Similarly Different

You & Me Media

Welcome to "Similarly Different," the podcast where host Yanina Oyarzo takes you on a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and growth. In this introspective and candid series, Yanina shares her personal experiences and invites guests from diverse backgrounds to explore how we are all - similarly different.

  1. 6h ago

    From Sleeping in His Car to Kris Jenner's Makeup Artist ft. Etienne Ortega

    In this episode of Similarly Different, I sat down with celebrity makeup artist and founder of Ortega Beauty, Etienne Ortega, and his story is one of those that genuinely reminds you that grit, vision, and showing up will always outlast talent alone. From doing his friends' makeup for $10 in high school, to working with Eva Longoria at 21, to being found by Kim Kardashian on Instagram — Etienne built one of the most respected careers in the beauty industry entirely on his own terms.We also get into things I didn't expect — his cancer diagnosis in 2022, the six years it took to launch Ortega Beauty, the investors that let him down, and why after all of it, he still showed up to work the day after chemo. This is not just a beauty episode. This is a conversation about legacy, identity, survival, and what it means to bet on yourself even when everything is working against you.If you've ever felt like you don't belong in the room, or you've been building something for years that nobody else can see yet — this one is for you.In this episode, we talk about:• Growing up Latino and navigating machismo in the beauty industry• How Etienne got his start and booked Eva Longoria at 21• How Kim Kardashian found him on Instagram• Imposter syndrome as a Latino immigrant in a celebrity world• His cancer diagnosis in 2022 and how he kept going• Six years of building Ortega Beauty through bad investors and setbacks• Why comfort is the killer of growth• What he wishes he knew before starting his brand• How to build a legacy in your own lane without comparing yourself to others📲 Etienne Ortega’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/etienneortega🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ🔔 Don't forget:✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬📲 Let's stay connected:Instagram: @similarlydifferentpodTikTok: @similarlydifferentpodSubmit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    1h 2m

  2. Jul 2

    Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn — Understanding Survival Mode and How to Heal It

    In this episode of Similarly Different, I'm breaking down what survival mode actually is, why your nervous system stays on high alert long after the stressful situation has ended, and what's actually helped me — from somatic healing, to walking everywhere after surgery, to a tiny calendar habit that's stuck with me for years. We talk about how trauma lives in the body, not just the mind, why rest feels so uncomfortable for so many of us, and why healing isn't a one-time breakthrough but a slow, ongoing process of small habits done consistently. If your body still feels tense, anxious, or on edge even though logically you know you're safe — this episode will help you understand why, and what to actually do about it. In this episode, we talk about: • What survival mode actually is — fight, flight, freeze, and fawn • Why your nervous system reacts even when the danger has passed• How trauma is stored in the body, not just the memory • Somatic healing, breathwork, and movement as nervous system tools • Why rest feels uncomfortable and how to give yourself permission • Social media, overstimulation, and protecting your energy • Therapy versus self-guided healing — and why you need both • Big sister advice for anyone who feels stuck in survival mode 🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ 🔔 Don't forget:
 ✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes
 ✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)
 ✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them
 ✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬 📲 Let's stay connected:
 Instagram: @similarlydifferentpod
 TikTok: @similarlydifferentpod
 Submit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    26 min

  3. Jun 25

    What Is Hyper-Independent Codependency? A Therapist Breaks It Down ft. Alyx Allen

    In this episode of Similarly Different, licensed marriage and family therapist Alyx Allen joins me to unpack a term I had never heard until recently — hyper-independent codependency. We talk about what it actually looks like, why high-functioning women fall into it, and how "I got you" can secretly be a need for control disguised as helpfulness.From there we get into anhedonia, the difference between healing and learning to live with what you've been through, why dating apps are killing real connection, and what it actually takes for men to open up about their insecurities.If you've ever wondered why you can't seem to slow down, why relationships feel harder than ever, or why you feel emotionally flat even when life looks good — this episode will give you language for what you've been feeling.In this episode, we talk about:• Hyper-independent codependency and how to spot it in yourself• Why "healed" might not be the right word for what you're looking for• Anhedonia, burnout, and feeling flat even when life is good• Compartmentalizing emotions — and why men and women do it differently• Why dating apps are draining our ability to actually connect• How to reset your nervous system in an anxious moment• Men's mental health, insecurity, and why they struggle to open up• Finding your own version of a non-negotiable self-care practice• When to walk away from therapy and when to stay🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ📲 Alyx Allen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theselfishcontract🌐 Website: https://www.tscbecomingher.com🎙️ Podcast: How I Ended Up Here — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-ended-up-here/id1754056081🔔 Don't forget:✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬📲 Let's stay connected:Instagram: @similarlydifferentpodTikTok: @similarlydifferentpodSubmit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    1h 14m

  4. Jun 18

    Starting Over Is Not Failure — It's the Beginning of Your Next Era

    In this episode of Similarly Different, I'm getting into something I think so many of us need to hear right now — starting over is not failure. Whether it's a career shift, the end of a relationship, a lifestyle change you didn't plan for, or just the feeling that who you were no longer fits who you're becoming, this episode is about giving yourself permission to pivot. From my own divorce at 25, to hanging up my hosting dreams and pivoting to content creation, to finding my way back to storytelling through this podcast — I've lived this. And every single time, what felt like an ending turned out to be exactly where the next chapter began. If you're standing in a moment of reinvention right now, feeling behind, scared, or unsure of what's next — this one is for you. In this episode, we talk about: • Why starting over is not the same as failing • The courage it takes to pivot when life doesn't follow the plan • Letting go of the timeline you thought was yours • How to stop comparing your journey to someone else's blueprint • The difference between quitting too early and knowing when to pivot • Finding excitement in the uncertainty of a new chapter • What reinvention looks like in your 20s, 30s, and 40s • Big sister advice for anyone in a season of starting over 🎓 This episode is sponsored by National University, to find out more information see here: https://bit.ly/4vJfyKQ 🔔 Don't forget: ✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes ✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!) ✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them ✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬 📲 Let's stay connected: Instagram: @similarlydifferentpod TikTok: @similarlydifferentpod Submit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    25 min

  5. Jun 11

    Stop Comparing Your Real Life to Someone Else's Highlight Reel

    In this episode of Similarly Different, I'm talking about the gap between the life people see and the life you're actually living — and why that gap creates so much unnecessary pressure for all of us. Whether you're the one watching or the one being watched, this episode is for you.From the quiet moments that nobody sees, to celebrating your wins without guilt, to why choosing privacy is actually a form of self-respect — I'm getting into all of it. Because every person you see online is living a life far more complex than what fits in a post.If you've ever felt the need to over-perform, overexplain, or felt guilty for being happy in the middle of a hard season — this one is for you.In this episode, we talk about:• The highlight reel vs. what's actually happening behind the scenes• Why success doesn't remove struggle• Celebrating your wins without minimizing them• The pressure of visibility and maintaining an image• Why some things don't belong on the internet• Creating healthy boundaries with social media• Protecting what you care about while still showing up• Staying grounded when life gets busy or visible• Why privacy can be a form of self-respect🔔 Don't forget: ✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes ✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!) ✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them ✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I'll repost! 💬📲 Let's stay connected: Instagram: @similarlydifferentpod TikTok: @similarlydifferentpod Submit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    25 min

  6. Jun 4

    Crash Outs, Trusting God, and Flowing Through the Scary Seasons with Jamie Lee Ruiz

    In this episode of Similarly Different, I sat down with Jamie Lee Ruiz and we went places I didn't plan for. We talked about lease renewals and life decisions, but what it turned into was a really honest conversation about trusting God when everything feels uncertain, why crash outs almost always lead to breakthroughs, and how shame keeps us from receiving the support we actually need.From the fear of slowing down and shifting desires, to intuition, silence, burnout, and what it really looks like to surrender control — this felt less like a podcast and more like two women processing life in real time. Jamie is 40, I'm turning 35, and neither of us has it all figured out. And we're both learning that that's actually okay.If you're in a season right now where nothing feels figured out — this one is for you.In this episode, we talk about:• Crash outs, breakthroughs, and surrendering to God• Trusting the process when your desires start to shift• Burnout, hustle culture, and learning to slow down• The fear of pivoting careers, moving cities, and starting over• Why silence feels scary and how to sit with it anyway• Intuition, the clairs, and how God communicates with us• Shame, vulnerability, and finally letting people support you• Walking, journaling, and the practices that actually help• Navigating age, timelines, and the pressure of being "on time"• Why your season of uncertainty doesn't define you📲 Jamie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslee4🔔 Don’t forget:✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes ✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!) ✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I’ll repost! 💬📲 Let’s stay connected:Instagram: @similarlydifferentpodTikTok: @similarlydifferentpodSubmit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    54 min

  7. May 28

    The Eldest Daughter Syndrome: Healing, Boundaries & Letting Go of Control

    In this episode, I open up about the reality of being the “strong one” — the eldest daughter who had to grow up too fast, carry more than she should have, and learn how to survive before she could truly live. I share my personal experiences with responsibility, emotional suppression, people-pleasing, and what it actually looks like to unlearn those patterns as an adult. This is a conversation about healing, boundaries, softness, and finally allowing yourself to be supported too.If you’ve ever felt like you had to hold everything together, this episode is for you. In this episode, I talk about:• What “eldest daughter syndrome” really looks like• Growing up too fast and emotional parentification• Why being the strong one can become a mask• Learning boundaries without guilt• Letting go of control and people-pleasing• Allowing yourself to receive support• Stepping into softness without losing strength🔔 Don’t forget:✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!)✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I’ll repost! 💬📲 Let’s stay connected:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/similarlydifferentpodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@similarlydifferentpodSubmit a 'Similarly Curious' question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious

    22 min

  8. May 21

    Finding Your Identity, Confidence & Purpose with Annie Gonzalez

    In this episode, I sit down with Annie Gonzalez for a deep and honest conversation about identity, confidence, and navigating the entertainment industry without losing yourself.  We talk about staying grounded in who you are, even in spaces that constantly try to define you, and what it really looks like to build confidence from within instead of external validation. Annie shares how she’s navigated self-doubt, fear, and growth while continuing to show up fully as herself. This conversation is about owning your path, trusting your instincts, and redefining success on your own terms. In this episode, we talk about: • Staying true to yourself in the entertainment industry • Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome • Redefining success beyond external validation • Navigating fear and still showing up • Confidence, identity, and personal growth • The mindset shift that changes everything 🔔 Don’t forget: ✔️ Subscribe for weekly episodes ✔️ Leave a rating & review (it helps more than you know!) ✔️ Drop a comment — I always read them ✔️ Tag me in your stories @similarlydifferentpod — I’ll repost! 💬 📲 Let’s stay connected: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/similarlydifferentpod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@similarlydifferentpod Submit a “Similarly Curious” question: https://www.youandmemedia.co/similarlycurious 🤳 Connect with Annie Gonzalez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annieggonzalez

    41 min
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4.9
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Welcome to "Similarly Different," the podcast where host Yanina Oyarzo takes you on a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and growth. In this introspective and candid series, Yanina shares her personal experiences and invites guests from diverse backgrounds to explore how we are all - similarly different.

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