Podcast Summary: Mantra with Jemma Sbeg
Episode: I Know Love Has Many Forms
Host: Jemma Sbeg
Date: December 1, 2025

Episode Overview

In the final episode of this season, Jemma Sbeg explores the mantra, “I know love has many forms.” The episode delves into the cultural, psychological, and personal narratives surrounding love – especially the societal elevation of romantic love above all else – and offers practical reflections on how to recognize, celebrate, and nurture the diverse forms of love that enrich our lives. Jemma combines personal stories, research-backed insights, and actionable prompts to encourage listeners to embrace an abundant mindset around love.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Dominance of Romantic Love in Culture

• Societal Conditioning:
  • Jemma discusses how from childhood, media, traditions, and popular culture promote romantic love as the ideal (03:27–05:52).

    “We live in a culture that has most certainly elevated romantic love to the very top of the pyramid. It is like the final boss of human connection.” (04:05)

• Evolutionary and Social Layers:
  • Society values stable partnerships for biological and traditional reasons but downplays other love forms, such as friendship and community bonds.

2. Undervaluing Other Forms of Love

• Lack of Milestones or Celebration:
  • Cultural markers like weddings and Valentine’s Day spotlight romance, while milestones in friendships and family ties go largely unrecognized (07:17–08:13).

    “There’s a World Friendship Day. … There aren't the same cards. There isn’t the same culture of gift giving. No one's getting chocolates on World Friendship Day.” (07:29)

• Consequences:
  • Emphasizing romantic love can lead to feelings of inadequacy and loneliness for people not in relationships, overshadowing the meaningful bonds they do have.

3. Risks of Over-Prioritizing Romance

• Dependency and Disappointment:
  • Jemma shares that relying solely on romantic love for emotional fulfillment can create unhealthy expectations and disappointment, both for the individual and the partner (09:28–10:09).

    “When we expect one singular individual to be our lover, our best friend, our therapist, our co parent, our biggest cheerleader, our family, we put enormous pressure on that relationship.”

• Neglect of Other Bonds:
  • Focusing on one person can erode support networks, including friendships and even self-love.

4. Expanding Our Definition and Rituals of Love

• Honoring Platonic Love:
  • Suggestions: Celebrate friendship anniversaries, write love letters to friends, commemorate milestones (11:07–11:40).

    “One of my favorite episodes is when Nick and Schmidt throw like an anniversary party for their 10 years of friendship. ... I want to do that with my friends, even if it feels silly.”

• Elevating Self-Love:
  • Viewing self-love as foundational, not a substitute. Encourages rituals like solo dinners, weekly check-ins, and celebrating personal growth (12:13–12:52).

5. Personal Reflections and Lessons

• Jemma’s Experience:
  • She shares how past relationships led her to neglect other forms of love, resulting in loneliness after the relationship ended (14:47–16:00).

    “I obviously ended that relationship looking around and feeling extremely lonely and realizing how little I had prioritized what was truly going to sustain me.”

• On Friendship and Male-Female Dynamics:
  • The focus on romance sometimes stifles deep friendships, particularly between men and women, due to projected romantic expectations (16:20–17:10).
• Romantic Love as the Only Love Mindset:
  • This can make us overlook “the small, quieter things, the acts of service, the words of affirmation, the things that we don’t even notice people doing for us.” (17:22)

6. A Practice for Abundance: “Fall in Love” Daily

• Practicing Daily Appreciation:
  • Jemma suggests choosing someone to deeply appreciate each day, not just waiting for a romantic partner but spreading gratitude and love widely (18:27–19:02).

    “When I say fall in love with a new person every day, it’s basically about choosing someone to really appreciate and to do something nice for and to feel gratitude for that relationship.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Love’s Diversity:

  “There are many kinds of love, as many kinds as there are people.” – bell hooks, quoted by Jemma (22:35)

• On the Myth of Scarcity:

  “Love is never going to be the same every single time. ... There is good in all of those situations. ... Let people love you in different and new ways.” (23:08–23:48)

• On Abundance Mindset:

  “Just let this mantra be an invitation, be your sign to honor every form of love that sustains you, knowing each one is equally worthy of your attention and that there is always more around the corner.” (25:44)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Mantra Introduction & Cultural Conditioning: 02:31–08:30
• Risks of Romantic Love as the Only Priority: 09:20–11:00
• Elevating Friendship, Community, and Self-Love: 11:01–13:10
• Personal Reflections – Neglecting Other Loves: 14:44–17:20
• Expanding Rituals of Love and Daily Practice: 17:21–19:09
• Deep Thought & Journal Prompts: 22:32–24:38
• Wrap-Up & Final Words: 24:39–End

Actionable Takeaways

1. Journal Prompts (23:40)

• When has non romantic love carried you through a difficult season of your life?
• How do you show yourself love in small everyday ways, and how could you do it more?
• What forms of love do you want to notice and nurture more intentionally in the future? How can you make that a priority?

2. Celebratory Rituals

• Mark friendship “anniversaries,” write letters to friends, prioritize friends’ milestones.
• Treat self-love appointments with the same importance as dates or romantic milestones.
• Practice daily appreciation for a new person in your life, infusing each day with gratitude and intentionality.

Episode Tone and Style

Jemma’s tone is warm, candid, and encouraging, blending insights with a conversational and down-to-earth delivery. She draws from personal experience, pop culture references (“New Girl”), and psychological research, creating an inclusive and actionable conversation about redefining and enriching love in daily life.

Closing Thought

The episode is a gentle but powerful call to honor all forms of love, not just the romantic, fostering a mindset of abundance, gratitude, and openness in every area of human connection.