#028 - It's that time of the year, but goal-setting isn't just for New Years. In reflecting on which goals I achieved in 2023 -- and especially which ones I didn't -- one of my key lessons learned this year is that sometimes, "SMART" goals can be dumb.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 🤷‍♀️ A few examples of my own misguided SMART goals
• 📍Five key takeaways re: when SMART goals are dumb
• 🔥 How goal overload might show up in your Human Design chart
• ✂️ Two practical ways to learn from your own year gone by
• 💡 And as always, a couple clarity questions along the way

Curious about how your Human Design impacts your own goal-setting? ⤵️

✨ Claim your first session free at jenngray.com ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 🔮 Want to DIY it? Check out the Human Design Notion templates on Etsy.
• 🧗‍♀️ Sign up for the self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you
• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Wealthfront

🎙 Related episodes

• 🕊 Episode 27: Learning to Let Go
• 💡 Episode 23: What's Your Decision-Making Superpower?
• 🎯 Episode  13: Setting Goals and Intentions

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

Thanks so much for tuning in today!

#027 - Letting go isn’t always easy. Even roses grow way more buds than they can sustain, so if we’re not intentionally pruning the proverbial branches, we might be unintentionally blocking something even better. Whether we’re holding on out of fear or by default (or maybe even cutting something off too quickly), this episode is a gentle, practical invitation to lay down that burden and let it go.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 💭 A quick conversation you can have with yourself to let go with clarity and intention
• 🎈Three letting-go personality types (and a couple places they might show up in your Human Design chart)
• ✂️ Three practical habits to make letting go a little easier
• 🔥 A quick win to set the intention
• 💡 And as always, some clarity questions along the way to help you let go in a way that feels aligned for you

Ready to go deeper? ⤵️

✨ Join me (and reconnect with yourself) in the free 5-DAY RESET! ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 🔮 Check out our brand new Notion templates on Etsy to go deeper with your Human Design
• 🧗‍♀️ Sign up for our self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you
• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Acorns

🎙 Related episodes

• ⚡️ Episode 23: What's Your Decision-Making Superpower?
• 🕳 Episode 22: Job Change Pitfalls to Avoid
• 🔺 Episode 21: 3 Red Flags That It Might Be Time to Change Jobs
• 👧 Episode 16: Decluttering Kids Stuff
• 💵 Episode 15: Decluttering for Cash on OfferUp
• 🏆 Episode 14: A Decluttering Quick Win for Goal Momentum
• 🧹️ Episode 7: A Practical Decluttering Plan
  
  

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

💕 Thanks so much for tuning in today!

P.S. The Acorns link above is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!

#026 - Of the several education side hustles I've tried, tutoring is by far my favorite. It's completely changed my perspective of challenging students, given me genuine compassion and connection with the kids who were hardest to reach in class — and paid three times more per hour than I made teaching. Working 1:1 was so rewarding that it even inspired me to quit my job to create more room for what feels more fulfilling and aligned. 

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 💚 Three reasons to love tutoring as a side hustle
• 👩‍🏫 A few different ways to get started (in-person or online)
• 💰 How to set and increase your prices
• 💵 An idea what to expect income-wise
• 🤝 And a few more practical tips to make your tutoring an enjoyable and successful experience for everyone involved

Ready to go deeper? ⤵️

✨ Join me (and reconnect with yourself) in the free 5-DAY RESET! ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 👩‍🏫 Educators | Apply to teach on Outschool
• 👩‍👧‍👦 Parents | Claim a free $20 Outschool credit on a class for your child
• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Acorns
• 🧗‍♀️ Sign up for our self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you

🎙 Related episodes

• 👩‍🏫 Episode 25: Education Side Hustles for Teachers: Outschool
• 💌 Episode 24: Email as a Manifestation Hack
• ⚡️ Episode 23: What's Your Decision-Making Superpower?
• 🕳 Episode 22: Job Change Pitfalls to Avoid
• 🔺 Episode 21: 3 Red Flags That It Might Be Time to Change Jobs

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

💕 Thanks so much for tuning in today!

P.S. The Acorns and Outschool links above are an affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!

#025 - As rewarding as teaching can be, it's not exactly the most profitable profession. Luckily, there are many side hustle opportunities for entrepreneurial educators. Outschool is one of them, and if you're willing to put in the work up front, $50+ per hour for the time you spend teaching is well within the realm of possibility — and topic-wise, the possibilities are endless.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 📖 A quick run-down on how Outschool works
• 👩‍🏫 The four types of classes you can create
• 💰 Which one makes the most money
• 🛠 Pros and cons of the Outschool model
• 🤝 Outschool's fee structure and what you get in return
• 💵 How much money I earned on the platform
• 💌 Practical tips to grow your revenue
• ✨ and as always, a clarity question to help you create your own uniquely awesome class

Ready to go deeper?

✨ Reconnect with what you want for yourself in our free 5-day reset! ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 👩‍🏫 Educators | Apply to teach on Outschool
• 👩‍👧‍👦 Parents | Claim a free $20 Outschool credit on a class for your child
• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Acorns
• 🧗‍♀️ Sign up for our self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you

🎙 Related episodes

• 💌 Episode 24: Email as a Manifestation Hack
• ⚡️ Episode 23: What's Your Decision-Making Superpower?
• 🕳 Episode 22: Job Change Pitfalls to Avoid
• 🔺 Episode 21: 3 Red Flags That It Might Be Time to Change Jobs

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

💕 Thanks so much for tuning in today!

P.S. The Acorns and Outschool links above are an affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!

#024 - Change doesn't happen in a vacuum, and accomplishing something meaningful doesn't always have to be a huge undertaking. Especially when we have a lot on our plates, asking quick questions can help us explore new possibilities, make easier decisions, and even increase our income. Even if we're unclear on the ideal outcome, reaching out or responding to the right people is a really easy way to keep moving forward.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 💌 3 easy email ideas to move the needle on a manifestation
• 💰 the single email that tripled my side hustle income 
• 💕 how to connect without feeling like you're cold calling (eww)
• ✨ and as always, a clarity question to help you make this technique work for whatever it is you're working on  

Ready to go deeper?

✨ Reconnect with what you want for yourself in our free 5-day reset! ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Acorns
• 🧗‍♀️ Sign up for our self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you

🎙 Related episodes

• ⚡️ Episode 23: What's Your Decision-Making Superpower?
• 🕳 Episode 22: Job Change Pitfalls to Avoid
• 🔺 Episode 21: 3 Red Flags That It Might Be Time to Change Jobs

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

💕 Thanks so much for tuning in today!

P.S. The Acorns link above is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!

#023 - Everyone makes decisions a little differently, but what we all have in common is that our ultimate inner knowing lives in the body, not the brain.  Noticing our own process in small decisions first is a great place to start experimenting, and as we get more familiar with whichever authority superpower we happen to have, we can lean on it more and more.  

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 💡 7 different types of decision-making authority, from the most common to the most unique
• 🌐 a positive practice to connect with each one 
• 💕 a few ways to support people we love who have a different decision-making process than we do
• ✨ and as always, a few clarity questions to help you experiment with your authority and lean into your own decision-making superpower  

Ready to go deeper?

✨ Reconnect with what you want for yourself in our free 5-day reset! ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Acorns
• 🧗‍♀️ Sign up for our self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you

🎙 Related episodes

• 🔺 Episode 21: 3 Red Flags That It Might Be Time to Change Jobs
• 🕳 Episode 22: Job Change Pitfalls to Avoid

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

💕 Thanks so much for tuning in today!

P.S. The Acorns link above is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!

#022 - Changing jobs can open us to a lot of exciting opportunities and possibilities, not only to upgrade our work situation, but also to reflect on what we really want for ourselves. So before we rush to something new, let's pause to think through what we're taking with us and what we're ready to leave behind.  

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 4 potential job change pitfalls to avoid
• misguided advice that leads to frustration, judgment, or regret
• how everyone's decision-making process is different
• and as always, a couple clarity questions to help you connect with the change that's right for you  ✨💡✨

Ready to go deeper?

✨ Reconnect with what you want for yourself in our free 5-day reset! ✨

🖇 Links and resources

• 💰 Incrementally upgrade your investing with Acorns
• 🧗‍♀️ Join our self-guided Pivot Planner mini-course for a positive, practical framework for the change that matters most to you

🎙 Related episodes

• 🔺 Episode 21: 3 Red Flags That It Might Be Time to Change Jobs

🌐 Connect with the show

• 📲 Subscribe to get new episodes automatically
• 👭 Text a favorite episode to a friend
• 🌟 Show some love in a quick review
• 💌 Send a question or episode request to [email protected]

💕 Thanks so much for tuning in today!

P.S. The Acorns link above is an affiliate link. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!

#021 - Most of the articles we see about red flags at work revolve around a toxic boss doing this or a toxic coworker doing that -- but what feels notably lacking to me is the perspective of the person actually making the decision. If you're feeling like it might be time for a new job, this episode is designed to help you look inward so you can use that discomfort to find greater clarity for whatever's coming next.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• 3 red flags that it might be time for a new job
• A job-change pitfall to avoid (more to come next week!)
• And a few clarity questions to help you get clear on what needs to change

This episode is designed to give you practical strategies and quick wins when it comes to considering whether it's time for a new job, and I truly hope you find them as helpful as I have!

If you're enjoying the Incremental Upgrade so far, I'd be so happy to have you join us each week for a new episode! All you have to do is subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and you'll be updated as soon as it's available.

✨ NEW! 25 Pivot Prompts for When You Feel Like It's Time for a Change | Download the free printable and bonus audio at jenngray.com/journal.

✨ The Incremental Upgrade is an intentionally social media free podcast. Thank you so much for being a part of the only social network we choose to use, which is real people passing it along! 💌

✨ Did you like this episode? If so, I'd be so grateful if you'd be willing to say so in a quick review! Written reviews make my day, but five stars feel great too. 🥰️

Thanks so much for tuning in!

~ Jenn

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about Acorns, the easy investing app I mentioned at the end of the episode, you can find that and redeem a $5 bonus investment here!

(Disclaimer: This contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!)

P.P.S. If you'd like to request an episode on a particular topic, email me at [email protected] — I'd love to hear from you!

#020 - Having a finite amount of time and willpower isn't a weakness. It's just a reality we can work with by making as many of our food decisions as possible on the front end. That way, we can have lots of delicious options on hand without constantly having to make extra decisions. This episode is the antidote to dieting, because rather than trying to follow someone else's plan perfectly, we're simplifying our own and asking ourselves what would make it easier along the way.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• An empowering clarity question you can ask yourself when it comes to making healthy eating easier
• A few practical possibilities to answer that clarity question
• Why willpower doesn't work and how to work within it
• Making time for meal prep with a busy schedule
• My favorite technique for simplifying the meal prep process and also the day-to-day decision-making
• What my Sunday cookathon looks like
• And one super simple quick win you take to your own kitchen this week to make healthy choices easier and maybe even more delicious.

This episode is designed to give you practical strategies and quick wins when it comes to making meal prep and healthy eating easier, and I truly hope you find them as helpful as I have!

If you're enjoying the Incremental Upgrade so far, I'd be so happy to have you join us each week for a new episode! All you have to do is subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and you'll be updated as soon as it's available.

✨ Batch prepping lunches and dinners is #7 on the list of 100 Easy Incremental Upgrades from episode 9. To get a free PDF copy of the choose-your-own-adventure cheat sheet of these 💯 easy upgrades -- including a resource guide to help you implement several of the ideas -- email me at [email protected], and I'll send it to you!

✨ The Incremental Upgrade is an intentionally social media free podcast. Thank you so much for being a part of the only social network we choose to use, which is real people passing it along! 💌

✨ Did you like this episode? If so, I'd be so grateful if you'd be willing to say so in a quick review! Written reviews make my day, but five stars feel great too. 🥰️

Thanks so much for tuning in!

~ Jenn

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about Acorns, the easy investing app I mentioned at the end of the episode, you can find that and redeem a $5 bonus investment here!

(Disclaimer: This contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!)

P.P.S. If you'd like to request an episode on a particular topic, email me at [email protected] — I'd love to hear from you!

#019 - Caffeine makes an addictive energy promise, but when the scale starts tipping from feeling awake to feeling anxious, the benefit may become less than the cost. I was terrified when I cut back on caffeine that I was going to feel like a zombie staggering through my day, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that my energy levels felt a lot more stable than when I was winding way up on caffeine and then crashing back down every couple hours.

To that end, here's what I have for you in today's episode:

• A few reasons we might want to consider adjusting our caffeine routine
• How much caffeine is too much
• A clarity question to help you decide what adjustment you might want to make that won't leave you feeling deprived and exhausted
• A couple energizing techniques for a boost without the jitters
• And last but not least, a comparison between going cold turkey and an incremental upgrade and how to make it work for you

This episode is designed to give you practical strategies and quick wins when it comes to feeling more energy with less caffeine, and I truly hope you find them as helpful as I have!

If you're enjoying the Incremental Upgrade so far, I'd be so happy to have you join us each week for a new episode! All you have to do is subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and you'll be updated as soon as it's available.

✨ The energy-boosting strategies in today's episode are part of the list of 100 Easy Incremental Upgrades from episode 9. To get a free PDF copy of the choose-your-own-adventure cheat sheet of these 💯 easy upgrades -- including a resource guide to help you implement several of the ideas -- email me at [email protected], and I'll send it to you!

✨ The Incremental Upgrade is an intentionally social media free podcast. Thank you so much for being a part of the only social network we choose to use, which is real people passing it along! 💌

✨ Did you like this episode? If so, I'd be so grateful if you'd be willing to say so in a quick review! Written reviews make my day, but five stars feel great too. 🥰️

Last but not least, here are the earlier episodes mentioned in today's show:

Episode 18: Mood-Boosting Habits for Natural Anxiety Relief
Episode 8: Creating Abundance with Gratitude

Thanks so much for tuning in!

~ Jenn

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about Acorns, the easy investing app I mentioned at the end of the episode, you can find that and redeem a $5 bonus investment here!

(Disclaimer: This contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. That said, I only recommend things I know and love!)

P.P.S. If you'd like to request an episode on a particular topic, email me at [email protected] — I'd love to hear from you!