Shows / About Progress
About Progress
All the self-help extremes out there seem designed for perfect robots. But what if progress doesn’t require perfection? Welcome to your gentle self-development hub: About Progress, a podcast and community devoted to progress made practical. Join host and coach, Monica Packer, and her special guests to get the hug AND kick in the pants you need to do something and grow in ways that stick.
Episodes
- About Progress
AP 623: Here’s The Ways You’re Thinking About Habits Wrong (even if it’s not your fault)
In this episode, I'm thrilled to air my return to Amber Brueseke's podcast and delve deep into the world of habits. We revisit our initial conversation from…
- About Progress
AP 622: An Honest Conversation About Aging: How Far Are We Willing to Go + Where We Are at in Dealing With the Aging Process || Bonus Episode From More Personal
In this bonus episode, I’m excited to share something from my private, premium podcast, More Personal, usually reserved for the Supporters Club. In this Casual…
- About Progress
AP 621: Why Moms Feel Burdened by Motherhood + What Can Change, Starting Today || with Erica Djossa
Are you tired of struggling in silence, join me as I get real with Erica Djossa about the deep-rooted struggles that so many of us face in our journey through…
- About Progress
AP 620: How Do You Get Your MBA as an Already Busy Working Professional + Mom?
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me? This episode is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These…
- About Progress
AP 619: How can I prioritize having fun in my life? || coaching all with Andi Smiley
In this coaching call we dive deep into a struggle that many of us face: balancing responsibilities while finding time for fun and nurturing our souls. If…
- About Progress
AP 618: Make Your Own Prescriptions || Growth Spurt
In this episode, we dive into the allure of certainty and why it's so tempting to want a clear, step-by-step guide for every aspect of life. But here's the…
- About Progress
AP 617: Why You Need to Get Strong + Weightlifting Tips for Women || with Amber Brueseke
I used to be a cardio queen, until I was forced to change my habits and finally take strength training more seriously. I could not have done that on my own…
- About Progress
AP 616: Everyone Feels Insecure At Times + other lessons from my 20 year high school reunion || Growth Spurt
I'm taking you behind the scenes of my 20-year high school reunion—a rollercoaster of emotions and unexpected moments. As someone who helped plan the entire…
- About Progress
AP 615: Fall Fixers: 4 ways I'm prepping for Fall + fixing what hasn't worked in the past
At the beginning of the summer I shared my "Summer Savers," which I can now confidently say really did allow us to have one of our best summers ever as a…
- About Progress
AP 614: Our best summer as a family, home improvements on my DSL, four things I'm loving lately, and getting vulnerable about some future uncertainties || Messy Middle August 2024
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and…
- About Progress
AP 613: The Real Reasons Behind Procrastination + How to Stop || with Shirin Eskandani
When you think about procrastination does it bring up some feelings of shame, maybe self-judgment? These complex feelings are common, so find out what your…
- About Progress
AP 612: Take Small Steps to Accomplish Your Big Steps || with Gabrielle Blair
Gabrielle Blair, mother of 6 blogging at Design Mom, co-founded Alt Summit 10 years ago and remains a champion for female entrepreneurship. Her motto could be…
- About Progress
AP 611: 5 Steps to Rediscover Your Personal Style || with Jenny Eversole of Style Space
In 2020 I put something on my Do Something List that I almost talked myself out of: have fun with fashion. I ended up loving the results so much that I’ve kept…
- About Progress
AP 610: Self-Care for When You DON’T Feel Like Yourself || with Mia Hemstad
Have you ever found yourself in the position of feeling complete overwhelm, maybe even anxiety or depression, knowing you desperately need to take care of…
- About Progress
AP 609: Think It’s Too Late? Start Where You Are
Have you ever felt like it was too late? Too late for your goals, traditions, or habits? Or, maybe you feel it’s too late to create better relationships?…
- About Progress
AP 608: Do You Struggle Making (and Keeping) Friends As An Adult? You’re Not Alone + Here’s Help! || with Dr. Marisa G. Franco
I have been surprised by something as an adult…I stink at friendship. When it comes to making new friends, or even staying connected with old friends, it has…
- About Progress
AP 607: Partnership in Marriage–how to shift power dynamics from “who’s in charge?” to “we’re in this together” || with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife and Dr. Julie Hanks
Is your marriage ready for more? More intimacy, connection, and collaboration? Then, it’s time for some changes. It’s time to move towards more partnership…
- About Progress
AP 606: Why Grown Ups Need to Have Fun (+ How!) || with Catherine Price
If you had an hour totally to yourself, what would you do? Author Catherine Price explains in today’s interview that when faced with that exact situation she…
- About Progress
AP 605: Our "Maycember," my DSL update, how I make day planning a habit, the popular gadget I finally bought, and a little bit of creativity fatigue || Messy Middle June 2024
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and…
- About Progress
AP 604: 4 Ways I’m Saving My Summer (AKA, My Summer Plan)
Are you feeling overwhelmed about the summer ahead? Do you want to balance responsibilities and recreation with purpose and sanity? In this episode, I'll share…
- About Progress
AP 603: BONUS! Navigating Divorce with Imperfect Grace: Balancing Motherhood and Self-Care || with Dina Alexander
In this bonus episode we're getting into one of the tougher topics: divorce. It's messy, it's emotional, but it can also be empowering. In this conversation…
- About Progress
AP 602: Minimalist Principles That Work For ALL (Even the Non-Minimalists) || with Diane Boden
For many of the early years of our marriage and family we lived in tight quarters that required a lot of diligence around the stuff we brought into our home…
- About Progress
AP 601: How Do You Become a Foot Zoning Practitioner || With Emily Marchant
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me? This episode is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These…
- About Progress
AP 600: “How can I prioritize time for myself during a season of change?” || Coaching Call with Katie
Today's episode is particularly close to my heart, as we explore the challenging, yet rewarding, journey of adapting to significant life changes while striving…
- About Progress
AP 599: Ways I’ve Personally Been Saving Money on Groceries (a WIP) || Growth Spurt
In this episode, we're ditching the guilt and diving head first into what I'm personally doing to save money on groceries, without resorting to extreme…
- About Progress
AP 598: Doable Ways to Dramatically Save on Groceries || with Rachel Coons
In this episode we dive deep into the world of grocery shopping, budgeting, and making sustainable financial habits with Rachel Coons. As many of you know…
- About Progress
AP 597: You don’t have to be perfect to have good habits || Growth Spurt
In today's bite-sized episode, we're debunking the myth of the "habit person" – you know, the one who flawlessly executes a perfect routine every single day…
- About Progress
AP 596: Deep Dive: Rachel Hollis || preview for More Personal
This episode originally aired on my listener-supported, premium podcast, More Personal. If you want access to more deep dives, including part two of this…
- About Progress
AP 595: A Medical Emergency (Doing Okay Now!), Juggling Kid Extracurriculars, Hiking on My DSL, Three Things I’m Loving Right Now, Thoughts on Having a Kid in Middle School || Messy Middle May 2024
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and…
- About Progress
AP 594: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Maintaining Your Home || with KC Davis
KC Davis is a licensed professional counselor, author, speaker, and the person behind the mental health platform Struggle Care. She offers a profoundly…
- About Progress
AP 593: How do you start a podcast? || with Andi Smiley
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me? This episode is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These…
- About Progress
AP 592: Simple Strategies to Experience Less Stress and More Resilience || with Dr. Aditi Nerurkar
As a society we are currently experiencing unprecedented rates of stress and burnout, and feeling stressed is now more common than not. If you've ever felt…
- About Progress
AP 591: My DSL Repeats || Growth Spurt
A recent message from a woman who was making her DSL list made me so excited, because it's never the wrong time of year to make yours! She asked me if there is…
- About Progress
AP 590: “How can I stop being a ‘Perfectionist Parent’ and overreacting with my kids?” || Coaching Call with Kate
In this candid coaching call with Kate, a stay-at-home mom of two young children, we unravel the layers of perfectionism in parenthood and how we can treat…
- About Progress
AP 589: What’s your #1 habit? || Growth Spurt
This is a bite-sized episode focused on ways to increase your progress right away. I want to help you identify your "habit keystone," the one thing that when…
- About Progress
AP 588: How Couples Can Create Strong Sexual Connections in their Long-Term Relationships || with Emily Nagoski
It's okay, and normal, that our romantic relationships change over time. What can be challenging is when we feel disconnected from the change Emily Nagoski…
- About Progress
AP 587: Our Spring Break in California, What I Hope to Do with My Garden, The Habit I’m Struggling With, Skincare I’m Currently Loving, Podcast Plans for This Summer || Messy Middle April 2024
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and…
- About Progress
AP 586: 6 Practical Ways to Make Time for Yourself || why this time matters, how to get it, and what to do when you don’t know what to do with it
Do you have time for yourself? I mean real time devoted to your self-care, hobbies, and working on your Do Something List. I cannot emphasize enough the…
- About Progress
AP 585: How do you start a handbell choir? || with Paige Erickson
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me? This episode is part of a monthly series to convince you otherwise. These…
- About Progress
AP 584: How to Shift from “Surviving” to “Thriving” || with Brandi Sellerz-Jackson
It’s officially been 4 years since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, I stumbled upon studies showing that the pandemic qualifies as a…
- About Progress
AP 583: Overcoming Barriers to Exercise || Bonus Episode from More Personal
In this special bonus episode you'll hear from me and my podcast manager, Taylor, as we address the flood of questions and comments that came in after a…
- About Progress
AP 582: "How do I make friends after a very isolating season of life?” || Coaching Call with Kim
Kim, a mother of three navigating the challenges of early parenthood, shares her struggles with connecting with others and the fear of vulnerability stemming…
- About Progress
AP 581: Have you ever thought to “romanticize” your life? || Growth Spurt
Inspired by a friend's recent story I wanted to explore what it truly means to infuse joy, luxury, and care into our daily routines. From simple acts like…
- About Progress
AP 580: How to Plan a Week You Can Win || Jessica Jackson
Jessica Jackson, creator of the Thriving in Motherhood podcast, shares her journey from struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety to finding her way to…
- About Progress
AP 579: Our first real influencing experience, a new-to-me sourdough recipe, my next interior design project, my favorite youtube series, and a podcast update || Messy Middle March 2024
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and…
- About Progress
AP 578: 4 Habits That Are Helping Me Show Up
Reflecting on the chaos of the last week while my husband has been out of town, I realized how it echoes past times when this hectic pace was the norm for me…
- About Progress
AP 577: How to Get Past Your Past || Bonus episode with Jason VanRuler
In this episode, I interviewed Jason Van Ruler, a seasoned therapist, about the profound impact of our past on our present and future. Jason shared his…
- About Progress
AP 576: “You Are a Tree!” How to choose flourishing over productivity || with Joy Marie Clarkson
Metaphors shape our perceptions of ourselves, our relationships, and our capacity for personal growth and change. When we use them to speak about ourselves and…
- About Progress
AP 575: How do you get into medical school as a busy mom? || with Kaylee Steiner
Is there something that has made you think other people can do that, but not me? This episode is part of a series to convince you otherwise. These episodes…
- About Progress
AP 574: “How can I better manage the resentment I feel towards my family?” || Coaching call with Sarah
In this coaching call episode, I chat with Sarah, a mom struggling with resentment in her family relationships. We delve into her feelings of being under…
- About Progress
AP 573: Can I make a good habit to STOP a bad one? || Growth Spurt
When I teach how to create habits, I inevitably get questions about what to do about bad habits. In fact, I recently received a voicemail from a Progressor…
- About Progress
AP 572: A New Way to Love and Be Loved || with Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh
So many things inform our personal definition of love: how we were raised, how love was modeled for us, our culture, and more. But what is the most meaningful…
- About Progress
AP 571: How Will You Surprise Yourself? || Growth Spurt
A woman recently asked me, regarding my Do Something List, “What is one of the most interesting things you’ve discovered about yourself in the process?” My…
- About Progress
AP 570: The #1 Reason Why Women MUST Do Habits Differently
After years of my own ups and downs, plus coaching many women through their struggles with habit formation I came to a realization: there is a reason that…
- About Progress
AP 569: Why I actually liked January, scheduling things to look forward to, finalizing my DSL, learning about gardening, and a listener supported podcast model update || Messy Middle February 2024
This monthly series features an episode sharing my recent highs and lows, how my habits are going, a Do Something List update, plus what I'm loving lately and…
- About Progress
AP 568: 3 Actionable Ways to Optimize Your Sleep || with Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell
Today, we have Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, physician and certified sleep specialist, on the show. We dive deep into the importance of sleep and how it can…
- About Progress
AP 567: HONEST REVIEWS: Beddy's || preview of More Personal
Each month on More Personal you'll hear honest reviews from me and my podcast manager, Taylor, where we share our beautifully blunt reviews on products you…
- About Progress
AP 566: Do Something List Workshop: Make your DSL for 2024
The DSL has changed so many lives—literally—and it started, quite unexpectedly with my own. You’ve likely heard me talk about the Do Something List many times…
- About Progress
AP 565: Create Your Own Miracle Morning, One Doable Step at a Time || with Hal Elrod
Years I hosted a "Get Up Early Challenge" on Instagram, and it went really well for so many of us...until it didn't. The problem was that the habit didn't…
- About Progress
AP 564: DEEP DIVE: Positive Thinking || preview of More Personal
Each month on More Personal I'll take on a deep-but-brief breakdown of a hot personal development topic, history, or persona. While this episode isn’t meant to…