About Progress

“I do think you have to choose happiness, because it’s YOUR life.  You are in control of your own personal happiness.  I could lay in bed sick and angry, or I could choose to laugh . . . and make a happy life.  I don’t find that it is any more difficult than it was before. My problems have just changed.” Christopher Clark told me a story about another friend of his that was also diagnosed with ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease. When this friend's doctor told him of his diagnosis, in almost the same breath the doctor made a plea that he would not take his own life. For many, receiving word that they have this untreatable, incurable, gradually debilitating disease is a death-sentence. For Clark, there was grieving to be sure; but there was also a determination to rise above the temptation to languish in his pain and despair, and instead to live the rest of his now-shortened life with a good amount of grace, and even more of humor. Chris's choice to find happiness in spite it all is evident throughout this interview, which is surprisingly entertaining given the topic of our discussion. We first explore his love of acting and directing and how he eventually pursued it as his profession. He is now a professor and head of the theatre department at Utah Valley University, on top of being a well-known actor and director. We talk about the huge transitions he and his family has faced the past year plus since his diagnosis, what physical symptoms he deals with daily, what he is the saddest about losing to his disease, what he has learned about himself through it all, and how he still finds the will to continue progressing in his personal and professional life in spite of it all.  Show Notes:Christopher's InstagramLast week's episode with Emily NelsonSURVEY!!!! (It takes less than a minute to fill out--thank you!)Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Come and give your all.  Don’t say, ‘I want to look this way or I want to be this way,’ but, ‘I want to become the best version of myself.’” Emily Nelson is one of the most high-energy women I've ever "met." And she puts that energy to good use as the co-creator and co-founder of HIGH Fitness, a workout that is taking North America by storm only 2 1/2 years from its conception. In today's interview, Emily talks about how her growing up years inspired her to have a strong work ethic, what she did to get past her initial shyness, and the path she took after college that eventually led to creating a new fitness brand with her friend and business partner, Amber Zenith.  Emily is passionate about their vision: to not just create a class, but a fitness community that inspires men and women to move past focusing on the exterior, and instead on becoming the best versions of themselves. There is a reason why participants tell Emily every single day that her classes are changing their lives. You'll also love hearing about what Emily thinks is the hardest challenge behind trying to balance life as an entrepreneur and a mother, why she and Amber are committed to not filling their feeds with sexy photos to increase their business, and how they have combatted the nay-sayers by staying true to their mission to inspire each person who is apart of the High Fitness community to live their best life.  Show NotesEmily's Instagram, and Amber's (her co-founder) InstagramHigh Fitness Instagram, Facebook, and websiteLast week's episode with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-FifeSURVEY!!!! (It takes less than a minute to fill out--thank you!)Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Many of us resist developing ourselves into our own unique expressions of Godliness, of humanity, because we fear the exposure, and the risk, and the potential invalidation that comes through doing that . . . If that is the only paradigm we operate in, we limit our ability to really develop into beings capable of offering goodness in the world, and creating a better world through our own capacity." What is "goodness?" How do we develop it when faced with real and imagined pressures?  Today, Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife answers these questions by fleshing out the term "goodness" that often comes up in her teachings. Jennifer teaches us how to discover what it is we truly want and feel we "should" do with our lives and then how to better own our choices, especially when we are often only faced with difficult ones.  Jennifer also offers how to live up to the core desires we have, more fully cultivate our gifts, and how to in turn better tolerate the internal and external push-back we might experience as we develop true goodness within ourselves and our lives.   Like her past episode on About Progress, this interview is one worth listening to several times to fully glean Jennifer's wisdom. There are many ways to apply this discussion to parenthood, marriage, "control freaks," "victims," and those who live their lives based on others' approval. More on Jennifer:Jennifer Finlayson-Fife grew up in Burlington, Vermont as one of eight children. She studied Psychology and Women's Studies at Brigham Young University, and went on to receive her Masters and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She has a private practice in Chicago, IL where she works primarily with LDS couples on relational and sexual issues. She is a frequent guest on LDS-themed podcasts, and has written articles for LDS-themed magazines and blogs on the subjects of sexuality and modesty as well as mental health and faith. She is married to John Finlayson-Fife and has three wonderful children.Show Notes:Jennifer's website and upcoming workshopsVideo she recommended, "How to know you life's purpose in 5 minutes"Jennifer's past interview on perfectionismSURVEY!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcast episodes from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know the amazing benefits of exercise: mental acuity, emotional release, increased strength, more consistent metabolism, confidence, and on and on. But we don't often talk about the effects of abusing exercise, a trap we can all so subtly fall into. This can happen through both over- and under-use, although much of this episode it devoted to abuse through too much (or too intense, too often) exercising. Alongside my two expert guests--Meg Miles and Rachel Gainer--we discuss it all. How fitness is a powerful tool for good and so essential to our well-being; but also how abusing it can negatively alter our lives and become all-consuming. Learn through our discussion how to properly make exercise an important part of your life without letting it control you.  In this episode, there is a wealth of science, personal stories, and loads of take-aways. Our goal? To empower the listeners to view their bodies--and fitness--with love and "healthy enthusiasm."Show Notes:Meg Miles's website, blog, and InstagramPast podcast interview with MegRachel Gainer's website and InstagramPast podcast interview with RachelArticles on effects of overexercising on metabolism: here and hereSURVEY!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcast episodes from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The preparation will meet your opportunity, and that is when you can have success. So, you need to work really hard and be ready for when you get that chance, because you never know when it’s going to come." Camille Andros is a woman of many interests including science, writing, and children (she has 6 of her own). For many years, she found herself focusing on one thing and then the other, all of which she loved and found fulfilling. But eventually, she found herself combining her passions into writing children's literature. She wants children to believe that they are smart and they can love science too, and her stories inspire just that and then some! Camille talks about her path towards getting published, how she believes in "a time and a season," the great importance for everyone to have hobbies and dreams, and the remarkable path her life has taken, one small step at a time! Oh, and you'll love Camille's view of how rejection can be a good sign that you're on the right path and how she has learned that slowing down actually helps her work. Show Notes:Camille's website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BOOK!SURVEY!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcast episodes from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It starts with who you are.  Then what you do comes so naturally, and so beautifully, that that is respected because you were who you are first.” There is a reason Jeni Awerkamp's mom called her "Jeni Joy" growing up. This woman radiates light and positivity! Jeni makes this choice every day, and the biggest key to her finding that joy is to focus on who she IS first, not her "successes." This is a lesson Jeni learned after selling her interest in her rising business and instead focusing on motherhood. She has a strong entrepreneurial spirit whose mind is always thinking about the next thing and a big thirst for creating; but she discovered that for her, she needed to invest her self-worth in who she was at the core and to not place her esteem on things, people, or achievements. Jeni also shares the importance of filling our buckets, how she creates and pursues goals, and how much happier she has been once she's chosen to let her hair down and embrace the "yellow" side of her personality.  If you like the show, please subscribe and leave a review on iTunes!! Show Notes:Jeni's blog (it's fantastic!) and InstagramMonica's INTERVIEW with Briana from The LifeBeats Project (she's amazing!)SURVEY!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcast episodes from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It’s too easy to give in to the thought that ‘Well, this terrible thing happened to me . . .’ But at the end of the day, you write your own story . . . Your life is what YOU create.  And I wanted to create something awesome.”  Cara Baldwin had been a lifelong "overachiever." But at 30 years old, she found herself moving back in with her parents, filing for divorce with four very young children (the youngest being 6 weeks old), and wondering how she could face the humiliation of being this version of herself she never wanted to be. Beginning with a solo two-and-a-half week camping adventure with all four kids (aka "The Magic Five"), Cara picked up the pieces of her family, plucked up her courage, asked for help, and attended law school so she could support her children. Cara credits her kids, her family, her friends, her community, her faith, and her grit in rebuilding her life and rediscovering the woman she once was: one who believed in herself.Show Notes:Monica's INTERVIEW with Briana from The LifeBeats Project (she's amazing!) Last week's episodeSURVEY!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts."~Winston Churchill We have all been there: you bust your behind trying to reach a goal, you have high hopes, but then you get dismal-at-best results.  It's hard to not take it personally.  I've been there recently and I found myself really questioning why I've been spending all this time doing something that is meeting seemingly lackluster fruit. But then I reminded myself, "Sometimes you don't make the cut." That's life.   Every person who has ever amounted to anything, whether it's in the walls of their own homes or in grand corporations, have faced failures big and small. They have faced those moments where they wonder why the heck they're doing what they're doing and evaluate if it's worth the time, sweat, and tears. For me, I've decided to tailor back in some areas (the limited writing on my blog will now be non-existent for a time) and to redefine what "success" looks like for me.  In today's podcast, I talk about admirable figures in our times who have didn't make the cut, what they did to overcome it, and what we can individually do when we face similar times. Show Notes:Articles referenced: Here and HereStephanie's Website, Instagram, and FacebookPodcast Episode with Mark LukachMonica's interview for the Extraordinary Moms PodcastSURVEY!!!!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We didn’t recognize each other, or ourselves. How do you reconcile this? How do you go and redefine how we work together if who we are has taken some pretty fundamental changes?” Mark and Giulia fell in love at 18 years old and launched into what looked like would be a lifetime of happiness. Unexpectedly, three years into their marriage, their fairy tale fell apart as Giulia encountered struggles with her mental health that neither of them fully understood or knew how to deal with.  But this isn't just a story about mental illness; it's a story about how a family chose to navigate a crisis and rebuild their lives based on love, not tragedy. Mark talks about what led to Giulia's first bout with psychosis and her eventual diagnosis with bipolar disorder. He shares how as a result they switched roles within their relationship, what it was like for Mark to battle his own depression just as Giulia started to get better, and how they learned to anchor into their new lives both together and individually.  Both Mark and Giulia hope their son learns from their choice to focus on on love over fear and that life is beautiful, especially when they hold on to each other. About Mark: Mark Lukach is a teacher and freelance writer. He is the author of a memoir My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward. His work has been published in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Pacific Standard, Wired, and other publications. He is currently the Ninth Grade Dean at The Athenian School, where he also teaches history. He lives with his wife, Giulia, and their son in the San Francisco Bay area.  Show Notes:Mark's website, Instagram, and where to find his bookMonica's interview for the Extraordinary Moms PodcastSURVEY!!!!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Depression loves darkness . . . the only way to fight depression is to bring it into the light.” I'm sure you read that article "Marriage Isn't For You" that circulated the internet a few years ago. How am I so sure? Because everyone read it, as in 100 million strong all over the world.  Seth Adam Smith is the author of that article, as well as four popular books (including his latest work of fiction!). Seth talks about what it was like to have a VIRAL article and the three years-long mind trip it sent him on as he tried to live up to the internal and external pressure to keep writing pieces to resonate with millions. Seth is much more than "the marriage guy" his article pegged him to be. He's been writing for as long as he can remember. One of the common themes he writes about is depression, and he's been doing that long before it was the cool thing to do.  Seth has struggled with chronic depression since he was in third grade, and at his lowest low as a 20 year old, he attempted to commit suicide. What has risen from his broken soul is completely transformative. Seth has shifted his intense struggles to instead act as a force for good--or a "light in the wilderness," as he calls it--one that he holds high and proud, calling others to learn that life is worth living, and it is worth living well.  You won't want to miss what Seth says about how we all should want to be "broken," and how he blew my mind with his thoughts on perfectionism. Please share this episode with anyone who you think can benefit. (Hint: it's all of us!)  Show Notes:Seth's Website, Blog, Instagram, and YouTube ChannelSeth's books: Here, Here, Here, and Here.Monica's interview for the Extraordinary Moms PodcastSURVEY!!!!Monica's Facebook and InstagramContact MonicaFree Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)More Podcasts from About ProgressSong Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices