About Progress - podcast cover

About Progress

All the self-help extremes out there seem designed for perfect robots. But what if progress doesn’t require perfection? Welcome to your gentle self-development hub: About Progress, a podcast and community devoted to progress made practical. Join host and coach, Monica Packer, and her special guests to get the hug AND kick in the pants you need to do something and grow in ways that stick.
Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

AP 371: How to Start Where You Are, Even When You Think It’s Too Late

Have you ever felt like it was too late? Too late for your goals, traditions, or habits? Or, maybe you feel it’s too late to create better relationships? Instead of being stuck in these feelings, I want to teach you how to start where you are, even when you think it’s too late! In this episode, I share my own experiences of feeling like it was “too late” for me to start certain things. (Don’t worry, I definitely understand this feeling!) I then outline three ways you may be disqualifying yoursel...

Jan 31, 202229 minEp. 371

AP 370: 3 Routines to Consider Right Now (with Options!) || with Ashley Brown

There’s so much advice out there on how to build the “perfect” routine, not to mention so many good routines to consider. Many women find themselves paralyzed, not even knowing where to start. Do you ever feel overwhelmed when you try to create routines, too? In this week’s episode, I invited my friend and routine expert, Ashley Brown, to discuss how you can get started with some simple, yet solid routines. We tap down on your overwhelm and provide 3 routines for you to consider—with options! Ev...

Jan 24, 202234 minEp. 370

AP 369: "I am Stuck with my Do Something List--Help!" || Coaching Call with Holly

Do you love the idea of creating your own Do Something List (DSL), but get stuck somewhere in the process of making your own? You're not alone! A recent survey I did on Instagram showed that the high majority of our community who want a DSL stop before they even start. (And the rest find themselves stuck on the brainstorm step.) Today, you'll hear a coaching call I did with a Progressor named Holly. I walk her through creating her own DSL from start to finish. As you listen, you'll see what this...

Jan 20, 202248 minEp. 369

AP 368: My 4-Step Process to Create a Solid, Easy Nighttime Routine

What’s the secret to having a better morning routine? Creating a solid, easy nighttime routine. That’s because mornings start the night before! Not sure where to start? In this episode, I walk you through my four-step process to creating your own personal nighttime routine. This routine will meet both your desires and needs, and match the season you are in. You’ll leave the episode with practical ways to improve your nighttime routine and end your days feeling the way you want to feel—both at ni...

Jan 17, 202233 minEp. 368

AP 367: Ways to Live (and Love) More Boldly || with Jess Frew

Jess Frew is a podcaster, mom, stepmom, wife and ex-wife. Jess has learned to choose bold action. She’s experienced how life’s better on the other side of being bold, including your relationships too! Join us to hear tips to live and love more boldly in your own life. You’ll also hear how Jess navigates both the complications and blessings boldness brings to relationships by setting boundaries. You’ll leave this episode with a new definition of “boldness.” You’ll have a deeper resolve to live bo...

Jan 10, 202244 minEp. 367

AP 366: You Get To Decide || Growth Spurt

*DON'T MISS OUT ON MY HABIT CHALLENGE * Today's episode is my personal, very short, very top of mind thoughts, on how to sort through some overwhelming messaging that I know we are all seeing right now. With the start of the new year we face a lot of external pressures, a lot of 'shoulds' trying to dictate how we need to live our lives. In this Growth Spurt I want to give you the permission to find clarity for yourself, and make sure you know that you get to decide what works best for you this y...

Jan 07, 202210 minEp. 366

AP 365: The ONE List You Need to Make This Year || Do Something List

New Year, New You, right? But, what if in the middle of all the goals and resolutions, you have no idea where to start to find “YOU?” Before I was ready to get back into list-making, 6 years ago I needed a path to explore who I was. The Do Something List (DSL) began as a way for me to discover and uncover “ME” outside of the all-or-nothing model. I haven’t seen anything like it talked about anywhere else. It changed me, and it can change you. Join me in this episode to hear my best tips AND list...

Jan 03, 202233 minEp. 365

AP 364: "What I Learned in 2021" || Dear Progressor

It feels extra special to bring you this final episode of 2021 filled with voices from this remarkable community of growth-minded women. Your voice always matter, in your home and communities, and here on this show. For many reasons this was a difficult year for me and my family, it almost seemed to blend with 2020. I'm sharing a little more about that, and of course what I learned from some of those tough lessons. (Spoiler: I almost quit this whole podcast gig!) My hope is that in listening to ...

Dec 18, 202124 minEp. 364

AP 363: The BEST Gift You Can Give This Season || Identity

Do you ever feel like you’re NOT acting like yourself? This may happen on days where you’re tired, depleted, or unfulfilled. In those moments, you can’t truly give or be your true self because you don’t have a true self to give from! This episode dives into my personal journey of finding my identity. What happened changed my life. You’ll also hear three women from our community each share what changed after they found their identity again. You don’t have to feel lost or unfulfilled anymore. Put ...

Dec 13, 202132 minEp. 363

AP 362: How to Prepare NOW for an Intentional New Year || with Steven Lawson

Founder of Monk Manual, Steve Lawson believes the best way to start the new year is to throw away the prescriptions and to focus more on getting intentional. How can you do that? Well, there’s actual practical ways to get clear about what YOU want and what YOU need. And Steve delivers just that. Steve's advice will leave you with what you can do TODAY to create the best year possible in 2022. You’ll go from feeling overwhelmed by another 365 days, to being empowered to take on a new year in ways...

Dec 06, 202144 minEp. 362

AP 361: “How can I move forward with a really difficult decision?” || Coaching Session with Kate

Right now, a Progressor named Kate feels STUCK because she needs to make a difficult decision that will affect her career, her family, and herself. This episode is a recorded coaching call as I guide Kate to get clarity on how she wants to move forward. Decisions are never easy to make! Listen to learn how YOU can get more clarity on some choices you have in front of you, and to hear my biggest truth about decision-making. (Hint: it’s not about the actual decision . . . ) Full Show Notes + Trans...

Nov 29, 202134 minEp. 361

AP 360: A Q&A with Brad for the 5 Year Podcast Anniversary || Bonus Episode

In this episode, I sit down with my husband, Brad, to answer your most pressing questions. It was fun to turn the tables and have Brad asking the questions on topics all about the podcast and our recent move. You'll hear each of our takes on what the past five years has looked like as we celebrate this monumental anniversary. We are so appreciative of this community, so thank you for showing up each week and keeping this podcast possible. To celebrate YOU I am giving away $500 , so make sure you...

Nov 26, 202144 minEp. 360

AP 359: Why “Normal” Women Need to Have Dreams, Goals, and Ambitions

Recently, I was told I was setting a standard that “normal” women couldn’t achieve. As a “normal” woman, YOU are allowed to want more. (Period!) No matter what season of life you’re in right now, you’re allowed to have dreams, goals, and ambitions. Listen in to learn more on why this matters and how you (yes, you!) can reach for more in ways that matter to you. Full Show Notes + Transcript Podcast Sponsor - 'PROGRESS' for 10% off Finding Me Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon...

Nov 22, 202138 minEp. 359

AP 358: How "Thinkers" Can Get Good at Feeling their Feelings || with Jill Freestone

Repressing emotion creates physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences in your life. I’m sure you are dealing with those, just like me! This week, I talked with Jill Freestone about tools you can use to feel your emotions. She explained that there are so many tools to work on personal growth, but you can only move forward when you learn to process your emotions. Full Show Notes + Transcript Podcast Sponsor - 'PROGRESS' for 10% off Finding Me Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

Nov 15, 202145 minEp. 358

AP 357: How to Make Hard Things Easier || “Lower the Hurdles”

When you feel resistance arise, don’t fall into the trap of blaming or shaming yourself. I want to help you focus on what you can do to make hard things easier. Here is the main tip I want you to memorize: Lower the hurdles! Join me in learning how + how this tool can apply to real-life scenarios of how you can lower the hurdles in your life, including: gift giving, exercising, attending events, achieving goals, and more! Full Show Notes + Transcript Podcast Sponsor - 'PROGRESS' for 10% off Find...

Nov 08, 202131 minEp. 357

AP 356: Ways to Stop Chasing BUSY and Live with More Purpose || with Patrice Washington

We live in a world that rewards “busy.” It feels good to be productive. But, how can you know if it’s time to take a step back? How can you fill your time instead? Patrice Washington—a recovering over-achiever—learned how to do this from a deliberate choice she made this year: she decided to slow down. Do you want less of the “busy” and more of the “right stuff” in your life? Tune in to learn how you can change your busy calendar into a life filled with more purpose! Full Show Notes + Transcript...

Nov 01, 202143 minEp. 356

AP 355: "How do I balance connecting more with my family and still keep up with my responsibilities?” | Coaching Session with Kelly

This week, I am sharing a coaching session I had with a Progressor named Kelly. As a busy mom with ADHD and children across a wide spectrum of ages (and needs!), Kelly found that her desire to connect more with her children was competing with her needs to support them through systems, to-do’s, and routines. From this call with Kelly, you’ll learn how to weed out the shoulds, get centered in on your wants, and create next steps to deprioritize what doesn’t matter so that you can better cultivate ...

Oct 25, 202132 minEp. 355

AP 354: Makeover Your Morning Routine

With a recent move to our new home, my morning routine has been completely out-of-sync. For me, it’s been a whirlwind of backpacks, school lunches, and KIDS all while trying (read: forgetting) to take care of my own needs. In this episode, I want to give you my recipe to makeover (or create!) your morning routine. Note: this isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” kind of recipe. My four tips will help you to create a unique routine that will support BOTH your time constraints and your needs. Full Show Note...

Oct 18, 202129 minEp. 354

AP 353: Ways to Create More PARTNERSHIP Within Your Marriage || with Dr. Julie Hanks and Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife

Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife and Dr. Julie Hanks (two of our top-favorite guests!) are joining forces to share what a partnership model looks like, why it’s essential to having deeply successful marriages and families, and HOW couples can move past the obstacles getting in the way of being equally valued. This won’t be a light-hearted episode for you to listen to. But it will be a life-changing one. It’s time for MORE in your marriage! If you’re ready for that, listen in to learn how. Full Show N...

Oct 11, 202149 minEp. 353

AP 352: How to be Less Reactive and More in Control ("The Deep Breath")

Would you like to stop overreacting? Would you like to stop living your life on autopilot? Do you ever react without thinking? Do you feel like your schedule is spinning out of control? When we are so reactive, we feel out of control and out of character. Instead of reacting, I want you to learn my two ways to lengthen the gap. You can take control of your own needs, and use my practical tool, “The Deep Breath.” Full Show Notes + Transcript Podcast Sponsor - 'ABOUTPROGRESS' for 15% off Finding M...

Oct 04, 202134 minEp. 352

AP 351: How to Simplify + Make Room to Be YOU in Motherhood || with Rachel Nielson

Note: this episode has been updated. On this week’s episode, Rachel Nielson shares how she felt spread so thin in motherhood that she became lost. Thanks to her romanticized view of motherhood, Rachel was chasing alllll of the shoulds instead of making room for HERSELF as a mom. If you need a place to start, listen in to hear Rachels’ tips, including her amazing “scripts” of what to say when you remove a to-do from your life. Want to be a more fulfilled mom? You can! Join us in simplifying away ...

Sep 27, 202143 minEp. 351

AP 350: My #1 Tip to Boosting Productivity by Better Prioritizing

How do you feel when you think of your daily schedule? Are you overwhelmed by all you need to accomplish? This doesn’t have to be you! You can learn to better prioritize AND increase your productivity, too, with my #1 tip: DEPRIORITIZE! Deprioritizing will help you make the trade-offs of what matters less, for what matters most. Full Blog Post + Transcript Upcoming Challenge Podcast Sponsor - code 'ABOUTPROGRESS' Finding Me Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 20, 202130 minEp. 350

AP 349: The Best Way to Shift Away from Self-Doubt so You Can GROW! || with Sara Carruth

Have you ever been held hostage by your own standards of what it means to be a good _____ (fill in the blank)? Sara Carruth shares her experiences of dealing with major self-doubt, and how her ability to gradually remove the “should” boxes keeping her trapped started with a simple mantra: “Keep growing!” Full Blog Post + Transcript Upcoming Challenge Podcast Sponsor - code 'ABOUTPROGRESS' Finding Me Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 13, 202141 minEp. 349

AP 348: How to Create Momentum Instead of Waiting on Motivation

September feels like a new beginning with changes in weather and schedules. It’s a time to set new goals, but sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. In this episode, I breakdown why motivation is unreliable and how we can beat the “motivation blues.” Full Blog Post + Transcript Upcoming Challenge Podcast Sponsor - code 'ABOUTPROGRESS' Finding Me Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 06, 202130 minEp. 348

AP 347: Three Solutions to Leave Martyrdom Behind

Have you ever had a martyr moment? Thoughts, like "Nobody ever seems to care about me." And "Nothing ever seems to work out for me." We've all had martyr moments, me included. Today, I'm going to talk about how we fall into martyrdom and what we can do to make those moments stay as moments instead of them becoming full on mindsets. Full Blog Post + Transcript Upcoming Challenge Podcast Sponsor - code 'ABOUTPROGRESS' Finding Me Course Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...

Sep 01, 202128 minEp. 347

About Progress with Monica Packer

Why is it so hard to change in the ways we want? How is it so easy to get stuck making progress? Well, it’s because you’re trying to grow through self-help extremes that are designed for perfect robots. But, you’re a real woman living a real life! TRUTH: You don’t have to be special to transform your life. About Progress is a podcast and community alllllll about progress made practical. Here, host Monica Packer will help you embrace the “Progress Model” by building small wins over time; the kind...

Aug 31, 20215 min

AP 346: Goodbye . . . for now!

Sometimes, you take months to create a well-thought-out plan, but that plan gets thrown out in a matter of days. That's what has happened to me. Here's why I am saying "Goodbye" to the podcast, but just for a time. - If you want to be in-the-know about what I'm up to and to preview the changes that are coming, sign up for the Go Getter Newsletter and make sure you follow me on Instagram HERE ! SHOW NOTES Leave a rating and review for the podcast ! Foundational course, “ Finding Me .” Free and ea...

Jul 07, 20218 minEp. 346

AP 345: Powerful Ways to Create Fulfillment in Seasons of Change || with Aubrey Baldwin

Whether you asked for it or not, at some point or another you will find yourself in a season of change. Women in this community who have been through that have expressed feeling overwhelmed and unsure of navigating their new paths. Sometimes this applies even when you have chosen your season of change. Here we are focused on personal fulfillment, feeling whole, and like yourself amidst the ebbs and flows of your life. Tune in for this interview with a fellow progressor who is well versed in this...

Jun 30, 202146 minEp. 345

AP 344: Start Here! Cast a Vision || Growth Spurt

The great sculptor Michelangelo shared that he could see a block of marble and envision the angel inside it before he even started carving his masterpiece. Do you want to create a better _______? (Fill in the blank: habit, life, routine, goal!) Then take a leaf out of the artists' book and start with casting a VISION. This is something I teach in my Progress Program, and today I'll give you a nutshell version of how to cast a vision before you create for yourself, specifically with a habit, a li...

Jun 25, 202119 minEp. 344

AP 343: Create Emotions to Support Your Goals || with Rhonda Farr

When you think of your goals, how do you feel? Is it stressful, overwhelming, fearful? Do you rush to the "how?" Would you rather feel joy and peace and gratitude? You're not alone, tune in to today's episode to learn how to create emotions to support your goals. Just know that we’re not going to skip the hard emotions, we're going to acknowledge them but not indulge them, as we rewire how our brain fires. Rhonda Farr is a former counselor for at-risk youth, who now focuses on emotional skills w...

Jun 23, 202149 minEp. 343
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android