About Progress

Natasha Grasso quit her high corporate job with big hopes to slow down her life and finally get pregnant. In the process, she started a new jewelry-making hobby that became a real passion. Natasha looked past what was practical and logical, listened to her intuition, and took a leap into making her hobby into a business that supported the greater purposes of her heart: one focused on her family. Learn how Natasha allowed the hard things in her life inspire perspective, rather than bitterness. Natasha also shares her beliefs about how there is no wrong way to mother and still find fulfillment. She also shares how motherhood has shaped her goals, company, and who she is fundamentally. Show Notes: Natasha's Website, Instagram, and Monthly Jewlery Subscription: Bling Box Our last episode with Jody Moore on How to Stop Apologizing Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and Progress Coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How often do you say the words, "I'm sorry?" Odds are, it happens much more than you think. And most of the time, they're unnecessary apologies. As women, we tend to fall into a cultural trap of apologizing for taking up space, for being human with human flaws, or for even getting bumped into at the grocery store. At times, our apologies are a way of avoiding facing the parts of ourselves that are hard to own up to and work on. Jody Moore of Better Than Happy wants to help you stop apologizing both to yourself and to others. If this involves building up a stronger sense of self and one with more compassion? Listen to hear how. And if this involves asking yourself deeper questions about why this might be the case and what you need to own about yourself? Also listen to hear why and how. Show Notes: Jody's Website, Podcast, Facebook, and Instagram Last week's podcasts with Kim White (choose your WHY in trials) and Chanelle Neilson (create a morning routine!) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and Progress Coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're not naturally a morning person (Monica is a member of that club!), you know the viscous cycle of going to bed too late and never starting your day off on the right foot. But there is hope for us snooze queens! Establishing a morning routine that works for YOU can be done in a very manageable, doable way. You have to ditch the all-or-nothing thinking and start smaller than you think you should. But in time, you'll be able to add to it and start your day off before your to-do list comes calling. And the effects will truly change your life!! Chanelle Neilson is here to share how she created a morning routine for herself one small step at a time, why it has changed so much about her productivity and happiness, and how you can do this, too. Chanelle's greatest advice? Start where you are, and start with what you need. So don't fear. This episode is not only helpful, but hopeful. Monica is currently hosting a Wake-Up Early Challenge on Instagram! And Chanelle has a free resource for you on how to get the hang of establishing your morning routine Show Notes: Chanelle's Podcast, Website and Instagram Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal Progress Coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kim White has been told she has only months to live more times than she can count the past 4 1/2 years. And yet, she's still kickin' it! But doing so hasn't been born purely from her ability to see the good in her trials. In fact, Kim readily shares that for a few years she struggled in BIG ways emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. BUT as Kim decided her own "WHY" behind her cancer and other health battles, she has been able to find deeper empowerment to better face them. And also those good-bad days where kids throw tantrums;). Listen in to hear how to better support yourself and others through trials, how it's OK to be mad and sad, what simple gratitude can do to shift things around, and how love is ultimately the greatest foundation for all things hard. Show Notes: Kim's Instagram and referenced blog post Last week's interview on Vulnerability Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal Progress Coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Vulnerability" is a popular term these days. But for very good reason. Forget thinking "vulnerability" is where your distant relative shares all the horrible minutia of her life. True vulnerability demands courage. The kind where we look at our true selves in the mirror, see what needs to change, and get going. It's also the kind that lends yourself a tremendous amount of compassion as you navigate growth and the "humanness" you'll experience along the way. Sarah Carpenter and Stacy Weinstein of the Unpolished Podcast are experts in this field, both from teaching others and practicing true vulnerability in their own lives. Listen in to hear what this really looks like, how vulnerability will empower you to move towards a much better you, and why it's possibly the only "should" that you need on your priorities. Show Notes: Unpolished Podcast, Sarah's Website, Stacy's Website Last week's episode with Neena Warburton Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Stop being so childish!" What if we encouraged the child-like strengths our children gravitate to instead of demanding they grow up? What if we thought about what we liked to do as children ourselves--what our personalities were like, our interests, dreams, and even things we liked to do--and made that the basis for who we can better become as adults? Neena Warburton believes that becoming more child-like is the key to unlocking what our spirit longs to be AND helps us better parent our kids. So if you're struggling to figure out who you are because you don't recognize yourself any more--reconnect with your own inner child. And if you can't figure out how to handle a challenging kid in your life--translate their child-like traits into strengths and do your best to better cultivate that. (And engage with them more as a child, too!) Neena is on the show to teach us how to do both. Show Notes: Neena's website, Instagram, and Facebook Last week's episode with Christiana Hill Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA on August 25th--get your tickets HERE and $15 off each ticket when you use the code "LISTENER" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I want to. I can. I will." This is the mantra that got Kristina Southam to her goal of running a marathon and hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro. She's our "Do Something Highlight" today and sharing ways that she has done things that have scared her and the effect of them. One of these included taking a break from a graduate program she had worked so hard to get into, and how deferring ended up being the best way to reset her life. Listen to hear about how she wanted to show up better for the people in her life, what self-care looks like for her, and what she learned about doing the right thing in the right season of life. Show Notes: Kristina's Instagram and Las Vegas Race: Saints and Sinners Half and Relay Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA on August 25th--get your tickets HERE and $15 off each ticket when you use the code "LISTENER" Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "AUGUST" to save $25 and listen to the episode to hear a discount for $35 off) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an international model turned student, turned missionary, turned business owner and clothing designer,n speaker, advocate, and author (phew!), Rosemary Card has done and seen more than most almost-30-year-olds! Rosie's gift of using her unique voice was forged through years of standing up to bullies, living up to her values amidst great pressure, and speaking up even within her own religious culture. She shines so brightly, and Rosie knows YOU can, too! In this interview, Rosie shares how she found her own voice BY using it, what she believes we all need to do, and how faith is made stronger because of doubt. Want to learn more from Rosie? You simply MUST read her book. It's the perfect mix of memoir, essays, and self-help from a gal-who-knows. Show Notes: Rosie's website, book, Instagram, and Facebook MAMA SPRING BREAK! Last weeks' episodes with Camille Andros, Crystalee Beck, and my 100th episode! Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "AUGUST" to save $25 and listen to the episode to hear a discount for $35 off) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA on August 25th--get your tickets HERE and $15 off each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Camille Andros is used to juggling a lot of balls. As an author and mother of six, she often battles having a lot of important priorities and all at the same time. Not just in spite of this, but because of it, Camille has learned that in order to be "all in" and present with the task at hand, you have to practice the mindset of intentionality. Creating this mindset shift has enabled Camille to be a better author, mother, and work on her own self-development. Listen to learn how this is the case for Camille, as well as how she learned the importance of knowing her own "why" in all areas of her life, and about her new book The Dress and the Girl and its timely release during this important historical moment of immigration crises. Show Notes: Camille's Instagram, Website, and BOOKS: HERE (The Dress and the Girl) and HERE (Charlotte the Scientist is Squished)! Referenced episode with Preston Pugmire and his free Facebook group Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "AUGUST" to save $25 and listen to the episode to hear a discount for $35 off) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA on August 25th--get your tickets HERE and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Crystalee Beck got laid off three years ago, her first stop was to the library for some new books and then she took herself on a hike. Now as a successful entrepreneur and mother, Crystalee knows and practices the research behind how "playing" as an adult leads to far more productivity. Playing for the pure fun of it will bless anyone's lives, whether you're a stay-at-home mama or a climbing the corporate ladder. Listen to learn why this is the case and how it can translate in ways big or small to your own life. And join the Mama Spring Break (I'll be there!!!) while early registration is open! Mingle with fellow mamas making their own businesses, learn from the brightest mamas in the field, and--true to the preachings of this podcast--have some fun along the way! Show Notes: Mama Spring Break The Mama Ladder's website, Instagram, and Facebook Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "AUGUST" to save $50 during July, only!) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA on August 25th--get your tickets HERE and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am so ecstatic to reach 100 episodes today! In honor of this wonderful number, I'm going to take you behind-the-scenes to the podcast: where the numbers are at, what's hard about it, what's wonderful, and where it's headed. This is unscripted and unedited. Stick with me through all the awkwardness, pauses, and stutters! Because friends, I'm in this for you. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE! Show Notes: 50th Episode State of the Podcast Address My interview with Unpolished Podcast My Interview with Preston Pugmire Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "JULY" to save $50 during July, only!) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets HERE and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"If I hadn’t made the bad paintings, then I wouldn’t have made the good paintings either.” I have three of Beth Allen's prints hanging on the walls of my home. I want about 100 more, and some of the "real thing," too. Beth amazed me during our chat not just because of this artistry she has never known life without, but because of how she has worked so hard to hone her craft, given it permission to take all sorts of forms and genres, and allowed it to teach her that she simply can't be too hard on herself. Because Beth learned through years of fighting an eating disorder that smothered her creativity, that you have to be willing to allow room for imperfections to create masterpieces. Listen in to hear how Beth has cultivated her gift, how she navigates keeping her own character in her work while still satisfying others, what she learned the hard way from being a perfectionist, and what self-care looks like for her and its essential place in encouraging her artistry to flourish. Show Notes: Beth's Website and Instagram Last week's episode with Beauty Redefined and their Course (use code APBR30 for $30 off!!) Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "JULY" to save $50 during July, only!) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets HERE and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My daughter--Bear (secret code name!)--sat down in front of my desk on Sunday morning and asked to record an episode. I happily obliged, thinking it was just for the memories. But, she actually proved to record something pretty inspiring! She turns 7 today, so as a little surprise I thought I'd share this with you. Bear is very unique. She's very bright, creative, and very sensitive. She's had to overcome a lot in her short life and I'm very proud of her. Bear is a dreamer. She is totally into koalas and talks about them--and marine life--all day long, and wants to plan our study trip to Australia all day, every day (down to what plane we are taking and when). Bear is very inspired by the female scientists she's learned about thanks to her Bravery Magazines. (This have no idea I'm sharing this, but you need them!) If it sounds like she's reading off of something, Bear is not. She might have her dad's photographic memory--we're not sure yet, but this is the way she talks (exactly how she read it!). I encourage you to listen until the end when you get to hear about her own dreams! I hope you enjoy learning from Bear and her female scientists. Show Notes: Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "JULY" to save $50 during July, only!) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets HERE and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When you think of your body in terms of what it can do and how you feel in it, instead of just how it looks, you open up this whole new world.” The past few years, there has been some shifts in how society (and by extension, advertising) is labeling "beautiful." But Doctors Lindsay and Lexie Kite of Beauty Redefined think that we can do even better. This is because even by broadening the definition of "beauty," we are still telling women that they are defined by their beauty. Lindsay and Lexie have researched the effect this thinking has on women and their lives, and they know what it takes to change it. The fact is that women ARE being held back by being objectified (including self-objectification), and that when they step into their own power and build BODY IMAGE RESILIENCE, their potential is limitless. Listen in to hear why this is the case and how we can empower ourselves by building this body image resilience. (Plus they have a tried-and-true course on this, so listen in to hear about that too!) Show Notes: Beauty Redefined Website, Instagram, and Course! Last week's episode with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "JULY" to save $50 during July, only!) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets HERE and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If you’re going to be someone who is interested in intimacy, you have to be accepting of your body as it is. If you’re going to be capable of doing that, you have to forge a kind of meaningful self acceptance and self compassion.” Good body image = good sex. Bad body image = bad sex. It’s really that simple. Because it’s never about our bodies. It’s about how we are measuring our self-worth and the meaning we have placed on our bodies as an extension of our sense of self. And that measurement affects all areas our lives, including our love lives. Want to know more about why that is and how to change it? Listen to my podcast interview with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife on how we can get in better tune with what really matters—our minds and our souls—and by extension, improve both our body image AND our intimacy. (If you like the episode, please subscribe and SHARE IT! Thank you!) Show Notes: Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's WEBSITE, upcoming Art of Desire Wasatch Retreat, and Jackson Hole Couples Retreat! Prior Interviews with Jennifer: Here, here, and here. Monica's two-day, 24-hour workshop REDISCOVER YOU, with guest teachers Kim Christenson and Rachel Nielson (use code "JULY" to save $50 during July, only!) Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets here and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting and personal coaching More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's sad how easy it is to let our marriages slip into a place of neglect. But this needn't be if we just better prioritize our relationship and our spouse's needs! Becky Squire is here to discuss what the research shows about how putting your marriage first benefits your children and what husbands and wives need more of from each other. While the actual practice of these concepts will look different for each family, better prioritizing the most important relationship in the family will bless everyone. Show Notes Becky's blog and referenced articles: here, here, and here Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets here and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS10" to get $10 off your first month, making it only $10!) and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kari Durrant is our wonderful highlight today! Kari shares boldly about how even as a health care professional, her own anxiety and depression pushed her to shift what she was doing in her life. For her, that meant admitting that the career path she was on wasn't the right thing for her, stepping back, and instead getting more honest with herself. The greatest thing about this? That meant doing things she LOVED again, including painting, hand-lettering, and even a triathlon. She has picked up so many skills, built a community, and more--all because she went for something small. You can follow Kari here! She's also started offering water coloring classes, and I've signed up to knock off one of my own "do somethings." You can listen to both parts below, or on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Pocketcasts, Googleplay, or search for "About Progress" wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show please share it, subscribe, and leave a review!! Show Notes Kari's Instagram and Facebook Referenced episode with Lisa from Hand Lettered Design Referenced episode with Amber from Biceps After Babies Monica's next workshop in Walnut Creek, CA--get your tickets here and $15 each ticket when you buy two or more tickets with the code "TWOPLUS" Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS10" to get $10 off your first month, making it only $10!) and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It was when I chose to let those small pieces of criticism encompass my thoughts that I started to doubt what I was doing.” Whether you are a working professional, a stay-at-home parent, or a star athlete, we all deal with the self-doubt, especially when initiated by criticism. Kylie Chenn created a very successful company at a very young age; but she constantly dealt with--and continues to--people who pushed back on her and her ideas, or others who were impossible to please. Four years in to her business, Kyle has learned irreplaceable wisdom on how to not look to the external voices to measure your own worth. She shares what she did to overcome the nay-sayers, and how as her business continues to grow what she does to hold true to who she knows she truly is and the positive that is all around her. So if your special in-law or overwhelming boss is getting your goat today, listen to this episode to learn how to ensure your self worth can become so deeply grounded that you can bounce back from criticism and self doubt, and more fully own who you are and what you contribute to the world. Show Notes Kylie's Instagram, aCanela Website, and Instagram Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS10" to get $10 off your first month, making it only $10!) and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“At what point do we figure out the cost is too high, and are we willing to put it down?” It's one thing to know that our devices are getting in the way of our relationships, work, and creative outlets. But it's another to successfully do something about it. Brooke White knows the struggle well. As an independent musician (she got her big break on American Idol ten years ago) and business woman (Girls with Glasses!), social media is a big part of her creating a committed online community that supports her work. But even with all that on the line, earlier this year Brooke found herself in a predicament: what started as a way to personally connect with her loved ones and beloved fans, social media was now robbing her of the life right in front of her. So Brooke decided to do something about it, starting with a month-long fast that quickly changed everything. Brooke and I planned on a 30 minute discussion on what she learned from her fast and how she is now attempting to still have social media in her life, but not BE her life. But as we dug into it, we had to quickly own that this topic involves a very layered, complicated relationship that all of us can relate to. Beyond it just being about prioritizing time, balancing our lives with social media entails a much deeper work including evaluating our purpose, owning our insecurities, and refusing to settle for a life numbed-out. Because of this, we chose to separate our chat into two parts. Part One: Brooke shares her history of using social media as a way to share so purely her life with others, and how this pursuit so gradually took over her ability to be present with her real life. She talks about a few moments where she had to accept that she needed to change her focus, not just with her social media use but with her life as well. Show Notes Brooke's Instagram, website, and Girls with Glasses Monica's Past Episode on Technology Kim Christenson's lovely post on her social media fast, her first interview with me, and her website, Last week's episode on Imperfect Parenting with Georgia Anderson "Get Over Yourself" TICKETS for Perfectionism Workshop with Monica on June 21st in Utah Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS10" to get $10 off your first month, making it only $10!) and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You’re allowed to choose to love yourself. It’s not selfish, it’s not self-centered. It’s quite simple. If you’re ready, go ahead.” Part Two: Brooke talks about what her social media break taught her, including some heart-breaking lessons. She discusses the struggle she's encountered as she steps back into her online life while still trying to balance her greater priorities, and what has worked for her. Finally, she openly shares the difficult lessons she has learned the past few years about how accepting herself fully--faults and all--is the key to really, truly moving forward with a richer, happier life. Show Notes Brooke's Instagram, website, and Girls with Glasses Monica's Past Episode on Technology Kim Christenson's lovely post on her social media fast, her first interview with me, and her website, Last week's episode on Imperfect Parenting with Georgia Anderson "Get Over Yourself" TICKETS for Perfectionism Workshop with Monica on June 21st in Utah Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS10" to get $10 off your first month, making it only $10!) and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We don’t want or need to be perfect all the time. We need to be open to change and learning." If you're constantly berating yourself for falling short as a parent, I have fantastic news for you: You don't have to be a perfect parent to be a very good one. Parenting expert Georgia Anderson is on the show to share how research proves that a perfectionist parent is actually an ineffective--and unhappy--one. Instead, Georgia encourages this alternative: showing our kids that we aren't perfect, but that we will always work to repair our mistakes and keep trying. The way to do this? Georgia shares some phenomenal tips, including how showing yourself more compassion will transfer to your children, what to do when you see red, how we can use our bodies to change our emotions, and much more. Georgia was kind enough to share some big moments in her own life where she learned that perfectionism was holding her back as a parent, and how she squared her shoulders and moved forward during a traumatic change she and her family faced. Show Notes Georgia's Website, Instagram, and Facebook + her new THINK-DO CHALLENGE "Get Over Yourself" TICKETS for Perfectionism Workshop with Monica on June 21st in Utah Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS") and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Show Notes Joanna's Instagram and Website "Get Over Yourself" TICKETS for Perfectionism Workshop with Monica on June 21st in Utah Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS") and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Action of any kind--even if it's small--makes that big difference of showing you that you're not giving your power away and your life away." We live in a world of experts, ones that make you constantly feel guilty or frazzled. But Sid Garza-Hillman is here to hold your hand, make you laugh, and somehow inspire you to be better anyway, all with the premise that doing the right things most of the time (MOTT) is a really beautiful way to live. If you're an "all-or-nothing" person and find yourself most often on the "nothing" side of the equation, that way of viewing the world isn't working for you. It's time for a different way of managing the person you want to become. Sid teaches how to break intimidating goals and life-changes down into smaller, more manageable steps. And the even better part? How our follow-through needs not be 100% in order to still create truer, longer-lasting change. Self-care is showing yourself kindness, and Sid reveals that doing so as a parent will make you a far better influence for your children. The kids will take notice of your changes and walk the talk, just like mom and dad. Show Notes Sid's Book, Website, Instagram and Facebook Most recent episode with Meg Fee "Get Over Yourself" TICKETS for Perfectionism Workshop with Monica on June 21st in Utah Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS") and your FREE WEEK here Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"If I try to stamp [sadness] out, then I'm cutting myself off from happiness in many ways because it's part of the spectrum. The two things are not inseparable. You cannot have one without the other." I'm sure many of us can agree that our 20s were equal parts traumatizing and memorable. Meg Fee's writing has allowed thousands along the ride to her won experience of this transformative decade. Meg freely and beautifully shared her struggles to overcome deep sadness due to "Ned" (her Nasty Eating Disorder), amazing first dates, frustrating bad boyfriends, and terrible jobs, all with the backdrop of New York City. Listen to this episode to hear more about what Meg lost to and what she gained from sadness, how language and writing were always apart of her story, what she does to move forward without regret, and how life's many curves can take us to a place far more meaningful than we ever could have forged on our own. Meg teaches how we can better couple with the sadness that is often our lot in life and that by doing so, we create more room for happiness, too. Meg also shares some insight behind her new buzz-worthy memoir, Places I Stopped on the Way Home. It's a page-turner! Check the show notes below for more links, as well as how to stream the episode right here in your browser. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There are all sorts of ways for us to make a nice big mess and come out with something glorious in the end.” I knew Cori Connors growing up as the "Mom" of the neighborhood--the one always ready to laugh with instead of scold you, eager to cheer you on, and willing to sit with you when you're down. She is an angel to many, and she also has an angel voice backed by her record-selling songwriting abilities. Cori talks about how creativity cannot flourish while in the restraints of perfectionism; that in order to really get to the meat of who we are and the gifts we have, we need to get comfortable with being messy. Cori shares how we can better discover our talents and offer our own weirdness to the world with a bold confidence, one centered in love, curiosity, and imperfection. That's what Cori does, and she can tell you the truth--life is better messy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Those things I’m thinking or feeling are there to guide me, and I can trust what is going on inside of me and it will lead me to good.” Two years ago, Debbie Mayes and her family moved from a 5,000 sq foot home to a 200 sq foot remodeled bus and it changed everything. Here's the thing: it's not about the bus. It's about RECONNECTION. You see, the problem the Mayes family had was that they weren't as connected as a couple, as a family, or individually as well with their own emotions. Debbie and her husband, Gabriel, dove deep to repair what was broken for their household, and for them it meant allowing their emotions to act as beacons for self-healing and spending real quality time together as a family. So after listening to this interview, maybe you'll be interested in pairing your life down to the basics like the Mayes family did. Or perhaps you'll figure out how to better own the inner voices within you. Either way, Debbie and her team just want you to know that what's on the other side of this work is a much happier life. Show Notes The Mayes Team website, Instagram, and Facebook Bethel Podcast that Debbie referenced Last Week's Episode on COMPARISON Vibrant Bite fitness and nutrition coaching (enter the code "PROGRESS") and your FREE WEEK here The Mama Ladder's High Five Grant, and FREE E-book for About Progress Listeners Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know that using social media directly correlates with higher rates of depression and anxiety? I believe the root of why this is the case is COMPARISON. After all, comparison truly is the thief of joy. I hate imagining how many times in my life (both on social media and in real life) I've been too caught up in seeing what I lack in comparison to others, only to miss the incredible blessings right in front of me. I'm sure the number is countless. I know that comparison is the root of my history of eating disorders, depression, anxiety, shame, worry, etc. Related to that are my flaws: I can be a people pleaser, I want people to like me, and I often look to others to reflect back my worth. BUT, I also believe that discovering this tendency in myself to compare has been a huge blessing. It's something I can actually work on and move past towards a richer, fuller life. Overcoming the comparison trap is a lesson I've had to learn over and over again, because it's sneaky and masks itself as other things (examples: stress, anxiety, apathy, sadness, etc.). Today's podcast episode is all about comparison. I talk about how it crept up on me the past few months and directly influenced my confidence and my productivity, and how I almost quit everything podcast-related because of it. I also share what the comparison trap can look like for all of us, including how easy it is to get caught in it through social media, and teach WHAT we can do to shift our mindset away from comparison towards self-assurance. If you like this episode, please SHARE it, subscribe, and leave a review! Show Notes Last Week's Episode on FEAR The Mama Ladder's website, Instagram, Facebook, High Five Grant, and FREE E-book for About Progress Listeners Worth Of Souls Project--where you can get the album, find out more about it and the project, and explore resources. PLEASE SHARE IT! (+ About Progress episode with three of the artists behind it.) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or podcast consulting Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"You already have within you what you need." What's holding you back from going after a goal, business, or piece of self-improvement? I bet you a million dollars that we can take whatever reason you'd say and get it back to the real main root: FEAR. Crystalee Beck from The Mama Ladder is on the show to teach us about seven common fears people face on their way to success and how to overcome them. So whether you're a mama who wants to turn her hobby into a business, an empty nester who can't get out of a rut, or a single man who can't seem to find the courage to switch careers, this episode is for you. Listen in to hear how we can overcome fear in the form of self-doubt, fear of failure, fear of SUCCESS (yes, this is real!), fear of money, and more. Crystalee teaches that all you need to overcome your fears is already inside of you. Additionally, Crystalee shares an incredible opportunity for a mama who wants to get a business going with the High Five Grant. The Mama Ladder is hosting a contest to give 5K to a deserving mom-turned-entrepreneur. Let's make a winner an About Progress listener! (And if we do, I'll have the winner on the show!) Crystalee has kindly given our listeners her e-book on fear for FREE! Click here to get it. Show Notes The Mama Ladder's website, Instagram, Facebook, High Five Grant, and FREE E-book for About Progress Listeners Last week's episode with Amber Runyon Worth Of Souls Project--where you can get the album, find out more about it and the project, and explore resources. PLEASE SHARE IT! Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica for coaching or consultations Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“People need three things to thrive: safe place, safe people, and safe purpose. We always forget that purpose piece” On a humanitarian trip to Ethiopia, Amber Runyon saw a big need--women and their families who were in the eleventh hour of suffering due to the effects of human trafficking. Imagine her shock when upon returning home, she discovered that her own city--Columbus, Ohio--was the fourth biggest city in the U.S. with human trafficking. What she first thought was a foreign problem was in her backyard--women who were sacrificing themselves to feed their children, with devastating outcomes. Amber wasn't going to have that. So this nurse became a founder of an incredible company, one that benefits victims of human trafficking, and in turn their families and larger communities, most domestic and abroad. Without any experience, but a lot of determination, Amber created a pathway out for those women by providing them with a save PLACE, PEOPLE, and PURPOSE. Amber talks about what her company does and how it helps those who are in darkness come back to the light. Amber also shares how she herself learned to create light in her own life after realizing she wouldn't want to be friends with herself. She now feels differently about that, and Amber teaches us how she got there. Be ready to be SUPER inspired by this incredible woman! Show Notes Eleventh Candle Co. Website (use the code "PROGRESS" to get 20% off!), Instagram, and Facebook Last week's episode with Andi Veenker Worth Of Souls Project--where you can get the album, find out more about it and the project, and explore resources. PLEASE SHARE IT! Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica for coaching or consultations More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The second you start doing something, you change your state.” Andi Veenker is a fitness wizard and self-help fanatic. But here's the best thing about her--she preaches that nothing will fix you (no book, no weight on the scale, no achievement, no nothing) UNTIL you love yourself first. And in order to find that self-love, you need to do something. (Does that sound familiar?) Andi is on the show to share how she learned to face depression head on by doing something about it as early on as possible (in contrast to her first round with postpartum depression). She teaches us how filling your life with daily small-to-great courageous acts will empower you to face those mental demons and create something spectacular with your life. Show Notes Andi's Instagram and Website Last week's episode on JOY Worth Of Souls Project--where you can get the album, find out more about it and the project, and explore resources. PLEASE SHARE IT! Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica for coaching or consultations More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Joy [is] a spiritual way of engaging with the world that's connected to practicing gratitude." ~Brene Brown If you've been working on happiness, get ready to up-level it to JOY. Joy is different than happiness. It's deeper and more eternal in nature and effect. It's earned through opposition. It's chosen and cultivated. And when the going REALLY gets tough, the good news is that "joy" will be there for us. In this episode, we go deep in discussing why joy is different and longer lasting than happiness, and how we can choose it by focusing on: 1) Keeping Perspective 2) Being Present 3) Maintaining a Practice of Gratitude Show Notes Daring Greatly by Brene Brown (affiliate amazon link) Last week's episode with Paul Cardall, Kenz Hall, and Charley Jenkins: Worth Of Souls Project--where you can get the album, find out more about it and the project, and explore resources. PLEASE SHARE IT! Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica for coaching or consultations More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We need to create something for someone else that they might not be able to create themselves." ~Charley Jenkins Surely, we can all agree that music has defined our lives from time to time--but what about save our lives? That's exactly what the Worth of Souls project and album is trying to do. Paul Cardall and a troop of incredible artists collaborated to create a movement designed to save people who are at the brink of complete despair, to pull them back from depression, doubt, anxiety, negativity, and worthlessness. Paul and two of his artists--Kenz Hall and Charley Jenkins--joined the podcast today to talk about the project and why they're passionate about it, the mission behind their songs, and how music has the unique ability to change--and even rescue--lives by reminding us all of our eternal value. Show Notes Worth Of Souls Project--where you can get the album, find out more about it and the project, and explore resources. PLEASE SHARE IT! Paul's website, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook Kenz's website, Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook Charley's website, YouTube, and Facebook PAST INTERVIEW WITH PAUL Last week's episode: Managing Our Thoughts to Find More Joy in Parenthood, with Lisa Andersen Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica for coaching or consultations More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We can flip our thinking about our kids. They don't make us feel any certain way. It's us. We have that control." You want to know a magical trick for parenting? You're in charge. I know, revolutionary right? But really--you are in charge. However, not in the way you might think. Here's how: You're in charge of YOURSELF. Your thoughts, your emotions, and your actions. Regardless of what your kids do and who they are (after all you can do to teach them, of course!), only you can manage how you show up around your kids. It's not your kids' fault when you're up to your neck with stress, anger, bitterness, and anxiety about parenting them. That's on you! The good news is that because of this, you can actually shift how you feel about your kids and parenting--and you are truly capable of doing so. If you want more joy and less resentment/guilt in your parenthood journey, listen in to this episode with Lisa Andersen from @thrivingmotherhood. She is brilliant at instructing us how to better manage our thinking so that we find more fulfillment in our parenthood and by extension increase our capacity to better guide our children to manage their own thinking, emotions, and actions. Show Notes Lisa's Instagram Last week's episode: Overcoming the Complexities of Our Childhoods, with Rachel Nielson Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica for coaching or consultations More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Think of your own child being that scared and how you would comfort them. Treat yourself with similar grace.” Rachel Nielson didn't realize how much her mother's long battle with cancer affected her childhood until it was affecting her adulthood, and badly. She found herself stuck in a terrible cycle of self-hatred and perfectionism, coupled with a Savior's-complex within her relationships. Years of therapy and growth taught Rachel how to move beyond the trauma of her youth and better embrace her present and, most importantly, herself. Rachel is on the podcast to teach us what we can do to move past the insecurities, bad relationships, poor influences, sadnesses, and traumas of our childhoods and better create the life we want to live. She also shares how she learned to embrace grace in how she views her parents and extend that grace to her own life as well. Show Notes Rachel's Website, Podcast, and Instagram Last week's episode: Are you Happy? Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica for coaching or consultations More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let me ask you this: are you happy? Why is it that most of us would have a really hard time answering that question? Well, I have a lot of theories. People too often have the wrong idea of what happiness actually looks like (it's not rainbows and butterflies, people!), and they hinge it on their circumstances or others. I've been guilty of this. Oh, have I been guilty! (Sorry, husband, for all the times I made your responsible for my happiness!) So today's podcast is devoted to my thoughts on happiness--what it REALLY looks like, and three ways we can work on our happiness right now, right here. Show Notes Last week's episode: How to Find Real Strength in Vulnerability || with Preston Pugmire Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Weakness is pretending that you’re not feeling emotions, [and thereby] denying yourself of that humanity.” If you haven't heard of Preston Pugmire, get yourself acquainted quick. This "renaissance man" has a lot to say and it's going to change your life. Preston--a speaker, life coach, musician, and podcaster (Next Level Life)--teaches us how to free ourselves from shame, guilt, and perfectionism by tearing down the facades we've created and getting to the heart of who we truly are. In other words, VULNERABILITY. Preston himself knows what this looks like first-hand, as he unexpectedly had his own facade torn down and his true self become exposed. Living life more authentically has transformed everything for the better and Preston believes it can transform our lives as well. Preston speaks about how men in particular are imprisoned emotionally--and by extension, in every other way--by not allowing themselves to explore their real, authentic identity. For us all, Preston teaches how we can discover that our greatest strength comes from our vulnerability. Show Notes Preston's website, Podcast, Instagram, and Facebook community Last week's episode: Arming Kids Against Pornography Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"We have to continually have those conversations because it normalizes the idea of talking about tough topics." Dina Alexander returned to the podcast to teach parents how to talk to our children about another hard topic: pornography. We first discuss what Dina has researched are the trends in pornography, including the average age of exposure, what your children are "learning" from porn, and how they are targeted by the industry. This information is essential to knowing better what our children are up against and HOW to better prepare them to make good decisions when they are faced with pornography (and the research shows, they will ALL be exposed to it at some point). Dina then shares a variety of ways to open the dialogue with children, first by using proper sexual education and then by empowering our kids to know the truth behind the porn industry--what false messages they teach, how they use teens as a primary target. We can then go into arming our kids to actively fight against the tides of culture and instead choose a life with healthy sexuality pursued at the right time. And we can do all of this without using guilt and shame. Ultimately, Dina teaches parents that the best thing we can do for our children is provide a family culture of open dialogue where no topics are off the table. And in turn, the effects are children who are better empowered to stand up and live their values. Show Notes Educate and Empower Kids website, Facebook, and all their books Educate and Empower Kids' book on pornography, books on body image, book on technology Dina's last interview on Body Image Last week's episode: Monica's birth story Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a follow-up to my interview with childbirth educator Laura Dugovic, here is the birth story of my sweet baby born on February 5th. (I share his name briefly on the interview, but won't be typing it up here as I guard my kids' names online.) You'll hear about what led up to the birth, what I did to help with the pain without using an epidural, and how Laura's resources and positive affirmations completely transformed this birth. Instead of feeling either traumatized or like a caged animal as I have in the past, I felt strong and centered. If you've been following along with me on Instagram, then you know that E had emergency surgery at 9 days old, just a few days after recording this episode. His intestines were twisted, which is life threatening as the bowels can quickly die. We returned home much sooner than we planned after six days total at the hospital, five of which were in the PICU. Thank you SO much for your many messages during this time, and most especially your prayers. We felt them and know that his surgery and outcome were miraculous. Show Notes: Laura's Website, Resources for positive affirmations, and Instagram Last week's episode on fighting terminal illness with Mandie Sherman Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I have learned that anything that I thought of myself, that I saw of myself, is not nearly the capacity that I truly am." Mikael Monson NEVER planned on homeschooling her four children; in fact, she was staunchly against it for some time. But when the inner call for her came to pull her kids out of public school and teach them from home, Mikael took a huge leap of faith and did just that. Mikael shares why homeschooling is the right fit for her family, how she does it, and what she has learned about standing firm with her convictions. Ultimately, she believes that if everyone listened and followed the voice inside them regardless of their own plans, they'll be made capable of meeting the challenges that come with the call. Show Notes: Mikael's Instagram and YouTube channel Interview with doula/childbirth educator Laura Dugovic Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I don't think that 'acceptance' is an excuse to diminish yourself or to not hold yourself accountable to your best work . . . We should develop and expand and grow in whatever we feel called to do." Nesha Woodhouse is the director of Lifehouse Performing Arts Academy and came from a intensive background in honing one of her beloved gifts--dance. But Nesha learned in her own life--and now passes on to her students--that mastery of our gifts can only truly flourish if our motivation is to bless the lives of others and ourselves. This is in contrast to being driven by competitiveness, comparison, or approval-seeking. So many preach acceptance of self. While this is paramount to overcoming the challenges life throws at us, our souls also crave GROWTH. Nesha speaks on this important balance of seeking mastery of our gifts while also being driven by the right reasons--to more fully reach our own individual potential and bless the lives of others. Now as the director of hundreds of youth pursuing greatness, Nesha strives to help the develop this truth within themselves and to in turn share their gifts with the world. Show Notes Nesha's Lifehouse Performing Arts Academy Last week's episode with Dina Alexander on positive body image with children Interview with doula/childbirth educator Laura Dugovic Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If we get so caught up in how we look, how our friends look, if we look good enough, we are missing the richness of life.” Dina Alexander is back to teach us how to combat the perfect images social media projects for the children in our lives. BOTH boys and girls are constantly infiltrated with pictures and ideas about what their bodies are supposed to be like, and how they can get them. Listen in to this conversation to learn how to create an open communication in your home where these tough topics can be fully explored. Equip yourself with ways to arm your children the knowledge and self-respect necessary to own a confident, grounded view of themselves and their bodies. Dina Alexander is the founder and president of Educate and Empower Kids (educateempowerkids.org), an organization determined to strengthen families by teaching digital citizenship, media literacy, and healthy sexuality education—including education about the dangers of online porn. She is the creator of Noah’s New Phone: A Story About Using Technology for Good, Messages About Me: A Journey to Healthy Body Image, How to Talk to Your Kids About Pornography and the 30 Days of Sex Talks and 30 Days to a Stronger Child programs. She received her master’s degree in recreation therapy from the University of Utah and her bachelors from Brigham Young University. She is an amazing mom and loves spending time with her husband and three kids. Together, they live in Texas. Listen to this episode below, or on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Pocketcasts, Googleplay, or search for "About Progress" wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show, please subscribe!! Show Notes Educate and Empower Kids website, Facebook, and all their books Educate and Empower Kids' books on body image, and book on technology Dina's last interview on Technology Last week's episode with Mallory Wahlstrom Wright Interview with doula/childbirth educator Laura Dugovic Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I’m getting my self-esteem from looking in . . . I have worth in my trying.” Although Mallory Wahlstrom Wright was an accomplished musician, dancer, and athlete, she suffered immensely from perfectionism-bred low self esteem. As a way to cope with never feeling like she measured up, she turned to controlling her body and her weight. Years of this behavior led to a crippled life that she wasn't sure she could make her way back from. A series of lows pushed Mallory to seek help, but the biggest tipping point was when her older brother needed a kidney transplant--and Mallory turned out to be the *perfect* match! Following the surgery, Mallory faced near-life-taking complications and faced a very hard recovery. Through it all, she gained a newfound appreciation for her body and her life. Mallory learned to seek inward and find her own unique light that she now shares from her dance and harp students, to our listeners. Show Notes: Last week's episode on overcoming fear with childbearing Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“My only approach is to love and strengthen all women, no matter what kind of birth they want to have.” Laura Dugovic had prepared for a meditative birth with her first child, but what she experienced was gritty, loud, sweaty . . . and still completely transformative. Laura is a doula and birth educator, but one who strives to help ALL women feel empowered to face birth with an attitude of a rockstar, regardless of what method they feel best suits them and their needs. In today's episode, Laura works with our host--Monica--in a smaller version of what she does with her clients in a typical session. She talks Monica through her deep-seated fears of birth and teaches her how to manage her thoughts so she is better prepared to face the upcoming birth of her fourth child. Show Notes: Laura's Website and Instagram Last week's episode on goals with Mandie Sherman Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"It doesn't get easier, but it gets lighter. It gets lighter because we get stronger . . . Your strength is going to help somebody else when they are weak." When we are facing especially hard times, we've all heard people say that things will get easier. Mandie Sherman disagrees. She knows from her lifelong struggle with cystic fibrosis--a terminal disease--that it's not that things get easier, it's that we get stronger. And with that strength, we are then obligated to help others where they are weak. Mandie's strength is evident throughout this interview as she frankly shares about what life has been like with a disease that consumes much of her day with constant treatments and monitoring. She is resilient--yes. Realistic--yes. But coupled with these qualities is an contagious optimism, a choice Mandie has made to face each day with strength AND softness. Surrounding her is what Mandie calls her "army," people who love, support, and take care of her. Mandie's hope is that we can learn more about cystic fibrosis and in turn join our own army of helping others make it through their own difficult time. We recorded this interview a few months ago, and Mandie spent most of December in the hospital, including a surgery to help her breathing. Please click on the links in the show notes to share some love with Mandie, get one of her shirts to join her "army," and donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Show Notes: Mandie's Instagram, Blog, and Get the "Mandie Tee" (or sweatshirt) and join the Sherman Army! Donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Last week's episode on goals with Tiffany Webster Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"When we attach anything to our goals--our happiness, worth, value, success--our goals are no longer out becoming . . .[they're] just about needing to achieve to feel something." Sick of never meeting your goals? Too overwhelmed to even make some in the first place? It's not your method that needs some revamping; it's your motivation. When you are a recovering perfectionist, you'll have a love-hate relationship with goals. On one hand, you could have a past of going over-the-top, full throttle and letting your goals dictate every moment of your life, only to ALWAYS feel like a failure; on the other hand, you could be so over feeling like a failure that it's too overwhelming for you to even begin making goals at all. Time to find some middle ground. Want to know the secret behind revolutionizing your goals so they actually work? You've got to define your "WHY" behind them. Tiffany Webster joins me in a conversation on this topic today. You can prop us both up as "failed perfectionists," and therefore experts on making the goals for the wrong reasons. In this episode, Tiffany and I speak about how to better direct your motivation behind self-improvement, find the fine line between self-love and self-improvement, and how to shift your views of both yourself and your goals so you are better set up for success. Show Notes: Tiffany's BOOK, website, Instagram, and Facebook Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"If you set aside other people's expectations, set aside the need for permission and live your most authentic self, life is a lot more freeing and you're making better decisions." Dina Taylor has faced many obstacles in her young life, but the two most recent--infertility and her 35-year-old husband's unexpected death--could have made her give up and give in. Not so, for Dina. Dina chose to persevere, and to do it her own way. Listen in to hear how Dina and her late husband, Dan, faced major health problems, infertility, and then a very difficult pregnancy together, how she picked up the pieces of her life after his tragic death ten weeks before the birth of their son, Jack, and the unique ways she chose to face grief and carry on. Dina also shares how she has found expanded love in her heart for a new life partner, Rick, and what has made all the difference for her the past 2 1/2 years. While this could have been a very heavy episode, instead Dina empowers us all to better face the struggles we each have by staying true to what is within us, listening to our hearts, and holding strong to what we know will best help us create the lives we want, not just in spite of our pasts but because of them. Show Notes: Dina's Instagram Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Just like you and I lived at the mall or lived at the football game on Friday night, a lot of our kids are living on social media . . . I want my kids to make their mistakes while still living with me. You want to give them parameters but also you want to give them the opportunity to make choices.” We all worry about the incessant draw that technology is having on our children these days. You see the debates on Facebook and hear the tense conversations amongst parents: How much tech-use is appropriate? How can we limit screen time? When should children be allowed to use technology? Before we can answer all that, however, we need to be asking the more appropriate question, as posed by Dina Alexander: "How can we empower our children to use technology responsibly and for good?" Dina is the founder of the non-profit Educate and Empower Kids, which strives to help parents "parent in the digital age" by preparing their children, not scaring them. She is an expert on so many hard topics we need to discuss with our children from technology, body image, to pornography. Today, she shares her well-researched views on what we can do to help our children learn to make wise choices with technology by building an open communication with them, one based on openness and love, not shame. Dina Alexander is the founder and president of Educate and Empower Kids (educateempowerkids.org), an organization determined to strengthen families by teaching digital citizenship, media literacy, and healthy sexuality education—including education about the dangers of online porn. She is the creator of Noah’s New Phone: A Story About Using Technology for Good, Messages About Me: A Journey to Healthy Body Image, How to Talk to Your Kids About Pornography and the 30 Days of Sex Talks and 30 Days to a Stronger Child programs. She received her master’s degree in recreation therapy from the University of Utah and her bachelors from Brigham Young University. She is an amazing mom and loves spending time with her husband and three kids. Together, they live in Texas. Show Notes Educate and Empower Kids website, Facebook, and all their books Educate and Empower Kids' books on body image, and book on technology Recent interview with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: "Get Over Yourself" Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's website and Holiday DEAL! Jennifer's past interviews with About Progress on perfectionism and goodness (doing things for the right reasons) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast is in response to an email I received from a listener who was frustrated that all my guests on the show are too "extraordinary." While thoughts swirled about me, I interviewed Melinda Peterson from Melinda Joy Writes to chat about how she has been writing a novel for ten years; but then we magically had a beautiful discussion on seeing the extraordinary within ourselves. Listen in to hear our conversation on this topic, my own expanded thoughts, my response to this email, as well as a highlight from one my "extraordinary-ordinary" friends--Brittney Hanks from Homegrown Traditions--who has encountered some tough failures as she and her husband navigate running a small business together. Excerpt from Melinda's email, following our interview (it's amazing!!): Show Notes Melinda's website, Instagram, and children-centered Instagram Homegrown Traditions website and Instagram Recent interview with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: "Get Over Yourself" Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's website and Holiday DEAL! Jennifer's past interviews with About Progress on perfectionism and goodness (doing things for the right reasons) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It is that moment of complete 100% surrender that we step into that power we never had before.” Tiffany Webster knows a thing or two about surrender. As a lifelong perfectionist, life had a way of showing up and forcing her to slow down, and slow down hard: infertility, chronic illness, brain surgery, and poor mental health. That's just some of what Tiffany faced that helped her see she had to learn how to give in, look outward, and reach up--and in the process of doing that, she found greater strength than she ever knew possible. You might recognize Tiffany from her viral talk on perfectionism given at the Hope Works conference: "The Perfect Lie." Tiffany has recently released the most beautiful book--Embracing the Broken--that goes into great depth with what brought her to her lowest lows, the lessons she learned about the lies of perfectionism, and how we can rise above it. In this interview, we talk about this as well as how Tiffany deals with the messiness of progress, how we can stop wearing masks with each other, and what's on the other side of embracing the broken in your own life. Show Notes: Tiffany's BOOK, website, Instagram, and Facebook Recent interview with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: "Get Over Yourself" Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's website and Holiday DEAL! Jennifer's past interviews with About Progress on perfectionism and goodness (doing things for the right reasons) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Comparison is evil . . . Any time you look at someone else's strengths that might be your weaknesses, you'll always come up short." 10 years ago, Tamarynn Bennett was 25 years old and had barely run more than a few miles at a time. So, she reasonably thought she would be a "one and done" with a marathon she signed up for. But after accidentally qualifying for Boston (!), she found herself drawn to the challenge and the thrill of racing. Like most athletes, Tamarynn has had her fair share of set backs and disappointments. From taking a full six years off of doing triathlons so she could focus on her family, to facing adrenal fatigue and injuries, to not being able to do races she had trained so hard for, Tamarynn has seen it all. Her persistence is admirable, but it's also reachable; Tamarynn likes to make it clear--she is ordinary and credits achieving these big goals just one step at a time and holding strong to the bigger picture. Tamarynn also discusses the personal trials her family has faced, and how they have both challenged and strengthened her commitment to what really matters. A big piece of that puzzle? Avoiding the trap of comparison and instead embracing the little progress we make each time we try, and then try again. Some recent good news since our interview was recorded: Tamarynn was not only able to finish the Chicago marathon she was nervous about completing due to an injury, but she also completed her first official Ironman!!!! Tamarynn described it as "magical." Congrats, Tamarynn!!! Show Notes: Tamarynn's Instagram Last week's interview with Lisa Funk Lisa's new book, The Guide to Mindful Lettering Recent interview with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife: "Get Over Yourself" Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's website and Holiday DEAL! Jennifer's past interviews with About Progress on perfectionism and goodness (doing things for the right reasons) Monica's Facebook and Instagram Monat Natural, Anti-Aging Hair Care: Contact Monica to learn more, OR research via her Monat Instagram and website Related: Monica's views on Sponsorship and WHY she's partnering with Monat Fabletics! Get 2 leggings for $24 when you become a VIP member (they're the besssssst!) (Affiliate link) Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link) Contact Monica More Podcasts from About Progress Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Tonight" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices