Episode Overview

Podcast: What’s the Reality?
Host: AD (Love is Blind’s AD)
Guests: Nikki & Brie Garcia (The Garcia Twins)
Date: September 15, 2025
Episode Title: Nikki & Brie Get Real About Becoming That Girl—At Any Age, On Your Own Terms on The Nikki & Brie Show.

Main Theme:
This episode delves into the evolving meaning of the phrase "being that girl"—highlighting personal growth, confidence, and authenticity at any age. Nikki and Brie reflect on how societal and generational definitions of “that girl” have shifted from status and external validation to self-worth, inner joy, and living life on one’s own terms.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Decoding “That Girl”: Then vs. Now

• Social Media’s Influence:
  • The phrase "that girl" is everywhere lately, often misunderstood as external perfection or popularity. Nikki and Brie clarify it's about inner confidence and authenticity, not external achievements.
  • [01:07] Nikki: “It’s about energy… You’re living as the best, most confident, most put together version of yourself. It’s about inside and out.”
• Generational Shift:
  • 20s Perspective: Previously, being “that girl” meant career success, attractiveness, the ideal relationship, material things, and adhering to a visible path.
    • [02:14] Brie: “In my 20s, being that girl, I would measure things on success—where I’m at in life… Got the good job, the good boyfriend, on track for marriage and success.”
  • Now: The focus is self-acceptance, letting go of others' opinions, genuine happiness, and prioritizing oneself.
    • [02:50] Nikki: “That girl to me is the girl that lets go of what people think… I live life for myself, for my pure joy and happiness and no one else’s.”

2. Inspiration & Grit in the Absence of Guidance

• Finding Main Character Energy:
  • The twins discuss lacking strong role models for 'main character energy’ in their youth, except for TV characters like Carrie Bradshaw.
    • [04:07] Nikki: “We didn’t really have the inspiration that everyone has now to be the main character of your own story… we did have Sex and the City… Carrie Bradshaw, she really was that if you think about her character.”
• Social Media vs. TV:
  • Current generations have daily positive “main character” inspiration via social media. Nikki and Brie appreciate today’s focus on routines, confidence, and self-driven joy.

3. Evolution of the “That Girl” Routine

• Wellness, Self-Respect, and Boundaries:
  • The “that girl” routine now centers on small, meaningful habits (morning rituals, wellness, self-care, self-respect), not luxury brands.
    • [05:01] Nikki: “Now, it’s more about what’s on the inside and things you do for yourself… when you talk about your morning routine, skincare, feeling and looking good, oozing confidence, going after your goals, having self-respect and boundaries.”

4. Defining Moments of “That Girl” Feeling

• Personal Anecdotes:
  • Both share transformative moments:
    • [06:41] Nikki: Signing her first WWE contract, moving to downtown San Diego, being able to support friends and celebrate hard work.
      • [07:09] Nikki: “I remember feeling like, I’m that girl, like I’ve made it.”
    • [07:48] Brie: Filming reality shows and realizing the power of authenticity—being loved for flaws and realness.
      • [07:52] Brie: “It was almost like, wow, we can be authentically us. And people love that… they liked the flaws. They loved hearing your opinion, even if they didn’t agree with it. It was the first time I felt like I could just be me.”

5. Grit, Grace, and Finding Your Own Way

• Lessons from Doing it Alone:
  • The sisters reflect on developing resilience (“grit and grace”) by forging their own paths and learning from mistakes due to a lack of clear role models.
    • [06:32] Nikki: “It has given us a lot of grit. And you see that in our generation we have a lot of grit and grace… we had to do it on our own.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 01:07 | Nikki | “It’s about energy… You’re living as the best, most confident, most put together version of yourself. It’s about inside and out.” | | 02:14 | Brie | "In my 20s, being that girl, I would measure things on success—where I’m at in life… Got the good job, the good boyfriend, on track for marriage and success." | | 02:50 | Nikki | “That girl to me is the girl that lets go of what people think… I live life for myself, for my pure joy and happiness and no one else’s.” | | 04:07 | Nikki | "We didn’t really have the inspiration that everyone has now to be the main character of your own story… Carrie Bradshaw, she really was that." | | 05:01 | Nikki | "Now, it’s more about what’s on the inside and things you do for yourself… when you talk about your morning routine, skincare, feeling and looking good, oozing confidence, going after your goals, having self-respect and boundaries." | | 06:32 | Nikki | "It has given us a lot of grit. And you see that in our generation we have a lot of grit and grace… we had to do it on our own." | | 07:09 | Nikki | “I remember feeling like, I’m that girl, like I’ve made it.” | | 07:52 | Brie | “It was almost like, wow, we can be authentically us. And people love that… they liked the flaws. They loved hearing your opinion, even if they didn’t agree with it. It was the first time I felt like I could just be me.” |

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:34] Introduction of the topic “being that girl” and its prevalence on social media
• [01:07] Defining “that girl”—inner confidence vs. social status
• [02:14] “That girl” in your 20s vs. now—contrasting perspectives
• [04:07] Role models and the influence of pop culture (Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City)
• [05:01] Modern “that girl” rituals and self-defined standards
• [06:32] The value of grit, learning through self-reliance
• [07:09] Nikki shares her personal “that girl” turning point
• [07:52] Brie reflects on authenticity and reality TV’s impact

Conclusion

Nikki and Brie’s candid conversation redefines “that girl” as an evolving journey, shifting from the pursuit of status symbols to the pursuit of self-love, boundaries, and authenticity. Their stories highlight generational wisdom, grit, and the pivotal realization that being “that girl” is not about age, success, or trend—but about showing up for yourself, embracing your journey, and owning your narrative.