She's So Lucky with Leslye Alfred
Episode: Don’t Call Me Delulu and Other Unpopular Opinions [Solo]
Release Date: August 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this spontaneous solo episode, Leslye Alfred embraces the unexpected by sharing her own "unpopular opinions" after a guest cancellation. Leaning into vulnerability and authenticity, she uses this off-the-cuff format to challenge mainstream thinking, reflect on internet discourse, and address listeners’ submitted takes. Leslye uses her characteristic warmth and humor to inspire listeners to question common narratives, stay true to themselves, and embrace the possibility inherent in living life on one’s own terms.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value of Disagreement & Going Off-Script

• Context: Leslye explains her tendency to be agreeable and avoid confrontation, both in life and as a podcast host. She realizes, however, that avoiding any sort of disagreement is “kind of boring.”
  • “Maybe it's okay for me to say some things that people disagree with.” (02:45)
• Emphasis on allowing space for healthy disagreement and stepping outside comfort zones to make content more compelling.

2. Unpopular Opinion 1: “Reality TV is Boring”

Timestamps: [05:05–08:35]

• Leslye’s stance: Reality TV today is “the dumbest thing I've ever heard or seen,” regardless of the show.
• She recounts regretting giving in to hype, e.g. binge-watching Love is Blind during COVID, only to feel it was 12 wasted hours.
  • “At the end of that first season, I was like, wow, this is 12 hours of my life that I will never get back and that I would like a refund on immediately.” (06:40)
• She contrasts current shows with what she calls the “golden age” of reality TV (e.g. The Real World, Flavor of Love), which felt grittier and more interesting.
• Acknowledges that reality TV can be a valid source of joy for others and admits she would have more engagement talking about it, but refuses to fake enthusiasm.

3. Unpopular Opinion 2: “The Term ‘Mean Girl’ Is Cringe”

Timestamps: [12:14–17:45]

• Strong dislike for how social media weaponizes “mean girl,” especially among adults.
  • “The idea of referring to somebody as a mean girl 20 years later, like using the term mean girl over 30, and if I'm talking about somebody over 30 sounds dumb as hell, I'm so sorry, it sounds so stupid.” (14:12)
• Recounts Mean Girls cultural impact for millennials, but thinks adults using the label is reductive and often trivializes serious behavior (e.g., harassment).
• Suggests using specific language to describe behaviors and encourage growth, instead of cutesy or infantilizing terms.
• Extends this to labels like “girl’s girl,” which she feels are often used more to police behavior and be exclusionary.

4. Unpopular Opinion 3: “Competition Is an Illusion—Focus on Yourself”

Timestamps: [18:00–21:40]

• Inspired by Matriarch by Tina Knowles, Leslye insists the only real competition is with one’s past and future selves—not with other people.
  • “The only competition that we have in our lives is ourselves... I genuinely do not believe in competing with other people unless you are playing an actual sport.” (18:16)
• Uses the Destiny’s Child origin story as a lesson: focus on your craft, not what others are doing.
• Believes that everyone has a “divine assignment;” thus, what's for you cannot be taken.

5. Unpopular Opinion 4: “Influencer Hate is Forced”

Timestamps: [21:45–31:55]

• Leslye discusses the “awkward relationship” between influencers and audiences.
• Notes brands prioritize influencer engagement for financial reasons, which can feel exclusionary to event-goers but isn’t the influencers’ fault.
• Suggests criticism of influencers is often gendered:
  • “If more men were as successful and as popular of influencers as women... I don't think influencers would get so much hate.” (25:11)
• Highlights the paradox: audiences want constant content and recommendations, but are quick to criticize influencers’ choices or success.
• Encourages listeners to curate their own feeds and seek harmony as this sector isn’t going away.

6. Unpopular Opinion 5: “Stop Calling Optimism ‘Delusional’”

Timestamps: [37:05–45:23]

• Leslye critiques the internet’s overuse of the word “delusional” to describe ambition or hope.
  • “I don't think that having big dreams is delusional. I don't think that hoping for the best is delusional.” (37:17)
• Looks up and reads the definition of “delusional,” arguing that imagining a better job or relationship is not out of touch with reality.
  • “I think that we need to reinforce more ideas of what is possible. And I think that it's okay to dream big.” (40:54)
• Advocates for normalizing both ambition and dreaming, pushing listeners to see “big dreams” as achievable, not unreachable.
• Notes the importance of having “expanders” in your circle—people whose example shifts your perspective of what’s possible.

7. Audience-Submitted Unpopular Opinions

Timestamps: [45:24–51:57]

• Living well without documenting life online: Agrees it’s possible but shares her personal drive to document for financial reasons.
  • “A big part of why I got into content was to make money and was to make more money than was offered to me in corporate spaces.” (45:24)
• Cringing at language trends like “let’s go” or “it’s giving”: Discusses overuse and cultural appropriation in slang, especially on social media, and generational divides in language.
• "Lion King 2 is better than Lion King": Playfully disagrees but lets listeners hold their truth.

Memorable Quotes

• “Maybe it's okay for me to say some things that people disagree with.” (02:45)
• “At the end of that first season, I was like, wow, this is 12 hours of my life that I will never get back and that I would like a refund on immediately.” (06:40)
• “The idea of referring to somebody as a mean girl 20 years later, like using the term mean girl over 30... sounds dumb as hell, I'm so sorry, it sounds so stupid.” (14:12)
• “The only competition that we have in our lives is ourselves... I genuinely do not believe in competing with other people unless you are playing an actual sport.” (18:16)
• “If more men were as successful and as popular of influencers as women... I don't think influencers would get so much hate.” (25:11)
• “I don't think that having big dreams is delusional. I don't think that hoping for the best is delusional.” (37:17)
• “A big part of why I got into content was to make money...because I had so much debt coming out of school.” (45:24)

Other Notable Moments

• Leslye transparently shares her own career motivations, discussing money, limited options, and building a business as an alternative to corporate jobs.
• She laughs at herself for her “not that spicy” opinions, admitting her inspirational style always shines through—even in a hot-takes format.
  • “I don't know how I was supposed to come on here and share some spicy hot takes and I still ended up with my little inspirational...I just can't help myself.” (43:11)

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• The episode is candid, uplifting, gently provocative, and rooted in self-compassion and wisdom.
• Leslye encourages listeners to:
  • Question popular language or trends
  • Think critically about social media narratives
  • Embrace possibility and ambition without shame
  • Curate online experiences to suit personal needs
• The solo format feels conversational, with Leslye speaking directly to audience questions and sharing her authentic thought process.

Episode Structure Map (Major Segments)

| Timestamp | Topic | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:12 | Unexpected guest cancellation and episode premise | | 05:05 | Unpopular Opinion: Reality TV is boring | | 12:14 | Unpopular Opinion: The term 'Mean Girl' is cringey and reductive | | 18:00 | Competition is an illusion; focus on you | | 21:45 | Influencer hate is forced; social dynamics | | 37:05 | Critique on “delusional” positivity language | | 45:24 | Listener-submitted unpopular opinions discussion | | 51:57 | Closing thoughts and episode wrap-up |

Closing Encouragement

Leslye rounds off by inviting listeners to reflect on their responses and share feedback, emphasizing the value of presenting lighter, more conversational episodes. She also reinforces her hope that the dialogue sparked open-mindedness and comfort with disagreement:

“We can disagree and still coexist and love each other.” (47:13)

For more unfiltered thoughts and conversation, Leslye encourages listeners to connect with her on TikTok (@balanceless) and Instagram (@lesalfred).