EP302: Feel Your Authentic Aura Color & Energy

Summary

Podcast Summary: Know Your Aura with Mystic Michaela

Episode: EP302 – Feel Your Authentic Aura Color & Energy

Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Mystic Michaela
Co-host: Scott

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Overview of the Episode

In this insightful episode, Mystic Michaela explores what it means to experience and embody your authentic aura color and personal energy. She breaks down the difference between your “programmed self” (the identity shaped by society and external roles) versus your “soul self” (your eternal, inner truth and energy), and walks listeners through how living authentically feels—both in general and for each specific aura color. The episode features candid and playful banter with co-host Scott, dives into practical examples, and closes with a lively segment on their annual holiday gift exchange.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Programmed Self vs. Soul Self

[00:36 - 07:14]

• Programmed Self: The persona molded by family, society, and roles assigned (job title, parent, sibling, etc.) “That's who you were, you know, since birth, shaped and molded to be by society, by family, by your career, your jobs.” (Mystic Michaela, 00:45)
• Soul Self: The eternal, higher version of you that is consistent across lifetimes; often at odds with the programmed self.
• The Lifelong Journey: Achieving full alignment with the soul self is near impossible in a single life, but striving for closeness to it brings fulfillment.
  • “No, it's… impossible. Okay. But you can get really, really close to it. And you constantly have to wage… the battle.” (Mystic Michaela, 04:16)
• Reincarnation Perspective: Scott brings in Buddhist and Hindu ideas about learning and authentic alignment requiring many lifetimes.
• Personal Reflection: Scott jokes about being “2% spiritually awakened” and recognizing the first cracks in his own programmed self.

2. What Does it Feel Like to be Authentically Each Aura Color?

[08:03 - 18:04]
A fast, practical exploration of what authenticity feels like for each main aura color. Includes fun, personal examples and Mystic Michaela’s intuitive insights.

Purple

• Embracing mistakes as experiences, reframing “failures,” and harnessing creativity.
  • “I really, honestly do view mistakes as experiences… what a cool experience doing it incorrectly was.” (Mystic Michaela, 08:28)

Indigo

• Owning the need for space and sensitivity to energy, setting clear boundaries without guilt.
  • “I need my space. And I can't feel guilty about that, you know, and I own it.” (Mystic Michaela, 09:17)

Red

• Feeling authentic in decisive leadership and responsibility.
  • “You feel confident in your leadership. Sometimes you feel responsible for everyone's experience. You feel responsible for everyone's safety.” (Mystic Michaela, 10:23)
• Scott echoes, “Yeah, I could just say that I like being a red.” (Scott, 12:58)

Blue

• Embracing deep empathy and emotional expression without guilt.
  • “I'm not going to apologize for crying… or needing clarification on your intentions.” (Mystic Michaela, 11:41)

Yellow

• Pride in independence and self-motivation; releasing guilt about not being more “needy” or connected.
  • “You don't mind the need to be independent… feeling good that you can get stuff done.” (Mystic Michaela, 13:08)

Green

• Finding peace and comfort in deep focus, study, and appreciation of personal process and structure.
  • “Feeling comfortable with your focus… really finding peace in that tunnel vision.” (Mystic Michaela, 14:20)

Pink

• Doing things purely for oneself, not to fit in, trigger, or please others.
  • “I do this for me. I'm not doing this for you… I'm doing this for myself.” (Mystic Michaela, 15:25)

Turquoise

• Comfortable existing “on the fringe” and blending into the background—being both participant and observer.
  • “You understand that you're there, but not there. That you… walk the line energetically and own it.” (Mystic Michaela, 17:05)
• Anecdote: A dance class where Mystic Michaela’s daughter, Abbey, is accidentally ignored, perfectly illustrating turquoise energy.

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3. Living Authentically: What Does It Feel Like?

[20:09 - 28:20]

• Evolving Authenticity: Living authentically is a lifelong, shifting process.
• Key Markers of Authentic Living:
  • Feeling at peace with your choices even if misunderstood by others.
    • “It's kind of just like a sense of truth that you trust, but it comes from a voice in you that's your higher self.” (Mystic Michaela, 20:36)
  • Seeking validation from yourself, not external sources (e.g., grades, social approval).
  • Owning traits society might label as problematic (“I have a laundry chair… I've accepted that.”, Mystic Michaela, 23:47)
  • Impossible to play pretend—masking feels painful or exhausting.
  • Feeling safe and accepted in relationships; relationships are role-free and unconditional.
  • A grounded, peaceful center you can return to after external demands.

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4. Living Inauthentically: How Does That Feel?

[31:44 - 41:12]

• Signs You’re Not Living Authentically:
  • People-pleasing is prioritized over your own peace.
  • Validation must come externally (posts, likes, possessions, titles).
  • Identifying as your “roles” only, feeling numb and exhausted by them.
    • “You see yourself only as the role you play but feel numb to a deeper connection.” (Mystic Michaela, 35:16)
  • Suppressing your truth to keep the peace, leading to feeling used and drained.
  • Conditional, unsafe relationships that require you to perform - if you change, you risk rejection.
  • Chronic exhaustion, numbness, and isolation.
  • “Physical shift… you feel numb and you don't feel like you are experiencing joy… just feeling actually lost and honestly isolated and alone.” (Mystic Michaela, 41:12)

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5. Making the Shift to Authenticity

[42:35 - 50:21]

• Recognize Progress: You're likely already partly authentic—focus on expanding.
• Practical Steps:
  • Meta-thinking: Observe your own thoughts and motives.
  • Speak Truth: At least with yourself; acknowledge what you feel and want.
  • Set Boundaries: Start with small steps, one context at a time.
  • Radical Self-Acceptance: No more apologies for core traits or preferences.
    • Anecdote: Michaela’s goofy greeting to the wrong mom, followed by unapologetic acceptance—“I am who I am. Like, this is me…”
  • Find Your Crew: Join communities that celebrate the real you, like the Mystic Michaela Spiritual Family group.

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6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Authenticity’s Elusiveness:

  “You're not gonna do it… It's impossible. Okay. But you can get really, really close…”
  — Mystic Michaela (04:16)

• On Feeling Safe in Self:

  “In that space in yourself, you feel safe and calm and aware. And not that there's no challenges, it's just... there's a sense of confidence in your ability to handle anything.”
  — Mystic Michaela (28:20)

• On Radical Admission:

  “I am who I am. Like, this is me. And sometimes I'm goofy. And I thought you were my friend, and that's just what we do together.”
  — Mystic Michaela (48:04)

• Scott On Self-Awareness:

  “This is the first time where I've kind of cracked the program self a little. Not a lot.”
  — Scott (07:14)

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7. Annual Christmas Gift Exchange: Department Store Holiday Nostalgia

[50:21 - 59:45]
A humorous and cozy tradition between Scott and Michaela—each year, they exchange themed gifts (with a strict budget), and the community votes on the winner.

• Originated 16 years ago, with annual themes and a trophy at stake.
• This year’s theme: “Department Store Holiday Nostalgia”—one in-store item from a classic department store (attached to a mall, e.g., Macy’s, JCPenney), $60 limit.
• Categories for judging: nostalgia, presentation, and holiday spirit.
• Previous fun exchanges: “15 minutes in a Walgreens” (a fan favorite, highly recommended for couples and families).
• Playful banter throughout, with self-deprecating laughs about the competitiveness and the joys of embracing authentic quirks.

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Important Timestamps

• 00:36 – Programmed self vs. soul self
• 08:03 – How authenticity feels for each aura color
• 20:09 – What does it feel like to live authentically?
• 23:47 – Owning “problematic” traits
• 31:44 – How it feels when you’re NOT living authentically
• 42:35 – How to shift into living authentically
• 50:21 – Annual Christmas gift exchange rules and nostalgia

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Episode Tone & Language

• Warm, approachable, playful, occasionally self-deprecating.
• Emphasizes gentle, practical spirituality grounded in self-awareness and kindness.
• Scott brings comic relief and skepticism; Michaela remains supportive, direct, and inclusive.

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For New Listeners

This episode is approachable whether you’re familiar with aura colors or not. It’s about understanding yourself beyond roles, learning to identify your authentic nature, and celebrating it—even (especially!) the quirks. The guide through the aura colors makes self-reflection easy, and the gift exchange conversation shows how embracing authenticity brings joy and connection in everyday life.

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Transcript

[Mystic Michaela]

Foreign.

Hey, Mystic Michaela, spiritual family, welcome to know your aura with mystic Michaela today. How does it feel to be your authentic self? No, honestly, how does it feel to be who you actually are inside, not what the world tells you you are, not the roles you've been assigned to play. We are going to talk today what authentic energy feels like. But first. Hey, Scotty.

[Scott]

Hey, guys. All right. I see here in the notes.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yes.

[Scott]

I have these two terms.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yes.

[Scott]

I'm not exactly sure what they mean. You say the program self versus the soul self.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yes.

[Scott]

So what is that? What's the program self? And what is the soul self?

[Mystic Michaela]

So we're going to. This all came about because when I do readings with people, a lot of times they define themselves based on their programmed self. That's who you were, you know, since birth, shaped and molded to be by society, by family, by your career, your jobs. You know, maybe you're a parent, maybe you're a partner, maybe you're a sister, maybe you're a brother. Like, that's the programmed self. The parts of you that are very helpful and useful to the system and way the system works. Maybe it's your family system, maybe it's your work system, Maybe it's your community. Community system. That is something that you do. That's a role you play, that's a way that you function. But that's not necessarily your soul self.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

And I noticed that a big problem is when we don't mesh the two together. And that's life purpose that's aligning to your path.

[Scott]

Okay, so let me. So the program self, just, for example, maybe there's a family business, and then, you know, you're bored into this business, and. And you're just. You have a task in this business. And that would maybe make you wear, like, a certain color through your childhood or whenever you're working for this business. But that's your program self.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah.

[Scott]

That doesn't mean it's your soul self.

[Mystic Michaela]

Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, that's. And that's a.

[Scott]

And you might think that is your soul self.

[Mystic Michaela]

Right. That's a great example. Another thing I'll see is people, they were told their whole life, oh, you're such a good helper. You're such a good listener. A lot of pats on the back for being somebody that heals and helps and selfless and sacrifices and whatnot. And then you're like, oh, I guess I'm good at that. And then you go into social work, and then you're immediately burned out or you're in a segment of the field that you're not enjoying, and you're like, why am I numb? I thought I was good at this. Why aren't I? And then you start internalizing, like there's something wrong with you. You know, what happened was we just haven't figured out how to align our authentic self with what we're doing in this lifetime. You know, so it's kind of piecing out to the inauthentic parts of ourself with the authentic parts of ourself and not beating ourselves up for when something doesn't feel right. Like you said in the family business, you know, it might not feel right to be as organized as they're telling you to be, you know, but there's so much wrapped up with that approval and love and necessity and whatnot. Yeah. Okay.

[Scott]

How would you find. How would you define the soul self?

[Mystic Michaela]

The soul self is the person that you are many, many times over. It's your higher self. It is the default version of you, kind of like the hard copy, if you will speak. If you speak. And then this version is this update for this lifetime, if that makes sense. So the soul self is your eternal you that stands on both sides. The other side, and here it's eternal, and it's in this temporary human body as well. We're at constant war between our physical self and our soul self or our programmed self and our soul self. And so it's supposed to be, I feel the learning experience of that is getting as close to our soul self as we can in this lifetime.

[Scott]

To me, this. This seems almost like an insurmountable task to be able to do that.

[Mystic Michaela]

It is. You're not daunting. You're not gonna. I find this, what I'm about to say, I find.

Happy. You're not gonna do it?

[Scott]

You're not gonna do it?

[Mystic Michaela]

No, it's. It's impossible. Okay. But you can get really, really close to it. And you constantly have to wage. You have to wage the battle. You have to constantly get as close as you can to it and work on it all the time. That gives you a much more fulfilled life.

[Scott]

Okay. I mean, this kind of reminds. I mean, is it now I might get a little woo here. Is this something that could take. I'll take a page out of, like, Buddhism and Hinduism. Is this something that takes many, many lifetimes?

[Mystic Michaela]

Maybe? I think so.

[Scott]

Because, you know, in. In the Hindu religion, you can't get to.

Brahman. This is like the ultimate thing in one lifetime. It takes they believe it's many, many, many, many times of re being reincarnated to get to the oneness with the universe. So is this kind of similar where you can't get through the program self to get to the soul self in one lifetime? Maybe. Maybe it's many, many lifetimes.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. That's actually really interesting that you said that because sometimes I'll read people and they just feel almost like evaporated and you just know. And I'll even say it like, I don't want to come back as, as this Right anymore. Like they're exhausted soulfully. It's like they're just, they don't identify with anything human anymore and they're not depressed and they're not like, this isn't self harm. This is not any of that kind of stuff. It's like a spiritual. Just kind of like, I'm done here, I've learned everything I can and I'm ready to move on. So I do feel that this is a story arc of many, many lifetimes and it's catching you this lifetime. I find that comforting. Some people might find that overwhelming or daunting or stressful or depressing. But I honestly like you as I'm talking to you.

But I find it really interesting and inspiring.

[Scott]

Yeah, I mean, I get. All right, so I got to bring it back to myself, of course. Like I always do. I know I was probably born in the 50s. Like I lived in the 50s for some point. I just loved the 1950s.

[Mystic Michaela]

Scott got to the point of Woo where he has pinpointed his reincarnation times.

[Scott]

I believe my. I believe in three. I believe I was at 1950s. I believe I might have died in the Vietnam War.

[Mystic Michaela]

Interesting.

[Scott]

And at one time I think I died by shark attack.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay, okay.

[Scott]

So those are my three past lives. I mean, I will say here that I, I'm like, I always say now I feel like I'm a starseed and I'm on another planet and I'm a different. I can't even believe I'm the same species.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yes, I say that a lot.

[Scott]

This all the time now. So maybe this is the lifetime where I'm starting to, to crack the program self for once because I could see like my other lifetimes, like I probably was totally programmed. So.

[Mystic Michaela]

Interesting.

[Scott]

And maybe this is the first. And I think I have a long way to go by the way. You know, I always joke that I'm spiritually awakened, but you know, I'm like 2%. That 2%.

[Mystic Michaela]

You're like buffering but yeah, like, I'm bu.

[Scott]

At best, I'm 5%.

[Mystic Michaela]

Right.

[Scott]

And maybe this is the first time where I've kind of cracked the program self a little. Not a lot.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah, just a little.

[Scott]

And I'm starting to get to that soul self.

[Mystic Michaela]

Oh, that's really it. That's really cool. I think we should all give ourselves a percentage of, like, how far.

[Scott]

How far along we are on a good day. 5% for me.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. I mean, I always. When I. That's. That's so insightful, sky, that you gave your little take on it, because I agree with you. I feel like we're all at different versions of this. And. And when I say, like, it's not something that you can accomplish, like, you wouldn't want to, you know, that's the other thing. Like, it's like, kind of not learning anymore, not discovering anymore. It's like that evolution. But anyways, being on the path to authenticity and how that feels like is what I wanted to cover today so that we can have more to create more accessibility too. And I try. I'm gonna try to do it in a way where it's like teaching you so it's step by step by step. Okay.

[Scott]

Okay. So maybe we just quickly run through the colors. Let's do the colors and how each color would be, like, your authentic color, and then how that might feel.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. What does it feel like to be authentically each aura color? We'll do it quick.

[Scott]

Now. You're purple, Indigo. I'm red, blue. So it's hard to speak for the other colors, but we'll go based on the readings that you do.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yes.

[Scott]

All right, so let's start with your colors. Let's do purple, and then we'll do indigo.

[Mystic Michaela]

How I've discovered it feels authentic to be purple is owning the fact that I'm going to make mistakes and I don't beat myself up for it anymore. And I really, honestly do view mistakes as experiences. I used to really get on myself when I forgot something or I messed something up or I did something three times before I did it correctly. Now I just was like, oh, my God, what a cool experience doing it quote incorrectly was. You know, I reframe a lot as a purple in terms of. And. And also I own the places constantly.

[Scott]

You always say I can't do two things at once.

[Mystic Michaela]

I can't.

[Scott]

You can't.

[Mystic Michaela]

I can't.

[Scott]

It just.

[Mystic Michaela]

I can't do two things at once. And I have to focus to get something in my physical world done. But that's where all my creativity comes from, too. So that's what it feels like being purple. What it feels like being indigo authentically. And how I've accepted it is I need my space. And I can't feel guilty about that, you know, And I own it. And I also speak to it now. You know, I've talked about indigoing and all that, which is an indigo thing to do. But now I tell people, like, you know what? I did not return any phone calls for a long time, but it wasn't you. It's just. I just. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed, over stimulated.

When you. I don't have great boundaries with energy, so sometimes I just need to remove myself completely to build them up, you know? So it's just owning that instead of feeling ashamed or running from people's questioning about it. Because I will tell you, nope, I was overstimulated. And honestly, I just needed a day. It wasn't personal.

I do. I do. I'm not ashamed of saying that I get overstimulated and that I'm very sensitive in a sensory way. I mean, that's just my takes. I'd love to hear everybody else's, by the way.

[Scott]

All right, let's go to Now, Like. Like I said, I'm 2 to 5%, so I don't know myself this well. You might have to help me with this.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. All right. Blue yourself.

[Scott]

Yeah, we'll take blue and red.

[Mystic Michaela]

Oh, I'm telling you.

[Scott]

Yeah, you tell me. Oh, okay. All right. What about red?

[Mystic Michaela]

Well, I think a lot of people.

[Scott]

Whatever color you want.

[Mystic Michaela]

A lot of people think they're red, and they're not. That's why.

[Scott]

Okay, I know I'm red. You know I know I'm red.

[Mystic Michaela]

Right?

[Scott]

That I know.

[Mystic Michaela]

But a lot of people think they are. Okay. And I think that's because I did a whole episode on Get Stuff Done auras. If you're an empath color, usually you put on red or yellow or sometimes even green to get stuff done. But how do you know you're red? And how does that authentically feel? I would say you feel confident in your leadership. Sometimes you feel responsible for everyone's experience. You feel responsible for everyone's safety. This reminds me of the other day when the air conditioning and everything was, like, breaking in the house at once. And you're just like, everyone stay in your spot. Nobody leave their room.

[Scott]

Nobody move.

[Mystic Michaela]

Nobody move.

[Scott]

You ever get that where, like, things are, like, snowballing, like, one thing goes and then another thing goes and then another and And I finally. I'm just like, okay, nobody moves.

[Mystic Michaela]

Everyone just stay in one spot.

[Scott]

Say, don't do anything. Don't touch anything. That way, nothing go wrong unless you have another paranormal experience.

[Mystic Michaela]

It's very like red ora energy to kind of like, try to. But it comes authentically to you, and you feel okay doing it and saying it, you know, like that. Then authentically blue.

This is. I honestly, blue women usually don't have a hard time feeling authentic about themselves being blue. But I think a problem with blue women is you feel guilty about everything. So when you feel authentic in your blue energy, you understand, listen, I take on everyone's feelings. I do feel responsible for people's stuff, but that doesn't mean I am. You know, I'm not going to apologize for crying. I'm not going to apologize for being sensitive. I'm not going to apologize for. For needing clarification on your intentions or your emotions or what you meant by that. And just speaking up for your feelings and being okay with that. Not being ashamed or hiding them or pushing them down. It's saying, you know what? That hurt me. I didn't feel great about that. Could you clarify, you know, or could you explain or could we talk about that? And not feeling ashamed to say that you have a feeling. I think that's being authentically in your blue. Okay. And you've gotten better at that. Yeah, yeah. Like, you'll say, like, I don't like to feel that way. Like, you will. You will. You will have your little feelings, and we'll. And we all were like, okay, thank you for telling us. You know, we want to hear these things, right? Yeah.

[Scott]

You know, at least I know that those are my. I mean, I'm 100 sure those are my color. That's good. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I could just say that I like being a red.

[Mystic Michaela]

I think that's good.

[Scott]

Yeah.

[Mystic Michaela]

And you like being red? You feel good about it?

[Scott]

Yeah, I feel good about it.

[Mystic Michaela]

You don't feel ashamed?

[Scott]

No, not at all.

[Mystic Michaela]

Right.

[Scott]

Yeah. Red. Yep. Okay. Yellow.

[Mystic Michaela]

How does authentically feel to be yellow? And again, I would. I need you all to chime in on this over on the page. But I think authentically being yellow is. You don't mind the. The need to be independent. You know, I think a lot of yellows are like, should I count on people more? Am I not being like, does it make me cold if I'm not, you know, asking somebody all. They're not. Yellows aren't needy, you know, and they can feel Bad about that. Like, am I being cold or am I not connecting? You know? But it's like understanding. I am independent. I get stuff done. I'm so proud of myself. Look what I did. I pat myself on the back, you know, and really, you know, feeling good that you can get stuff done that you put your mind to. And then feeling so proud of your accomplishments. Not that you not like you're taking too much or you're being greedy or you're being too eager or you're asking too many questions or you're being too curious or you're being. No, like, not labeling it with anything. Just like, oh, my gosh, I had an inspiration and I got it done. Yay, me. I feel like that's feeling authentic in your yellow.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. All right.

[Scott]

What about green?

[Mystic Michaela]

Authentic and green, I feel like, is.

You know, oh, my gosh. I get this all the time. Feeling comfortable with your focus.

The ability to really sit into your studies or your hobby or your day or the project that you're working on or whatever it is. And then just really finding peace in that tunnel vision, in that beautiful focus and understanding that this is who you are. Like, you are somebody that may perseverate a little bit on something that you're interested in, and that doesn't mean anything except that you're passionate and understanding that this is a part of peace with you. And then also explaining to other people, just because I need to understand something doesn't mean I'm challenging you or I think your way is incorrect. This is just how my process is. So also I feel like being authentic in your green energy is appreciating your own process and your own structure and foundation of it.

[Scott]

Okay, what about pink?

[Mystic Michaela]

And then pink's authentic in the pink. Dom is, I would say. And again, pinks will have something to say. So that's good. Pink aura, authentic energy is. And I think we talk about this a lot because they are really good at accessing, once they understand it this who they are. Like, I do this for me. I'm not doing this for you. I'm not doing this to fit in. I'm not doing this to look a certain way. I'm not doing this for anyone else except me, whatever that action is. Maybe it's their outfit today. Maybe it's the trip they're going on. Maybe it's the afternoon they have planned. They're doing it for themselves. And they understand that. They understand that this isn't to make. This isn't for anybody else. This is for Me and anybody else's perceptions of why I'm doing this or why I'm triggering them about as I'm doing this, I have zero responsibility towards. So just kind of feeling safe in that. Okay. All right.

[Scott]

Maybe we should take a quick break. No, wait. Just kidding. Turquoises.

[Mystic Michaela]

Turquoises.

[Scott]

We did not forget about you. Even though maybe the authentic turquoise realizes people might forget about you.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yes, they do. They always get. The other day at dance class, somebody just dropped the door on my turquoise Abbey. It was awful.

[Scott]

People not think turquoise is invisible.

[Mystic Michaela]

They didn't even see her. They didn't even see her. Her and I were just like, seriously.

[Scott]

Anyways, like, our purple turquoise Abbey truly goes through life just like an invisible person.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah, I know. It's really.

Somebody just dropped the mother. Wasn't a kid.

[Scott]

You know, I used to. The number one combo that I used to be protected over was purple indigo, but it's switched. Now it's purple turquoise.

[Mystic Michaela]

What does it feel to be authentically turquoise? I feel like you're just. You. You understand that you're there, but not there. That you. Sometimes you're a part of it, but you're also on the fringe, like, taking a lot of it in and that you. You are comfortable being in two spots in this way that you might not always be 100% on the fringe. You might not always be 100% in the. In the thick of it, you know, but you can kind of walk the line energetically. I think only turquoises know what the heck I'm talking about, by the way. You can walk the line energetically and own it and feel a part of things in this way. You're not apologizing for not being more like everybody. You're not apologizing even. Even. I think some turquoises can feel a little bit like, am I not weird enough? Or something? And it's like whatever you are, you're sitting there and you're understanding. You're walking the line. You're taking what you need from everything and melding it into your own interpretation. So feeling comfortable and authentic in that way. Okay. All right.

[Scott]

We'll take a quick break. You're going to come back. You're going to talk about how it feels to live authentic and such. And then after that, we're going to talk about our Christmas exchange that we do every year, and we'll say that for the end.

[Mystic Michaela]

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The world tells us who we should be. It pats us on the back and tells us to repeat behaviors that are inauthentic to us. Actually helpful to other people, but not ourselves. So what does it feel like when you can align your authentic self with your actual life? What does it feel like when you're living authentically as yourself?

So a couple things. When you. When you live authentically and this takes time and this isn't like an overnight thing. This is kind of you wake up and you re. You look back onto past chapters of your life and it feels like a different person was walking through those challenges. That's what it feels feels like. And. And you also have an understanding that you're still working on it. Why? Because the authentic you is ever evolving. You are changing and you are shifting and you are. You are always leveling up. And alignment isn't something that is going to happen in your lifetime. It's something that happens over a lifetime. And that's the way we want it to be. We never want to stop evolving or learning. So just understanding that living authentically is going to shift, and it can feel authentic. And then in five years, you're like, you know, I gotta change some things, and that's okay, too. So this is flexible and this is fluid, but these feelings aren't. So when you're living authentically, you feel at peace with choices you make, even when others don't understand them. And it's hard to explain. It's kind of just like a sense of truth that you trust, but it comes from a voice in you that's your higher self. The way I see it, we have our eternal selves. You are who you are in this lifetime, but there's an eternal version of you, kind of like the hard copy of yourself, so to speak. And, you know, this is this lifetime's derivative, but the higher self of you is in you all the time. And that is where I feel that peace with choices you make, even if others don't understand them. That's where it comes from. Another thing is you're going to seek validation from that voice, that feeling, not outside sources. So you all of a sudden realize that whether somebody says something positive to you, whether somebody says something negative to you about what you've done or an accomplishment, it's neutral. It's a neutral feeling. I try to. I used to do this when I was a teacher with my students all the time, and I really try to do this with my kids. It's the grade on your paper, okay, that's outside validation. And you can look at it, you can take into consideration. But at the end of the day, what's important is how do you feel about how you did? You know, we don't. We don't learn for grades. We don't learn for approval. We don't learn for pats on the back. We don't learn for ego presence. We learn for that feeling inside. So seeking the validation from that voice and that feeling within is something that happens when you're living authentically. You can sleep at night like, you can look at yourself in the mirror. Basically, you don't sit in the car after a conversation, and I betrayed myself. Why did I do that? Why did I say yes? Why. Why did I agree it's not happening as much because you don't need other people to be, like, happy with you or approve of you, because you. It's more important what you think of yourself.

You also own the parts of yourself which society Insists is problematic. All right? And I talk about this all the time with aura, color stuff. For example, I have a purple aura. And my entire life I got told, you're such a slob. You're so messy. You're so disorganized. Like I heard. And if you're purple, you might have heard that kind of stuff too. Yeah, you're dramatic, you know, you're too emotional. You're theatrical. Oh, the theatrics. Okay, so owning the parts of myself for, you know. Yeah. I do have a laundry chair. And the stuff that's not quite dirty and not quite clean lives on it. Okay. Like. But I've accepted that. And it doesn't mean I'm a slob. It doesn't mean I stink as a person, and it doesn't mean anything about my character. It just means that that's where I put the in between clothes. It's so interesting, though, how I will hear people talk about themselves, no matter what aura, color they are, by the way, because we all have something, and a lot of times they are.

Dismissing the parts or criticizing the parts of themselves that are truly just inherent to them. And when you start owning it, you. You realize that, wait, that's not a problematic thing. That just are pieces of me which they're trying to control so they can use me for their own advantages in society. Another thing, for example, a lot of turquoises. I'll see they use something till it's broken. I don't need a new phone. Okay. I don't need a new chair. I got. It was large trash day on the block. Found this office chair. Wow, cool. I'll use that. Or my, you know, pair of sneakers that I have. They work. They're fine. I don't need a new one every. Every time the trends change. It's. It's not that you're, you know, not cool. You're not, you know, or you're not fitting in. Like, you own parts of who you are. You're not being cheap. You're not being gross. You know, it's like, I own. This is who I am. Like, I don't need that to feel good. But society wants you to consume. Society wants you. You know, they want to manipulate you. And a lot of times, whatever they're calling about you, if it is saying something about you is problematic, that honestly isn't. It's just like a life preference or whatever, that doesn't hurt anyone. You own it. And that's another part of being authentic and living authentically. Another thing is it's almost. When you're living authentically, it becomes honestly almost impossible to play, pretend, wear a mask, fit in for the sake of social acceptance. It might be hard to even, like, just go to something that other people. And they won't get it. You know what I mean? You'll go to that meeting, or you'll go to that play date, or you'll go hang out with, like, a different set of parents. You know, if you're like a dance mom or something, and you're like, this is my life, by the way, and you go in, you're like, oh. And it becomes actually, like, painful to be there because you're. You're feeling yourself mold into whatever that vibe is. When you are living authentically, it exhausting to do that anymore. And it's something that you just avoid doing and you don't want to do it and you don't feel bad about it either. Another sign that you're living authentically. And how that feels is you feel safe in your relationships. Okay, like, with your friendships. Like, if somebody forgets to call you or you notice two of your friends are getting together and for some reason, like, nobody called you or something, immediately you're not, like, hurt, you're. You're like, oh, my gosh. Like, you know, you just know deep down that whatever it was, wasn't personal. Like, you feel safe in your relationships. And let's say you did reach out and you're like, hey, you guys, you should invite me. Oh, my. Oh, my gosh, we're so sorry. Oh my. You know, and you. They'll. They'll sit there and they'll own it immediately. Like, your relationships are safe and there's honesty in them and. And there's unconditional acceptance and love. And there's room for you to evolve and move forward, and there's room for you to have honest discourse and grow together. You know, not expecting everyone to be perfect, but definitely expecting people to care about how you feel and vice versa. So you feel safe in these relationships. They're not relationships where you have to be somebody for someone else.

I read a lot of people and in their friend groups, like, you know, they've always been single, and all of a sudden they get a boyfriend and everyone is mad at them or something. You know, it's like, you're not supposed to be the one that's in love. That's all of us. You take care of us. You're this person. You're that role. Whatever it is, you know, it's. It's a friendship where there isn't a role in relationships where there aren't a role where, where you can switch it up. And that's, that's another sign that you're living authentically. And finally, when you're living authentically, you feel this grounded sense of peace that feels like a place, honestly, it feels like an actual location that you can even if you have to leave it, because you do have to go to the meeting that you don't want to go to, or you do have to go to the party you don't really feel like going to, but you got to go or whatever, you know, you know that. Okay. When I come back to myself in a mindful way, there is a grounded sense of peace that returns to me immediately. And in that space in yourself, you feel safe and calm and aware. And not that there's no challenges, it's just there's a sense of confidence in your ability to handle anything. When we come back, I'm going to talk about what it feels like when you're not living authentically. If you're a parent, you get it. I, I think especially when it starts getting darker earlier, like it is now. These weeknights are insane. You have to shuffle everyone off to their different activities. There's homework, there's questions, and what don't I want to do? I don't want to just throw food at the kids that isn't good for them. Our next partner, Nurture Life, has made serving healthy meals much easier for me and much more enjoyable for my kids. This podcast is sponsored by Nurture Life. Nurture Life is a meal delivery service that makes nutritious meals and snacks that your kids actually will want to eat. Nurture Life's whole menu is perfect for kids ages 10 months to 10 years old. Their fresh meals and snacks are delicious, nutritious and fully cooked. That means they are ready to serve in just one minute. Nurture Life lets kids enjoy a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet while still eating all their favorites like Mac and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and much more. So parents can be sure there's always a healthy meal that their little ones will love. That's why Nurture Life is the top meal delivery service for babies and kids and is even allergy friendly too. My friend uses this and her son is about, I think he's about like 10 or 11 months old. So he's getting into those little finger foods and they have perfect meals, perfect portion sizes, the perfect size for those little fingers who are just getting ready for self feeding. My Kids were obsessed and I'm going to include myself in this with their corn dogs. I feel like I could eat these all day. My kids love them. They are a fan. They favorite around here. So head to nurture life.com kya and use code kya for 55% off your first order plus free shipping. That's right. 55% off plus free shipping. Once again, that's nurture life.com kya and make sure you use my promo code kya. Even if you aren't a parent with young kids, you might have a parent's friends who struggle with mealtime. Make sure to share our code so our show gets the credit. Remember, put your little ones first with healthy meals from Nurture Life.

So what does it feel like when you aren't living in alignment with your authentic self? Okay, your programmed self, the one society has tried to mold you into. It's running the show. What does that feel like? And I'm going to tell you right now, you have felt this way at some time or point in your life. Maybe it's now. Maybe the things I'm about to say are you like, oh my gosh, that's how I feel. It could also be you feel authentic in some contexts of your life, but you feel inauthentic in other contexts of your life. And it's good to be aware of where you are living authentically in your life and where you're not living authentically.

Newsflash. What happens is the more you pay attention to the feelings of living authentically, the your life will align to total placement in authentic spaces. So inauthentic spaces will evaporate, which can be scary because sometimes an inauthentic space where you've made yourself fit is a relationship or it's a job or it's a friendship, you know, or it's a location or it's a career, you know. So it yes, these things can lead to change. They do. Actually. They 100% do lead to change. But again, we evolve, we move. That is part of being authentic. All right, so when you're not living authentically and your program self is running the show, this is how you can feel. You can feel more worried about making others happy than your own peace of mind. You know, people pleasing something that if you aren't, if you lead with an empath aura, it's honestly hard to ever eradicate that from your life anyhow. It really, really is only because you tend to or you actually do feel other people's feelings as your own. And it can modify your behavior. But when you're living authentically, you notice it, you understand it, you realize it. And because of that you have more control over when and where you do it. I'm not saying there's no slip ups. Of course there's, of course there's slip ups 100% because you tend to gravitate towards people that need a lot of healing and those people you know want you to please them. But you find the right spaces to put that energy into the ones that give back. Not just take, but anyways. People pleasing you just become more worried you'll throw yourself under the bus to make other people happy, even people you don't know. And it's a self betrayal. Another way you know you're not living authentically is you. And how that feels is approval. Lives outside of yourself. Okay? So all of a sudden, like it didn't happen unless you posted on social media or you got a certain amount of likes or comments or what have you, what others say is extremely important to you. You have to look a certain way, you have to be a certain way, you have to dress a certain way, you have to drive a certain thing. Like these things are essential to you feeling okay about yourself. I'm not saying putting on your lipstick and getting cute and going to the store that you do for yourself, okay? I'm talking about doing all that for someone else or doing things you know that will flag your acceptance into their perceptions. All right, so it's like approval in general lives outside of yourself or pats on the back or grades or the promotion or the title. You, these things are happening for you when they happen for you. You, you are taking, you are borrowing the reaction and the perception and the emotion of other people. You're borrowing their approval.

And utilizing it for yourself, which is always an empty and short lived way to, to be. So yeah, another, another way you know you're not living authentically and how it feels is you see yourself only as the role of you play but feel numb to a deeper connection. And man, oh man, do I see this. When people take like one of my aura quizzes, like in my book what's my aura? For example, and I even say before you take the quiz, it's like, do not take this as other people see you. You know, take this as yourself. Or sometimes I'll tell people, take it as your 16 year old self. Go back. Who's 16 year old you, you know, like go back into a mindset where you're freer, where it's not Defined by the roles you play or how other people view you or, or what your role is to other people. Like I could say, for example, oh, I'm conscientious, I'm thoughtful, I'm, you know, a good listener, you know, but putting that, you know, as a mother, I am giving, you know, take a, take a step back, be like, are these things that you do because other people see them as you are these. How do you connect to those in your own life? Like, what do you get from them personally? So there's things like the boss, right? There's different roles we play, or the hard worker or the perfect partner or the self sacrificing parent or the volunteer. You know.

Are these roles that other people see you as and you think that's you, you know, and a way that you know if it's you or not is how exhausted you are playing these roles, playing these parts and what goes on in your head and how much time do you need to be alone afterwards to recover? And do you feel like there's a you that you wear when you go out? And if people saw the real you, they wouldn't love you or accept you or care for you, or they'd be. Do you think if people knew the real you, they'd be, they'd be completely shocked, like, oh my God, who's that lady? Who's that guy? Do you think they would? If so, that might be a part of your life that is lived inauthentically.

Another way that you know you're living in an inauthentic way is you don't speak your truth for the sake of peace. I mean, it's a slippery slope because we all have to like, know when to run our mouths or when to keep them shut. I would say if you're listening to this podcast, you're more on the side of. You keep your mouth probably too shut. I know I do. For the sake of peace.

And, and we all know that person that truly can't, they truly can't keep their mouth shut and they do not care about peace either way. My question is just to you personally, not in a general sense of everyone, because that would be too. That would be too much to go through. But you personally, do you keep your mouth shut for the sake of peace, but you notice that you are just kind of like the absorber, the toilet bowl for everyone else to dump their crap into. Do you notice that? If so that's an inauthentic way to live, you know, because it doesn't. Speaking your Truth doesn't necessarily have to mean that you retort or you get into confrontation with somebody. It can. It can, though, mean speaking your truth is, I'm not talking about this right now. Putting boundaries up, you know, stopping someone, like, excuse me, but I'm not. I'm not in a space to hear that at this time. You know, it's. Speaking up can also mean making sure other people do not just drop their stuff onto you or you're not in a presence where you have to listen to things that just don't align with you.

But when you're living authentically, you just kind of like, whatever, I can hear it, I can take it. What? It doesn't matter. Who cares? You know, you do that maybe too much. And man, oh, man, have I been there. And I get it. And you also notice when you start living more authentically, you might start having outbursts.

And aren't I here for an awakened empath? Outbursts. You know, those are real fun. Like out of nowhere, like, oh, okay, someone. Someone got. Someone showing their teeth. Someone got a voice. But you know what? That can happen too. And forgive yourself if this stuff starts blurting. You will find balance. Okay, Another. Another way you know, that you're living on and authentically is relationships feel conditional. They feel unsafe. You, if you weren't driving the right thing or wearing the right thing or saying the right thing or doing certain actions or changing an opinion, they dump you. You know, if you weren't fitting in to their group rules or whatever or their conditions or how they need to see you or what role you play for them or whatnot, you'd be gone. If it's somebody in your life who you're scared of, like, oh, they can't hear it. Oh, I better call them. Oh, they're going to take it the wrong way. Oh, and you're like sitting there and your tummy hurts over it, chances are they are a relationship that is more in tune with the inauthentic parts of yourself, not the authentic parts of yourself. When you are in a relationship with your authentic self leading, you don't worry about that stuff. You know that they'll understand you, and you in turn will understand them. So. And finally, you feel stuck, drained and exhausted. Number one. Absolutely. Number one, you feel a physical shift and you feel numb and you don't feel like you are experiencing joy, and you don't feel inspired, and you're just feeling actually lost and honestly isolated and alone. That's what an inauthentic energy can feel like when we come back, I'm going to talk about making the shift.

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If you are listening to this podcast, chances are you're already on the road to shifting from an inauthentic version of yourself to an authentic version of yourself. And chances are you're already in an authentic version of yourself in many places in your life. There might be a few inauthentic versions of yourself that you'd like to eradicate. We just haven't figured that out yet. But I'll tell you, don't get overwhelmed. Because the first thing with living authentically and living in alignment is the more you practice it, the more the chips just fall where they fall. You know, the more the 5D I call it, that's a space where everyone is. That's where emotions live. That's the fifth dimension. That's our. That's the habitat of our souls. So the more that you take the time to experience life in authenticity and practicing that and paying attention to that, putting energy towards that, the more the 3D or the physical representation of the soul dimension will reflect that. All that means is your jobs will change, your relationships will change, your contexts will change to match it. It has to. It has to because your energy is shifting and it's attracting different things and dropping other things. So how do we make this shift? Like I said, you're already doing it. So meta think. Observe your thoughts. You are not your thoughts. You are the observer of your thoughts. When you're having feelings, when you're having Thoughts. When you're having reactions, be. I picture myself, it's like my higher self self. And she's back there with like a little. Little journal. She's interesting. Interesting. Megan. Interesting choice. Oh, you feel this way, but you're covering it up by saying this because you're ashamed, you know, Observe your thoughts. Pay attention to the real motives behind everything. Are you angry or are you just really sad? You know, secondary emotions hold so many keys. Are you jealous or do you feel a sense of lack? Where's the boo boos? Where's the wounds? Because it's underneath all your motives. It's Something's there. And when you just. At least just admit it to yourself, self, you are living authentically. You don't have to fix it. You just have to see it. Speak your truth and honestly to yourself. First is fine. Again, a lot of us listening hate confrontation. And me one of them. And I totally get it. At least be truthful with yourself. You know, like, I didn't like what that person said to me in my presence. I am not thrilled that I couldn't get my words together in time to retort back something important. But next time, this is my plan, you know, at least speak truth to yourself. I don't like working here. This is a career path that has been set for me because of my programmed self. And I am thankful for the money and life it brings me, but I am not aligned here. I.

[Scott]

And.

[Mystic Michaela]

And the reasons why I'm here are not the reasons other people are here. I read somebody the other day and it was interesting because their career that they chose, it wasn't necessarily.

What I'll just. This is easier if I explain it this way. They were in an engineering field, but they were a blue purple aura. So they're empath aura. Right? But in a field with a ton of green auras. And they were like, I just realized that I went to this world, but I'm not connecting to it the way everybody else is connecting to it. And it's like, exactly. You can be in a job or be in a career and understand that, okay? My passions for this place are not the traditional way people think. The passions are like, as a blue purple in this environment. I like working with green auras. Okay. And I enjoy the calmness of this environment. I like that they let me do what I'm allowed to do here. They let me. I can go meet my husband for lunch every day. Like, that's what I like about my job. You know, it's okay to like, understand what Is it for you that works? And that's part of. Of unlocking the authentic self and shifting to that. At least just being honest about what does work for you and realizing it's probably different than what it's supposed to be with quotes around it. Set boundaries. That's a big one for the shift. Practice one place in your life to fix something that you notice you're struggling with. So if it's a friendship, if it's, you know, maybe you're. I need more joy in my life. I need to pick up a hobby. I need to. Whatever it is, it's not about self improvement in the way the society wants you to. It's where you feel numb or lack or a disconnect. Where can you take your energy and work on that first little small steps lead to huge avalanche of changes. Radical self acceptance is another way to shift. Like, do not make apologies for who you are authentically anymore.

I remember once. I mean, I'm purple, right? And I'm a bit of a goofball. And I remember once, like, I was walking to pick up my kid from school, and I thought, okay. And this happens to me all the time. I'm like, I could be a sitcom because I thought my friend was walking towards me. Side note, I have terrible eyesight. And I start jumping and making like, wait, because she's another goofy friend of mine. And I'm like, oh. And I'm making. I'm jumping and. And I thought we were walking towards each other, so I was like, making, you know, gestures that she would get.

So I get closer. It's like, oh, no, it's one of the cool moms, which I am not of. This is a long time ago. And she was just like, oh, okay. And then, you know, I'm like, okay. Embarrassed, but like, whatever. A grown adult woman. I don't care. I don't care if I make a fool out of myself. And I said, oh, I thought you were my friend. And she was like, okay. And then we're all standing around waiting for our kids to be let out at the gate. And in front of everybody, this cool mom's like, megan's got a real funny way of saying hi to people like that. And I just looked at her and I said, I am who I am. Like, this is me. And sometimes I'm goofy. And I thought you were my friend, and that's just what we do together. And she just didn't know what to say. I was a little louder than I might have intended to be. The way I Said it maybe a little edgy. But you know what? I don't make apologies. You know what's the biggest problem? I'm a goofball to my friends. You should probably want to be friends with me then, because I'm fun, you know? So we're not making apologies for who we are anymore. I'm not going to sit in the shower for years after that and be like, oh, my God, I'm so stupid. I feel so dumb. I have done that, and I don't do that anymore because at the end of the day, it's like, shrug, I don't care. And the friends I have do the same thing. So, anyway, so radical self acceptance. We're not making apologies for who we are any more. And then also finally find a crew of people that are like you, that make room for you, that get it. I mean, and I always. Because I always got a tout because we got the best crew, the Mystic Michaela Spiritual Family on Facebook. Every time we do events or discussion groups or workshops or anything, or over on my sub stack, I mean, these are people that just like. Except immediately. It's like a soul bond. So that's why we have so many people from so many different walks and areas of life just bonded, because we're all there with the purpose of intention. So I always encourage you to join the Facebook group at Mystic Michaela Spiritual Family, and that is where I would love to continue this discussion, because you guys are my favorite, and that's why we're a family, because we are all evolving and aligning to our authentic selves together.

Hey, Scotty.

[Scott]

Hey, guys. All right, before we finish up today, I think we have to talk about the Christmas exchange. We've been doing this for many, many years. Maybe 16 something years, something like that on this podcast. We've been doing it for the last five, six years. All right, what is it?

[Mystic Michaela]

So the Christmas exchange, Scott and I started about 16 years ago when we were first we were a young couple, and we would set a budget and a theme. So the budget's usually inexpensive, and then the theme is best ornament or best impersonal gift. And then of course, I'm married to a red aura, so there's always a winner. So then we've gotten a little bit more advanced. The kids have a vote, and then you guys all have a vote. Okay. And I have a bone to pick with all of you. You always vote for his gift because he's won, I want to say, like two or three years in a row.

[Scott]

Yeah.

[Mystic Michaela]

And now there's a trophy involved. Since last year, it says, best cat, best give ever. And he has been flaunting this in my face all year.

[Scott]

I put it around different spots in the house.

[Mystic Michaela]

He does.

[Scott]

So, like, you know, if you go to the bathroom, you might find it.

[Mystic Michaela]

Right.

[Scott]

You know, if you're reading a book somewhere in a corner of the house.

[Mystic Michaela]

You might find it, see it.

[Scott]

Yeah.

[Mystic Michaela]

And so how it works is Scott and I, every year, the loser, which is me, comes up with the idea for the Christmas exchange. Theme and rules and parameters. And then on Christmas, he and I will do the exchange, and then I will put up anonymously each gift with a poll over on at know your aura pod on Instagram. And you guys, you have. You have. What is it, 50 of the vote? Because the kids have 50. Well, we get. We.

[Scott]

I mean, each kid gets a vote.

[Mystic Michaela]

It's mathematical.

[Scott]

Somehow the mystic Miguel spiritual family gets a vote.

[Mystic Michaela]

Right?

[Scott]

And then, like, we just have, like, kind of an overall. Me and you also, we're honest with you because, like, last year it was pretty close, actually. I won. It was. It was qvc. You had to get something off of qvc. I went with a classic. What did I go with? That. What's that? Company Temptations.

[Mystic Michaela]

And it's crockery.

[Scott]

Yeah, crockery. Is that a thing? Crockery?

[Mystic Michaela]

It's crockery. What's crockery?

[Scott]

Like plates.

[Mystic Michaela]

It's like glass bakeware, right?

[Scott]

That's what it is.

[Mystic Michaela]

But it's.

[Scott]

It's. It's a. It's a staple.

[Mystic Michaela]

It's a qvc. It's quintessential qvc. I have to say I was very pleased with it.

[Scott]

If you're a shut in, like I am shut in tv, then you know what it is? And we also got lock and lock this year. You have to be a real shut it to know what that is.

[Mystic Michaela]

Oh, yes.

[Scott]

But anyway. And then you went with these cool bagels that are always on.

[Mystic Michaela]

Just bagels.

[Scott]

It was very close.

[Mystic Michaela]

It ain't bagels unless they're just bagels.

[Scott]

And then the year before, it was like a food gift, right? It was food gift.

[Mystic Michaela]

Oh, yeah.

[Scott]

And that one I actually, I did win.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah, you got.

[Scott]

But I gave it up. I said, no, I can't win with this because the gift, it was. I'm not gonna say the company, but the chocolates and all the pretzels and all the things I got were so, like, uned. It couldn't.

[Mystic Michaela]

It looked good, but inedible.

[Scott]

It was Just. You couldn't eat it. It was disgusting.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah.

[Scott]

And I couldn't. It felt bad about taking the wind.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. Thank you.

[Scott]

So it was. I called it, like, either you won or it was a draw. Whatever.

[Mystic Michaela]

Well, he won according to the votes.

[Scott]

Yeah, true.

[Mystic Michaela]

I forget the year before, but this year we have a new theme.

[Scott]

We have a new theme.

[Mystic Michaela]

You.

[Scott]

We're gonna come up with it now. It's not set in stone yet.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. Oh, let's over hashing it out together.

[Scott]

We hash it out together. But you do have the final say.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. Because, I mean, I might.

[Scott]

I might. You know, we're going to brainstorm. We call this brainstorming.

[Mystic Michaela]

Brainstorming.

[Scott]

But. Okay. We were running some things by earlier. What do you think?

[Mystic Michaela]

It's a little specific. This year it's department store holiday nostalgia. Okay. All right, so what does that mean, you know, when you walk into, like, one of the department stores, like Macy's, for example, you know, like gimbals and elf. Right. Like that. I just watch that. So, like Macy's, and you walk in and it's like, oh, my gosh. You know, and you're just kind of hit with that wave of there's Santa sculptures and centerpieces and all this holiday stuff like, you don't really need, but you're just, like, drawn to. And it just makes you, like, so happy for some weird reason. And you just want to, like. You're like, wow, this would look so cool somewhere that we're each going to give each other a piece of holiday nostalgia from a department store.

[Scott]

Okay, so how many items we're going to go with?

[Mystic Michaela]

I think it has to be one item. Unless it's a set.

[Scott]

This is a set. So, like, if I got a holiday fork, I can get the holiday spoon.

[Mystic Michaela]

Correct. Or if it's like a nesting doll situation or a candelabra situation.

[Scott]

What if it's like a Santa? Could I get a reindeer?

[Mystic Michaela]

It has to be a set.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

And the budget is $60.

[Scott]

$60.

[Mystic Michaela]

60.

[Scott]

Tax? No, tax.

[Mystic Michaela]

I will say before tax.

[Scott]

Before tax.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah, Tax. Exact.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

Before tax. Because if it's like 59.99, you know.

[Scott]

Okay. And does it have to be bought in store online?

[Mystic Michaela]

It has to be in store.

[Scott]

In store.

[Mystic Michaela]

Like, we have to. You got to go. You need the experience of it. Okay. You really got to walk in. You got to smell the smells. You got to see the sights.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

You have to deal with the crowds.

[Scott]

All right, so. All right, so now what constitutes a department store? Are we going to okay, so that, like, Macy's is definitely, right? JCPenney's.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah.

[Scott]

Now is like. Was it Walmart? Is that. That's not a department?

[Mystic Michaela]

No, I'm going to say it has to be in a mall.

[Scott]

Has to be attached to a mall.

[Mystic Michaela]

I'm just. I'm going, like, very 90s here. Okay. I'm kind of. I'm going back, like. Like a home alone vibe. Okay. Christmas vacation vibe.

[Scott]

Vacation.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. Like, they all go to the mall for their gifts last minute.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

You know, like that. Like, I'm going into that realm.

[Scott]

Okay. So it has to be a traditional department store.

[Mystic Michaela]

Holiday. Nostalgia.

[Scott]

That's attached to a mall.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah.

[Scott]

Okay, so, like, it can't be like Costco, is what we're saying.

[Mystic Michaela]

No, no. And it can't be online. You gotta go.

[Scott]

And you have to go in. You cannot get this online.

[Mystic Michaela]

I. I don't know. Should there be bonus points if you get it wrapped at the department store?

[Scott]

Oh, can you. They still do that?

[Mystic Michaela]

I don't know. Do they?

[Scott]

I know, like, the mall, you can get, like, things wrapped.

[Mystic Michaela]

They used to do it. Like. I mean, it's customer service.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

But I don't know if they even do that.

[Scott]

I don't.

[Mystic Michaela]

I think I'm aging myself.

[Scott]

Yeah. I don't know if they do that.

[Mystic Michaela]

Maybe nobody does that.

[Scott]

Maybe at least one of the. Yeah.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. Yeah. All right.

[Scott]

Well, that's part of the presentation. That's part of the presentation.

[Mystic Michaela]

I feel like I need to make a rubric.

[Scott]

We always do.

[Mystic Michaela]

The Rubric might be five parts. It's like nostalgia on a scale of five. Like, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Nostalgia. Write this down.

[Scott]

Nostalgia.

[Mystic Michaela]

Nostalgia.

[Scott]

Got it.

[Mystic Michaela]

What's the next one?

[Scott]

Presentation.

[Mystic Michaela]

Presentation. Okay, that's interesting.

[Scott]

Department store that you actually got it from. Like, so. So you're saying. Well, then how do you judge that? Like J.C. penney's versus Dillard.

[Mystic Michaela]

Dillard.

[Scott]

Dillard. You're getting that? Dillard.

[Mystic Michaela]

It's very subjective.

[Scott]

Yeah, that's.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay.

[Scott]

Let's throw that out. Brainstorming. Yeah, throw that.

[Mystic Michaela]

I always threw that out. Wait, I need three more rubrics. I don't know. Maybe this is.

[Scott]

All right.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. Wait, did I do this?

[Scott]

Price. You got to get the price.

[Mystic Michaela]

Price. Holiday. No, the price isn't a rubric. It's like, you get it or you don't.

[Scott]

Oh, okay. Right.

[Mystic Michaela]

You know, you're over. You're finished. It's an automatic fail.

[Scott]

Trophies gone.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. See, these are all rules for all of the exchanges. And. And guys, we like to hear what your exchanges are, too. A lot of know your or listeners have been running their own Christmas exchanges with their friends, family, and partners because of us.

[Scott]

Question for you.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah.

[Scott]

Now, probably our most popular.

Contest of all time.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay.

[Scott]

Was 15 minutes in a Walgreens. I think that was the best one. You came up with it. You came up with it. All the credit to you. I was, like, leery of it when you, when you announced it.

[Mystic Michaela]

Oh, no, that was my.

[Scott]

But I would say that was the absolute best one we've ever done.

[Mystic Michaela]

I. I encourage you to do. And you have to do it on the 23rd or the 24th, I feel like, because the stress and anxiety has to be part of. Part of the gift giving. And you have to time. You have to time yourself 15 minutes. And we timed each other. We had it on video. And you have to scream at them. You gotta be like 15 minutes at a Walgreens and that's it. And then they run out and it's like card gift wrap, everything included. I won that one.

[Scott]

I say one year. Can you bring, like, let's say I lose this year. I don't want to put that out. Wait. I don't want to put that out in the universe. I got to manifest that I'm going to win again. But could I then bring back an old one like that?

[Mystic Michaela]

Ooh, can you. I mean, copycat it. You can.

[Scott]

I can do like 15 minutes in a Rite Aid.

[Mystic Michaela]

I think Rite Aid closed. I don't think they're coming.

[Scott]

15 minutes in an Ollie's.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. We, when we first, I think we once we wanted to do like a Tuesday morning. Remember those, like some of these stories.

[Scott]

They went out of business. We didn't smell Burlington.

[Mystic Michaela]

Yeah. I don't like. I. Maybe it's my Indigo. I get really stressed out in, like, TJ Maxx or Burlington or Ross or like any of those stories that are just, like, crap everywhere.

[Scott]

Do you think anyone's still listening?

[Mystic Michaela]

No.

[Scott]

I think we're just talking to ourselves right now.

[Mystic Michaela]

This became like, an actual conversation that we just would have.

[Scott]

Yeah.

[Mystic Michaela]

Anyways.

[Scott]

All right. So there's you anymore. So the last thing I was gonna say is there's no time limit on this.

[Mystic Michaela]

What do you mean?

[Scott]

When you go to that department.

[Mystic Michaela]

No, no, no. Actually, take your time. Soak it up.

[Scott]

Take your time.

[Mystic Michaela]

Get a starbies to walk around.

[Scott]

Walk around.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. Wear a full length, you know, winter coat.

[Scott]

Okay.

[Mystic Michaela]

Or yeah, sure, if you have a full length ugly sweater. Scott, I'd like to see it.

[Scott]

I'M just being my authentic red self.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. All right. I feel like we also have to take some video of our own selection process for the. For the viewers. For the three viewers to stick around for that.

[Scott]

I'm probably not gonna do that.

[Mystic Michaela]

Okay. I'll do it for myself. All right, guys, this podcast is for you and about you, and we're so glad you spent some time with us today.

[C]

With stays under $250 a night, Vrbo makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. You could book a cabin stay with leaf views for days. Or a brownstone in a city where festivals are just a walk away. Or a lakeside home with a fire pit for cozy nights with friends. Or if you're not a sweater person, we can call it corduroy weather. More flexible. And with stays under $250 a night, you can book a home that suits your exact needs. Book [e-mail].