Grow the Good - podcast cover

Grow the Good

Sonya Looneywww.sonyalooney.com

Grow the Good, formerly The Sonya Looney Show, is your guide to continual personal growth, meaningful connections, and positive impact in the world. Challenge the idea that you are broken or need fixing. Instead, discover how to cultivate the good that already exists within you and amplify the strengths and potential you may not yet realize you have. Grounded in the science of positive psychology and guided by the pillars of purpose, vitality, resilience, hope, and connection, each episode is packed with tools, stories, and evidence-backed insights to help you create a more authentic and flourishing life.


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Episodes

How to Apply Effort, Energy, and Values to Thrive with Sonya and Dr. Diana Hill

Diana Hill, PhD is a clinical psychologist, international trainer and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. I spoke with Diana just over a year ago on my podcast about healthy striving and psychological flexibility. Diana is the host of the podcast Your Life in Process and co- author of ACT Daily Journal and works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can take wise action toward fulfilling and impactful lives....

Apr 08, 20231 hr 1 min

Perspective Shifting from Hospice and Bikepacking the World with Jerry Kopack

Jerry Kopack started his career in the corporate world. But at the age of 31, he completely shifted his career and opened a hospice in Colorado with his mom. The perspective-changing experience led him to begin traveling the world and open himself up to new opportunities. His biking adventures began in Africa and continued on to India, Nepal, Israel and more. He learned about the beauty of the world and of people and wrote about his journey in his new book The World Spins By. In this week’s epis...

Mar 30, 20231 hr 2 min

Bonus Episode - Audiobook Excerpt from A Mile at a Time

Here is an excerpt from the audiobook, A Mile At a Time with Travis and Mark Macy. Below is the synopsis from Penguin Random House: In October 2018, Mark “Mace” Macy, sixty-four years old, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Mace had spent thirty years competing in Colorado and around the world in ultra-endurance competitions and is one of the few people who have finished all eight Eco-Challenge events. Once diagnosed, Mace feared losing endurance, strength, and independence. Mac...

Mar 25, 202321 min

A Mile at a Time with Endurance Athletes Travis and Mark "Mace" Macy

Travis Macy is an ultra endurance athlete and coach. He’s the author of The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion’s 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life. I spoke with Travis on my podcast in January about his racing escapades, embracing training, redefining expectations throughout his career and his experience with his dad’s Alzheimers. This week, we brought him back with his dad, Mark “Mace” Macy, a 30-year veteran of ultra endurance competitions, who has continued to thri...

Mar 24, 202354 min

Mastery is a Practice, Not a Destination

The word mastery is thrown around as a part of the vernacular, but have you ever paused to consider the true meaning of the word? What is mastery and what does it mean to pursue mastery? We often hear stories of people who are on the path to mastery. But, what does being on the path to mastery actually mean? Is it something you can attain? Why should you pursue mastery? Key Takeaways: What Is the definition of mastery? Mastery and goal-setting What Is deliberate practice? Mastery and flow states...

Mar 17, 202337 min

How Training Your Respiratory System Boosts Performance with Luke Way and Dr. Andrew Sellars

Have you ever focused on training your breath? No, I don’t mean cardio, I mean literally how you breathe. This week, I sat down with Luke Way, CEO of The Breathe Way Isocapnic Respiratory Training System, and Dr. Andrew Sellars, Chief Science Officer and an anesthesiologist, to talk about the respiratory system and its importance for sport. Luke is an endurance coach, specializing in elite level triathlon, but also working with mountain bikers and CrossFitters. After training for 20 years, he no...

Mar 11, 202359 min

Plant-Based on a Budget with Founder and Author Toni Okamoto

A week's worth of healthy and delicious plant-based food for less than $30 - that's Toni Okamoto's super power. As the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, Toni has done the research and perfected the ways to make your budget line up with healthy eating habits. Plant-Based on a Budget is a popular website and meal plan that provides the information you need to save money by eating vegetables. She’s the author of multiple books including the Plant-Based on a Budget cookbook and The Super Easy Vega...

Mar 03, 202354 min

Courage and Work Ethic with Co-Founder of Bivo and Former Nordic Skier Carina Hamel

How many of you have had to give up on your plastic water bottle because it was impossible to clean? Probably all of us. Carina Hamel, former nordic skier, saw this problem and used her product development expertise to design the first stainless steel bottle with a flow rate fit for cyclists, co-founding the company Bivo. Carina moved to Norway at age 16 to attend a ski academy, where she learned about her love for new cultures, languages and experiences. Through this experience and a job in pro...

Feb 24, 202356 min

Everything You Need to Know about Concussions with Physio Adam Luu

Concussions can happen in sport, but how do you know if you have one and what happens when you do? This week, Sonya sat down with Adam Luu, an orthopedic, concussion and vestibular physiotherapist to talk about what you need to know about concussions. Adam has a Masters of Science degree in Physical Therapy from McMaster University, followed by a fellowship with the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physical Therapy. He is a certified concussion therapist - certified in several concussion managem...

Feb 17, 20231 hr

Peak Performance Aging with NY Times Bestselling Author Steven Kotler

Many people use reasons like, "I'm too old to start" or "I won't be able to learn it" or "I'm too old, I’ll get hurt" to avoid trying something new. But Steven Kotler says it's especially important to continue using mental and physical abilities as we age. Many people think aging is a long, slow rot, but research shows that our physical and mental skills do not have to decline over time. Our mindset towards aging is a key player in peak performance aging. Steven is a New York Times bestselling a...

Feb 10, 20231 hr 8 min

The Paradox of Expectations, Pressure, and Comparison in Sport and Life

Have you ever achieved a goal and felt empty? Therein lies the paradox. We need to have expectations, but how do you set realistic and appropriate expectations that provide enough stimulus for motivation and performance, but also enough space for happiness and life satisfaction? In this week's podcast, Sonya deep dives into: The trajectory of expectations Expectations of ourselves Expectations FROM others Expectations OF others The pressure created from expectations The difference between goals ...

Feb 02, 202339 min

The Ultra Mindset with Endurance Athlete and Coach Travis Macy

Travis Macy is a professional endurance athlete, having finished over 130 ultra endurance events in 17 countries. He’s an author, coach and speaker. He is the author of The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion’s 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life, and has a new book coming out in March called A Mile at a Time. Travis’s racing resume includes mountain bike races, road runs, adventure racing, snowshoeing, skiing, kayaking and more. His writing has been published across sev...

Jan 27, 202358 min

Work, Parent, Thrive with Psychologist Yael Schonbrun

Yael Schonbrun is an assistant professor at Brown University, a clinical psychologist and an author about parenting, work and relationships. She draws on scientific research, clinical experience and real life experiences with her three kids. Her new book, Work, Parent, Thrive, shares practical strategies from clinical psychology and social science to better manage the conflict and enhance enrichment in work, parenting, and the balance of these roles. Yael is also the co-host of the podcast Psych...

Jan 19, 20231 hr 2 min

Positive Medicine with Jordyn Feingold, MD

What is positive psychology and more importantly, how can it be applied to work and life? In this week's episode, Sonya sat down with Jordyn Feingold, an MD, Master's in Applied Positive Psychology, and psychiatry resident at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. They talked about positive psychology and how she's applying it to medicine, her REVAMP framework, the importance of positive relationships, and more. REVAMP is defined as a 6-pillar framework consisting of Relat...

Jan 13, 202355 min

Atomic Habits with #1 NYT Bestseller James Clear (replay)

“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.” James Clear is an expert in behavior change. He is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Atomic Habits , it's sold more than 1 million copies! I first discovered James Clear many years ago when he started publishing articles on his website and sending out a fantastic newsletter that now has over...

Jan 05, 20231 hr 7 min

Creating Health and Demystifying the Supplement Industry with Previnex's CEO David Block

David Block is the Founder & CEO of Previnex, a nutritional supplement company that is committed to using science, clinically-tested ingredients and going above and beyond the testing and production standards required in the industry. Previously, David was a hedge fund manager focused on the health and wellness industry. He specialized in nutritional supplements, reading clinical studies, touring manufacturing facilities, meeting with various companies, and immersing himself in the supplemen...

Dec 31, 20221 hr

Energy Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet with Sun Sachs

We met Sun Sachs, a long-time endurance athlete and software developer, CEO and Co-founder of Rewire Fitness, a mental fitness platform for athletes to avoid burnout by providing tools that improve mindset, readiness and resilience, and co-creator of thebeet.com, on a recent podcast about training your brain for performance . He is passionate about animal welfare, the environment and human health. He is a plant-based culinary chef graduate and continues to advise for The Beet. In this week’s pod...

Dec 23, 202259 min

Parenting, Adventure Travel, and Expectations with Author Meghan Ward

Meghan J. Ward is an outdoor, travel and adventure writer, and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Meghan has written several books, as well as produced content for films, anthologies, blogs and some of North America’s top outdoor, fitness and adventure publications. As a consultant, she coaches writers and photographers to help bring their projects to life and ensure their work is seen by a wider audience. She lives in Banff, Alberta, with her husband, Paul Zizka, and their two...

Dec 16, 202255 min

Ask Us Anything with Professional MTBers Sonya Looney and Hannah Otto

This week, Sonya and Hannah sat down to answer your questions. Sonya Looney is a professional mountain biker, Word Champion, 4x National Champion and has taken on and won the hardest endurance stage races and 100 milers around the world. She has her Master's of Science in Electrical Engineering, has completed pre-med coursework, and is a Certified Health Coach from Vanderbilt University's Department of Integrative Medicine. She also is a mental performance coach. Hannah Otto, professional mounta...

Dec 08, 20221 hr 1 min

Tuning in to Savoring

Taking time to savor broadens how you view yourself and the world. Interestingly enough, savoring can have internal or external circumstances. I'll tell you about different ways you can add savoring into your day that is as simple as a quick shift in your focus. Key Takeaways: 3 ways to savor Actionable ways to savor Savor discomfort -------------- The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co....

Dec 02, 202217 min

The Gravity of Up with Brent Yates

Brent Yates, author of The Gravity of Up, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist and speaker. Over 10 years ago, Brent was falling apart. Everything he knew about his life was changing. But a group of people came into his life that changed his trajectory. He worked hard to reject negative mindsets and move towards happiness. In this week’s episode, Brent shares his story, from childhood to his later years, and how he went from a bully to humble and kind. Key Takeaways Everyone has a story Untangling...

Nov 25, 202257 min

Choose Growth with Scott Barry Kaufman and Jordyn Feingold

In this week’s podcast, Sonya sits down with the authors of Choose Growth, a workbook designed to guide readers through their commitment to growth and self-actualization. The book was created by psychologist and host of The Psychology Podcast Scott Barry Kaufman and positive medicine physician and researcher Jordyn Feingold. The workbook includes exercises grounded in positive psychology and the core principles of humanistic psychology. Scott is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist....

Nov 18, 202259 min

Just Keep Pedaling with Freedom Solar CEO Bret Biggart

Bret Biggart is the Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Solar LLC and oversees almost 1,000 employees. He is most proud of the culture at Freedom Solar, which has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Austin for two years running. Bret previously served as Director of Business Development for the Austin-based asset management firm WaterStreet Investment Consultants with a concentration in alternative investments and, prior to that, acted as Vice President of Business Development at Saracen...

Nov 11, 202259 min

Rethinking Competition: What if it wasn't only about beating others

Competition, defining success, and self-esteem are closely linked. At first glance, competition pits us against each other because there can be only one winner, or at work, only one or a few people get a promotion or recognition. Also, the internet exacerbates competition with follower counts, likes, podcast charts, algorithms that celebrate winners. As a professional athlete, I've experienced the elation and celebration of winning a race, and also seen the difference if I finished second or eve...

Nov 04, 202224 min

How to Train Your Brain for Performance with Rewire App's Sun Sachs

Sun Sachs, a long-time endurance athlete and software developer, is the CEO and Co-founder of Rewire Fitness, a mental fitness platform for athletes to avoid burnout by providing tools that improve mindset, readiness and resilience. He is passionate about animal welfare, the environment and human health. Sun co-created the plant-based media brand - www.thebeet.com - which merged with Forks Over Knives. He is a plant-based culinary chef graduate and continues to advise for The Beet. In this week’...

Oct 28, 202250 min

Defining Your Best with Professional MTB Hannah Otto

Hannah Otto, professional mountain biker and gravel racer for co-title sponsors Pivot Cycles and DT Swiss, started racing at nine years old. Just over a decade later, she received her professional license in triathlon and mountain biking. She was a two-time high school state champion on the mountain bike and finished her college career as a 5x National Champion at Lindenwood University. She has a degree in Athletic Training (healthcare) and Exercise Scientist, is a USA Cycling Coach and a Board ...

Oct 20, 20221 hr 2 min

The Big Thing Effect with Leadership Coach Jeff Patterson

Jeff Patterson, M.A., P.C.C. is a success and leadership coach who works with innovators committed to changing the world. Jeff helps his clients elevate their vision of what’s possible, increase their impact and eliminate limiting patterns that keep people playing small. His recent book, The Big Thing Effect: How to Transform Your Life Forever , shows you how to go beyond what you think is possible, and leave your true and lasting legacy. Jeff is a certified professional coach and holds a Master...

Oct 13, 202259 min

Elements of Metabolic Resilience with Levels Health Dr. Taylor Sittler

Dr. Taylor Sittler is the Head of Research at Levels Health , a company dedicated to helping people optimize their metabolic health. Levels provides real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact metabolic health through biosensors like continuous glucose monitors. Dr. Sittler is a physician and entrepreneur, previously co-founding Color Health. He completed his residency in clinical pathology at UCSF and started a genetics research group with David Patterson in the computer science...

Oct 07, 202253 min

6 Life Lessons from Dr. Seuss

I've been reading a lot of children's books and have been enjoying them. Some of the sentences jump right off the page. There are so many things we forget as we grow up, get set in our ways, and forget about the curiosity and openness of being a child. In this week's podcast, I take a look at the life lessons from Dr. Seuss. -------------- The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.

Oct 02, 202215 min

Big Picture Thinking and Zooming Out: Why We Need It and How to Develop It

It's hard to make changes. Growth is hard. Stress is uncomfortable. However, there are ways to be more resilient when adversity rears its head or when your resolve is being tested. The first step is asking what do you notice when challenges or stress arise? You might first notice how you feel physically followed by the onslaught of thoughts and feelings that occur in response to adversity. What is an effective way to decrease stress, improve decision-making, and more effectively work toward our ...

Sep 23, 202227 min
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