The Best of You

Today’s Scripture is: Proverbs 27:6

**Today's devotional is in response to listener requests.**

When a relationship feels powerful, fast, and deeply affirming, it can be hard to slow down and discern what’s real. This episode unpacks the difference between emotional intensity and genuine love—helping you recognize red flags, trust your intuition, and move toward steady, grounded connection.

In this episode:

*Why intensity ≠ intimacy

*The psychology behind fast attachment and emotional acceleration

*Subtle signs of love bombing and relational urgency

*How to evaluate consistency over chemistry

*What it means to build safe, sustainable connection

Go Deeper:

Episode 178: How to Recognize Toxic Tactics, and Stop Taking the Bait

Episode 24: Boundaries, the Spectrum of Toxicity, and a Note About Evil

Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook

Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Scripture is: Matthew 5:33-37

Why is it so hard to say what we really mean? This episode explores the emotional and psychological roots of people-pleasing, over-explaining, and softening our truth. With insight from Scripture and psychology, you’ll learn how to move toward clarity, integrity, and more honest connection.

In this episode:

*The hidden cost of people-pleasing and overfunctioning

*How empathy and attunement can make boundaries harder

*The role of the nervous system in saying yes or no

*Why clarity actually creates deeper connection

*Simple ways to practice honest communication without guilt

Go Deeper:

Episode 14: The Fawn Response & the Hidden Root of People Pleasing

Episode 171: Why People Pleasing Actually Makes You Feel More Alone, and 3 Steps to Create Real Connection

Learn healthy boundaries in The Best of You - get the first 3 chapters free here.

Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook

Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 68:4-10

If you’ve felt the ache of loneliness, this episode offers a deeply grounding reminder: your longing for connection is not a weakness, it’s part of how you were created. Blending Scripture with attachment psychology, Dr. Alison explores how God meets us within loneliness, not just after it’s resolved.

In this episode:

*The difference between loneliness and disconnection

*How attachment needs shape your emotional world

*Why loneliness is a signal, not a failure

*A reframe of the “in-between” (wilderness) season

*How to notice small, real forms of connection already present

Go Deeper:

Episode 42: How to Honor & Set Boundaries with Sadness & Loneliness

Visit our new The Best of You Every Day web page here

Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook

Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Scripture is: Romans 12:9–18

**Today's devotional is in response to listener requests.**

"Hate what is evil" and "bless those who persecute you" can feel like an impossible tension — until you understand what Paul is actually asking for. This episode unpacks one of scripture's most demanding passages and makes the case that clarity and love are not opposites. We explore:

We'll explore:

-The difference between naming harm and becoming hardened by it

-What the research tells us about resentment and what chronic unforgiveness does to our bodies and brains

-The two dimensions of forgiveness — and why neither requires you to minimize harm or trust someone who hasn't earned it

We love hearing from you! If there is a topic or Scripture you'd like us to cover on the podcast, please email us at [email protected]

Connect with Dr. Alison on Instagram: @dralisoncook

Join 80,000+ Soul Menders in Dr. Alison’s free email community for ongoing reflection and support.

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if procrastination isn’t about laziness… but a disconnect between who you want to be and what you actually do?

So many of us carry goals we care deeply about: habits we want to build, changes we long to make, ways we want to grow. And yet, we find ourselves stuck in the same patterns, circling the same resistance, wondering why it’s so hard to follow through.

In this episode, Dr. Alison Cook and goals expert and New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff explore what’s really happening beneath procrastination and how to finally begin moving forward.

Because procrastination isn’t a character flaw. It’s a gap.

A gap between your intentions and your actions.

And over time, that gap can quietly erode something deeper: your trust in yourself.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed by your goals, or caught in cycles of starting and stopping… this conversation will help you understand why and what to do next.

You’ll explore:


Why procrastination isn’t about laziness and what’s actually driving it


The hidden impact of broken self-trust (and how to begin rebuilding it)


How your “soundtracks” (repetitive thoughts) shape your actions and results


The real reason discipline alone doesn’t work and what does


The 4 key places people get stuck in the growth process (and how to move forward)

This conversation offers a practical, compassionate path forward, helping you close the gap between who you want to be and how you’re actually living, one small step at a time.

More Resources:

Make sure to grab Jon Acuff’s latest book Procrastination Proof: Never Get Stuck Again and then claim $97 worth of free bonuses.

Take Jon's free procrastination profile here.

Connect further with ⁠@dralisoncook⁠ on Instagram

Want to go deeper with Dr. Alison? Join 80,000+ soul menders in our email community and receive weekly reflections and gentle practices here. 

Want to hear more like this? Start here:

Episode 199: How the Body Teaches the Soul with Justin Whitmel Earley

Episode 157: Braving Change—3 Ways to Get Unstuck and Transform Guilt and Regret

📖 Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here

Don't forget to browse this week's sponsors, who make it possible for me to bring you these resources for free + provide you with additional discounts!


Quince - How you dress affects your mood and you can trust that Quince has you covered in every day sustainable wardrobe staples. Go to ⁠Quince.com/bestofyou⁠ for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order!


Remi - Start sleeping better with a Remi nightguard and use code BESTOFYOU and get 50% off your purchase. Go to ShopRemi.com/BESTOFYOU and use code BESTOFYOU.


Aqua Tru - Join 98% of customers who have made their drinking water cleaner, safer, & healthier by visiting AquaTru.com and use promo code BESTOFYOU to get 20% off today!


StoryWorth - Give your loved ones a unique keepsake you’ll all cherish for years—Storyworth Memoirs! Right now, save $10 or more during their Holiday sale when you go to StoryWorth.com/BESTOFYOU! 

*Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only.‍
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices