Start with Small Steps

85 - Coco and Miguel Shows Us How to Forgive Have you seen the movie “Coco”? It’s an incredible story about family, sacrifice, and forgiveness. The main character is a boy named Miguel who loves music, but unfortunately, his family has banned it. One day, he finds himself in the land of the dead and learns all about his family’s past and the importance of forgiveness. It really inspired me to think about the power of forgiveness in my own life. I encourage you to try rewriting someone’s story to gain a deeper understanding of them and to practice forgiveness. Let’s spread love and compassion! https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3173 Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

84 - Find your Fun Magnets Have you ever felt like you’re not having enough fun in your life? The book called “The Power of Fun” by Catherine Price tries to help. She suggests using the acronym SPARK to identify and pursue true fun: make space, pursue passions, attract fun, rebel, and keep at it. I’ve been analyzing my past experiences and breaking them down into “fun magnets,” and it’s been so helpful in designing my life to have more true fun. I’ve been identifying activities, people, and settings that create high-energy, enjoyable experiences that reduce stress and promote a sense of release. It’s been amazing to be open to new experiences and push myself outside of my comfort zone to find new sources of fun. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3140 http://catherineprice.com/ https://vimeo.com/610867602 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN1xSvt6zWY Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

83 - Are You Having Fun? I review the book called "Are You Having Fun?" by Catherine Price. It opened my eyes to the importance of true fun and how we can identify and prioritize activities that bring us joy. Price talks about how distractions like technology can have a negative impact on our ability to have fun and encourages us to create space in our schedules for it. She breaks down true fun into three elements: playfulness, connection with others, and flow. It's important to identify our "fun magnets" - the things that bring us true joy - and prioritize those activities. Price also warns against mistaking novelty or rewards for true fun and emphasizes the importance of play in our lives. Overall, this book gives a new perspective on how I approach fun and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to add more joy to their lives! https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3136 http://catherineprice.com/ https://vimeo.com/610867602 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN1xSvt6zWY Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

82 – Gain Everyday Courage Everyday courage as described by Mel Robbins and her amazing books and videos really inspired me to think differently about how I approach my goals and my fears. We need to reframe negative thoughts and anxiety into excitement and give our mind a new explanation to change how it reacts. It’s amazing how gaining confidence and acting on our goals can improve relationships, and help identify personal challenges. I challenge you to find one way to be courageous each week and take small steps toward your goals. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3131 https://melrobbins.com/5secondrule/ Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

81 - Go! Go Now! I talk about the 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins. It’s a game-changer! Basically, all you have to do is count down from 5 and then take action on whatever it is you want to do. It sounds simple, but trust me, it works wonders. This rule can help us to overcome hesitation and make progress in our life. The book and TED Talk are full of inspiring examples of how this rule has worked for others, and I highly recommend checking them out. If you’re looking for a way to be more courageous and take action in your everyday life, the 5-Second Rule is definitely worth a try! https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3123 https://melrobbins.com/5secondrule/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7E973zozc Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

80 - Dopamine Dizziness Did you know that there’s a molecule in our brains called dopamine that can actually make us addicted to things like social media, sugar, and video games? Companies intentionally hack into our dopamine systems to keep us engaged and coming back for more. We can detox from dopamine by eliminating distractions, avoiding open systems, and focusing on the present moment. And the best part? We can replace dopamine with endorphins, oxytocin, and serotonin, which make us feel good for immediate actions rather than the promise of future rewards. Dopamine Detox: A Short Guide to Remove Distractions and Get Your Brain to Do Hard Things by Thibaut Meurisse https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3119 Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

79 - Use Objects In All Their Imperfections As I explore the idea of finding joy in imperfection, I’m reminded of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi and the Greek philosophy of Epicureanism. Both embrace the beauty of imperfections and find pleasure in life’s simple moments. I want to encourage you to appreciate the imperfections in yourself and the world around you, and to find beauty in the stories and history behind flawed objects and people. Let’s take the time to appreciate the differences in ourselves and others, and find joy in embracing our unique qualities.  https://japanobjects.com/features/wabi-sabi https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/588651/happiness--found-in-translation-by-tim-lomas-phd-illustrated-by-annika-huett/9780525538080 https://hifisamurai.github.io/lexicography/ https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3103 Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

78 - Take Five and a Health Snack The book called "Feel Better in Five" by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is about taking small, quick actions, or "health snacks," to improve your physical and emotional well-being. Dr. Chatterjee emphasizes that it's not about the destination, but rather the journey. And he gives some awesome tips for creating healthy habits, like starting easy, tying habits to existing ones, respecting natural rhythms, and designing environments for success. Plus, he encourages positive self-talk and celebrating your successes along the way. One of the coolest parts of the book is that it includes recipes for health snacks to address various physical and emotional issues. But even better, Dr. Chatterjee encourages readers to come up with their own health snacks too! https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3100 https://drchatterjee.com/feel-better-in-5/ https://drchatterjee.com/feel-better-in-5-how-to-follow-my-daily-plan-that-will-help-you-feel-great-for-life/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MekMbN4hDzY Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

77  - Why Say Yes to Life The book by Viktor Frankl’s book “Yes to Life” is about finding meaning in life, even when things get tough. I’ve been reading it lately and it’s really inspired me to take action and focus on loving others. Frankl asks some pretty deep life questions to help us find purpose. He also talks about how materialism can have negative effects and how we need positive role models in society. But you know what? Ultimately, he believes that the meaning of life is simply life itself. Each of us has a unique role to play in making the world a better place. It’s a powerful message and I can’t wait to dive deeper into it. https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3097 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQbxRkXzTjg https://gen.medium.com/in-dark-times-we-must-say-yes-to-life-c5f93a6ee46f Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com

76 – Be Negative and Be Prepared In this podcast episode, I talk about “The Power of Negative Thinking” by Bobby Knight. He makes excellent points about how being aware of potential negatives can actually lead to positive outcomes. It was fascinating to hear his perspective on why having a positive attitude all the time can actually be counterproductive. Instead, he emphasized the importance of discipline, perseverance, and knowing when to pivot. One of the things that really stood out to me was his idea that successful leadership means being hard to please. He argued that we should always look for things to fix and improve upon, rather than simply settling for what’s good enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRk38CdgEDE https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3092 Jill’s Linkshttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps Twitter startwithsmallsteps Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com