The ‘Thoughts May Vary’ Podcast Duo Share Why Female Friendships Can Bring Us Back To Life
It’s not often you come across people vibrating on the same wavelength as you in almost every aspect of life. When you find those people, you must hold them tight and cherish them. That’s how Gaby and Meadow felt when they were put in contact with each other, their first-ever phone call was almost electric. Gaby, a Latinx journalist raised in Miami, Florida, and Meadow, a mental-health consultant raised in SF, are the prime example of two souls crossing paths that needed to be in each other’s lives both as friends and business partners. Their podcast ‘Thoughts May Vary’ came about because the honest conversations started happening as they got to know each other and never stopped since that first phone call, so why not share the serotonin, laughs, and revelations with the world? Oops, gotta join the Google Meet. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Maria Paula Gonzales: What moment sparked the idea to create ‘Thoughts May Vary’ where both of you took a step back and realized that there were conversations to be had between the two of you that could not only be valuable but also teaching moments?
GABY: Meadow and I were thinking about this question when you sent it to us, and it's funny because she was like, “I don't remember,” and I was like, “I do.” Like I remember it so clearly, I mean honestly, from the moment Meadow and I met, neither of us could shut up.
MEADOW: Our first phone call was three hours!
GABY: Yeah, it was really long. I was still living in New York, and I was in this place in my life where I was craving new friendships. And then we met, and I had this feeling of, “This person is going to play a very impactful role in my life.” Just the way she moves through her relationships in general and just her perspective and her outlook on life. She’s so grounded in what she does. One of the reasons we started the podcast was to create community and feel less isolated. It just reached a point where our phone calls would be so long, and we were like, “Why isn't this being recorded?” We cannot be the only people who feel this way; let’s just start it.
MEADOW: I don’t remember the actual moment, but yeah -- that feeling of, like, just understanding that both of us were looking for something like this for so long– there's no way other people aren't also looking for this.
Manifesting healthy friendships into your life is a real thing, people. The community you surround yourself with is a reflection of who you are.
MP: People always teach us lessons without them even knowing, especially our closest friends. If you could both mention any lessons you’ve learned about each other, what would they be? Has there been a moment on the podcast where your co-host has been talking about something she’s learned, and you’ve made mental notes in your head for future you?
GABY: Meadow has really helped me embrace my softness and not shy away from that soft feminine energy. And understanding that it does not equate to weakness, it’s almost like Meadow gave me permission when I didn’t have the grace to give it to myself. Another lesson that has helped me so much has been understanding that we are more than what we do for a living. We talk a lot about “being here is good enough.” It has a lot to do with growing up in an environment where there was a really big emphasis on success through the lens of a career. Both our careers are so intertwined with what we do that it can be very hard to separate them. Meadow has really helped me understand that you can disconnect. There is also a huge beauty in letting them live together.
MEADOW: What Gaby does for me is she’s such a special listener; Gaby will point out things about my behavior, my patterns, and my life that I didn’t even see in that way. Like she’s really good at zooming out, she knows sh*t about my core wound that I didn’t even piece together in my journaling, which says a lot. She sees me so wholly and always reminds me of the big picture. Something we talk about frequently is how we’ve traded or given each other our biggest strengths. If I taught her softness, she’s taught me my power. I have self-respect, power, boundaries, and confidence now like never before. When I saw her IG for the first time, I would say, “Why would she even like me?” Now I feel all of those amazing things I saw in her about myself. She stops me in my tracks if I have a limiting belief about myself. We really exchanged strength for softness in the most beautiful way possible.
Wow, I can’t help but feel in awe that this is something that healthy friendships can do for you. People come into your life for a reason to teach you the lessons you were always meant to learn about. Gaby and Meadow are a beautiful example of this, embracing each other just as they are. Acknowledging that each individual has been through such different life experiences, we are bound to learn something from more friendships that help us grow into the best version of ourselves.
MP: Every ‘Thought’ is different and touches on various subjects, from toxic relationships, healing past traumas, and ED recovery. Has there ever been a moment before jumping on that call to record where you’ve been like, “F*ck, I do not want to unpack this all over again?” Or is it the opposite, where it feels refreshing to get on the call with your best friend because it’s a safe space for you both?
MEADOW: It’s less of “Oh, do I wanna unpack this again” and more of “Do I need to share this with everyone?” Sometimes we’ll get on the phone and talk for 45 minutes and then be like, “Oh wait, I wanna share this; just record. Let's just start the episode.” Because sometimes it's hard to remember what you’re just sharing with a best friend and what you’re sharing with everyone. When we did the episode that covered unhealthy sex after trauma, I was going through something and unpacking something that I had shared about– but not to the full extent. Then a few episodes later, I ended up spilling all the tea. It’s just balancing what we’re working through in real time and what we should maybe keep to ourselves.
GABY: Yeah, I think Meadow and I know each other so well. We’ve had so many conversations off-camera where we’ve established our boundaries. Also, we have off-topic conversations that we know are off-limits. It just all comes to not everyone deserving access to you. We don't share to trauma dump. We share once a lesson has been learned. The conversations that start with “Hey, I’m going through this, I wonder if you are too” are the ones we learn the most from.
MP: Gaby, I know you have your fair share of experience in journalism (having written for Architectural Digest, Brydie, and The Cut), and Meadow, I know you’ve worked for ‘Mad Happy’ and ‘Local Optimist’ as a mental health consultant, what do you think it is about your different career endeavors that work so well together?
MEADOW: There’s no other way for me to say it, but Gaby and I are so intertwined, and we blend so well together that it works perfectly to a T. Specifically, how that comes out in the podcast is I get very excited getting into the weeds of mental health concepts even spiritual concepts– I’m the f*cking air sign right? (Libra). I ramble and go on tangents, and I want to get into the weeds about things, and Gaby is such a storyteller. She understands how to synthesize what I'm saying so well, and it’s the earth sign in her (Taurus)!!! She makes everything I am trying to say relatable, accessible, and understandable. Also, we’re so productive together. We get sh*t done in a day what we could get done in a month alone. Our energy together is unreal.
GABY: All we talk about is our future office! When we decided we were going to do the podcast and we started telling people, there were definitely a few people that were like, “Do you really want to get into business with a friend?” I understand where people are coming from, but one of the main reasons we are able to be such good friends while also being business partners is because neither one of us wants to do the exact same thing. We definitely have the same big-picture goals for the podcast and for what ‘Thoughts May Vary’ as a brand can become. There are definitely similarities within our own personal career goals, and we’re very different people at the end of the day. I think we bring that uniqueness to the table.
Meadow: It’s like Gaby is the CEO, and I’m the Creative Director. Our strengths and interests are so different we step into different roles.
Gaby: Meadow’s visions are so sharp, so clear, and so exciting. I trust her with the creative vision. I’m able to come in and find the tools to make it happen. I feel like she’s a balloon– and I'm here to pull her down. You’re my leash child!
MP: When you both first met, did you instantly feel like it was different from friendships in the past? What is your outlook on making friends, especially women friendships, and what would you say to anyone who’s reading this that feels like they haven’t found their ‘people’ yet?
GABY: That conversation has obviously been a very big theme throughout our friendship. I think the same way; a healthy romantic relationship can illuminate a lot of pieces from your own shadow and a lot of things in your life. I think it's the same thing for the friendships in your life. My sister taught me a really big lesson once: most friendships are going to vary from season to season in your life, and that's fine. Finding people that will grow and change with you, as well as being accepting and supportive of that growth and change. People that just simply let you shine. That's something I felt with Meadow very quickly. As you get older, you realize that not one person will give you everything you need, and you can't put that pressure on somebody. Allowing grace and space in friendships is so important. There's a lot of beauty in adult friendships.
MEADOW: For me, I had really unhealthy friendships all throughout high school and college. I think that's a result of my trauma and home environment. I was very much looking for this when Gaby came into my life. Not only that, but we really are each other's #1 fan. We only want each other to be the best version of ourselves. I think for people that haven't found those people yet, a couple of things come to mind. Like what Gaby said, really understanding what season you’re in, you can have different friends for different seasons depending on what you need and how you’re growing. Connecting with other people about things you’re passionate about is also so important. Especially for female friendships, it's so easy to compete. I never felt like we were competing with each other. Quite frankly, we’re trying to show each other off at any given moment.
How is it possible to have so much to say and also be left speechless at the same time? That’s how this interview left me. Perplexed, you could say? ‘Thoughts May Vary’ isn’t just a podcast or a brand; it’s an invitation to listen to conversations that will upgrade your life to the next level. Gaby and Meadow are just one example of how magical a healthy adult friendship can be. Finding people who will support and understand you the way these two souls do is absolutely priceless. Hearing them talk about how they hold space for each other in a business and on a personal level was truly something I'll never forget. If you ever feel alone or the need to be seen in some way, there’s a spot waiting for you in the TMV familia.
Where you can find TMV:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thoughts-may-vary/id1590240560
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ksDnAHhcPV3uSxomi8VBc?si=86144f6d324a49ae
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsmayvarypod/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thoughtsmayvary
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Maria Paula Gonzales
Maria Paula Gonzales is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not writing her way through life, she enjoys thrifting, looking for concerts to attend, and spending as much time in nature as possible. You can reach her at mariapaulag97@gmail.com
