The Lana Blakely Podcast

I've spent so much time trying to "find" things in life. Finding a passion. Finding hobbies. Finding friends. Finding home. Finding a personal style. The list goes on. I don't believe any of these things are to be found. I believe they are to be created. By being curious, persistent, open-minded... More creating, less trying to find, that's something I wish I'd understood sooner.

It's easy to go from one extreme to another. In today's episode, I talk about how I went from being a shopaholic in my teens, to being a stingy minimalist who completely stopped caring about herself physically, to... who I am today. 

I recently travelled alone to Paris. What's the point of going away completely alone to a foreign country? Is it safe as a female? What is important to keep in mind? In today's episode, we discuss all things solo-travel. 

Labels are everywhere. We want to belong to certain communities and groups. We want to belong, period. We also want to feel understood, both by others and by ourselves. But what are some downsides of seeking out labels? 

I asked you all to share some of your unpopular opinions on Instagram. I react to statements such as "soulmates don't exist" and "not all women want children". 

"What makes a good friend?" is something we've all thought about at some point. Initially, the answer to that question seems rather straightforward. But is it really that simple? In today's episode, Lana covers some of the "red flags" as well as some "green flags" that may be good to keep an eye on. 

Is your early 20s the time to take risks? How do you deal with friends who can't be happy for you? Should you reach out to an old crush? In today's episode, I give you some friendly advice on friendship, love, finding your path in life and more. 

I recently went to abroad, and it was my first time travelling since the pandemic started. On the flight home, I started thinking about comfort zones, and how easy it is to let comfort dictate our lives. I contemplated the question "how free am I, really?". 

Is "beauty with brains" a compliment? Can a woman be girly, and be smart? In today's episode, I share some of the negative experiences I've had in the workplace and in life that relate to being a woman.

Let's talk all things breakups. 

I sometimes wonder if I'm promoting loneliness through my videos, so in today's podcast episode, I wanted to clarify some of the statements that I've made. 

In this episode, Lana discusses some of the qualities she admires in other people, and more importantly, why she admires those qualities. 

What are some things that are worth paying premium for, and why? From kitchen supplies to hygiene products - Lana has a lot to say about this topic.

How much should we share about crises going on around the world on social media? What's the deal with ASMR? In today's episode, Lana shares her thoughts on her recent appreciation for comedy, as well as one of her favorite topics - what it is that makes us attracted to another person.

This is an extra episode and was originally uploaded as a YouTube video.

How much money does a YouTuber make on a video that hits 100.000 views? Why don't people like it when YouTubers create and sell products? Is turning your hobbies and passions into a job a good idea? In this episode, Lana shares her honest opinions on working as a full-time YouTuber, and some of her internal conflicts right now.

It's that time of the year: get a gym membership, switch up your diet and make an extensive list of how, on the first of January, you'll transform into your ideal self. In this final episode of season 1 of the podcast, Lana shares her thoughts on habits, goals and making promises to yourself. 

Recently, Lana noticed the common trend of calling people with well-behaved dogs "lucky". This got her thinking about the concept of luck, and what it actually means. Most importantly, it made her wonder whether or not we can create our own luck, and how one may go about doing that. 

Are we complicating happiness? Is our key to happiness right in front of us? In today's episode, Lana reflects back on a time when she felt genuinely happy and excited about life, and she tries to unfold why she might've felt that way. 

As teenagers, we often mould ourselves to fit in with others and to be accepted. Although natural and normal, is it really wise? What may the alternative be? The question then becomes, what do we have to gain from being authentic? And on the contrary, what do we have to lose by being inauthentic? All of that and more in today's episode "Does being authentic and living honestly matter?". Towards the end of the episode, Lana shares one of the tricks she uses to help evaluate her life. 

In small doses, complaining can be a way to relieve stress. In today's episode, Lana had to get some complaining off her chest, and she invites you to do the same. 

In today's episode, Lana answers some of your questions. She talks about how she enjoys her time alone, dating advice for introverts, the anxiety of ageing and how to deal with envying other people's achievements. 

Is it worth reading and studying the works of Shakespeare? Is the phrase "that's just the way that I am" a valid reason to not take a closer look at ourselves and to not change certain behaviours? Lana brings you another episode consisting of highs and lows; light-hearted topics and more serious ones. She also shares a story about a not-so-serious incident that happened to her recently, and how it got her thinking about some very serious things.

Lana has been sleep deprived for months, and it's starting to get to her. Something good that's come out of it is that she's been thinking more about how she's really treating herself and her body, and it's made her realise that something needs to change. 

Sometimes, we realise things about ourselves that aren't very pleasant to realise, and even less pleasant to talk about. In today's episode, Lana shares one of her latest realisations that has to do with the way we we're perceived by other people based on how we dress and take care of ourselves. Do intelligent women dress down and not care about the way they look? And do unintelligent women dress up? Well, according to what we see in certain movies - yes. But what does Lana think about that, and what's her personal experience?

We've all heard different versions of the quote "money can't buy happiness". In today's episode, Lana shares some of her thoughts on that philosophy and how her mindset has changed over the years. She also talks about how happiness is relative, and why she believes people are more lonely today than ever before. 

How often do we ask ourselves if we feel aligned with our values and aspirations? How does pressure affect creatives? Should we share our work even when we're not completely pleased with it? Does success kill creativity? Are online creators being authentic? Those are some of the questions that Lana ponder on in this week's episode. 

What happens when we let go of fear? Do we sometimes use fear as a tool for procrastination? How can we become comfortable with the uncomfortable? This week, Lana talks about some of her own experiences with overcoming fear and the impact it's had on her life.  

Why do some people prefer extravagant weddings, while others prefer more intimate ones? Why do we like expensive things? What is FOMO? And speaking of intimacy, are we over-sharing our intimate moments on social media? In this weeks episode, Lana reflects on a variety of subjects that she doesn't have fully formed opinions on yet. 

How often do we do the things we do because we purely enjoy it, and how often do we do the things we do because we're hoping to gain something from it? In this episode, Lana reflects on why it's sometimes difficult to sort out our intention for doing things, especially as a social media creator where opportunities to utilise situations for content creation lie in every corner.