely not “gonna be quick”The tiny details that tell us someone really knows usThe emergency group-chat war roomWhy making someone laugh can be an act of careBeing remembered in someone else’s ordinaryThe beautiful little language friends build togetherWhy the f*****g group chat deserves its award LISTENER REFLECTION: Think about the people who understand your shorthand. The ones who get the screenshot.The ones who know what 👀 means.The ones who can receive nothing but “GIRL.” and know they’ve just been summoned. Then send them something stupid. No heartfelt speech required. Sometimes I love you sounds like: “Saw this and immediately thought of your dumb ass.” CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

  5. Sep 14

    CHAPTER 73 - SHOWING UP WHERE YOU'VE NEVER BEEN

    What do you say when someone you love is going through something you have never experienced? Sometimes our instinct is to search our own lives for something comparable. We want to say I understand. We want the right words. We want to make things better. But sometimes the truth is much simpler: We don’t understand. And maybe we don’t have to. In this episode, Jes explores what it means to love people through experiences we cannot personally relate to—and why empathy doesn’t require us to manufacture common ground. This is a conversation about the humility of I don’t know. About believing people when they tell us what their lives feel like. About learning without requiring someone else to become our teacher. About getting it wrong, listening when we’re corrected, and resisting the urge to fill uncomfortable silence with words that exist mostly to make us feel better. Because sometimes there isn’t a perfect thing to say. Sometimes you just stay. IN THIS EPISODE: Why empathy doesn’t require equivalent experienceThe difference between relating to someone and making their experience about usFinding humility in saying I don’t knowLearning without making someone responsible for educating usBelieving people about their own livesWhy our personal reaction isn’t the measuring stick for someone else’s experienceWhat showing up can actually look like when we don’t have the wordsGetting it wrong without disappearingThe difference between emotional distance and respectful distanceLoving people without pretending we’ve been where they are LISTENER REFLECTION: Think about someone you love whose life contains an experience you’ve never had. Instead of asking: How can I understand this? Try asking: How can I honor what I cannot understand? Because you don’t have to understand someone’s experience from the inside…to honor it from the outside. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

  6. Sep 7

    CHAPTER 72 - THE DAY I STOPPED WAITING

    How much of your life is sitting on the other side of when? When they apologize. When you finally understand. When you feel ready. When you become more successful, more confident, more healed, more enough. When the thing you’ve been hoping for finally happens. Waiting doesn’t always look like standing still. You can build a whole life while quietly believing some part of it hasn’t really begun yet. In this episode of The Art of Showing Up, Jes explores the invisible bargains we make with the future and what happens when hope, patience, fear, grief, or uncertainty quietly become conditions for fully inhabiting the life we already have. This isn’t an episode about giving up. It isn’t about pretending the apology doesn’t matter, killing the dream, forcing closure, or convincing yourself you’re fearless. It’s about realizing that you can still want something without requiring it to happen first. Because maybe the thing you’ve been waiting for eventually comes. Maybe it doesn’t. Either way, your life already started. IN THIS EPISODE: The hidden bargain inside the word whenWhy waiting doesn’t always feel like waitingWhat happens when someone else holds the apology, answer, or acknowledgment you needThe trap of waiting to become “enough”Why feeling ready and being ready aren’t necessarily the same thingThe grief of realizing how long you’ve waitedWhy stopping the wait doesn’t mean abandoning hopeLearning to inhabit an unfinished lifeThe question: Who told you the second half of your life has to wait for the first? LISTENER REFLECTION:Finish the sentence: When __________ happens, then I’ll finally __________. Then ask yourself: Who told you the second half of that sentence has to wait for the first? CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

  7. Aug 31

    CHAPTER 71 - SHOWING UP FOR THE STRONG ONE

    Everybody knows who to call when everything falls apart. But who notices when that person’s hands start shaking? This week on The Art of Showing Up, we’re talking about “the strong one”—the person everyone trusts, relies on, calls first, and assumes will somehow figure it out. Because strength isn’t the problem. The problem is what happens when someone’s strength becomes the reason we stop offering them care. Jes explores the loneliness that can come with being capable: when functioning gets mistaken for being okay, when encouragement starts sounding like dismissal, and when being needed becomes dangerously difficult to distinguish from being loved. But this conversation isn’t about blaming everyone around the strong person. Sometimes I’ve got it becomes armor. Sometimes asking for help feels more vulnerable than hurting. Sometimes we become so skilled at hiding our needs that the people who love us eventually believe us when we say we’re fine. So how do we create something different? How do we care for capable people without infantilizing them? How do we pay attention without monitoring them? And how do we become somewhere soft for another person to land without requiring them to completely fall apart first? Because you shouldn’t have to become a crisis before you become worthy of care. And strength was only ever supposed to mean: I can carry heavy things. It was never supposed to mean: I should have to carry them alone. In This Episode How someone quietly becomes “the strong one”Why functioning and being okay are not the same thingWhen admiration for someone’s strength becomes expectationThe loneliness of wondering whether you’re loved or simply usefulWhy strong people sometimes make themselves difficult to reachThe difference between attention and surveillanceWhy care shouldn’t begin only after someone collapsesWhat it means to become somewhere soft for another person to landLearning to love someone beyond what they provideMaking room for the strong person to simply be human You don’t have to stop being strong. But you were never supposed to carry all of it alone. Listen, follow, rate, review, and share The Art of Showing Up wherever you get your podcasts.

  8. Aug 24

    CHAPTER 70 - THE LAST TIME YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THE LAST TIME

    There was a last time someone picked you up and carried you. A last sleepover. A last time you called someone’s house and had to talk to their parents first. A last time everyone fit around that table. A last time someone belonged to your everyday life. And chances are…you had absolutely no idea it was happening. This week on The Art of Showing Up, Jes explores the ordinary moments that quietly become history—the friendships that change shape, the traditions that slowly disappear, the versions of ourselves we leave behind, and the endings that never announce themselves. This is not an episode about death. It’s about life. About the strange realization that some of our most precious memories were completely ordinary while we were living them. Jes also shares a deeply personal story about telling a longtime friend about someone she was excited to be dating—and only later realizing that ordinary text exchange would become the final conversation of their friendship. We’ll talk about the last times that hurt, the ones that make us nostalgic, and even the ones we eventually realize were freedom. And we’ll ask an important question: How do we honor the fleeting nature of our lives without becoming terrified that every ordinary moment might secretly be the last? Because maybe you didn’t fail to appreciate it. Maybe you weren’t careless. Maybe you simply thought there would be another. You thought you were still living in the middle of it. IN THIS EPISODE: Why beginnings announce themselves while endings often don’tFriendships and traditions that quietly change without a goodbyeThe particular ache of relationships where the person remains but “us” changesA personal story about friendship, coming out, and an ending hidden inside an ordinary textThe last times we’re actually grateful never happened againWhy nostalgia shouldn’t become hypervigilanceThe photographs, messages, songs, and objects that become archaeological evidence of our old livesLetting go of guilt for not knowing a last time was happeningWhy an ending doesn’t make what came before it matter any less You were living forward. You couldn’t know what hindsight hadn’t taught you yet. And maybe that’s okay. Listen, follow, rate, review, and share The Art of Showing Up wherever you get your podcasts. CONNECT + SUPPORT: If this episode landed in a place where you felt moved, I hope it helps you breathe a little bit better. As always, follow, rate, and review the show -- be part of this wonderful little community's growth. And make sure to share this and any other episode with those you love and care about and on social media. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/the.artofshowingup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TAOSUpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thejessrick⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theartofshowingup.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📩 DM me on IG 💬 Or message me on Facebook or the website! You can stay anonymous. You can be real. No story is too small. Follow, rate, review, and share the show wherever you listen. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. And as always…keep showing up.

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2 Ratings

About

Life is weird. Grief is heavy. Healing isn’t linear. Relationships are complicated. And sometimes showing up looks less like thriving and more like barely keeping your shit together. • Welcome to The Art of Showing Up. • Hosted by Jes Mendoza, this podcast is where raw honesty meets deep reflection. Through unfiltered conversations about mental health, love, loss, friendship, identity, burnout, self-worth, and everything in between, Jes reminds listeners they don’t have to navigate life alone. • Real stories. Real emotions. Real f*****g human.

Information

  • Creator
    Jes Mendoza
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jes Mendoza
  • Show Website
    The Art of Showing Up