Mantra with Jemma Sbeg
Episode: "I Trust the Chapter I’m Closing"
Date: September 29, 2025
Host: Jemma Sbeg

Episode Overview

This episode of Mantra with Jemma Sbeg centers on the mantra: "I trust the chapter I'm closing." Jemma unpacks the emotional complexity of transitions—how to let go of meaningful life phases, honor mix feelings like grief and nostalgia, and trust in what’s to come. She blends personal stories, psychological insights, and practical strategies including journal prompts and a weekly challenge, guiding listeners in consciously and compassionately closing chapters to make space for growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Emotional Process of Closing Chapters

Timestamp: 03:21–09:10

• Jemma shares her current life transition: preparing to move overseas and reflecting on recent big changes, such as moving out of her first solo home and moving in with her boyfriend. She discusses the duality of anticipation and nostalgia, the joy of new beginnings mixed with the grief of leaving behind cherished versions of herself.
• Quote:

  "You look back and you're like, wow. I was so focused on that, not realizing that the chapter before this was also really special and beautiful in its own way." (06:07 – Jemma Sbeg)

• She acknowledges the excitement and fear that coexist when closing a significant chapter, noting that the longing for the next phase can sometimes mask the beauty of the current or past one.

2. Why Humans Struggle to Move On

Timestamp: 09:11–16:35

• Jemma delves into psychological reasons for resisting change:
  • Familiarity Bias: Our brains crave predictability, associating it with safety.
  • Identity Ties: We anchor key parts of our self-image to relationships, jobs, places, making their loss feel destabilizing.
  • Sunk Cost Fallacy: The emotional investment in something, even if it no longer fits, makes us hesitant to leave. Jemma uses the analogy of standing in a long line at Disneyland simply because we've already invested time.
  • Grief and Nostalgia: Grieving the loss of who we were is uncomfortable, but necessary. Nostalgia can either motivate us or trap us in the past.
• Quote:

  "A house is not just a house. It's a place where you made memories... represents a specific time in your life. Closing a chapter can feel like you are losing a piece of yourself, because we've built narratives around these experiences and they have become a part of how we see ourselves." (10:41 – Jemma Sbeg)

• She reminds us that while nostalgia is a natural and even beneficial emotion, it can become a 'trap' if it prevents us from moving forward.

3. Recognizing When It’s Time to Move On

Timestamp: 16:36–18:10

• Jemma outlines clear signs it's time to close a chapter:
  • Staying out of habit rather than desire.
  • Feeling drained thinking about your current life.
  • No longer learning or growing.
  • Chronic anxiety in the current phase.
  • Making excuses for why you stay.
  • Preventing your future self from emerging.
• Quote:

  "Future you can't exist if you don't first move on." (16:58 – Jemma Sbeg)

• She encourages listeners to recognize that sometimes fear is a sign of investment in what’s next.

4. Rituals for Closure

Timestamp: 19:13–23:45

• Jemma emphasizes the importance of symbolic rituals to mark the end of a chapter.
  • Suggestions include writing a letter, revisiting a meaningful place, creating a playlist, or cultivating space for emotional processing.
  • She introduces the concept of "emotional integration": fully feeling and acknowledging the emotions involved allows for healthier transitions.
• Quote:

  "By consciously marking the close of a chapter, you create a clean emotional and psychological state... you also allow yourself to actually, truly honor what was good about it." (20:33 – Jemma Sbeg)

• Jemma dispels the myth that closure means erasing or forgetting the past, stressing we can hold both gratitude for what was and excitement for what’s to come.

5. Navigating Setbacks During Transition

Timestamp: 23:46–31:20

• Jemma candidly discusses the reality of setbacks and cognitive dissonance after making a big change:
  • The disappointment when the future is more difficult than expected and the temptation to romanticize the past.
  • The notion that setbacks are signs of growth—not wrong turns.
  • She reframes the physical sensations of anxiety as possible excitement:

    "Excitement and anxiety often feel very, very, very similar... You can go in there and say, actually, I'm going to choose to say that I am excited. I'm actually going to choose to say that this is not a threat. This is an opportunity." (23:55 – Jemma Sbeg)

• Jemma advises building resilience, keeping faith in one's path, and accepting life’s natural cycles of beginnings and endings.

6. Reflecting and Taking Action – Quotes & Practical Tools

Timestamp: 32:47–39:00

• Jemma shares a quote from Lao Tzu:

  "When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be." (32:53)

• She references a lesson from Amy Poehler’s podcast on releasing attachment to open new doors.
• Journaling Prompts:
  1. Looking back, what did you gain from a chapter you once resisted ending?
  2. What parts of your current life feel like they're nearing completion?
  3. What would it look like to approach your future with curiosity and excitement rather than fear?
• Weekly Challenge:
  Perform a small closing ritual—delete old files, donate an item, write a letter, or make something symbolic—whatever helps you mark the end of this chapter.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On nostalgia and closure:

  "Nostalgia is a beautiful emotion... but it can also turn into a trap. This happens when we spend too much time thinking about what we don't have anymore and not enough time on what we're creating." (14:29 – Jemma Sbeg)

• On the importance of rituals:

  "These acts are more than just sentimental gestures, you know, they actually do truly help the brain process transition by giving the ending a tangible marker, something that signals... we are ready to move forward." (19:40 – Jemma Sbeg)

• On living with openness:

  "If we cling too tightly to the past, it means that the future is going to rip us away violently... Whereas if we let ourselves flow, we let ourselves be open to what the future might be guiding us towards, we have more of a say." (39:23 – Jemma Sbeg)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:21 – Jemma’s personal story about moving and transitions
• 09:11 – Why it’s hard to move on, brain’s need for familiarity
• 14:29 – The dual-edged nature of nostalgia
• 16:36 – Signs it’s time to close a chapter
• 19:13 – The importance of rituals for closure
• 23:46 – Handling setbacks and reframing anxiety as excitement
• 32:47 – Journal prompts and deep thought of the day
• 37:30 – Weekly challenge: closing ritual

Tone & Language

Throughout the episode, Jemma brings a warm, introspective, and encouraging tone. She is open about her own vulnerabilities, balances gentle humor with honest reflection, and offers compassionate, actionable advice.

Summary

This episode is a thoughtful guide to navigating endings and new beginnings with grace. Jemma validates the complexity of letting go, offers psychological and practical tools for closure, and inspires listeners to trust in life's unfolding chapters. She leaves listeners with the empowering reminder that moving forward doesn’t erase the value of what’s been, and in trusting the process, new possibilities emerge.