Touching Grass

Sofia Natasha
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Welcome to Touching Grass, your escape from the digital noise. Sometimes life feels like living inside a trend. Everyone online is starting to sound the same. Same opinions, same phrases, same advice. Our feeds are full of extremes and if we’re not careful, a stranger’s worldview starts to become our own . This podcast breaks you out of that noise with grounded and nuanced conversations. Let's talk about social media culture, dating, life changes, self worth, and finding your identity in a world that's constantly telling you who to be. It’s time to reclaim your own perspective.

  1. 5d ago

    calling her a pick me makes you one

    0:00 a harmful or helpful label? 1:16 i was the pick me 2:53 the stereotype that created me 4:08 the labels original empowerment 5:22 the problematic shift 6:23 was that pick me of me? 7:19 women are allowed to like things 9:27 women can never win 10:07 limiting what a woman can be 13:03 destroying the mold Pick me. Choose me. Love me. The word pick me has taken the internet by storm and has helped many (including myself), identify their own internalized misogyny. But what starts as a useful way to identify harmful behavior can slowly become a new set of rules for how women are allowed to exist. In this episode of Touching Grass, we explore how the meaning of "pick me" has evolved, why the label originally mattered, and how its overuse may now be reinforcing the same gender stereotypes it was created to challenge. Because somewhere along the way, the conversation stopped being about seeking male validation And started becoming another way to police women's interests. We get into: -What it actually means to be a "pick me" -How internalized misogyny shaped my own experiences growing up -Why so many girls distance themselves from stereotypically feminine interests -How online language evolves and changes meaning over time -The difference between seeking male validation and simply having different interests -Why women should be free to enjoy both traditionally feminine and masculine hobbies -How labels can unintentionally reinforce the very stereotypes they're meant to dismantle -The impossible standards women are expected to meet online -Why women are criticized no matter which version of femininity they choose -How we can move beyond labels and allow women to exist as complex, multidimensional people This episode isn't about defending "pick me" behavior. It's about asking whether we've become so focused on calling it out that we've started creating a new mold for what women are allowed to be. Because women don't need a smaller box. They need no box at all. The goal was never to replace one stereotype with another. It was to create a world where women are free to define themselves.

  2. Jul 21

    you’re being controlled by the first person who explains your pain

    You're probably not thinking as independently as you believe. Not because you aren't intelligent. But because the first person who explains your pain often shapes how you understand it. In this episode of Touching Grass, we explore the hidden power of language, why words shape the way we see the world, and how social media personalities, political movements, and online ideologies influence our thinking simply by giving us an explanation that feels true. Because words don't just describe reality. They create the lens through which we experience it. We get into: -Why everyone online is starting to sound the same -How language shapes your worldview without you realizing it -Why we're drawn to commentary videos and long-form podcasts -The psychology behind why the first explanation for your pain is so persuasive -How cognitive biases like anchoring bias and the illusory truth effect influence belief -Why being articulate isn't the same as being correct -How social media spreads ideas the same way it spreads trends -Why labels help us understand the world but also flatten its complexity -The relationship between language, emotion, and independent thinking -How political movements, internet subcultures, and online communities use repeated language to shape belief -Why learning to articulate your own thoughts is one of the greatest forms of freedom This isn't about distrusting every opinion you hear online. It's about recognizing how easily someone else's words can become your own. Because the most influential people aren't always the smartest. They're often the first to give your emotions a story. The more you understand the power of language, the easier it becomes to think for yourself. And maybe that's one of the most valuable skills you can develop in a world where everyone is trying to tell you what to think.

  3. Jul 14

    you don't need to feel confident to make the confident choice

    0:00 Confidence Is a Choice Not a Feeling 1:07 The Moment Most People Quit 2:11 Confidence Is Not the Absence of Insecurity 4:17 Confidence Is Remembering Your Why 5:45 Why Negativity as Fuel Fails 7:34 How to Fail Without Being a Failure 8:37 Choosing the Delusional Voice 10:50 Your Flop Era Leads to Success 11:44 Closing You don't need to feel confident to make the confident choice. That's the biggest misconception about confidence. We think that confident can only come without self-doubt. That successful people simply believe in themselves more than everyone else. But what if confidence and insecurity were never opposites to begin with? In this episode of Touching Grass, I share why some of the most confident seasons of my life were also filled with self-doubt, rejection, and failure. From struggling to grow this podcast, to being unemployed, to getting rejected from my dream school, I explore what actually separates the people who keep going from the people who give up. Because confidence isn't about eliminating your insecurities. It's about refusing to let them make your decisions. We get into: -Why confidence and insecurity can exist at the same time -The biggest myth self-help content gets wrong about confidence -Why failure doesn't make you a failure -The psychology behind impostor syndrome and self-doubt -How your brain tries to protect you from emotional risk -Why the six-month "Valley of Despair" causes so many creators and entrepreneurs to quit -The difference between feeling confident and making confident choices -Why sustainable motivation can't come from self-criticism -The mindset shift that helped me graduate at the top of my class after years of believing I wasn't smart enough -Why success is built by repeatedly choosing the voice that sees your potential The voice telling you to quit will probably never disappear. But it doesn't have to. You don't need to wait until you believe in yourself completely before chasing your dreams. You just have to stop letting your insecurity make the decisions your confidence was meant to make. Sometimes success isn't about having the right mindset. It's about choosing the right voice to listen to.

  4. Jul 7

    you're missing your life by trying to look good

    0:00 how feeling ugly set me free 1:44 the problem with beauty-based confidence 3:14 not caring about looks is freeing 5:13 obsession with beauty prevents living 5:43 beauty as a form of control 7:33 beauty as a form of power 8:19 feeling ugly is empowering 9:30 your body as a vehicle for experience 10:12 self-love shouldn’t be tied to looks 11:12 removing the weight of words The beauty industry tells us to love ourselves. Social media tells us to be confident. And every corner of the internet seems obsessed with helping women feel more beautiful. But what if confidence has nothing to do with thinking you're beautiful? In this episode of Touching Grass, we explore the surprising freedom that comes from not needing to look your best all the time, and why true self-confidence isn't built on beauty at all. Because the reality is: You are not always going to look pretty. Your body will change. Your skin will change. Your hair will have bad days. You'll age. And if your self-worth depends on liking what you see in the mirror, your confidence will always be fragile. We get into: -Why confidence and beauty are not the same thing -The difference between self-love and appearance-based validation -Why beauty standards are designed to stay unattainable -How social media fuels appearance anxiety and comparison -Why feeling beautiful is often an emotion, not a look -The hidden cost of obsessing over your appearance -How beauty insecurity impacts self-esteem and decision making -Why low self-worth makes people easier to control -The connection between beauty standards, dependence, and power -Why women are often taught to prioritize appearance over personal development -How to stop tying your worth to how attractive you feel -Why true confidence comes from who you are, not how you look -The freedom that comes from being okay with not looking your best -How focusing on experiences creates a stronger sense of self than focusing on appearance This episode is for anyone who has ever: -avoided experiences because they didn't feel attractive enough, -spent too much time worrying about how they looked, -felt like their confidence disappeared on a bad hair day, -or struggled to separate their self-worth from their appearance. Because the most confident people aren't the ones who always feel beautiful. They're the ones who know their value doesn't disappear when they don't. The truth is, beauty can be powerful. But relying on it is not. And the moment you stop needing to feel beautiful all the time is the moment you become truly free.

  5. Jun 30

    how to stop taking things personally (without turning your feelings off)

    0:00 Introduction 1:40 unbothered vs performance 2:53 nothing is about you 3:50 shifting your mindset 5:13 unbothered isn’t not caring 6:52 sitting in discomfort 8:38 it’s okay to not be liked 11:05 everything is a projection of preference 13:14 learning to regulate 14:04 arriving to unbothered Everyone wants to be unbothered. To stop overthinking texts. To stop taking rejection personally. To stop spiraling over what people think of them. But most of the advice online gets one thing wrong: Being unbothered isn't about caring less. In this episode of Touching Grass, we break down what it actually means to be unbothered, why emotional detachment isn't the same as emotional regulation, and how taking everything personally keeps us stuck in cycles of insecurity, overthinking, and self-doubt. Because the greatest mindset shift you can make is realizing that most of what people do is a reflection of them, not you. Their actions, preferences, reactions, insecurities, and opinions often reveal far more about their own experiences than they do about your worth. We get into: -Why most "unbothered" advice online misses the point -The difference between emotional regulation and emotional detachment -Why pretending not to care is often just another form of self-protection -How taking everything personally fuels insecurity and overthinking -Why being unbothered starts with decentering yourself -The psychology behind projection and how it shapes relationships -How to stop assuming other people's actions are about you -Why rejection doesn't determine your value -How to navigate hurt feelings without suppressing them -The difference between confidence and emotional numbness-Why not everyone has to like you -How empathy helps you stop overanalyzing other people's behavior -Why emotional resilience comes from feeling your emotions, not avoiding them- How perspective creates peace in friendships, dating, and everyday life This episode is for anyone who has ever: -overthought a text message, -felt hurt by being left out, -struggled with rejection, -worried too much about what other people think, -or wished they could stop taking everything so personally. Because being unbothered isn't about shutting off your emotions. It's about trusting yourself enough to feel them without being controlled by them. The truth is, not everything is about you. And once you realize that, life becomes a whole lot lighter.

  6. Jun 23

    you are making extreme people famous (and you don't even realize it)

    0:00 introduction 1:47 why the world feels extreme 2:51 how controversy helped me 5:02 reality tv example 5:45 belief through repetition 7:51 cancel culture doesn't work 9:32 why politics feel extreme 11:32 the need for balance 13:46 staying informed vs amplification 15:12 your attention is power The internet is constantly complaining about extreme people. The influencers with outrageous opinions. The reality stars creating chaos. The politicians saying the most controversial things imaginable. Yet somehow, they keep getting bigger. In this episode of Touching Grass, we break down one of the most uncomfortable truths about social media: The algorithm can only amplify what people engage with. Because while we blame influencers, platforms, producers, and politicians, we rarely talk about the role our own attention plays in making extreme ideas popular. From cancel culture to political polarization, from reality TV to outrage content, we explore how the attention economy rewards controversy, why repeated exposure makes extreme ideas feel normal, and how social media algorithms turn engagement into influence. We get into: -Why extreme content performs so well online -How the attention economy rewards outrage and controversy -Why social media algorithms prioritize engagement over accuracy -How creators profit from polarization and conflict -Why reality TV incentivizes increasingly extreme behavior -The psychology behind the illusory truth effect -How repeated exposure makes ideas feel true -Why misinformation spreads so easily online -The connection between social media extremism and political polarization -Why cancel culture often fails to create meaningful change -How echo chambers and bandwagon effects shape our beliefs -The difference between staying informed and amplifying harmful ideas -Why belonging and acceptance can pull people toward extreme communities -How to think more intentionally about where your attention goes This episode isn't about defending harmful ideas. And it's not about pretending social media algorithms don't have power. It's about recognizing that attention is power too. Because every click, comment, share, hate-watch, and reaction tells the algorithm what deserves more visibility. The truth is, the people we claim to dislike often benefit from our attention the most. And until we're willing to talk honestly about that, we'll keep helping the very ideas we say we want less of grow.

  7. Jun 16

    you're not in your feminine energy, you're just finally safe (the truth about gendered energies)

    0:00 introduction 1:40 why it feels empowering 3:01 the contradicting message 3:43 why you actually feel safe 8:03 femininity in nature 11:39 ballet as an example 13:02 taking back control 14:22 the dependency on men 17:09 final thoughts Being in your feminine energy. Finding a man who lets you relax. Finally leaving survival mode behind. It's one of the most popular ideas on the internet right now. And honestly... I understand why people are drawn to it. In this episode of Touching Grass, we break down the rise of "feminine and masculine energy" content, why millions of people find it empowering, and how a message that sounds liberating may actually be reinforcing the very gender roles it claims to challenge. Because what most people don't talk about is this: The feeling they're describing is real. The explanation isn't. What people call "feminine energy" often has less to do with gender and more to do with safety, trust, emotional security, and the way healthy relationships regulate our nervous systems. We get into: -Why feminine and masculine energy became so popular online -How old gender roles were repackaged as modern empowerment -Why the idea of a man "putting you in your feminine" is more problematic than it sounds -What social buffering and co-regulation actually are -Why healthy relationships create peace, not gendered roles -How these labels affect dating, careers, self-worth, and personal growth -Why women are discouraged from embracing traits like confidence, leadership, and discipline -How men are harmed by expectations that tie their worth to providing and protecting -The difference between partnership and dependence -Why nature doesn't support the gendered narratives people often use to justify these ideas -How social media profits from simplifying complex human emotions into viral labels This episode isn't about attacking femininity. And it's not about criticizing people who find comfort in these ideas. It's about understanding what is actually happening beneath the labels. Because strength isn't masculine. Compassion isn't feminine. And the moment we stop treating human qualities as gendered traits, we gain access to the full range of who we are. The truth is, you don't need to become more masculine or more feminine. You need the freedom to be fully human.

  8. Jun 9

    Beans Were a Slur Before They Were a Trend

    This week on Touching Grass, we’re talking about beans… but not really. From “BeanTok” to avocado toast, this episode dives into how certain foods, styles, slang, and trends suddenly become “cool” once they’re adopted by the mainstream, while the communities who created them are still judged, stereotyped, or erased. As a Latina, I wanted to explore the deeper layers behind trends: Who gets to decide what’s socially acceptable? Why do some cultures get mocked for the very things others get praised for? And what happens when culture becomes trendy, but the people behind it are still treated as “other”? We talk about: -BeanTok and wellness culture -The history behind food-related slurs -Why trends often start in minority communities -The “gentrification” of foods like avocado toast -Cultural erasure and social acceptance -Why appreciating culture also means understanding its history -The difference between sharing culture vs profiting from it while ignoring the people behind it This episode isn’t about shaming people for liking trends. It’s about recognizing that trends don’t appear out of nowhere; they come from real people, histories, families, and communities. So yes… this episode may be about beans. But it’s really about human beings :) Welcome to Touching Grass your escape from the digital noise

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About

Welcome to Touching Grass, your escape from the digital noise. Sometimes life feels like living inside a trend. Everyone online is starting to sound the same. Same opinions, same phrases, same advice. Our feeds are full of extremes and if we’re not careful, a stranger’s worldview starts to become our own . This podcast breaks you out of that noise with grounded and nuanced conversations. Let's talk about social media culture, dating, life changes, self worth, and finding your identity in a world that's constantly telling you who to be. It’s time to reclaim your own perspective.

Information

  • Creator
    Sofia Natasha
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sofia Natasha
  • Show Website
    Touching Grass