The Problem With Perfect

Helping Others (and Ourselves) Embrace Change

Change is difficult for most of us. Whether it's how we think, how we act, or what we believe - these things don't come easy. What if there is a way to help others (and ourselves) think through change in a way that was able to truly help them make changes that will better serve them and those around them? Join us for this episode and learn more about a technique called Motivational Interviewing. Inspiration for this podcast is from A VeryWell Mind Podcast: Embrace Indecisiveness to Promote Chang...

Single All the Way - Valentines Day

Most girls grow up wanting to find their Prince Charming and live happily ever after. But to be clear, this isn’t God’s narrative The Bible is clear about the benefits of being single, yet our culture persists with the narrative that our lives aren’t complete until we’ve found “the one.” So how does one overcome the cultural ideal and embrace singleness? And how do we who are married or coupled help reshape culture’s perspective on being single? Join us for a special Valentines Day episode with ...

The Problem With the Perfect Wedding With Special Guest Maddie May

There’s only one problem with the perfect wedding- it doesn’t exist. Instead, the event joining two people, two families and all their friends brings tough decisions and difficult conversations. Join us for this special episode as bride-to-be Maddie May joins us to share her perspective on wedding planning, managing expectations and keeping the first thing first.

How to Have a Miracle Mindset

Do you believe in miracles? The Kansas City Chiefs sure do. Down by three points with only 13 seconds remaining, they not only marched down the field to kick a field goal to take the game to overtime but ended up winning it and advancing to this week's AFC Championship game. So what is it about people like Patrick Mahomes that cause them to believe that the unexpected should be expected? Is there something you and I could be doing to harvest this Miracle Mentality in our life? Listen in to see i...

Signs You Might Benefit from Therapy With Dr. Denise Bickel

Imagine going your entire life without seeing a doctor; without getting your blood pressure checked, without routine lab work, or even a pelvic exam. Sounds ludicrous, doesn't it? Yet, that is exactly how the majority of Americans care for their mental health. Depending on the statistic or study, only around 40 percent of American adults have seen a mental health expert at some point in their life. Maybe it's because of the stigma surrounding it or maybe it's because we don't really know when we...

3 Dirty Little Secrets Stunting Our Spiritual Growth

Being a Christ-follower doesn't automatically mean life will be easy and it certainly doesn't mean we won't struggle with temptations. Just look at the life of Jesus. After 40 days of fasting, the enemy found Jesus weak and hungry and used the same dirty little lies with Jesus as he does with us. Unfortunately, we often buy into these lies that Jesus rejected, resulting in disappointment, frustration and feeling far from God. Join us for this episode as we discuss these three dirty little secret...

What Everyone Should Know about Vaginas

Vaginas are important to us all. Whether you have one of your own or interact with someone else's, a basic knowledge of all things vagina is good for everyone. So then, why is it so difficult to talk about vaginal and reproductive health? Why do women fear gynecologists? And how can we be more empowered by appreciating the female body and all it offers? To answer these questions and a whole lot more, we asked Dr. Samatha McLean, DO to join us. A gynecologist passionate about women's health, Dr. ...

Pick Your Word for the Year

It’s the last podcast of the year- time to reflect on 2021 and look forward to the year ahead. In this episode, we review our words for last year and evaluate our progress with them. And looking ahead, we discuss how to choose a word to guide our goals and give our life deeper meaning. What will your word be for 2022? Give this episode a listen and we’ll tell you ours!

How to Give Yourself the Gift of Body Acceptance

No matter what study you read on body image, the results are disturbing. One says that more than 90 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies. Another says that 46 percent of 9-11 year-old girls are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets, and 82 percent of their families are ‘”sometimes” or “very often” on diets. And it's not just an issue for women. It's reported that more than a third of all men are unhappy with their bodies and 20 percent say they would consider plastic surgery. But why? W...

What Is Intuitive Eating & Will I lose Weight? With RD Caroline Shermer

Food Guilt & The Holidays With Guest RD Isabelle Bouchard

Food. It’s everywhere! From Thanksgiving to Christmas and even into the New Year, food is at the center of all our celebrations. But for many of us, it’s also the source of fear and guilt. We worry about over indulging and dread the emotions that come with it. So what if this year could be different? What if we could enjoy food and listen to our bodies when they tell us they are hungry and when they are full? In this episode, registered dietitian Isabelle Bouchard tells us how to make this holid...

Major Life Milestones And How They Change Us

In this episode, we are celebrating Robin's 50th birthday! We reflect on life's major milestones and how we can learn from them at any age.

How to Find Balance with your Physical and Mental Health

“People overestimate what they can accomplish in a month but underestimate what they can accomplish in a year.” Lexi Johnson of Lexi J Wellness Wellness is a complex state of being that combines our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Getting well is a challenge. Staying well is a lifestyle- one that includes a healthy amount of exercise and good nutrition. But how much exercise is healthy? And how many calories do I need to burn to “feel” healthy? Or is there more to wellness tha...

Is Your Perfectionism Creating Unrealistic Expectations?

Psychologists tell us that unrealistic expectations form the core of perfectionism. As perfectionists, we expect ourselves to be perfect and are disappointed when we can't meet our unobtainable standards. But our unrealistic expectations don't end there. They likely extend to most areas of our lives- including those around us. Whether it's our ideas about the perfect partner, the perfect date or the perfect family gathering - our quest for perfection might just be doing us more harm than good. J...

Why It Feels Like You're Never Enough

Many of us who struggle with perfectionism often find ourselves thinking about how we're not enough. Not smart enough. Not successful enough. Not attractive enough. Not good enough to be loved and fully known. Where do these thoughts come from? Why do they have so much power over us? And perhaps most importantly, is it possible to overcome them? As we tackle this tough topic in this episode, we'll discuss two main reasons why we feel like we're never enough and offer some practical tips for movi...

How to Disappoint People During the Holidays Without Feeling Disappointed

With the turn of the calendar to November, so comes the holiday season and all the hustle and bustle- and added stress- that comes with it. So what is it about the holidays that make them so stressful? Whose expectations are we trying to meet? And how do simplify the holidays without disappointing someone? In this episode, we tackle these questions and offer some practical and timely insight to help us keep the peace - both internally and with those around us.

How to Move Forward: A Father's Story of Grief and Redemption

“There is always a seed of opportunity planted in the field of despair.” -John Wampler, The Problem With Perfect Lizzy Wampler was just 9 years old when she and her parents learned that the aches in her legs were not growing pains. Instead, they were something much worse. Lizzy had osteosarcoma, an aggressive cancerous tumor in her bone, that would take her life just 15 months later. Now nearly four years later, Lizzy’s parents, Jennifer and John Wampler, honor Lizzy’s life by finding the joy in...

How to Live Authentically Transparent

We've never been more accessible and our lives have never been more on display. Undeniably, technology has transformed our interactions and shaped the way we communicate. As a result, in some ways, we've never been more connected. Yet in other ways, we've never felt more insecure and disconnected - forever worried about showing others who we really are instead of who we want others to think we are. At the heart of the worry is our fear that if people knew us they wouldn’t like us. And this fear ...

Why Making Decisions is So Hard

Decisions, decisions. What to wear to work. What to say in an email. How to respond to your partner or co-worker. What route to take home from work. How much money to spend on your upcoming vacation. The list of decisions to be made seems never-ending which is why we find ourselves so worn out at the end of the day that something as simple as what to eat for dinner becomes OVERWHELMING?! Psychologists call this feeling decision fatigue and in a post-Covid world where nothing can be automatic, it...

How to Get Out of Your Fitness Rut

Did you know that more than 40% of Americans say they've gained weight since the beginning of the pandemic - with the average gain being 26 pounds. Are you surprised that nearly 60% of us say that COVID has also negatively impacted our mental health? Or that we've increasingly become accustomed to being and feeling disconnected from others? While this podcast isn't going to magically impact these startling numbers, it could be helpful if you find you ARE one of these statistics. Or maybe you jus...

3 Things Holding You Back From Your Best Life

We all have lies we believe. Some of them are preached loud and clear in our culture, while others have been subtly reinforced to us throughout our lives. Either way, it often takes decades to see these lies for the destructive thoughts they have become. In this episode, we explore one of Brene Brown's teachings that discusses some of these lies and how they are holding us back. Listen in on this conversation highlighting three of Brown's takeaways and join us in challenging ourselves in making ...

When Your Faith Is On the "Slippery Slope"

Let's be honest - Thomas isn't the only Jesus follower who has had doubts. In fact, most of us at one time or another in our lives find ourselves wondering about what we (really) believe. Is God always for me and can he be trusted? Is the Bible really God's infallible word? If God is good, why aren't Christians? Whatever your questions might be, what do you do with them? Who do you turn to to help you process them without judgment and without becoming someone's "project?" In this episode, we ask...

How To Protect Your Energy & Avoid Burnout

We all have limited amounts of energy, so protecting it, conserving it, and using it wisely is critical to our success and happiness. We intuitively know this, but yet we've likely found ourselves burnt out and exhausted. So what does it mean to "protect" our energy? And how do we go about doing it? Listen here for five extremely practical tips to help you take back your energy and reclaim your life in the process. Hit the Highlights 3:30 LISTEN here as we set our intention for this episode and ...

3 Bible Verses Christians Get Wrong

Bible verses can be the reason we have hope during the hardest times in our lives, but what if we are getting them all wrong? In this episode, we go over three bible verses that are commonly misused and talk about the truth of what they are really saying in the context of our lives.

What Does Your Soul Need to be Satisfied?

The Bible says to give thanks to the LORD because he is good and his steadfast love endures forever. But what do we do when that doesn't feel true for us? How do we recover from a season when God and his goodness feel far from us? In this episode, we tackle this topic that is often tough for Christians to discuss - especially if you want the perfect life and the perfect relationship with God. (As if either of those things exists!) In this transparent conversation, we discuss what is a spiritual ...

Going Through Extreme Body (And Mind) Transformation With Guest Amber Blumberg

Beauty isn't just skin deep and neither is real transformation. Just ask Amber Blumberg. After the birth of her second child, Amber found herself in her early 30s and sick and tired of being sick and tired. That's when she decided to make a change and like many of us, she started working from the outside in. Knowing she needed to drastically change the way she moved and fueled her body, Amber started logging every calorie she ate and dedicated herself to group fitness at her local gym. Two years...

How To Ask For What You Want

Why is it so hard to ask for what we want? This can be a problem in our career, relationships, intimacy, and even in our spiritual lives. In this episode, you will learn how to ask for what we want, why it’s so hard for us to make the ask, and how to move past it so you can have more opportunities given to you. HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS (6:08) What’s the research behind asking for what we want? (12:13) Why do we struggle to ask for what we want? (18:46) How does asking for what we want impact our relat...

What Simone Biles Taught Us About Taking a Mental Break

It's difficult for perfectionists to separate who we are from what we do. Unfortunately, we often define our worth by our latest achievements. But what happens when the pressure to do more and do it better drains us, leaving us physically and mentally exhausted? In this episode, we look to Olympic gymnast Simone Biles for the answer. With the whole world watching, Simone unapologetically decided to prioritize her mental health - challenging us all to evaluate our need to do the same. Join us for...

3 healthy habits to start in your 20’s

What are the habits you need to start in your 20's to stay healthy later on in life? This episode gives you three tips to start living a healthy lifestyle now so you can thank yourself later. HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS (08:13) how to not develop destructive habits in your 20’s that will carry out in the rest of your life. (16:29) How to come up with a wellness plan for your life (20:31) How to create an exercise routine if you hate working out. (25:45) How to think about your health long-term....

How to Manage Wedding Drama

If ever there is a day filled with hopeful expectations of perfection, it's your wedding day. We grow up dreaming and planning for the day when we walk down the aisle and ride off into the sunset. But somewhere between this fantasy and reality, things unravel. What is supposed to be a day centered around celebrating love and commitment all too often becomes a source of conflict - especially for the bride. That's why our guest and bride-to-be Lisa Torres created a two-page letter for her bridesma...