This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and my commitments for the upcoming month. I hope this glimpse into my life, my family, my work, and my own self development encourages you in your own journey. Around here the goal is never perfection, just to keep trying, even if in very simple ways. I think you'll see that with all of the big changes going on for me, taking the smallest of ...
May 04, 2023•21 min•Ep. 490
It's a pet peeve of mine when people say they "don't have regrets." While I understand what they mean by that, I think it's too dismissive of the lessons we learn from a life fully lived. In fact, I can name several regrets I have, without hesitation. From the way I handled friends and extracurriculars in and after high school, to my own missteps as an emotionally dysregulated young mother, plus a few more examples, you'll see that I am far from perfect. When regret leads to resentment and shame...
May 01, 2023•32 min•Ep. 489
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me ? This is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These episodes feature real women who are answering the question “How do you…?” about their various passions and pursuits. Tina Anderson is a multi-faceted woman who pivoted from a law career to start her own business. She shares her story of feeling inspired to pursue her "life's work" and trying to figure out exactly what that could be for her and her hu...
Apr 27, 2023•26 min•Ep. 488
In 2020 I put something on my Do Something List that I almost talked myself out of: have fun with fashion. I ended up loving the results so much that I've kept a version of it every year since. This year I came up with "explore my personal style." And while I haven't necessarily turned into a style expert, or even fashion blogger, I have enjoyed the way that exploring my personal style has helped me insert more of ME into my daily life. To be clear, your personal style should be a complete refle...
Apr 24, 2023•47 min•Ep. 487
Recently I've felt really unproductive, which is not how I am used to feeling. To be really honest, adding a fifth child to our family, a newborn after five years since my last, has been a big transition. I forgot about how much my day-to-day life would change with this tiny baby to care for, and while I love him and would not trade it for anything, I have to admit that it has been hard. After sharing a little bit of an update when I was one month postpartum, I received a really insightful Insta...
Apr 20, 2023•10 min•Ep. 486
It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of our day-to-day lives, whether it's a productive kind of busy, or not. But, what if there was a way to continue being productive, without the overwhelming feeling of being so busy? Tanya Dalton of inkWELL Press is a productivity expert who is all about boosting your productivity in ways that are lasting (and DOABLE!). In this episode you'll learn about priorities, where to start when you feel overwhelmed, the benefits of a brain dump, how to take ...
Apr 17, 2023•42 min•Ep. 485
I had the honor of interviewing Emily three years ago where we discussed personal growth, traveling the world as a family of five, and getting out of our comfort zones. Two weeks after that conversation in 2019 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She then graciously came back to record a second part to the interview, and in this tribute episode you will hear both parts. Emily recently passed away, and I hope she can inspire us all one more time with her message of "live by faith, not fear." Fu...
Apr 13, 2023•37 min•Ep. 484
Unfortunately, perfectly curated Pinterest boards don't always translate to perfectly organized homes. And while you can appreciate the beauty of a rainbow bookshelf, or a pantry full of labeled clear jars, those things may not actually serve you. And if in this pursuit of picture-perfect organization you've labeled yourself a bad housekeeper, or too lazy, you likely feel so off track that you don't even know where to begin again. Professional organizer and author Tracy McCubbin has spent thousa...
Apr 10, 2023•45 min•Ep. 483
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and my commitments for the upcoming month. I hope this glimpse into my life, my family, my work, and my own self development encourages you in your own journey. Around here the goal is never perfection, just to keep trying, even if in very simple ways. I think you'll see that with all of the big changes going on for me, taking the smallest of ...
Apr 06, 2023•22 min•Ep. 482
Several years ago I developed a full-blown bad habit with online shopping. I can say that now because I can see how besides the obvious financial consequences, it made me feel ashamed, it wasted time, and it contradicted my personal value of frugality. And I share this personal experience because I want you to know that whatever your "bad habit" is, you are not alone. Many of us were taught that sheer grit and self-determination can help us overcome these bad habits, but I disagree. When we know...
Apr 03, 2023•31 min•Ep. 481
Sometimes when I have something really daunting on my to-do list I find myself caught in the cycle of self-sabotage. If you've ever felt that way you know it's full of blame and shame, and doesn't usually help us accomplish what we need to. Heather is a former social worker, mother, podcaster and coach here to teach us what this behavior is, why it's normal, and what to do about it. In those moments where you want to put off the hard things, you have to realize that what you're really putting of...
Mar 30, 2023•43 min•Ep. 480
There's something that I often see in my young children, that we lose in adulthood, and it's the ability to abandon fear and ego, and to create. In today's interview Brooke Schultz calls creativity the backdoor to personal progress, and I couldn't agree more. Her outlook will inspire you to see the potential to create in your day-to-day life by adding a little intention and fun in to the things you already do. Brooke is a multi-passionate creative who shares the highs and lows of her creative pu...
Mar 27, 2023•43 min•Ep. 479
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me ? This is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These episodes feature real women from this community who are answering the question “How do you…?” about their various passions and pursuits. Leann is a mom of 4 living with a chronic illness, MS, which she was diagnosed with while her children were very young. She radiates a positive outlook and says, "It is so beautiful to do something good with the bad...
Mar 23, 2023•32 min•Ep. 478
How long do you think it takes to build a habit? Whenever I ask this question I get a wide range of answers, and I'm here to tell you that those methods that you're referencing, probably don't work for you. And there is a good reason why. So, if you feel like now that we're a few months into the new year and your well-intended habits have started to slip, I'm here to teach you how to make them stick instead. In this episode you'll get the pared down version of what I teach in my free class , and...
Mar 20, 2023•47 min•Ep. 477
I used to teach an entire class on procrastination, because from time to time we are all subject to it's relentless grasp! The goal is not to prevent it entirely, but instead learn how to manage it. I have narrowed it down to one question you can ask yourself when those feelings come up, and you probably haven't considered it before. Procrastination can be sneaky, sometimes we think it's productivity, so I also offer some ways to identify the difference. Give it a try, your answers to these ques...
Mar 16, 2023•8 min•Ep. 476
Toni Collier is a Hope Coach, author of Brave Enough to Be Broken and the founder of Broken Crayons Still Color , an international women’s ministry that helps women process their brokenness and reclaim hope. Her passion is to show women that they can be both broken and beautiful as they work out their healing. If you have ever felt "broken" then you are not alone. I, too, spent YEARS thinking that I was especially broken—meaning too broken; broken beyond repair to fix. I’ve felt this way with re...
Mar 13, 2023•43 min•Ep. 475
I used to think that the only way I could change myself was by being hard on myself. This led to a lot of self-criticism, as I tried to achieve very high expectations, and did not work well for me. I never would have believed that there was any other way, until now. I replaced criticism with compassion and can see how accepting myself led to actual growth. In this bite-sized episode I'm sharing two very personal examples of some tough things I've dealt with in the past and very recently where I ...
Mar 09, 2023•13 min•Ep. 474
With the benefit of hindsight on my side, I can look back and see a stark contrast between the way I felt after my third child was born, and the way I felt after my fourth child was born. As I'm currently back in that season with my fifth newborn, my reflection allows for the things I want to teach you today: the difference came from whether or not I was feeling like myself. It's a concept that is easier said than done, especially for many women that I hear from, so I've boiled it down to three ...
Mar 06, 2023•41 min•Ep. 473
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and my commitments for the upcoming month. I hope this glimpse into my life, my family, my work, and my own self development encourages you in your own journey. Around here the goal is never perfection, just to keep trying, even if in very simple ways. I think you'll see that with all of the big changes going on for me, taking the smallest of ...
Mar 02, 2023•24 min•Ep. 472
Every relationship deals with conflict, just in different ways. Some are avoidant, while others are confrontational. Some are constantly simmering, while others are explosive. Our guest today is therapist Trevor Hanson . Not only does he want to help us reframe how we see conflict--not an inhibitor to a successful marriage, but necessary to it—he wants to help you get better at what he calls “healthy conflict—” the kind where we can come together with different fears, needs, and messages, but st...
Feb 27, 2023•53 min•Ep. 471
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me ? This is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These episodes feature real women from this community who are answering the question “How do you…?” about their various passions and pursuits. Today's episode features Kylie, a mom who got into photography as a passion and profession. She shares how this is something she's loved since childhood and her progression since then. If you've wondered how to get ...
Feb 23, 2023•25 min•Ep. 470
Emily is a mother of 6 struggling to juggle the various demands of her life, including finding time for herself to pursue higher education. What started off as a surface level issue of finding the time and focus for her writing, turned into a deeper conversation about family support and communication. This same thing happens quite often when I am coaching, where women think they are struggling in one area but it is really much deeper. As you listen to this live coaching call with Emily, you can ...
Feb 20, 2023•51 min•Ep. 469
I once had a workshop attendee ask me about self-love, and I answered honestly. I don't always love every part of myself, but I do respect myself. This is a different attitude than what was initially more popular when About Progress first started, and many voices were echoing that to "just love yourself" would fix everything. In this short episode I want to ask you, what would change for you if you moved the goal post from love to respect? I also share some wise marriage advice that applies here...
Feb 16, 2023•8 min•Ep. 468
Quick disclaimer! While not explicit, the topic we are covering today is adult in nature. Those who typically listen with kids around may consider putting in earbuds instead. Over the last 6+ years talking about perfectionism on this blog and podcast we have covered intimacy, but never specifically this topic. Today's episode address the ways that perfectionism interferes with, and even sabotages, the way you show up to, and experience, sex. This is not an interview meant to make you feel uncomf...
Feb 13, 2023•53 min•Ep. 467
Today I want to talk about curiosity, but I first have to address our desire for certainty . We tend to want straightforward, black-and-white, prescriptions for the 'right' way to be. But what happens when things inevitably don't work out the most perfect way? We blame ourselves for that failure. So, instead of certainty I want to encourage you to lean into curiosity. From pie crusts to parenting, you can get curious about failures. If you find yourself spiraling towards the shame and blame cycl...
Feb 09, 2023•13 min•Ep. 446
A few years ago I got really interested in block planning after seeing the success that some other influential people were having with this way of scheduling their days. For a while I found it helpful, until real life started getting in the way. I still acknowledge some of the pros to block scheduling, like dividing your focus and making less decisions, but also see some downsides that affected myself and others. If this method, or others, has felt too rigid or required too much energy to mainta...
Feb 06, 2023•36 min•Ep. 465
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and my commitments for the upcoming month. I hope this glimpse into my life, my family, my work, and my own self development encourages you in your own journey. Around here the goal is never perfection, just to keep trying, even if in very simple ways. I think you'll see that with all of the big changes going on for me, taking the smallest of ...
Feb 02, 2023•38 min•Ep. 464
Has your spiritual life shifted the last few years? You’re not alone. And while that can be beautiful (and of course challenging), it also poses some logistical challenges. Including: what can a personal spiritual practice look like for me now. Years ago, I did something terrifying: I shared with the internet about my then decade-plus series of faith crises . One of the things I didn’t get to share there, but I did in a later episode , is how these years challenged my actual habits of nourishing...
Jan 30, 2023•32 min•Ep. 463
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me ? This is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These episodes feature real women from this community who are answering the question “How do you…?” about their various passions and pursuits. Today’s episode features Michelle, a mom who wanted to empower her kids to try everything, to be courageous, and do things that scare you. From drawing, to rock climbing, she pursued the interests that her kids had,...
Jan 26, 2023•20 min•Ep. 462
After 15 years of marriage, I was reflecting on the conflict between my husband Brad and I, and it's not what you might expect. Our problem was a lack of conflict due to our people pleasing tendencies. With awareness, time, and work, we learned to face our fears and get good at conflict. Today's eye-opening interview taught me another word for this: negotiation, and it's not just reserved for business and law. Though he is a lawyer, my conversation with Kwame Christian is not what you might expe...
Jan 23, 2023•40 min•Ep. 461
