The Lulu Essey Podcast
Welcome to The Lulu Essey Podcast—an unedited, unscripted dive into what it really means to do life your way.
This is a place for honest and vulnerable conversation and exploration. It’s an invitation to come as you are—no judgment, just the freedom to be fully you. This is an invitation to start embracing and loving the gloriously messy, magically magnificent parts of yourself!
Creating a life you love is built in small steps taken daily. My hope is that these conversations bring you the tools, inspiration, and self-belief to move forward with love and confidence.
The Lulu Essey Podcast
How to Rebuild After Breaking Down: What I Did When I Had Nothing Left
This isn’t a comeback story. It’s what healing actually looks like when you’re not okay… but trying anyway.
This week, I’m offering a quiet, honest look at what it means to rebuild from rock bottom—through what I call The Gentle Return. This episode continues from Episode 22, where I opened up about my experience with depression. Today, I speak about what happened next: returning to medication, embracing imperfection, and challenging the myth that simplicity equals ease.
If you're navigating the fragile space between darkness and light, this conversation is for you. It's a real, unfiltered look at healing, mental fitness, and the power of tiny, consistent steps.
Key Takeaways:
- The Gentle Return isn't a comeback story—it's the honest middle between despair and recovery
- Doing what’s best for your mental health might feel like failure, but it’s actually the bravest thing you can do
- There is a pervasive myth in personal development that "simple" should mean "easy"
- Grace and self-compassion become lifelines in the face of shame
- Tiny, almost invisible actions are what rebuild trust in ourselves
- Healing doesn’t happen in a straight line—it moves like a spiral
- Small sanctuaries (parks, showers, music, stillness) are powerful anchors
Powerful Quotes:
"This is where grace lives. Where compassion becomes a lifeline."
"The gap between simplicity and ease can feel like a chasm when things are rough."
"Even in our darkest moments, we retain one profound power: the next tiny step."
"If you're in the quiet, messy middle—you're not behind, you're not broken. You're in The Gentle Return."
“The direction matters more than the pace”
Timestamps:
00:00 — Your Messages After Episode 22: Vulnerability Received
01:08 — The Gentle Return: A New Framework for Rebuilding
03:14 — My Medication Story: Letting Go of Shame
05:57 — The YouTube Mistake: Navigating Overwhelm with Compassion
09:02 — Heart vs. Head: The Tension Between Trust and Control
11:02 — Simple ≠ Easy: The Myth That Makes Healing Harder
15:25 — Finding Sanctuary: What Still Holds the Light
17:41 — Re-emergence: A Sacred, Delicate Return
20:57 — Showing Up in the Messy Middle: Direction Over Pace
23:23 — Your Sanctuary Invitation: What Still Brings You Peace
Until next time, Beautiful Souls...
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✨ Website: luluessey.com
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THANK YOU for being here. Sending you grace and love!