Default to YES! Your Extraordinary Self

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

Default to Yes Is Growing Up: Welcome to Think Like a Nurse

There has never been more health and wellness information available—and yet it can feel harder than ever to know what to believe.

Is cortisol causing your symptoms? Should women over 40 take creatine? Are seed oils inflammatory? Is hormone therapy safe? Which supplements actually work? And how do you tell the difference between good science, an interesting theory, and great marketing?

Welcome to a new chapter of Default to Yes: Think Like a Nurse.

You don’t have to be a nurse to think like one.

In this episode, nurse and nurse coach Juli Reynolds shares why Default to Yes is evolving and how learning to think like a nurse can help you navigate conflicting health advice, wellness trends, social media health claims, and your own health decisions with more confidence and less fear.

Instead of giving you another list of rules about what you should or shouldn’t do, Think Like a Nurse is about learning how to ask better questions.

We’ll use the Clarity Loop: Notice, Narrate, Nurture, Navigate to explore what we know, what the science actually says, what we don’t know yet, and how evidence applies to an individual person.

Because evidence-based health isn’t about getting everything right.

It’s about becoming curious enough to learn, discerning enough to question, and flexible enough to change your mind when better information becomes available.

And for women over 40 especially, there’s another goal: letting go of some of the second-guessing, self-judgment, and pressure to constantly “fix” yourself so you have more energy for the life you’re actually here to live.

In this episode:

• Why Default to Yes is becoming Default to Yes: Think Like a Nurse
• Why you don’t have to be a nurse to think like one
• How to evaluate health and wellness information without becoming overwhelmed
• The difference between being told what to think and learning how to think
• How the Clarity Loop can help you make sense of conflicting health information
• Why uncertainty is part of good science
• How curiosity can replace fear, perfectionism, and second-guessing
• What to expect from future episodes on hormones, metabolism, cortisol, supplements, nutrition, healthy aging, nervous system regulation, and popular wellness claims

Ready for more clarity?

If you’re a woman over 40 who is ready to get curious, let go of some of the pressure and second-guessing, and get clearer about your health and what you want your life to be about, schedule a Clarity Call with Juli.

When you’re ready to stop collecting more information and start making sense of your information, you’ll find the link in the show notes.

Stay curious. Think like a nurse. And keep saying yes to your extraordinary self.

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

In the final episode of the “Default to Yes: Your Extraordinary Self” series, we are bringing the tools together to focus on designing the life you’re called to live by training your brain to cooperate through understanding, compassion, and practice. They emphasize you don’t need more information but integration, addressing the common gap between what you know and how you live, and explaining how the brain defaults to what’s familiar for efficiency, safety, and comfort. Through neuroplasticity, you can create new pathways by building a simple daily rhythm: regulate the nervous system, notice and question thoughts, stay connected to the body, shape inputs and environment, and act from identity and values through small repeated choices. 

00:00 Final Episode Kickoff

00:52 Information vs Integration

02:11 The Knowing Doing Gap

03:01 Rewiring Your Defaults

04:18 Simple Daily Rhythm

06:14 Identity Values Choices

07:09 Invitation to Rise

08:55 Renewing the Mind

10:13 Perseverance and Practice

11:06 Next Steps Stay Connected

12:23 Podcast Pause and Curiosity

14:17 Email List and Recap

15:05 One Day at a Time

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

In episode five of six, we explore identity, values, and the foundation of an aligned life, building on earlier episodes about the nervous system, thoughts, body, and sensory environment without encouraging overwhelm or “working harder.” Why identity creates lasting change more than goals, citing behavioral science and neuroscience: repeated thoughts, emotions, and actions reinforce neural pathways, but neuroplasticity allows new patterns through consistent repetition. Values are described as an internal compass—guiding principles like integrity, connection, growth, faith, courage, and contribution—that simplify decision-making and reduce exhaustion caused by living out of alignment or meeting others’ expectations. The episode emphasizes shifting from external expectation to internal authorship, references Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians on identity renewal, and offers practical prompts: “Who do I want to be?”, “What values does that person live by?”, and “What one small action today reflects that identity?”

01:32 Identity Over Goals

03:01 Neuroscience Of Change

04:07 Clarifying Your Values

If you would like to visit or re-visit the clarification of values: https://coachingwithjuli.com/wholelifeaudit

07:18 Expectation To Authorship

09:52 Faith And New Creation

10:58 Practical Identity Actions

12:06 Journal Prompts And Resources

13:47 Live Aligned Closing

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

Unlocking the Power of Scent: Aroma Cognition and Sensory Grounding

Welcome to episode four of our six-part series. I'm thrilled that you're still here with me. Whether you're incorporating these insights into your daily life or diligently taking notes, I'm right alongside you creating that journal page. Today, we're diving into the fascinating relationship between scent, memory, and meaning.

The Power of Scent

This episode focuses on something I term "aroma cognition" and the incredible influence of sensory grounding. We've previously discussed the nervous system, thoughts, and the body, but now it's time to explore the senses, which connect all these aspects.

One of the fastest ways to shift your state of mind, thoughts, or emotional patterns is through your sensory intake, particularly scent. I once wrote an article about "Why Scents Make Sense," which caught on because it redefined scent from merely something pleasant to a meaningful aspect of our lives.

The Neurology of Smell

When you inhale a scent, its molecules bind to receptors in your olfactory system. These signals travel directly to the limbic system—the emotional and memory center of the brain. This unique pathway bypasses some of your brain's higher filtering systems, allowing scent to impact your emotional state rapidly and often unconsciously. This is why smells can evoke vivid memories or alter your mood instantly.

Scent also serves as an alert mechanism, designed to signal dangers or changes in the environment, showcasing the profound role of aroma cognition.

Essential Oils and Aroma Cognition

Essential oils, with their volatile and aromatic compounds, play a vital role in our understanding of aroma cognition. Oils like citrus, known for their uplifting limonene, or lavender with its calming linalool, have been studied extensively for their impact on mood and stress.

More than just chemical reactions within the body, aroma cognition involves the intentional pairing of scent with thought and emotional intention, forming powerful neural pathways. For example, associating cedarwood oil with calming thoughts can create a sense of grounding and safety.

Practical Applications

Implementing aroma cognition is simple. Choose an aroma, whether a citrus oil or a more grounding scent like cedarwood, and pair it with intentional thoughts or affirmations. Use this strategy to form sensory environments that support your personal growth and desired state of being.

The Invitation

As you move forward in your journey, consider the sensory environments you're creating. Are they supporting the person you want to become? Make intentional changes to align your surroundings with your goals for holistic wellbeing.

Tomorrow or even right now, inhale a chosen scent, anchor it to truth, and step into your extraordinary self.

 Want to learn more about essential oils? I'd love to chat! Just pick at time that is good for you and we can talk about what you want to learn. What would you like essential oils to do for you?? 

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

Breath, Somatic Awareness, and Nervous System Reset: The Missing Piece for Lasting Change (Episode 3)

In episode three of a six-part series, we take a look at how lasting personal change happens in the body, not just the mind, and how nervous system regulation plus thought awareness creates a powerful loop for transformation. They describe how dysregulation can sabotage habits through physiology and “chemical drivers” like dopamine and cortisol, and why you can think calm thoughts yet still feel anxious. The episode highlights breathwork as an accessible tool to influence the nervous system via the vagus nerve, parasympathetic activation, and improved heart rate variability, and introduces somatic awareness—listening to what the body is holding, including stored stress and past experiences (referencing The Body Keeps Score). Practical exercises include a 4-2-6/8 breathing pattern for 2–3 minutes (coherent breathing) and sensory grounding (5 things you see, 4 feel, 3 hear). The speaker connects embodiment to scripture, emphasizes building capacity for stress and crisis, and offers reflective questions about what the body is signaling and how to feel 10% more grounded.

Reference: The Body Keeps Score, by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. 

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

The Clarity Loop: Retrain Your Mind for Nervous System Regulation and Emotional Control

In episode two, we cover how thoughts shape overall wellbeing and nervous system regulation, building on last week’s focus on how body state affects clear thinking. Drawing from cognitive behavioral therapy and neuroscience, we emphasize that it’s not just what happens but how we interpret it: thoughts create emotions, drive behaviors, and produce results, especially as cognitive bias intensifies under stress. To create space and choice through metacognition, we walk through a four-step “clarity loop”: Notice the facts, Narrate the meaning you’re assigning, Nurture by identifying the emotions, and Navigate by asking what’s true, helpful, and what you will choose. 

Your assignment if you choose to accept: practice to pause during strong emotions, examine the thought, question the thought’s truthfulness and usefulness, and then choose the outcome you want, accompanied by more accurate, honest thinking.

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

Over the past few months, I’ve been paying attention. Not just to my own life—but to the cultural moment we’re all living in. And if I’m honest, something feels different. People are tired.

Burnout remains high.
Information overload is constant.
And many people are operating in what neuroscience describes as chronic threat mode, where the brain scans for danger rather than possibility.

But something interesting is also happening.

For years, the dominant message was productivity, performance, and optimization. Now the conversation is moving toward nervous system regulation, meaning, and wholeness.

In this episode, I share:

• The three cultural phases that shaped modern personal growth
 • Five signals that a new movement focused on regulation and meaning is emerging
 • Why I’m entering a season of prayer, study, and reflection

This episode is also an invitation. To slow down. To pay attention. To consider what life is asking of you in this season.

What’s Coming Next

I’ll be sharing a six-episode series on the tools that have helped me most, including:

• nervous system regulation
 • thought awareness and the Clarity Loop
 • breath and somatic practices
 • aromacognition and sensory grounding
 • values and identity
 • designing a life aligned with purpose

These are not quick fixes. They are practices that shape a life.

During this upcoming season you can still connect with me, just choose one or more of the options below! 

And in the meantime…Choose a couple tools you love.Practice them. Master them. Let them become part of your daily rhythm.Because every morning we wake up with a choice. To react to the world around us. Or to default to yes—to the extraordinary life we are called to live.

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

This episode explores what happens in the brain and body when something holy brushes past the soul—and why witnessing moral beauty may be one of the most regulating experiences we have.

An interaction with another, observed or experienced

A story on the news

A good book, a movie, a tv show, even a commercial

Have you ever felt unexpectedly moved by an act of kindness—your chest warm, your breath slower, your heart a little more open? That experience has a name: moral elevation.

In this episode, we explore the cognitive science behind moral elevation—the emotion we experience when we witness moral beauty—and why it can be deeply regulating for the nervous system. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, Scripture, and cultural examples like the Olympics and Call the Midwife, we look at how goodness restores hope, widens perspective, and gently shifts us out of survival mode.

You’ll also hear why reading fiction strengthens empathy and moral imagination—and how intentionally exposing yourself to stories of goodness can change how you live, lead, and care.

We’ll close with reflective coaching questions and an invitation to connect in whatever way feels right for you.

✨ Listen in if you’re feeling tired, cynical, or disconnected—and ready to remember who you really are. Listen if you want to ground yourself in the beauty you see all around you.

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE. 

Share Your Tips and Take-aways with me!

In this episode, we explore:

• Why self-judgment keeps the nervous system stuck in threat mode
• The difference between awareness and compassionate observation
• How thought downloads help process emotions and reduce mental overload
• Journaling as a regulation tool—not a productivity task
• A simple mindset shift that turns self-criticism into self-leadership

This episode is for anyone who feels like they should be “over this by now” and is ready to replace fixing with kindness.

Support the show

When you are ready, there are a few ways we can connect—each designed to meet you where you are:

• CLICK HERE and get The Default to Yes newsletter, where I share weekly mindset shifts, simple nervous-system rituals, scripture-anchored reflections, practical tools for regulated living as a nurse. No overwhelm. No pressure. Just steady encouragement to keep moving forward - aligned and grounded.
• If you’re looking for a steady place to land between episodes, you’re welcome to join our free Facebook community, The Regulated Nurse.
  -a private space for nurses and health care professionals focused on nervous system regulation, inner clarity, and sustainable practices that help you trust yourself again—one steady step at a time.
• If this episode stirred something in you and you’d like a quiet space to talk it through, you’re welcome to schedule a short 20 minute clarity call.
  It’s a conversation by phone or Zoom—no pressure, no fixing—just space for what is coming up, and what you want more (or less) of. NO REGRETS Discovery Call  
• Let me know what it looks like when you default to YES!  VOICE MESSAGE.