In this episode, I talk about my personal struggles with creativity and how I've learned to embrace it in a healthy way. I also give advice on how to deal with toxic friendships and share some of my current favorite things, including a new Real Housewives reboot and some true crime podcasts.
If you're looking for some inspiration on how to navigate the messy middles of life, then this episode is for you. I also answer a listener's question about how to end a toxic friendship in a respectful way, so be sure to tune in.
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My Happy Curves
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Welcome to sharing the middle of a recovering perfectionist overachievers.
Lacey:And anyone in the middle of a struggle come together and learn to
Lacey:embrace the messy metals of life.
Lacey:I'm Lacey, your friend in the middle and guide.
Lacey:His claim to fame this week is actually putting all of my laundry away.
Lacey:Not just, So in the things that need to get hung on the, clothes
Lacey:pile, no, everything got put away.
Lacey:I'm a big deal.
Lacey:Don't worry about it.
Lacey:Today's mini episode we're going to do an essay from the middle.
Lacey:We're going to jump into a little bit of it face from the middle.
Lacey:And then finish up with Lacy labs.
Lacey:Just a quick warning.
Lacey:I'm getting over a cold.
Lacey:And have a.
Lacey:Low sexy, but raspy voice.
Lacey:And my voice does cut out a little bit over this episode.
Lacey:So I apologize up front for that.
Lacey:let's jump in.
Lacey:Today's essay from the middle is called creation.
Lacey:Fixation.
Lacey:When I first started the middle and created its content.
Lacey:It consumed me.
Lacey:I ate, drank and breathed it.
Lacey:And now I don't want to do that anymore.
Lacey:I still love the middle.
Lacey:And all that has done for me and become for me.
Lacey:It has shifted for me.
Lacey:I look at it like my job.
Lacey:That I happily do every week.
Lacey:It's given me a space to consistently create it within a box.
Lacey:Make connections.
Lacey:And maybe someday make some money.
Lacey:Look, I'm fickle.
Lacey:I'm fickle with my creativity.
Lacey:I was able to suppress this for a while.
Lacey:And used it in different areas of my life to fulfill this need.
Lacey:Starting a new job moving, getting married, having a baby, et cetera.
Lacey:It worked for a really long time.
Lacey:And then I was bedridden and couldn't do those things.
Lacey:So the need to create exploded out of me and birth the middle.
Lacey:During that time I learned about what it means to be a manifestor in human design.
Lacey:My energy is designed to create something and move on.
Lacey:Not necessarily.
Lacey:To stick with it for periods of time.
Lacey:Recently I've started having that itch again, my creativity was stifled
Lacey:and uninspired, and then I thought.
Lacey:What if I just let that creativity fly?
Lacey:What if I've learned to do it in a constructive way.
Lacey:Leaning into it.
Lacey:Creating helps me survive the messy middles of life.
Lacey:So I'm creating a space C.
Lacey:You look at me, I'm Medica creating.
Lacey:Where I can just let that creative energy flow.
Lacey:It's a no holds barred area where whatever my little creation fixation
Lacey:for that week will be highlighted.
Lacey:You've already seen me do this a bit with my crocheting.
Lacey:I was even able to use it to relate back to the middle, but I don't want to
Lacey:have to do that in every single case.
Lacey:Honestly, who knows what it will be for a week.
Lacey:Knitting, crocheting, baking gardening.
Lacey:A new app or technology may fall into this.
Lacey:And maybe a very random blog where I need to talk to about Vanderpump rules
Lacey:for the week and get my thoughts out.
Lacey:It doesn't have to be anything, but whatever it is, most importantly
Lacey:though, it doesn't have to be a lasting project that I stick with forever.
Lacey:And guess what if it's nothing.
Lacey:I'm going to tell you that too.
Lacey:Wild right.
Lacey:Every week is part of my weekly newsletter.
Lacey:You're going to see.
Lacey:My creation fixation for what the week is.
Lacey:It's the thing that like my brain can't quite let go of.
Lacey:Whether it's a problem solve.
Lacey:Which is really at the core of this fixation.
Lacey:A project I'm doing or whatever it ends up feeling.
Lacey:Maybe it's related to the middle.
Lacey:Maybe it's not.
Lacey:I hope you can see how there is so much beauty in this for me.
Lacey:And so many different ways.
Lacey:It's giving myself a tool to be who I am.
Lacey:Without judgment or shame.
Lacey:And as usual.
Lacey:I'm letting you in on that ride.
Lacey:Welcome to Advice From The Middle segment for today.
Lacey:today I have one about toxic friendships.
Lacey:The letter reads.
Lacey:I have a friend who I've been close to for a long time, but I have started to
Lacey:feel like our friendship has become toxic.
Lacey:I feel stuck in this friendship and I can't seem to get out of it.
Lacey:My friend is very demanding and controlling.
Lacey:If they often make plans without consulting me and get upset.
Lacey:If I'm not available.
Lacey:They also make me feel guilty if I don't prioritize our friendship
Lacey:over my other commitments.
Lacey:I'm starting to feel like I can't be myself around them and that
Lacey:they don't respect my boundaries.
Lacey:I want to end this friendship, but I don't know how to do it without causing drama.
Lacey:Or hurting their feelings.
Lacey:I'm afraid that if I confront them, they will become angry and lash out at me.
Lacey:The same time.
Lacey:I know that this friendship is not healthy for me and I need to move on.
Lacey:Do you have any advice on how I can end this friendship and a respectful.
Lacey:And healthy way.
Lacey:I'm going to push back on a few things that you say here.
Lacey:Only because I think.
Lacey:It may be able to hope.
Lacey:You in, possibly ending this friendship.
Lacey:So one thing that I wanted to point out is that you feel
Lacey:guilty if you don't prioritize.
Lacey:Their friendship over other commitments.
Lacey:You are the one that makes you feel guilty?
Lacey:Not that.
Lacey:Guilt is something that we feel internally about things.
Lacey:So there still is something in this friendship.
Lacey:That you feel.
Lacey:Invested in.
Lacey:If you didn't care.
Lacey:You wouldn't feel guilty.
Lacey:So I say that initially, because.
Lacey:I think.
Lacey:Part of the work that you need to do before you even talked to this person.
Lacey:Is figuring out.
Lacey:Your internal.
Lacey:Thoughts and feelings.
Lacey:Because of you're feeling guilty about not prioritizing the friendship.
Lacey:It means that there's still something inside you that tells you.
Lacey:That the friendship is worthy of being prioritized.
Lacey:And it sounds That's not the case because you want to end it.
Lacey:And I know it may sound like semantics, and I understand that
Lacey:you probably feel guilty because you do care for this person, but
Lacey:they're not good for your life.
Lacey:The idea is just getting comfortable with both of those things at the same time.
Lacey:Because what that's going to do is it's going to give you power.
Lacey:In this situation.
Lacey:Because when I'm hearing a lot from this is that this
Lacey:person is doing things to you.
Lacey:Especially when it says you say things like they don't respect my boundaries.
Lacey:Boundaries are not about other people.
Lacey:Boundaries about what you are willing to accept.
Lacey:There's been a lot of talk about boundaries recently.
Lacey:Because of like Jonah hill using therapy, speak to be controlling in a relationship.
Lacey:And the reality is if you set a boundary to control another
Lacey:person, It is not a boundary.
Lacey:A boundary is about what you are willing to accept.
Lacey:So if they crossed your boundary,
Lacey:You have to be the one to not be willing to accept that.
Lacey:An example of this is you can call me after 10:00 PM.
Lacey:I'm not going to answer.
Lacey:So see the, they have the action that they're going to take.
Lacey:You have the action that you're going to take?
Lacey:It's really about setting up expectations and then actually following them.
Lacey:Because it sounds to me like this person knows that if you say.
Lacey:I don't want this.
Lacey:Then you will just bow down to it eventually.
Lacey:And so this is where I say start with these actions of you.
Lacey:Actually respecting your own boundaries.
Lacey:So they often make plans without consulting me and get
Lacey:upset if I'm not available.
Lacey:That's on them.
Lacey:You set the boundary of Hey, I need this amount of time.
Lacey:To be able to go and do something.
Lacey:If you come in after that, I won't be able to do it.
Lacey:Boom boundary.
Lacey:I say all this, because one it's about you reclaiming your power.
Lacey:And you owning your own stuff in this relationship.
Lacey:And when I think we'll end up happening naturally.
Lacey:Is if this person really is toxic.
Lacey:They are going to self-select out.
Lacey:That, if they know they can't really push you around anymore.
Lacey:And they're really only looking for a friend who is someone that they can get,
Lacey:whatever they need whenever they need it.
Lacey:They're going to stop coming to you.
Lacey:And that's where that work that you've done about not feeling guilty.
Lacey:It's going to come in handy because you're going to care less and less.
Lacey:What I think you should do is really focused on yourself in this relationship.
Lacey:And then if it gets to the point where they're not respecting
Lacey:or continuing to like.
Lacey:At that point, it's almost like harassment, right?
Lacey:You can very clearly say.
Lacey:I told you, this is what, how I felt you did this.
Lacey:I'm not gonna stand for that.
Lacey:I don't think we can see each other anymore.
Lacey:The best thing that you can do in situations.
Lacey:With people that you feel are toxic is to have very clear stipulations.
Lacey:Because in the gray area is where they can take advantage.
Lacey:Where they can say, I meant, and you can say, no, I said this.
Lacey:I'm being.
Lacey:It may sound like almost like lawyering, honestly.
Lacey:But it truly is in everybody's best interest to be upfront about what
Lacey:you want and what you'll accept.
Lacey:And if you don't want to accept something, That has to do with
Lacey:your willingness to accept it.
Lacey:Not about controlling their actions.
Lacey:' cause I gotta be honest.
Lacey:There's a little bit of.
Lacey:You wanting to control their actions in this.
Lacey:Like I said, you, they don't respect your boundaries once they're your boundaries.
Lacey:You have to be the one to enforce them.
Lacey:I know that was probably a little bit more tough lovey than you were hoping for.
Lacey:But I think oftentimes, especially in relationships with a lot of
Lacey:history, We can feel that pressure.
Lacey:Of.
Lacey:having to do things certain ways, or this is who this person
Lacey:is and that kind of stuff.
Lacey:And that at the end of the day, that's fine.
Lacey:They get to be the person that they are.
Lacey:You get to be the person that you are.
Lacey:And if you continue to show up for yourself in a consistent.
Lacey:Calm.
Lacey:Way.
Lacey:They will probably show themselves out.
Lacey:Maybe.
Lacey:Your friend shapes up and then you have a friend still.
Lacey:And that works in the confines of your life.
Lacey:But yeah, you can only control you.
Lacey:And so that's where I would say really put in the effort.
Lacey:Have you in this relationship in standing up for yourself?
Lacey:Not yelling at them, not blaming them.
Lacey:But really actually standing up for your boundaries in what you want.
Lacey:And I have a feeling if they're really toxic.
Lacey:They will take care of themselves
Lacey:Yeah.
Lacey:I know it's all easier said than done.
Lacey:But, for your you know sake and health.
Lacey:I think this can also be good in other relationships moving forward.
Lacey:So I wish you luck my friend.
Lacey:And.
Lacey:You got this?
Lacey:You got this?
Lacey:Welcome to Lacey labs.
Lacey:This is a weekly Roundup of all the different things.
Lacey:And I am loving for the week.
Lacey:Ish.
Lacey:It's a little more than a week now, but anyway, It could be products.
Lacey:Feelings.
Lacey:I don't know all kinds of things.
Lacey:I am recording this on Monday morning.
Lacey:Afternoon.
Lacey:It's Monday afternoon now.
Lacey:And I just finished the new, It's like a reboot of real Housewives of New York.
Lacey:And I loved it.
Lacey:And I loved it because it is the things that I enjoy about real Housewives.
Lacey:if you're in the real Housewives discourse, she'll know that.
Lacey:Real Housewives have gotten a little too much into the, Intense drama.
Lacey:Of like people going to jail.
Lacey:high profile.
Lacey:infidelity and all these different things.
Lacey:And having people argue over.
Lacey:The comment of whether or not cheeses gross.
Lacey:First of all, it's not cheeses.
Lacey:Amazing.
Lacey:or that they faked NACA wanting to go to a restaurant.
Lacey:And once a different restaurant instead.
Lacey:Like it's so ridiculous.
Lacey:And it's Silly, but lovely in some weird way.
Lacey:I also love getting into, see some of these different people's lives of
Lacey:getting a window into different lives.
Lacey:That is a part of what I do enjoy about the Housewives.
Lacey:And the other thing is I just, you don't get to see you women.
Lacey:Be this complicated.
Lacey:I know that sounds, may sound high, like too silly or high brow, but A
Lacey:lot of these women have kids in there.
Lacey:Working, and then they are coming together to figure out how to get along.
Lacey:And that's interesting to me.
Lacey:I say all this, because since it's a new kind of reboot frat.
Lacey:RI boot.
Lacey:Is that the right word?
Lacey:Reboot.
Lacey:Yeah, that's right.
Lacey:who brain fog?
Lacey:Hello?
Lacey:if you have never dabbled in Housewives before, and maybe a good
Lacey:place to start, because there is no background that you really need to
Lacey:know going in, And it's a diverse cast, which I think is really exciting.
Lacey:Jenna Lyons is in it.
Lacey:I don't really know who that is, but a lot of people seem
Lacey:to be really excited about it.
Lacey:I've Googled her and I've read who she is, but I don't have
Lacey:the visceral response that other people have, talked about with her.
Lacey:but it's just interesting to see women in different areas of their lives.
Lacey:Come together.
Lacey:and be strong, but still fight over cheese.
Lacey:Cause that's fine.
Lacey:it's not fine.
Lacey:Nobody should ever fight over cheese because cheese is amazing.
Lacey:And any debate about it being amazing is not something that I want to support, but.
Lacey:It is where we are.
Lacey:it's fine.
Lacey:Spoiler.
Lacey:We all.
Lacey:We'll agree that she's amazing at the end of the.
Lacey:Episode.
Lacey:but yeah, it's a good entry and starting point and also just the
Lacey:fashion is so interesting to see.
Lacey:Fashion, manifest in different women.
Lacey:I don't know.
Lacey:it's for your eyes, your ears, your sensibility.
Lacey:I just, I love it all.
Lacey:Jose is a New York.
Lacey:That's one of them.
Lacey:I've also been diving back into true crime podcasts.
Lacey:I'm usually not a big, true crime podcast gal.
Lacey:I.
Lacey:I don't like violence and I don't like when a victim or.
Lacey:Really it's a victim gets turned into a character.
Lacey:don't get me wrong.
Lacey:Of course I fall into that.
Lacey:I listened to serial and was way too into it.
Lacey:I just.
Lacey:I don't know, there's too much humanity in.
Lacey:Someone dying typically for me to get really into it.
Lacey:But I stumbled upon on podcasts called schemata, which is about
Lacey:a woman with quote cancer.
Lacey:raising money and then writing about it online.
Lacey:And getting attention.
Lacey:And Amani.
Lacey:And maybe she didn't have cancer.
Lacey:I have a lot of thoughts on it.
Lacey:As someone who talks about my health and rights about my health online now.
Lacey:I also.
Lacey:Have a PA.
Lacey:A close relationship.
Lacey:With.
Lacey:Young women getting cancer.
Lacey:I've had several family members get cancer when they were young and the
Lacey:impact that can have and all those things.
Lacey:So I have a lot of thoughts about it that I'm actually writing my
Lacey:blog post this week about it.
Lacey:So stay tuned for that.
Lacey:The puck is itself.
Lacey:I don't know if I would recommend.
Lacey:Structurally.
Lacey:Like I, I find the.
Lacey:Story interesting, but the storytelling and the podcast is quite confusing.
Lacey:And there are so many questions that have been left, open.
Lacey:That I get why they didn't tackle them because there's a
Lacey:lot of Liability with some of it.
Lacey:But it's frustrating.
Lacey:We'll just leave it there.
Lacey:but I did listen to another one called believe in magic, which is similar.
Lacey:One from the UK.
Lacey:it was just nice too.
Lacey:Dive into true crime podcasts again.
Lacey:Without them needing to be murdered.
Lacey:About people dying.
Lacey:There's that.
Lacey:I do.
Lacey:Yeah.
Lacey:If you have suggestions of like scam type things, so you
Lacey:still listen to scam goddess.
Lacey:I fell off a little bit.
Lacey:Yeah, I enjoy that aspect of true crime.
Lacey:I'll take recommendations.
Lacey:You know what my Lacy loved this week, as far as the product I'm
Lacey:recommending is my own book.
Lacey:I would love for you to buy my book.
Lacey:It's on Amazon.
Lacey:And I'll put a link in there.
Lacey:I actually have been revisiting my book a lot.
Lacey:So that is genuine.
Lacey:I think I'm going to be re revisiting my personal mission statement.
Lacey:Because I need to get a little bit more focused in my life.
Lacey:So I did go ahead and set up a page where you can send it for the middle of
Lacey:newsletter and get the first chapter.
Lacey:Of the book for free.
Lacey:So you can do that.
Lacey:I'll have a link in the show notes.
Lacey:If you want to do that.
Lacey:Man.
Lacey:I'm so great at self promotion can't even handle it.
Lacey:I really do hope that you have a great week.
Lacey:And I would love for you to share something with me that you are loving.
Lacey:whether that's in DMS or email or just on a.
Lacey:middle post.
Lacey:Share the left.
Lacey:What are you loving?