Welcome to Rich Connections

Episode Breakdown

[00:00] Why discomfort is the key to growth

[01:14] The fear of discomfort – how we react and why

[03:33] Challenging beliefs without judgement

[06:26] If I triggered you…good.

[07:30]  What this show is all about and why Stacy started it

[11:25] Nonjudgement and the Buddhist way, Upekkha

[13:37] My biggest discomfort and what I need to work on

[16:45] Embracing discomfort – the three key steps to growing through our discomfort 

[20:43] Creating a safe space and beginning this journey

Timestamps + Transcript

[00:00] Why discomfort is the key to growth.

Let’s be honest—most people avoid discomfort like the plague. The moment a conversation feels awkward, a belief is challenged, or a situation pushes us outside of what we know, we pull back. We get defensive. We change the subject.

But what if I told you that everything you want—growth, success, real connection, authenticity —lives on the other side of that discomfort? What if leaning into it, instead of running from it, is the key to everything you’ve been searching for?

That’s what we’re talking about today—why the things that make you uncomfortable are the very things that will set you free. Let’s chat about how you can Rebel against your self imposed, limiting beliefs and lean into the evolution of openness and connection. 

Think about the last time you were in a conversation that rubbed you the wrong way. Maybe someone questioned a belief you’ve always held. Maybe they challenged you to see something differently. What was your first instinct? To listen? Or to defend? Or to just close yourself off?

[01:14] The fear of discomfort – how we react and why

Most commonly it is to defend. You feel the shield forming and ignite your weapon. That reaction is wired into us. Our brains crave certainty. They’re constantly searching for familiarity in our environments to acknowledge safety. That’s our survival mechanism. So when someone says something that challenges our beliefs or what we think we know then we clam up and feel we must protect everything as we know it. However, if we want something different than what we already have, then we have to be willing to rebel against our comfort and lean into the unknown. Ok, you may be saying but Stacy I am just fine the way I am and don’t want anything to be different. I can appreciate that. But, then I ask you how are your connections? How well do you feel people understand you? How are your relationships? Can people give you honest feedback? You may say, of course they can. But do they? And maybe you don’t want any feedback. Fine. But, the beauty of this world is the ability to connect with each other. To learn and understand each other with respect and openness. 

Speaking frankly…you don’t know it all. Neither do I! Your beliefs are just trusted information we’ve received and stored in our memory to deem true. Can you honestly converse and be open to considering your beliefs as just a piece of your current knowingness? Not judge someone for their thoughts, outlandish (in your mind) ideologies, way of life, and beliefs? Can you have a conversation with openness and acceptance? 

[03:33] Challenging beliefs without judgement

One particular conversation comes to mind of what could’ve turned into a difficult and judgemental dialogue between me and a good friend. We were sitting on my couch talking about a job opportunity that came to her from a friend. It was the opportunity to work for a state representative. However, she said, unfortunately she realized who it was and she couldn’t do it. I said, “Oh, why because you’re in Missouri and they’re in Kansas?” She said, “No, because I’m registered Republican. They’re Democratic.”  Now, my close friends know me and that I’m likely going to ask more questions and unravel the discussion. It’s my oxygen, I can’t help it.. So, I asked her, thinking that she didn’t really mind the politician, why does that matter? Now, I also know that she may be registered with one party but she’s open and I would say more balanced in the understanding that we need both parties to operate effectively. So, I asked more about it. 

Our conversation went into what she felt was her biggest Republic belief, which was that her grandchildren shouldn’t have to share a locker room with another gender. Now, I don’t bring this up to go down this road. However, I am not afraid of this road and will likely be down it eventually.  I bring it up to dig into the healthy respect of this conversation. Her and I often have conversations like this that challenge our own beliefs and give us space and grace to think about why we feel that way in the first place. It turned into a very interesting conversation about genders and what they mean and why. It could’ve easily turned into a defensive or judgemental debate, but it didn’t. However, it really got me thinking more about everything we discussed so I look forward to digging deeper into the root of that topic. Not today though.  My point is that she knows me well enough to know that it was a healthy educational, curious conversation. What I ultimately crave. It got us both thinking and really made me question what “gender” is in the first place.

[06:26] If I triggered you…good.

Maybe fighting words, but if you feel triggered by everything I’m saying right now…good. I want to trigger you. I challenge you to take the emotion that you feel boiling up from just a mention of a topic and simply dissolving it.  Because learning to challenge and respect each other is so needed in this world. I love when I am triggered. It’s a “ME” problem that I get to learn more about. Not a “them” problem. WHY am I triggered? What is inside from a past experience that caused me to believe this way?  I personally enjoy being open. Of course I catch myself trying to close off but attempt to reopen every time. I’m always pivoting and the day I feel I’ve learned it all, how boring…

And if we never challenge the things that make us uncomfortable, we stay stuck. And in the great words of a badass woman, Martha Stewart, “If you’re through changing, you’re through.”

[07:30]  What this show is all about and why Stacy started it

Welcome to Rich Connections, where we Rebel. Root. Rise. Live Richly. The podcast that dares to go where others won’t. I’m Stacy Rich, a Life and Business Advisor. I’m here to shake things up—challenging the norms, breaking the rules, and inviting you to think deeper, feel more, and step into your most unapologetic, turned-on life.

Here, we talk about the things that matter but aren’t always easy to say—intimacy, relationships, gender roles, money, power, and the energy that drives it all. We don’t shy away from the raw, the real, and the rebellious. Because if you want a life that’s truly rich—in passion, purpose, and prosperity—you have to unlearn the stories you were told, rebel against the conditioning that keeps you small, and root yourself in your own truth. That’s how you rise. That’s how you live richly.

So if you’re ready to explore, expand, and embrace a life that turns you all the way on, you’re in the right place. This is Rich Connections. Let’s dig in.

I started this podcast because I love to question everything—beliefs, relationships, business, success, even myself. It started with wanting to know the big answers in this life. Like, where did we come from? Where do we go when we die? Why are we here? Those types of questions. But, Since I was a child, I grew up like every other millennial watching Oprah. Watched her religiously everyday with my mom. What I loved so much was the ability she had to create a space for people to be seen and understood. I realized that all people desire this. I remember specifically when I was a teenager, Now I’m going to tell on myself here. But I anticipate I will do that often in this space. So I’m prepared for the discomfort of judgements. SO… I was a mad junior higher. Don’t recall why. I didn’t get along with this particular girl. Why, I have no clue. But I pushed her down a few stairs. She thankfully wasn’t hurt but just stumbled. I actually just planned on running into her and misjudged my strength. But, that moment I remember seeing her face filled with embarrassment, pain, helplessness, and just sheer defeat. I won’t name her but if she’s listening, I do truly apologize. In that moment I had an outer body experience seeing myself as a bad person which I never wanted to be! I thought of Oprah, her kindness, and her way to help people rise in their authenticity not belittling them because I disliked them for whatever reason. I swore I never ever wanted to be the person that made others feel as bad as I know I made her feel. I believe this is when I began obsessing over personal development and how to be a better human. I started to read self-help books, books on Buddhism, The Bible, and other religious or educational book that I thought would educate me on how to be the light in other’s lives, not the bully.

[11:25] Nonjudgement and the Buddhist way, Upekkha

I read a lot on how to not judge, which is incredibly difficult and an interesting topic within itself. I really clinged to the Buddhist way of limiting suffering. In Buddhism, a core belief is that unfulfilled expectations are a major source of the pain. The non-judgemental way or Upekkha (Equanimity). Which, in an article called The Buddhist art of nonjudgmental judging is subtle by Barbara O’Brien. She states it so beautifully, that “…it is the ability to walk freely between attraction and aversion without being swayed by likes or dislikes.” So, non-attachment to a thought towards something or someone. I believe that if you can achieve that…you’ve reached enlightenment. Which is what I ultimately have always used as my compass.

Needless to say, I’m always evolving. I believe that is what makes life so fun and magical.

I know what it’s like to consistently grow out of spaces that no longer fit and wonder if there’s anyone else who feels the same. Growth can be a difficult plant but when it blossoms, it’s beautiful!

If you’ve ever felt that pull—the desire to dig deeper and rethink what you’ve been taught—you are my people. You are a Rich Rebel like me!  Growth doesn’t have to be a lonely road, like I’ve heard people say. Let’s do it together!

[13:37] My biggest discomfort and what I need to work on

I want to share while we are rebelling against our self imposing limits together, that my biggest discomfort is upsetting others or letting them down. I am a recovering People Pleaser. I used to avoid that discomfort at all costs. If something felt awkward or confrontational, I’d find a way around it—change the subject, laugh it off, or convince myself it wasn’t worth addressing. This is what I’m working on currently and am learning that it’s not doing the other individuals of service to pacify the difficult conversation and avoid mirroring their own needs for growth as well. That trying to be the light doesn’t always look shiny. So, I’m challenging myself to rebel against my own unease and improve my boundaries of tolerance. To be continued. Ha!

The turning point came when I realized that avoiding discomfort wasn’t protecting me—it was limiting me. It was keeping me small, keeping me from stepping into the kind of confidence and clarity I wanted.

One moment that stands out was with an individual who is no longer in my life. Now, I’m completely satisfied with this outcome. It was inevitable. However, the way I got here is my growth. See, I am really good with energy. I have been able to read it since I was younger and It has never steered me wrong. One day, we were on the phone and I was opening up about a struggle.  I felt a shift in their energy towards me. It felt judgmental and ridiculing. So I shut them out from that day on for my own peace. This behavior wasn’t uncommon but this particular moment was a vulnerable time in my life and I knew I didn’t have any tolerance for that energy. From that point on I disconnected and kept waiting for them to reach out to check on me. They never did and in fact began keeping a log of anything I could do to piss them off or let them down leading up to the moment they blew up on me. They had a right to their feelings because it’s their perspective and all is well.  However, what I learned (which is what matters most for me) is that I felt discontent with my ability to speak up and say how I felt or defined my boundary in the moment. I hope to never let that happen again and I’m a better person from the experience but those types of conversations are the ones that I am working on not cowarding to any longer.  That experience taught me that real growth happens when we stop running and start listening—to our reactions, our resistance, and the things we’re afraid to admit.

So how do we actually do this?

[16:45] Embracing discomfort – the three key steps to growing through our discomfort 

How do we stop avoiding discomfort and start using it to grow?

Well, this is one of the key reasons I decided to start this podcast. Bc I love nothing more than to rebel against the societal norm and challenge our beliefs and values as we know them. Not to be difficult like I feel is the opinion I’m often met with but to make us think and truly understand ourselves. 

There’s Three Key Ways that I believe as we embark on this journey together, will help us have compassion, be open, and question our own limits. 

1. Notice your reaction. The next time something makes you uncomfortable—whether it’s a conversation, a new idea, or a challenge— just pause. Take a deep breath. Assess your reaction.  Instead of reacting immediately and just closing off or turning away, ask yourself: Why is this making me feel this way? What belief is being challenged?

2. Get curious instead of defensive. Discomfort isn’t a bad thing. It’s an invitation. What would happen if, instead of shutting down, you leaned in and explored what was really underneath it?

3. Practice sitting in it. We don’t have to fix discomfort right away. Sometimes the biggest growth comes from just sitting with it—feeling it, noticing it, and letting it teach us something.

At the end of the day, discomfort isn’t the enemy—it’s the doorway. The doorway to deeper self-awareness, stronger relationships, and a life that’s actually yours, not just the one you were told to live.

And that’s exactly what this podcast is here for.

[20:43] Creating a safe space and beginning this journey

Rich Connections is a space where you can get uncomfortable without judgment. Where you can explore new perspectives safely. Where growth doesn’t have to feel so lonely.

So if you’re ready to challenge yourself, to lean into the hard conversations, and to rethink the way you live, love, and connect—subscribe. Share this with someone who’s also craving deeper conversations. And let’s start getting uncomfortable together.

Because on the other side of that discomfort? That’s where the magic happens.

This is just the beginning. The beginning of unlayering our judgments, questioning our insecurities, and opening ourselves up to deeper exploration—of ourselves, of each other, and of the world around us. To create Richer Experiences.

If today’s episode made you think, made you pause, or even made you uncomfortable in the best way, then let’s keep going bc this was nothing. I’m just getting started. Rich Connections is all about diving deeper, and I want you to be a part of this journey. The next few episodes I am building the foundation of what we are doing here together. Learning to Rebel. Root. Rise. Live Richly. 

So, if you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. If this conversation resonated with you, leave a review—it helps more people find this safe space. And if you know someone who needs to hear this, share it with them.

Most importantly, I want to hear from you. What did this bring up for you? What discomfort are you sitting with? Let’s keep the conversation going. You can connect with me on all the socials. Just check my profile for links, email me at richconnectionspodcast@gmail.com or head over to our website richconnectionspodcast.com for any resources from this website and additional updates.

Because the truth is, growth isn’t meant to be done alone. And here, in this space, we’re getting uncomfortable together. 

Until next time. Rebel. Root. Rise. And as always—live richly.

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