Having a plan allows us to convert our intentions into action. But having a contingency plan may be just as important. They allow us to recover when things don’t go according to plan. In this episode, we help you create your own customized contingency plan so that when life goes sideways, you can land on your feet instead of getting derailed. Takeaways No matter how well we plan, things will sometimes go sideways. We can either use that as an excuse to abandon our goals or we can pivot to a cont...
Feb 06, 2021•20 min•Ep. 34
How well do your actions align with your values? Often there can be a disconnect between what we say our priorities are and the choices that we are making on a daily basis. That misalignment can lead to frustration if it keeps us from achieving our goals. But it might also reveal that we’re not being entirely honest with ourselves about what we value. Whether we choose to adjust our priorities or our actions, bringing them into alignment will make us happier and more successful. Takeaways: Looki...
Jan 26, 2021•18 min•Ep. 33
When we are trying to change an unwanted behavior, we often get so focused on trying to find ways to say no to it that we miss the step of understanding why we say yes to it in the first place. While learning how to say no is a valuable skill (and one we’ll look at in a future episode), understanding why we say yes can ultimately be more important and more effective than just getting better at saying no ourselves. Takeaways: There are times when simply getting better at saying no to yourself (or...
Jan 16, 2021•25 min•Ep. 32
If you start your week or your day off full of focus, determination, and vigour but find it waning by the weekend or the evening, you are not alone. In this episode, we teach you a strategy to solve each of these issues by rethinking how you plan for and execute your time. Takeaways: Mentally breaking your day and week into smaller parts can make following through on your plans feel less overwhelming and exhausting. Setting aside time to review your goals as well as your objectives and compellin...
Jan 06, 2021•28 min•Ep. 31
Have you ever felt that you were simply too busy to make the changes you’d like to make in your life? In this episode, we challenge some of those stories we have about how busy we are and how much time change requires. We’ll also offer advice on how you can fit the work of change in around other obligations and priorities. Key Takeaways: Being too busy is often an excuse that we use when there’s some other reason we’re avoiding taking action, like doubt, avoiding the discomfort of the unfamiliar...
Dec 28, 2020•23 min•Ep. 30
It's an Extracurricular episode! We'll be back to our regular episodes soon but for now... Join Monica Reinagel (and Brock Armstrong) for the 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade on Jan 3, 2021. More info at https://nutritionovereasy.com/30-day-nutrition-upgrade/ Spoiler: if you listen to this very short episode you will get a special discount code! Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event? Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★...
Dec 22, 2020•3 min•Ep. 29
When designing your life, you can choose to lean into your superpowers and do more of the things that you're really good at or you can choose to address your weak spots and focus on building up those things that you're not naturally good at. You'll hear people arguing both sides of this coin. Let's explore what makes the most sense and how this fits into our work in creating our ideal selves. Key Takeaways: Conquering the things we struggle with can be very rewarding but not everything is worth ...
Dec 16, 2020•30 min•Ep. 29
Sometimes, our desire to change is rooted in the belief that we are not good enough--and that we need to fix whatever’s wrong with us in order to be happy or fulfilled. But rather than being motivating, this can actually be a very limiting belief that makes it more difficult to create positive change. In this episode, we’re going to explore the idea that we are good enough… even if there are things that we want to change. Key takeaways: When we are always striving to become good enough, we live ...
Dec 04, 2020•21 min•Ep. 28
The key to solving any problem is first understanding what the problem truly is. In this episode of the Change Academy podcast we define the three types of problems that crop up and teach you how to identify which one you’ve got. Then once you recognize what type of problem you’re dealing with, your chances of solving it go way up. Takeaways: If you’re not sure what needs to happen in order to solve the problem or create the result you want, you have a what problem. If you know what needs to hap...
Nov 25, 2020•21 min•Ep. 27
In this episode of the Change Academy podcast, Mitch Harb joins us to talk about his “easy wins” approach to creating sustainable behaviour change. Mitch is a personal trainer and nutrition coach. He is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and is the co-owner (with Zach Smith) of Hidef Seattle, a fitness studio and physical therapy practice that offers both in-person and virtual training and coaching. Take Aways: Small interventions can also be big wins. And those interventions d...
Nov 16, 2020•31 min•Ep. 26
Some habits are just habits. We do them because they take us down the road of least resistance. But some habits give us pleasure, and we often think of those habits as being more like an addiction - something that is going to take willpower and determination to break. But what if we told you that you can break a highly rewarding habit without resorting to a monastic lifestyle? That is what we are going to cover in this episode. Key Takeaways: Breaking any habitual behaviour can be challenging bu...
Nov 06, 2020•23 min•Ep. 25
Being easily distracted can be a bad habit and also a barrier to change. But we can also use distraction as a way to break bad habits or ingrained behaviours. The trick is being more intentional about when, why, and how you choose to distract yourself. Takeaways: Distraction is when we allow an unplanned intrusion or diversion to pull us off focus or task. Redirection is when we consciously choose to redirect our attention. Distraction (unintentional) can cause harm in two ways 1) keep us from d...
Oct 28, 2020•26 min•Ep. 24
In this episode, we explore how and why we often talk ourselves out of making the changes we want to make - and give you some tools that will allow you to push through that self-sabotage. There’s an odd but very common phenomenon where we identify a change we’d like to make in our lives, we get excited about it (we may even take a step or two toward making it) but then, we abandon the effort before we’ve really even tried long enough to succeed (or fail!). Resources mentioned: Workplace Hero pod...
Oct 20, 2020•23 min•Ep. 23
People seem to love these short-term challenges where you give up sugar for a week, do 25 push-ups every day for a month, or give up alcohol for SoberOctober. While these can be fun, and an interesting challenge, do they ever actually result in permanent change? In this episode, we will give you a recipe to make the most of them. Resources mentioned: The 30-Day Nutrition Upgrade Key Takeaways: Habits aren’t made or broken because we did something (or avoided doing something) through willpower al...
Oct 11, 2020•23 min•Ep. 22
Sometimes we get excited about an idea, we follow through on a goal, and are very successful at it. But while everything should be peaches and cream, we realize that this isn't the happy reality we thought it would be. Or maybe our feelings and values have simply changed. That is when we are faced with the problem of "what do we do next?" In this episode, we ask our guest, Naomi Rotstein , why she decided to leave her successful career as a competitive body-builder and how she went about redefin...
Oct 05, 2020•31 min•Ep. 21
Most of us have a long list of things about our lives (or ourselves) that we would like to change. And while that is a great place to start, when you are working on creating a more fulfilling life, the problem is that when we try to make a bunch of changes at once, we end up changing nothing. That is why knowing what to focus on and when is essential. Key Takeaways: All goals feel and are important, and doing them in a particular order doesn’t mean you don’t value or will forget about the other ...
Sep 26, 2020•25 min•Ep. 20
It's hard to keep believing that change is possible when all the evidence seems to point to the contrary. And that's why it's so important to collect some evidence that a different choice is possible. Takeaways: You can’t lie to yourself - you need evidence to convince your brain that this is true, possible and worth doing. Evidence can come internally or externally. It takes deliberate practice to collect enough evidence to make it stick. One success is unlikely to convince your inner skeptic. ...
Sep 16, 2020•23 min•Ep. 19
We humans like comfort. We believe that making ourselves comfortable is a good way to take care of ourselves and make ourselves feel content. But is this desire truly helpful or is it simply a way to keep ourselves stuck exactly where we are? Most of us place a certain value on being comfortable. And sometimes, something that is comfortable is very pleasurable (like putting on a favourite comfy sweater or connecting with an old friend). But often, it’s simply familiar (like the way your family c...
Sep 07, 2020•27 min•Ep. 18
You have probably heard the term 'grit' thrown around but what does it actually mean? Our guest on this episode boils it down to “getting back up, one more time.” In this episode, Monica interviews guest Rebecca Louise , of the It Takes Grit podcast about why we feel stuck what it takes to get unstuck. Rebecca has helped millions of people improve their mindset and achieve their goals. The secret behind Rebecca’s success isn’t just her (as she says) cheeky British humour; people come to Rebecca ...
Aug 28, 2020•26 min•Ep. 17
What are the pros and cons of using rewards vs. consequences as our compelling reason to change? Sometimes our compelling reason is a positive vision of a future we want to create. But other times it’s a negative vision of a future we want to avoid. Is one better at keeping us on the path toward our ideal self more than the other? Key Takeaways: There is no clear winner or wrong way to do this. Just knowing the difference and trying each on for size is important. No matter which version you feel...
Aug 21, 2020•30 min•Ep. 16
In this episode, we talk about impulse control and how giving in to unplanned urges can get in the way of achieving lasting change. Not only that, but it can rob us of the pleasure of anticipating and maximizing an indulgence. Main takeaways: It’s not about deprivation. We are not suggesting that we live without pleasure. In fact, we are suggesting the opposite! Impulse indulgences are usually much less pleasurable than the ones we would plan and choose. Remember the minimum effective dose. You ...
Aug 07, 2020•29 min•Ep. 15
In this episode, we discuss why our past failures (or successes) don't predict our future successes (or failures). Then, more importantly, we get into how to dismantle that idea so you can clear a path for future change and growth. There is a tension between using our past to our advantage while also not getting stuck in it. And striking that balance is tricky. Cutting ourselves completely free from our past is not the goal - but learning to use our past thoughtfully, can be. Key Takeaways: Our ...
Jul 24, 2020•30 min•Ep. 14
The truth is that every time we give ourselves an excuse to quit, we get better at quitting. But every time we don’t quit, we get better at pushing through. So, both quitting and not quitting can become a habit. And an identity. Reasons we quit : Not seeing benefits. Fatigue and anticipation of future fatigue Perfectionism (all or nothing thinking) Success would move us out of our comfort zone. Lab Experiment: Let's do some reverse engineering. Think back to the last time you quit or gave up on ...
Jul 13, 2020•36 min•Ep. 13
In this episode, we look at our beliefs and how deeply they affect both the choices we make in life and how we react to situations. Here is a bit of a spoiler: As we go through life, we may need to periodically reexamine our beliefs to make sure they still serve us. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event? Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★...
Jul 08, 2020•31 min•Ep. 12
This is an approach we developed to help people in our Weighless program create sustainable weight loss but this process can be applied to any change that you want to make in your life. In this episode, we explain how it works. Key Takeaways: You really need all three of these to make change sustainable. All the awareness in the world doesn't create change until you form a concrete intention. And intentions are nothing without action. And taking action without paying attention tends to fizzle ou...
Jul 01, 2020•22 min•Ep. 11
We have come to the final topic on our list of eight things we believe need to be in place in order for real, sustainable change to happen. In this episode, we are tackling the idea that there is no "finish line" to cross. Change is forever. Key Takeaways: We aren't simply reaching a finish line, we are changing ourselves. Fundamentally but also dynamically. The great thing about that is you don't have to abandon one to start another. This is a great framework to evaluate what you are going to s...
Jun 22, 2020•29 min•Ep. 10
We think that failure shouldn't happen and that if it does, it means that something has gone wrong. But failure is not the opposite of success. It's the path to success. We do not achieve success when we put sufficient distance between ourselves and our failures. We achieve success when we learn to bring our failures close, examine them with clear-eyed compassion, learn what we can from them, and use them as fuel for future growth. Don’t fear failure! When a scientist does an experiment, he or s...
Jun 11, 2020•30 min•Ep. 9
In this episode, we are moving down the list to #6 (of our eight key behaviours) and discussing why practice is important ... and also why it may be more nuanced than you might have thought (Hint: it's more than just repetition). Key takeaways: Practice, practice, practice. Practicing once isn't enough. But it is more than just repetition, it needs to be deliberate practice. Don't just practice the action also practice the thoughts and beliefs behind the action. You can't trick yourself into bel...
Jun 05, 2020•27 min•Ep. 8
Look at your social circles and habitat. Do the groups you belong to have the identity you want? Does your home or office reflect the identity you want? If not, what can you easily change or adapt to make it more aligned with your vision of your Ideal Self? Key takeaways: Hack your habitat to support your vision of yourself. Spend your time with people who encourage you to become our best self (and avoid the folks who may sabotage you). Remove obstacles or temptations, instead of counting on wil...
May 28, 2020•31 min•Ep. 7
It’s exhausting to carry around a goal that we never get any closer to. To have a problem that we can’t solve–or that won’t stay solved. To make the same resolution over and over again. When you identify something that you want to change - and then don't take action or make progress - you start to pay a sort of psychic tax. Not only do you still have this unmet goal/desire, but you also have the added discomfort of realizing that you're not making progress, not converting intention into action. ...
May 18, 2020•32 min•Ep. 6
