Episodes

  • The Bucket Not List Part 1

    The Bucket Not List Part 1
    May 22 2026
    In the second episode of the series, Sarah Bentz digs deeper into the invisible nature of boundaries and how we often don't realize they are broken until our lives feel like a "hot mess." Sarah explains that just as a piece of land needs a surveyor to mark its limits, we need to identify the specific behaviors that signal when our buckets are overflowing with things that don't belong to us. This episode serves as a diagnostic guide to identifying the symptoms of poor boundaries. From sacrificing your own desires for others to the exhausting pursuit of perfection, Sarah provides a roadmap for listeners to begin cleaning out their buckets and reclaiming their personal space.

    What You Will Learn:
    • [00:00] Welcome back: Continuing the journey toward a clean bucket.
    • [01:05] The Surveyor Metaphor: Why we need external markers to see our internal limits.
    • [01:40] Knowing yourself: Why you can't set a limit if you don't know who you are.
    • [02:15] Sign #1: Prioritizing others' desires while discounting your own.
    • [03:22] Sign #2: The "Outside the Bucket" trap—expecting others to read your mind and know your needs.
    • [04:45] Sign #3: Minimizing success—why you must acknowledge your own hard work.
    • [05:40] Sign #4: The weight of the burden—how overindulging, overspending, and overeating mask a messy bucket.
    • [06:55] Sign #5: The "Polished Bucket"—the pressure to look perfect when you feel overwhelmed inside.
    • [08:10] Homework: How to use the "Bucket Handout" to start your personal exploration.
    • [09:30] The critical question: Where did this start and how did it get in your bucket?
    • [10:45] A message of hope: It's never too late to turn the bucket over and start again.

    Standout Quotes:
    • "Until we actually see something, we don't know that it exists, and that's kind of what that bucket is."
    • "How can you set a limit with anyone if you don't even know what your own desires are?"
    • "We cover up that bucket because the bucket's a hot mess... and so we tend to overeat, overspend, and overindulge because we can't deal with the bucket."
    • "We shine that bucket up nice... so that nobody recognizes and sees what's inside."
    • "Every day you have to ask yourself: What belongs in my bucket? Does this belong to me or does it not?"
    Resources Mentioned: The Bucket Handout: Download the exploration worksheet to identify what's in your bucket.
    • Website: https://hopeandgrowthcenter.com/pages/not-in-my-bucket
    Let's Connect:
     Sarah Bentz
    • Email: notinmybucket@hopeandgrowthcenter.com
    • Not In My Bucket Podcast

    Be sure to like and subscribe and share this episode with those who might be carrying a heavy bucket!

    Mixing, editing, and show notes provided by NEXT DAY PODCAST
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    12 mins
  • Bucket Basics

    Bucket Basics
    May 18 2026
    In this debut episode, we sit down with Sarah Bentz, a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of the Hope & Growth Center, to explore a unique and powerful metaphor for mental health: the bucket. Sarah breaks down the complex world of boundaries by visualizing every person as a bucket, specially designed for what truly belongs to them.

    We dive into how life experiences, trauma, and even our desire to be helpful can lead to us carrying things in our buckets that don't belong to us. Sarah explains why "boundaries" shouldn't be a scary word and how understanding your personal limits is the first step toward protecting your peace and empowering your relationships.

    What You Will Learn:
    • [00:00] Intro to Sarah Bentz and the Hope & Growth Center.
    • [01:11] Why Sarah uses the "bucket" metaphor to explain boundaries.
    • [01:58] How trauma and external influences dump unwanted things in our buckets.
    • [02:24] The trap of enabling: Why taking from others' buckets isn't always helpful.
    • [03:36] What happens when your bucket is too full to fit what actually belongs to you.
    • [05:58] The difference between stifling "walls" and breathable "moats".
    • [07:11] How boundaries protect both you and your relationships.
    • [07:55] Using the "House Metaphor" to visualize locks, doors, and peepholes.
    • [09:55] The importance of "marking your land" through surveys and clear limits.
    • [10:40] Knowing your limits: Why Sarah doesn't have important talks at 10 PM.
    • [12:25] Teaser for Episode 02: Signs you have the wrong stuff in your bucket.

    Standout Quotes:
    • "Your bucket, my bucket, is specially designed just for who we are so what belongs in it fits in perfectly."
    • "When we put other people's stress in our bucket, that's when we don't handle it very well."
    • "A boundary is always to protect. It isn't to hurt."
    • "We can't know our limits until we know ourselves."
    • "By respecting our own boundary, our own bucket, we respect other people's buckets."
    Let's Connect:
     Sarah Bentz
    • Email: notinmybucket@hopeandgrowthcenter.com
    • Website: Hope & Growth Center
    • Not In My Bucket Podcast
    Be sure to like and subscribe so your boundaries can continue to protect and empower you!

    Mixing, editing, and show notes provided by NEXT DAY PODCAST
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    15 mins
  • Not in my Bucket Podcast Trailer

    Not in my Bucket Podcast Trailer
    May 18 2026
    Not in My Bucket is a practical, encouraging podcast I created to help you live with greater balance, purpose, and fulfillment. I'm Sarah Bentz, a licensed professional counselor, and I've seen how easily our "bucket" of time, emotions, and identity gets filled with things that don't belong— trauma, expectations, and other people's "stuff." In each episode, I share simple truths and real stories to help you recognize what's yours, what isn't, and how to create healthy boundaries that protect and empower you. Whether you feel overwhelmed or running on empty, these brief conversations are designed to meet you where you are—and help you move forward, keeping your bucket better balanced.

    Let's Connect:
     Sarah Bentz
    • Website: https://hopeandgrowthcenter.com/pages/not-in-my-bucket
    • Email: notinmybucket@hopeandgrowthcenter.com
    • Not In My Bucket Podcast

    Produced by NEXT DAY PODCAST
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    1 min