Topic Roulette | Maintenance: The Things That Keep Us Going
Release Date: 01/15/2026
Topic Roulette | Maintenance: The Things That Keep Us Going
Unpack My Brain
This episode introduces a new format I’m calling Topic Roulette — where I pull one word and let it take me wherever it wants to go. Today’s word is maintenance. We usually think of maintenance as something boring or inconvenient. But the more I sat with it, the more I realized how much of life quietly depends on it. Relationships, friendships, work, and even our sense of self don’t fall apart all at once — they fade when they’re no longer maintained. In this episode, I think out loud about the unglamorous, often invisible work it takes to keep things alive. Not to fix them. Not to...
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The Waiting Game: Not Yet or Never?
Unpack My Brain
Some seasons of life don’t come with clear answers. In this episode of Unpack My Brain, I sit with the discomfort of waiting — the kind where nothing feels like a clear yes or a definite no. Just… stuck in between. I share my personal experience of being in a waiting season, the confusion and frustration that comes with it, and the quiet ways it starts to affect how you see yourself. We unpack what it means to wait without clarity, to question whether something is “not yet” or “never,” and how exhausting it can be to keep showing up when you don’t know what you’re waiting...
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Let's Start Here
Unpack My Brain
Welcome to Unpack My Brain!
In our first episode, I talk a little bit about how this show is going to be. And not so little later, we went a little deep to talk through the feeling that hits after the excitement of New Year’s resolutions fades — when motivation turns into overwhelm and expectations start to feel heavy.
This episode isn’t about productivity hacks or fixing yourself. It’s about slowing down, sitting with uncertainty, and reminding ourselves that feeli
info_outlineThis episode introduces a new format I’m calling Topic Roulette — where I pull one word and let it take me wherever it wants to go.
Today’s word is maintenance.
We usually think of maintenance as something boring or inconvenient. But the more I sat with it, the more I realized how much of life quietly depends on it. Relationships, friendships, work, and even our sense of self don’t fall apart all at once — they fade when they’re no longer maintained.
In this episode, I think out loud about the unglamorous, often invisible work it takes to keep things alive. Not to fix them. Not to perfect them. Just to keep them from quietly falling apart.
This isn’t an advice episode. It’s an observation — about consistency, presence, and the small ways we show up when no one’s watching.
In this episode, we unpack:
- What “maintenance” really means beyond chores and routines
- How relationships change when maintenance is ignored
- The quiet upkeep required in friendships
- Maintenance at work — before burnout happens
- Why self-maintenance isn’t selfish, but necessary
A thought to sit with
Most things don’t break suddenly.
They wear down slowly — when maintenance stops.
About Topic Roulette
Topic Roulette is a recurring format on Unpack My Brain where one word becomes the starting point — not a conclusion. No rules, no advice, just space to explore how everyday ideas show up in real life.
What in your life could use a little maintenance right now — not a major overhaul, just attention?
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This podcast uses music from Ende.app:
Music: Relaxing Lofi - Hexakaideca
Licensed under CC BY 4.0: https://ende.app/en/standard-license
Source: https://ende.app/en/browse
Changes made: trimmed and faded