Podcasts about mentally

If you've ever needed to text three people before making a decision, replayed the same conversation in your head for days, or felt the urge to burn everything down and start over... this episode is for you, bestie!Today, we're breaking down what's actually happening in your brain when you spiral, and I'm walking you through 5 practical, science-backed steps to calm your thoughts so you can move forward with clarity and confidence, not panic.Because peacefully productive women don't eliminate spirals, they learn how to respond to them

In this episode of the Habits of High Performers Podcast, you'll learn what it really takes to perform at the highest level when the pressure is relentless, the stakes are high, and there is no room to hide. Olympian Annie Kunz shares the mindset, habits, and systems that helped her go from talented athlete to Olympic heptathlete, and why mastering your inner world is often the true difference-maker. We break down the power of mindfulness, journaling, identity, gratitude, and daily repetition. Annie opens up about learning to surrender, how she trained her brain to believe she was an Olympian before it happened, and why your self-image shapes your performance more than you realise. She also shares how to reset after setbacks, stay present under pressure, and build systems that carry you when motivation disappears.Annie also reflects on life beyond sport, the identity shift that comes when a career chapter ends, and the deeper role faith, purpose, and perspective have played in her journey. She finishes with the habits that ground her each day and a powerful reminder that success is not just about talent, but discipline, commitment, and doing the little things well over time.Connect with Annie on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/annie_kunz7/If you're interested in having me deliver a keynote or workshop for your team contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.comWebsite: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/James Laughlin is a High Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.Send me a personal text messageJoin me at the 2026 Goal-setting Workshop here - jjlaughlin.com/2026goals - If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.comSupport the show

Financial alignment can still carry pressure, especially when your authority feels tied to control. This episode explores why exhaustion around money isn't a discipline issue, but an identity-level misalignment—and what steadiness actually feels like in your body and leadership.What does financial alignment actually feel like?Not in a spreadsheet.Not in a net worth milestone.But in your nervous system.Many high performers carry quiet financial pressure—even when the numbers are strong. There's still a subtle tightening. A readiness. A need to stay ahead.This isn't about irresponsibility.It isn't about greed.And it isn't about lacking discipline.It's about identity.When financial steadiness becomes fused with authority, credibility, and safety, control can start to feel virtuous. Being the most disciplined person in the room becomes a form of security. And loosening that grip can feel like losing your edge—or even losing yourself.In this Reinforcement stage of The Recalibration pathway, we explore what alignment actually feels like in your body:• The difference between control and stewardship• Why financial vigilance often feels safer than relationships• How identity load ties competence to belonging• The quiet grief of releasing superiority as safety• Why steadiness sharpens leadership instead of dulling itThis episode weaves nervous system regulation, identity shift, and leadership relationships together. Because burnout around money is rarely about math. It's about misalignment.Financial alignment does not mean shrinking your ambition.It means building without bracing.For those who carry responsibility for others—teams, investors, family—this episode gently asks:Can I remain ambitious without being dominant?Can I lead without using money to stabilize my identity?Can I stay steady without tightening?Today's Micro Recalibration:Think of one real financial decision you're navigating right now. As you picture it, notice your body. Do you brace? Speed up? Mentally rehearse proving your competence? Now ask gently: What would steadiness feel like here?If you lead others, notice this too: When you talk about money, does the room feel safe—or activated? What would 5 percent more calm look like this week?Explore Identity-Level Recalibration → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Learn about The Recalibration Cohort→ Join the next Friday Recalibration Live experience → Take your listening deeper! Subscribe to The Weekly Recalibration Companion to receive reflections and extensions to each week's podcast episodes. → Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Books to read (Tidy categories on Amazon- I've read/listened to each recommended title.) → One link to all things...

In this conversation, Kiara Loucks shares her profound experiences during a health crisis that taught her the significance of community and support. She reflects on a moment of vulnerability when she had to rely on her husband for help and the intimate experience they shared before her surgery. Kiara emphasizes the importance of allowing others to be there for us in times of need and how such situations can strengthen relationships and foster personal growth. Outdoor retreats: heroutdorjourney.com Kiara on Instagram @kiara.loucks Takeaways Other people need to be in our lives sometimes. Facing health crises can reveal the strength of our relationships. Intimacy can be found in shared vulnerable moments. It’s okay to lean on others during tough times. Support from loved ones can be a source of strength. Crisis situations can deepen our connections with others. Prayer and faith can provide comfort in uncertainty. Allowing help can be a sign of strength, not weakness. People often want to step up and help when we need it. Vulnerability can lead to personal growth and understanding. Disclaimer: Links may contain affiliate links, which means we may get paid a commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase through this page. Read our full disclosure here. Watch on YouTube Show Transcript Cheryl McColgan (00:00)Hey everyone, I’m Cheryl McColgan, founder of Carol Nourish Grow, and today I’m joined by Kiara Lux. Kiara and I met this year when I competed in the fit model competition in Kentucky and she had the same coach that I did and ended up doing the same show. And I just immediately loved this woman. So what I learned. about her journey and her health stuff I had to have her on. anyway, Kiara, welcome. If you could ⁓ just tell everyone a little bit about who you are and then we’ll get into some of your health journey. Because I think it’s really interesting and I think there’s a lot of things there that will help a lot of people. Kiara Loucks (00:35)Absolutely. First off, thank you so much for having me. I’m so honored to be here. My take on our meeting is very similar. I just fell in love with you from the second you texted me asking if I wanted sourdough. We had never met. You brought me sourdough. I was like, I don’t know her, but I love her. So yeah, I’ve had quite a wild journey. Health and fitness have been at the center of my journey. Cheryl McColgan (00:43)you Kiara Loucks (00:57)Really since I was young, I’ve been an athlete my whole life in different sports that have taken me all over the world and brought wonderful people like yourself into my life. Outside of professional athletics, I work in tech on my, like my nine to five, I work on Wall Street in paid media. And then I actually am now running an organization on the other side of that. with all of the spare time called her outdoor journey, which is really focused on bridging the gap for women and families in the back country. So whether it’s survival, holistic wellness, it’s really this concept of community and education to get women and families outside, which is now actually evolving into co-ed opportunities. So in a very, very high level nutshell, that is me. My fitness journey was, I’m sure we’ll dive into it, but. I don’t think you knew this, but I’m actually over 100 pounds down from my heaviest, so that was 11 years ago. Just, think, like most people, kind of gave up and had always wanted to compete, but it was a pipe dream that never had any real legs to it until it did. So really excited to dive in with you, and I’m just excited to be able to chat with you. You’re one of my favorite people. Cheryl McColgan (02:04)I know it’s been I wanted to catch up for so long. And we just like you’ve been traveling so much and doing really exciting work with the project that you mentioned, and we’ll get into that. But before we go into all that, and we go into the weight loss thing, because that is definitely a subject that people are on this podcast are interested in. But I have to have you tell people, you to kind of just glossed over that whole professional athlete thing, tell people what you what your sport is, because I think it’s so wild. Kiara Loucks (02:07)I know. Yeah, so I’m kind of in this purgatory season right now, so not actually professionally competing in anything, but I’ve been a professional rower. I’ve been a professional bobsledder for the US and Canada. I’ve been a bodybuilder, Olympic weightlifter. We’ve been all over the map. Yeah, and I’m kind of getting back into the endurance side of things right now. I’m not done with bodybuilding or Cheryl McColgan (02:43)That’s the one. Kiara Loucks (02:54)Bodybuilding isn’t done with me yet, but we’re on a little hiatus. As you know, it kind of takes over your whole life. And I’ve lived a season for the last decade where sports is my whole life. So I’m kind of just turning my brain on for a little bit and creating and doing other things. Cheryl McColgan (03:08)Yeah, and I think that’s, it’s an interesting mindset being an athlete for most of your whole life. So you said though, at some point you kind of gave up, can you share a little bit more about that? Was there an injury? Was there something that happened in your life where things just shifted for you? And how did that go? And then how did you get back to where you are now? Kiara Loucks (03:19)Thank you. Yeah, great question. You seem like the type that’s okay to go kind of deep and heavy off the rip because that’s just life. So I had actually signed a scholarship agreement with UC Santa Barbara to play softball ⁓ once I graduated high school. And my senior year in high school, I both broke my back quite literally to vertebrae on my back in a terrible sledding accident. And then I also endured a sexual assault. So I was raped my senior year in high school. And those two, I think combined, just put me in a place I didn’t know how to cope. And so I learned growing up that food is comfort. And when we hurt, we self-soothe. And I didn’t have the tools in my toolkit to do that in a healthy way. So I started partying a lot, started eating a lot. And honestly, by the grace of God, I walked onto campus to try to rush for a sorority. I missed. I missed rush, but I had walked by the rowing recruiter tent. And some young gal shouted at me. She was like, Hey, you have really big legs. Would you want to row? And I was like, simultaneously so offended and so flattered. I was like, let’s try it. And that opened this new avenue we’ve been on for the last decade. But prior to that, I just like, like I said, I had given up and food was really my reprieve. from life. Cheryl McColgan (04:47)And I think a lot of people will be able to relate to that. And I’m so sorry that you had to go through that experience. Although often some of the great tragedies in our life really end up shaping who we are. And I think that that is definitely one of the reasons that’s contributed to you, you know, being so successful and being able to overcome all that. So, but anyway, definitely a heavy subject and thank you for being willing to share that with people. So after all that happened, you wrote in college and then let’s fast forward to like just Kiara Loucks (04:59)Delicious. Agreed. Mm-hmm. Cheryl McColgan (05:16)before we met because you had some pretty crazy health things and things happening in your life right before you decided to compete. So I’d love it if you’d kind of share that journey. Kiara Loucks (05:27)Yeah, so like I alluded to bodybuilding was a dream of mine for the last 12 years like I saw someone do it and thought it was the coolest thing and Never thought it was a realistic opportunity for me and then fast-forward lots of things changed and Decided actually a year ago that I was gonna get into bodybuilding and got into it locally it went swimmingly like I just Found a lot of success very quickly But in an extremely unhealthy way working with a coach which bodybuilding is wrought with coaches who went pro and then think that they have the license to dictate someone else’s health. So went down that rabbit hole came out of we did four shows back to back to back to back. We blitzed last fall and did really well coming into the offseason after my last show in November of last year. Cheryl McColgan (06:12)a lot. Kiara Loucks (06:20)I was following my reverse diet to a T and was putting on weight extremely rapidly and Not only was it a mental Battle it was also physically feeling out of control of my body and on top of that I started bleeding Like non-stop started presenting pregnancy symptoms had no idea what was happening in my body had just kind of taken on its own life And so it was controlling all that I could At first they thought I had cervical cancer and so we went kind of through some rounds of testing for that and then coming back in January This was like a three-month saga coming back in January found out I was pregnant and Then they thought I was having a miscarriage because I was bleeding the entire time. So I was extremely anemic I was just exhausted. I couldn’t really do much and I Would not give up training like that was the only thing I really had was just training and trying to be present for the holidays and so After they thought I had a miscarriage, my HCG levels, which are the hormones present when you are pregnant, were actually going back up. And so it was end of January, or this year, that they found out I had an egg-topic pregnancy growing in my left ovary. And we were early enough that they had attempted to treat it with chemotherapy. So methotrexate is a chemotherapy procedure that they typically will try. before they go to surgery as an intervention in order to try to get the cells to kind of reabsorb into the body. It stops everything from turning over, which my goober brain decided to still train, still try to move through all of it, even if that was just walking on the treadmill for most days. So was extremely humbling. But through that, I had one round of chemo, which was just hell for lack of a better term. and then it ended up rupturing anyway. So by rupture, I mean I was internally bleeding, had come up with a fever in the midst of all of the chemo symptoms. So for those out there who are not privy to what that looks like, your body feels like it’s on fire. I couldn’t smile, I couldn’t chew, I couldn’t laugh, I couldn’t cry. Everything from my head to my neck to my back would just seize. And so in the midst of that, I popped a fever. We went in and as we were walking into the ER, I was rupturing. And so they opened the OR middle of the night and had a surgical intervention for that. And then me being me, I needed something on the calendar. Maybe not the best way to cope, we’re learning, but I’ve always been someone that when I have something to shoot for, the in-between between here and there doesn’t really matter. We have a goal, we’re working towards something, we’re progressing, we’re… Controlling our environment for lack of better term as well. So put a show on the calendar and decided to find a new coach because like I mentioned, my previous coach was not health conscious at all. And so I found Adam who’s just a godsend and was able to actually reverse some of my endometriosis symptoms, certain things through protocol with supplementation and food. It was a miracle and we started prep while I still had chemo in my system. We were like hitting the ground running, let’s go. And that was beginning of February, March timeframe. And then we walked into the show that you and I met at, which was in Louisville. went well, not as well as I’d hoped, but it’s okay. It was still a blast and I met you. And then we did two shows right after that in Las Vegas and then in Chattanooga, Tennessee. So. Cheryl McColgan (09:57)and she’s leaving out that she won one of those shows, which I was not surprised because seeing you in person and now knowing everything that you went through leading up to that, mean, the amount of muscle that you have. Kiara Loucks (09:59)We did bring home Miss Nevada this year. I was very excited about that. Cheryl McColgan (10:17)is a testament to, I think something that people kind of lose sight of sometimes is that your muscle is a metabolic sink for a lot of things that it helps control your blood sugar. helps. It helps you survive times like what you went through. And I’m convinced that’s one reason my dad did so well with his cancer treatments over the years is because he was always really muscular. He was like Jack Lillane, basically my dad, he was like into that way before anyone else. So he’s never like huge, but he always was very concerned. He always lifted. And so I would say, you know, do you feel like both your mentality as someone that was into fitness helped you as well as the fact that you were already in such good shape to start with? Because I think you just, the outcomes are so much better if you have some muscle. Kiara Loucks (10:59)Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, I think twofold. The physical side of it, there’s research to support that muscle mass is an indicator of longevity and it’s also the best way to push off atrophy in the body as we age. So knowing that no matter what sport you’re doing, having lean muscle mass is going to always be a benefit. That’s kind of the first part and it allows your body to bounce back really quickly. Like you’re a lot more resistant to… whatever life throws at you, whether it’s disease or acute injury. And so that’s kind of the first side. And then the second side is the mental side. So when I, know, as someone who’s been an athlete my whole life was told I can’t do anything, let alone like I can’t even walk on a treadmill. Mentally, I just crumbled. But then you realize and you’ll get this too, no matter what sport you do, or just lifting in general for people that just go to the gym to stay healthy. It’s not easy and it hurts. Like you are training your body to deal with things that hurt knowing full well that you’re going to be better for it. And I think that was the privilege walking into my health situation last year was that mentality that I’m going to make it through this. It sucks and it really hurts. It’s not going to last forever. I guarantee it. And I’m going to be better on the other side of it, whether that’s mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or all of the above. We’re going to be OK. Cheryl McColgan (12:26)And how so how did you get from the point? Where I mean, to me, like putting something like that on the books is just. unbelievable. And then to see the shape that you showed up in, I mean, it was just unbelievable. So can you talk about your mental state during that time a little bit? Because I think there’s, you know, whether people are an athlete or not, I think there’s always something to be learned with mindset. And I think the more that you can share about maybe that part of that and how you, you know, seemingly made it through to the other side. I mean, nobody’s saying everything’s perfect all the time, but you still move through Kiara Loucks (12:39)Thank you. Thank you. Cheryl McColgan (13:04)life, you created these amazing goals, you are still working all this time. Talk a little bit about your mindset and how you, how do you overcome that hurdle like once you were on the chemo and doing all this really crazy health stuff. Kiara Loucks (13:17)That is such a good question. Yeah, I think when life really kicks her teeth in, it’s usually there to teach us something. And I hate to be the person that’s like, it always happens for a reason, because it doesn’t always. But being able to take a really poopy situation and make meaning of it and find that meaning while you’re walking through it is really the best way to endure it. So for me, I’ve always been an incredibly independent woman. I don’t need anyone. I don’t need help. and I never ask for help. And so my husband had just gotten out of the army. So we’re actually one year free as of two days ago on Veterans Day. And when he came back, we actually had a really hard time because I had kind of established this life where he was more of an accessory than a need. And I didn’t have an issue with that. In fact, when he got home, I reminded him that I didn’t need him. I want him. And know, like all of these pieces that I think the intention was pure, but this chapter, the health chapter we’re talking about really taught me that other people need to be needed in our lives sometimes. And allowing space for that, I didn’t have an option. So there was literally a week where my husband had to help me go to the bathroom. And I still remember when we were in the OR. We didn’t know we were going to go into surgery when we went into the ER and they basically threw a pack of ammonia wipes at us as they’re opening the OR because it was like you can die relatively quickly from internal bleeding. And so they threw this bag of ammonia wipes at us and it was such an intimate moment where they were like, all right, wipe yourself down like we’re going to go open the OR. We’ll be back. And my husband and I both took a wipe and we just started cleaning things off. like prepping for surgery. And I’m standing there like, I know you’re not a believer, but I’m just gonna pray over us and the situation and where we’re going. And that whole evolution taught me it’s okay to need other people. And people in our lives are often eager for those situations where they can step up for us when we’re the ones typically stepping up for everyone else. So mentally, it allowed a lot of intimate. relationships to just flourish in my life, both my husband, my family, who all stepped in for me. And through that, it was like this mental battle to be okay not being okay on a daily basis. And then as we put the show on the calendar, things are kind of turning around, things are getting better. Then it became this super cool ethos of Everyone’s gonna hear the high school musical theme. We’re all in it together. Like it was cool that we were all in the trenches together like great We all watched movies together. Everyone helped me. It was fantastic But now we’re on the come-up together and realizing how rich that come-up was with everyone in tow And so my husband was there in Louisville. He was there in Chattanooga for Nationals Like he’s texting me constantly when I’m at shows and he’s not there Cheryl McColgan (15:58)you Kiara Loucks (16:22)It brought us so much closer together and it made me realize that win, lose or draw, I’m a better person for being in this with the people that I love building something that’s inspirational for other people. Like the number of messages I had of people who, from people who had watched the whole health journey into the prep, into the shows, into doing very well in the shows, who reached out and said like, holy shit, I’m going to get off the couch and I’m going to do this because if you can do this, like I can do that. And so it’s realizing mentally, we don’t live for ourselves. Like the fullest life we can possibly aim to live is that for others. And bodybuilding is an incredibly selfish sport, but this whole evolution turned it around into this is for my family, this is with my family, this is for other people. And I will be extremely transparent about all of the highs and the lows and everything in between. So I don’t know if that answered your question, but yeah, it was a really cool turning point for me that has. completely transcended bodybuilding into my career, into my hobbies, into my passion projects on the side. So it’s been really cool. Cheryl McColgan (17:28)Yeah, and it’s been it’s been so fun to watch as people on the outside, like you said, you had so many people rooting for you and just following along with your journey. And, you know, I guess part of our time together was like we were at the show doing this and we were in separate divisions. And so we kind of had to stick to, I guess, you know, I don’t want to say surface level conversations, but we didn’t get a chance to really dive deep into some of this stuff. So it wasn’t until later afterwards where I was watching, you know, some of your Instagram stories and Kiara Loucks (17:42)Yes. Mm-hmm. Okay. Cheryl McColgan (17:58)of the comments that people were making about your health journey and all this stuff that I really was able to see, you know, just how much you would come through. so hearing this today kind of like puts all the pieces together and just makes the whole thing even just more amazing. And I think it’s really exciting now what you’re kind of turning that into because I have a feeling that all of this And you know, just recovering after a show people that haven’t done it. It’s, know, bodybuilding is not a healthy thing. Let’s be real lifting weights is healthy, but bodybuilding is a very extreme sport. You’re getting to an extreme level of leanness, which especially for women is really hard, like on your hormones on your body, everything. And, you know, I’ve certainly experienced that. I don’t know, aftermath, for lack of a better word. ⁓ Kiara Loucks (18:27)No. Mm-hmm. Yep. Yep. Cheryl McColgan (18:49)And it’s just a very interesting mental challenge afterwards as well as physical. And ⁓ so it wasn’t surprising to me that I saw after your show, you kind of turned to ⁓ this retreat that you ended up going on. so now I would love it if you’d share about that. Like what made you become aware of that? And is my sense right that you kind of just needed some like recharge alone time? I’d to hear just all about that, how that happened. Kiara Loucks (18:54)⁓ Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, I love this. It’s like the most exciting thing in my life right now. So 100 % you’re correct. Once the show season was over, I just realized how much of my time had been spent in the gym, working, and then being a wife, being in the family. Like it’s just every day just trying to go. And one of my favorite things is spending time outside. Like I firmly believe that it is the closest place to the divine. It makes me happy. It gives me clarity. Like it is my favorite place to be. I live in Colorado. So I realized like a year went by that I hadn’t gone just to play outside with my dog. Like, okay, like I just need to get outside more. And I was feeling this void, which did you feel after the show too? It’s like this depression a little bit. Cheryl McColgan (19:45)Love it. a little bit. It’s kind of a, you know, I wish I would have done a better job documenting some of that stuff I kept meaning to, because it is just kind of a wild thing. But it never I guess, for part of it for me is because Kiara Loucks (20:11)Mm-hmm. Cheryl McColgan (20:16)I always knew that I would, you know, I’m still working, going to the gym five days a week and still just really trying to build my lean muscle for the purposes we were talking about, just making sure that I stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible and that I can lift myself off the toilet when I’m 80 years old and things like that, you know, if I’m lucky enough to make it to that age. ⁓ Kiara Loucks (20:30)Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yep. Exactly. Cheryl McColgan (20:39)So I guess in the back of my mind, it was like, well, this was an interesting process and stuff, but I was anxious to kind of get back to quote unquote normal life. Like what you’re talking about, like more time to spend time outdoors and more time to enjoy food and drinks with friends and not have to be so focused on every single bite you’re putting in your mouth. I don’t know, somehow I kind of, feel like I distracted myself from a little bit of that, but I… Kiara Loucks (20:48)normal yeah Exactly. Cheryl McColgan (21:06)I’ve read a lot of and heard a lot of other people’s stories that talk about that because this almost like well you you had these goals, the goal you got there basically. And then what you kind of go off the cliff, right? Yeah, I don’t know. I avoided that a little bit. I don’t know that sure how Kiara Loucks (21:15)Yeah, exactly. Yeah, so perfect. You know, I’m thrilled for you. did not. I just, I don’t know. Like I think if I had a body that could sustain it, which I don’t think anybody’s meant for it, I would compete all year long every year. Like I just love it so much. But when we finished nationals in Chattanooga, I just knew my body was asking for a break. Like there were just several signs that I needed to pump the, pump the breaks and chill. And so coming out of that, I realized I needed to be outside more and I just felt this void like. this one thing I’d been working for and felt meaning in, all these people invested in my story, it just was suddenly gone. And so I’m like, okay, I just need to go outside. And I had a dear girlfriend of mine actually come out and we went up to a cabin in the mountains and we were chatting and it like, I just don’t know what I’m chasing after. Like I always have something I’m chasing after and I feel like I’m missing it. And she was like, well, Kiara, you’ve been chasing outside. Like since you finished competing, all you’ve done is chase the mountains. And I’m like, well, no, no, no, like that’s just a medium. That’s a catalyst for me to find clarity. That’s not what I’m chasing. Yeah, that’s ridiculous. And sure enough, it is what I was chasing. And for the last several years, I’ve had on my vision board wanting to start a business to allow space and build a community for women to get out into the back country together. Because like all of the same things that you and I probably took away from bodybuilding, the confidence, the discipline, the community aspect, if you’re fortunate to have that, like Those are all things that I’ve found historically in the outdoors, but I think the value of the outdoors far outlasts and has much deeper lengths to it than bodybuilding. And so it’s been on my vision board for years to start a business that I can just take women outdoors and on these retreats and do cool things. And it was just another pipe dream, right? But God bless vision boards and always coming back to like ourselves and where we find meaning and purpose. And so just by happenstance, this opportunity dropped into my lap in August. So my last show of the year was middle of June, went outside a bunch, kind of just got my head screwed on a little bit for the rest of June and July. And then this opportunity dropped in my lap to go to Montana with a group called Her Outdoor Journey in August. And it was gonna be their summit, which means they were doing everything from Butchery to survival to fieldcraft to foraging to defensive shooting to Glassing which is basically understanding how to scope the side of a hill and look for animals They were doing all of this in one event. I was like alright cool I will help you guys out in trade just to go check this out because it seems kind of rad and I on a whim didn’t know anyone got in the car drove up to Montana like 12 hours And I show up and this week completely changed my life. mean, I’ve never been around a group of 20 plus women and there’s no drama, no clicks, people wanting to help, people wanting to serve, everyone having a blast. Like, and not only that, it was the skill sets that we were handed, like the education and the content. was like, I need more of this and I need to share this with as many people as I can. Like, how can I get more in the weeds on this? So I sat down with Courtney Pridi, who is the founder of her outdoor journey. And we just kind of started dreaming up how we could work together and she needed me. I needed her. Like it was this extremely serendipitous, miraculous meeting of two people who desperately needed each other. And her and I since then have walked hand in hand, just blowing the lid off of this thing. So we have like over 15 events next year, all across the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii. We’re also looking at Canada. But our mission really is to teach and empower women and get them outside. And it’s like this beautiful thing that happens when you’re learning and you’re vulnerable, when you’re outside, like all of these perfect elements that bring out the most beautiful side of people. And that’s the part that I love is nurturing these women, these people, these families, seeing how we can impact as many women and families as we can. So. Yeah, long story short, it has been the coolest thing I have found and I also fell in love with butchery out of that. So have kind of been on this whirlwind of working with feedlots and local ranchers and processing plants, understanding truly what is it that we’re eating. So going back to health and wellness, we just talked about bodybuilding is not a healthy sport. And so when you’re given a certain set macros for the day, you’ll eat trash as long as it fills those macros and you’re enjoying it. When Cheryl McColgan (26:02)Thank Kiara Loucks (26:04)Much like you, I got into this because I fell in love with taking care of myself. And so I had completely gone off path. And when I found this, it was like, ⁓ I can literally make an entire meal for me and my family off of literally just what exists out here in the back country. Understanding the seasonings, the foods that we are given naturally growing in the mountains or wherever. What Google reactions. ⁓ she is. But yeah, ⁓ so it’s just Cheryl McColgan (26:31)you Kiara Loucks (26:33)this really cool journey that’s now evolved into the butchery side of things and long tail like I would love one day to open my own high end butcher shop and do high end steak dinners for people that they get to pick right out of the case supporting local agriculture, which is a dying breed in our country right now. So bringing awareness to those things, bringing people along for the ride. I have no idea what we’re going to do with all of this, but I’m just so happy. Like I’m just right where I feel like I need to be. Cheryl McColgan (27:02)Yeah, watching some of your stories when you were on that retreat, I felt the same way. I was just so happy for you because I could just tell you were enjoying it so much and you’re in your element. And it did not surprise me afterwards that you’re like, I’m going to be a butcher. I mean, you’re crazy. I’ll get on to something. I’m just like, Oh, well, this is now this is my thing, you know, which is amazing. So so people are hearing this and they’re like, Okay, that sounds really cool. I would love to, you know, spend some time with other women out Kiara Loucks (27:10)Hmm. No! Yeah, exactly. Okay. Cheryl McColgan (27:31)doors, do all the things. And also though, I can see how maybe some people like there probably will be some people to be like, okay, I like a lot of that, but I’m not into the hunting or I like a lot of that, but I don’t know that I want to chop up a deer and skin a deer on this retreat. Tell us how that works. Kiara Loucks (27:40)What? yeah, very fair. Not expected, not expected at all. So we actually offer a whole host of opportunities for people to get on trips with us. One of the events I’m looking forward to the most is actually an adventure retreat up in Alaska. So we are literally gonna go jet ski in the glacier, ride horses, ATV, spa day. Like it is an adventure retreat. There is no hunting, there are no guns. There’s no butchery. There’s no nothing that should really kind of raise flags for some people. Knowing that, everyone has different thresholds. So if you come on any of our trips and you’re like, this part is not for me. So for example, the event that I was just talking about back in August, the defensive shooting, we had women that didn’t feel comfortable being on a range with other women who had never shot a gun. Great. They went out and had their own like they went for a hike. They read their books. They went and hung out. There’s so much freedom and liberty to do whatever you’re comfortable with. Our mission is to serve you and make sure you’re walking away with what you intended to get out of an event. So whether that’s rest and recovery, a little adventure, learning skills or trades, we do it all. And there’s never any judgment when you decide something isn’t for you. Cheryl McColgan (29:01)can you share the website and where they can find out information about the trips and do you know off the top of your head like when the next one is? Because this episode will come out fairly soon here. Kiara Loucks (29:09)Yes, absolutely. Yeah, so our next one coming up is actually our first winter retreat in Yellowstone. So you can find out more at heroutdorjourney.com or on Instagram at heroutdorjourney. And we’re actually just launching all of our events for next year. So take a look. We actually have everything from, like I said, the adventure retreats to archery, long range shooting, you name it. We got it. And we also have payment plans. So knowing that some of these are maybe a little bit more expensive, we do have payment plans and we also have gift cards. So knowing the holidays are coming up, if you want to gift some special lady in your life the time of her life and change her world forever, we are your people. So give us a shout. Cheryl McColgan (29:52)Awesome. And on top of that, where can people connect with you personally and kind of follow along with your journey? ⁓ You post somewhat frequently Instagram, but I don’t know if you have any other socials that you want to share. Kiara Loucks (30:03)Yeah, yeah, no, Instagram is the best. As I’m kind of defining this new chapter of my life, I’ve tried to be a little more conscientious about what I’m posting and how I’m presenting to the world. So we’re gonna get back in the saddle here pretty soon with more consistent posts and all sorts of exciting stuff going on in the world. But yeah, follow along at at Chiara.Lowx. Yeah, at Chiara.Lowx. My brain is halfway here. Yeah, there you go. Cheryl McColgan (30:25)One, I’ll have it in the show notes as well if for some reason you can’t find her. Well, Kiara, it’s been so wonderful catching up with you again today and ⁓ sharing more of your journey that I was not aware of. And I’m really excited for everything that’s going to happen next. And I will be following along to see what amazing things you do from here. Kiara Loucks (30:43)thank you. And thank you again for having me on. You’re just one of my favorite people, even though we haven’t spent a ton of time together, obviously. But sourdough, you won my heart forever. So thank you. Cheryl McColgan (30:53)It’s my love language. All right, take care and we’ll see you again next time. Kiara Loucks (30:55)I’m here for it. Sounds good. Thank you.

Timestamps1:40 - Step count for bodybuilders and powerlifters: benefits, recommended range of steps, risks/signs of overdoing steps 15:11 - Mentally dealing with transitioning from contest prep/hard cuts to gaining phases - habits for maintaining a leaner physique year round & what benefits come with learning how to stay leaner with being able to progress with your physique 32:45 - Setting performance goals in the gym for bodybuilding & why it matters that you're setting small PR's over time in your programming 42:39 - How Steve programs proximity to failure for muscle growth - is it worth it to train closer to failure consistently for muscle growth or should you leave more reps in the tank to manage fatigue?Steve's IG - https://www.instagram.com/revivestronger/?hl=enHire Steve For Coaching - https://revivestronger.com/online-coaching/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnJkhBCe3YiwR2WeNm7McdSNjOG1P86u5tElsH47KDW0uxIyy20U6qinxonww_aem_-0EI5f7P__eGJDXI6c-FXQListen To The Revive Stronger Podcast - https://revivestronger.com/podcast/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnbc_ZInfKveNaewmu2Q2nItQMIC7NnDBZgXnG87RcZmb6DFiNuHSWJiRk9AI_aem_BB4PFbY5BUOJBne95E9JtgApply For Coaching - https://adampeeler1.typeform.com/to/elvzT31WGet My FREE Programs - https://linktr.ee/adamdpeelerMy Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adamdpeeler/Macrofactor Diet Tracking App (Use code PEELER for a 2-Week FREE Trial!) - https://macrofactorapp.com/macrofactor/Leviathan Nutrition (Code: ADAM10) - https://leviathan-nutrition.com/Built Bar (code PEELER for 10% off) - https://builtbar.com/

What if the same drive that built your career is quietly eroding your relationships at home?When leaders ignore how their behaviors at work are affecting their most important relationships, it leads to exhaustion and burnout, says Lisa Skeffington. “It's that constant pushing through the whole time, and it's depleting your physiology without you even realizing that it happens,” she says.Lisa is a multi-award winning psychotherapist, executive coach, and author with over 25 years in private practice. She joins Daniel and Peter to discuss emotional wealth and how to bring your best self to both work and home.Tune in to learn:Key characteristics of a mentally and emotionally strong leaderThe three pillars of emotional wealthSome daily practices that can help develop emotional wealthLisa promotes a shift in mindset around success–away from “achieving more and having more” to “being fully present and connected to the life and the people we have around us so that we begin to regard emotional wealth as seriously as financial wealth.”Questions, comments, or topic ideas? Drop us an e-mail at podcast@stewartleadership.com.Sign up for Stewart Leadership's newsletter: https://stewartleadership.com/newsletter/A weekly message from SL, sharing practical ways to grow your leadership.Resources and LinksHow to Connect with Lisa:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-skeffingtonWebsite: https://www.empoweredmomentum.com/Lisa's Free resources: https://welcome.empoweredmomentum.com/Self-Esteem Reality Check AuditFree preview of Lisa's book From Anxious to EmpoweredHandbooks for anxious teensStewart Leadership Insights and Resources:https://stewartleadership.com/6-ways-to-help-regulate-your-emotions-for-leadership-effectiveness/https://stewartleadership.com/five-behaviors-to-help-develop-your-emotional-intelligence/https://stewartleadership.com/increasing-your-emotional-intelligence-how-do-others-react-to-you-2/https://stewartleadership.com/fight-flight-freeze-our-brains-on-feedback/#leadership #podcast #leadershippodcast #leadershipdevelopment #leadershipcoaching #LeadershipGrowthPodcastIf you liked this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague, or, better yet, leave a review to help other listeners find our show, and remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode. For more great content or to learn about how Stewart Leadership can help you grow your ability to lead effectively, please visit stewartleadership.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

You've started putting in the work toward mental wellness. You've even made some progress. But maybe you're worried it won't last. We're learning how to hold onto that mental strength and healing for good. NEXT STEPS Have you made the decision to follow Jesus? You might be wondering what's next for you. We want to help! Check out these resources to ​​discover what saying yes to Jesus means: https://www.life.church/yes Tell Us About You! We're here to help you become the person God created you to be—and we'd love to hear from you. Take this quick survey to tell us about yourself and how we can support you. Find it at https://life.church/podcastconnect ABOUT THIS MESSAGE Do you ever feel trapped by your thoughts and emotions? On the outside you're holding it together, but inside you're struggling. If you wonder if you'll ever feel better, you're not alone. In our new series, Heal Your Hurting Mind, we'll discover there's hope and a path toward healing. 7 Prayers for Mental Health: https://finds.life.church/prayers-for-mental-health/ Battling negative thoughts? Read, memorize, and meditate on these five strategic Bible verses to help you focus on God's joy, hope, and peace. https://go2.lc/heal Take what you're learning during the series even deeper with Pastor Craig's latest book, Heal Your Hurting Mind, available now. Learn more https://www.craiggroeschel.com/books/heal-your-hurting-mind ABOUT LIFE.CHURCH Wherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Our hope is that your journey will include joining us at a Life.Church location throughout the United States or globally online at https://www.live.life.church Find locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/app FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/life.church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/life.church TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifechurch YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@life.church CONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIG GROESCHEL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/craiggroeschel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craiggroeschel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/35447748/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You've started putting in the work toward mental wellness. You've even made some progress. But maybe you're worried it won't last. We're learning how to hold onto that mental strength and healing for good.

What should you do if you have a big game, competition, or tryout coming up—but your recent practices haven't gone well?This is something I see athletes struggle with all the time. When practices go poorly leading up to a performance, confidence drops. Doubt increases. Athletes begin to question whether they can perform well.In this episode, I explain how athletes can mentally prepare for competition even when recent training sessions haven't gone well.I discuss why many athletes base their confidence on their most recent performance, how that can hurt you mentally going into a game, and what you can do instead to compete with more trust, freedom, and present-moment focus.In this episode you'll learn:Why bad practices before a game can damage confidenceHow athletes accidentally use the wrong point of reference before competingHow to mentally reset before a competition or tryoutHow visualization can rebuild belief in your abilityWhy true confidence is about playing freely, not guaranteeing successIf you're an athlete who struggles with confidence, performance anxiety, or performing worse in games than in practice, these strategies can help you compete with more composure and trust in your abilities.I work with athletes from around the world through my 12-week 1-on-1 mental performance coaching program, where I help athletes build confidence, improve focus, and perform better under pressure.Learn more about mental performance coaching here:https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/ ➡️ Interested in 1-1 mental performance coaching? Schedule your free introductory call to learn more: https://www.successstartswithin.com/get-coaching

No More Excuses!Let's be real. By March, most resolutions are already fading. The gym is empty again. The Bible plan is collecting dust. The budget never got started. And if we're not careful, this won't be a new year but just be another year on repeat.Here are the keys to success in every aspect of our lives: Execution, Discipline, and Action. The most disciplined version of you is the best version of you and your breakthrough is waiting on your action. Spiritually. Physically. Mentally. Financially. If you're ready to stop coasting and start thriving, then this episode is tailor made for you!Support the show

Why don't other moms talk about how to mentally prepare yourself for pregnancy? As your big sis, I"m sharing everything that you will need to know about transitioning into becoming a mother.

Hi mama, If you're physically home but mentally still at work… you're not alone. In this episode, we're talking about mental boundaries, because real work-life balance isn't just about managing your calendar. It's about protecting your thoughts. Most working moms don't struggle to shut off because they're bad at relaxing. They struggle because: They care deeply about doing a good job • They carry a lot of responsibility • They're used to problem-solving all day • Their brain has been trained to stay alert This episode breaks down exactly how to retrain your brain so it knows when it's safe to rest. We'll talk about: ✔️ Logging Off Physically Isn't the Same as Logging Off Mentally: Why your brain needs cues  to power down. ✔️ Create a Work-to-Home Transition Ritual:Simple ways to signal to your brain that the workday is complete (especially if you work from home). ✔️Contain Work Thoughts Instead of Fighting Them: How brain-dumping reduces rumination and nighttime anxiety. ✔️Define What “Enough” Looks Like: How setting daily Top 3 priorities prevents endless mental scanning. ✔️ Close Open Loops During the Day: Why unfinished tasks create evening mental noise. ✔️Address Unspoken Anxiety: How avoiding difficult conversations fuels overthinking, and how clarity quiets chaos. ✔️ The “Next Right Step” Method: The simple question that stops spiraling thoughts at 10pm. ✔️ Technology Audit: How email notifications, work apps, and phone habits sabotage your boundaries. ✔️Reclaim the Weekend With Intention: How to prevent Sunday Scaries and protect family time. Resources mention in today's episode: ✨Check out EP 104. 10 Signs It's Time To Look For A New Job if you are starting to think you need a change to have better life-work balance! ✨ ChatGPT Prompts Made Simple for Moms end the decision fatigue✨ Join our free Facebook community Work-Life Balance for Working Moms and tell us: Which tip helped you the most this week?

If one of your top performers quit tomorrow, would you honestly see it coming?   Construction leaders obsess over bids, schedules, margins, and safety metrics—but most don't measure engagement until someone hands them a resignation letter. By the time you're conducting an exit interview, it's already too late.    If you want high-performing teams that finish on time and under budget without constant firefighting, you need a better way to diagnose disengagement before talent walks out the door.   In this episode, you'll discover:   A simple 5-part diagnostic tool to measure engagement across your entire team Practical questions you can ask immediately to uncover hidden frustration and drift How to align strengths, purpose, and development so your best people stay and grow   Press play now to learn how to "scope" your team's engagement and prevent the next surprise resignation before it happens.   Click HERE to download the SCOPED framework PDF.   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization.   Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.   New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.   This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.      

Welcome to Episode 2 of David Schaub's Family Series: a four-part solo run that gets honest about what it really looks like to build a business as a husband and father.No guests. No surface-level talk. Just the real tension most owners feel… and rarely say out loud.This episode hits a truth that stings:You can be physically home… and still completely gone.Growth isn't bad.But undefined growth is dangerous—especially when it slowly steals your patience, your presence, and your peace.In this episode, you'll learn:Why chasing “more” quietly costs patience and presenceThe guilt loop many business owners live inWhy thin profit margins create thick tension at homeWhat you must delegate, even if it costs moneyWhy sleep is a leadership strategy, not a luxuryHow to define “enough” before ambition defines youIf you feel like you're showing up at home but not truly there, this episode will confront you in the right way and help you reset.

Become Mentally Strong This episode kicks off a brand new series focused on what it looks like to become stronger in the areas of life that matter most. We're starting with mental strength, because how you manage your thoughts shapes everything else: how you respond, how you recover, and how to move forward when life doesn't go according to plan. Mental strength isn't something you're born with. It's something you build — one choice and one thought at a time. In this episode, I share: What mental strength actually looks like in everyday motherhood Five simple tools to help you train your mind like you would your muscles How kindness toward yourself becomes the foundation for real strength and peace This episode sets the foundation for the rest of the series. Everything else — emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial strength — rests on how you relate to your own thoughts. And when that relationship begins to shift, everything else begins to follow. If you liked this episode, here are some others you might enjoy: 5. It All Starts With Your Mind 110. How Not To Worry (for very long) 233. Self-Compassion: The Key to a Peaceful Mind

The best leaders are mentally strong. How do they get that way? Our guest, Scott Mautz, believes there are 6 mental muscles that equate to mental strength. And we have to keep working out those muscles - just like we do physical muscles at the gym. Scott is a Bestselling Author, Keynote Speaker, and passionate expert on mental strength, peak performance, change, employee engagement, and leadership. His latest book, The Mentally Strong Leader, explores why mental strength is THE leadership superpower of our times. For more about ForthRight Business by ForthRight People or for 1:1 consultation, check us out at ForthRight-Business.com And as always, if you need Strategic Counsel, don't hesitate to reach out to us at: ForthRight-People.com FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/forthrightpeople.marketingagency INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/forthrightpeople/ LINKEDIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/forthright-people/ RESOURCES https://www.forthright-people.com/resources VIRTUAL CONSULTANCY https://www.forthright-people.com/shop

You're not just tired. You're not just busy. You're mentally exhausted.But what if the real reason isn't your schedule… your job… or even your circumstances?In this message from 1 Kings 19, we look at the story of Elijah — a man who went from a spiritual mountaintop victory to running for his life in fear. One moment he's watching fire fall from heaven. The next, he's hiding in a cave saying, “I'm all alone.”Sound familiar?In this teaching, we unpack: • Why “when memory fades, fear grows” • How fear convinces us God is absent • Why resilience isn't built on the mountaintop — but in the spaces in between • What God's gentle whisper reveals about burnout, anxiety, and discouragement • The question God asks Elijah — and what it means for you: “What are you doing here?”If you feel drained, overwhelmed, or spiritually stuck, this message is for you.Resilience isn't about being stronger.It's about remembering God's faithfulness — and choosing obedience in the middle of fear.Support the show

In 2024, Cal Newport of Georgetown University proposed that we have entered into a period of American life he dubs "The Great Exhaustion." Many of us feel incredibly tired, and not just physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Existentially. In Leviticus, God builds rest and reset into reality itself. Not as a rule, but as resistance. Not as religion, but as rebellion against a world that never stops demanding. This week: Sabbath, exile, new beginnings. And why “enough” might be the most radical word in your vocabulary.

Is not being mentally ready an excuse for Tatum not returning?

How do athletes reset mentally between plays or points?In this episode, mental performance coach Eli Straw explains a simple and effective mental reset routine athletes can use between every play, point, or moment in competition. Resetting quickly helps prevent one mistake from turning into many and keeps your focus, confidence, and performance consistent.In this episode, you will learn:The 3-step mental reset routine (Release → Refocus → Recommit)How to let go of the previous play or point quicklyHow to refocus your attention in the present momentHow to commit to the next play with a clear intentionCommon mistakes athletes make when trying to resetHow to train your reset routine in practice and visualizationThis mental reset routine can be used in any sport, including tennis, baseball, basketball, soccer, and golf, and is designed to help athletes stay composed, focused, and ready for the next play.Read the full article on mentally resetting during games:https://www.successstartswithin.com/sports-psychology-articles/focus-training-for-sports/how-to-mentally-reset-during-games/Learn more about 1-on-1 mental performance coaching:https://www.successstartswithin.com/mental-performance-coaching/ ➡️ Interested in 1-1 mental performance coaching? Schedule your free introductory call to learn more: https://www.successstartswithin.com/get-coaching

Most people don't suffer because life is chaotic — they suffer because their mind is. As the stormy monsoon season gives way to autumn's still waters and clear skies, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam reveals a profound teaching on the inner life: when agitation subsides, perception itself changes. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how mental turbulence, stress, and emotional reactivity drain our energy — and how bhakti-yoga cultivates a rare combination of outward flexibility and inward steadiness. Drawing on Arthur Ashe's timeless insight — "physically loose and mentally tight" — the conversation dives into the Sanskrit principle of anapekṣaḥ: freedom from dependence on how life is "supposed" to unfold. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************

Most people don't suffer because life is chaotic — they suffer because their mind is. As the stormy monsoon season gives way to autumn's still waters and clear skies, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam reveals a profound teaching on the inner life: when agitation subsides, perception itself changes. In this episode, Raghunath and Kaustubha explore how mental turbulence, stress, and emotional reactivity drain our energy — and how bhakti-yoga cultivates a rare combination of outward flexibility and inward steadiness. Drawing on Arthur Ashe's timeless insight — "physically loose and mentally tight" — the conversation dives into the Sanskrit principle of anapekṣaḥ: freedom from dependence on how life is "supposed" to unfold. ******************************************************************** LOVE THE PODCAST? WE ARE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AND WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN! Go to https://www.wisdomofthesages.com WATCH ON YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/@WisdomoftheSages LISTEN ON ITUNES: https://podcasts/apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-the-sages/id1493055485 CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/wisdomofthesages108 *********************************************************************

Send a textDo you notice significant changes in your mood, energy, or focus from fall to spring? Every fall, I deal with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When the days shorten and energy dips, I don't ignore it — I prepare for it.In this episode of Unarmored Talk, I share three simple, repeatable habits that help me stay mentally steady from fall through winter and into spring:• Control your environment first thing in the morning • Don't feed isolation — connection is fuel • Stay disciplined and use intentional breathingIf you've been diagnosed with SAD — or you're noticing that seasonal shift — these practical steps can help you build structure and momentum.Mental fitness isn't about pretending you're unaffected. It's about responding with intention.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 The Fall Mood Shift0:19 Naming Seasonal Affective Disorder0:32 Pro Tips Overview0:47 Control The Environment1:10 Don't Feed It With Isolation1:25 Discipline And Intentional Breathing1:53 Prepare For Fall And Engage Community2:02 Closing And EncouragementSupport the show Become a Member Today! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_M2Kfxb2hN1uHdlDKGtuQw/join Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pF-fF29KO1rqQsabaxHHO1nQQtn5lhd Still Serving, Inc.: www.stillservinginc.com Email: mario@stillservinginc.com

When neuroscientists scanned the brains of people going along with a group, they expected to find lying. What they found instead was something far stranger. The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually saw. We'll get to that study in a minute. But first, I want you to remember the last time you were in a meeting, and you knew something was wrong. The numbers didn't add up. The risk was being underestimated. And someone needed to say it. Then the most senior person in the room spoke first: "I think this is exactly what we need." Heads nodded. Finance agreed. Marketing agreed. The consultant agreed. And by the time it was your turn, you heard yourself saying, "I have some minor concerns, but overall I think it's solid." You're not alone. Research shows that roughly half of employees stay silent at work rather than voice a concern. And among those who stayed quiet, 40% estimated they wasted 2 weeks or more replaying what they didn't say. Two weeks. Mentally rehearsing the point they should have made in a meeting that's already over. That silence isn't a character flaw. It's your neurology working against you. And today I'm going to show you exactly why it happens and how to stop it.  It starts with what was happening inside your head during that meeting you just remembered. Why Your Brain Surrenders to the Group Most people know about the Asch conformity experiments from the 1950s. People were asked to match line lengths, and seventy-five percent went along with answers that were obviously wrong. That result gets cited everywhere. But the more important study came fifty years later, and it revealed something the Asch experiment never could. In 2005, neuroscientist Gregory Berns at Emory University put people inside an MRI machine and ran a similar conformity task, this time with three-dimensional shape rotation. Like Asch, he planted actors who gave wrong answers. But unlike Asch, he could watch what was happening inside people's brains while the conformity was occurring. Berns expected the MRI to show activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain's decision-making center, when people went along with wrong answers. That would mean they were knowingly lying to fit in. Just a social calculation. That's not what the scans showed. People who conformed showed no increased activity in decision-making regions. Instead, the activity showed up in the parts of the brain that handle visual and spatial perception, the occipital and parietal areas. The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually saw. Their brains were rewriting their experience to match the room. And the people who resisted the group? Their scans told a different story. Heightened activity in the amygdala, the brain's threat detection center. The same circuitry that fires when you encounter physical danger lit up when someone disagreed with the group. Berns put it plainly. The fear of social isolation activates the same neural machinery as the fear of genuine threats to survival. When you caved in that meeting, your neurology wasn't malfunctioning. It was doing exactly what it was designed to do. Keep you safe inside the tribe. This is why what I call mindjacking works so well. Algorithms manufacture social proof by showing you what's trending, what your friends liked, and what similar people chose. Your wiring responds the same way it does at the conference table. You're fighting your own threat-detection system every time you try to hold an independent position within a group. You can't turn off the wiring. But you can learn to catch it in the act. And that starts with one critical distinction. The First Skill: Separating Updating from Caving Sometimes the people around you know something you don't. Changing your mind in a group isn't always a surrender. Sometimes it's the smartest move in the room. The real skill is knowing which one just happened. You can test this in real time. When you feel your position shifting in a group, ask yourself three questions. First: Did someone introduce information I didn't have before? If the CFO reveals a data point that genuinely changes the calculus, updating your view isn't a weakness. It's intelligence. That's new evidence. Second: Can I articulate why I changed my mind, in specific terms? If you can say, "I shifted because of the margin data in Q3 that I hadn't seen," that's a real update. If you can only say, "I don't know, everyone seemed to think it was fine," that's capitulation. Third: Would I have reached this same conclusion alone, with the same information? This is the killer question. If the answer is no, and you only arrived at this position because others were already there, you haven't updated. You've surrendered. Getting this wrong is costly. And not just the one time. When you capitulate and call it updating, you train yourself to stop trusting your own analysis. Do it enough times, and you won't even bother preparing, because you already know you're going to defer. That's how capable people slowly become passengers in rooms where they should be driving. Capture those three questions somewhere you'll see them. They're your real-time check on whether you're being open-minded or spineless. Those questions work when you're already in the meeting and the pressure is live. But what if you could protect your thinking before the pressure even starts? The Pre-Meeting Lock-In The most important thing you can do to protect your independent thinking doesn't happen during the meeting. It happens before. I call it the Pre-Meeting Lock-In, and it takes less than two minutes. Before any meeting where a decision will be made, write down three things:  Your position  Two or three key reasons supporting it What would it take to change your mind Put it on paper. Put it in a note on your phone. Just get it out of your head and into a form you can reference. Why does this work? Because once the discussion starts, your mind is going to quietly edit your memories of what you believed. You'll start thinking, "Well, I wasn't really sure about that point anyway." Your pre-meeting notes are an anchor against that self-deception. They're a record of what you actually thought before the social pressure arrived. You want to see what happens when someone has the analysis but doesn't lock it in?  The night before the Challenger launch in January 1986, engineer Roger Boisjoly and his team at Morton Thiokol had the data. They knew the O-ring seals were dangerous in cold weather. They'd written memos. They'd run the numbers. They recommended against launching. But when NASA pushed back hard on the teleconference, Thiokol management called an off-line caucus and excluded the engineers from the room. When the call resumed, management reversed the recommendation. Boisjoly had the analysis. His managers had heard it. But under pressure from their biggest customer, the conclusion got edited in real time. Boisjoly later described it as an unethical forum driven by what he called "intense customer intimidation." He fought like hell, but the room won. That's the most extreme version of the problem. Life and death. But the mechanics are the same in every conference room. The analysis exists. The pressure arrives. And without something anchoring you to what you actually concluded, the room rewrites the story. There's a bonus effect to the Lock-In, too. When you've documented what it would take to change your mind, you've given yourself permission to be genuinely open. You're not being stubborn for the sake of it. You're saying, "Show me evidence that meets this threshold, and I'll update." That's intellectual honesty with a backbone. But you can know exactly what you think and still fail if you can't get anyone else to hear it. How to Dissent and Actually Be Heard Most dissent fails not because it's wrong, but because it's delivered badly.  Blurting out "I think this is a mistake" when the group is already aligned feels like an attack. People get defensive. Your point gets ignored, not because it lacked merit, but because your delivery threatened the group's cohesion. You triggered the same threat response in them that you've been learning to manage in yourself. Charlan Nemeth, a psychologist at UC Berkeley, has studied dissent for decades. You'd expect her research to show that dissent helps groups when the dissenter is right. When someone spots a flaw that everyone else missed. That makes intuitive sense. But that's not what she found. Nemeth discovered that when someone voices a genuine minority opinion, the entire group thinks more carefully. They consider more information, examine more alternatives, and reach better conclusions. And the group benefits even when the dissenter turns out to be wrong. Even when you're wrong, the act of dissenting makes the group smarter. Your disagreement forces everyone out of autopilot. Decades of research by Moscovici supports this. Minority voices don't just influence people in the moment. They shift perception afterward, in private, long after the meeting ends. That's the good news. The catch is in how the dissent happens. Nemeth tested what happens when dissent is assigned rather than authentic, when someone plays devil's advocate because they were told to. It doesn't produce the same effect. Groups can tell when disagreement is performative. The cognitive benefits only show up when the dissent is authentic. When someone actually believes what they're saying. That means the goal isn't just to voice disagreement. It's to voice it in a way that people can actually receive. And the hardest version of this isn't when you have a minor concern about an otherwise good plan. It's when the whole direction is wrong, and finding something to praise would be dishonest. In those moments, the move is to separate the people from the position. "I respect the work that went into this, and I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear, but I think we're solving the wrong problem." You're honoring the effort while challenging the direction. You're not attacking the tribe. You're trying to save it from a bad bet. When the stakes are lower, and you do see genuine merit, you can lead with that. "The market timing argument is strong, and I want to make sure we've stress-tested one thing before we commit." Same principle. You're working with their wiring instead of against it. Either way, your dissent has value beyond being right. Remember that. It's worth holding onto when your amygdala is screaming at you to stay quiet. Everything so far has assumed you're in a room with other people. Your amygdala can't tell the difference between a conference table and a phone screen. The Rooms You Can't See You're not just in meetings. You're in invisible rooms all day long. And most of the time, you don't even know you've walked into one. Every time you scroll past a post with ten thousand likes and think, "I guess that's the right take." Every time you read three articles with the same conclusion and stop questioning it. Every time an algorithm shows you what similar people chose, and you choose it too. Those are rooms full of nodding heads. And your amygdala responds to them the same way it responds to the conference table. Think about the last time you researched a major purchase. You probably started with some idea of what you wanted. Then you read reviews. Then you checked what was trending. Then you asked friends. By the time you decided, how much of that decision was yours? How much of it was the room? Or think about how you form opinions on topics you haven't studied deeply. You read a few articles. They mostly agree. You adopt the consensus. That feels like research. But Berns' scans tell us what's actually happening. Your brain isn't independently weighing the evidence. It's detecting a consensus and rewriting your perception to match. The same process that happens at the conference table is happening every time you open your phone. Mindjacking doesn't need to override your thinking. It just needs to make sure you never finish thinking for yourself before the crowd's answer arrives. And once it arrives, your neurology does the rest. The group doesn't just influence your answer; it shapes it. It rewrites your perception. The Lock-In works for these invisible rooms, too. Before you research a major purchase, write down what you actually want and what you're willing to pay. Before you dive into reviews and opinions, commit your criteria to paper. Before you ask friends what they think about a decision you've already analyzed, record your conclusion. Give yourself the same protection from algorithmic conformity that you'd want before walking into a boardroom. The skill isn't being contrarian. It's being first. First, to your own conclusion, before the room, any room, gets a vote. This is your challenge for the week. Think of one meeting you have coming up where a decision will be made. Before you walk in, open your notes app and type three lines. Line one: what you think. Line two: why. Line three: what would change your mind. That's it. Then sit in that meeting and watch what happens to your thinking when the room pushes back. I think you'll surprise yourself. What if the person you can't resist isn't your boss, your colleagues, or the algorithm? What if it's you? What happens when the decision you need to make threatens something deeper, when being wrong would mean something unbearable about who you are? That's where we're headed next. Closing If this episode gave you something useful, hit that subscribe button. I'm building a complete thinking toolkit here in the Thinking 101 series. If you got value today, share it with someone who could use it, especially anyone heading into a big meeting this week. Drop a comment and tell me: what's the hardest group you've ever had to disagree with? I read every comment and reply. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next episode. Endnotes/References "roughly half of employees stay silent at work rather than voice a concern" / "forty percent estimated they wasted two weeks or more": VitalSmarts, Costly Conversations: Why The Way Employees Communicate Will Make or Break Your Bottom Line (Provo, UT: VitalSmarts, December 2016). In a study of 1,025 employees, 70 percent reported instances where they or others failed to speak up effectively when a peer did not pull their weight. Half wasted seven days or more avoiding crucial conversations. Forty percent estimated they wasted two weeks or more ruminating about the problem. A 2021 follow-up study by Crucial Learning (formerly VitalSmarts) of 1,100 people found the rumination figure had risen to 43 percent. The script's "roughly half" is drawn from the VitalSmarts finding that the majority of the workforce reported conversation failures, with half losing seven or more days to avoidance behaviors. Primary source: https://www.vitalsmarts.com/press/2016/12/costly-conversations-why-the-way-employees-communicate-will-make-or-break-your-bottom-line/. Follow-up study: https://cruciallearning.com/press/costly-conversations-how-lack-of-communication-is-costing-organizations-thousands-in-revenue/ "the Asch conformity experiments from the 1950s": Solomon E. Asch, "Effects of Group Pressure upon the Modification and Distortion of Judgments," in Groups, Leadership and Men, ed. Harold Guetzkow (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Press, 1951), 177–190. The expanded report was published as Solomon E. Asch, "Studies of Independence and Conformity: I. A Minority of One Against a Unanimous Majority," Psychological Monographs: General and Applied 70, no. 9 (1956): 1–70. Asch conducted the line-judgment experiments at Swarthmore College. Participants judged which of three comparison lines matched a standard line, with confederates unanimously giving incorrect answers on critical trials. Across conditions, approximately 75 percent of participants conformed at least once, and the mean conformity rate was approximately one-third of critical trials. Group sizes varied across experiments, typically with 6–8 confederates and one real participant. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1952-00803-001 "neuroscientist Gregory Berns at Emory University put people inside an MRI machine": Gregory S. Berns, Jonathan Chappelow, Caroline F. Zink, Giuseppe Pagnoni, Megan E. Martin-Skurski, and Jim Richards, "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation," Biological Psychiatry 58, no. 3 (August 1, 2005): 245–253. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.012. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging with a mental rotation task. Participants (n=32, ages 19–41) judged whether three-dimensional shapes were rotated versions of each other while four confederates provided answers. Conformity was associated with functional changes in the occipital-parietal network (visual and spatial perception regions), not the prefrontal cortex. Independence was associated with heightened activity in the right amygdala and right caudate nucleus, regions linked to emotional salience and threat detection. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/ "The group wasn't changing people's answers. It was changing what they actually saw": Berns et al., "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity," 245–253. The researchers isolated the specifically social element of conformity by comparing brain activation when wrong answers came from a group of people versus when they came from computers. Conformity to group-sourced wrong answers produced greater activation bilaterally in visual cortex and right intraparietal sulcus, overlapping the baseline mental rotation network. Berns interpreted this as evidence that social conformity operates at a perceptual level rather than merely at a decision-making level. Full text PDF: https://pdodds.w3.uvm.edu/files/papers/others/2005/berns2005.pdf "Heightened activity in the amygdala": Berns et al., "Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity," 245–253. Participants who gave independent (correct) answers when the group was wrong showed significantly increased activation in the right amygdala and right caudate nucleus. The amygdala is associated with processing emotionally salient stimuli and threats. Berns described these findings as "consistent with the assumptions of social norm theory about the behavioral saliency of standing alone." The script's characterization that "the fear of social isolation activates the same neural machinery as the fear of genuine threats to survival" is an accessible paraphrase of this finding, consistent with the broader social pain literature (e.g., Eisenberger, Lieberman, & Williams, 2003), though Berns' paper does not use that exact language. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15978553/ "engineer Roger Boisjoly and his team at Morton Thiokol had the data": Roger M. Boisjoly, "Ethical Decisions — Morton Thiokol and the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster" (paper presented at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Annual Meeting, December 13–18, 1987). First presented as a talk at MIT in January 1987. Boisjoly, a specialist in O-ring seals and rocket joints at Morton Thiokol, documented how engineers recommended against the January 28, 1986 launch based on concerns about O-ring performance in cold temperatures. During the pre-launch teleconference, Thiokol management called an off-line caucus, excluded the engineers, and reversed the no-launch recommendation under pressure from NASA. Boisjoly described the forum as constituting "the unethical decision-making forum" driven by customer pressure. He was awarded the Prize for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Online Ethics Center at the National Academy of Engineering hosts Boisjoly's full account: https://onlineethics.org/cases/ethical-decisions-morton-thiokol-and-space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-introduction. See also Russell P. Boisjoly, Ellen Foster Curtis, and Eugene Mellican, "Roger Boisjoly and the Challenger Disaster: The Ethical Dimensions," Journal of Business Ethics 8, no. 4 (April 1989): 217–230. doi:10.1007/BF00383335. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00383335 "Nemeth discovered that when someone voices a genuine minority opinion, the entire group thinks more carefully": Charlan J. Nemeth, In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business (New York: Basic Books, 2018). Nemeth's research program at UC Berkeley, spanning four decades, demonstrated that exposure to minority dissent stimulates divergent thinking, broader information search, consideration of more alternatives, and higher-quality group decisions. The finding that dissent improves group performance even when the dissenter turns out to be wrong is documented across multiple studies. See also Charlan J. Nemeth, "Minority Influence Theory," IRLE Working Paper No. 218-10 (Berkeley: Institute for Research on Labor and Employment, May 2010). https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pz676t7 "Decades of research by Moscovici": Serge Moscovici, Elisabeth Lage, and Martine Naffrechoux, "Influence of a Consistent Minority on the Responses of a Majority in a Color Perception Task," Sociometry 32, no. 4 (December 1969): 365–380. In the original experiment, participants viewed blue slides while two confederates consistently called them green. The consistent minority condition produced a shift in approximately 8 percent of majority judgments toward the minority position, and roughly one-third of participants conformed at least once. In the inconsistent minority condition, the effect was negligible (approximately 1.25 percent). The script's claim that "minority voices don't just influence people in the moment — they shift perception afterward, in private" draws on Moscovici's subsequent conversion theory and research on the delayed and private effects of minority influence, including afterimage studies showing genuine perceptual shifts. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2786541 "Nemeth tested what happens when dissent is assigned rather than authentic": Charlan J. Nemeth, Joanie B. Connell, John D. Rogers, and Keith S. Brown, "Improving Decision Making by Means of Dissent," Journal of Applied Social Psychology 31, no. 1 (2001): 48–58. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x. Groups deliberated a personal injury case under three conditions: authentic dissent (a genuine minority viewpoint), assigned devil's advocate (a member told to argue the opposing side), and no dissent. Authentic dissent was superior in stimulating consideration of opposing positions, original thought, and direct attitude change. The devil's advocate condition did not produce the same cognitive benefits, suggesting that groups detect and discount performative disagreement. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb02481.x. See also Charlan Nemeth, Keith Brown, and John Rogers, "Devil's Advocate versus Authentic Dissent: Stimulating Quantity and Quality," European Journal of Social Psychology 31, no. 6 (2001): 707–720. doi:10.1002/ejsp.58.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio, presented by The Trek, brought to you by LMNT, we are once again firing off our best advice for the upcoming class of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers.  Chaunce and I are joined by Trek Community Ringleader, Jess Stone, to bring you 9 tips for thru-hiking the AT in 2026. Because this is not the first time we've done this subject, Chaunce and I are unveiling brand new advice for this one (with an asterisks)- and today's tips cover advice to ensure you don't lose your precious media (which is more common than you might think), trail name advice, the importance of training, how to maximize the adventure, how to be intentional about getting what you want out of this experience, and much more. We wrap the show with the top tents used on the Appalachian Trail in 2025, what two week Trek Chaunce should take on at the end of March, the triple crown of things that get our goat (v2), and why food delivery services might be pure evil.  LMNT: Get a free sample pack with any order at drinklmnt.com/trek. Mountainsmith: Use code "TAKEAHIKE" for 20% off at mountainsmith.com. [divider] Panel with Jess Stone Jess's Instagram Time stamps & Questions 00:10:40 - Reminders: Apply to vlog or blog for the Trek, subscribe to The Trek's Youtube, and listen to our episodes ad-free on Patreon! 00:16:45 - Introducing today's panel 00:18:45 - Summarizing past advice 00:23:20 - Jess's Tip #1: Find a meaningful way to document your hike and commit to it 00:26:20 - Chaunce's Tip #1: Regularly upload your photos and videos to the cloud 00:29:45 - Zach's Tip #1: Don't start with a trail name 00:34:10 - Jess's Tip #2: Train. Just train. 00:39:43 - Chaunce's Tip #2: Don't marry your start date 00:44:10 - Zach's Tip #2: Wean yourself off your phone addiction 00:47:14 - Jess's Tip #3: Embrace the new and the weird 00:50:55 - Chaunce's Tip #3: Group listen to audiobooks 00:58:40 - Zach's Tip #3: Mentally prepare 01:11:10 - Stay Salty Question: What is your hottest take in the world of backpacking or the outdoors at large? Segments Trek Propaganda: Top Tents and Shelters on the Appalachian Trail: 2025 AT Thru-Hiker Survey by Katie Jackson QOTD: What soft hiking can Chaunce do at the end of March? Triple Crown of things that get your goat Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/ and his coffee. Sign up for the Trek's newsletter Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex and Misty with NavigatorsCrafting, Alex Kindle, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Bill Jensen, Brad & Blair Thirteen Adventures, Bret Mullins aka Cruizy, Bryan Alsop, Carl Lobstah Houde, Christopher Marshburn, Clint Sitler, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Ethan Harwell, Gillian Daniels, Greg Knight, Greg Martin, Griffin Haywood, Hailey Buckingham, Jason Kiser, Krystyn Bell, Luke Netjes, Matty in AZ, Patrick Cianciolo, Randy Sutherland, Rebecca Brave, Rural Juror, Sawyer Products, The Saint Louis Shaman, Timothy Hahn, Tracy 'Trigger' Fawns A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: Bells, Benjy Lowry, Bonnie Ackerman, Brett Vandiver, Chris Pyle, David Neal, Dcnerdlet, Denise Krekeler, Jack Greene, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Merle Watkins, Peter, Quenten Jones, Ruth S, Salt Stain, Sloan Alberhasky, and Tyler Powers.

Mike Johnson, Ali Mac, and Beau Morgan spend some time with EchoPark Speedway Communications Manager Tyler Head! Mike, Ali, Beau, and Tyler discuss it being busy during a race weekend at EchoPark Speedway, but that being what he lives for, what all Tyler has to do and the fires Tyler has to put out during a race weekend at EchoPark Speedway, how cool it's been to see and be apart of all the changes and transitions EchoPark Speedway has been through, all the racing and events fan can experience tomorrow at EchoPark Speedway, the Camper's Inn RV Mike and Beau are in and how nice they are, how the re-pavement and track changes to EchoPark Speedway have changed the style of racing at EchoPark Speedway, how the drivers feel about the racing at EchoPark Speedway, if EchoPark Speedway is helping NASCAR getting back to the old school plate racing that racing fans fell in love with, and how fans can get tickets to any and all of the events this weekend at EchoPark Speedway.

In today's world, it can feel like stress is unavoidable. Is constant pressure and burnout just part of life now? How can we protect our mental health with so much pulling at us?In this episode, you'll learn:How to identify stressors in our life and assess how you're really doing.What to do when you feel overwhelmed by shame.Practical scripts you can borrow to reach out to someone when you need help.Four essential questions to ask your loved ones as you support their mental health journey.Links and Resources We Mention in This Episode:We're grateful to the American Association of Christian Counselors for being a yearlong sponsor of Therapy & Theology. Click here to apply for their Youth Mental Health Coach program — a biblically grounded, clinically excellent training to help you support youth facing today's most common mental health challenges. Go to Compassion.com/Lysa to join us in sponsoring a child through Compassion International today.Subscribe here to receive new Therapy & Theology episodes straight to your inbox.Want a chance to be featured on Listener Mail? Leave Lysa, Jim, or Joel a message or a question right here.If you'd like to give a gift today so Therapy & Theology can reach even more women in their desperate moments, go to proverbs31.org/givenow.Click here to download a transcript of this episode.

Resilience is not grinding harder. Resilience is staying. And most entrepreneurs don't fail because they're incapable. They fail because they leave too early. Emotionally. Mentally. Sometimes physically. So today we're talking about the two traits nobody brags about on Instagram: Resilience and patience. If you're in a slower season right now, or you feel like things are not moving as fast as you want… this episode is for you.   Time Stamps:   (0:15) A Talk You Need At Any Stage of Business (2:17) What Resiliency Really Is (4:08) Patience Is Trust Compounding Over Time (6:00) Fear Is A Compass (8:20) Clarifying Massive Action (9:52) Protect Your Mental Inbox (11:13) Your Top 3 Priorities ----------

In this episode, we're unpacking three deceptively simple but wildly revealing questions:• What am I mentally exhausted from carrying?• What feels unfair right now?• What emotion have I been avoiding?We're talking about decision fatigue, emotional overload, suppressed feelings that refuse to stay suppressed, and why your brain sometimes feels like it's running 37 tabs at once.If life has felt heavy, unfair, or just… too much, this episode is your permission slip to pause, reflect, and maybe stop carrying things that were never meant to live rent-free in your head.Because exhaustion isn't always about sleep — sometimes it's about what you refuse to put down.

Ever feel like you're winning on the scoreboard… but losing in the locker room? You're productive. Disciplined. Respected. You execute at a high level professionally. But at home? You're distracted. Short-tempered. Mentally checked out. Present… but not really there. Here's the hard truth: Performance without alignment creates internal friction. And friction, over time, costs you the very things you say matter most. In this episode of the Coming Up Clutch with J.R.™ show, we break down what's really happening when high-performing men dominate in one arena of life but drift in another. Because this isn't a time-management issue. It's an identity issue. And until you close the gap between who you are at work and who you are at home… you'll keep feeling that low-grade tension you can't quite explain. If you're serious about building a thriving family without sacrificing excellence — this one's for you. In this episode, you'll hear:   Why compartmentalizing your life is silently draining your energy and impact The real reason high achievers struggle to "turn it off" at home How identity leakage creates disconnection in marriage and fatherhood A practical framework to transition from performance mode to presence mode The leadership standard your family actually needs from you KEY QUOTES "Pressure becomes overwhelming when the moment controls you instead of you controlling the moment." – Dr. Cory Shaffer "Just because someone claims they're an expert doesn't mean they are. There's a difference between science and bro science." – Dr. Cory Shaffer "Do you want it to look good, or do you want it to work?" – Dr. Cory Shaffer "Winning isn't about sprinting. It's about showing up tomorrow with enough energy to do it again." – J.R. CONNECT WITH DR. CORY X: https://x.com/coryshafferphd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-shaffer-1a09816/ CONNECT WITH J.R. Facebook: @jamesJRreid Instagram: @jamesjrreid LinkedIn: in/jamesjrreid/ Twitter: @jamesJRreid Website: https://jamesreid.com Check out The Clutch Club™️: jamesreid.com/club (For Men Only)   Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.   Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

365. Overwhelmed and Stuck in Survival Mode? Try This 1-Week Reset to Feel Like Yourself Again. | Overwhelm, Organized, Routines, Schedules, Time Management, Time Blocking, Home Systems, Self Care, Planning, Task Management, High Achieving, Moms, Habits, Goals, Successful, Homemaking365. Overwhelmed and Stuck in Survival Mode? Try This 1-Week Reset to Feel Like Yourself Again. Do you ever feel like your brain has 37 tabs open… and you can't find where the music is coming from?You're answering school emails.Coordinating rides.Making dinner decisions.Managing work.Responding to texts.Remembering appointments.Carrying the emotional temperature of the whole house.And somewhere in the middle of all of that…you quietly think:“I just want everything to stop for a minute.”If that's you — this episode is your permission slip.Not to quit.Not to disappear.Not to overhaul your entire life.But to stabilize.Because what you're feeling isn't laziness.It isn't disorganization.It isn't a lack of discipline.It's DECISION FATIGUE.And it's draining you.It's time to implement my:1-Week Stabilize the System Plan Using the Thrive MethodIn this episode, I walk you through a gentle but powerful 1-Week “Stabilize the System” Reset mapped directly from my Thrive Method — so you can move from survival mode back to maintenance (and eventually thriving) without adding more to your plate.This is not a “do more” episode.It's a:simplifystandardizedelegateprotect your brainbreathe againepisode.Especially in February — when winter feels long, energy feels low, and the mental load feels heavy — this reset will help you reduce decisions, calm your nervous system, and create steadiness again.In This Episode We Talk About:✔ Why decision fatigue is silently draining moms✔ Why you feel worse at night (and it's not your fault)✔ How to reduce daily decisions immediately✔ A 1-week stabilization plan inside each Thrive category:TH R I V E You don't need a life overhaul.You need fewer choices.And this episode shows you exactly how to create breathing room again — without dropping the ball on your family.If You've Been Feeling…• Frazzled and scattered• Snappy by evening• Avoidant of simple tasks• Mentally exhausted• Like you “should be able to handle this” but can'tPlease hear me:You are not failing.You are overloaded.And there is a difference.This Episode Will Help You:✨ Lower the mental noise✨ Create stability in one week✨ Feel steady instead of spiraling✨ Move from survival to maintenance mode✨ Protect your energy instead of burning it outYou are a high-capacity woman.But high-capacity women burn out quietly.This week, we don't push harder.We STABILIZE THE SYSTEM.Hit play, take a deep breath, and let's build steadiness again — together.

BE MENTALLY UNSTOPPABLE – The David Goggins Mindset be mentally unstoppable, david goggins motivational speech, stay hard motivation, mental toughness speech, discipline mindset motivation, no excuses speech, extreme ownership motivation, high performance mindset, resilience motivation speech, push past your limits speech, powerful motivational video, grind mindset motivation, callous your mind speech, success mindset motivation, self discipline speech, champion mentality speech, motivational talk for athletes, leadership mindset motivation, build mental strength speech, unstoppable mindset motivation, action over comfort speech, overcome fear motivation, motivational speech for men, elite mindset training, confidence building motivation, personal growth speech, productivity mindset motivation, mental endurance speech, powerful inspiration video, winning mindset speech, hard work motivation, self improvement speech, mindset shift motivation, motivational video 2026, conquer your mind speech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you physically strong… but mentally unfocused? Mental strength isn't toughness or intelligence — it's your ability to direct your focus and energy every single day. In this Live from our NLP training, Dr. Matt explores: Why mental health is more than physical fitness How focus becomes your superpower Why celebrating relationships or goals one day a year isn't enough How high performers train their mindset If you want to be strong in every area — energetic, mental, emotional, and physical — this message is for you. Subscribe for more. Empowerment, Inc. is the leading authority on NLP, Huna, Mental and Emotional Release®, and Hypnosis. For more information, visit us at www.nlp.com or www.empowermentinc.com Music: “Reach for Success” by Scott Holmes https://scottholmesmusic.com/

https://teachhoops.com/ Late in the season, coaches often assume sloppy play or low energy means their team is physically worn down. In this episode, Coach Collins separates physical fatigue from mental fatigue and explains why most teams aren't tired — they're mentally overloaded. This conversation gives coaches permission to adjust without feeling soft. From practice structure to communication tone, you'll learn how mental clarity, not conditioning, often becomes the difference-maker in the weeks leading into the playoffs. If your team looks flat, distracted, or inconsistent late in games, this episode will help you diagnose the real issue and lead your team through the most important stretch of the season with confidence and control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Plus, why did they steer clear of Rhamondre Stevenson? And an all-new Arcand Fire, right here.

From the 2026 EFCA Theology Conference Breakouts, Dr. Ben Skaug—pastor at Bell Shoals Church—leads a session on "The Destiny of Infants and Mentally Unable/Incompetent/Incapable and the Unevangelized (including questions about post-mortem salvation)."

Questioning Everything Was Just the StartThis wasn't a planned episode. This was me hitting record because I couldn't keep carrying everything in my head.Lately, I've been tired. Not just physically. Mentally. Spiritually. Creatively. And it had me asking some uncomfortable questions. About the podcast. About my direction. About whether I'm burned out or just done.Somewhere in all of that, one question kept coming back up:What's my why? And maybe more importantly… is it even mine?In this episode, I talk through burnout, pressure, comparison, and the boxes we put ourselves in trying to be liked, understood, or validated. I don't have a neat answer. I'm not teaching a framework. I'm just being honest about what it feels like to realize the way you've been moving no longer fits.If you've ever felt disconnected from something you once loved, or stuck trying to live up to expectations that aren't really yours, this one's for you.No perfection. No polish. Just a real moment in the middle of a shift.It's About DAMN Time SegmentIt's about damn time I stop moving for everyone else and start defining my why for myself.D.A.M.N. ChallengeTake some time this week to discover or rediscover your why. Not the one that sounds good. Not the one that makes other people comfortable. The one that actually belongs to you.Write it down. Sit with it. Let it change if it needs to.

In this clip from the player rankings show Ste & Eroll discuss Liverpool's mentality in the dying moments of the game. Was it manager lead, player lead or something more??? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aging doesn't have to mean decline—it can mean deeper clarity, stronger perspective, and more freedom to experiment. In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Sayan explores what modern aging really asks of us in a fast-changing world. Sayan is joined by Joe Zahaitis, a senior revenue and payments operations advisor, to unpack why “age is a number” is more than a slogan. They discuss curiosity vs. comfort, why people get stuck in familiar patterns, and how lifelong learning—plus daily balance between mind and body—helps you stay engaged, adaptable, and grounded at any stage. About the Guest: Joe Zahaitis is a Senior Revenue and Payments Operation Advisor with over three decades of experience in complex business systems. He's a lifelong learner exploring emerging areas like agentic AI and modern payments trends. Key Takeaways: Treat aging as an active process: stay curious, not comfortable. Notice “set in my ways” thinking and practice learning one new tool or model. Reframe fear of failure: experiment more, especially when it feels unfamiliar. Keep the mind sharp with learning—but protect balance with daily physical activity. Step away from screens regularly to reset clarity and energy. How to Connect With the Guest: Website: https://www.zahaitis.com/    Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed are the personal opinions of the guest and do not reflect the views of the host or Healthy Mind By Avik™️. We do not intend to harm, defame, or discredit any person, organization, brand, product, country, or profession mentioned. All third-party media used remain the property of their respective owners and are used under fair use for informational purposes. By watching, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer. Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate. With over 6000+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters.

Get AudioBooks for FreeBest Self-improvement MotivationBecome Mentally Strong | Powerful Motivational SpeechBuild unbreakable mental strength, discipline, and focus. This powerful motivational speech will help you stay strong through any challenge.Get AudioBooks for Free⁠We Need Your Love & Support ❤️https://buymeacoffee.com/myinspiration#Motivational_Speech#motivation #inspirational_quotes #motivationalspeech Get AudioBooks for Free Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of Life Rewired, Kristina explores what mental strength really looks like behind the scenes. Inspired by 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin, this conversation reframes mental toughness as less about pushing harder and more about letting go of habits that quietly hold us back. Through personal reflection, Kristina shares how building a business, navigating health challenges, and growing as a human has required repeated unlearning. Throughout the episode, Kristina walks through the behaviors mentally strong people avoid, such as living in self-pity, giving away their power, avoiding change, or getting stuck in comparison and past mistakes. She breaks down how these patterns show up in real life, especially for high-achieving men and women, and how shifting focus back to what is controllable creates momentum, clarity, and self-respect. The emphasis is not on getting it right all the time, but on building awareness and choosing forward action even when things feel uncomfortable or uncertain.This episode serves as both a mirror and a reminder that mental strength is a daily practice shaped by small, repeatable decisions. Kristina reminds listeners that progress compounds over time, and that is how your life truly gets rewired!WATCH ON YOUTUBE:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@kristinaturnure/podcasts⁠BALANCED BLUEPRINT MEMBERSHIP:https://builtgroupcoaching.my.canva.site/balancedblueprintmembershipBUILT AND BALANCED VIP COACHING:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScV_IGO2VhRV415iIsiHz6TGr76wuH-loG2eGt068pZG474qw/viewform BUILT & BALANCED NEWSLETTER:⁠⁠⁠https://builtandbalanced.kit.com/dd0f3197cc⁠⁠⁠LIFE REWIRED IG:⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/LIFEREWIREDPODCAST/?utm_medium=copy_link⁠⁠KRIS IG:⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kristinaturnure/?hl=en⁠⁠NASH BARS:https://nashnutrition.co/PTULA: DISCOUNT CODE KRISTINAT https://www.ptula.com/TRANSPARENT LABS: CODE KRISTINA https://athlete.transparentlabs.com/kristinaturnure

Nick and Jonathan react to Shedeur Sanders' comments from Super Bowl Radio Row and if he struggled because of sitting last season.

Subscribe to Alli's New Substack - Wise Woman Method    Today's episode will reframe how you think about your thoughts and mind. I'm sitting down with Dr. Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon and author, to talk about how your brain actually works and why the patterns running your life aren't permanent.   We're diving into the neuroscience behind why your thoughts literally reshape your brain, how high-performing women can break free from limiting patterns, what God designed your brain to actually do, and yes, we're talking about social media, short-form content, and what it is doing to your brain without you even realizing it.   Here's the hope you need today: you are not a victim of your mind. You're not stuck with the brain you have, and you're not powerless against old patterns. This conversation will show you how to intentionally rewire your thoughts and change the direction of your life from the inside out.   Timestamps: (04:05) - How Your Thoughts Literally Rewire Your Brain (09:46) - Why What You Focus On Becomes Your Reality (14:15) - Practical Ways to Tune Up and Renew Your Brain (18:22) - How Repeated Thoughts Shape the Life You're Living (24:24) -  What Short-Form Content and Social Media Are Doing to Your Brain   WATCH ALLI  ON YOUTUBE   Links to great things we discussed:    Wise Woman Era Dr. Lee Warren's Book Recommendation: Gradually Then Suddenly Dr. Lee Warren's TV Recommendation: Alias Dr. Lee Warren's Product Recommendation: Field Notes Pens The Uplift app is here! Try it free for 30 days. Alli on YouTube I hope you loved this episode!

The title speaks for itself. Let's discuss. Best of I'm Right with Jesse Kelly on The First TV Choq: Visit https://choq.com/jessetv for a 17.76% discount on your CHOQ subscription for life Cardiff: Get fast business funding without bank delays—apply in minutes with Cardiff and access up to $500,000 in same‑day funding at https://Cardiff.co/JESSE American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an average of $800/mo.NMLS 182334, https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-891-2821 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Jesse.Follow The Jesse Kelly Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJesseKellyShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does your brain feel like a web browser with 100 tabs open? If you can't find where the music is coming from, it's time to pause.In this 10-minute guided reset, Martin (Clinical Hypnotherapist) walks you through a powerful visualization to drop your "mental load"—that invisible backpack of to-do lists and emotional needs you've been carrying since you woke up.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL:Visualize releasing the "Mental Load" backpack to instantly lower cortisol.Learn the "Room" technique to step away from mental chatter.Practice 3 specific anxiety-busting tips: The Brain Dump, The Power of Later, and Transition Rituals.KEY AFFIRMATIONS: "I am allowed to rest before I am done." "I cannot pour from an empty cup." "My peace is a priority, not an afterthought."3 TIPS TO MANAGE MENTAL LOAD:The Brain Dump: Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them. Write it down to stop the looping.The Power of Later: You don't have to solve every problem now. Mentally "shelf" it until 4 PM.Transition Rituals: Take 60 seconds to breathe or wash your hands when switching from work to parenting (or busyness to rest).Break the Cycle of Anxiety Today Are you ready to stop the spiral? Join me in the Anxiety Circuit Breaker course, specifically designed to help you regain control and find your calm in just minutes. You can access the full course and take the first step toward a quieter mind by visiting calminganxiety.fm.CONNECT & SUPPORT: If this reset helped you, please subscribe and share it with a friend who is juggling too much.Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

What if real mental toughness has nothing to do with being emotionless? Most people think they're mentally strong—until their plans fall apart and fear hijacks their brain. In this episode, I break down what real mental toughness actually is and why it's built in the middle of the storm, not during the easy seasons of life. Feeling stuck? It's time to take back control. If you're ready to master your mind and create real, lasting change, click the link below and start transforming your life today.

Most people lose control because they fuse their emotions with the moment, and in this episode, I break down why that's a problem. Detachment does not mean avoidance or suppression, it means stepping back internally while staying fully present. When I can separate how I feel from what's happening, I gain perspective without losing engagement. This skill lets you think clearly under pressure and act without emotional spillover. It's how you stay calm, sharp, and in control when things get intense. Show Notes: [02:03]#1 Separate observation from participation. [05:52]#2 Treat the moment as data, not a verdict.  [10:56]#3 Anchor to your principles, not to your feelings. [15:17] Recap Next Steps: --- Power Presence is not taught. It is enforced. If you are operating in environments where hesitation costs money, authority, or leverage, the Power Presence Mastermind exists as a controlled setting for discipline, execution, and consequence-based decision-making. Details live here: http://PowerPresenceProtocol.com/Mastermind  This Masterclass is the public record of standards. Private enforcement happens elsewhere. All episodes and the complete archive: → WorkOnYourGamePodcast.com 

In this episode of the Social Proof Podcast, Dave and Donni break down how decision fatigue quietly drains your energy, slows your momentum, and keeps you stuck in busy work.From the clothes you wear to the choices you avoid, too many low-value decisions add up and steal focus from what actually moves the needle. This conversation dives into why eliminating unnecessary decisions isn't about being rigid — it's about creating systems that protect your mental energy.If you've ever felt productive but not effective, this episode will help you rethink how you structure your day, your routines, and your business.Our Sponsors:* Check out ClickUp and use my code SOCIALPROOF for a great deal: https://www.clickup.com* Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code socialprooffree for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, Dr. Tommy Woods, a neuroscientist and performance coach, shares the best practices you should follow if you want to achieve optimal brain health. He also details how how these practices are tied into your overall health. Dr. Wood introduces his 3S Model, “Stimulus, Supply, and Support,” a simple and practical way to think about how the brain adapts, performs, and stays resilient over time. You'll learn why how you use your brain is the primary driver of brain function, how cardiovascular and metabolic health influence cognition, and why sleep is where the real adaptation happens. You'll also hear powerful coaching insights on handling stress (including why you can't think yourself out of stress), practical tools to downshift when you're under pressure, and the science-backed truth that the adult brain can learn “new tricks”. And you'll also learn why mistakes (and the grace to forgive yourself and others when they occur) are so necessary for continued growth. YOU WILL LEARN: How the “Stimulus–Supply–Support” framework make “brain optimization” doable without the overwhelm. You can't “outthink” yourself out of being stressed, but you can learn effective ways to manage it. Why mistakes should be reframed as necessary and critical components to growth. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Stimulated Mind, by Dr. Tommy Wood Behave, by Robert Sapolsky The Neuroscience of You, by Chantelle Pratt NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: “The 3S are stimulus, support and supply. In terms of brain function, stimulus is the most important.” — Dr. Tommy Wood “The most important thing somebody should do for their brain health is the thing that they will actually do and do it consistently.” — Dr. Tommy Wood “You don't get stronger in the gym — you get stronger when you recover. And the brain is exactly the same.” — Dr. Tommy Wood “One of the best ways to buffer stress and build our stress capacity is exercise.” — Dr. Tommy Wood “You don't know all the amazing things that can happen if you just go out into the world and you're nice to other people.” — Dr. Tommy Wood Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if mental toughness isn't something you're born with but something you can create on demand? In this episode, I break down powerful psychology research and show you how anyone can become mentally tough by changing their self-perception and self-talk. If you want to be a high performer in 2026, click here: https://2026workshop.com/   If you want 2026 to be your best year yet then this video is for you. In just 30 minutes, I'll help you build a clear, simple goal system so you stop guessing and start moving forward with confidence.