For decades, empathy has been celebrated as the glue of human connection— but what if it’s actually burning you out? In this thought-provoking episode of The Scenic Route, we unpack why empathy alone isn’t enough and why it’s time to shift toward something more sustainable: compassion.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why empathy is exhausting—and how it leads to burnout, anxiety, and emotional paralysis
✔️ The three ways empathy has been weaponized in modern life
✔️ How selective empathy keeps us trapped in caring for some while ignoring others
✔️ Why compassion—not empathy—is the antidote to overwhelm and emotional fatigue
✔️ Actionable steps to set boundaries, stop absorbing everyone’s pain, and channel care into action

🎙 My Personal Story
I share my journey of unlearning toxic empathy, from growing up in a household where empathy was a one-way street to realizing how this pattern mirrors larger societal systems of emotional extraction.

The Scenic Route Podcast is your weekly dose of mindset shifts, deep conversations, and radical compassion—so you can stop over-functioning and start thriving. New episodes every Tuesday!

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This episode is part of #Podcasthon!
I’m thrilled to participate in this global initiative where 1,000+ podcasters unite to support charitable causes. This episode highlights the Frauenzentrale Zürich, an incredible nonprofit that has supported women for over a century.

👉 Support their mission here: https://frauenzentrale-zh.ch/spenden/

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READY FOR YOUR SCENIC ROUTE?
Visit jenniferwalter.me — your cozy corner of the internet where recovering perfectionists come to breathe, dream, and embrace a softer way of living – while creating real change in their communities.

Keep the conversation going:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Threads

DAILY DOSE OF CHILL
Tap into your inner wisdom and let it guide you.
Need a gentle nudge in the right direction? The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass. Grab yours and let's see what wisdom awaits you today:

👉 Pull Your Daily Affirmation Card

LOVE THE SHOW?
If today's episode hit different, leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls find their way to the Scenic Route.

What we eat isn’t just personal — it’s political. In this thought-provoking episode, Matthew C. Halteman, philosopher and author of Hungry, Beautiful Animals, joins Jennifer to reframe the ethics of veganism through the lens of joy, flourishing, and resistance.

Instead of guilt or perfectionism, Matt advocates for ethical and vegan eating as an act of joyful defiance — a way to challenge systems of oppression while embracing personal and collective well-being. Together, they explore:

• How vegan ethics intersects with moral philosophy and political activism
• Why joyful resistance is more effective than guilt in driving change
• The role of food justice, sustainability, and compassionate living in ethical eating
• How to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance-based approach to activism

Whether you're vegan, veg-curious, or simply interested in the political and ethical dimensions of what’s on your plate, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

🎧 Tune in and rethink what it means to eat with intention.

Grab Matt’s book Hungry, Beautiful Animals at hungrybeautifulanimals.com
or connect with Matt on LinkedIn


See you on the Scenic Route.

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READY FOR YOUR SCENIC ROUTE?
Visit jenniferwalter.me — your cozy corner of the internet where recovering perfectionists come to breathe, dream, and embrace a softer way of living – while creating real change in their communities.

Keep the conversation going:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Threads

DAILY DOSE OF CHILL
Tap into your inner wisdom and let it guide you.
Need a gentle nudge in the right direction? The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass. Grab yours and let's see what wisdom awaits you today:

👉 Pull Your Daily Affirmation Card

LOVE THE SHOW?
If today's episode hit different, leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls find their way to the Scenic Route.

If you've ever had that gut-wrenching feeling of being behind in life, wondering "What am I doing with my life?" – trust me, you're not alone.

In fact, you're part of a generation grappling with redefining success in a world that looks radically different from the one our parents knew. In this raw episode, we fearlessly dive into what it really means to thrive as a millennial in 2025.

We'll unpack the hard truths behind the millennial wealth gap, exploring how economic shifts, the student debt crisis, and the rise of the gig economy have fundamentally transformed our world. Discover why traditional success formulas no longer hold up in an age of uncertainty and what it really means to thrive in a "risk society."

But we don't just dwell on the challenges. We also explore practical strategies for building financial resilience, prioritizing mental health, and finding meaning in the midst of modern chaos. Learn how to chart your own course, create your own milestones, and redefine success on your own terms.

Highlights include:

• Unpacking the Millennial wealth gap: why millennials are 40% poorer than Baby Boomers at the same age (2:15)
• The Great Delay: how key milestones like marriage, homeownership & career stability have shifted (6:30)
• Welcome to the Risk Society: navigating invisible, cumulative & irreversible risks in the modern age (15:05)
• Identity vs. Role Confusion: coming of age in an unstable world (18:45)
• The Mental Health Triple Whammy: identity formation, relationship navigation & the psychological load (24:10)
• Your Action Plan: 5 steps to redefine success, build resilience & create change (28:50)

Whether you're facing a quarter-life crisis, considering a career change, or just trying to make sense of these chaotic times, this episode offers a compassionate reality check and a roadmap for rewriting the rules of success.

Tune in for hard truths, practical wisdom, and a healthy dose of humour as we chart a new path forward together. Because you're not behind; you're exactly where you need to be to write your own story.

_____________________________________________________________________

READY FOR YOUR SCENIC ROUTE?
Visit jenniferwalter.me — your cozy corner of the internet where recovering perfectionists come to breathe, dream, and embrace a softer way of living – while creating real change in their communities.

Keep the conversation going:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Threads

DAILY DOSE OF CHILL
Tap into your inner wisdom and let it guide you.
Need a gentle nudge in the right direction? The Scenic Route Affirmation Card Deck Deck is your online permission slip to trust your inner compass. Grab yours and let's see what wisdom awaits you today:

👉 Pull Your Daily Affirmation Card

LOVE THE SHOW?
If today's episode hit different, leave a rating and review. Your words help other wandering souls find their way to the Scenic Route.