It’s Me, Mariah!
Welcome to my little corner of the internet, where stories, chaos, and overthinking collide.
How We Got Here
Let’s rewind to November 2022—the month my world turned upside down. Getting diagnosed with leukemia was the start of a battle I never saw coming, and add lupus into the mix? Yeah, I was basically fighting on expert mode. 2023 was a blur of chemotherapy, exhaustion, and trying to keep some kind of grip on who I was outside of just being "sick."
A few months into treatment, stuck in a cycle of hospital visits and crushing fatigue, I realized I had lost a huge part of myself—my creative outlet. That’s when I reconnected with my cousin Jason, and honestly? Best decision I ever made. He reminded me that I still had stories to tell, still had a voice, still had something to say. With his support (and funding, because let’s be real, I was broke as hell at the time) and my ideas, we launched The Mariah Effect.
Against all odds, we hit the ground running. I was bald, nauseous, and editing audio between chemo naps, but somehow, we made it work. What started as a way for me to just talk about my life became something more—I wanted it to mean something to the people listening. Compassion has always been my superpower for others, but for the first time, I was learning how to turn that inward. With therapy and a lot of self-reflection, I started to understand myself in a way I never had before.
Eventually, life started shifting. Jason got busier (as people do), and suddenly, I had to figure out how to keep the show going solo. Sitting with just my voice, editing hours of myself talking? Absolutely unhinged. So, I took a break. Then tried again. Then stopped. Again. Partly because of my health, partly because I started a very part-time job that somehow took all my energy. And that was it—until now.
Now, as of 02/14/25, I’m in partial remission. And for the first time in years, I feel like I’m taking back control.
What’s Next?
The Mariah Effect is evolving—because I am. I’m stepping back into full-time work, navigating a whole new career path, and figuring out who I am beyond just surviving. My priorities have shifted, but my big heart, curiosity, and love for connection? Those are still here.
Now, I have a schedule that actually works for me and a refreshed mindset for the podcast. I’m bringing in guests beyond my family and friends (no offense, guys)—mental health professionals, thought leaders, and people with stories that make you think. We’re talking about big ideas, hard truths, and the messy, beautiful, complicated ways we move through life.
It’s still fun. It’s still messy. And it’s still very much me.
