Put it in a bubble

Marilyn Barker
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  • Mental Health

Put it in a Bubble is more than a podcast, it’s a reminder that you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Each week, host Marilyn Barker shares stories, practical tools, and mindful strategies to help you release stress, reset your mind, and create space for what truly matters. Life today is noisy and overwhelming. Between work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the endless scroll of news and social media, it can feel impossible to find Focus. That’s where the “bubble” comes in: a simple but powerful practice of gathering up negativity, worry, or fear, and letting it drift away. Every episode offers encouragement, relatable insights, and easy-to-use techniques you can apply in everyday moments, whether it’s calming anxiety before bed, finding balance after a tough day, or learning to say no to what drains your energy. If you’re ready to let go of stress, discover practical ways to find calm, and embrace a more intentional life, this podcast is for you. Together, we’ll build a community that chooses calm and focus over chaos, one bubble at a time.

  1. 6d ago

    Life is Heavy, lets talk about it..

    Episode Title: Life Gets Heavy. Let's Talk About It. Episode Description: Sometimes life just gets heavy. Not for any one big reason. Just the accumulation of everything we carry every single day. And in this episode Marilyn gets real and off the cuff about exactly that. No script. No perfectly planned talking points. Just an honest conversation about what it feels like when life weighs on us and why talking about it matters more than we think. Because one of the most powerful things we can do when life feels heavy is stop carrying it alone. And that is exactly why Marilyn is launching a free Facebook community where we can do just that. Come as you are. Talk about what is real. And find people who get it. In this episode: An honest and unscripted conversation about the weight of everyday lifeWhy talking about what we are carrying makes it lighterAn invitation to join a growing community of people who are done pretending everything is fine Come join the conversation: Life is better when we do not have to figure it out alone. Find Marilyn on social media or visit MarilynBarker.com to join the Put it in a Bubble Private Bubble, a free Facebook community where real conversations happen, and nobody has to carry it alone. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com Hashtags: #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #LifeGetsHeavy #CommunityHeals #YouAreNotAlone #MentalWellness #RealTalk #LetsTalkAboutIt #FindYourPeople #MindsetShift #GrowthMindset #FreeCommunity #BlowItAway #PutItInABubblePrivateBubble #ShowUp

  2. Sep 2

    Taking Care of Your Mental Health Before You Hit a Wall

    Most of us do not think about our mental health until something forces us to. We push through the small warning signs, tell ourselves we are fine, and wait until we hit a wall before we finally stop. But by then we are in recovery mode instead of maintenance mode. And recovery is so much harder than prevention. In this episode Marilyn talks about what it actually looks like to take care of our mental health before things fall apart. Not in a heavy or overwhelming way. In a simple, practical, and completely doable way that fits into real everyday life. This episode is for anyone who has been running on low for so long that low feels normal. And it is a gentle reminder that we do not have to earn rest by reaching our limit. We are allowed to take care of ourselves now. Before the crisis. Before the wall. Before we have no choice. In this episode: Why so many of us wait until we hit a wall before we pay attention to our mental healthThe quiet warning signs our mind and body send us that are easy to miss or ignoreWhat it looks like when someone pushes through the signals until they hit a breaking pointWhat it looks like when someone catches the signs early and shifts before things get heavySix simple everyday ways to take care of our mental health proactivelyHow to use the bubble method as a daily maintenance tool not just a crisis response This week's takeaway: Every day ask yourself one honest question. How am I actually doing today? And then do one small thing in response to whatever that answer is. One question. One small response. Every single day. That is maintenance mode. And that is enough. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarkerspeaks.com Hashtags: #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #TakeCareOfYourself #MaintenanceMode #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #PreventiveMentalHealth #PersonalGrowth #YouDeserveMore #GrowthMindset #EmotionalHealth #YouAreWorthIt #SelfCare #BlowItAway

  3. Aug 26

    When You Outgrow People

    Have you ever noticed that a relationship that used to feel easy and natural now feels heavy and draining? Not because anything went wrong. Not because anyone did anything hurtful. Just because somewhere along the way you changed and the relationship did not change with you. In this episode Marilyn talks honestly about one of the most human and least discussed experiences we go through. Outgrowing people we love. She walks us through the guilt and grief that come with it, what our options actually are when we find ourselves here, and how to navigate it all with honesty and compassion for everyone involved. This episode is not about cutting people off or deciding someone is not good enough. It is about giving ourselves permission to keep growing even when it is complicated. And about finding the courage to be honest about where we are. In this episode: Why outgrowing someone is not a betrayal and what it actually isThe guilt and grief that come with outgrowing a relationship and why both deserve to be acknowledgedA real look at what this feels like in a longtime friendship when one person grows and the other stays the sameWhat happens when growth disrupts a long established family dynamicFour honest options for what to do when we realize we have outgrown someoneHow to use the bubble method for the guilt and grief of letting a relationship shiftSix practical ways to navigate outgrowing someone with grace and compassion This week's takeaway: We cannot grow and stay the same at the same time. The most loving thing we can do for ourselves and for the people we are outgrowing is to be honest about where we are. Outgrowing someone is not a betrayal. It is a sign that we are becoming. And becoming is always worth honoring. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com Hashtags: #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #WhenYouOutgrowPeople #PersonalGrowth #LetItGo #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #Relationships #GrowthMindset #OutgrowingRelationships #BecomingYourself #SelfDiscovery #EmotionalHealth #YouDeserveMore #BlowItAway

  4. Aug 19

    Why We Can't Shut Our Minds Off at Night...And What to Do

    Have you ever laid down to sleep and your brain just would not stop? You are exhausted. Your body is tired. But the moment your head hits the pillow every unfinished thought, worry, and mental to do list decides to show up all at once. In this Season 5 premiere episode Marilyn gets honest about her own experience with a mind that will not quiet down at night and the physical signals her body sends when stress has been building for too long. She also breaks down the science of why this happens in a way that is simple and actually makes sense, and shares the tools that help her come back to calm when her nervous system just will not settle. This episode is not about achieving perfect sleep or eliminating stress. It is about understanding what is happening inside us and giving ourselves some practical tools to work with so we do not have to just lie there and suffer through it. In this episode: Why so many of us cannot turn our brains off at night and what is actually happening when that occursA simple explanation of the nervous system using a gas pedal and brake pedal analogyWhat a stuck nervous system actually looks like in everyday life and why it is not a character flawA real example of using the bubble method during a stressful moment and why it changed the outcomeWhy the bubble method actually works from a nervous system perspectiveA step by step walk through of the bubble exercise to try in a quiet momentA simple bedtime practice that helps the mind finally let go and rest This week's takeaway: Keep a notebook next to your bed. When the thoughts start spinning at night write them down as a simple list. Not a journal entry. Just a list. Getting it out of your head and onto paper tells your brain the information is safe and makes it easier to actually rest. If you are struggling: You are not alone and you do not have to face this by yourself. If you are in crisis or feeling unsafe please reach out for help right away. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 anytime day or night. Free confidential support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #WhyICantSleep #NervousSystem #MindWontStop #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #SleepAndAnxiety #PersonalGrowth #BubbleMethod #GrowthMindset #EmotionalHealth #YouAreNotAlone #NightTimeAnxiety #BlowItAway

  5. Jul 29

    Season Four Wrap Up

    We made it to the end of Season 4. And what a season it has been. In this final episode Marilyn looks back at everything we covered together, from mental loops and invisible weight to grief, boundaries, and finally starting before we feel ready, and ties it all together with two closing truths that have been at the heart of this entire season. This episode is for anyone who has been doing the quiet work on themselves and wondering if it is making a difference. It is for anyone in a hard season right now, dealing with depression, anxiety, sickness, or a situation that just feels like too much. And it is a reminder that we are not expected to have it all together all the time. We are just expected to keep going. One step at a time. One small tool at a time. One more day at a time. In this episode: A warm look back at all twelve episodes and the journey we took together this seasonWhy returning matters more than never stoppingWhy the quiet work we do on ourselves matters even when nobody else can see itAn honest conversation about hard seasons and why keeping going is enoughOne final bubble moment to close out the season and step into what comes nextA heartfelt thank you to the listeners who made this season possible This season's closing truth: Life gets hard. Depression, anxiety, sickness, and overwhelming seasons are real and they are part of this journey for all of us. We are not expected to have it all together. We are just expected to keep going. To use the tools we have. To come back when we drift. And to trust that the quiet work we are doing on ourselves matters even when we cannot see it yet. If you are struggling: You are not alone and you do not have to face this by yourself. If you are in crisis or feeling unsafe please reach out for help right away. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 anytime day or night. Free confidential support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #SeasonFinale #ReturningMatters #YouAreNotAlone #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #KeepGoing #PersonalGrowth #TheQuietWork #GrowthMindset #EmotionalHealth #YouAreEnough #OneMoreDay #BlowItAway

  6. Jul 22

    Stop Waiting to Feel Ready

    Have you been sitting on something, a dream, a decision, a conversation, waiting for the moment when you finally feel ready to take the leap? In this episode Marilyn gets personal about writing her book and the moment she realized the perfect conditions were never going to arrive. So she just started anyway. This is an honest and encouraging conversation about why waiting to feel ready is one of the most common ways we hold ourselves back, why confidence comes from doing and not from waiting, and why ready enough is all we ever needed to begin. Whether we are holding back a big dream, avoiding a hard conversation, or just stuck in a cycle of endless preparation, this episode gives us permission to start right now exactly as we are. In this episode: A personal story about waiting to write a book and what finally made the differenceWhy we confuse comfort with readiness and what that costs usWhy confidence is built through doing not through waitingHow staying in planning mode can become a way of avoiding what we are actually afraid ofA real life example of waiting for the perfect moment to have a hard conversationHow to use the bubble method when fear keeps us stuck in preparation modeFive practical tools for finally getting started This week's takeaway: The perfect moment is not coming. And that is actually good news because it means we can start right now exactly as we are. Not perfectly ready. Just ready enough. And ready enough has always been enough. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com Hashtags: #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #StopWaitingToBeReady #JustStart #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #ProgressNotPerfection #PersonalGrowth #ReadyEnough #GrowthMindset #TakeTheLeap #EmotionalHealth #YouCanDoThis #LetItGo #BlowItAway

  7. Jul 15

    When You Feel Invisible

    Have you ever felt completely unseen even when you were surrounded by people? Not lonely in the traditional sense but invisible in a deeper way, like your presence just was not registering, like your words were passing right through people without landing. In this episode Marilyn digs into what feeling invisible actually is, why it is different from loneliness, and why needing to feel like we matter is not weakness or neediness. It is one of the most fundamental human needs we have. This is a rich and honest conversation about why we end up feeling this way, how we sometimes create our own invisibility without realizing it, and most importantly what we can actually do to start feeling seen again. Not by waiting for others to notice us but by taking a few small intentional steps toward restoring our own sense of mattering. In this episode: Why feeling invisible is different from loneliness and why that distinction mattersWhy we are wired from birth to need to feel like we matterThe honest reasons we end up feeling unseen including surface listening, technology, depression and anxiety, and childhood experiencesHow we sometimes make ourselves invisible without realizing itTwo real life examples of feeling invisible in relationships and at workHow to use the bubble method when the belief that we do not matter feels overwhelmingSix practical ways to start restoring our sense of mattering This week's takeaway: We matter more than we think. The evidence is in the small moments we have been overlooking. This week try one thing that reminds you of your own value without waiting for someone else to confirm it first. If you are struggling: You are not alone and you do not have to carry this by yourself. If you are in crisis or feeling unsafe please reach out for help right away. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 anytime day or night. Free confidential support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #WhenYouFeelInvisible #YouMatter #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #YouAreNotAlone #PersonalGrowth #FeelingSeen #SelfWorth #EmotionalHealth #GrowthMindset #YouAreEnough #LetItGo #BlowItAway

  8. Jul 8

    When Everything Feels Uncertain

    Have you ever been in a season where nothing felt solid? Where every decision felt like a guess and no matter how hard you tried things just would not fall into place? In this episode Marilyn gets personal about a season in her early twenties where everything felt out of control, and how that season quietly shaped her need for control in ways she did not even recognize until years later. This is an honest and grounding conversation about why uncertainty feels so hard, how our nervous system responds when we cannot predict what is coming next, and why the stability we are looking for out there in our circumstances actually has to start inside of us first. Whether you are in an uncertain season right now or you are still carrying the effects of one from your past, this episode meets us right where we are with real tools and a gentle reminder that uncertainty is temporary even when it does not feel that way. In this episode: A personal story about a season of uncertainty and the lasting effects it left behindHow unresolved uncertainty from our past can show up as a need for control in our everyday livesTwo real life examples of uncertainty in career finances health and relationshipsWhy our brain goes into overdrive when we cannot predict what is coming nextHow to use the bubble method to release the pressure of needing to have all the answers right nowFive practical tools for finding your footing when everything around you feels unsteady This week's takeaway: We do not have to solve everything today. We just have to find our footing in this moment. Trust yourself, breathe, think before you act, and remember that stability starts inside us even when everything outside feels uncertain. If you are struggling: You are not alone and you do not have to face this by yourself. If you are in crisis or feeling unsafe please reach out for help right away. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 anytime day or night. Free confidential support is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Connect with Marilyn: www.MarilynBarker.com Hashtags: #PutItInABubble #MentalHealth #Uncertainty #FindYourFooting #MindsetShift #MentalWellness #TrustYourself #PersonalGrowth #LetGoOfControl #EmotionalHealth #GrowthMindset #YouAreNotAlone #StabilityFromWithin #BreatheThroughIt #BlowItAway

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About

Put it in a Bubble is more than a podcast, it’s a reminder that you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Each week, host Marilyn Barker shares stories, practical tools, and mindful strategies to help you release stress, reset your mind, and create space for what truly matters. Life today is noisy and overwhelming. Between work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the endless scroll of news and social media, it can feel impossible to find Focus. That’s where the “bubble” comes in: a simple but powerful practice of gathering up negativity, worry, or fear, and letting it drift away. Every episode offers encouragement, relatable insights, and easy-to-use techniques you can apply in everyday moments, whether it’s calming anxiety before bed, finding balance after a tough day, or learning to say no to what drains your energy. If you’re ready to let go of stress, discover practical ways to find calm, and embrace a more intentional life, this podcast is for you. Together, we’ll build a community that chooses calm and focus over chaos, one bubble at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Marilyn Barker
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Marilyn Barker
  • Show Website
    Put it in a bubble