About Progress

Latest Episodes:

AB 045: Nicole Kalkowski || Fighting for Children with Special Needs Sep 13, 2017

Show notes

“You have unique experiences with each one of your children. I think that working to cultivate happiness in your home, even though you could be going through hard things . . . really pays off. What you think about transcends, and it impacts your everyday life.”

Nicole Kalkowski has had to fight for her son throughout his entire life. From a toddler diagnosed with regressive autism then immediately after with a myriad of diseases, including mitochondria and epilepsy, Nicole has relied on her intuition and resilience to get doctors to hear her and to help her son. She has literally kept him alive.

Redbook Magazine covered the Kalkowski family for an entire year, documenting what it was like to have a then-three-year old son with autism. (A beautiful picture from the feature is below, with article links in the show notes.) Nicole later became an advocate and got amazing legislation passed that will ensure other parents don't have to face the darkness helplessly, as her family had.

Ryan (now almost a teen!) requires round-the-clock care. Nicole, with her husband and three other children, have adopted the phrase "Roll with it!" when life presents new challenges or interruptions to each day. That decision to let go is repeated often in Nicole's story, as she learned to rely on others, on God, and to search for happiness wherever possible. And Nicole sees it everywhere.

You'll be inspired by this mother's resilience, how she knows who Ryan is at his core, and how she can say she is now grateful for the dark times she and her family have faced.

Show Notes:

Redbook articles on Kalkowski family: here, here, here, and here

Last week's interview with Briana Johnson

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

Contact Monica

Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcasts from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

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AB 044: Briana Johnson || Illuminating the Possibilities for Growth Sep 06, 2017

Show notes

“It’s so easy to let the fear take over and have your vision crumble, because you want it to work so much and you need it to work so much . . . [But] you need to stay connected to yourself, you need to stay connected to your vision, you need to stay connected to your higher power.”

Briana Johnson is the genius behind the powerful podcast The LifeBeats Project. Her path to creating this successful community has been full of mountains of stress, self-doubt, and fear. Such is the way of going after dreams! But Briana assures us that is is alllll worth it because of who we become in the process.

In this interview, Briana shares how creativity has been such a huge part of her life and how podcasting has become an important part of who she is and where she sees herself heading. In facing incredible trials with her husband's debilitating battle with aggressive M.S., Briana has been through a difficult transformation of her own. She shares how owning her story--while she fought it for some time--has enabled her to better accept the illumination of who she wants and needs to be.

Briana is passionate about helping others find and own their story. She has a unique way of connecting with people, and she uses that gift to promote so much self-love and empowerment in others. Briana's wisdom helps us discover what we can do to better grow into who we are meant to be.

If you like the show, please subscribe!!

Show Notes:

Briana's website, Instagram, and Facebook

Briana's new 14 day course (use code "ABOUTPROGRESS" to get $26 off!!)

Monica's interview on The LifeBeats Project

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

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Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcasts from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

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AP 043: Food, How to Use It, Not Abuse It || Part One Aug 30, 2017

Show notes

“The way that we relate to food is a manifestation of the way we are showing up or engaging in our life.”

Ain’t that the truth, friends? This bit of wisdom came from one of the experts featured on today’s podcast—Stephanie Webb. Alongside Elizabeth Dall, we talk about the COMPLICATED relationship all of us often experience with food and what can be done about it.

You might call it “emotional eating,” it could be “mindless eating,” under- or over-eating, numbing through food, eating disorders, or just plain obsession over what you will eat and when. No matter how you crack it, these are some of the various ways we can abuse food and it abuse us right back.

If you want to know what this looks like, how you can begin fixing it, and why it’s worth doing so, check out today’s episode.

If you like the show, please subscribe!!

Show Notes:

Stephanie's website and Instagram

Elizabeth's website and Instagram

Last week's episode with Lizzy Jensen

Referenced Podcasts with more on Monica's battle with eating disorders:

Here, Here (with Extraordinary Moms Podcast!), and Here (with The LifeBeats Project!)

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

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Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

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AP 042: Lizzy Jensen || Finding Your Mission in Life, Through Life's Twists and Turns Aug 23, 2017

Show notes

“I think if you continue to ask and seek . . . and then act on those things you’re feeling, life gets better and better. I think that’s how it’s supposed to be if you keep living outside of your comfort zone and pursuing those ideas, and thoughts, and feelings.”

We all know that life takes us on many twists and turns. Lizzy Jensen's life is no different as her own has led her so many different directions than she had envisioned. So often, she thought she was supposed to pursue something for a certain "why," only to have the end-product of her work not match what she had first thought or even wanted. But for Lizzy, she now has the perspective that those twists and turns were each undeniably the "why" behind the beauty and purpose that has come of her own life's mission.

Lizzy is passionate about helping others recognize what their own unexpected life paths have to offer them. Her latest purpose is to help people--women, especially--learn what gifts they have to offer the world and how they can then accomplish their own unique mission in life. Listen in to discover how to do just that, and learn so much more from Lizzy about the value of work, how to gain perspective when things don't go our way, her key to making goals, some truth-slams about parenthood, and much more.

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AP 041: Christopher Clark || Creating a Happy Life, In Spite of Incurable Disease Aug 16, 2017

Show notes

“I do think you have to choose happiness, because it’s YOUR life. You are in control of your own personal happiness. I could lay in bed sick and angry, or I could choose to laugh . . . and make a happy life. I don’t find that it is any more difficult than it was before. My problems have just changed.”

Christopher Clark told me a story about another friend of his that was also diagnosed with ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease. When this friend's doctor told him of his diagnosis, in almost the same breath the doctor made a plea that he would not take his own life.

For many, receiving word that they have this untreatable, incurable, gradually debilitating disease is a death-sentence. For Clark, there was grieving to be sure; but there was also a determination to rise above the temptation to languish in his pain and despair, and instead to live the rest of his now-shortened life with a good amount of grace, and even more of humor.

Chris's choice to find happiness in spite it all is evident throughout this interview, which is surprisingly entertaining given the topic of our discussion. We first explore his love of acting and directing and how he eventually pursued it as his profession. He is now a professor and head of the theatre department at Utah Valley University, on top of being a well-known actor and director.

We talk about the huge transitions he and his family has faced the past year plus since his diagnosis, what physical symptoms he deals with daily, what he is the saddest about losing to his disease, what he has learned about himself through it all, and how he still finds the will to continue progressing in his personal and professional life in spite of it all.

Show Notes:

Christopher's Instagram

Last week's episode with Emily Nelson

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

Contact Monica

Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcasts from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

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AP 040: Emily Nelson || Empowering Yourself to Become the Best Version of You Aug 09, 2017

Show notes

“Come and give your all. Don’t say, ‘I want to look this way or I want to be this way,’ but, ‘I want to become the best version of myself.’”

Emily Nelson is one of the most high-energy women I've ever "met." And she puts that energy to good use as the co-creator and co-founder of HIGH Fitness, a workout that is taking North America by storm only 2 1/2 years from its conception.

In today's interview, Emily talks about how her growing up years inspired her to have a strong work ethic, what she did to get past her initial shyness, and the path she took after college that eventually led to creating a new fitness brand with her friend and business partner, Amber Zenith.

Emily is passionate about their vision: to not just create a class, but a fitness community that inspires men and women to move past focusing on the exterior, and instead on becoming the best versions of themselves. There is a reason why participants tell Emily every single day that her classes are changing their lives.

You'll also love hearing about what Emily thinks is the hardest challenge behind trying to balance life as an entrepreneur and a mother, why she and Amber are committed to not filling their feeds with sexy photos to increase their business, and how they have combatted the nay-sayers by staying true to their mission to inspire each person who is apart of the High Fitness community to live their best life.

Show Notes

Emily's Instagram, and Amber's (her co-founder) Instagram

High Fitness Instagram, Facebook, and website

Last week's episode with Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

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More Podcasts from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

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AP 039: Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife || Approval Seeking vs. True Goodness, How to Do Things for the Right Reasons Aug 02, 2017

Show notes

"Many of us resist developing ourselves into our own unique expressions of Godliness, of humanity, because we fear the exposure, and the risk, and the potential invalidation that comes through doing that . . . If that is the only paradigm we operate in, we limit our ability to really develop into beings capable of offering goodness in the world, and creating a better world through our own capacity."

What is "goodness?" How do we develop it when faced with real and imagined pressures?

Today, Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife answers these questions by fleshing out the term "goodness" that often comes up in her teachings. Jennifer teaches us how to discover what it is we truly want and feel we "should" do with our lives and then how to better own our choices, especially when we are often only faced with difficult ones.

Jennifer also offers how to live up to the core desires we have, more fully cultivate our gifts, and how to in turn better tolerate the internal and external push-back we might experience as we develop true goodness within ourselves and our lives.

Like her past episode on About Progress, this interview is one worth listening to several times to fully glean Jennifer's wisdom. There are many ways to apply this discussion to parenthood, marriage, "control freaks," "victims," and those who live their lives based on others' approval.

More on Jennifer:

Jennifer Finlayson-Fife grew up in Burlington, Vermont as one of eight children. She studied Psychology and Women's Studies at Brigham Young University, and went on to receive her Masters and PhD in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She has a private practice in Chicago, IL where she works primarily with LDS couples on relational and sexual issues. She is a frequent guest on LDS-themed podcasts, and has written articles for LDS-themed magazines and blogs on the subjects of sexuality and modesty as well as mental health and faith. She is married to John Finlayson-Fife and has three wonderful children.

Show Notes:

Jennifer's website and upcoming workshops

Video she recommended, "How to know you life's purpose in 5 minutes"

Jennifer's past interview on perfectionism

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

Contact Monica

Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcast episodes from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

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AP 038: Fitness; How to Use It, Not Abuse It Jul 26, 2017

Show notes

We all know the amazing benefits of exercise: mental acuity, emotional release, increased strength, more consistent metabolism, confidence, and on and on.

But we don't often talk about the effects of abusing exercise, a trap we can all so subtly fall into. This can happen through both over- and under-use, although much of this episode it devoted to abuse through too much (or too intense, too often) exercising.

Alongside my two expert guests--Meg Miles and Rachel Gainer--we discuss it all. How fitness is a powerful tool for good and so essential to our well-being; but also how abusing it can negatively alter our lives and become all-consuming. Learn through our discussion how to properly make exercise an important part of your life without letting it control you.

In this episode, there is a wealth of science, personal stories, and loads of take-aways. Our goal? To empower the listeners to view their bodies--and fitness--with love and "healthy enthusiasm."

Show Notes:

Meg Miles's website, blog, and Instagram

Past podcast interview with Meg

Rachel Gainer's website and Instagram

Past podcast interview with Rachel

Articles on effects of overexercising on metabolism: here and here

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

Contact Monica

Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcast episodes from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AP 037: Camille Andros || Starting Small, Achieving Big Jul 19, 2017

Show notes

"The preparation will meet your opportunity, and that is when you can have success. So, you need to work really hard and be ready for when you get that chance, because you never know when it’s going to come."

Camille Andros is a woman of many interests including science, writing, and children (she has 6 of her own). For many years, she found herself focusing on one thing and then the other, all of which she loved and found fulfilling. But eventually, she found herself combining her passions into writing children's literature. She wants children to believe that they are smart and they can love science too, and her stories inspire just that and then some!

Camille talks about her path towards getting published, how she believes in "a time and a season," the great importance for everyone to have hobbies and dreams, and the remarkable path her life has taken, one small step at a time! Oh, and you'll love Camille's view of how rejection can be a good sign that you're on the right path and how she has learned that slowing down actually helps her work.

Show Notes:

Camille's website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BOOK!

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Monica's Facebook and Instagram

Contact Monica

Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcast episodes from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AP 036: Jeni Awerkamp || Valuing Who You Are First, Not What You Do Jul 12, 2017

Show notes

“It starts with who you are. Then what you do comes so naturally, and so beautifully, that that is respected because you were who you are first.”

There is a reason Jeni Awerkamp's mom called her "Jeni Joy" growing up. This woman radiates light and positivity! Jeni makes this choice every day, and the biggest key to her finding that joy is to focus on who she IS first, not her "successes."

This is a lesson Jeni learned after selling her interest in her rising business and instead focusing on motherhood. She has a strong entrepreneurial spirit whose mind is always thinking about the next thing and a big thirst for creating; but she discovered that for her, she needed to invest her self-worth in who she was at the core and to not place her esteem on things, people, or achievements.

Jeni also shares the importance of filling our buckets, how she creates and pursues goals, and how much happier she has been once she's chosen to let her hair down and embrace the "yellow" side of her personality.

If you like the show, please subscribe and leave a review on iTunes!!

Show Notes:

Jeni's blog (it's fantastic!) and Instagram

Monica's INTERVIEW with Briana from The LifeBeats Project (she's amazing!)

SURVEY!

Monica's Facebook and Instagram

Contact Monica

Free Audiobook through Audible! (Affiliate link)

More Podcast episodes from About Progress

Song Credit: "Sweet Promise" by Nicolai Heidlas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices