Can I get my own pet now?
Advice Is Optional
Our favorite special guest Ellie is back—and things get ruff! Gage and Ellie have very different takes on this topic, so buckle up and get ready to duck…shots are definitely fired in this episode. Find us @adviceisoptional on TikTok and IG for pictures of all the animals mentioned in this episode. Other helpful links from this episode: Helps homeless dogs to be matched with people with disabilities Rights to Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) Considering adoption or other ways to get involved with animals Something good to say? Leave a review or...
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Anxiety and A Case of Missing Baseballs
Advice Is Optional
In this episode, Gage and Kristal get real about anxiety—what it feels like, why it shows up, and what actually helps. From sweaty palms to spiraling thoughts, they break down the mind-body connection and give some tried-and-true tools to live by if you experience it. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? click on Highlights: 1:52 Gage defines anxiety 4:16 your brain doesn't know the difference between real and imagination 4:36...
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One Wedding and My Funeral?
Advice Is Optional
Gage is invited to his cousin’s wedding and he has a bunch of questions and a few rants. So, Kristal dives into the do’s and don’ts of wedding etiquette—from gifts and dress codes to rehearsal dinner confusion and whether or not it’s okay to sneak a peek at the Final Four during the vows. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? click on Highlights: 1:35 gift rant 5:18 generational differences 6:36 rehearsal dinner...
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Exercise as therapy, Say what?
Advice Is Optional
Gage shares how lifting weights became his therapy for dealing with anxiety, and Kristal explains why that worked. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, or just trying to get consistent, this episode offers simple, real-life ways to use movement as medicine. No gym membership required. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? click on Highlights: 2:45 Gage connects mental health and exercise thru yoga therapy 6:05 different...
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Meet the Parents: Part 2
Advice Is Optional
You’ve heard Gage and Kristal’s side, now it’s Sarah’s turn. In this follow-up episode, we finally get to meet Sarah and hear her take on what it was like meeting Gage’s parents for the first time. Was she nervous? Did she feel ambushed? And what was really going through her head at dinner? Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on Highlights: 1:18 Meet Sarah, the GF 2:55 Defining “official” 4:36...
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Meet the Parents: Part 1
Advice Is Optional
Is there ever a right time to introduce your girlfriend/boyfriend to your parents? Listen to find how Gage made that decision-or how the decision was made for him-and how it went! Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. It would really help and we would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on Highlights: 1:36 Gage gets BUSTED 6:03 Commitment level matters 10:29 Did Gage’s parents make his girlfriend feel uncomfortable at any point? 15:31 Kristal just wants to be getting...
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Work Life Balance: Is There Such a Thing?
Advice Is Optional
Is Work-Life Balance even a thing? We tackle this very question with a special guest, Ellie, Gage’s younger sister who is also experiencing her first real job and struggling with this same question. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. It really helps us and we would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on Highlights: 1:00 Meet Ellie 2:46 Gage’s definition of work life balance 3:44 Ellie’s definition of work life balance 4:09 Kristal’s definition of...
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Sunday Scaries
Advice Is Optional
After a five-day break, Gage talks about the anxiety creeping in before Monday hits. Kristal shares simple ways to ease the “Sunday Night Scaries” and how to shift your mindset for a smoother start to the week. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? click on Highlights: 2:26 Gage talks about his coping mechanisms 5:15 Kristal knows it as the Sunday blues and dives into why it happens 10:40 Sunday scaries/blues can have long term effects...
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Where Are My Underwear?
Advice Is Optional
Gage comes home to his childhood room turned guest room, and both Gage and Kristal have their own ideas as to how Gage reacted to the transition. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on Highlights: 2:25 everything is different 6:54 We have to take accountability at some point 8:43 Gage says he doesn’t give a shit 9:30 Gage compares home to a really annoying Air BNB 17:55 Gage breaks down his mom’s design choices....
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Dating Can Suck
Advice Is Optional
Moving to a new town is hard. Dating in a new town is harder. Kristal and Gage break down ideas to make dating less hard, and share views on online dating. Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. We would totally appreciate it! Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal? Click on Highlights: 1:36 the experience of online dating 4:04 [what we think is ] the science behind the dating apps 5:30 social media and your self-esteem 11:56 looking for partner has the opposite effect 15:51 forming connections through...
info_outlineIs Work-Life Balance even a thing? We tackle this very question with a special guest, Ellie, Gage’s younger sister who is also experiencing her first real job and struggling with this same question.
Something good to say? Leave a review or give us a shout out on social media. It really helps us and we would totally appreciate it!
Interested in your own Coaching Session with Kristal?
Click on https://kristalfiorentino.com/life-101/
Highlights:
1:00 Meet Ellie
2:46 Gage’s definition of work life balance
3:44 Ellie’s definition of work life balance
4:09 Kristal’s definition of work life balance
9:34 To do the cool sh*t in life, it takes a lot of work
19:49 Sometimes all you need is a-little acknowledgement
Advice is Optional" is a conversational podcast. The insights we share are personal opinions, not professional advice, and are intended to foster understanding, not to substitute expert guidance. Remember to consult qualified professionals for any medical, legal, or psychological concerns.