About Progress

“It’s so easy to let the fear take over and have your vision crumble, because you want it to work so much and you need it to work so much . . . [But] you need to stay connected to yourself, you need to stay connected to your vision, you need to stay connected to your higher power.”   Briana Johnson is the genius behind the powerful podcast The LifeBeats Project. Her path to creating this successful community has been full of mountains of stress, self-doubt, and fear. Such is the way of going after dreams! But Briana assures us that is is alllll worth it because of who we become in the process.   In this interview, Briana shares how creativity has been such a huge part of her life and how podcasting has become an important part of who she is and where she sees herself heading. In facing incredible trials with her husband's debilitating battle with aggressive M.S., Briana has been through a difficult transformation of her own. She shares how owning her story--while she fought it for some time--has enabled her t

“The way that we relate to food is a manifestation of the way we are showing up or engaging in our life.”   Ain’t that the truth, friends? This bit of wisdom came from one of the experts featured on today’s podcast—Stephanie Webb. Alongside Elizabeth Dall, we talk about the COMPLICATED relationship all of us often experience with food and what can be done about it.    You might call it “emotional eating,” it could be “mindless eating,” under- or over-eating, numbing through food, eating disorders, or just plain obsession over what you will eat and when. No matter how you crack it, these are some of the various ways we can abuse food and it abuse us right back.   If you want to know what this looks like, how you can begin fixing it, and why it’s worth doing so, check out today’s episode.  If you like the show, please subscribe!! Show Notes: Stephanie's website and Instagram Elizabeth's website and Instagram Last week's episode with Lizzy Jensen Referenced Podcasts with more on Monica's battle with eating disor

“I think if you continue to ask and seek . . . and then act on those things you’re feeling, life gets better and better. I think that’s how it’s supposed to be if you keep living outside of your comfort zone and pursuing those ideas, and thoughts, and feelings.” We all know that life takes us on many twists and turns. Lizzy Jensen's life is no different as her own has led her so many different directions than she had envisioned. So often, she thought she was supposed to pursue something for a certain "why," only to have the end-product of her work not match what she had first thought or even wanted. But for Lizzy, she now has the perspective that those twists and turns were each undeniably the "why" behind the beauty and purpose that has come of her own life's mission.    Lizzy is passionate about helping others recognize what their own unexpected life paths have to offer them. Her latest purpose is to help people--women, especially--learn what gifts they have to offer the world and how they can then accompli

“I do think you have to choose happiness, because it’s YOUR life.  You are in control of your own personal happiness.  I could lay in bed sick and angry, or I could choose to laugh . . . and make a happy life.  I don’t find that it is any more difficult than it was before. My problems have just changed.”   Christopher Clark told me a story about another friend of his that was also diagnosed with ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease. When this friend's doctor told him of his diagnosis, in almost the same breath the doctor made a plea that he would not take his own life.   For many, receiving word that they have this untreatable, incurable, gradually debilitating disease is a death-sentence. For Clark, there was grieving to be sure; but there was also a determination to rise above the temptation to languish in his pain and despair, and instead to live the rest of his now-shortened life with a good amount of grace, and even more of humor.   Chris's choice to find happiness in spite it all is evident throughout this int

“Come and give your all.  Don’t say, ‘I want to look this way or I want to be this way,’ but, ‘I want to become the best version of myself.’”   Emily Nelson is one of the most high-energy women I've ever "met." And she puts that energy to good use as the co-creator and co-founder of HIGH Fitness, a workout that is taking North America by storm only 2 1/2 years from its conception.   In today's interview, Emily talks about how her growing up years inspired her to have a strong work ethic, what she did to get past her initial shyness, and the path she took after college that eventually led to creating a new fitness brand with her friend and business partner, Amber Zenith.    Emily is passionate about their vision: to not just create a class, but a fitness community that inspires men and women to move past focusing on the exterior, and instead on becoming the best versions of themselves. There is a reason why participants tell Emily every single day that her classes are changing their lives.   You'll also love h

"Many of us resist developing ourselves into our own unique expressions of Godliness, of humanity, because we fear the exposure, and the risk, and the potential invalidation that comes through doing that . . . If that is the only paradigm we operate in, we limit our ability to really develop into beings capable of offering goodness in the world, and creating a better world through our own capacity."   What is "goodness?" How do we develop it when faced with real and imagined pressures?    Today, Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife answers these questions by fleshing out the term "goodness" that often comes up in her teachings. Jennifer teaches us how to discover what it is we truly want and feel we "should" do with our lives and then how to better own our choices, especially when we are often only faced with difficult ones.    Jennifer also offers how to live up to the core desires we have, more fully cultivate our gifts, and how to in turn better tolerate the internal and external push-back we might experience as we

We all know the amazing benefits of exercise: mental acuity, emotional release, increased strength, more consistent metabolism, confidence, and on and on.   But we don't often talk about the effects of abusing exercise, a trap we can all so subtly fall into. This can happen through both over- and under-use, although much of this episode it devoted to abuse through too much (or too intense, too often) exercising.   Alongside my two expert guests--Meg Miles and Rachel Gainer--we discuss it all. How fitness is a powerful tool for good and so essential to our well-being; but also how abusing it can negatively alter our lives and become all-consuming. Learn through our discussion how to properly make exercise an important part of your life without letting it control you.    In this episode, there is a wealth of science, personal stories, and loads of take-aways. Our goal? To empower the listeners to view their bodies--and fitness--with love and "healthy enthusiasm." Show Notes: Meg Miles's website, blog, and Insta

"The preparation will meet your opportunity, and that is when you can have success. So, you need to work really hard and be ready for when you get that chance, because you never know when it’s going to come."   Camille Andros is a woman of many interests including science, writing, and children (she has 6 of her own). For many years, she found herself focusing on one thing and then the other, all of which she loved and found fulfilling. But eventually, she found herself combining her passions into writing children's literature. She wants children to believe that they are smart and they can love science too, and her stories inspire just that and then some!   Camille talks about her path towards getting published, how she believes in "a time and a season," the great importance for everyone to have hobbies and dreams, and the remarkable path her life has taken, one small step at a time! Oh, and you'll love Camille's view of how rejection can be a good sign that you're on the right path and how she has learned th

“It starts with who you are.  Then what you do comes so naturally, and so beautifully, that that is respected because you were who you are first.”   There is a reason Jeni Awerkamp's mom called her "Jeni Joy" growing up. This woman radiates light and positivity! Jeni makes this choice every day, and the biggest key to her finding that joy is to focus on who she IS first, not her "successes."   This is a lesson Jeni learned after selling her interest in her rising business and instead focusing on motherhood. She has a strong entrepreneurial spirit whose mind is always thinking about the next thing and a big thirst for creating; but she discovered that for her, she needed to invest her self-worth in who she was at the core and to not place her esteem on things, people, or achievements.   Jeni also shares the importance of filling our buckets, how she creates and pursues goals, and how much happier she has been once she's chosen to let her hair down and embrace the "yellow" side of her personality.     If you li

“It’s too easy to give in to the thought that ‘Well, this terrible thing happened to me . . .’ But at the end of the day, you write your own story . . . Your life is what YOU create.  And I wanted to create something awesome.”     Cara Baldwin had been a lifelong "overachiever." But at 30 years old, she found herself moving back in with her parents, filing for divorce with four very young children (the youngest being 6 weeks old), and wondering how she could face the humiliation of being this version of herself she never wanted to be.   Beginning with a solo two-and-a-half week camping adventure with all four kids (aka "The Magic Five"), Cara picked up the pieces of her family, plucked up her courage, asked for help, and attended law school so she could support her children.   Cara credits her kids, her family, her friends, her community, her faith, and her grit in rebuilding her life and rediscovering the woman she once was: one who believed in herself. Show Notes: Monica's INTERVIEW with Briana from The Lif

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." ~Winston Churchill   We have all been there: you bust your behind trying to reach a goal, you have high hopes, but then you get dismal-at-best results.    It's hard to not take it personally.     I've been there recently and I found myself really questioning why I've been spending all this time doing something that is meeting seemingly lackluster fruit. But then I reminded myself, "Sometimes you don't make the cut." That's life.      Every person who has ever amounted to anything, whether it's in the walls of their own homes or in grand corporations, have faced failures big and small. They have faced those moments where they wonder why the heck they're doing what they're doing and evaluate if it's worth the time, sweat, and tears.   For me, I've decided to tailor back in some areas (the limited writing on my blog will now be non-existent for a time) and to redefine what "success" looks like for me.    In today's podcast,

“We didn’t recognize each other, or ourselves. How do you reconcile this? How do you go and redefine how we work together if who we are has taken some pretty fundamental changes?”   Mark and Giulia fell in love at 18 years old and launched into what looked like would be a lifetime of happiness. Unexpectedly, three years into their marriage, their fairy tale fell apart as Giulia encountered struggles with her mental health that neither of them fully understood or knew how to deal with.    But this isn't just a story about mental illness; it's a story about how a family chose to navigate a crisis and rebuild their lives based on love, not tragedy.   Mark talks about what led to Giulia's first bout with psychosis and her eventual diagnosis with bipolar disorder. He shares how as a result they switched roles within their relationship, what it was like for Mark to battle his own depression just as Giulia started to get better, and how they learned to anchor into their new lives both together and individually.    B

“Depression loves darkness . . . the only way to fight depression is to bring it into the light.”   I'm sure you read that article "Marriage Isn't For You" that circulated the internet a few years ago. How am I so sure? Because everyone read it, as in 100 million strong all over the world.    Seth Adam Smith is the author of that article, as well as four popular books (including his latest work of fiction!). Seth talks about what it was like to have a VIRAL article and the three years-long mind trip it sent him on as he tried to live up to the internal and external pressure to keep writing pieces to resonate with millions.   Seth is much more than "the marriage guy" his article pegged him to be. He's been writing for as long as he can remember. One of the common themes he writes about is depression, and he's been doing that long before it was the cool thing to do.    Seth has struggled with chronic depression since he was in third grade, and at his lowest low as a 20 year old, he attempted to commit suicide. 

"God didn’t take it away, but I have felt so many times that he has sent living angels to help me through, time and time again."   Lauren Agostinelli-Gessel has been through more in her young life than most do in an entire lifetime. One week after getting married, she moved to Italy for months to receive a stem cell transplant and five rounds of chemotherapy. This was a drastic measure to help with her vicious form of Multiple Sclerosis.   Lauren shares what led up to her diagnosis at 27 years old as a single mother of a two year old, how her fear of dying led to a marriage that wasn't right, what it was like divorcing with a little baby and a little boy while battling a debilitating disease, and how she found love again and married shortly before embarking on her intensive treatment in a foreign country.   M.S. is different for everyone. Lauren talks openly about the physical side effects of her disease and how the hardest effects have been the mental and emotional. And yet, Lauren looks for the blessings in

"There are things you can do to rewire your brain. It’s not going to be fun, it’s not going to be easy. But can you choose to do them? Yes. And will they make your life better even in the midst of depression? Absolutely." Andy is a "happiness nerd" who loves to share what he's studied and put into practice. His specialty is positive psychology, which researches the science of happy people and ways we can apply what they do and how they think.   In the first half of our interview, Andy shares some of his favorite things he's learned about positive psychology and ways we can apply these lessons in our own lives. In the second half, Andy shares how his research has impacted his personal life through very difficult times where he needed all the tools he could get; those times included: divorce, remarriage, his wife's traumatic bouts with mental illness, and the following unraveling of the foundations of their lives, including the development of a Andy's panic disorder.   Andy is a relatable friend and teacher, an

"If you bring forth what is within you, what is within you will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you." ~Gospel of Thomas   I heard this quote a few weekends ago from Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's workshop I attended. I had already been working on this podcast and it gave me the lightbulb moment that I so love. (Sidenote: each special podcast that I create, inspiration for that very theme is suddenly all around me. It's pretty nuts!)   If you deny what is within you--your hopes, your dreams, your gifts, your capabilities, even your self-love--you're going to lose yourself. Ain't that the truth?   For me, in order to find those things and dare to reach for them, I've had to use the mantra, "Fake It 'Till You Make It."       Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Something I’ve really internalized is that it’s never to late to create the kind of life that you want, or to uncreate the life you’re not cool with . . . It’s never too late to enjoy your life, it’s never to late to feel like you have more control over something, even if it’s just as simple as changing the way you think about it."   By the age of 19, Celeste had already abandoned her modeling career and experienced the ending her first marriage. After these low-lows, Celeste decided that instead of wallowing in her sorrows, she wanted to pick up her life, own her struggles, and move onward and upward. And she did just that.   Celeste shares how owning her struggles helped her find the strength to forgive her ex AND herself through grace, and move forward to finding a new man who helped her learn to trust again. This strength also pushed her through the hard times her life still brought, including her husband's battles with mental health and her own fight with postpartum depression.   Celeste's surprise cure

“Realizing that I am in control of the life I want to live, really allowed me to be the happiest I can be because I’m doing the things that I truly LOVE in life.”     Jessica Dahlquist is the brains behind the Extraordinary Moms Podcast (which I can't recommend enough), but this is her first time being on the other side of the interview. She does not disappoint!   Jessica talks about how her own transition to motherhood manifested an internal voice she didn't like, one riddled with anxiety and self-criticism. With a lot of work, she learned the power of altering her expectations on herself and letting go of what others think. Once she shifted the internal narrative behind her work as a mother and beyond, it changed everything and led to a greater happiness.   Whether or not you are a parent, Jessica teaches that once you've shifted your mentality to "I should . . ." to "I choose . . . " your life might look the same, but it will feel completely different. If you like the show, please subscribe!! Show Notes: J

Kayti Oldham is your best gal who always manages to bring the fun, willingly shares all her makeup knowledge, and makes you feel like a million bucks.   But Kayti's gifts don't start and end with her makeup artistry. In today's podcast, we learn more about her past with the performing arts, how she learned from a young age to follow her passions, and how putting on red lipstick not only helped her through terrible post part depression, but inspired her passion for make up that led her to mission today.   And that mission? To inspire women to love the face, body, soul they were gifted, encapsulated in Kayti's urging, "Be YOU!"   Kayti shares all this, and more including how her opinion can't be bought, what she has learned from her struggles with acne, how coming from a broken home inspired the tradition of laughter in her own, and so much more.     Show Notes: Kayti's Blog, Consultations, and Instagram Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica Lisa's Podcast Episode More Podcasts More on Do Something Le

How do you want your loved ones to remember you? Your face illuminated by the light of a screen?   Of course not. None of us do.    But we are ALL guilty of letting our devices distract us from what is most important. If you've struggled from time to time with balancing your technology use, if you often feel sad, jealous, lonely, or apathetic, and if your devices are acting more as a task master than a tool, then it's time to refocus.   In today's podcast, two guests (Kim Christenson and Jamie Cook) and I share how to recognize when your technology use is out of control, and how to turn it back into a tool for good.    Show Notes: Kim Christenson's referenced blogpost and Instagram Jamie Cook's Instagram Meg Mile's Instagram and past About Progress Podcast interview Irresistible Podcast on Fresh Air Irresistible Book Simon Sinek's interview on Millennial and Internet Addiction Monica's Facebook and Instagram Contact Monica More Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices