Grow the Good

For storyteller and journalist Shelby Stanger, achieving wild ideas gives her a boost of confidence and courage that lasts for decades. Her latest wild idea? Releasing her first book, Will to Wild: Adventures Great and Small to Change Your Life, and giving her first TEDx talk the same week. I sat down with Shelby to talk about hosting Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast, her experience finally putting pen to paper after years of longing to write, and how she prepared for her talk.

Shelby delves into her transformative process of navigating anger and resentment to arrive at acceptance and self-love. We also explore how she gracefully adjusted to an autoimmune condition, discovering new sources of joy along the way. Plus, learn about the beauty of giving yourself grace at the end of the finish line.

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Pivot Points in Life: How to steer your life in a new direction through the transformative power of adventure.
• Going with the Flow: Understanding the importance of being present and adapting to changes as they come.
• The Art of Mindfulness and Meditation: How daily practices can help you overcome challenges and maintain inner peace.
• Getting Out of Your Own Way: Tips and guidance on self-awareness and maximizing your potential.

Links

• Learn more about Shelby Stanger

• Listen to Wild Ideas Worth Living podcast

• Read Will to Wild

• Sign up for my weekly newsletter!

• Want more adventure? Listen to this episode about overcoming limiting beliefs with world record explorer Colin O’Brady

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Visionary physicians Dr. Alona Pulde and Dr. Matthew Lederman are the driving force behind Forks Over Knives, authors of the new book "Make Life Wonderful," and founders of WeHeal. In this rich conversation, we dive into the nine pillars of health and wellness outlined in their book and how focusing on these pillars can not only prevent but also reverse chronic diseases.

Dr. Pulde and Dr. Lederman share insights, practical advice, and the motivation to better understand our own health journey. We discussed the importance of self-connection, understanding emotions, and effective communication as foundational elements for improving overall health. So, what does it mean to truly connect with yourself and transform your health? Tune in to this enlightening episode and find out!

Here are Dr. Alona and Dr. Matthew’s key takeaways:

• The Nonviolent Communication (NVC) framework and its significance in recognizing feelings and needs 
• Key pillars that directly relate to the management and prevention of chronic diseases 
• The limitations of saying "I have to" and the liberation in shifting to "I choose to" 
• Harnessing the power of small changes in our daily lives to achieve long-lasting results 
• Unraveling the meaning of spirituality and our individual quests for deeper self-awareness and connection 
• Identifying the pillars that resonate most with us and building practical strategies around them
• The paramount importance of safety in navigating our physical, emotional, and mental well-being

Links 

• Learn more about private physicians and coaching at WeHeal
• Sign up for my weekly newsletter!
• Dive into non-violent communication in this past episode with Oren Jay Sofer

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Mindset training can have a profound impact on the drive and well-being of athletes - from amateur to professional. But how do we harness that type of success early on? I had the privilege of speaking with Brad Dempsey, the founder of Mindset Sports, a coaching company and community committed to cultivating a positive and winning mindset in athletes. We break down the key components of a strong mindset foundation and discover the techniques that help anyone find fulfillment, intrinsic reward, and happiness in sport.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Leading by example for young athletes
• The power of encouragement & the role parents can play
• Allowing kids to take responsibility for their own growth
• Plus, tools for preparing for competition and removing mental weight 

LINKS

• Learn more about Mindset Academy
• Check out my newsletter for productivity, mindset, and mental skills

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

We often see pictures of people doing things we admire and assign stories to what they are doing. We may assume that it's easy for them, they have it all "figured out," and that their lives aren't as difficult or chaotic as our own.

In today's podcast, I am trying something new. I took a moment where I was overcoming stress and frustration, and decided to record how I was processing it in the moment. It happened to be that I was also on a bike ride, and I brought you with me as I was riding a beautiful climbing trail.

You'll hear many familiar themes, but most importantly, I talked about how we all have an idea of how we want our plans to go. Oftentimes, something gets in the way and disrupts our plan and can throw us off. Since having children, I've had a crash course in learning to be flexible with my plans and the art of trusting an imperfect process.

Key Takeaways

• The challenge of shifting priorities
• The actions you take add up: small imperfect actions matter
• The importance of celebrating small wins
• Being brave means showing up imperfectly
• The importance of the big picture
• Recognizing when you're assigning perfection to others and that it's not true
• Acceptance and reaching for more
• The role of self-compassion in expectations

LINKS 

• Become one of my clients! Health Coaching | Mental Performance Coaching
• Enroll in my Moxy & Grit Mindset Academy
• Check out my newsletter for productivity, mindset, and mental skills

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Kristel Bauer is a former clinician turned wellness expert, speaker, and podcast host. Kristel joins us to share her powerful insights on corporate wellness, leadership, mindset, performance, personal development, and success. Together, we uncover the connection between individual priorities and overall well-being, and how the health of its employees impacts the workplace.

She’s the host of the Live Greatly Podcast and founder of a company under the same name, which she created to help companies and organizations create and enjoy vibrant company cultures. Kristel’s experience in Integrative Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine offer her a unique perspective to team building, mental well-being, helping people unlock high power habits and peak performance.

In this eye-opening episode, we delve into Kristel's path from being a Physician Assistant to a wellness expert and the big life changes that shifted her perspective. We discuss the importance of embracing a mindset shift around self-care and the challenges of balancing achievement with personal wellness.

Here are Kristel’s key takeaways:

• The problem with some self-care routines
• Self-belief vs. fear of failure
• Powerful 2-minute motivation strategies
• Biggest lessons learned since starting a podcast
• Managing opinions of others and impact on confidence
• The benefits of mentorship
• Tackling time management

Links: 

• Learn more about Live Greatly
• Sign up for my weekly newsletter!
• Sonya Looney Instagram | Podcast| Website

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Kara Goucher is a long-distance runner, Olympian, author, and mother. Her journey has taught her the power of self-belief paired with the support of others. In her new book, "The Longest Race," and through her advocacy for women's rights, she encourages us all to rise above doubt and pressure to become our most authentic selves.

In part one of this incredible conversation, Kara shares her experiences in life and sport with me and my co-host Travis Macy. Kara has represented the USA at the Beijing and London Olympics and finished third at the Boston Marathon. Despite facing challenges in pregnancy and athletics, she has persevered and now advocates for women's rights in the male-dominated world of sports, and offers opportunities for men to join the conversation.

Ready to hear the next leg of Kara’s journey?

You can find part two of our conversation on the Travis Macy Show, where Kara offers insights into battling imposter syndrome, the thrill of winning a medal, and how to embrace autonomy and joy in running while holding the weight of expectations. Plus, Kara shares advice for parents navigating disordered eating and body image with young athletes.

Check out the Travis Macy Show for compelling conversations with interesting people about endurance sport, ultra mindset, exciting adventure, optimized performance, Alzheimer’s resilience, organ donation, good reading, and more.

Kara Goucher's Key Takeaways:

• Kara's New Book "The Longest Race" and what she learned from writing
• Camaraderie and competition in sport and relationships
• Pregnancy, motherhood and endurance sports
• Overcoming the pressure to be one of the guys
• Autonomy and joy in running while holding the weight of expectations
• Championing women’s rights in sports
• The interplay between self-belief and support from others
• Navigating disordered eating and body image at home

Links:

• Kara Goucher Instagram
• Buy Kara's book "The Longest Race"
• Sonya Looney Instagram | Podcast| Website
• Travis Macy Instagram | Website
  
  

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

Mike McCormack's leadership and visionary ideas have turned Breck Epic into a global sensation: from its humble beginnings with 87 riders, this event has grown to be a global event with over 650 riders from 42 countries taking part in the challenge. After 11 years, this six-day, grueling mountain bike race now attracts the biggest names in mountain biking and has left its mark on the sport's history.

In this episode, I sit down with Mike Mac to talk about the arc of Breck Epic. He shares how he uses humor as a superpower to fuel his race event's success, the importance of putting people first, and how he ventured into the world of event and race production. Plus, we will uncover the founding principles that guide Breck Epic's growth, development, and its impact on the sport.

Key Takeaways
- How Mike uses humor as a superpower how it fuels his race event success
- The mountain biking microcosm and the importance of putting people first
- How Mike ventured into the world of event and race production
- From humble beginnings to a legendary race, discover the inception of Breck Epic
- The founding principles that guide Breck Epic's growth and development
- Uncovering the origins of mountain bike stage races and their evolution
- How Mike's commitment to integrity has steered Breck Epic's direction and why he didn’t sell
- Advice for starting your own race
- Striking the balance between challenging and fun in race planning
- The Women's Cycling Summit and its impact on the sport

Links
Learn more about Breck Epic
Attend the Women's Cycling SummitIn Breck
Sign up for my weekly newsletter!

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

 What does it mean to be wildly well? As an athlete, trainer, and women's health advocate based in Bend, Oregon, Abbi Hamlin empowers women through personal training, nutrition coaching, and fostering community for women athletes.

In this episode, we'll explore the essential components of an effective nutrition plan designed to fuel female athletes during training, races, and outdoor activities. Whether you're just beginning your fitness journey or a seasoned athlete, our conversation has tons of valuable insights for you.

Join us to demystify the world of athletic nutrition and gain practical tips for optimizing your performance through proper diet and lifestyle. Discover how to nourish your body and mind as I chat with Abbi about her mission to help every woman feel empowered in the outdoors.

• How to make sure you're eating enough
• Building blocks of a nutrition plan
• Decoding carbohydrates and carbo-loading
• Some pre-ride or pre-race meal examples
• How much protein do you need
• Why you need to eat some fat
• Considering your rest day nutrition
• Should you fast as an athlete?
• How to eat while you're training
• How to use caffeine to your advantage
  
  

Links:

• Learn more about Wildly Well 
• Follow Abbi on Instagram
• Related Podcast: How Women Should Train, Supplement, and Recover Different from Men with Dr. Stacy Sims
• Sign up for my weekly newsletter! 

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

I'll let you in on a secret: communication is not just about talking and using words. It's about listening. Yes, the foundation of communication is being a good listener.

As a health and wellness coach, I've received formal training in communication, plus recording over 350 hours of podcasts has been a master class in listening and communication.

In today’s solo deep dive, I will share strategies and actionable practices to help you become a better listener, approach conflicts with a new mindset, and ultimately, improve your relationships through the power of mindful communication. Struggle with small talk? Stick around and I’ll share some tips to spark conversation in any setting.

Throughout the episode, we'll draw upon insights from various books on parenting, relationships, and communication, such as nonviolent communication and growth mindset talk. I'll also share my own personal experiences and observations, shedding light on the practical application of these concepts.

So, are you ready to supercharge your communication skills and revolutionize your relationships?

Here’s a breakdown:
- Managing conflict with non-violent communication
- Respond with a reflection
- Asking open-ended questions
- Use both/and thinking for feedback and discussion
- Affirmation when giving compliments
- Validate emotions
- Practice active constructive response
- Plus, conversation starters

LINKS
* Become one of my clients! Health Coaching | Mental Performance Coaching
* Enroll in my Moxy & Grit Mindset Academy
* Check out my newsletter for productivity, mindset, and mental skills
* Read more about the Harvard Study of Adult Development

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co. 

When we think about health, we don't always think about brain health. We don't always fully understand how what we're doing is affecting it. It's sort of out of sight, out of mind... But in this week's podcast, hosted by Travis Macy, we talked to Dr. Edward Park, founder of NeuroReserve about the things we can do proactively to improve brain health and potentially delay cognitive decline.

Dr. Park is the Founder and President of NeuroReserve with over 15 years of experience in the research and development (R&D) of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and nutritional therapeutics. He has been inspired by his experiences with his father's struggles with Parkinson’s disease and dementia for almost two decades before passing away.

Before NeuroReserve, Dr. Park led development of nutrition-enabling therapeutics for people with severe under-nourishment caused by cystic fibrosis, short bowel syndrome, pancreatic cancer, and preterm birth. At Alcresta Therapeutics, he successfully directed the end-to-end R&D, testing, regulatory approval (U.S. F.D.A. and E.U.), and launch of RELiZORB, the first-of its-kind combination-enzyme-cartridge to support absorption of critical long-chain polyunsaturated fats for the most malnourished populations. He also worked with major pharmaceutical and health care companies as an R&D advisor with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) Health Industries Advisory, charting development paths for vaccines, cancer therapeutics, clinical genomics operations, and in vitro diagnostics. Before PwC, Dr. Park worked at Altus Pharmaceuticals (later Alnara Pharmaceuticals) in its commercial and development teams, where he led evaluation of early-and clinical-stage therapeutics for rare diseases, pediatric growth failure, hyperoxaluria and kidney stones, and chronic pancreatitis. Ed started his therapeutics career as an R&D associate at Bristol Myers Squibb. Dr. Park holds a Ph.D. in chemical-biomolecular engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he was awarded a U.S. Department of Defense–National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.He also holds a M.S. and M.B.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Travis is a 2x author, world-class endurance champion across many disciplines including Adventure Racing, 100-mile trail running races like Leadville and Leadman, Snowshoe champion, ski mountaineering, and even Burro racing. He is the host of The Travis Macy Show Podcast and a sought-after speaker including being a TEDx speaker. Travis is also an endurance sports coach and a dad to 2 children. Today's topic also hits close to home for Travis, as his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Key Takeaways:

• Dr. Park's inspiration for creating NeuroReserve
• Experiencing neurodegenerative diseases in a parent
• Focusing on diet improvement
• Preventing cognitive decline with good nutrition
• The mind diet
• The six pillars of brain health
• Six pillars of lifestyle medicine
• Exploring less mainstream health ideas (fads)
• Optimizing the basics for your health

Links:

• Learn more about

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.