the matcha diaries

guys what can we say, this episode is objectively, kinda, really, a little bit *weird*... please see this as one big mind map being actively created ft. audio cut outs, real time realisations & autumnal themed tangents... aka WELCOME TO OUR BRAINS!!!
some resources to create your own (much better planned) personal curriculum:
Online courses: Coursera, edX, Udemy, MIT OpenCourseWare, Khan Academy, Class Central, LinkedinLearning, Skillshare, great courses
YouTube: CrashCourse, TedED, Great Art Explained, The Life Guide, OverSimplified, freeCodeCamp, Kurzgesagt
Books and articles: Google eBookstore, Project Gutenberg, Open Library, Internet Archive, Libby, Medium, Substack
Communities: Subreddits, Discord, Facebook, Amino, Skool

you can find the personal curriculum notion template we mention here <3

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ or ⁠here⁠ (leo's booktube) ! ☕ also, if you want to join our BOOK CLUB... you can join us ⁠here⁠ - current book of the month is 'rebecca' by daphne du maurier).

if you don't have any social media and want to chat (or for advertising opportunities), please email us at: ⁠⁠thematchadiariespod@gmail.com⁠⁠

dare we say.. grab a pumpkin spice latte, light a candle & get cosy with us for this week’s big yap ☕️🍂
in today’s episode, cara shares the huge life update of finally going wedding dress shopping (and unexpectedly finding the one!!), while leo debriefs her week of unplugging from media, silent walks, and romanticising everyday routines. then, we dive deep into the psychology of nostalgia: why rewatching our favourite comfort shows (hello, gilmore girls season) feels so safe, the science of remembering things through rose-tinted glasses, and finding peace in who we used to be. 
(p.s. if you want to skip our weekly yap about cara unexpectedly buying her wedding dress and leo’s week of silent walks, skip straight to 33:40 for the nostalgia chat! 🤍)
to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠⁠thematchadiariespod@gmail.com⁠⁠

are you also constantly playing music, podcasts, youtube videos and even series in the background?? have we lost the ability to be in silence with our thoughts? and maybe most importantly, what impact is that having on our brains?
these questions (& more) are the ones that prompted us to go on a good old fashioned research DEEP DIVE this episode. we cover:
what impact does silence have on our brain (creativity & emotional processing)?
is constant stimulation actually making our overthinking tendencies worse?
can music ever have a positive impact on productivity?
what impact does being an extrovert or introvert have on your tolerance for environmental stimulation?
social silence and how we can apply this to ourselves

as always, grab yourself a hot drink & enjoy this episode! <3 FYI: the main topic starts 14:53 mins in

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do follow us on ⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ or ⁠here⁠ (leo's booktube) ! ☕ also, if you want to join our BOOK CLUB... you can join us ⁠here⁠.

if you don't have any social media and want to chat (or for advertising opportunities), please email us at: ⁠⁠thematchadiariespod@gmail.com⁠⁠

YT video mentioned:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quroaZV0YBc

References:
https://medium.com/@thewhimsicalshots/why-your-brain-needs-silence-more-than-music-5d46f442bfe8
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12109699/#B45-brainsci-15-00482
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/19/usa.guantanamo 
https://newhumanist.org.uk/articles/why-your-brain-needs-silence/
https://quietquality.nl/en/blog/what-silence-does-your-brain/ 
https://neurosity.co/guides/silence-vs-music-deep-work 
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12109699/#B45-brainsci-15-00482

join us this week for the long awaited guest episode where ed & i (cara) are joined by our lovely neighbours... who are also called cara and ed! (confusing I KNOWW) 
we asked you guys to send in your relationship/COUPLE questions, and we had a big chat answering them from both of our couples' perspectives. we got into so many juicy themes, including:
maintaining independence & social life: answering questions on how to balance quality time as a couple while still making time for your own friends, and how to make sure you grow together without hindering your individual progress or hobbies.
co-living logistics: tackling the day-to-day realities of living together, including tips for just moving in together, keeping your sanity when living with in-laws, and navigating a "bedtime gap" when one person is an early bird and the other is a night owl.
managing finances: discussing the tricky topic of splitting expenses, whether to use joint bank accounts, and how to handle it when couples want to approach saving and spending differently.
conflict resolution & the 7-year itch: sharing advice on how to actually reconnect after a fight, learning each other's fighting styles, and having super honest conversations about navigating doubts or the "seven-year itch" in a long-term relationship.
keeping the spark alive: answering how to maintain attraction and romance post-honeymoon phase, from understanding each other's love languages (and actually using them!) to planning intentional, thoughtful dates.
whether you're single, moving in with your partner, or years into a relationship, grab a matcha and join us as we share our honest thoughts & advice.
to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thematchadiariespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠

in this week's episode, we have a big yap and end up unpacking a few big conversations around self-image, getting older, and modern influencer culture
we talk about:
growing up, aging, & acceptance: shifting from fearing the milestone of turning 30 to finding quiet gratitude in aging naturally (and spotting our first forehead lines in the mirror).

beauty standards & self-perception: how we see ourselves versus how the world sees us, ranging from the drama of "hair dysmorphia" after a haircut to the normalization of procedures like botox and "looksmaxing" for younger generations.

influencer culture vs. authenticity: unpacking the viral nantucket craft shop that posted a "no influencers allowed" sign, and debating whether anti influencer backlash stems from subtle misogyny, spatial disrespect, or general performative fatigue.

to stay up to date on our lives, contribute to future episodes and share any of your thoughts - pls do Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠ or subscribe to us on youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠! ☕ Thinking of joining our BOOK CLUB? We’d love to have you! Check it out  ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠! for advertising opportunities, or you don't have any social media and want to chat, please email us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠thematchadiariespod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠