Cool Change

A friend of mine recently came to Oregon to die. She had chosen to use Oregon's Death with Dignity law, and I spent her last two weeks showing her and her girlfriends around Portland. Those days have stayed with me.

In this episode of Cool Change Field Notes, I return to three moments: a drive through the Columbia River Gorge with the sunroof open and Supertramp turned up (she had asked me to take the long way home), watching her laugh with her eyes closed and the wind blowing; her delight at the koi pond in the Portland Japanese Garden; and one last great meal at Bellpine in the Ritz-Carlton Portland, where the chef brought her a lobster that wasn't on the menu, "with our compliments."

Over coffee in her hotel lobby one morning, she told me she felt she had achieved the purpose of her life. Her one regret was that she could have experienced more joy along the way. I keep coming back to that.

So here's the reminder, mostly to myself: don't postpone joy. Look for it in the ordinary moments that make up our lives.

Where are you postponing joy right now?

Chapters

00:00 I had a friend come to Oregon to die recently

02:06 I'm Chuck Allen, this is Cool Change

02:14 Latourell Falls and the sunroof

04:35 The hotel lobby conversation

06:41 Gourmet moments

07:12 The koi at the Japanese Garden

07:55 One last great meal at Bellpine

10:57 A reminder

11:07 Life is long

14:07 Where are you postponing joy?

CoolChangeLifeDesign.com | Instagram @chuckallen

In this episode of Cool Change, Chuck sits down with Mindy Crosato, founder of Decadent Creations Bakery and The Collective Kitchen in Hillsboro, Oregon.

If you live in the Portland area, there’s a good chance you already know her work. Mindy has built a reputation for excellence through years of consistency, creativity, and care. She’s earned awards, media recognition, and national attention, including a win on Food Network’s Chopped.

This conversation goes deeper than accolades.

Chuck and Mindy explore what happens when something you love becomes something you’re responsible for. They talk about the shift from artist to leader, the loneliness that can come with growth, the emotional cost of recognition, and the internal evolution required to sustain excellence over time.

They also talk about pressure, intuition, experimentation, staying grounded, and why lasting things are often built through small steps taken with conviction.

If you’ve ever felt called to build something meaningful, or wondered what it takes to keep going once the dream becomes real, this episode is for you.

So many of us are unconsciously waiting for approval—running inherited scripts, following old rules, and sitting in the passenger seat of our own lives. In this episode of Cool Change, Chuck Allen talks with author and change guide Jillian Reilly about the radical act of giving ourselves permission.

Together they explore why self-authorization matters more than ever, how to spot the quiet “stirrings” that signal it’s time for change, and practical ways to start listening to your inner voice—without waiting for someone else to green-light your life.

Whether you’re facing a career shift, navigating relationships, or simply craving a new way of showing up, this conversation is an invitation to slide into the driver’s seat and design a life that feels like you.

Resources & Links:

• Jillian Reilly’s book The 10 Permissions: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
• Jillian’s website: tenpermissions.com
• Learn more about the Cool Change Method: coolchangelifedesign.com

Connect with Chuck:

• Podcast: Cool Change on Apple Podcasts | Spotify
• Website: coolchangelifedesign.com
• Instagram: @chuckallen

In this final episode of the Cool Change Method™ series, Chuck Allen dives deep into Step 6: The Integration. This isn't about completion—it's about living fully into the transformations you've made and continually evolving your identity in everyday life.

Chuck shares a powerful story about his encounter with Bernie Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot, and reflects on the power of continually leaning forward, staying curious, and keeping your dreams bigger than your memories.

Key Takeaways:

• Integration means continually evolving—embracing the journey, not just the destination.
• Practical ways to notice and honor your personal growth.
• Techniques to consciously apply your insights and new identity in daily scenarios.
• How integration can be joyful, playful, and deeply satisfying.
• The role of community in supporting your integration journey.

Action Step: Take a moment this week to consciously visualize and rehearse showing up as your new self in a specific scenario. Notice and celebrate your growth.

Quote to Remember:

“When your memories outweigh your dreams, the end is near.” (source: Andy Stanley)

Resources:

• Website: coolchangelifedesign.com
• Follow on Instagram @chuckallen
• and TikTok: @coolchangechuck

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who's navigating their own transition. Together, we grow better.

Keep practicing. Keep becoming. Keep living intentionally.

In this episode, Chuck walks us through the fifth step of the Cool Change Method™: The Practice. He explores the quiet, grounded work of integrating belief and behavior—of building new rhythms, one decision at a time.

You’ll hear:

• Why simplicity and elimination are essential for sustainable change
• A powerful metaphor about software vs. firmware—and why belief change matters more than behavior change
• A personal story about what it really took to show up as a present father across 2,000 miles
• A practical morning ritual to anchor your intention in the real world
• An honest reflection on why falling out of rhythm isn’t failure—it’s part of the work

This is not about perfection. It’s about return.

The change you’re after isn’t hiding from you. It’s waiting to be practiced.

This is the fourth step in the Cool Change journey—a series that guides you through navigating meaningful transitions with clarity, courage, and intention.

After:

🌱 The Stirring – when something within you begins to shift

🪞 The Mirror – when you start seeing yourself more clearly

🔥 The Disruption – when old patterns break and new truths emerge…

…comes 🧭 The Design: the moment you stop drifting and begin shaping your life on purpose.

But here’s the twist: design doesn’t start with massive reinvention.

It starts with small, seemingly insignificant moments—the quiet 99% of life that most of us overlook.

In this episode, Chuck shares a pivotal story from his early 20s, when a Tony Robbins course and a bowl of instant oatmeal shifted everything. That experience launched a lifelong practice of life design, rooted not in control or planning—but in intention, iteration, and everyday joy.

You’ll learn:

• Why the key to change isn’t dramatic decisions, but subtle upgrades
• How to identify where your life has become smaller than it needs to be
• A simple “1–10” tool that can immediately increase your daily sense of meaning
• What it feels like to shift from reacting to designing
• How to choose a direction—even if you don’t know the destination

Are you stuck in a pattern you didn’t choose… but keep repeating?

Do you ever feel like your life is running on autopilot, and no matter how hard you try, you keep ending up in the same place?

That’s not a motivation problem. It’s a disruption problem.

In this episode, Chuck Allen helps you identify the unconscious beliefs that are driving your behaviors—and gives you a practical tool to begin breaking free. This is the third stage of the Cool Change Method™—where awareness turns into agency, and real change begins.

You’ll learn:

• Why behavior change doesn’t last without belief change

• How to know when you’re truly ready to disrupt a pattern

• The difference between performative change and real traction

• A simple Pattern Interrupt Practice to apply immediately

• Why your focus must be top-of-mind, not buried in a doc

You’ll also hear a story from Chuck’s time at The Home Depot that changed his leadership identity—and a deeply personal reflection on the grief and freedom that come with disrupting what no longer serves you or the people around you.

🎧 This is the moment to take the wheel of your life.

🔁 Share this episode with someone who’s ready for real change.

▶ Listen now, or catch up on the first two episodes in the series:

• Episode 77: The Stirring

• Episode 78: The Mirror

What happens when you stop coasting, stop justifying, and stop mistaking other people’s kindness for clarity? What happens when you finally pause long enough to really see yourself?

In this second installment of the Cool Change Method™ series, Chuck explores The Mirror—that uncomfortable but necessary moment when we come face-to-face with the gap between who we are and who we want to be.

Drawing from a life-altering health reckoning, years of coaching insight, and the quiet truths we often avoid, this episode invites you to slow down and reflect on the path you’re really on—not the one you hope you’re on, but the one your actions are taking you toward.

• Why good intentions aren’t enough
• The danger of mistaking momentum for alignment
• How other people’s kindness can keep you stuck
• A powerful wake-up call that came just in time
• The most important question you can ask yourself right now

• The Cool Change Method™ series (6 episodes)
• Coaching insight: The most common identity shifts people face in midlife

The mirror doesn’t judge. It just offers you a choice. And the moment you’re willing to see yourself clearly—that’s the moment everything can begin to change.

There’s a moment — sometimes subtle, sometimes undeniable — when life starts to whisper that something needs to shift.

That moment is The Stirring — the first step in the Cool Change Method™ and the first solo episode in this new series. Whether you’re facing a clear transition (like a new role, relationship change, or identity shift) or simply feeling low-grade restlessness, this episode is designed to meet you right where you are.

🔸 What you’ll hear:

– How to recognize The Stirring

– Why it often arrives before clarity

– What to do when you’re no longer comfortable in your current chapter

🎧 Listen now (under 9 minutes)

🔗 Full episode page + journaling prompts → coolchangelifedesign.com/stirring

Series Info:

This is Part 1 of a 6-part series on the Cool Change Method™ — a grounded framework for navigating personal transitions with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

#CoolChangePodcast #TheStirring #LifeDesign #IntentionalLiving #PersonalGrowth #Coaching

⸻

In a world fueled by stress and anxiety, emotional awareness is more vital than ever. On this episode of Cool Change, Chuck Allen speaks with Sarah Retzer, a mindfulness coach who transformed herself from a constantly anxious engineer to a thriving expert in emotional resilience.

Sarah shares how discovering mindfulness through InterMatrix Systems allowed her to move beyond simply managing emotions to actively training them—like building muscle at the gym. She explains how emotional patterns shape our reality, why intentional emotional responses are essential, and how we can shift from fear-based reactions to love-based interactions.

Whether you're feeling stuck in anxious loops, overwhelmed by emotions, or simply looking to enhance joy and peace in your daily life, Sarah’s insights offer practical tools to create lasting change.

Key Takeaways:

• Emotions aren’t just reactions; they're patterns that we can consciously reshape.
• Creating space between stimulus and response allows intentional emotional choices.
• Intentional daily practices can shift emotional patterns, enhancing relationships and overall life experience.
• Mindfulness and breathwork techniques effectively rewire emotional responses.

Special Offer:

Sarah is offering Cool Change listeners a complimentary special introductory three-session course designed to help you identify areas of your life ready for transformation, recognize emotional patterns holding you back, and begin the shift toward lasting peace and joy.

Connect with Sarah Retzer:

Phone/Text: 503-929-4632

Email: [email protected]

Recommended Books:

• Emotional Intelligence 2.0* by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
• The Untethered Soul* by Michael A. Singer
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself* by Dr. Joe Dispenza

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