

About Progress
Cloud10
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 26, 2025 • 50min
AP 704: Special: Update On My Personal Goals for 2025 || Preview from More Personal
In this episode, I provide an update on my personal goals for 2025, sharing the progress I've made and the challenges I've faced along the way. From early bedtimes and family adventures to financial planning and creative projects, I reflect on what’s working and what needs improvement. It's all about messy progress and celebrating the small wins.
I also share exciting news about the Supporters Club and how it's helping us keep About Progress going despite the ad challenges. Tune in for a candid discussion on where we're at, what's coming next, and how your support is making a difference. Thank you for being part of this journey with me!
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy! Single traveler survey here.
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session; and by goPure Beauty, get 25% off @goPure with code PROGRESS at https://www.goPurebeauty.com/PROGRESS #goPurepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 23, 2025 • 57min
AP 703: The Power of Adventure: How Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone is an Act of Self-Care and Rediscovery || with Brooke Eliason from Female Foodie
In this episode I sit down with Brooke Eliason, founder of Female Foodie, to discuss the transformative power of adventure. From my own experiences exploring London to Brooke's incredible journey of turning a three-month trip into an 18-month adventure across the U.S. and Europe, we explore how stepping outside your comfort zone can transform your life. We also dive into the benefits of organized travel and share some practical tips for reigniting your adventurous spirit, whether close to home or halfway across the world.
Join us as we uncover why you should say 'why not?' to new experiences and how anticipation for adventure can fill your life with joy. We also introduce an exciting opportunity for you to join our community on a special Female Foodie tour to Italy. This episode is perfect for anyone looking to feed their sense of adventure and gain practical advice on how to start exploring the world around them.
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy! Single traveler survey here.
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session; and by goPure Beauty, get 25% off @goPure with code PROGRESS at https://www.goPurebeauty.com/PROGRESS #goPurepod; and by AirDoctor, use code MONICA at http://airdoctorpro.com/ for up to $300 off air purifiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 21, 2025 • 8min
How Two Moms Turned Fear into Bravery Magazine || H&K with Elyse Beard & Ashley Aikele
Ashley and Elise open up about the fears, perfectionism, and self-doubt they had to overcome while building Bravery Magazine from scratch. In this inspiring clip, they share how letting go of perfection and choosing progress helped them rediscover their creativity, purpose, and confidence. If you’ve ever felt like fear was holding you back—this one’s for you.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.aboutprogress.com/blog/elyse-beard-and-ashley-aikele-being-your-own-kind-of-brave
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy!
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 19, 2025 • 27min
AP 702: A LIVE Revisit of My Do Something List || Growth Spurt
The Do Something List is a tool I’ve used since 2016 to help me prioritize everyday fulfillment, and it has drastically changed my life. Today, I revisit and alter my current list in real-time, sharing the process and my thoughts as I refine my goals for the year. Through reflection, alteration, and some humorous anecdotes, I demonstrate the power of adapting our aspirations to fit our real lives, just as I have for nine years straight.
Throughout this episode, I talk about my various current goals, as well as provide a sneak peek into some exciting future plans, like my pilgrimage to England and the book I’m writing. This episode is a blend of personal journey, practical tips, and motivational insight—all aimed at encouraging you to create and pursue your own Do Something List. Listen in as I share how even small steps and slight adjustments in our plans can lead to significant personal growth.
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy! Single traveler survey here.
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 16, 2025 • 56min
AP 701: From Fear to First Steps: How to Start a Dream Even When You're Scared || coaching call with Abbie
In this episode, I coach Abbie, a woman eager to launch her own creative business but held back by the fear of both potential failure and success. We delve into why starting something personal feels so vulnerable, how people-pleasing can hinder self-trust, and the reality of moving forward imperfectly even when scared. If you've felt stuck at the starting line of your dreams, this conversation offers clarity, comfort, and actionable steps to help you move forward.
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy!
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session; and by goPure Beauty, get 25% off @goPure with code PROGRESS at https://www.goPurebeauty.com/PROGRESS #goPurepod; and by AirDoctor, use code MONICA at http://airdoctorpro.com/ for up to $300 off air purifiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 14, 2025 • 8min
How Small Steps Lead to a Big Dream || H&K with Gabrielle Blair
Feeling overwhelmed by a big dream? Gabrielle Blair reveals how her family's move to France became possible through small, manageable steps. She shares the importance of breaking down goals and emphasizes that you don’t need the entire plan to begin. The conversation encourages listeners to set clear, structured steps while fostering community and engagement, all leading towards achieving their aspirations. Discover how tiny actions can lead to significant life changes!

Jun 12, 2025 • 27min
AP 700: 7 Life Lessons from Producing 700 Episodes || Growth Spurt
I can hardly believe we're celebrating our 700th episode! Hitting this incredible milestone over nearly nine years of podcasting has really made me reflect on the seven powerful life lessons I've learned along the way. These aren't just for podcasters; they're universal truths that can help you in your own life too.
It’s been a hard but vital lesson to accept that not everybody has to love you for you to do good work, and that small wins truly do build over time, forming the consistent process that leads to genuine progress. These lessons have shaped me and the podcast, and I hope they resonate with you as much as they have with me.
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy!
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session; and by AirDoctor, use code MONICA at http://airdoctorpro.com/ for up to $300 off air purifiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 9, 2025 • 48min
AP 699: Declutter Without Perfection: How to Ditch the Instagram Standards to Create a More Peaceful, Simple Home || with Courtney Florey
Ever feel like your home is battling Instagram's "after" photos? I certainly do! My chat with Courtney Florey of Declutter and Dwell tackled this, as she believes these unrealistic standards can hinder progress by fostering comparison and pressure for perfection. We agreed homes are meant to be lived in, not just admired, and it's normal if yours isn't magazine-ready.
This pressure can deter us from even starting, fearing too much time, money, or effort, or leading to burnout. Her practical advice includes aligning your home with your life's priorities and starting with small, easy areas to build confidence and momentum. Tune in to discover how you can create a more peaceful, simple home!
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy!
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session; and by goPure Beauty, get 25% off @goPure with code PROGRESS at https://www.goPurebeauty.com/PROGRESS #goPurepod; and by AirDoctor, use code MONICA at http://airdoctorpro.com/ for up to $300 off air purifiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 7, 2025 • 10min
Body Image, Balance, and the Power of Self-Acceptance || H&K with Meg Miles
In this heartfelt moment, Meg Miles reflects on what true health really means—not perfection, but balance. She shares how working as a pediatric nurse shaped her passion for body confidence and women’s wellness, and how becoming a mother helped her speak to herself with more compassion. With quiet strength, Meg challenges the all-or-nothing culture of health and encourages women to make promises they can keep—not to be perfect, but to be present.
Listen to the full episode here: https://www.aboutprogress.com/blog/meg-miles-owning-our-gifts-and-finding-true-strength-comes-from-balance
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy!
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 5, 2025 • 43min
AP 698: An eventful end to the school year, the garden is finally planted, learning a new craft from my DSL list, looking forward to my yearly “Me Day,” and the simple things I’m loving lately || Messy Middle June 2025
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 steps has helped to keep me afloat and feeling like myself. As always, I encourage you to get messy, too!
Sign up as a Supporter to get access to our private, premium, ad-free podcast, More Personal. Episodes air each Friday!
Get on the waitlist for Italy!
Leave a rating and review
Check out my workshops!
Follow About Progress on YOUTUBE!
Book Launch Committee
Free DSL Training
Full Show Notes
This episode is brought to you by Fearless Finance, use code PROGRESS at https://landing.fearlessfinance.com/ for $50 your first session; and by goPure Beauty, get 25% off @goPure with code PROGRESS at https://www.goPurebeauty.com/PROGRESS #goPurepod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices