Change Academy

In this episode, Monica talks with Dr. Segar about the research she’s laid out in her newest book, The Joy Choice, as well as her 3-step process for staying on track even when life goes off the rails. Dr. Michelle Segar is an NIH-funded researcher at the University of Michigan. She’s also a best-selling author and health coach. She’s spent close to thirty years studying how to create sustainable c...

Our expectations powerfully impact what happens to us.  If we believe something is going to help, hurt, suck, or be fun - our experience will probably fulfill that belief. But it's not only that we behave in ways that fulfill our expectations or that we interpret what happens through that lens. Although both of these things are true. Our expectations actually determine our physiological responses...

We’re told that self-care is essential to our well-being; it’s practically a duty! But it’s easy to confuse self-care with self-indulgence–and while indulgences can be fun, they don’t necessarily improve our well-being.  In this episode, we explore the difference between self-care and self-indulgence, so that you can make sure that the time, energy, and money you spend on self-care is actually mov...

For example, you’ve decided you want to start exercising after work, or you’ve resolved to not drink wine on the weekdays or to cut out the pastry that you always order with your afternoon coffee. You have lots of good reasons for doing this. You’re convinced it’s in your best interests.  But when the moment to follow through on that plan comes, you have a thought that somehow justifies NOT follow...

Quitting can start to become a habit--or even part of our identity. But so can Not Quitting. Which habit and identity would you rather strengthen? ★ Support this podcast ★

Takeaways : Frustration is not necessarily a sign that things aren’t going well.  By working through frustration, you have created more durable learning. Reframing the feeling of frustration as a positive sign can make it less frustrating and more fruitful. Frustration is actually an opportunity to refine your thinking or beliefs, to set up more robust systems or revise your tactics - and to reall...

When people are trying to achieve a certain goal or outcome, they often look for a regimen to follow. After all, that's how we've been trained to approach these things. And while a set of rules or instructions may help you create a specific result, it rarely leads to long-term change. For that, we believe you need more than a regimen. You need a system. ★ Support this podcast ★

A lot of us have a vision of ourselves in 10 or 20 years. But what we don't realize is that future is (or isn't) being created RIGHT NOW. Every day.  We think we're going to get started on our healthy habits or whatever actions are going to help us reach our goals–"soon."  The problem is that "soon" never comes–unless soon becomes NOW. ★ Support this podcast ★

The reason we asked Marieka on this episode is that we think it’s really valuable for you, someone who is in the process of making big changes (in any area of your life) to have concrete evidence that change really is possible (even when it’s a change you’ve been trying to make for a long time!) Monica and I can give you advice like crazy and assure you that “this stuff works” but it means a lot m...

Questions to Ask Yourself How invested are you in success/solutions (as opposed to excuses/rationalizations)? Do you really want to create this outcome or do you just want to say you “tried”?  What have you already tried and why didn’t it work—or why did it work only partially or temporarily?  Did you experience some taste success but feel like you need help to get over that last hurdle--or move u...

You’re listening to the Change Academy podcast, so we assume that you have some sort of aspirations or goals. Things about your health or your habits or your lifestyle that you’d like to change. A vision for a future that’s a little different–and a little better–than the reality of today.  But if you’ve been listening for a while, and not much has changed, you may be suffering from consumption.  A...

You may remember meeting Molly in episode #49 of the Change Academy, where we talked about changing the unchangeable. Molly first shared these basketball life lessons with her newsletter subscribers a little while back and we immediately wrote to ask her if she’d be willing to record them for you–because we think you will appreciate them as much we did. If you enjoy this little tidbit of Molly’s w...

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...

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 th...

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...

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 go...

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 parasym...

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. ...

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 l...

This information will serve a sort of GPS, helping us make choices and design habits that steer us toward our desired destination. ★ 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...

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)...

Takeaways: Working toward any type of goal is likely going to benefit you – but being strategic can lower your effort and raise your success rate. Understanding your goal-setting personality can help you be more successful in setting and reaching your goals. Every goal-setting style has both strengths and weaknesses. Leveraging your superpowers and being aware of your blind spots can give you a re...

Our guest, Heather Parady, a mental health therapist turned online entrepreneur and podcaster who hosts no fewer than three podcasts! Her Happy Brain podcast is where we originally came across her work, and in that podcast Heather explores a lot of topics that would be of interest to Change Academy listeners–which is why we invited her to join us on the podcast. Highlights of Brock's conversation...

Some changes happen quickly; but most significant change takes time. And it’s important that your time frame for success be appropriate to the size of your goal. Otherwise, you may not be able to see--or appreciate--the progress you are making. Takeaways: As adults, our brains (and bodies) aren’t quite as plastic as they are when we are very young. As a result, learning a new skill may take a bit...