The Glow Diner

by Virginie Levesque

Season 1

Combo #9: How Can You Train Your Brain To Do Hard Things, and Even Crave Them - Lessons From The Comfort Crisis By Michael Easter

Today's Special: A little discomfort, served with a side of growth. Our brains are wired to choose comfort. It kept our ancestors alive, but in today's world, it might also be what's keeping us stuck. In today's combo, we're diving into the science of why hard things feel so... hard, how your brain adapts through neuroplasticity, and why intentionally choosing small moments of discomfort can make you more confident, resilient, and capable over time. On today's menu: 🍴 Why your brain naturally avoids difficult things 🍴 The fascinating science of neuroplasticity (and how your brain literally rewires itself) 🍴 What London's taxi drivers can teach us about learning 🍴 Why modern life has made us too comfortable 🍴 The four types of "productive friction" you can add to your daily life 🍴 Physical friction: simple ways to move more without adding another workout 🍴 Sensory friction: why boredom is actually good for your brain 🍴 Cognitive friction: how learning new skills builds confidence 🍴 Social friction: why talking to strangers might be one of the best forms of personal growth 🍴 The mindset shift that makes hard things feel easier over time Growth rarely comes from staying comfortable. It comes from choosing the stairs instead of the elevator. Walking a little farther. Starting the conversation. Learning the difficult skill. Reading the challenging book. Taking the first beginner class instead of waiting until you're "ready." Every small challenge is a vote for the person you're becoming. So today's reminder is this: don't ask yourself how you can make life easier. Ask yourself how you can become the kind of person for whom today's challenge feels easy tomorrow. Pull up a booth, grab your favourite drink, and let's train our brains to crave growth instead of comfort. I hope today's special hit the spot, and as always... this one's on me. 🤍 Links! Join the Group Chat: https://bumble.com/bff/invite/97c1b397-4a2e-48c1-be60-5e595417c042 TikTok & Instagram: @TheGlowDiner Email: TheGlowDiner@gmail.com Introduction Music by Petrushkasound from Pixabay. License u_3gapax5f3i Recipes (References): Gluckman PD, Hanson MA. Mismatch: Why Our World No Longer Fits Our Bodies. Raichlen DA, Alexander GE. Adaptive Capacity: An Evolutionary Neuroscience Model Linking Exercise, Cognition and Brain Health. Doidge N. The Brain That Changes Itself. Maguire EA, et al. Navigation-related structural change in the hippocampi of taxi drivers. Jones TA, Adkins DL. Motor System Reorganization After Injury: Plasticity and Principles of Rehabilitation. Easter M. The Comfort Crisis. Kaplan S. The Restorative Benefits of Nature: Toward an Integrative Framework. Bjork RA, Bjork EL. Making Things Hard on Yourself, But in a Good Way: Creating Desirable Difficulties to Enhance Learning. Craske MG, et al. Maximizing Exposure Therapy: An Inhibitory Learning Approach.

S1 · E9

Jul 9, 2026

26:48

Combo #7: The Morning Shift - The Secret Morning Routine For Perfect Sleep (And It's Literally Free)

On today's menu at The Glow Diner, your host, Virginia, talks about how your morning routine affects you sleep much more than you could ever think. From a consistent wake up time, to a protein fueled breakfast, meet a whole new and improved version of yourself that actually gets the best possible sleep. And as always, this one's on me Join the Groupchat: https://bumble.com/bff/invite/97c1b397-4a2e-48c1-be60-5e595417c042 TikTok & Instagram: @TheGlowDiner Email: TheGlowDiner@gmail.com Introduction Music by Petrushkasound from Pixabay. License u_3gapax5f3i Recipes (References): Wright KP et al., 2013 – Circadian alignment & sleep-wake regulation Khalsa SB et al., 2003 – Light exposure & circadian phase shifting Zeitzer JM et al., 2000 – Morning light sensitivity of circadian system Exelmans L & Van den Bulck J, 2016 – Phone use and sleep-related behavior Reid KJ et al., 2010 – Physical activity, sleep quality & daytime functioning Clow A et al., 2010 – Cortisol awakening response & morning physiology Hoyland A et al., 2009 – Breakfast intake & cognitive performance Leidy HJ et al., 2013 – Higher-protein breakfast & satiety regulation Moore DR et al., 2009 – Protein dose response & muscle protein synthesis Masento NA et al., 2014 – Hydration status & cognitive performance Tassi P & Muzet A, 2000 – Sleep inertia & morning grogginess Gardner B et al., 2012 – Habit formation & behavioral consistency Walker M, 2017 – Sleep, circadian rhythm & performance

S1 · E7

May 28, 2026

24:05

Combo #6: The Night Cap - The Secret Night Routine For Perfect Sleep (And It's Literally Free)

Today's episode is all about how having the perfect night routine can lead to better sleep, and unlock a whole new version of yourself. As always, this one's on me. References: Nedeltcheva AV et al., 2010 – Sleep & body composition Van Cauter E et al., 2000 – Hormones & sleep Walker M, 2017 – Why We Sleep Williamson A & Feyer AM, 2000 – Sleep deprivation vs alcohol Chang AM et al., 2015 – Blue light & melatonin Wright KP et al., 2013 – Circadian rhythms Riemann D et al., 2010 – Hyperarousal & insomnia Beaudoin LP, 2016 – Cognitive shuffling Harvey AG & Payne S, 2002 – Imagery distraction Ascher LM & Turner RM, 1979 – Paradoxical intention

S1 · E6

May 7, 2026

31:31

Combo #5: The Recipe to Doing It All - How To Manage Your Time and Have A Life Outside of Your 9 to 5

Today’s special: why you feel like you have no time, and the simple shifts that will help you take back control of your days without burning out. This one's on me 🍒 References: Time Use and Subjective Well-Being https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1103572 Job Demand-Control Model: Job Control and Stress https://www.jstor.org/stable/2392498 Ego Depletion https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.74.5.1252 Mental Fatigue Impairs Physical Performance https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.91324.2008 Time Poverty / Scarcity https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805092646/scarcity Role Accumulation Theory https://www.jstor.org/stable/2094423 Weekend Effect on Happiness https://www.nber.org/papers/w20280 Implementation Intentions https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493 Planning Fallacy https://www.jstor.org/stable/1914185 Energy Management https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Power-of-Full-Engagement/Jim-Loehr/9780743226752 Work Recovery / Detachment https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0021-9010.92.1.204 Habit Formation & Automaticity https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843 Time Management & Productivity https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/1076-8998.12.3.262 Circadian Rhythms & Performance https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17936039/ Positive Activities & Well-Being https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.131.6.803 Work Boundaries / After-Hours Recovery https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0035077 Introduction Music by Petrushkasound from Pixabay. License u_3gapax5f3i

S1 · E5

Apr 23, 2026

31:36

Combo #4: The All-You-Can-Scroll Buffet - How to Reduce Your Screen Time and Cure Your Phone Addiction - Lessons From Behavioral Science and Psychology

Today’s special: a deep dive into screen time and phone addiction. Why do we reach for our phones without thinking? What is it costing us—our focus, our sleep, our connection? And more importantly, how do we take that control back? This one’s all about building a life that feels better than scrolling through one. This one's on me <3 REFERENCES: Twenge, J. M., Joiner, T. E., Rogers, M. L., & Martin, G. N. (2018). Increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among U.S. adolescents after 2010 and links to increased new media screen time. Clinical Psychological Science, 6(1), 3–17. Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No more FOMO: Limiting social media decreases loneliness and depression. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(10), 751–768. Chang, A.-M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J. F., & Czeisler, C. A. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(4), 1232–1237. Exelmans, L., & Van den Bulck, J. (2016). Bedtime mobile phone use and sleep in adults. Social Science & Medicine, 148, 93–101. Meshi, D., Tamir, D. I., & Heekeren, H. R. (2015). The emerging neuroscience of social media. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19(12), 771–782. Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2013). Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(3), 237–246. Verduyn, P., Ybarra, O., Résibois, M., Jonides, J., & Kross, E. (2017). Do social network sites enhance or undermine subjective well-being? A critical review. Social Issues and Policy Review, 11(1), 274–302. Alter, A. (2017). Irresistible: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked. Penguin Press. Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood. Atria Books.

S1 · E4

Apr 17, 2026

24:05

Combo #3: The Productivity Hangover Special ~ The Lies We Are Told About Self-Care and How To Rest Properly

You plan the perfect Sunday reset: groceries, meal prep, laundry, skincare, nails… only to wake up Monday still exhausted. In this episode, Virginia breaks down the “productivity hangover”: why doing more doesn’t equal real rest, how chronic stress keeps your nervous system in fight-or-flight, and what true recovery actually looks like. We explore decision fatigue, why scrolling isn’t restorative, when self-care becomes another to-do list, and the real types of rest your body and mind need. If your reset steals sleep, adds stress, or feels like work; it’s not rest. Learn how to downshift your nervous system and reset without optimizing your burnout. Real rest begins when the to-do list stops. 🍒 See you at the counter. And as always, this one’s on me. SOURCES & STUDIES MENTIONED: Psychological Detachment & Recovery Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2007). The recovery experience questionnaire: Development and validation of a measure for assessing recuperation and unwinding from work. Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2015). Recovery from job stress: The stressor–detachment model as an integrative framework. HRV as Autonomic Marker Shaffer, F., & Ginsberg, J. P. (2017). An overview of heart rate variability metrics and norms. Frontiers in Public Health Decision Fatigue Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Vohs, K. D., Baumeister, R. F., Schmeichel, B. J., Twenge, J. M., Nelson, N. M., & Tice, D. M. (2008). Making choices impairs subsequent self-control: A limited-resource account of decision making. Social Media & Wellbeing Hunt, M. G., Marx, R., Lipson, C., & Young, J. (2018). No more FOMO: Limiting social media decreases loneliness and depression. Verduyn, P., et al. (2015). Passive Facebook usage undermines affective well-being: Experimental and longitudinal evidence. American Psychological Association. (2023). Health advisory on social media use in adolescence. APA. American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress in America™ survey. APA. Financial Stress & Health Netemeyer, R. G., Warmath, D., Fernandes, D., & Lynch, J. G. (2018). How am I doing? Perceived financial well-being and its correlates. Dunn, E. W., Aknin, L. B., & Norton, M. I. (2008). Spending money on others promotes happiness. Science, Social Isolation Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Emotional Suppression Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes. Exercise & Mood Basso, J. C., & Suzuki, W. A. (2017). The effects of acute exercise on mood, cognition, neurophysiology, and neurochemical pathways. Brain Plasticity, 2(2), 127–152.* Nature Exposure & Cortisol Park, B. J., et al. (2010). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere).

S1 · E3

Mar 5, 2026

25:10

Combo #2: Joy, The Secret Ingredient To Happiness ~ Being Joyful in Today's World and The Psychology of Joy and Happiness, How to Be Happier: Lessons from Alyssa Liu and the Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show

In the second Combo episode of The Glow Diner, Virginia serves up Joy: The Secret Ingredient to Happiness, and why cultivating joy isn’t naive… it’s neurological. We live in a world where joy can feel inappropriate. Where having fun can feel guilty. Where choosing light feels like ignoring darkness. But as Dan Savage once said about the AIDS crisis: “We buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night… and it was the dance that kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for.” And as Michelle Obama reminds us: “Joy has always been a form of resistance.” We break down the cultural moment around Bad Bunny's SuperBowl Half Time Show, the power of choosing celebration in the face of hate, and how denying yourself joy doesn’t make you morally superior, it just makes you miserable. Today’s combo explores: • Joy vs. happiness (and why they’re not the same) • The ABC Model of Happiness (A: Pleasure, B: Relief, C: Contentment) • Why joy can coexist with pain • How Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu demonstrates outcome-detached joy • Neuroplasticity and why joy is trainable • The brain’s negativity bias • Rick Hanson’s “Taking in the Good” practice • The Happiness Advantage and why joy precedes success • Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden-and-Build Theory • Emotional contagion and upward spirals • Anxiety vs. excitement: same physiology, different story 🍒 See you at the counter. SOURCES & STUDIES MENTIONED: “The Science of Well-Being” — Yale University Dr. Laurie Santos’ course (FREE): https://online.yale.edu/courses/science-well-being ABC Model of Happiness “The ABC Model of Happiness—Neurobiological Aspects of Motivation and Positive Mood” https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/6/843 Alysa Liu Stateside Performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDbfHVt2JRg Neuroplasticity Review (2025) “The Neuroplastic Brain: Current Breakthroughs and Emerging Frontiers” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40280532/ Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology: The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions. American Psychologist. Hanson, R. (Positive Neuroplasticity & Taking in the Good framework) Kiken, L. G., et al. (2017). Positive Emotion Correlates of Meditation Practice. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29201247/ Gratitude & Well-Being Study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39895025/ The Happiness Advantage — Shawn Achor Additional reads: McKinsey & Company – Five small practices that lead to happiness Canadian HR Reporter – Happier employees = greater success Introduction Music by Petrushkasound from Pixabay. License u_3gapax5f3i

S1 · E2

Feb 26, 2026

24:17

Combo #1: The Habit-Building House Special ~ How To Lock In and Build New Habits in 2026, The Science of Discipline: Lessons from James Clear and Charles Duhigg

In the first Combo episode of The Glow Diner, Virginia breaks down the psychology behind public goals, premature self-completion, and why your environment shapes your behavior more than your willpower does. We cover: • The science of announcing your goals • The Vietnam veteran study on addiction & environment • The habit loop (cue → routine → reward) • How to actually change a habit • Why systems beat motivation every time If you’re ready to stop relying on hype and start building habits that stick, this one’s your house special. 🍒 See you at the counter. SOURCES AND STUDIES MENTIONNED: Gollwitzer, P. M., Sheeran, P., Michalski, V., & Seifert, A. E. (2009). When Intentions Go Public: Does Social Reality Widen the Intention–Behavior Gap? Psychological Science, 20(5), 612–618. Robins, L. N., Helzer, J. E., Hesselbrock, M., & Wish, E. (1975). Vietnam Veterans Three Years After Vietnam: How Our Study Changed Our View of Heroin. American Journal of Epidemiology, 99(4), 235–249. Duhigg, C. (2012). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Random House. Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery. Skinner, B. F. (1938). The Behavior of Organisms. Appleton-Century. Introduction Music by Petrushkasound from Pixabay. License u_3gapax5f3i

S1 · E1

Feb 19, 2026

26:09

Milkshake Date #3: The Summer Menu - How To Stop Comparing Yourself & Actually Enjoy Your Summer, New Daily Habits and Rituals to Try to Romanticize this Season

Bonus

Summer is officially on the menu ♡ In today’s episode, Your host, Virginia, is talking about the habits, mindset shifts, routines, and little rituals she's bringing into this new season. From refreshing her space and romanticizing everyday life to finding balance between discipline and actually enjoying the life we're building. We also get into comparison, bikini season, social media pressure, and why your summer doesn’t need to look impressive online to still be meaningful. Think of this episode as a soft summer reset, a reminder to stop waiting for perfection, and an invitation to create a season that feels good while you’re living it. And as always, this one's on me Join the Groupchat: https://bumble.com/bff/invite/97c1b397-4a2e-48c1-be60-5e595417c042 TikTok & Instagram: @TheGlowDiner Email: TheGlowDiner@gmail.com Introduction Music by Petrushkasound from Pixabay. License u_3gapax5f3i

May 21, 2026

36:17

Milkshake Date #2: Why I Created The Glow Diner, Finding Balance Between Science, Facts, and Relatable Girly Content

Bonus

On the second Milkshake Date Episode of The Glow Diner, Virginia explains why she created The Glow Diner and wanting to find a community of like minded girlies. As always, this one's on me

Mar 26, 2026

17:50

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