Trash Talk: Where Bad Advice + Cliches Get Taken Out
What if the so-called “truths” about growth and success are actually keeping you playing small?
On Trash Talk, hosts Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas unpack empty platitudes and tired cliches that dominate the business and personal development world. These ideas might be popular, but that doesn’t mean they’re useful.
Who listens to Trash Talk?
- Skeptics and Questioners of hollow advice
- Those asking why self-help advice fails
- People done with toxic self-help culture
- Anyone who wants a place to finally talk openly about all the advice that makes you roll your eyes
Episodes
45 episodes
"Let Them: Round II" | Mel Robbins (Season Wrap)
“Let Them” Round II / Mel RobbinsIn this episode, we close out our guru series by circling back to the origin story: Mel Robbins and the “Let Them” phenomenon; specifically, we get into domain “leakage” and the uncomfortable...
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“We can do hard things” | Glennon Doyle
“We can do hard things.” Cute. Catchy. But somewhere along the way, it shape-shifted from a comforting reminder into a borderline threat.This conversation starts with Glennon Doyle’s cultural footprint: her phrase, her storytelling styl...
“Scale or Fail” with Adriana Tica
Our guest Adriana Tica drops some hard truths about the shiny, influencer-driven promises of “rapid growth at all costs.”Together we explore the psychology behind the hype (why your brain loves the idea of exponential growth even when it...
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"What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" with Lee Densmer
Lee Densmer knows a thing or two about real-life chaos and she joins us on the podcast today to explain why platitudes like “this will make you stronger” aren’t it.We explore what real strength and support look like, and sharpe...
Cliches, Resilience, & Other Updates!
This week, we’re taking a short break from our regular episode schedule.We’ll be back next week with a special guest, Lee Densmer, joining us for a conversation around the theme “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger.”...
“Work It!” | Tyra Banks
This week, we take a closer look at one of hustle culture’s most beloved cliches—through the lens of Tyra Banks and the high-gloss, high-pressure world of America's Next Top Model.What’s the phrase “Work it!” really selling? On the surfa...
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“You’ll understand when you’re older.” with Neve Thomas
To keep things fresh (and avoid going stale or dull), we turn to Erin’s 14-year-old daughter for the real scoop on the cliches today’s teens actually face, and that we’ve all faced at some point too. And maybe even a few on our plates today.&nb...
“Choose curiosity over fear.” | Elizabeth Gilbert
Curiosity killed the cat? Maybe. But the real question is: who decided curiosity needed a morality clause in the first place? In this episode of Trash Talk, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas take the mantra “Choose curiosity ove...
“The Divine Feminine” / Deepak Chopra
The Divine Feminine: nurturing, abundant, inspiring… and apparently complicated IF your guru is Deepak Chopra. Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas dig into why “activating your feminine energy” suddenly feels way less mystical when the messenger...
"Stop Apologizing" with Kelly Elaine Garthwaite
They say you should stop apologizing. But is that always true?We sat down with Kelly Elaine Garthwaite who shares how the phrase “stop apologizing” reshaped her life, and how she (and we) still question the situations where it truly appl...
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“Vulnerability is Courage” / Brené Brown
Yup: We’re talking about Brené Brown, AGAIN.Why are we so quick to outsource our authority to her? And what does “vulnerability is courage” actually mean? We talk credentials, timing, and the uncanny way this guru blends warmth, data, an...
"Coming Out" with Ché Ugwuala
What does it really mean to let people see the truer version of you? In this episode of Trash Talk, Ché Ugwuala introduces a bold reframe: the art of unveiling yourself on your own terms. Forget the pressure of a “big revea...
"Everything is Figureoutable" | Marie Forleo
Welcome to the official kickoff of All the Gurus, our feature experiment in examining ideas that don’t *always* deserve to be nodded at.In this episode, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas take on “Everything is Figureoutable,” the phr...
Trash Talk — Mid-Season Teaser
Everyone has advice. Most of it’s garbage.On Trash Talk, we dig into the cliches everyone swears by and figure out what’s actually worth keeping. If you’re new here, jump in anywhere — you’ll get it.New episodes return Fe...
"New Year, New You" - BONUS EPISODE
We’re back, unannounced, and ready to shake up your New Year’s Eve. In this bonus episode, Erica Breuer and Erin Thomas examine overhyped New Year’s Eve rituals.They dissect the promises these practices make, the cultural pressures behin...
"Clarity is Kind"
Erin and Erica agree about a lot of things, but this cliche isn’t one of them. Whether you attribute it to Brené Brown, Melissa Hartwig, or somewhere else in the wellness-industrial complex, “Clarity is kind” is THE cliche where the...
"Count Your Blessings"
Yep, Trash Talk is skipping a week. Thanksgiving, leftovers, existential dread…pick your excuse. Consider this week a breather for your ears and brain, or a chance to get caught up on those episodes that almost got away....
“Your Words Become Your World” Part II
In this second installment of cliches they love and live by, Erin and Erica reveal the traits that make a cliche worth keeping.The TLDR version: "Done is better than perfect," "Gotta start somewhere," "Your vibe attracts your tribe," "Th...
“Your Words Become Your World”
Just because Trash Talk is the podcast where clichés go to die doesn’t mean Erica and Erin hate all of them. This is the episode where they examine cliches they actually live by. From “clear is kind” to...
"Community is Everything" with Dr. Kalpana Sundar
“Community is everything,” they say. But what if that “everything” is actually a drain on your time, energy, and sanity? Erica and Erin sit down with Dr. Kalpana Sundar, health and wealth strategist for MedSpa and healthcare entrepr...
“You’re Not the Main Character in Other People’s Stories.”
Erica and Erin dig into the viral #maincharacterenergy phenomenon, weighing its appeal, its dark side, and what it really means to claim agency in your own life. Together, they ask the question that underlies it all: just who decides who gets t...
"Your Soul Speaks in Whispers, Not Shouts"
What does it actually take to hear your inner voice when your brain- and life- doesn’t work like a Zen meditation retreat? In this episode, Erica and Erin dismantle the quiet-whisper mantra, why stillness isn’t universally accessibl...
"Don't Confuse Effort With Results" with Nick Power
This week, Erica and Erin take on the cult of productivity with guest Nick Power, marketer, creator, and professional chaos enthusiast. Nick shares how he first heard the phrase (hint: it didn’t go well), and how it still haunts the...
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Show notes“You can’t pour from an empty cup”...but what if your cup isn’t empty?From misreading your cup to questioning learned helplessness, Erica and Erin go beyond individual self-care and discuss the messy (mostly) terrifying ...
"Get Out of Your Comfort Zone" vs. "Stay in Your Lane"
Two of the most recycled pieces of advice—“Get out of your comfort zone” and “Stay in your lane”—sound helpful on the surface. Push yourself! Focus! Hustle! Specialize! When these concepts collide, the absurdity be...