The High Functioning Hot Mess Podcast

The High Functioning Hot Mess is where high-achieving women come to drop the perfection act and get real about stress, health, and healing. Hosted by functional dietitian Elizabeth Bronk McLaughlin, this podcast explores the beautiful chaos of doing it all—while learning to soften, slow down, and actually feel good again.

The High Functioning Hot Mess Podcast is a health podcast hosted by Elizabeth Bronk McLaughlin, with 33 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Elizabeth Bronk McLaughlin hosts The High Functioning Hot Mess Podcast, a health show with 33 episodes published.

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  Episode #33

  33. Your Health Isn’t the End Goal—Your Life Is

  Aug 30, 202612 min

  What if the goal of taking care of yourself… wasn’t actually to get better at taking care of yourself? In the final episode of the Create Capacity for Fall mini series, we’re bringing everything together and talking about the real reason we create rhythms, nourish our bodies, support ourselves, and make our lives a little more effortless: So we have the capacity to actually LIVE them. Because your health isn’t the end goal. Your morning routine isn’t the end goal. Your nutrition, habits, productivity, or perfectly optimized schedule aren’t the end goal. Your life is. In this episode, I’m sharing some of the simple rhythms that have been helping me create more space in my own life lately—including my newly founded “5:30 AM Club”—and why getting the important (and sometimes boring) things done in less sucky ways has given me more room for the things that actually make life beautiful. Things like playing pickleball with my husband, making salsa from my garden, spending a Friday night eating pizza with a friend, reading a book in three days, noticing the sunrise, building community, and asking myself some much bigger questions about the life I want to create. We’re talking about: Why a healthy lifestyle gets to look different for each of us Creating supportive rhythms instead of relying on force and discipline Why creating capacity doesn’t mean filling that space with more productivity Making room for beauty, relationships, community, faith, creativity, rest, play, and purpose Asking yourself what you actually want instead of what you think you should want Using nourishment as a foundation for building a life that feels really, really good to live And I’m leaving you with one question as we close out this four-part series: What do you want to have the capacity for? If this series has made you think, Oh… I want more of this, I would love to have you join me inside Held & Nourished . Held & Nourished is my six-week live guided experience for women who are ready to stop treating nourishment like another thing they need to get right. Together, we’ll explore what it means to feel nourished physically, mentally, emotionally, and within the actual rhythms of your life—so you can better understand what supports you, what drains you, and what helps you feel most like you . We begin September 21 and meet live on Monday evenings at 6 PM Central for six weeks . You can reach out to me on Instagram at @thehighfunctioninghotmess or email me at elizabethalice2021@gmail.com to let me know you're interested. Because we’re not creating capacity just so we can do more. We’re creating capacity so we can live. Connect with Elizabeth: https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/ @thehighfunctioninghotmess on Instagram Subscribe to Vitality Vignette for cozy wellness musings Now on TikTok! The High Functioning Hot Mess Join Me Inside Held & Nourished

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  Episode #32

  32. Creating Capacity to Flourish

  Aug 16, 202618 min

  What if the answer isn't figuring out how to do more ... but creating a life that requires less force from you? In this episode of The High Functioning Hot Mess , we're continuing the mini-series with a conversation about capacity —and how the things we sometimes convince ourselves we "don't have time for" may actually be the very things that give us more energy, patience, creativity, and presence for the rest of our lives. We're talking about rest, nourishment, movement, intuition, and creating rhythms that actually work for your body, nervous system, personality, and season of life. Because maybe you're not lazy. Maybe you don't need more discipline. Maybe you need to stop forcing yourself into someone else's version of health and start asking: What conditions actually help me thrive? In this episode, we explore: Why nourishment isn't another thing to add to your checklist—it's a capacity builder How rest can actually make you more productive and creative Learning to listen to the little intuitive nudges your body gives you Making nutrition feel more effortless by creating supportive rhythms Why movement doesn't have to mean forcing yourself into a workout routine you hate Finding a "why" for your health habits that actually matters to you How your environment and community can influence your motivation Defining health and success on your own terms Identifying what gives you life—and what quietly drains it What gives me life? What energizes me, motivates me, or simply sounds fun? Where do I need more rest, play, beauty, community, structure, or rhythm? And... What quietly drains me? What am I continuing to do because I feel like I should , even though it doesn't fit the life I'm trying to create? I finally get to share something that's been over a year in the making. Held + Nourished is a six-week guided live group experience for high-achieving women who are tired of surviving and ready to feel truly nourished beyond typical wellness. This isn't another program with more rules, expectations, or boxes to check. It's an invitation to slow down, reconnect with yourself, and intentionally cultivate a life that feels nourishing from the inside out. Over six weeks, we'll gather live each Monday evening for thoughtful teaching, guided reflection, meaningful conversation, and simple ways to bring each week's theme into your real life. We'll explore what it looks like to romanticize your life a little more, notice what's already beautiful, create more of what you've been craving, and build rhythms that support the woman you want to become. Held + Nourished begins Monday, September 21, 2026. Registration officially opens next week, and I'm intentionally keeping this first group small. If this mini-series has had you thinking, YES. This is exactly what I need, you can reach out to me on Instagram at @thehighfunctioninghotmess or email me at elizabethalice2021@gmail.com to let me know you're interested. Because a nourishing life is about so much more than how you eat. It's about how you live your one big, beautiful, precious life. Journal PromptsIntroducing Held + Nourished ✨

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  Episode #31

  31. What Does It Really Mean to Be Nourished?

  Aug 9, 202618 min

  What does it really mean to be nourished? Last week, we asked: Where in my life am I trying to force what actually needs support? This week, we're taking that conversation one step further with another question: What truly nourishes me? After seven years as a dietitian, one thing has become increasingly clear to me: wellness is about the food…and it’s not about the food at all. In this episode, we're expanding nourishment beyond what’s on our plates and exploring the many ways we can care for our bodies, nervous systems, relationships, creativity, and spirits. I’m sharing pieces of my own journey—from rebuilding gentle rhythms around food and learning what my highly sensitive nervous system needs, to rediscovering creativity, community, faith, rest, and the tiny everyday moments that help me feel more like myself. Because maybe nourishment isn't about following the perfect wellness routine. Maybe it's about learning to listen. What truly nourishes me? Consider it through a few different lenses: your body, nervous system, relationships, creativity, spirit, and even the spaces you live in. Create one intentionally nourishing moment each day. Eat breakfast at the table. Buy yourself flowers. Read ten pages of a book. Take a slow walk. Call a friend. Make something just because it sounds fun. Watch the sunset. Then simply ask: Did that leave me feeling more nourished? No judgment. No gold stars. No perfection. Just curiosity. My episode about my “Year of Hobbies” Connect with Elizabeth: https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/ @thehighfunctioninghotmess on Instagram Subscribe to Vitality Vignette for cozy wellness musings Now on TikTok! The High Functioning Hot Mess Next week, we're taking this one step further: once we know what nourishes us, how do we actually create the capacity to make room for it? Your journal prompt for the week:This week's invitation:Mentioned in this episode:

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  Episode #30

  30. Where In My Life Am I Trying to Force What Actually Needs Support?

  Aug 2, 202610 min

  What if you don’t need more discipline - you need more support? Back-to-school season brings a return to routines, structure, and often a renewed desire to “get healthy again.” But when life is already full, adding more wellness goals to the list can quickly become another source of pressure. In the first episode of this mini-series preparing for fall, we’re exploring a different approach to wellness—especially for high-functioning, highly sensitive women. What if the problem isn’t your motivation, consistency, or willpower? What if you’ve been trying to solve a capacity problem with discipline? We’re talking about creating rhythms that support your nervous system, choosing nourishment over performance, caring for the body you have today, and building a version of wellness that actually leaves room for beauty, rest, joy, and your real life. Where in my life am I trying to force what actually needs support? Take the question with you this week. Notice what comes up. We’ll build from there throughout this mini-series. My conversation with Jesie Steffes about Highly Sensitive People My conversation with Jesie about wellness culture Sated Soul by Jesie Steffes Connect with Elizabeth: https://www.elizabethalicellc.com/ @thehighfunctioninghotmess on Instagram Subscribe to Vitality Vignette for cozy wellness musings Now on TikTok! The High Functioning Hot Mess And stay tuned—because there’s something new coming for women who are ready for wellness to feel a little more nourishing, supportive, and human. Your journal prompt for the week:Mentioned in this episode:

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  Episode #29

  29. What Little House Taught Me: My Biggest Takeaways from a Summer on the Prairie

  Jul 12, 20267 min

  In the final episode of the Little House Summer series, I'm reflecting on everything this journey with Laura Ingalls Wilder has taught me — about slowing down, stepping back from social media, building rhythms that ground us, and prioritizing family above all else. I share my thoughts on the new Netflix adaptation vs. the original series, why the heart of the books still shines through both, and the biggest lesson the prairie taught me: life is hard, life is unexpected, and we still have so much to be grateful for. Plus, a heartfelt thank-you to Laura for the perspective, comfort, and simplicity her story has given me during one of the hardest seasons of my life. We're taking a short break before more episodes drop later this summer — thank you for following along on this series! 💛 Loved this series? Go back and listen to my thoughts on the Little House reboot, and let me know if you pick up the books!

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