Episode Description

In this episode, Sarah unpacks how your identity isn’t built through resolutions or vision boards. It is built through the mundane, everyday actions you’re taking right now.

Inspired by James Clear’s work but reframed through her signature raw lens, she introduces the concept that every action you take is a “rep” building the person you’re becoming.

If you’re exhausted trying to become a perfect version of yourself overnight, this episode will help you understand that you’re already building your identity every single day. The only question is for which version of yourself?

In This Episode Sarah Discusses…

• Why she did a second branding shoot this year and how it reflects the identity shift she's making for 2026
• Reframing James Clear's concept: every action isn't just a vote, it's a rep—like building muscle at the gym, you're building your identity
• The shift to identity-based behavior change: instead of "what do I want to achieve?", ask "who do I want to become?" and "what would that person do?"
• Why your next rep matters more than all your previous ones (you can't erase the past, but you can start building now)
• What Sarah's ready to let go of: being shy, not a good public speaker, not pretty enough, not smart enough—and the version that hides her true self for fear of judgment

Quotes from This Episode

"Every action that you take is a rep. So just like you do reps at the gym you're building muscle or you're not building muscle. In this sense you're building your identity."

"I realized I was getting my reps in all the wrong areas and we've all been getting our reps in. It's just on whether it's in an area that you actually wanna get reps in."

"What kind of person are your actions building? Not what you say you wanna be. What actions are you building?"

"Your identity is not fixed and it's going to change. And every single action, no matter how small, is another rep for who you're becoming."

"We waste so much energy trying to become perfect versions of ourselves overnight, and we miss the fact that we've already been building every single day through these tiny actions we take."

Your Action Step

Before the end of today, whether you’re listening at 5am or 9pm, get ONE rep in for the person you want to become. Just one. Then tomorrow morning, get another one in. And then the next day, get another one in. You don’t have to build your entire identity in one day. You’re accumulating reps over time to prove to yourself you’re becoming the person you want to be.

Connect with MBB

FREE CEUS: https://mindbodybehavior.co/ceus

Mind Body Behavior RECLAIM Retreat:https://mindbodybehavior.co/appointment-page-3564-2536-1477-4221

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD: 

https://mindbodybehavior.co/bcba-supervision
Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts

"Money doesn't grow on trees." "We have to hold onto what we have." If you grew up hearing phrases like these, you might be filtering every decision through a scarcity lens without even realizing it.

In this episode, Sarah breaks down how the beliefs we inherited in childhood become the filter through which we see opportunities, success, and what's possible for us as adults.

She gets practical about how to recognize when you're operating from scarcity versus abundance in your career, relationships, and growth - and shares real examples from her own business of what shifts when you stop making decisions from fear.

In This Episode Sarah Discusses...

• How childhood messages like "money doesn't grow on trees" create an adult filter of "not enough" that keeps you stuck
• The core difference: scarcity says "there's not enough to go around" while abundance says "there's enough and I can create more" - and why this has nothing to do with how much you actually have
• What scarcity looks like across six areas (career, collaboration, growth, relationships, time, and worth) and the internal dialogue that reveals when you're operating from fear instead of strategy
• What abundance looks like in those same areas - from "I have to say yes or I'll miss my only chance" to "if this isn't aligned, something better will come"
• Real examples from Sarah's business: saying no to a $150 client and attracting a $300 client a week later, choosing abundance when her first employee quit, and how constantly asking "how good can this get?" transforms everything
  

Quotes from This Episode

"I was filtering everything through this lens of not enough. Not enough resources, not enough opportunities, not enough me. Just not enough. And that kept me feeling very stuck."

"This has very little to do with how much you have because you can have a lot and still operate from scarcity. You can have very little and operate from abundance."

"Abundance doesn't mean you're ignorant. It doesn't pretend problems don't exist. It just shifts the question from 'what if I lose this?' to 'what can I create?"

"What if I said yes to that client that only wanted to pay me $150 and then I had no room in my schedule for this client that was so aligned with my soul?"

"I don't beg for clients anymore. I operate from abundance and I know that the people that are meant for me are going to come."

Your Action Step

Pick one area of your life - your work, your relationships, or your own growth - and pay attention to the lens you're using. When you notice yourself in scarcity mode, just pause and ask: "What would this look like through an abundance lens?"

You don't have to change anything. Just notice. Just ask the question.

Connect with MBB

FREE CEUS: https://mindbodybehavior.co/ceus

Mind Body Behavior RECLAIM Retreat:https://mindbodybehavior.co/appointment-page-3564-2536-1477-4221

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD: 

https://mindbodybehavior.co/bcba-supervision

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts

Sarah gets raw about an experience most BCBAs dread: being reported to the BACB Ethics Department. In this deeply personal episode, she walks through the three-week emotional roller coaster of responding to an anonymous ethics complaint about her supervision program - the immediate panic, the spiral of worst-case scenarios, and ultimately, the perspective shift that made her grateful for the whole experience.

This isn't just about what happened; it's about what it means to lead a movement, accept that not everyone will support you, and give yourself permission to show up authentically even when it makes people uncomfortable.

In This Episode Sarah Discusses...

• The moment she got the BACB email and her immediate emotional spiral (spoiler: even with all her coping skills, she was terrified)

• The anonymous ethics complaint: concerns about supervision for stay-at-home moms, multi-state licensing claims, and unrestricted hours

• Why she wishes the person had reached out directly first instead of going straight to the BACB

• How this experience confirmed she's on the right path - "This just means I'm doing everything aligned with my soul"

• The exhausting energy of women tearing each other down in the field (and why she's creating a different space)

  
  

Quotes from This Episode

"I wish the person would've sent me a message, would've sent me an email, would have somehow tried to contact me to express their concerns first, and then I would've loved to have a conversation."

"If you want to be someone that makes a change, that leads a movement, you have to be okay with other people not liking you and not supporting you."

"Just because I am a behavior analyst and super analytical in the workplace doesn't mean I can't go home and manifest things and talk about how I believe in the universe and karma."

"I'm so sick of us having to fit into this perfect little box because I don't fit into a perfect little box, and for so much of my life I tried to fit into this little box and it never felt right."

"If there's gonna be a problem, I can complain about the problem or I can create a solution. And the solution is Permission for More."

Resources Mentioned:

• Permission for More - New community launching soon

• Mindset calls for overcoming limiting beliefs

• CEUs for behavior analysis outside autism

• Health coaching CEUs

• A space to talk about big dreams without judgment

  
  

Connect With MBB

FREE CEUS: ⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/ceus⁠

Mind Body Behavior RECLAIM Retreat:

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/appointment-page-3564-2536-1477-4221⁠

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program:⁠ ⁠⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach⁠

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD:⁠ ⁠

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/bcba-supervision⁠

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts

Fresh off a life-changing four-day retreat in Arizona, Sarah gets brutally honest about what happens when you stop comparing yourself to others and start letting their success inspire you instead. This isn't your typical "mindset" episode - it's a raw conversation about glass ceilings we create for ourselves, the scarcity mindset plaguing our field, and why the resistance you're feeling about growth is exactly the sign you need to lean in. If you've been playing small because it feels safer, this episode is your permission slip to want more.

In This Episode Sarah Discusses...

• Why feeling like you don't belong in the room means you're in exactly the right room

• The shift from "I'm not doing enough" comparison to "if they can do it, so can I" inspiration

• How giving yourself permission to want more isn't selfish - it's your responsibility

• Why resistance to growth is often a sign you need to do the thing that scares you

• The toxic scarcity mindset in ABA: why other BCBAs' success doesn't threaten yours

Quotes from This Episode:

"Your comfort zone keeps you safe, but it's also keeping you stuck. And you're not meant to stay stuck."

"Comparison is gonna make you feel small. It's gonna make you see other people's success as evidence of your failure. Inspiration makes you ask: if they can do it, why can't I?"

"There's not a limited amount of success that goes around. Your success does not take away from mine. My success does not diminish yours."

"The ceiling breaks the moment that you decide it's not real and you go for it anyway - not before and not after. It happens when you go for it in that action."

"Every glass ceiling I thought was real in my life, someone in another room had already broken through it. The only thing keeping me under that ceiling was my belief that it existed."

"You don't have to stay small to make people comfortable. You don't have to downplay your ambition to seem humble."

Resources Mentioned:

• VIBE In-Person Retreat - April 2025 (beachfront location)

• Featuring Seth Wagner (business coach) and Jill Stoddard (imposter syndrome expert, author of The Big Book of ACT Metaphors)

• 3-hour workshop included
  

Connect With MBB

FREE CEUS: https://mindbodybehavior.co/ceus

Mind Body Behavior RECLAIM Retreat:

https://mindbodybehavior.co/appointment-page-3564-2536-1477-4221

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD: 

https://mindbodybehavior.co/bcba-supervision

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts

Episode 21: The Law of Empty Spaces - Why You Can't Receive What's Meant for You Until You Let Go

Release Date: 11/11/2025

Duration: 31 Minutes

Host: Sarah Burby, Founder of MindBodyBehavior

Episode Description

Sarah gets real about energy and why holding onto what no longer serves you is blocking everything you actually want. From toxic jobs to old identities to other people's opinions, this episode is about trusting the void and understanding that the universe doesn't do empty spaces. If your hands are full of what's draining you, you literally cannot receive what's meant for you. No behavior analysis hat required for this one,  just raw truth about transformation, frequency, and finally giving yourself permission to let go.

In This Episode Sarah Discusses...

• The Law of Empty Spaces and why the universe fills every void

• Why we cling to soul-crushing jobs, toxic relationships, and limiting identities

• Her personal story of letting go before meeting her husband

• How other people's fear disguises itself as "concern" for your choices

• The concept of vibrational frequency and why you attract what you match

  
  

Quotes from This Episode

"You cannot receive what's meant for you if your hands are full of what no longer serves you."

"Everything you're holding onto is taking up space, and as long as you're holding it, there is no room for what's next."

"Other people say these things because your transformation threatens their stagnation. When you let go and trust the empty space, you're showing them what's possible."

"I simply refuse to surround myself with people that vibe out at a very low frequency... I am very intentional about whose opinions I allow in my decision process."

"You can't attract that aligned relationship when you're vibrating at the frequency of 'I'm not worthy.”

Action Steps from This Episode

1. Name what you're holding onto - Get specific about one thing that needs to go

2. Acknowledge what it gave you - Honor it without carrying it forward

3. Make a list of 3-5 people whose opinions actually matter to you

4. Feel the fear and let go anyway - Fear doesn't mean it's wrong

5. Sit with the empty space - Resist filling it immediately; let the transformation happen

Connect with MBB

Become a Board Certified Health Coach:

https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

Mind Body Behavior RECLAIM Retreat:

https://mindbodybehavior.co/appointment-page-3564-2536-1477-4221

FREE CEUS: 

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/boardhealthcoach

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD:
https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/bcbasupervision

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts

ABA Redefined - Episode 20: The Reality of Building Something New - Email Mishaps, Retreat Launches, and Riding the Wave

Release Date: 11/5/2025

Duration: 18 minutes 40 seconds

Host: Sarah Burpee, Founder of MindBodyBehavior

Sarah gets real about the messiness of launching new things - from email platform disasters to spiral moments to the growth that happens when you refuse to let mistakes derail you. This unscripted Monday recording (released Wednesday) captures the raw highs and lows of pushing outside your comfort zone, featuring retreat launch chaos, hard-won self-compassion skills in action, and why Sarah's building things that don't exist yet in the behavior analysis world.

In this episode Sarah Discusses...

• The email platform disaster that almost derailed the retreat launch (twice)

• How she caught herself spiraling and used the skills she teaches in real-time

• Personal growth markers: being able to sleep through mistakes and not blame others

• Getting validation at exactly the right moment from an ACT trainer peer review

• • Why constantly stepping outside your comfort zone matters more than feeling comfortable

  
  

  Quotes From This Episode:

"If this were three years ago, probably two years ago, I physically wouldn't have even been able to go to sleep at night. That mistake, that error, would've literally kept me up all night."

"I don't care. You know, if you are a business owner and I, we all just experience similar struggles of being human."

"Everything is a starting point, and I also think so often we get frustrated because the first time we do something, we have this vision in our head... It doesn't always look like that the first time."

"The best thing that can happen is that it exceeds my expectations and everyone else's expectations. And I know by staying stagnant and not doing these things, I'm gonna feel unfulfilled."

"I used to get super frustrated if I was not good at something immediately. I did not have a lot of perseverance. I had to teach myself, literally teach myself the skill of perseverance."

Resources Mentioned:

• MindBodyBehavior In-Person Retreat (link in show notes)

• Advanced Coaching Module content development

• Virtual Conference: Dual-track for BCBAs (7 CEUs) and NBHWCs

• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) training principles

• National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC)

  
  

  Connect with MBB

  Become a Board Certified Health Coach:

  https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

  Mind Body Behavior 6th Edition Supervision Curriculum:

  https://mindbodybehavior.co/curriculum

  FREE CEUS: 

  32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/boardhealthcoach

  BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD: 

  https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/bcbasupervision Email: [email protected]

  Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts 

  
  

ABA Redefined - Episode 19: The Energy You Keep - Who’s Shaping Your Reality’

Release Date: 10/29/2025

Duration: 18 minutes

Host: Sarah Burby, BCBA, Founder of MindBodyBehavior

Episode Description

Your circle isn't just nice to have—it's literally shaping who you're becoming. In this raw and energizing episode, Sarah gets real about the invisible power of the people you surround yourself with and why "your vibe attracts your tribe" isn't just a cute saying. From mastermind groups that blow her ceiling off to draining relationships she had to step back from, Sarah breaks down how to audit your inner circle and intentionally curate the energy that will unleash (not limit) your potential.

In this Episode Sarah Discusses...

• Why the upcoming MindBodyBehavior retreat has her so amped she can't sleep until 2 AM

• The two types of people: those who lift you up and those who drain your energy

• How her mastermind group destroys limiting beliefs about what's possible

• The neuroscience behind it: state-dependent memory and how your emotional state shapes what you learn and recall

• Thinking about growth like shaping successive approximations in ABA terms

Quotes From This Episode

"Who we keep in our inner circle is literally who is shaping who we become. And I think that a lot of people really underestimate that."

"If they can do it, why can't I do that? Maybe I've been selling myself short for X amount of years. Maybe I'm much more capable than what I've been doing and what I've let myself believe."

"Can you imagine what would happen if you started believing in yourself as fiercely as you've been clinging onto your excuses, as fiercely as you've been doubting yourself?"

"Your energy is so precious. I just need you to understand that, and it's up to you to be intentional as hell about who and what you allow into your space."

"The world needs you to stop playing small. It needs you to stop hiding your magic and stop believing the BS about who you can't be."

"I am deliberate about my influences. I surround myself with people who believe boldly and move bravely. I choose energy that unleashes my potential, not limits it."

This Week's Challenge

1. Audit your top five influences - people, social media accounts, podcasts. What energy are they amplifying in you?

2. Have one conversation about an energy-draining dynamic. How could you realign it with compassion?

3. Invite one person into your circle who embodies the energy you want to grow. Tell them why.

4. Notice how your potential expands when you do this work.

• MindBodyBehavior's First In-Person Retreat (April 2025)

• State-dependent memory research

• Shaping and successive approximations (ABA concepts)

Connect with MBB

Become a Board Certified Health Coach:

https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

Mind Body Behavior 6th Edition Supervision Curriculum:

https://mindbodybehavior.co/curriculum

FREE CEUS: 

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/boardhealthcoach

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD: 

https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/bcbasupervision

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts 

Sarah gets brutally honest about the skill that took years and multiple coaches to master: responding from logic instead of emotion. After noticing patterns of emotional responses from others in recent months, she shares the neuroscience behind why our brains hijack us, how to spot emotional vs. logical responses (in yourself and others), and practical strategies she uses to avoid relationship-destroying reactions. Plus, her confession about what triggers her emotional responses most (spoiler: it involves lunch).

In This Episode, Sarah Discusses...

• The amygdala hijack: Why your logical brain literally goes offline when triggered

• Clear signs someone (including you) is responding emotionally vs. logically

• How to respond when others are coming at you emotionally

• • Three questions to ask before hitting send on any response
  • The acceptance piece: sitting with discomfort instead of reactive responding

  
  

• Quotes from This Episode

  • "By the time your logical brain even knows something happened, your emotional brain has already decided to do its own response."
  • "We all know those phrases, right? They're professional ways to say, I'm basically really pissed off, and I want you to know it without me actually saying I'm pissed off."
  • "Our first gut response in those situations is usually not the most helpful. The one that comes after we pause, when we sleep, when we eat - that usually solves problems and builds relationships."

  
  

  Action Steps & Takeaways

  • Track your emotional response patterns using the ABC model (Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence)
  • Implement the HALT check before responding to triggering situations
  • Practice the 12-24 hour rule on one small trigger this week
  • Ask yourself: "Am I trying to be right, or am I trying to solve the problem?"
  • Use incompatible behaviors (walking, breathing exercises) to prevent emotional responding

  
  

  Connect  with MBB

  Become a Board Certified Health Coach:

  https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach

  Mind Body Behavior 6th Edition Supervision Curriculum:

  https://mindbodybehavior.co/curriculum

  FREE CEUS: 

  32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program: https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/boardhealthcoach

  BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD: 

  https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/bcbasupervision

  Email: [email protected]

  Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts 

  
  

In this deeply personal episode, Sarah tackles one of the most universal struggles we all face: the paralyzing fear of what other people think.

Drawing from her own journey of putting herself out there on social media and building her business, Sarah explores the psychological research behind the "Spotlight Effect" — the cognitive bias that makes us think people are paying way more attention to us than they actually are.

She shares vulnerable stories about posting her success story, dealing with public criticism, and the moment she realized she's "not that important" (in the most liberating way possible). Sarah challenges behavior analysts specifically to examine how their fear of judgment keeps them playing small, diluting their message, and missing opportunities for growth.

This episode is a powerful reminder that being judged is survivable, that authenticity matters more than perfection, and that your people are looking for the real you — not a sanitized, people-pleasing version. If you've been holding yourself back because you're worried about criticism, this episode will inspire you to live life "hot pink and sparkly" instead of beige and invisible.

Resources Mentioned

• Cornell University research on the Spotlight Effect (students wearing embarrassing t-shirts study)

• Self-compassion research on threat systems and social evaluation

• Mind Body Behavior business coaching and programs

• Instagram: @mindbodybehavioranalyst

Quotes from This Episode

• "We think people are noticing us twice as much as they actually are. And we walk around, we're convinced, everyone's watching us, everyone's judging us, everyone's forming opinions about every little thing that we do, and the truth is, most people are too busy worrying about what everyone thinks about them."

• "I'm actually not that important, and I mean that in the most liberating way possible. Most people are not just sitting around thinking about me at all times."

• "Just because it feels dangerous, does not mean it's actually dangerous. So your feelings are valid. I will never discredit that. Your feelings are valid. But, they're not always accurate predictors of your reality."

• "The only way that we will guarantee that we'll never be criticized is to never do anything, never say anything, never try anything... And I sure am hell not living my life like that. You know how I want to live my life? Hot pink, and sparkly."

• "If you try to be for everyone, you're gonna end up being for no one. You become this watered-down version of yourself."

• "You can't grow if you're not willing to be bad at things first. You can't learn if you're not willing to make mistakes."

• "You could be safe from criticism, but you're also safe from progress."

• "The people who matter will not judge you for being human. And the people who judge you for being human do not matter."

Connect  with MBB

Become a Board Certified Health Coach:

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach⁠

Mind Body Behavior 6th Edition Supervision Curriculum:

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/curriculum⁠

FREE CEUS: 

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program:⁠ https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/boardhealthcoach⁠

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD:⁠ ⁠

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/bcbasupervision⁠

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts 

Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review, click "follow," and share it with a BCBA friend who's ready to be brave, messy, and real.

Are you spending 45-55 hours per week just waiting for Friday to arrive?

In this eye-opening episode, Sarah breaks down the actual math of living for the weekend and challenges the normalized belief that work is supposed to drain us.

She shares her personal journey from experiencing Sunday scaries and counting down to Friday, to genuinely looking forward to Mondays.

If you're stuck in the cycle of tolerating Monday through Friday just to enjoy 32 waking hours on the weekend, this episode will help you rethink what's possible for your career and your life.

Resources Mentioned

• CALABA Conference

• MindBodyBehavior In-Person Retreat (April, beach location, limited to 30 participants - waitlist available)

• Free Dual Certification CE (available on demand)

Quotes from This Episode

• "The math is telling us that we're spending the majority of our conscious existence just waiting. Waiting around for Friday. Waiting around for vacation, waiting around for retirement, waiting around to actually start living our lives, and I don't know about you, but I was not okay with that."

• "When we feel that Sunday scares, our body is trying to tell us, like, hey, something's not aligning here, something's not right."

• "Your life is not something that starts when you clock out on Friday. Your life is happening right now, all of it, including Monday through Friday."

• "You deserve to be excited about your life, not just 32 hours on the weekend, but all of it. You deserve work that fuels your soul, or at least doesn't actively deplete it."

• "When we accept that work is supposed to suck, that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. When we decide that our weekday hours are just as valuable as our weekend hours, when we start protecting our energy and pursuing work that actually matters to us, things start to shift."

Connect  with MBB

Become a Board Certified Health Coach:

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/board-certified-health-coach⁠

Mind Body Behavior 6th Edition Supervision Curriculum:

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.co/curriculum⁠

FREE CEUS: 

32 CEU Board Approved Health Coaching Program:⁠ https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/boardhealthcoach⁠

BCBA Supervision Program Outside ASD:⁠ ⁠

⁠https://mindbodybehavior.podia.com/bcbasupervision⁠

Email: [email protected]

Social Media: @sarahburby @mindbodybehavioranalysts 

Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review, click “follow,” and share it with a BCBA friend who’s ready to think outside the traditional box.