The Pleasure Project with Dana Skoglund

Most of us understand intellectually the importance of prioritising self care, yet still struggle to do it. You’ve likely heard of the oxygen mask principle "put your mask on before helping others", you know you can’t pour from an empty cup and that self care isn’t selfish. So why is it so hard to make time for taking care of ourselves? In this episode I talk about 4 reasons we struggle to put our...

Your resistance to change isn't caused by weak willpower. It's caused by your psychological immune system. The subconscious beliefs that prevent you from making the changes you want. In this episode I help you uncover the real reasons why you're not taking actions towards your goals and help you better understand how your brain is working for you - even if sometimes that looks like self-sabotage.&...

If you have a desire for a change but lack the motivation to create it, this podcast is for you. This podcast is dedicated to my brother and his desire to be more physically active but has struggled in the past to find the motivation. In this episode, I walk through 4 steps to create the changes you want, without needing to depend on motivation. Motivation, like willpower is fleeting and unreliabl...

I have a black belt in failing. I'm SO good at failing because I've done it dozens of times. Partly because I set big goals and have high standards, and partly because failure is part of life. When you're NOT good at failing, you avoid situations where failure is a possibility. You play small and you don't even try. Failing is not a problem. The actual problem is what we make the failures mean and...

We have been conditioned to believe that happiness comes from getting what we want. This is the Gap Theory of Happiness - the belief that if we close the gap by getting what we want, then we will be happy. Unfortunately, getting what we want never equates to "happily ever after". Instead, we feel perpetually disatisfied and stuck on what psychologists calls the "hedonic treadmill" - chasing what w...

What if we spent as much time feeling good on the inside as we do on looking good on the outside? According to research, since the age of 3, we’ve been indoctrinated with a belief that we will never be enough. Attractive enough Smart enough Successful enough Worthy enough Good enough Productive enough So we spend our lives striving to feel “enough”. Here are some scary stats on how much we spend o...

This bonus episode is taken from a day retreat teaching where I used the analogy of a roadtrip. After 10 years and hundreds of coaching clients, I've had a front row seat into people's brains and the way we hold ourselves back from the things we want. In this episode I outline the 11 mistakes we make, why we make them, the costs and what we can do about it. Here are the 11 mistakes: 1. Driving whi...

The inner conflict is a fundamental part of being human. The Bhagavad Gita, the most famous yogic text in history takes place on a battlefield - a perfect metaphor for the battle that is happening inside each one of us. We spend our lives in a constant struggle between right and wrong, selfishness and selflessness and the desire to grow and the desire to be comfortable. So how do we navigate this...

What happens when you spend 80 days focused on love, connection and purpose? I’m about to find out. Today is day 1 of my new Pleasure Project: The Dharma Love Project. Alongside my Pleasure Project Program students, I’m embarking on my own 80-day journey. Inspired by 2 books: Love 2.0 and The Bhagavad Gita, I’m unwinding my own sticky patterns of attachment, self-doubt, and worry. About a month ag...

Fall is coming. The time of year when we yearn to get back on track, recommit to our goals and establish a new rhythm. As summer comes to a close, it feels like a fresh start, an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and begin again. In the Pleasure Project Program , members design an 80-day experiment based on the ONE thing that would change everything for them. This is NOT your average SMART goal...

One of the goals we all share is to be happy. The irony is - the more you have happiness as a goal, the less happy you are. Happiness isn't something we can force. However, we can set up the conditions for happiness to arise. In this episode I discuss: 3 reasons why trying to be happy is counter productive 5 ways to increase your overall happiness and life satisfaction Mentioned in this episode: B...

What is "Hot Girl Summer"? I looked it up and found a few definitions: Dictonary.com defines it as “feeling confident in who you are and having fun and looking good while doing it." Urban Dictionary says it's about “just being you, just having fun. It's turning up, driving the boat and not giving a damn about what nobody's saying.”  Ayurvedically speaking, staying balanced in the summer is ab...

Do you struggle with not having enough time? Are you cronically late, rushed or overwhelmed? This podcast is for you. In this episode I share how I went from living in time scarcity to time abundance. I've identified 7 things I did to shift my relationship with time and be more intentional with how I spend my days. Imagine having hours to yourself each day. These 7 shifts will help you create more...

In this episode I explore the transformative power of setting feeling intentions for a more fulfilling life. Drawing inspiration from "The Desire Map," I discuss the importance of combining outcome goals with desired emotions to create a joyful and purposeful journey. I talk about the distinction between intentions and goals, emphasizing how intentions shape our being while goals focus on our acti...

Not where you think you "should" be by this time of the year? Do you feel "behind"? There are two ways you can approach your goals. One works for you and one works against you. One way is to see the road ahead as painful, discouraging, and filled with challenges and obstacles. This path is filled with self-doubt, anxiety, and stress. The other way is to approach your goals as exciting opportunitie...

Do you struggle with planning or following through on your plans? In this episode, I delve into the world of planning and decision-making. Join me as we explore the reasons behind our inclination to prioritize immediate gratification over long-term rewards and uncover the power of planning to transform our lives. Discover the profound benefits of planning and how it can combat decision fatigue and...

The summer solstice is the longest day of the year and symbolises light, growth, abundance, joy, celebration, balance and purification. In this episode I go into the symbolism of this potent time of year and questions to reflect on to create more clarity and focus for the months ahead. I finish with a 9 minute solstice meditation. Whether the first 6 months of the year have been challenging or wil...

This is the final installment of the Yoga of Emotion Series. In this episode I share a 4 step process to shift from a challenging emotion to a more resourced one. These tools allow you to feel more in control over your emotions and enable you to handle difficult emotions with more acceptance and self-compassion, and ultimately empower you to create your desired emotional state. The 4 steps of Emot...

In this episode, I'm diving deep into the world of emotions with Part 3 of a 4 part series based on my most popular workshop: The Yoga of Emotion. Emotions are often misunderstood. We think that emotions are simply reactions to events. It's all about how we think about those events that create those feelings. Ten different people can witness the same event and experience ten different emotions bas...

This is part 2 of a 4 part series based on my most popular workshop: The Yoga of Emotion. In this episode I share the top 4 mistakes people make when dealing with challenging emotions. These are mistakes MOST of us make because it's what we've been taught and programmed to do. However, these mistakes can be harmful and get in the way of cultivating emotional wellness and a healthier relationship w...

This is part 1 of a 4 part series based on my most popular workshop: The Yoga of Emotion. Yoga means to connect or join. The Yoga of Emotion is all about how we connect with and relate to our emotions. Most of us were never taught how to understand and handle our challenging emotions in healthy ways. We reject our unpleasant emotions and in doing so - become divided against ourselves. Feelings are...

Sometimes when we focus on "good vibes only" or understand how our thoughts create our reality, we end up resisting negative feelings and trying to push away negative thoughts. However, what you resist, persists. If you've been trying hard to feel better without success, this podcast is for you. The truth is, the fastest way to feel better is to allow and accept how you *actually* feel. This is NO...

Low self-worth is something so many people struggle with. Low self-worth is not a character trait. It’s a habit of thinking. Many of us have a habit of being overly critical about ourselves. We focus on our flaws and shortcomings. We look for how we’re behind or slower than others or not good enough. We look at our past for reasons for our low self-worth - maybe we were criticized and judged by pe...

Your disappointment, insecurity, shame, judgement and self-doubt arise from repetitive thinking. Anything thought with repetition becomes a habituated response. Every thought leads to a result. And what you focus on and think about expands. In this episode I share 5 mental habits to break to feel better and be happier: Beating yourself up Telling yourself you can't do something or don't know how B...

Self-confidence is something everyone wants more of and many people struggle with. When you're filled with self-doubt (the opposite of confidence), you struggle with decision-making, procrastination, and engage in numbing or self-sabotaging behaviors. When you have self-confidence you take action towards your goals and show up the way you want in life. But how do you create it?  In the Pleasu...