Change Academy

Revisiting one of our most popular episodes, originally published exactly one year ago These final few days of the year are a great time to reflect on the year that’s past and think about what we’d like to focus on or accomplish in the New Year. And in this episode, I’m sharing a three-part process that might just become your new end-of-year ritual.  Instead of your New year’s Resolutions being a...

What if the pursuit of happiness is NOT the path to greater life satisfaction? What if being more productive and getting more done isn’t actually the way to get ahead? In this episode, I'm revisiting my conversation with author Oliver Burkeman about some of the ways in which we might want to re-examine our relationship to goals, happiness, and the things that are most important to us. This is some...

Ready for some time travel? Your Current Self was once your Future Self. And I’m guessing that Past You had big plans for Current You (previously, Future You).  In this episode, we’re exploring how our lives and habits have and haven’t evolved in the ways we expected or hoped, and how we can use that information to our (current and future) advantage.  Plus: It’s time to open a Change Academy time...

In this final episode of our Business of Being Well series, wellness strategist and speaker Cassie Christopher joins me to explore how insights from the world of business—especially sales and marketing—can help wellness professionals become more effective, persuasive, and impactful. Highlights How the "what" isn’t nearly as important as the "why" A simple messaging shift that can dramatically boos...

What if your values weren’t just something you thought about once during a journaling workshop, but a real-time compass for how you show up—especially when things get complicated? In this episode, we’re going to talk about how to turn your values into a functional operating system. Key Takeaways: - A personal mission statement isn’t a slogan—it’s an operating system. When used well, it helps guide...

Sometimes, the system isn’t broken—it’s just bottlenecked. In this episode, we’re continuing our series on translating business strategies into personal growth tools by looking at bottlenecks: those hidden chokepoints where progress stalls and good intentions quietly fall apart. You’ll learn how to spot these sneaky sources of friction, and explore simple ways to loosen them—so your habits feel ea...

When the economy gets rocky, smart businesses don’t panic—they prepare. They focus on what really matters, streamline what they can, and make sure they’re flexible enough to weather the storm.  In this episode, we’re borrowing that same mindset and translating it into the way we think about our own self-care routines and health habits. Because whether it’s travel, stress, a challenging diagnosis,...

Will you succeed in reaching your next big goal? Only time will tell. Because success (or failure) generally comes at the end of the process.  Except that every success or failure is actually made up of countless smaller successes or failures that happened along the way. And paying more attention to those can save us a lot of frustration and disappointment.  In this episode, I’m borrowing a powerf...

If you feel like your progress (or your motivation) has stalled, you have options. You can redouble your efforts. You can take an entirely different approach. Or, you might even decide to walk away. In this episode, we’ll talk about figuring out which route serves you best. Key Takeaways 1. Taking a break can help protect the quality of our work, create space for creative insights, and ensure that...

Are you guilty of holding yourself (or others) to impossibly high standards? In this episode, we're exploring the concept of Ought implies can —the notion that we can only be obligated to do what we’re actually capable of. But how do we know where the limits of ability really are? Are we being too hard on ourselves (or others)? Or are we making excuses? Learning how to tell the difference can help...

Feeling stuck in the daily grind? Quitting isn’t the only way out. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Grossmeier shares how to find meaning, connection, and even transcendence in the job you have now. We explore:   - How small shifts in perspective can reignite purpose and satisfaction   - The power of workplace connections and why they matter more than you think   - Simple, science-backed practices to...

Ever wondered why some changes seem impossible to sustain while others just click? It’s not magic—it’s science.  In this episode, we’re talking about a 3-part recipe for behavior change that was first developed 30 years ago and is still making waves today. If you’ve struggled with change or are trying to help others make positive changes, you need to leverage all three of these key factors–in the...

Whenever we make plans or set goals, it's important anticipate the inevitable bumps in the road, and be ready to adapt and course-correct.   But sometimes, life doesn't just serve up a bump in the road. It delivers an earthquake that shakes us to the core and opens up a chasm into which our entire life--and all of our fancy plans--are thrown.  In an instant, the goals, projects and ambitions that...

These final few days of the year are a great time to reflect on the year that’s past and think about what we’d like to focus on or accomplish in the New Year. And in this episode, I’m sharing a three-part process that might just become your new end-of-year ritual.  Instead of your New year’s Resolutions being a well-intentioned flash in the pan, we’re going to kindle a flame that will burn brightl...

Wrestling with a tough choice? Trying to weigh the pros and cons but going in circles? In this episode, I've got a systematic approach to decision-making that can bring some welcome clarity to complex choices. Whether you're standing at a personal or professional crossroads, or debating different solutions to a problem, this framework will help you understand both the rational and emotional elemen...

Struggling with hard-to-quit habits? Whether it's the nightly glass of wine, mindless snacking, or endless social media scrolling, in this episode we're talking about why these habits are so sticky - and more importantly, how to finally change them.  You'll learn how your brain's reward system actually works (it's not what most people think!) and practical strategies for making lasting changes wit...

Our thoughts powerfully impact our lives—but we don't always pay enough attention to what we're telling ourselves. In this episode, we’ll take a look at four distinct categories of thoughts: those that are both true and helpful, those that might not be proven but serve us well, those that are true but get in our way, and those that are neither true nor helpful. I even made you a cool decision tree...

 In this first episode of a three-part series, we are digging in to why we so often resist making positive changes in our lives. Resistance isn't simply stubbornness or laziness; it can be your brain’s way of keeping you safe. The key is to recognize what our resistance is trying to tell us, so that it doesn’t hold us back.    Key Takeaways: - Remember that resistance is often a self-protection me...

As the end of the year looms into view, you may feel some regret or disappointment about unmet goals or unrealized ambitions. Add in the chaos of holiday schedules, and it's tempting to shelve all personal objectives until January.  This episode challenges that mindset, showing you how to turn these final months into a period of meaningful progress. Join me to reassess your goals without self-judg...

Craving a break from your routines? Discover why that might actually be sabotaging your happiness…as well as your progress. Molly Watts returns to the Change Academy to help me unravel the counterintuitive link between structure and relaxation. Learn how to craft routines that boost mental and physical well-being, make your time off more enjoyable, and ease the transition back into your normal sch...

Discover why viewing change as a lifelong journey is not just realistic, but liberating and exciting. Learn how to reframe personal growth as evolution rather than 'fixing' yourself, and explore the powerful concept of change as a form of self-expression. Whether you're working on health, finances, relationships, or any other area of life, this episode will equip you with a new perspective on sust...

In a world obsessed with success, embracing failure seems a bit counter-cultural. But if it’s good enough for the some of history’s smartest and most successful figures, there’s probably something the rest of us can learn. In fact, an outsized fear of failure could hold us back from our greatest achievements.  Whether you're a perfectionist paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes, or a risk-taker...

In this episode, we explore the role of practice in habit formation and how a thoughtful approach can accelerate your progress more than just mindless repetition. We also talk about the mental aspect of practice and how practicing better thoughts can drive better behaviors. Practice doesn't make perfect; it makes permanent - choose wisely what you reinforce. Key Takeaways: - What we repeat, we rei...

Dr. Bethy Campbell joins Monica to explore the delicate dance of offering constructive criticism while maintaining positive relationships. Learn practical strategies for delivering feedback that empowers growth, builds trust, and respects autonomy. Whether you're offering feedback as a manager, colleague, spouse, or friend, this episode provides pro-level strategies that will transform your commun...

Change is challenging, for all kinds of different reasons. But one thing that can make it more challenging than it actually needs to be is when we insist on going it alone. Whether you're aiming to improve your health, boost your productivity, or cultivate a new skill, having a solid support strategy can be the difference between frustration and success.  But getting the people around you to suppo...