About Progress

If I can experience a major faith crisis, anyone can. Over the last 12+ years, I've been through an ongoing series of my own struggles with my faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today's episode is an honest share of how this came about for me, what issues I have struggled with and why, what I've done about them, and why I ultimately chose to stick with my LDS faith for life.   Below in the show notes, I've included the past posts I've written on this topic if you'd like to read more about my experience.  I've also included resources that have helped me tremendously. If you know someone who struggles or who is in a leadership position, please share this with them.  My hope is to peel back the shame that many who doubt suffer behind, to show leaders of my church how good and obedient members can still struggle with their faith, and how they can better love and help them through it. Thank you for your support!   Show Notes Prior posts on my faith: here, here, and here LDS website and LDS articles on women giving blessings here and here All the Books that have helped me Lamb of God and Rob Gardner's website Paul Cardall's website Carol Lynn Pearson's website Join my Progress Program: SMALL-group GROWTH coaching for women My new Work in Progress T-shirt!! (Use code "PROGRESS" for $5) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Positive parenting is all the rage, and for good reason. But what if praising the good and ignoring the bad behavior isn't working for your spirited, willful child? What if another's special needs or incredible gifts demand a far more unique approach than what worked with other kids in your family?Wendy Bertagnole loves to guide parents through these exceptional parenting moments--because she has had to navigate them herself with her own three children, each with their own challenges that had to be addressed differently.On this episode, Wendy teaches to first ACCEPT your children and then move forward in better addressing what the ROOTS are to their unique needs and challenges. Show Notes:Wendy's Podcast Website, Instagram, Online Workshop for Parenting Kids with Sensory Need,, and BooksProgress Program!!! Doors for application are open for just two more days!Contact Monica for podcast consulting and Progress CoachingSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter how you crack it, life is plain hard. To endure it well, learn to laugh alongside the tears!Shaun and Nicole Johnson have inspired thousands of people to find the silver lining in their struggles because they've done the same for themselves. Their Instagram pageis full of posts of lip synching and hilarious skits that have inspired so much fun and laughter.But the greater purpose behind sharing them? Shaun and Nicole are seeking the humor through the trials they face as a married couple, including years of infertility, and they hope to inspire others to find that light for themselves, too.Listen in to hear how CHOICE and OPENNESS have both been important threads to the Johnson's unity throughout their difficulties, and why humor has been a wonderful method to unifying them. Learn how they are just a normal couple doing their best (read: don't compare yourself or your marriage to them!), why you need to feel the hard emotions in order to move forward, and what this can look like for you. Show Notes:The Johnson's Instagramand Website Progress Program!!! Doors for application are open for just another week!Contact Monica for podcast consultingand Progress CoachingSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Life is noisy, and crazy, and disruptive."Amen, sister!So how can we find hints from our Creator that we aren't here alone amidst all the distractions? Especially when we are facing trials we never expected to?Heidi Tucker was a brand new empty-nester looking for her place. After hitting a series of dead-ends and an early return of her missionary son, Heidi wondered how God was possibly involved in her life. But the hope came. And it came in ways that took time and practice for Heidi to recognize.Heidi is on the show to share how you can see the signs of God's involvement in your life--especially if you're someone like me who struggles to recognize that. If you have a hard time figuring out how to connect with your higher power and are in desperate need of hope, this episode is a MUST-LISTEN and will give you real steps to find it in your own life! Show Notes:Heidi's website and books: Finding Hope in the Journey, and Servie's SongProgress Program!!! Doors for application are open for just a few more weeksContact Monica for podcast consultingand Progress CoachingSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, we suffer in silence due to shame. For others, it's because our struggles are connected to someone else's choices that we can't publicly share. For all of us, there are still ways to cope better with the quiet trials we face.Erin Shepard of Yarrow Therapyhas faced silent suffering in her own life due to chronic illness, and she often counsels people who do, too. In this episode, hear how to better cope with your trials, overcome shame where needed, and seek confidential guidance and support even when you can't have your trials be so publicly known. Erin also speaks to the importance of self-care, setting limits, giving yourself small things to aspire to, and establishing gratitude in place of bitterness. Show Notes:Erin's Website, Instagram, and Facebook Last weeks' episodes with on How to Be Healthy for the Right Reasons,and our Do Something HighlightProgress Program!!! Doors for application are open for just a few more weeksContact Monica for podcast consultingand Progress CoachingSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Carina Heilner was held back by her intense perfectionism for decades: with eating disorders, a big-time running obsession, and a overall focus on her appearing and looking the part. But she's a fighter and now talks back to the negative voices in her head that used to drive her. Carina learned that she needed to voice how a trauma from her childhood affected her view of herself, and that the best way she could show herself she mattered was by allowing more room for compassionate imperfection. Now, Carina's way to move forward is learning that PROGRESS is the way to personal freedom, not perfection. You can listen the interview below, or on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Pocketcasts, Googleplay, or search for “About Progress” wherever you get your podcasts.  If you like the show please share it, subscribe, and leave a review!!  Show Notes:Progress Program!!!  Doors for application are open for just a few more weeksContact Monica for podcast consulting and Progress CoachingSong Credit: “Sweet Promise” and “Warm Lights” by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Accepting and loving yourself does not mean you stop trying where it counts. In fact, it's quite the opposite.This is the same where your health is concerned.There is a big difference between trying to get healthier due to aesthetics and self-loathing, vs. working on your health because you want to show yourself and your body a truer love.Charity Lighten is a nutritionist who believes there is power behind loving yourself enough to make some changes when you need them. She encourages people to not define their worth by the scale or their pant size, but she also knows the importance of treating your body well.Charity personally experienced the difference between being motivated by self-love vs. self-hatred and shares how that played out in her life, what her husband's cancer has taught her about what REALLY matters, and how she strives for improvement where it counts for her.Listen in to hear how this can look for you, too! Show Notes:Charity's Instagram and Website; Silver Fern Brand's website and Instagram Last week's episode on Mindfulness with Andy ProctorProgress Program!!! Doors for application are open for just a few more weeksContact Monica for podcast consultingand Progress CoachingSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen, we all know that practicing more mindfulness is life-changing. We know this because it's all over the internet, newspapers, and even via our nosy neighbor who is working on it, too. So why is it so hard to actually implement?That's because mindfulness is another muscle that needs to simply be trained. And training that mindfulness muscle? Anyone can do it.Andy Proctor--a happiness advocate and educator--is going to show you how. And that it can start by simply being more fully "present" with the day-to-day moments of your life.You want to finally get a handle of the runaway train that is your mind? Take heart! Just listen to this and start simple. Because we know you are no dummy!Show Notes: Andy's website, courses, podcast, and new Instagram course Resources Andy mentioned: Flow, Self-Compassion, Positivity Ratio Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact Monica for podcast consultingand Progress CoachingSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a LOT of things that get in the way of our productivity. Because LIFE HAPPENS!! And life includes a whole lot of good that deserves our attention. It's not all bad! However, it's time to end the frustration of our to-do lists and get in some real, practical ways to transform how we choose to devote our time.  Tonya Dalton of inkWELL Press is a productivity expert who is allllll about boosting your productivity in ways that are lasting (and DOABLE!). She's a believer in "a time and a season," prioritizing what REALLY matters (not what your mom thinks should matter), and working on small ways to make big shifts in your life. End the "to-do" struggle! Tonya will point the way. Show Notes:inkWELL's website, Instagram, and Tonya's Productivity Paradox PodcastLast week's interviews with Ashton Barrett and Melissa LewisMonica's Facebook and InstagramContact Monica for podcast consulting and Progress CoachingMore Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A good marriage takes work, that we know. But when mental health struggles come up for one or both spouses, it can try the most important relationship of our lives in very unique ways. Matt and Celeste Davis believe that facing these struggles together can instead make a marriage even better. Both have taken turns struggling with depression (see their past solo episodes with me here and here!), so they know first-hand how to guide a spouse through a very difficult time. The Davis family thrives off of openness, communication, vulnerability, and strength--both independently AND together.  Listen in to hear their tips for helping a spouse through a dark time, how you need to be a care-giver, not a savior, and that talking, talking, talking is the best thing you can do for your marriage. Show Notes:Matt's past interviewCeleste's past interviewLast week's interviews with Ashton Barrett and Melissa LewisMonica's Facebook and InstagramContact Monica for podcast consulting and Progress CoachingMore Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" and "Warm Lights" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices