Change Academy podcast

Whenever we make plans or set goals, it’s important anticipate the inevitable bumps in the road, and be ready to adapt and course-correct. 

But sometimes, life doesn’t just serve up a bump in the road. It delivers an earthquake that shakes us to the core and opens up a chasm into which our entire life–and all of our fancy plans–are thrown.  In an instant, the goals, projects and ambitions that have been driving our thoughts, activities, and even our identities become irrelevant.

Today, psychologist Bethy Campbell joins me to talk about how to handle it when life goes completely off the rails.

Read more: How to cope when your life goes completely off the rails

Key Takeaways

1. Many of us tend to define ourselves by the goals that we set and accomplish. Consider the possibility that how we deal with life’s catastrophes may be even more revealing of our character and identity. 
2. Even when you’re stuck with something you didn’t choose, you still have the power to choose how you respond to and learn from those experiences.
3. Before we go looking for those silver linings or opportunities, it’s important to allow ourselves to acknowledge our grief and disappointment over what we may have lost. 
4. Even if we are forced to radically recalibrate our goals or our definition of success, setting doable goals gives us something to work toward and celebrate.

Mentioned

Life Directions Consulting with Dr. Bethy Campbell

Wellness Works Here

These final few days of the year are a great time to reflect on the year that’s past and think about what we’d like to focus on or accomplish in the New Year. And in this episode, I’m sharing a three-part process that might just become your new end-of-year ritual.  Instead of your New year’s Resolutions being a well-intentioned flash in the pan, we’re going to kindle a flame that will burn brightly all year. 

Continue reading “Resolution Remix: A 3-Step Ritual That Sets You Up for Success”

Wrestling with a tough choice? Trying to weigh the pros and cons but going in circles? In this episode, I’ve got a systematic approach to decision-making that can bring some welcome clarity to complex choices.

Whether you’re standing at a personal or professional crossroads, or debating different solutions to a problem, this framework will help you understand both the rational and emotional elements of your decision-making process–helping you move forward with more clarity and confidence.

Continue reading “Going beyond pros and cons to get to the heart of tough decisions”

Struggling with hard-to-quit habits? Whether it’s the nightly glass of wine, mindless snacking, or endless social media scrolling, in this episode we’re talking about why these habits are so sticky – and more importantly, how to finally change them.

You’ll learn how your brain’s reward system actually works (it’s not what most people think!) and practical strategies for making lasting changes without giving up pleasure altogether.

You’ll learn specific techniques for navigating cravings, resetting your reward system, and creating new habits that satisfy your brain’s needs in more constructive ways. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in cycles of pleasure-seeking behaviors, this episode offers a fresh perspective and actionable solutions for lasting change.

Continue reading “Escaping the pleasure trap: How to break highly rewarding habits”

Our thoughts powerfully impact our lives—but we don’t always pay enough attention to what we’re telling ourselves. In this episode, we’ll take a look at four distinct categories of thoughts: those that are both true and helpful, those that might not be proven but serve us well, those that are true but get in our way, and those that are neither true nor helpful.

I even made you a cool decision tree worksheet to help you apply these concepts to your own thoughts and move forward with more clarity and confidence.

Continue reading “What to do with your negative thoughts”

In this first episode of a three-part series, we are digging in to why we so often resist making positive changes in our lives. Resistance isn’t simply stubbornness or laziness; it can be your brain’s way of keeping you safe. The key is to recognize what our resistance is trying to tell us, so that it doesn’t hold us back.  

Continue reading “How to Overcome Your Resistance to Change”

As the end of the year looms into view, you may feel some regret or disappointment about unmet goals or unrealized ambitions. Add in the chaos of holiday schedules, and it’s tempting to shelve all personal objectives until January.

This episode challenges that mindset, showing you how to turn these final months into a period of meaningful progress. Join me to reassess your goals without self-judgment, adapt your habits for the holiday season, and create a focused approach that will allow you to end the year feeling victorious.

Continue reading “Year-End Recalibration: Let’s Make These Last Two Months Count”

Craving a break from your routines? Discover why that might actually be sabotaging your happiness…as well as your progress.

Molly Watts returns to the Change Academy to help me unravel the counterintuitive link between structure and relaxation. Learn how to craft routines that boost mental and physical well-being, make your time off more enjoyable, and ease the transition back into your normal schedule.

Continue reading “The Surprising Secret to Enjoying a Break in Your Routine”

Discover why viewing change as a lifelong journey is not just realistic, but liberating and exciting. Learn how to reframe personal growth as evolution rather than ‘fixing’ yourself, and explore the powerful concept of change as a form of self-expression. Whether you’re working on health, finances, relationships, or any other area of life, this episode will equip you with a new perspective on sustainable personal development.

Continue reading “Why Change Takes Forever (and Why That’s So Awesome!)”

In a world obsessed with success, embracing failure seems a bit counter-cultural. But if it’s good enough for the some of history’s smartest and most successful figures, there’s probably something the rest of us can learn. In fact, an outsized fear of failure could hold us back from our greatest achievements. 

Whether you’re a perfectionist paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes, or a risk-taker looking to fail smarter, let’s rewrite the script on what it means to fail — and succeed — in both personal and professional realms.

Continue reading “The Alchemy of Failure: Finding the treasure hiding in our mistakes”