Ever Forward Radio with Chase Chewning

ADHD in women is far more complex than being distracted, forgetful, or unable to sit still. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND, author of ADHD and Women, breaks down how ADHD actually presents in women, why so many women are first diagnosed with anxiety or depression, and how estrogen, progesterone, dopamine, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause can influence symptoms. We explore executive dysfunction, time blindness, rejection sensitivity, procrastination, medication, hormone therapy, exercise, sleep, nutrition, caffeine, meditation, and practical strategies for working with an ADHD brain instead of constantly fighting against it. Ultimately, Dr. Brighten reframes ADHD not as personal failure, but as a different operating system that requires different tools to thrive.

Follow Jolene @drjolenebrighten

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 What science gets wrong about women and ADHD

02:32 Why studying the female brain is so complicated

04:18 Hormones and ADHD medication effectiveness

06:45 Can we recover decades of missing female health data?

08:01 Estrogen, dopamine and the menstrual cycle

09:32 Personality flaw or ADHD symptom?

11:50 Why women are diagnosed with anxiety and depression first

13:56 Why female ADHD doesn't always look hyperactive

14:42 Time blindness explained

16:33 ADHD is really a problem of dysregulation

17:27 What ADHD actually is—and isn't

20:03 Are you born with ADHD?

22:56 Hormones, masking and the female ADHD experience

26:37 When ADHD begins showing up in girls

27:50 ADHD medication in children

30:03 Can a brain scan diagnose ADHD?

31:13 Procrastination vs. task paralysis

33:47 ADHD in high-performing women

36:32 Rejection sensitivity dysphoria

39:07 Can changing your self-talk improve symptoms?

40:08 How to interrupt negative ADHD thought loops

44:46 Dopamine, phones and doomscrolling

45:54 Why ADHD brains need pleasure

48:24 What Parisian cafés can teach us about attention

51:02 ADHD medications: what women should know

53:42 HRT, estrogen and ADHD symptoms

57:30 Should the goal be getting off ADHD medication?

1:00:03 When medication becomes a bigger conversation

1:02:10 Exercise, sleep, environment and nutrition—ranked

1:03:05 20 minutes of exercise and focus

1:03:42 Iron deficiency, sleep and ADHD

1:04:12 Why nutrition comes last—but still matters enormously

1:06:01 Are women simply not eating enough?

1:09:31 Rapid fire: the best and worst ADHD morning habits

1:15:51 The "different operating system" approach

1:19:06 What Ever Forward means to Dr. Brighten

-----

Episode resources:

• FREE sample of MitoPure from Timeline
• Strong Coffee Company code CHASE for 15% off
• Get Jolene's new book on Amazon

Actress Erika Christensen joins us for a thought-provoking conversation about self-trust, identity, emotional resilience, and breaking free from the experiences that quietly shape how we think, feel, and behave. Erika shares how Dianetics and its concept of the "reactive mind" have influenced her understanding of trauma, fear, shame, external validation, and the beliefs we carry from our past, while exploring what it takes to become more present and trust yourself again. Together, we unpack the difference between faith and proof, why painful experiences can cause us to learn the wrong lessons, how self-trust can transform decision-making and relationships, and why changing your mind can actually be a sign of growth. Erika also reveals how these principles changed the way she approaches acting and ultimately explains why true freedom, for her, comes down to one powerful idea: possibility.

-----

00:00 Welcome to Ever Forward with Erika Christensen

01:00 Knowing Her Purpose at 12 Years Old

05:19 "I Knew I Was Going to Make It"

07:16 Losing Yourself in Other People's Perception

07:53 Dianetics and the Reactive Mind

09:28 Can People Actually Change?

12:36 Are We Given Answers—or Better Questions?

13:57 Understanding the Reactive Mind

15:44 Why Self-Discovery May Require Another Person

19:08 How Do You Know the Difference Between Theory and Truth?

20:00 Faith vs. Proof

22:22 How Erika Developed Faith in Herself

23:42 Trauma, Self-Trust and Whether People Are Inherently Good

24:45 What Shame Really Says About You

26:49 How Much of Our Suffering Is Self-Created?

28:25 Erika Shares Her Husband's Experience With Dianetics

30:58 How Dianetics Changed the Way Erika Sees Other People

34:11 How Self-Trust Changed Erika as an Actress

37:01 A Practical Tool for When You Feel Triggered

39:59 Who Are You Beneath Your Conditioning?

42:09 The Trap of External Validation

44:07 Why Self-Trust Makes You a Better Decision-Maker

47:36 "You Are Exactly Where You're Supposed to Be"

49:31 Why Changing Your Mind Is a Strength

50:51 Rapid Fire: Fear, Anger, Forgiveness & Freedom

53:55 What "Ever Forward" Means to Erika

Najwa Zebian returns for a powerful conversation about healing after heartbreak, betrayal, toxic relationships, manipulation, self-worth, boundaries, closure, and learning how to let go of someone who hurt you. Inspired by her book The One Who Broke You Can't Heal You, Najwa explains why waiting for an apology, accountability, or validation from the person who caused your pain can keep you emotionally attached to them—and why real healing begins when you stop giving them control over your recovery. We explore why we ignore red flags, how toxic relationships distort our sense of self, the difference between taking responsibility and blaming yourself, why someone's intention doesn't erase their impact, how narcissistic and manipulative dynamics weaponize your best qualities against you, and why knowing who you are may be one of the most important tools for reclaiming your life.

Follow Najwa @najwazebian

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 — The One Who Broke You Can't Heal You

00:42 — Why We Wait for the Person Who Hurt Us

03:36 — Were You Naive—or Were You Manipulated?

07:20 — Stop Blaming Yourself for What They Did

10:24 — Does It Matter If They Intended to Hurt You?

13:10 — Why "I Didn't Mean to Hurt You" Isn't Enough

16:44 — The Problem With "Just Let Them"

19:16 — "That's Just Who I Am" Is Not an Excuse

24:34 — Why the Person Who Broke You Cannot Heal You

27:27 — They Are Their Own Karma

28:51 — Life Isn't Fair—Now What?

30:45 — How Hope Can Keep You Stuck

33:28 — The Thread Analogy: Why You Can't Let Go

36:49 — How to Cut the Emotional Bond

38:00 — Why People Stay in Toxic Relationships

41:14 — How Much Suffering Will You Accept for Love?

43:17 — Stop Trying to Prove Who You Are

47:23 — When Love Makes You Question Yourself

50:25 — "I Don't Want to Be Loved That Way"

50:53 — Communication, Boundaries & Reevaluating Relationships

53:14 — When Your Kindness Is Weaponized Against You

57:27 — Know What You Bring to the Table

59:04 — Knowing Your Worth Isn't Arrogance

1:00:00 — You Don't Need Their Apology

1:03:06 — Najwa's Emotional Definition of "Ever Forward"

-----

Episode resources:

• Najwa's first appearance in episode 811
• Get her new book on Amazon

What if pleasure isn't a luxury, but a biological signal that your nervous system finally feels safe? Regena Thomashauer, aka Mama Gena, is here to explore the powerful connection between pleasure, nervous system regulation, trauma, grief, desire, and our ability to feel fully alive. Regena challenges the idea that pleasure is purely sexual or indulgent and instead reframes it as a daily practice for reconnecting with the body, processing difficult emotions, cultivating creativity, and breaking free from a culture obsessed with productivity and struggle. She shares how her own journey through childhood trauma led her to discover the transformative power of pleasure and is here to help you explore how to move emotions through the body, bring more pleasure into relationships and everyday life, and ultimately learn to love your life—even when you hate what's happening.

Follow Regena @

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 – Is Pleasure a Measure of Nervous System Safety?

01:13 – Why Pleasure Is a Necessity, Not a Luxury

03:08 – Redefining Pleasure Beyond Sex

05:08 – Unlearning Our Cultural Conditioning Around Pleasure

06:42 – Why a Pleasurable Life Requires Discipline

09:18 – What Pleasure Does to the Brain and Body

15:23 – The Connection Between Pleasure and Relaxation

17:11 – Making Pleasure a Daily Practice

19:20 – The Divine Feminine and Reconnecting With the Body

20:23 – Navigating Heartbreak, Worry, and Difficult Emotions

27:17 – A 3–5 Minute Practice for Processing Difficult Emotions

31:10 – Combining Grief With Life Force and Pleasure

34:02 – Moving From Victim to Victor

35:05 – Loving Your Life Even When You Hate What's Happening

35:44 – How "Ever Forward" Helped Chase Survive Grief

38:41 – How Regena Used Pleasure to Heal From Trauma

41:25 – The Pleasure Exercise That Changed Regena's Life

45:37 – How to Build a Consistent Pleasure Practice

48:15 – What If Your Partner Isn't on the Same Journey?

52:15 – Are We Actually Afraid of Who We'll Become?

54:40 – Why We're Conditioned to Resist Pleasure

56:35 – Rapid Fire: Safety, Burnout, Desire & Success

58:43 – What Your Inability to Feel Pleasure Is Teaching You

59:26 – What "Ever Forward" Means to Regena

-----

Episode resources:

• FREE 30-day trial of Audible
• Watch and subscribe on YouTube

What if the reason you keep struggling to lose weight has less to do with discipline—and more to do with the way you've been taught to think about fat loss in the first place? Today we welcome nutrition scientist Dr. Joey Muñoz, PhD for a refreshingly honest conversation about what actually works for sustainable fat loss, building muscle, improving metabolic health, and creating a body you can maintain for life. Joey breaks down why "going on a diet" may be one of the biggest mistakes people make, how your environment can overpower willpower, and why changing your identity and daily habits matters more than finding the perfect meal plan. He challenges the obsession with clean eating, protein-everything, restrictive diets, seed oils, and other nutrition trends that often distract people from the fundamentals that matter most. We also dive into GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, the growing trend of GLP-1 microdosing for longevity, peptides, muscle loss during weight loss, protein requirements as we age, chronic stress and inflammation, and why Joey remains skeptical of health claims that sound compelling mechanistically but lack meaningful human evidence.

Follow Joey @dr.joeymunoz

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 The Most Profitable Lie in Fitness

02:27 Why Getting in Shape Takes Longer Than You Think

04:28 The Uncomfortable Truth About Losing the Last 10 Pounds

08:43 Why "Going on a Diet" Keeps You Stuck

12:33 The 80/20 Rule for Better Health

15:09 Your Environment Is Controlling More Than You Realize

16:31 Identity Change: Becoming a Healthy Person

22:06 Why Maximum Effort Doesn't Guarantee Maximum Results

23:38 Discipline vs. Environment

31:08 Is Your Health Actually a Priority?

34:00 The Problem With "Clean Eating"

38:13 Seed Oils, Alcohol and Nutrition Hypocrisy

42:10 When Health Optimization Becomes Unhealthy

45:32 How Your Environment Shapes Your Health

47:40 Audit the People Around You

50:03 Turning Adversity Into an Advantage

53:34 Chase and Joey on Their Childhoods and Fathers

57:47 Stop Looking for the Perfect Diet and Start Becoming the Person

1:00:26 Why You Don't Need a Perfect North Star

1:01:48 Has Protein Become the New Diet Religion?

1:03:12 How Much Protein Do You Actually Need?

1:06:22 Aging, Menopause and Accepting Your Changing Body

1:08:25 Chronic Stress, Inflammation and Disease

1:13:23 How Your Beliefs Change Your Outcomes

1:19:43 Peptides: Promise, Hype and Long-Term Safety

1:25:09 GLP-1s, Ozempic and Microdosing for Longevity

1:27:47 GLP-1s, Muscle Loss, Libido and Motivation

1:30:02 Why Joey Is Skeptical of the Next "Miracle" Health Intervention

1:35:17 Why Fitness Is About So Much More Than Your Body

1:37:41 Fat Loss Rapid Fire

1:39:15 What Does Ever Forward Mean to Joey?

1:42:35 Self-Improvement, Joy and Finding Peace

1:45:20 Realizing You May Already Have the Life You Want

-----

Episode resources:

• Learn more at StrongStandard.com
• Watch and subscribe on YouTube
• Fatty15 - Support your cellular health and longevity with C15:0. Visit Fatty15 and use code EVERFORWARD to save an additional 15% on their 90-day starter kit.
• LMNT - Support hydration, energy, training, and recovery with science-backed electrolytes. Visit Drink LMNT through Ever Forward to receive a free variety sample pack with any purchase.
• Operation Podcast - Record world-class podcast and social media content at Operation Podcast's turnkey Los Angeles studios. Visit OperationPodcast.com and use code EVERFORWARD to save 20% off your first studio session.

What if the reason you're exhausted isn't because you're working too hard—but because you're carrying an identity you were never meant to become? Author, speaker, former NFL linebacker, and Chase's close friend Caleb Campbell returns to Ever Forward Radio for a radically different conversation about ambition, achievement, personal development, and what happens when the strategies that made you successful stop making you feel alive. Drawing from his new book UN Striving: 12 Lessons on Authentic Success from a Recovering Overachiever, Caleb explains why many high performers unknowingly use success to create safety, prove their worth, outrun shame, and avoid the very emotions asking for their attention.

Follow Caleb @caleb_campbell

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 Intro

00:20 Are You Pursuing Success—or Avoiding Fear?

01:39 The Question That Reveals What's Driving Your Life

04:40 Signs You've Outgrown Your Current Version of Success

08:09 Stop Ignoring Your Internal "Check Engine Light"

10:12 When to Push Through vs. When to Slow Down

12:28 The Survival Strategy Hiding Behind Your Ambition

15:19 Why Getting What You Want Can Be a Gift

18:51 Are You Outsourcing Safety to Success?

24:47 Unstriving Does NOT Mean Losing Your Ambition

27:03 What You're Searching for May Already Be Within You

31:11 "Something Is Missing" — Maybe It's You

34:18 Descending Into the Parts of Yourself You Left Behind

36:16 Stop Fighting Life and Start Participating With It

38:22 The Dirty Secret of Personal Development

41:47 Why Something in Your Life Has to Die

43:39 Choose the Death That Makes You Bigger

46:34 Liminal Space: When Your Old Identity Disappears

47:43 Why You Need to Grieve the Life You Thought You'd Have

51:59 Which Version of Caleb Had to Die?

53:39 Your "Loyal Soldiers": Performer, Producer & Perfectionist

57:14 Integrating Every Version of Yourself

59:08 Why the Same Truth Changes as You Change

1:02:37 Worshiping God vs. Worshiping Achievement

1:05:24 What If You Truly Knew You Were Held?

1:08:19 The Moment Caleb Felt Completely Alive

1:10:40 What Do You Want vs. What Are You Supposed to Do?

1:12:48 Who Are You Without Fear?

1:14:07 Why Success and Joy Can Feel Unsafe

1:16:34 Teaching Your Nervous System to Receive More

1:18:07 How Caleb's Marriage Changed Him

1:22:39 The Real Reason High Achievers Are Exhausted

1:24:07 The End of Your Capacity Is the End of an Identity

1:25:30 What "Ever Forward" Means to Caleb Today

-----

Episode resources:

• Get his book UNstriving
• Get the audiobook for free with your Audibile 30-day trial
• 15% off Strong Coffee Company with code CHASE
• FREE MitoPure gummies

For generations, the American Dream followed a familiar blueprint: work hard, get married, raise a family, buy a home, and build a better life—but what happens when one of the biggest pieces of that dream starts to feel financially out of reach? Luxury real estate agent and Selling the OC star Gio Helou joins us for a candid look at the state of homeownership in America and whether buying a home still makes sense in today's market. Gio breaks down why affordability has become such a challenge, what high mortgage rates are really doing to buyers and sellers, when renting may actually be the smarter financial decision, and why waiting for rates to fall could ultimately work against you. He unpacks how to recognize a buyer's versus seller's market, the importance of comparable sales before making an offer, the hidden costs of homeownership, and the negotiation mistakes that can cost buyers leverage before a deal even begins.

Follow Gio @giovannehelou

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 Episode intro

01:10 Has homeownership become a luxury?

03:39 Who is responsible for America's housing problem?

05:31 Do Americans still want the traditional American Dream?

10:03 A realtor's perspective after nearly a decade in real estate

11:20 Why buying a home has become so difficult

12:08 Gio's unexpected first piece of advice: get married

15:00 When renting is actually smarter than buying

16:44 The hidden costs of owning a home

17:50 Is Southern California real estate still a good investment?

20:04 What predicts whether a housing market will appreciate?

21:20 How long should you own a home before expecting ROI?

24:09 Buyer's market vs. seller's market explained

27:00 Why you should visit open houses before you're ready to buy

30:57 The question every first-time homebuyer should ask

31:28 Why comparable sales matter more than a Zestimate

32:15 Can you actually trust your realtor?

33:56 America's declining culture of trust

38:18 Would lower mortgage rates actually make homes affordable?

40:00 Why mortgage rates are still so high

41:18 The metric every buyer should watch before making an offer

42:48 "The market speaks" — how sellers know they're overpriced

44:17 The opportunity buyers may be missing right now

45:33 The biggest negotiation mistake buyers make

49:28 How emotions can cost you a real estate deal

52:01 Gio's best negotiation lessons

54:49 The personality trait that gives Gio an edge

56:42 Confidence vs. cockiness on Selling the OC

59:22 Why your realtor is like a temporary marriage

1:00:36 Gio reveals what happened after Selling the OC

1:02:59 Why Gio says no to almost everything

1:05:17 Rapid fire: the biggest lies in real estate

1:05:36 Do you really need 20% down?

1:06:02 Should you wait for mortgage rates to fall?

1:06:40 Is renting throwing money away?

1:06:45 Should you buy the biggest house you can afford?

1:07:10 Is winter really the best time to buy?

1:07:55 Gio's biggest real estate commission ever

1:09:46 How much commission does a realtor actually keep?

1:10:27 What's next for Gio after Selling the OC?

1:12:36 What does Ever Forward mean to Gio?

-----

Epiaode resources:

• Operation Podcast: Ready to launch your podcast, level up your current show, or create world-class content for your brand? Operation Podcast offers turnkey podcast studios and full-service audio/video production in Los Angeles. Save 20% off your first studio session with code EVERFORWARD.
• Timeline Nutrition: Support your cellular energy, mitochondrial health, muscle function, and healthy aging with Mitopure® from Timeline Nutrition. Mitopure now starts at just $79.
• ELVT Breath Control Patches: Optimize your breathing and support deeper, more restorative sleep with ELVT Breath Control Patches, designed to encourage nasal breathing while you sleep. Save 20% off your entire order with code CHASE.

What if your low energy, stubborn weight gain, brain fog, poor recovery, mood changes, and stalled progress aren't simply signs that you need to work harder—but clues that your thyroid isn't functioning optimally? Dr. Amie Hornaman, author of The Thyroid Fix, joins us to explain why she considers the thyroid the body's "master gland" and why standard thyroid testing may not tell the entire story. They break down TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3 and thyroid antibodies; the difference between "normal" and optimal lab results; Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism; and when thyroid hormone replacement may be appropriate. Amie also explains how gluten, over-exercising, chronic under-eating, nutrient deficiencies and aggressive GLP-1 use may affect thyroid health and metabolism. Plus, she explains the importance of iodine, selenium, magnesium, protein and dietary fat, detoxification, and so much more!

Follow Amie @dramiehornaman

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 – WHOOP: Stop Guessing and Start Measuring

01:38 – Is Your Thyroid the Missing Piece?

03:20 – Why the Thyroid Is Your Body's "Master Gland"

06:12 – The Thyroid Labs You Actually Need

07:18 – Operation Podcast

08:15 – TSH, Free T3, Free T4 & Reverse T3 Explained

10:02 – Testing for Hashimoto's and Thyroid Antibodies

10:54 – "Normal" Labs vs. Optimal Thyroid Function

12:49 – When Thyroid Hormone Replacement Makes Sense

14:27 – Can You Improve Thyroid Function Naturally?

16:27 – Gluten, Hashimoto's & Your Thyroid

19:06 – What Happens If Your Thyroid Is Removed?

21:00 – C15:0 essential fatty acids

22:18 – Wellness Habits That Could Be Hurting Your Thyroid

23:01 – Can Too Much Exercise Damage Thyroid Function?

24:30 – Resistance Training vs. Cardio for Thyroid Health

25:57 – Foods That May Interfere With Thyroid Function

27:13 – Can You Take Too Many Thyroid Supplements?

27:55 – Amie's Foundational Thyroid Supplement Stack

29:38 – The Controversy Around Iodine

31:07 – Fluoride, Chlorine, Bromide & Iodine

33:22 – Thyroid Function, Detox & Sauna

34:58 – Hypothyroidism vs. Hyperthyroidism

37:28 – Hashimoto's and Autoimmune Thyroid Disease

38:08 – The "Silent Thyroid Killer"

38:20 – GLP-1s, Under-Eating & Thyroid Function

40:53 – Why Eating Less Doesn't Always Mean Losing More

42:04 – Calories vs. Macros for Thyroid Health

43:32 – Protein, Fat, Carbs & Insulin Resistance

45:09 – Rapid Fire: Most Underrated Thyroid Fix

45:18 – Is Calories-In, Calories-Out Broken?

46:13 – The ONE Food Amie Says to Eat Every Day

47:09 – Where to Connect With Dr. Amie Hornaman

47:51 – What Does Ever Forward Mean to Amie?

-----

Episode resources:

• FREE WHOOP activity tracker
• 15% off Fatty15 C15:0 essential fatty acids
• 20% off Operation Podcast studios with code EVERFORWARD

You consciously know what you should do, but your body keeps stopping you. Why? What if your anxiety, procrastination, self-sabotage, and limiting beliefs aren't signs that something is wrong with you—but signals that your nervous system doesn't feel safe? Jessica Ortner, co-founder of The Tapping Solution and co-author of Rewired, is here to explore the science and practice of EFT tapping and how regulating the nervous system may help change the way we respond to stress. Jessica breaks down why we can't always think our way out of anxiety, how tapping combines psychological principles with stimulation of acupressure points, and research examining its effects on cortisol, PTSD, food cravings, and emotional distress. We also explore why self-sabotage may actually be "misguided self-love," the difference between resilience and simply forcing yourself through discomfort, why self-criticism eventually stops working, how parents can help children regulate big emotions, and why our modern information environment may keep our bodies chronically overstimulated. Most importantly, Jessica explains how creating a sense of safety in the body can give us the freedom to make better decisions, face fear, and keep moving forward.

Follow Jessica @jessicaortner

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 Intro

01:06 Why You Can't Think Your Way Out of Anxiety

02:44 What Is EFT Tapping and How Does It Work?

04:52 Fatty15

06:13 Can Tapping Actually Lower Cortisol?

09:08 Stress, Pain and the Body

10:22 Why Your Nervous System Doesn't Care About Your Goals

12:32 Self-Sabotage Is "Misguided Self-Love"

13:36 How to Tap Through Anxiety and Fear

16:13 Why Positive Affirmations Sometimes Don't Work

17:14 Tapping for Veterans, PTSD and Trauma

20:17 Tapping vs. Meditation, Breathwork and Therapy

22:45 Ketone-IQ

24:04 Using Tapping for Sleep and Feeling Safe

25:52 How Parents Can Use Tapping With Kids

28:34 The 9 EFT Tapping Points Explained

32:11 Using Tapping Before a Stressful Event

33:48 Is Tapping a Cop-Out?

34:25 Why Willpower and Self-Criticism Eventually Fail

36:25 Does Reducing Anxiety Make Us Less Resilient?

40:21 When Is Tapping the Wrong Choice?

42:29 Jessica's Personal Story of Rewiring an Old Wound

45:52 Tapping for "I'm Not Good Enough"

48:42 Tapping for "I'm Not Successful"

49:28 Is Tapping Becoming Mainstream Medicine?

51:42 What Brain Scans Reveal About Tapping and Food Cravings

54:18 The Research on Tapping, PTSD and the Brain

56:21 Could Lowering Cortisol Change Long-Term Health?

58:59 Why We're "Stressing About Stress"

59:46 Is Modern Life Making Us More Stressed?

01:02:17 Jessica's Book Rewired + The Tapping Solution

01:03:12 Hugh Jackman, Tapping and Peak Performance

01:05:02 What Ever Forward Means to Jessica

-----

Episode resources:

• 20% off Operation Podcast studios with code EVERFORWARD
• 30% off Ketone-IQ energy shots with code CHASECHEWNING
• 15% off C15:0 essential fatty acids with code EVERFORWARD
• Watch and subscribe on YouTube

What if the greatest performance upgrade isn't another productivity hack—but learning how to pause Peloton instructor, former Buddhist monk, and author Sam Yo to unpack the principles behind The Monk's Mindset. We explore why stillness has become one of the most overlooked skills in modern life, how creating intentional "mindset moments" can reduce stress and anxiety, and why true peace isn't something you escape to—it's something you learn to carry with you.

Follow Sam @yoiamsamyo

Follow Chase @chase_chewning

-----

00:00 Introduction

00:47 Why We React Instead of Respond

03:55 Audible Sponsor

05:03 Creating Mental Space Between Moments

06:09 What Is The Monk's Mindset?

08:08 Building Daily Structure Through Stillness

09:08 Why Stillness Is the Ultimate Life Optimization Tool

11:14 Can Contentment Kill Ambition?

13:06 Technology Can Either Distract or Support Your Peace

14:06 Service, Purpose & Finding Meaning

16:11 Lessons Learned Living in a Monastery

18:02 Integrity When Nobody Is Watching

19:14 WHOOP Sponsor

20:27 Reflection: The Most Underrated Daily Practice

22:04 Sam Yo's Daily Monk Mindset Protocol

24:31 Handling Stress Without Losing Yourself

27:38 Staying Present During Success

29:14 Can Mindfulness Become Selfish?

30:10 What Happens When Self-Improvement Changes Your Relationships?

32:02 LMNT Sponsor

33:23 A Monk's Perspective on War

35:16 One Practice to Stay Calm During Uncertain Times

36:20 Creativity Through Stillness

38:03 Rapid Fire Questions

42:02 What Ever Forward Means to Sam Yo

43:08 How Social Media Steals Your Peace

43:42 Where to Connect with Sam Yo

-----

Episode resources:

• FREE 30-day trial of Audible, my favorite audiobook platform
• 1-month FREE and FREE app for WHOOP activity tracker
• FREE variety sample pack with any purchase of LMNT elecrtroytes
• Watch and subscribe on YouTube