How we see ourselves has an enormous impact on our mental health and wellbeing, how we function in our relationships, even what sort of goals we set for ourselves. Often, we believe that achieving those goals will improve our self-image and make us feel better about ourselves. But usually, it happens the other way around.Our self-image is often very distorted. Others may barely notice “imperfections” that are all we can see when we look in the mirror. And, by the same token, we can also take steps to heal poor self-image without actually changing anything about the way we look. Often it starts by examining our beliefs about how we SHOULD look. Joining me today to talk about all of this is Cassie Christopher, whom you know from several past episodes. Cassie is a registered dietitian, workplace wellness expert, speaker, and coach. Repairing body image is a big part of Cassie’s work. She and I are also teaming up to offer a special program this October focusing on on Body Image Repair and Resilience.  Key Takeaways:We form our self-image by comparing ourselves against cultural ideals, which often reflect groups with more power and/or money.Even those whose outward appearance conforms to the cultural ideal often suffer from poor self-image. Even if we don’t have the power to change the system, seeing how it operates gives us more power to decide how we engage with itSelf-worth that is based largely on how we compare to others is never as solid as self-worth that is based on our own intrinsic values. We are often completely unaware of the degree to which negative self-perception is impacting our quality of life. Accepting and celebrating the ways in which we diverge from the “ideal” can be an empowering first step. Mentioned:Body Image Repair & Resilience programBeing good enough (Change Academy Ep. #28)Body Image Self AssessmentMore about Cassie Christopher’s work Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

If you’ve been listening to the Change Academy for a while, you’ll remember Molly Watts from several previous episodes. But if you’re newer to the Academy, let me quickly tell you who she is. Molly is the host of the top-rated Alcohol Minimalist podcast and author of the book Breaking the Bottle Legacy.  Molly’s work focuses on helping people create a more peaceful and sustainable relationship with alcohol. And the approach that Molly takes is very consonant with our philosophy here on the Change Academy. Molly has graciously agreed to let us share an excerpt from her podcast in which she shares the three things she had to stop doing in order to finally change her drinking habits. You can substitute just about any unwanted or  problematic behavior or habit for “drinking” and Molly’s advice would be just as valuable. She's also generously offered a free digital copy of her book to any Change Academy listeners who would like one. (See below).  As you listen, think about how Molly’s insights about changing her drinking behavior might apply to a behavioral pattern or habit loop that you’ve struggled to change.Key TakeawaysWe often make change harder than it needs to be by setting unrealistic expectations and then beating ourselves up for failing.Failure is not proof that you cannot succeed…unless you choose to make it that.Small consistent effort ultimately gets us to our goals sooner than big dramatic gestures that fizzle out. Self-judgment is toxic to the process of growth and change. Instead we need to approach ourselves and our behavior with curiosity and compassion. If the behavior we are trying to change is one that we are using as a coping mechanism, we’re going to need to address whatever it is that are using it to cope with.MentionedDownload a free copy of Breaking the Bottle Legacy, by Molly WattsAlcohol Minimalist podcastChange Academy Ep 11: the Attention Intention Action Cycle Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

All of us occasionally struggle with negative or overwhelming emotional reactions.  But few of us have been taught to handle difficult feelings effectively. In this episode, Dr. Bethy Campbell returns to the Change Academy to share techniques for working with our most challenging emotions–enabling us to handle stressful situations with greater resilience and to access healthier emotional responses. Dr. Bethy Campbell is a clinical psychologist, a marriage and family therapist, with special expertise and certification in career development counseling.  During her academic career, she also pioneered a curriculum on Helping Skills, a process that people who are not trained therapists can safely use to support others (or help themselves) when dealing with psychologically or emotionally challenging situations.Key TakeawaysOur emotions can be a powerful source of information, but we need to learn how to recognize and interpret the signals they are sending. Although our feelings are neither good or bad, the way we express those emotions may be healthy or unhealthy. Our primary emotional responses may be buried under several layers of secondary emotions that need to be explored first.Simply labeling and rating the intensity of our emotions is often enough to dissipate their intensity.The goal is not to eliminate emotions but to foster a healthier relationship with them, leading to improved self-understanding and emotional well-being.Lab Experiment(adapted from Helping Skills Training for Nonprofessional Counselors)Consider how primary and secondary emotions and emotional signals apply to your own life. Can you think of a time when secondary emotions clouded your awareness and expression of your primary emotions? Write down your recollections of that time, highlighting primary and secondary emotions.What do you believe your emotions were signaling and motivating you to do?How might talking (or writing?) about these feelings help you access primary emotions and adaptive signals?MentionedEp. #107: Designing your future: How to make a successful career or life pivotHelping Skills Training for Nonprofessional Counselors by Elizabeth L. Campbell, PhDFeelings Wheel Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Late breaking news! Kelly is giving Change Academy listeners an electronic copy of her new book for free!  Scroll down for the link to that I met Kelly Howard a few months ago, when she invited me to be a guest on her podcast. I loved the concept of her podcast, which is that fitness is not just another chore that we’re supposed to do. It is a gateway to more freedom. Kelly takes that message beyond her podcast and into the real world, where she runs a company that offers hiking, biking, backpacking, and kayaking adventures, as well as fitness coaching programs to help people prepare for those adventures.  In other words, fitness is not the real goal. Fun and freedom are the goals, and fitness makes those possible. It’s a perfect example of something we talk about all the time here, which is how important it is to have a compelling why, and to align our goals to our larger objectives.In this conversation, you’ll hear how Kelly applies those principles to the work that she does. But these insights apply just as well to any other goals that you may be working on. Takeaways:For most of the things we want to achieve, being consistent is more important than achieving mastery.The value of creating a detailed plan always has to be balanced with the flexibility that allows us to pivot when plans go awryWe need to be just as intentional about rest and recovery as we are about effortSpecific events can be great things to work toward. But don’t forget to think about–and plan for–what comes next. Mentioned:Fit is Freedom podcast Episode #95Brock’s morning warm upFit: Active and Ageless for Life, by Kelly Howard(Free copy for Change Academy members!) Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Part of living your best life involves thinking–at least a little–about how you can set yourself up to live a good life in the future. If you’re of a certain age, you might keep track of things like your cholesterol or your blood pressure. Or, you might keep an eye on your 401K balance, with an eye toward ensuring future well-being. But there’s another lesser-known metric that can also be predictive of both your current and your future health and longevity. Just like those other markers, it’s a number you should know.  Key TakeawaysMentionedLife Satisfaction AssessmentEp 48: Wisdom to Know the DifferenceHappiness Curve, by Jonathan Rauch50K Mile TuneupBuy us a coffee Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

This podcast is based on the premise that –with the right tools, insights, and support, we can create meaningful lasting changes in our habits, improve our health, and take control of our lives.  The podcast Tiny Leaps, Big Changes by Gregg Clunis is based on the same premise. But in this episode, Gregg and I explore some uncomfortable questions: What are the limits of our personal agency? What are the forces that lead us to believe that creating healthy, safe, and secure lives and environments is primarily up to us? How do we reconcile our personal work with the need to create better systems and healthier and more equitable societies?Things to Listen For09:55 The limits of what we can accomplish as individuals12:00 A loss of trust and confidence in collective action14:25 The unintended consequences of "lifestyle medicine" messaging16:11 The role that politics plays in our personal development20:10 Who does our self-improvement culture actually serve?27:06 Solving problems for fun (and profit)MentionedTiny Leaps, Big Changes podcastTiny Leaps, Big Changes book Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

Have we put habit formation on too high a pedestal?  Dr. Michelle Segar is an NIH-funded researcher who has spent close to thirty years studying how to create healthy behaviors. that can survive the complexity and unpredictability of the real world. We talk about why healthy behaviors are often particularly resistant to habit formation, and what may work better.Things to Listen For02:17 Common misconceptions about habits06:33 Why complex behaviors defy habit formation14:40 The unrecognized influence of memory and emotional associations in determining our behavior20:11 The role of self=control and willpower22:17 Why building health behaviors around identity and values (rather than habit) is a better strategy.27:37 The value of questioning assumptionsMentioned:The Joy Choice: How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise, by Michelle Segar, PhDIt’s Time to Unhabit, by Michelle Segar (American Journal of Health Promotion)The 50,000 Mile Tune-UpWeighless Program Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

I'm convinced that watching Wimbledon actually improves my game. Granted, when you’re as bad as I am, it doesn’t take much. But there is definitely a lot to be learned from people who are good at something that you’re trying to get better at.Which is why I want to share with you some of what I’ve observed in my most successful clients. These are qualities and attitudes that you can adopt and emulate to enhance your own progress and success, whether you’re working with me or another coach, or on your own, using this podcast and maybe some of the self-study tools that we’ve created for our listeners. Think of this episode as a roadmap for how to succeed.What to listen for:02:40 Having skin in the game08:34 Taking responsibility for progress11:00 The difference between passive and active learning15:27 The four things coaching will NOT do for you16:55 The six things working with a coach CAN offer19:35 Three questions to assess whether you'd benefit from coachingMentioned:The 8 Things You Need to Create Lasting Change (self-study workbook)The 50K Mile Tuneup (self-study workbook)Talk with Monica about private coaching Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this discussion, Rebecca Johnson, Co-founder of ViDL Solutions and a seasoned corporate trainer and therapist, dives into creating supportive environments for positive change. She distinguishes between culture and climate, highlighting the essential interplay of behaviors in fostering true wellness. Rebecca emphasizes the significance of intentional conversations to secure buy-in and build alliances that drive change. She also addresses the inner work necessary for lasting transformation, advocating for intentional communication as a key catalyst in workplace culture.

Working toward a big goal takes a lot of grit and discipline. You may imagine that everything will be so much easier once you reach your goal.  You can finally relax and enjoy your accomplishment. But that transition, from active change to maintenance, can be really tricky. And we’re often completely unprepared for that. If we’re not careful, we can let what we’ve attained slip through our fingers, simply because we don’t feel as motivated or rewarded by maintaining the status quo as we did by making progress toward it.  In this episode, I have a few suggestions for how we can prepare better for what happens after we’ve achieved our goal. Things to listen for:How the fear of backsliding can diminish the excitement of achieving a goal.Why we need to learn how to sustain new behaviors without relying on external tracking or counting methods.How electronic “rewards” hijack our brainHow to celebrate progress toward the goal without progress becoming the goalWhy reaching a goal is less important than what achieving that goal enables us to do.What are the habits and behaviors required to maintain that new state?Developing the identity that matches our new status quoMentionedCreating your transformation toolkit (Weighless workshop)Want to support the show?  Buy us a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MonicaReinagel Interested in having Monica present at your next live or virtual event?  Learn more. ★ Support this podcast ★