About Progress

“When new clients come in, my job is to see them and to let them know, 'You are seen. I recognize that you have a name. I see that you are hungry, and I will feed you. I see that your clothes are dirty and you are essentially naked, and my job is to clothe you. I see that you are heartbroken . . . and my job is to be present with you. My job is to hear your story and hold your hand.'”   My friend Juliana is a softy, but she has a really hard job: she works with the homeless.    Juliana has always been drawn to helping the underserved and the underprivileged: from the elderly, to refugees, to battered women, to the clients she now serves who don't have a home to call their own. With any one who is suffering and in need of help, Juliana teaches us that the most important thing is to be present with them, to connect with them on a human level. She also teaches what she learned from personal experience, that as we help other we actually help ourselves.    Juliana shares what brought her to social services, how sh

"I had to find a new way. And I had to stop believing that I could do it all by myself, that I could get through everything on my own."   Rachel Gainer was a lifelong perfectionist, until her world fell apart. She struggled through infertility, she let "getting healthy" go too far, she was overworked and not taking care of herself, and then she and her husband suffered two devastating losses in a row: a failed adoption and then the death of their baby girl. After adopting three more children, Rachel decided she needed to rebuild her life, and for her that meant surrendering control, getting rid of shame, and learning to love herself.   Rachel shares about how harshly she viewed herself for so many years, what her true motives were behind striving to be perfect, what she learned from the lowest lows a parent can experience, how her daughter's death pushed her to rethink the way she viewed herself and her body, and how it's taken her six years of hard work to begin to see herself becoming the woman she wanted t

The past year, I feel as though I have gone through a metamorphosis. The underlying factor? Goals! I've been an OCD planner and extremely goal-oriented; and I've also gone years without making them. Fear drove both of those phases for me. I've learned better how to use goals without them using me. In today's podcast, I speak about the power of goals, some stories of progress with my goals this year, and THREE TIPS on how to make your goals work for YOU, rather than the other way around.  This is an informal podcast, and you even get lots of sound effects from my 20 month old who was munching way on crackers, drawing (loudly, somehow), and playing with trains. I hope you enjoy it!   Show Notes More on Do Something Monica's Live List for 2017 and 30 Before 30 Monica's posts on swimming: here and here Monica's other posts on goals: here, here, here, and here The planner referenced Podcast with Heather Fujikawa, mentioned Podcast with Meg Miles, mentioned Another goal-centered podcast with Jaimee Davis More Po

"This isn't something you chose. This is a disease your body has."   Kyle is a physician in Utah who is very open about his long history with anxiety and depression. These bouts started as a teen and came and went with intensity throughout his 14 year marriage to Becki, who has also dealt with circumstantial depression while they were in the stressful years of medical school.   Kyle speaks from both a doctor and patient's point of view, having the physiological know-how about what is happening with the brain when someone is under the grasps of depression/anxiety; but he also has intimate knowledge with what it feels like to be on the other side of the stethoscope. He does his best to empower both his patients who struggle with mental illness, but also with his fellow physicians, who carry even greater stigmas as a result of them trying to live up to their "superman" role.   Kyle and Becki both share how depression/anxiety can be so interwoven with guilt, shame, and perfectionism. Becki declares herself as a "

"Consider yourself a failure, and consider yourself in very good company [of people] who have done the same. But the difference between them and everyone else is that they learned from that failure and kept on going, one foot in front of the other."   Matt calls himself a "regular guy," but I'm telling you he is anything but. What makes him this way for me is his resilience and his refusal to play victim to the long fight he has had with anxiety and depression, as well as the huge trials he and his family have faced.  Matt talks about how for him anxiety started in high school and robbed him of important experiences and even friendships. For a long time, he feared that he would have to live life only minimally, just to get by. Six months after his depression and anxiety forced an early return from his LDS mission, Matt's father took his own life after suffering in silence with the same issues as Matt. This devastating time shifted Matt's mindset about how to deal with mental illness, namely by using the power

Have you ever wondered what it is really like to be a successful fashion blogger? Meet Sarah Tripp. Sarah, from Sassy Red Lipstick, does her job so well that she makes it look easy. But it absolutely isn't. Sarah has the right mix of dreaming big and working hard. Fashion is a huge form of her self-expression and has been a life-long passion. But another important passion for Sarah is her desire to help women learn how to love their bodies, just as they are. In this podcast, we go into what a typical day looks life for Sarah, how she remains true to herself while incorporating sponsorship, what it means to have authentic connections with her followers, how she dares to be honest about the hard parts of her industry, what her husband's love and influence has meant for her, how she battles the daily pressure to be perfect, and how she overcame her own dissatisfaction with her body and now embraces a celebratory self-acceptance that keeps her centered. Show Notes Sarah's blog and Instagram Sarah's mentioned post

“The more you spend time with people and are able to communicate with them what you are feeling . . . the more logic and reason come back into your life.”   Meet your new best friend, Anne Cropper. Anne is one of those people who takes you in, makes you laugh, makes you cry, and can give you some good fashion, food, and house tips on the side. She is a resounding writer and Instagrammer whose main goal is connection.   Anne learned the power of connection as she faced a difficult adjustment to motherhood followed by the stresses of raising five very different children, as well as her struggles with both antepartum and postpartum depression. She learned that letting people in is essential in overpowering the shame that fuels mental illness. By being open, Anne seeks to help other women know that they are not alone in their struggles, even if it's the struggle of taking your kids to McDonald's for the second time that week.   Anne also shares how she is the "Jane of all trades, master of none," how she views so

"I love to be enjoying any situation that I'm in. Obviously that's not always easy . . . but I think if you're having fun in what you're doing, it's way better than being miserable."   Kaycee Sogard is so refreshing. Yes, she's a beloved blogger and Instagrammer; but in SO many ways, Kaycee breaks the mold. For one, she is frank, silly, and genuine. For another, she is very grounded in what matters most to her, and she holds strong to her own priorities and refuses to give in to the pressures of keeping up with the Instagram Joneses.   Kaycee's ability to rise above came in large part to her lifelong passion with softball. Not only did sports instill an incredible amount of work ethic and other valuable life skills, but Kaycee faced some difficult choices early on in her collegiate career where she was surrounded by incredible pressure. Her decision to push back and do what was right for her enabled her to grow more fully into who she wanted to become, and also centered her when she could have easily succumbe

"Don't waste time feeling inadequate . . . "   Katharine and I have been friends for 18 years. (Side note: Whoa. What scares me most about that fact is that we were 12 years old when we first chatted in band class. I swear I was just 12!)   After high school, Katharine left our small town of Farmington, UT and headed to the east coast to study music, theology, and art history. She attended a small private liberal arts college in Boston followed by Yale Divinity School.    Yes, that Yale.    Obviously, Katharine is a real smarty. But even she dealt with "imposter syndrome" in these high stress, achievement-oriented environments. For one, Katharine was not tailored for ivy league schools since birth like so many of her colleagues. Also, on top of struggling like she didn't measure up to both her external and internal standards, Katharine faced huge obstacles within her family, including a major spinal cord injury of her only sibling.    Despite that, Katharine chose to shift her perspective on these really diff

“I don’t think that we should be stagnant and not ever want to change ourselves. It doesn’t have to do with not loving ourselves, it has to do with just wanting to be better.”   Amber Brueseke's arms speak for themselves, but just a quick glance of her Instagram page--Biceps After Babies--will tell you that this woman knows what she's talking about.    Amber is all about goals and helping others achieve theirs. But that doesn't mean that she shies away from failure. In fact, Amber recognizes failure as essential to really learning what life has to offer.   Listen in to hear how Amber got into fitness and what inspired her fitness account, what she hopes people gain from following her, her views on goal-making, how she can be passionate without being obsessive, and what big lessons she gleaned after a near-drowning of one of her children.   If you like the show, please subscribe!! Show Notes: Amber's Instagram Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's interview and COURSES Monica's Instagram, Facebook, and Contact page Mo

Many of you will know today's guest--Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife--as "the Mormon sex therapist." Yes, she is indeed an incredible therapist who deals primarily with relational and sexual issues. But, as Jennifer says, her therapy focuses mostly on "just being human, and the challenges related to being human."   Turns out, one of the largest developmental hurdles her clients often face is perfectionism.  Jennifer unveils what is really going on behind perfectionism, how it's an immature behavior common to the human condition, beginning with a lack of development. She talks about the flawed thinking behind perfectionism, what perfectionists are seeking, as well as the damaging effects of perfectionism on people's lives and their relationships.  Many listeners will be shocked to see a lot of what Jennifer talks about in themselves, including those who would label themselves as "underachievers."   But there is hope! Jennifer also shares what someone can do to combat this flawed thinking and behavior in their own

"I believe we really are a global family . . . We all matter."   Jamie is an adventurer. You might already know this if you follow her adventures via her Instagram, blog, and her segment on Studio 5, a popular Utah talk show.    But Jamie is also a collector of friendships. She values people. She seeks connection with others wherever she lives, wherever she travels. And it really shows!   In this podcast, Jamie shares about her love of travel, how her family's foundation is centered on getting out of the house and interacting with others, and how making friends with refugees has influenced her life.   Jame also talks about what it was like to put her broadcasting career on hold to raise her four children, and what it has been like to get back in the field. Finally, you'll hear what Jamie does to stay balanced and organized--and I think you'll love her atypical answer!   Show Notes: Show Notes: Jamie's blog, Instagram, and family blog Monica's contact page, Instagram, and Facebook More Information on "Do Somet

Katie Cheesman loves old people and clouds.   That's at least how she introduces herself! (Don't you love her already?) Katie is also a mother, nurse, photographer and videographer. She paired her talents and interests together into the perfect creation, The Listening Ear Project, where she shares her WONDERFUL interviews with the elderly, whom she calls her "closest friends."    The Listening Ear Project is full of interviewees you touch and inspire you--most definitely--but also people who make you laugh and teach you to better appreciate the fun in life.     In this podcast, I speak with Katie about what led her to start this project, how as a nurse she learned the power of listening to help heal her patients, and why being friends with the elderly and sharing their stories is her passion. We also speak about how hard it can be to establish an audience on social media that is centered around appreciating old people, but why Katie thinks all the time, energy, and money she invests in this project is well wo

"The thing that hurt me the most . . . was all the time I had wasted preoccupied with food, and not being present."   Eating disorders are really tricky to talk about. Not only are they shame-driven and shrouded in secrecy, but the depth and significance of an eating disorder's roots is difficult to convey in a way that people truly understand what a lasting effect it has on a person's life.    Danielle Hansen does the impossible, though.      In today's podcast, Danielle bravely untangles some of what fed her need to obsessively control her eating, exercise, and body, and how perfectionism and its related need to worry about other people's opinions of her fueled her disease.   Danielle tried to work on her recovery while simultaneously battling infertility, but it wasn't until the birth of her firstborn and hitting her lowest low that Danielle felt determined to take back her life. She says, "I just remember being so mad, because I had this beautiful baby, I was in heaven; and the ugliest thing--my eating di

9 months ago, I tried to start a movement. Annnnnnnd, it failed. I'm not giving up on it yet! In today's mini-episode, I share more behind why I started this series entitled, "Do Something," how it relates to pushing against our fears, my plan to revive it, and how you can participate.   You can share your "Do Something" with me by emailing me here, or tagging me on social media with #aboutprogresspodcast. I want to highlight YOU and the big and small ways you are challenging yourself. So please let me know about them!    More podcasts. My blog. Me on Instagram. Me on Facebook.   Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'd be hard-pressed to find any one else who is more knowledgeable on all things self-improvement and human development related. Lisa has a wealth of knowledge on these topics in great part because of her lifelong insatiable drive to learn and improve herself; but it also arose from the huge struggles she faced after the birth of her first son. Lisa found herself immediately facing extreme postpartum anxiety; anxiety fueled by perfectionism Lisa didn't fully realize was in control; anxiety so intense that she couldn't sleep or eat, take care of herself or, most devastatingly, take care of her baby. Lisa describes the low points of being the opposite of her usual self, how she made recovery her top priority, and the growth she has built the past five years as she has run towards her fears instead of away from them.    Lisa is in a much better place now, is still passionate about self-improvement, but also has great wisdom in how to do so without being obsessive and imbalanced. There are so many jewels in this

May I be straight with you? Aubrey Greenan is a female unicorn.   She is gorgeous, obviously; she is mega talented as a professionally trained opera singer (and I'd add so many more talents to that list); she is incredibly bright, knowledgeable, and eloquent; and, the best part, Aubrey is one of the most sincerely kind and level-headed people I've ever known.    In the podcast today, Aubrey and I speak about her path to attending one of the most prestigious vocal programs in the country, her struggles with health and anxiety that humbled her, and how acknowledging her limits and what mattered most to her better empowered her to choose a path that looked very different from the one she easily could have pursued. In short, this woman chose family over fame.   I know Aubrey's interview will empower you to take stock of your own needs, your deepest goals in life, and to better place your heart in the work that matters most to you, instead of what the world tell you to.   See other podcasts and more on my website,

If you haven't heard of Meg from MOMSTRONG, then let me introduce you to this rare jewel of a human being.  Meg is blessed with an abundance of gifts, from her knowledge of health, exercise, and nutrition (she is a pediatric nurse and a certified trainer, after all!), to her amazing food recipes, mom tips, and even her photography and interior design savvy. But Meg is unusual in that she works incredibly hard at all of these, and does so in an effort to light the lives of those around her, particularly women. She isn't in it for the glory; she is in it to spread the love. I was first drawn to Meg's Instagram account and then her blog. She was the first "fitness" social media guru who actually made me feel inspired AND good about myself at the same time. That is no easy feat! Her workouts, food recommendations, and more are all geared to help women become stronger and healthier, sure; but even better, she wants each woman to accept herself for who she is, to remain balanced, and to not give in to society's dic

Courtney Rich is so wise. Sure, she is also a major success as a media consultant, blogger, cake queen, entrepreneur, and a mother, too! But I think on top of alllll the gifts that Courtney has to offer the world, her wisdom is the best.    What's extra inspiring about Courtney is that she is willing to share the lessons she has hard-earned with others. Courtney is wonderfully open about her struggles as an adult with battling depression and anxiety. People who don't personally know Courtney might be surprised with the struggles she talks about in this episode, as she is so warm and happy. But this go-getter is constantly staying optimistic, productive, and focused as a learned method to deal with the deep sadness that she has to routinely face.     What can you take from this interview?    You can learn from Courtney's passionate spirit. She pursues things--not without fear--but with a full heart. She is a go-getter to the core, despite having so many reasons not to be.   You can be encouraged. Courtney is a

Let me tell you something about Jaimee: she is a total rockstar. A few years ago, Jaimee was an amateur athlete who caught the running bug first, and then the triathlon bug. After completing a sprint triathlon, she set a goal to participate in the IRONMAN World Championships, held in Kona, Hawaii. Only the most elect of athletes are accepted: they have to win first place in their age group of another full IRONMAN competition. (Oh, and that entails a 2.4 mile swim, 100 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run.) Jaimee decided this was something she could achieve in four years.   She did it in two.   This involved a tremendous amount of grit, sacrifice, dedication, and . . . self-doubt. When you decide to not only become an IRONMAN, but to win one, you also decide to make small goals to reach for every single day, in every swim, run, and bike ride. And the thing I love the most about Jaimee? She says that the majority of the time, she didn't reach her target goals. But she didn't let that stop her. She surrounded he