The last laugh, by Sara Benincasa

<p>As a young writer and performer, Sara Benincasa found her voice doing stand-up comedy. For years, it seemed better than therapy. But slowly, doubts surfaced. While the external validation she received made her feel successful and even loved, something was missing. In this episode of Meditative Story, Sara shares how she came to look inward, instead of outward, for richer feelings of worth.&nbsp;</p><p>Sara Benincasa’s monthly podcast, "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/well-this-isnt-normal/id1503046417" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Well, This Isn't Normal</a>," is about mental health and stress relief. Find it on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/well-this-isnt-normal/id1503046417" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4u6jiiZYq51kldZoxretsq?si=pDJ-KPCZT_S9-jBxD32JGA" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/spoke-media-3/well-this-isnt-normal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stitcher.</a></p><p>More about Sara Benincasa:&nbsp;</p><p>Her website: <a href="https://www.sarabenincasa.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SaraBenincasa.com</a></p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/SaraJBenincasa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://instagram.com/SaraJBenincasa</a></p><p>Find her weekly newsletter, Saratonin: <a href="https://sarajbenincasa.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SaraJBenincasa.Substack.com</a></p><p>She writes essays here: <a href="https://sarajbenincasa.medium.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SaraJBenincasa.Medium.com</a></p><p>Sara’s Patreon includes the newsletter, access to private essays, and an exclusive weekly podcast: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/SaraBenincasa" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Patreon.com/SaraBenincasa</a></p><p>Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and ge