Stop Begging to Be Chosen And Go Where You’re Wanted
This week, I’m talking about what it feels like to be unwanted—by men, by friendships, by jobs, by the popular girls with the trendy names who never wanted to sit with you at lunch. I share what growing up as the daughter of Chinese immigrants taught me about invisibility, advocacy, and watching my mom try to return a pot to Kmart in broken English while I stood there, 7 years old, already learning what it means to feel small.
I talk about how I’ve slowly learned that just because someone doesn’t want you doesn’t mean you’re unworthy. It might just mean they’re not the right person, not the right door, not the right moment. I also get into rat metaphors, George Eliot, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop running and let what’s meant for you catch up.
If you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink to be chosen—this one’s for you.
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36:03
My Best Friend Paid For Her Own Engagement Ring
She’s 32, never had a boyfriend, and just dropped thousands to fund her own proposal — hotel, flowers, the ring he gave her. Meanwhile, he’s out here liking thirst traps and asking her for money for designer watches. In this episode, I unpack the heartbreak of watching someone you love choose delusion over dignity — and why trying to save them might actually be a way of avoiding your own sh*t.
Also in this episode:
• The difference between generosity and desperation (and how thin the line can be)
• The ex-boyfriend I tried to impress with an espresso machine I couldn’t afford
• Why today — some random Tuesday in June — might be your new beginning
• The illusion of arrival — what happens after you get the life you begged for
This is Brutally Anna 2.0 — where it's us just now, and nothing's off limits.
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24:50
Never Take Life Too Seriously feat. Nicole Pellegrino
On this week's episode, former director of Betches Media turned content creator Nicole Pellegrino shares her journey as we delve into her candid and often humorous takes on marriage, millennial life, and her rescue doLouie. She opens up about the impact of her mom's passing, her parents' divorce, and why she strives never to take life too seriously, because, in her words, "we're all just floating on this rock."
Follow Anna:
https://www.instagram.com/maybeboth/
https://www.tiktok.com/@maybeboth
https://www.youtube.com/@maybeboth
Follow Nicole:
https://www.instagram.com/nicolepellegrin0
https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolepellegrin0
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1:20:22
Kristina Zias Isn't Afraid To Ask For Help
Fashion and beauty influencer, Kristina Zias, dives into her 13-year journey from being called 'cringe' to becoming a body positivity queen featured on The Drew Barrymore Show and People Magazine. We discuss juggling motherhood, cross-country move, and running her own business and why her delusional confidence has led her to achieving (and running!) races and experiences she never thought she once could.
Follow Anna:
https://www.instagram.com/maybeboth/
https://www.tiktok.com/@maybeboth
https://www.youtube.com/@maybeboth
Follow Kristina
https://www.instagram.com/kristinazias/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kristinazias
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1:20:13
Find The Club That Wants You feat. Zarna Garg
This week, I'm joined by comedy powerhouse Zarna Garg as she recounts her transition from practicing law (where her clients mostly ended up in jail) to becoming one of Variety’s '10 Comics to Watch.' Known for her razor-sharp wit, cultural insights, and brutally honest takes on life as an immigrant mom, Zarna dishes on her zig-zag journey. Imagine litigating to realizing you’re better at telling jokes about your mother-in-law than getting people out of jail. Add 16 years as a stay-at-home mom in NYC (three kids and a soul-crushing shoe-box apartment), and you have the perfect recipe for a comedy. Listen as Zarna talks about her stumble into a comedy club, where she hilariously tore into her mother-in-law and had an epiphany: 'Hey, I’m good at this!' She also doles out practical advice: dreams can change (now she’s got someone else getting her cilantro), persistence beats proof, and even gives a shout-out to her 'world-class ego destroyer' mother-in-law. Zarna's story is as inspiring as it is hilarious, packed with eye-openers on motherhood, chasing dreams, and making audiences—and mother-in-laws—laugh out loud.
Follow Anna:
https://www.instagram.com/maybeboth/
https://www.tiktok.com/@maybeboth
https://www.youtube.com/@maybeboth
Follow Zarna
https://www.instagram.com/zarnagarg/
https://www.tiktok.com/@zarnagarg
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to Brutally Anna — the podcast where we stop pretending we’re fine and start telling the f*cking truth.
I’m Anna, a writer, accidental influencer, and self-appointed spokesperson for the women who feel too much, think too hard, and talk to themselves in the shower. This isn’t a self-help podcast. It’s a self-honesty one.
Each week, I dive into the mess of being a human — the shame, the silence, the spirals — and say the things we’re all thinking but too afraid to post. From heartbreak to ambition, mental health to mental health to creative burnout, loneliness to the urge to completely disappear... nothing is off-limits. If it’s brutally honest, we go there.
No fake pep talks. No toxic positivity. Just the deeply uncomfortable, strangely funny, painfully freeing truth.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re too much or not enough — you’re in the right place. Pull up a chair. Let’s get brutal. New episodes on Wednesdays.
![Podcast Fundação (FFMS) - [IN] Pertinente](https://www.radio.pt/podcast-images/175/fundacao-ffms-in-pertinente3.jpeg?version=751818fd2ba787c572328b71e4c53d4a)
Portugal