#43 - The Trickster, the Unconscious, and Why Stress Makes Us Forget
/What if forgetting something isn’t always a failure—but sometimes a signal that you’ve reached your limit? After a stressful week of home construction, Kelly and Nyssa realize they’ve forgotten to record their podcast—and find themselves laughing instead of feeling ashamed.
Their conversation explores stress, burnout, psychological defense mechanisms, and the unconscious mind’s possible need for rest, drawing on Jungian ideas, fairy tales, and stories of sleep and awakening.
They also reflect on work-life boundaries, the idea of an “inner ally,” and synchronicity, including a timely encounter with the word pronoia—the belief that the world may be conspiring in your favor. Could forgetting sometimes be a pause that helps us come back to what matters?
Main Topics Covered:
What happens when stress leaves you feeling “flatlined”
Forgetting as a possible response to overwhelm
The unconscious mind, repression, and psychological defense mechanisms
The ego’s urge to push through versus the need for rest
The trickster archetype and unexpected interruptions
Reframing forgetting—and laughing instead of feeling ashamed
Work-life boundaries and the “good night, Doctor Brady” ritual
Pronoia, synchronicity, and noticing signs of support
Fairy tales, sleep, and stories of awakening
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