What's on Your Bookshelf?

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo dive into Chapter 1 of Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory and explore a question that sits at the heart of so much stress, frustration, and disappointment: How much of your energy is being spent trying to control things you can’t control? This conversation moves beyond the book’s viral title and into the deeper truth behind th...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo kick off their next book journey with Mel Robbins’ The Let Them Theory — one of the most talked-about books of the year. Before diving into the chapters, they explore why this book has created so much conversation, what they initially misunderstood about the message, and why it may be about far more than simply “letting peop...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo conclude their journey through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work by exploring what happens after the tidying is done. This final conversation is about more than organizing desks, inboxes, and calendars. It’s about creating space — space for clarity, purpose, joy, and the life you actually want to build. In this episode we discus...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo explore tidying teams — and why creating more joy at work isn’t about having fewer people, but about building healthier, more purposeful teams. This conversation goes beyond org charts and job titles to examine purpose, engagement, trust, growth, and the role leaders play in helping people thrive. In this episode we discuss:...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a conversation about a topic almost everyone complains about: Meetings. From calendars packed with unnecessary invites to meetings that could have been emails, this episode explores how to make meetings more purposeful, productive, and maybe even a little more joyful. In th...

Episode Highlights In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a conversation about tidying your network — and why the quality of your relationships matters far more than the quantity. In a world obsessed with followers, connections, and online visibility, this chapter challenges us to ask a different question: Who a...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a conversation about tidying decisions — and why decision fatigue quietly drains our energy, clarity, and leadership. In this episode we discuss: * Why we make thousands of decisions every day — and how that mental load adds up. * How to separate decisions into high-stakes,...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a conversation about one of our most precious resources: time. This chapter is all about tidying your schedule, your tasks, and the way work quietly takes over your life. In this episode we discuss: * Why saying yes to everything can slowly drain your focus, energy, and joy...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo tackle one of the most overwhelming areas of modern work: digital clutter. From overflowing inboxes to endless notifications, this conversation explores how our devices may be quietly draining our focus, energy, and performance. In this episode we discuss: * Why digital clutter (emails, files, apps) creates constant distract...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work with a practical conversation about tidying your physical workspace — and why your desk may be affecting more than your productivity. In this episode we discuss: * Why clearing your workspace can help clear your mind — especially when work already feels chaotic. * How to tidy by...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo continue their conversation on Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work by digging into a question almost everybody knows too well: Why do we keep falling back into clutter — even after we clean things up? This episode moves beyond tidying as a task and gets into the deeper mindset, identity, and work-life vision needed to actually sus...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo begin their journey through Marie Kondo’s The Joy at Work and explore how clutter at work affects more than just your desk — it impacts your stress, focus, energy, and even your sense of purpose. This conversation is about more than tidying. It’s about creating a work life that feels lighter, calmer, and more intentional. In...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo shift the conversation from internal mindset work to how clutter shows up in your work and daily life. This discussion explores how mental clutter doesn’t just stay in your head — it spills into your environment, your schedule, and ultimately your performance. In this episode we discuss: * How mental clutter and physical clu...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo wrap up their journey through Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by focusing on how to actually live this work day-to-day. After unpacking the science, habits, and patterns throughout the book, this final conversation brings everything together into one core question: How do you turn awareness into a real, repeatable lifestyle? In...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo explore the chapter on habits and toxic thinking patterns from Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess . The conversation shifts from understanding your thoughts to changing them — breaking patterns that no longer serve you and building ones that do. In this episode we discuss: * Why toxic thoughts can become habits — and how they quie...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo tackle one of the most challenging chapters in Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess — the chapter on trauma and how our minds process painful experiences. The conversation explores why suppressing difficult thoughts often makes things worse and how learning to process them intentionally can help us heal and...

In this episode of What’s on Your Bookshelf , Sam Powell and Denise Russo dive deeper into Dr. Caroline Leaf’s book Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess and explore the chapter where the ideas finally become practical. After weeks of building the foundation, this conversation focuses on how to actually train your mind and strengthen your brain through daily mental habits. In this episode we discuss: * Why...

This episode dives into Chapter 10 of Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by Caroline Leaf — and the science behind why real mental change takes 63 days , not just 21. Sam and Denise unpack: * Why 21 days builds awareness — but 63 days builds automation * What actually happens in your brain during habit formation * The emotional benchmarks you’ll hit (from excitement to doubt to resolve to peace) * Why “...

This week, Denise and Sam move from theory to practical brain training . If you’ve ever: * Reacted when you meant to respond * Spiraled into negativity * Felt hijacked by stress * Wanted “peaceful control” but couldn’t quite reach it This episode gives you tools to interrupt the spiral and retrain your thinking . What You’ll Learn: * The difference between reacting and responding (the 30–90 second...

This week, we hit the halfway point of Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess and shift from science to application. The big idea? The steps to change your thinking are simple — but not easy. We unpack Dr. Caroline Leaf’s 5-Step Neurocycle: * Gather – Face the thought instead of avoiding it * Reflect – Go beneath the surface * Write – Process it consciously * Recheck – Prune, graft, reframe * Active Reach –...

What we unpack in this episode Denise and Sam break down one of the biggest ideas in the book so far: your mind is not your brain — it’s separate yet inseparable , and your mind can change your brain. They explore the different layers of mind, how thoughts actually form, and why your emotions and body signals are often your first “heads up” that something deeper is happening below the surface. Key...

This week we get practical: What does the science actually mean for you? We talk about how mind management helps you move from awareness to empowerment — so you can catch toxic thought patterns early instead of living in the spiral. A few big moments: * cognitive dissonance (that inner conflict you can’t ignore forever) * “pay the bill or pay the price” (Denise’s water softener story = 🔥) * stres...

This week we’re in Chapter 4: The Research — the “proof” chapter of Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess . We talk about what Dr. Leaf actually measured in her studies — from autonomy + awareness to anxiety/depression scales, brain activity, and even physical health markers — and why the data matters. Big takeaway: awareness without tools can spiral… but awareness with a process becomes empowerment. And n...

This week, we’re in Chapter 3 of Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess — the chapter where things get real. We talk about: * Why anxiety, burnout, and irritability are warning signals , not personal failures * How mind management isn’t “woo” — it shows up in your body, brain, and biology * The difference between changing your situation vs. changing your relationship to it * Why real habit change isn’t 21 d...

We dig into Chapter Two of Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf and explain why mind management is the lever for change. We separate mind from brain, outline a five-step neurocycle, and share practical ways to catch and edit thoughts.• the urgency behind mind management and lifestyle trends• difference between mind and brain and why it matters• thoughts as precursors to actions and re...