“You don’t have to succeed to be worthy. You don’t have to do to love yourself.” – Jake
In this heartfelt pilot episode of the new LoveThySelfies Podcast, Melissa sits down with her husband, Jake — her best friend since age 10 — to talk about love, resilience, identity, and what self-love really means from a man’s perspective. Together they reflect on decades of growth through long-distance love, military life, parenting, leaving religion, navigating depression and anxiety, and the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship.
This is not just a love story — it’s a conversation about redefining success, finding worth beyond achievement, and learning to love yourself in a world that tells you not to.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why men and women both struggle with self-love — but in different ways
The hidden pressure men face to tie their worth to achievement and success
How leaving behind rigid expectations (church, culture, career) shaped our marriage and our sense of identity
What burnout, over-functioning, and hustle culture look like from the inside
Why partnership can be both a mirror and a teacher for self-love
Practical ways to rethink safety, rest, and nervous system regulation in everyday life
How to start dreaming again after years of survival mode
Perfect For:
Men and women redefining what self-love means in adulthood, anyone struggling with achievement-driven worth, couples navigating identity shifts together, entrepreneurs fighting burnout, and anyone leaving behind old narratives to embrace authenticity.
If this episode resonates, share it with someone who needs the reminder that they’re already enough. Subscribe to the podcast for weekly conversations on self-love, worthiness, and living authentically.
*This podcast is for education, storytelling, and inspiration. It is not therapy and does not replace professional mental health support.
self-love journey, men and self-love, redefining success, marriage and mental health, burnout recovery, worthiness, leaving religion, military life marriage, depression and entrepreneurship, nervous system healing, identity and expectations, resilience in relationships, generational cycles, redefining success men, family healing
