Takeaways:You can’t say yes to everything–and if you don’t choose what you are saying yes (and no) to, someone (or something) else probably will.Setting (and maintaining) boundaries with friends family, and co-workers isn’t selfish. It’s the key to healthy relationships (and your own sanity).Remember that things DON’T go according to plan more often than they DO. Make the best plan you can but then be prepared to be flexible and creative.Over-correcting when you veer off course wastes a lot of energy–and often makes future corrections necessary.Don’t go it alone. Find (or build) your support network–and don’t forget to tell them how they can support you. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

As much as we like to pretend otherwise, time is finite. Maybe not in a quantum physics sense but in a practical sense: We have only 24 hours to spend every day, and we also have an unknown but finite number of days left in our lives.Having a realistic view of what you are saying yes and no to can keep your life running smoothly, allow you to make time on important self-care, and do justice to the things that are most important to you.Find the full show notes and lab experiment at  changeacademypodcast.com/timingTakeaways:We have a tendency to be delusional about time, leading us to try to cram too much into every day.At the same time, we may put off things that are important to us in the false sense that there will always be more time “later.” Being “busy” is not a virtue. Managing our commitments so that we have time for what’s important (including rest and self-care) is. When we view our time as the finite commodity that it actually is, we can get the most satisfaction out of our days and out of our lives. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

If our daily choices and actions are badly out of alignment with our goals, we are literally working against ourselves. We’re likely to be frustrated by a lack of progress. We may also be putting extra unnecessary stress on other parts of our lives. Takeaways:In order to reach our destination (or realize our goals) our actions need to be in alignment with those goals and values. Auditing how we spend our time can reveal mismatches between what’s important to us and how we’re actually spending our time. Whether we choose to adjust our priorities or our actions, bringing them into alignment will make us happier and more successful. We don’t need to be in “perfect” alignment to have highly functional and satisfying lives. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

We probably don’t need to remind you that skimping on sleep can contribute to an increased appetite, increased levels of stress (cortisol), a decrease in energy to do the things you enjoy, and so on.  We’re also not going to spend time reviewing basic sleep hygiene or supplements (most with mixed evidence) that you can find in abundance when you search for “better sleep” online. Instead, we’re going to focus on our sleep mindset, and how that can be key to optimizing our sleep habits.Takeaways:Good sleep is very important for your health and well-being, but “good sleep” can look different for different people, and even for the same people at different times in life.  Even if you are forced to follow a schedule that is not ideal for you, keeping a consistent sleep/wake schedule leads to better sleep and less sleep anxiety. Which leads to more energy and better decision making during the day. Although many factors can get in the way of sleep, feeling stressed and anxious about not sleeping may be the most insidious–which is why CBT has become one of the most effective therapies for insomniaGood sleep hygiene is important but when it isn’t enough to resolve sleep issues, a sleep medicine specialist can help. Lab Experiment:If you feel your sleep routine needs a tune-up, a sleep diary can help increase your awareness of your sleep patterns, understand how they affect you, and identify things that may be undermining your sleep. Step 1: Keep a sleep diaryStep 2: Once you’ve gathered some data, consider the following questions :Do I feel well-rested when I wake up? Do I feel drowsy during the day?Am I spending significant time lying in bed without being able to fall asleep?Is my sleep schedule consistent or does it fluctuate?Am I taking naps that are too long or too late in the day that could be affecting my nighttime sleep?Is my sleep disrupted in the night? If so, is there any pattern in the diary that might explain why?Is my use of alcohol, caffeine, and/or medications affecting my sleep time or sleep quality?Am I making enough time for sleep?Step 3: If you end up consulting with a sleep medicine specialist, be sure to share your log with them  It may provide some useful clues.  Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Key Takeaways:The stress response is not a bad thing; it’s what allows us to respond to challenges, both “good” and “bad.”Invoking the parasympathetic nervous system can help keep our body and brain in balance–and make us more resilient to stress.This works best if we do it proactively and regularly, instead of waiting until we’re in crisis.There are many different ways to activate the parasympathetic nervous system so keep looking until you find one that works for you. Lab Experiment:Step 1: Play the field. Take some time to research and try out a bunch of different things. (See the worksheet for ideas.)Step 2: Pick your favorite(s) and schedule time at least once a day to make this a regular practice.Step 3: Notice how you feel and function when you make time to shift into neutral. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Welcome to part four of the 50,000 Mile Tuneup Series. In previous episodes, we checked into our beliefs and expectations about aging, updated our goals, and clarified our values and priorities. We then turned our attention to exercise and movement. Take aways:- As we age, we need fewer calories and more protein. - Cutting back on starches and liquid calories can help lower caloric intake. - Splitting your protein intake up into 30g doses, spread over the day, can maximize the benefits.- Don’t forget to include a great variety of fresh, whole foods in your diet on a regular basis. ★ Support this podcast ★

How does the way we move and maintain our bodies change as we go through life? How can we set ourselves up to keep our engines running smoothly and powerfully, even as our mileage gets higher? Takeaways:- The body hates being overworked just as much as it hates being still. So work smarter not harder- Movement is more than just exercise. Don’t just commit to working out. Challenge yourself to live a more active lifestyle.- Respect your limitations (by modifying appropriately) but don’t use them as an excuse to opt out of being active. - Recovery is more than collapsing on the couch in the evening. Active recovery includes gentle movement, stretching, good nutrition, and quality sleep. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

This information will serve a sort of GPS, helping us make choices and design habits that steer us toward our desired destination. Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Healthy habits like eating well, getting some exercise, and managing stress go a long way toward keeping your body and life running smoothly  But every once in a while, our lives can benefit from a more thorough going-over.In that spirit, we’re going to begin 2022 with a sort of 50,000 Mile Tuneup for your life.  Whether or not you currently have any warning lights flashing, we invite you to join us  for a system-by-system inspection and overhaul of your health, habits, outlook, and ambitions.Lab Experiment:Let's take a closer look at our expectations and beliefs about aging. Where did they come from? Are they true? What evidence do we have to support them? What else is possible? What evidence can we find or generate to support those other outcomes? ★ Support this podcast ★

We’d l ike to invite you to join us for something we’re calling the 50,000 Mile Tuneup: a system-by-system inspection and tuneup (or complete overhaul, if necessary) of your health, habits, outlook, and ambitions.Each episode in the series (starting with the very next episode) will be a deep dive into a different aspect of our lives (nutrition, fitness, sleep, stress, time management, and so on) and will include lots of additional resources, tools, and (of course) lab experiments for you to explore. So stay subscribed to get your 50,000 Mile Tune-up.  Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★