What if the things that frustrate us most are actually pointing us back to ourself?

In this episode, we continue the journey through the Niyamas by exploring Svadhyaya: the practice of self-study, reflection, and honest introspection. After a month of sitting in the refining fire of Tapas, this conversation invites a softer, yet equally courageous step inward.

Together, we unpack what it really means to observe rather than judge ourselves—learning to examine our thoughts, reactions, and patterns with curiosity instead of criticism. Because the truth is, so much of what we see in others is often a mirror of what already lives within us.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, look inward, and gently ask: What is this moment trying to show me about myself?

If you’ve ever struggled with judgment, comparison, or feeling stuck in the same patterns, this conversation will meet you with both truth and grace.

What happens when a strong, healthy woman is still labeled “overweight”?

In this powerful and honest conversation, Robin sits down with her longtime friend Bridget Lolli, a wellness professional, strength athlete, and advocate for redefining health, to unpack the moment that sparked a deeper conversation about body image, BMI, and the messages women receive about their bodies.

After being labeled “overweight” in a medical chart based solely on BMI, Bridget began asking a bigger question: Are we actually measuring health, or just weight?

Together, they explore:

• Why BMI is an outdated and often misleading measure of health
• The cultural pressure for women to be “strong", but still small
• How strength training can improve metabolism, longevity, and injury prevention
• The impact of body image messaging on girls and young athletes
• Why female athletes often underfuel and fear building muscle
• How to advocate for yourself in medical settings
• And how to redefine health in a way that honors both body and purpose

This episode is especially meaningful for:
✔️ Women navigating midlife body changes
✔️ Anyone frustrated with the scale or BMI labels
✔️ Moms and granddaughters raising daughters in today’s body image culture
✔️ Women of faith seeking freedom from body perfection

Health is not a number. Strength is not a problem. And your body is not something to shrink.

If you’ve ever felt like your body didn’t “fit” the standard and need to be reminded that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, this conversation is for you.

Special Guest: Bridget Lolli is a public health professional, Certified Health Education Specialist, and School Wellness Coordinator for Columbia Public Schools with academic training in Nutritional Sciences, Nursing, and Public Health. She also holds a CrossFit Level I and Precision Nutrition coaching certificates, with over a decade of strength training experience.

Bridget is passionate about redefining how we measure health by challenging outdated metrics like BMI and advocating for more accurate indicators such as muscle mass, physical performance, and metabolic health. Her perspective is shaped not only by her professional background but also by her lived experience as a strength athlete navigating injury, recovery, and weight bias within healthcare.

Through her work in school wellness, youth athletics, and fitness, she focuses on helping adults and young athletes understand that health is not defined by thinness, but by strength, function, and resilience. Her recent social media post on muscle bias has sparked conversations about weight stigma, particularly its impact on women and youth athletes.

Bridget is also the co-host of the podcast The Crooked Compass.

https://www.youtube.com/@crookedcompasspod

What if the very things we try to avoid in life- the discomfort, the struggle, the seasons that feel too heavy- are actually the moments shaping who we are becoming?

In this episode, we explore Tapas, the third Niyama in yogic philosophy. Often translated as “heat” or self-discipline, Tapas invites us to stay present in life’s refining fires rather than running from them. It’s the courage to sit with discomfort long enough to discover the transformation waiting on the other side

Together we discuss:

• Why discipline isn’t about punishment, but about strength of character
• How crises can either break us down or break us open
• The role discomfort plays in spiritual and personal growth
• How faith, perseverance, and even ordinary challenges can shape us in powerful ways

Join us as we consider that the greatest growth might happen when we choose not to escape the fire, but trust it instead.