We are a few days into January. When we make a declaration of a new lifestyle, goal, or habit, it can be hard to stick to it. According to research by the University of Scranton, 92% of people don’t achieve their New Year’s Resolution goals. We want to create habits to be happier and healthier, but change is not always easy. If we genuinely want to discover the best version of ourselves, why do we give up on some of our goals? There are multiple reasons we don’t achieve our goals.

• We get stuck in all-or-none thinking. Sometimes we don’t even start working towards a goal or habit because it seems too unattainable.
• When we make a mistake or a slip-up, we give up and revert back to our old habits because sticking to the new one seems too hard.
• We don’t create a support network and an environment for change
• Our goals are not specific or measurable.
• We are worried about changing our identity or how other people perceive us

Another common thing we do is focus on setting goals based on an outcome we desire.  Sometimes we can't even control those outcomes such as setting a goal for a race result (you can't control what your competition is doing), a sales goal for our business, or just goals that have outcomes that count on other people's opinions or ratings.  Setting goals that have outcomes outside of your immediate control can be defeating.  Like for me- I say to myself, "yes! I want to write a NYT Bestselling Book."  Honestly, setting a goal like that makes it hard for me to even write the book because it seems like so much is out of my control.  A better way to do it would be to commit to writing a certain number of pages per day, hire a really good editor, etc. Those are all things in my control but I can't control what people will do after I've given my best effort.  Another example of an outcome-based goal that is defeating:  I could set a goal to get x downloads per month for this podcast or a goal for ranking at a certain place among other podcasts, but a better goal would be to focus on becoming a better interviewer or coming up with processes to help me promote my show.  Those are things I can control.  See the difference? We also tie our happiness and satisfaction to the outcome of the goal itself, which leaves us in an endless pursuit of saying “I’ll be happy when I achieve X.” There is a problem with being too goal-oriented; the paradox is that we cannot always control the future and thus our outcome, but we can always control our progress through consistent action. So how do you create a goal-setting system that will help you not only get what you want, but also feel satisfied and motivated on a daily basis? The trick is to stop focusing on the endpoint and instead start focusing on your process. If you can feel good about your daily actions working toward something important to you, it will help you stay on track.  You'll also feel more empowered and in control when the results of your goal setting are 100% within your control. Here are some easy examples of goal setting and actions within your control.

• Goal: Lose 10 lbs. Process: Meal planning and portion control.
• Goal: Run a marathon. Process: Create and stick to a training program.
• Goal: Buy a house. Process: Creating a budget to save money.

Goals are just a point on a map to start you moving in a different direction. Once you start down a new path, enjoy the experiences, the unknowns, and even the setbacks. Each week, look at the processes you've laid out for yourself and evaluate whether you

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

This is a republish of the Singletracks Podcast with Jeff Barber where he had me on the show as a guest.  I thought it'd be a great podcast to start off 2020! 

 

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• how to view and appreciate strong competition and pressure
• finding the optimal amount of training for you
• why I love failure and find my greatest motivation from it
• the importance of work ethic
• my transition to a plant-based diet
• my book projects

 

Listen Now

 

 

 

Resources

• Subscribe to the Singletracks Podcast! 
• Singletrack Podcast Show Notes for this episode

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________________________________________________ Yay!  Our Podcast Sponsor- Sufferfest Beer

In 2012, Founder and CEO Caitlin Landesberg started her search for the perfect beer to cheers with friends after long trail runs in and around San Francisco… but didn’t find a beer that fit the bill when it came to celebrating her athletic lifestyle and diet. So, taking matters into her own hands, Caitlin spent years developing the beer she wanted to see in the world. After teaming up with an all-star brewmaster to perfect her recipes, Caitlin started to share her beer with friends and fellow trail runners.  The beer is brewed with built-in superfoods so you can recover, sweat for your beer, and feel good! Listen Now: The Sonya Looney Show Podcast Episode wi

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Kait Boyle is an inspiring human.  These days, you might know her for her impressive accolades including 24-Hour World Champion in 2018, AZT300 record holder, winner and second in the men, and 2x winner SOLO 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo.  She didn't always ride a bike or have a love for bikepacking or ultra-endurance events.  She grew up riding horses and later found climbing and skiing.  As a NOLS instructor and with her Masters in Environmental Education, she constantly is in teaching and leadership roles.  If you follow Kait on instagram, you might have noticed that the last 12 months have been trying for her.  Almost exactly one year ago to the day, she got in a severe car accident.  Her truck was t-boned on an icy road leaving her with a quadruple fractured pelvis, broken sacrum, broken fibula, and a ruptured bladder.  Between 10 days in the hospital, 5 weeks in wheelchair, and 4 weeks on crutches, she had a long way to go to move forward.  She was able to ride the roller coaster of devastation and gratitude and positivity and was on her bike again a total of 5 months after her accident.  The community stepped in to support her during this time through a very generous GoFundMe campaign.  This year, she's giving back through the Cairn Project non-profit to get more girls outside and has spent the last 84 days (the amount of time she was stuck indoors due to her accident and recovery) outside. 

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• NOLS & leadership in the backcountry
• what sports contributed to Kait's self-confidence
• decision to go from riding a bike to racing
• men vs. women in ultra sports
• how to pace long races
• nutrition for ultra racing
• mental tips on how not to quit
• self-care tips for bikepacking
• her car accident & recovery from injury
• the power of GoFundMe and social media
• The Cairn Project fundraiser she is working on

Listen Now

 

 

 

Resources

• Check out Kait Boyle's website
• Follow Kait on Instagram
• Donate to The Cairn Project

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Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.  Patreon.  The current production of this free show is primarily supported out of my own pocket and a small portion is covered through the donations on Patreon. With my Patreon page, you can donate directly to the show which will help me cover the costs and help it grow! Even 4 bucks a month- the cost of one coffee per month helps a LOT! Thanks, I really appreciate your support!

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There are several things you can do to enjoy your holidays even more, and having mindful holidays is actually easy to do! Some people really love the holidays - the hustle and bustle, the travel, seeing people you maybe only see once a year, or simply just having the time off work.  For some it can make you feel full and festive, but it can feel fake and empty for others - maybe you get stressed out with all the energy you need to give towards family, gifts, travel, and all the things you are "supposed" to be doing.  Maybe the pressure of being happy is too high.

Any health or mindful focused website will tell you to just count your blessings and to breathe.  While this is true, it's not enough and it's not specific enough.  Of course we know we should count our blessings and breathe.  But what else can we do?

I want to address a few topics.

"I don't really like my relatives, but have to spend time with them anyway."

Yes!  We might be forced to see those few family members we don't like as much. Try to identify what you don't like about spending time with them.  Do they make judgemental comments about you? Is it just plain boring?  What is it that triggers you? Then have a plan.  For example, if people are making chippy comments to you, I try to have a sense of humor about it and I try to say to myself that they have different life views, morals, or opinions that I don't have to agree with.  They are actually speaking their truth and  reality.  I don't have to live my life like them or prioritize my time, finances, or goals to them.  If they have an opinion, I remind myself their life experiences dictate their perspective and it likely won't match mine.  I suppose it is about empathizing with what they are trying to do (to help or give advice), but separating your emotions from it so you don't take it as personally.  4 agreements- don't take things personally.

You feel aimless

Traveling, making time to see other people or even doing activities you don't normally do might make you feel restless, aimless, or even cause anxiety.  We get knocked out of our regular routine.  There are two things you can do.  If you thrive in routine, create a very small ritual or routine you can do every day to ground you.  Second is a mindset shift.  I'll be the first to say that feeling aimless is hard for me but I've learned that it's important.  It actually helps me feel more creative, hungry for goals, and motivated when I get back to my regular life.  Toning down your training or your work for a short period of time may feel scary like you're going to lose fitness or get behind, but think big picture.  You don't have to be doing something every second to make gains.  If aimlessness bothers you, it means you probably don't feel that way often so try to remember that feeling restless or resting from your normal life actually IS doing something - it helps you recover from the burnout of your normal life.

The Food

This is a tough one. One big meal is not a make or break, but doing it repeatedly for weeks on end can set you back.  It's hard to set boundaries when temptations are at an all-time high.  Do your best- set a foundation for adding in healthy things.  For example, if you ate too many cookies, add in healthy things later that day or tomorrow.  Go eat a handful of greens right out of the container or eat a piece of fruit.  Start adding in other foods that are easy and make you feel good to offset some of the higher fat, more refined foods that maybe you only enjoy during the holidays.  If you get off track, get back on track with the next thing you put on yourself.  Sometimes a few unhealthy me

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

T. Colin Campbell, PhD has been dedicated to the science of human health for more than 60 years. Dr. Campbell grew up on a dairy farm and was the first in his family to go to college. He has his PhD and is MIT and Cornell trained and educated in nutrition, biochemistry and toxicology. His primary focus is on the association between diet and disease, particularly cancer. Although largely known for the China Study--one of the most comprehensive studies of health and nutrition ever conducted, and recognized by The New York Times as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology."  It has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.  Their studies have shown that animal protein has a very strong effect on the growth of cancer. Milk protein in their experiments turns on cancer 100% of the time. If they took it away, they could reduce it down to zero. Dr. Campbell’s profound impact also includes extensive involvement in education, public policy, and laboratory research.  

He is also the author of the The New York Times bestseller Whole, and The Low-Carb Fraud. Several documentary films feature Dr. Campbell and his research, including Forks Over Knives, Eating You Alive, Food Matters, and PlantPure Nation. He continues to share evidence-based information on health and nutrition whenever given the opportunity. He has delivered hundreds of lectures around the world and he is the founder of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and the online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate in partnership with eCornell.

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• from dairy farmer to PhD in Biochemistry
• research in the Philippines 
• Why we need to stop taking the reductionist view of nutrition
• how to overcome personal bias in science
• why WFPB is better than vegan
• complications of groupthink and industry/government interference
• how much animal protein is too much?
• the mechanism with animal protein that causes cancer
• why most doctors don't know a lot about nutrition
• what does protein deficiency look like? 

 

Listen Now

 

 

 

Resources

• The China Study
• Book: Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition
• eCornell Center for Nutritional Studies

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2 Ways to Give Back to the Show

 

       

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

 

This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about perfectionism.  The short answer is there is no quick fix, but there are patterns we can identify and thought processes we can practice.

If you've been listening to me for awhile or you've read some of my articles, you may have heard me say that I'm a recovering perfectionist.  Yes, I used to be angry that my A- wasn't good enough.  I still occasionally struggle with the appearance of a result not being "good enough" like being ashamed of a race result, even though that was my best for that day and not making excuses.  There is a big challenge in asking "but what IS good enough?"  We all know what perfectionism is, but where it comes from may vary from individual to individual.  For me, it stemmed from wanting to meet the expectations of my parents, coaches, and peers.  It came from wanting desperately to fit in and believing that if I could be the best at everything, then people would love and accept me.  I talk about these stories in depth in my ebook : Partly Sunny, Cultivating a Resilient Mind. Eventually, external expectations became my own internal expectations.

 

The Masks of Perfectionism

Perfectionism happens when you hold yourself up to an impossible standard.  The reasons you want to be perfect or do things a certain way are fear-based. You're afraid you won't be seen in a certain way, or you're afraid it'll mean something about you.  Perfectionists are driven by the need to prove themselves, not the desire to learn.  People with fixed mindsets tend to be perfectionists.

There are three main patterns of perfectionists.  They reject failure, they reject painful emotions, and they even reject success.  Personally, I've been able to overcome the first two, but I still reject success. I have a very hard time celebrating my success and not belittling it. By not celebrating your success, you put off that feeling of accomplishment or fulfillment to the future when you can do something even harder. And when you do that, you still do not feel satisfied.

In the form of rejecting failure or painful emotions, it's about accepting that failure does not have to feel good- in fact it never does- but also realizing that failure IS part of the path. It isn't a bad thing. You're probably not trying hard enough if you always take the safe way out.  I say out loud to myself that I love failure.  I do not love feeling like I'm not worthy or the hard work I'm putting in doesn't actually matter. (in the case of being rejected by trying to get a new sponsor). I do not love feeling ashamed or embarrassed. I do not love the feeling of working really hard and having it go nowhere. That is what failure feels like to me  Failure even makes me want to give up.  When I feel that way, I go for a walk, run, or bike ride.  I process those gross feelings.  But after I process them, a fire gets lit under me to work even harder, try something different, or maybe even just accept that it's just not the right time for the thing I failed at to progress.

In Tal Ben Shahar's book,

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

Sasha Gollish is well-known as a decorated Canadian Competitive Runner, has her PhD in Civil Engineering, and is passionate about girls in sports.  She was a bronze medalist in the 1500 m at the 2015 Pan American Games despite her shoe falling off, has won a variety of short and longer distance races and raced on the Canadian National Team for the IAFF World Marathon Champs.  I love Sasha's four tenets of living and training.  They are: always play, make choices not sacrifices, work hard, and eat real food- feed the machine.

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• from alpine ski racer to marathon running
• her drive for achievement in all areas of her life, including getting her PhD
• starting her running career at age 30
• Sasha's tenets of training and personal values
• how to look at food in a healthy way
• learning to sit with uncomfortable emotions
• how she dealt with her recent marathon that didn't go her way 
• her career as a runner and some fun stories
• Making the best of Doha World Championships
• Empowering girls through Fast and Female

Listen Now

 

 

 

Resources

• Check out Sasha's website
• Follow Sasha on Instagram
• Fast and Female: Empowering Girls Through Sport 

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Yay!  Our Podcast Sponsor- Osea Malibu

—  Osea Malibu: vegan, non-toxic, earth-friendly skincare from California!

—   Osea Malibu Atmosphere Protection Cream

—  Use code “sonyalooney” fo

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

This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about excuses.

Excuses can show up in several forms.  Procrastination is one of the main ways excuses show up.  We give a reason as to why we can do that thing later.  And for some things, procrastination is just a hop, skip, and a jump to never getting that thing done.  Other forms of excuses show up as a reason to let yourself off the hook.  The challenge is figuring out when you actually SHOULD listen to your excuse because your body is telling you something, and when your excuses are a form of procrastination, laziness, or even fear of failure, losing time, or not knowing how to get started.

First, let's talk about big picture excuses- excuses that we make to avoid bigger life changes.

Figure Out What's Really Holding You Back

Here are some common excuses I hear or that I've caught myself saying. Try to decode what you are really saying instead.  Here are a few examples.

• I'm too old to start (I hear this a lot with mountain biking... NOT true! My dad started in his 60s.  My father-in-law is in his 70s and mountain bikes!).
  • You're really saying "I'm afraid I'll get hurt." Hire a coach, take babysteps, realize that you are looking at worst-case scenarios and it's probably not true.
• I don't know how to do it.
  • You're really saying: I don't know how to do it right now.  I'm afraid that I won't be able to figure it out.  I'm afraid I'll waste my time trying to learn if it doesn't work out.  I don't want to spend the time.  Meet the internet.  You can learn how to do pretty much everything if you're willing to put in the time
• It's too cold, hot, I'm too sleepy, I have to much to do... excuses not to exercise.  What are you really worried about?  Are you tired, stressed, burnt out, or injured?  Those are times you might need a break.  You probably are really saying that you don't want to be uncomfortable.
• I have already spent years in school or in my career dedicated to this path. I can't change now.
  • You're really saying that it is hard to start over and you're afraid of the sunk cost of time and money, but you can always change.  You  also might be avoiding discomfort, temporary loss of identity, fear of not knowing what to do next, but you can almost always change.  Change is hard and it takes work, but it's worth it.
• I don't have time
  • You're really saying you won't make time. You might have to cut something else out, but if it's important you always have time.

Some of the excuses I just mentioned are for bigger picture things.  But what about smaller things too?  I am the worst about procrastinating with writing: blog posts, articles, books.  I also have been known to procrastinate getting out on my bike, meditation, going to the gym, cleaning the garage, listing stuff on craigslist.

What should you do to be stronger than your excuses?

The Hardest Part is Getting Started

First, identify that you are in fact making an excuse. Just being aware that you are doing it helps, and try to figure out what the real issue is in the first place.  The hardest part for most people is simply getting started.  In chemistry, physics, or even an electrical impulse in the body, there is the activation energy, that is, a minimum quantity of energy required to

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

Julia Murray is an Olympian Skier in ski cross, a silver medalist at World Championships, a registered Holistic Nutritionist, a Roubxe certified plant-based chef, a Main Street Vegan Educator, Owner of HOoked on Plants, Cofounder of 80/20 plants and an all-around awesome human.  Julia has spent 4 years going all-in on the vegan and plant-based lifestyle. If you're plant-curious and wondering about making small or big changes in your diet, definitely sign up for her program on 8020plants.com where you'll get one on one coaching, videos, and recipes on how to make a slow transition, and even room for indulgent foods.

Julia is an inspiring and awesome person AND check out Whistler VegFest next year!

Check out 80/20 Plants and use code "Sonya20"

Topics Discussed in the Podcast 

• her rise to the Olympic dream
• making transitions in your life
• supplements Julia likes
• how to switch to a whole-foods plant-based diet
• tips for starting new businesses
• creating recipes and becoming a chef
• how to deal with negative criticism as a vegan

Listen Now

 

 

 

Resources

• Hooked On Plants
• Get on board with 80/20 Plants
• Main Street Vegan Academy
• Resources Julia mentioned in the show(scroll down)
• Why Vegan? by Julia

Inside Tracker: Take a Selfie from the Inside

Use Code: CHEERSSONYA for $200 OFF the Ultimate Test 

Inside Tracker is a company that uses bloodwork to assess biomarkers, blood analysis, athletic performance, and nutrition software to optimize fitness and longevity.  Founded in 2009, the Boston company first started working with professional athletes who wanted to see what their biomarkers, hormone and mineral profiles looked like during their training and how they could use nutrition and lifestyle to improve.  They measure over 30 biomarkers and recommend food and supplements to optimize thinks like your energy, cognition, endurance, heart health, and more. I started working with Inside Tracker in 2017.  I liked it because their ranges for your biomarkers change based on your goals. I also think it’s important to have baseline and also recurrent bloodwork as you age and also simply as an athlete.

Listen to the Episode with Jonathan Levitt from Inside Tracker

 

Support the Show

If you would like to support the growth of my show, I’d love your contribution on.

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

This is an episode of Crush It Mondays.  Each week, I’ll bring to you an inspiring message, habit, or contemplation to get your week off to a powerful start.  In this week’s episode, I want to talk about how not to choke.  My research was primarily around different sports, but these tips can be applied to say, a meeting you're preparing for, test-taking, or any situation that challenges you.

Self-talk, the awareness around our perceptions, and mindfulness are woven into the main narrative of this podcast. The stories we tell ourselves and the words that we use affect our perception. Self-talk is an internal stimulus and drives our confidence in everything that we do. It especially effects the outcome of how we perform and even how much fun we have in challenging situations or conditions where we need to optimally perform.  Our inner experience effects the quality of our outer experience.

What to do:

Here are some techniques I like to keep your eye on crushing it instead of letting that constricted, nervous feeling take over.  Use this in sports, business, relationships- anywhere you are being challenged.

• Develop contextual awareness around your negative self-talk. When are you doing it, what circumstances cause it?
• Practice reworking your thoughts and rewiring your brain.  Replace negative thoughts with productive ones.  Even journaling daily will help.
• Focus on execution, not outcome.  Don't think about winning the game or the race, think about what you'll do to perform your best. Don't think of the test result, think of the work you put in to know your stuff.  Don't think about getting the promotion, think about communicating everything you've done well.  You catch my drift
• Positive Visualization:  For days or weeks leading up to your event, imagine what not only what success looks like, but try to imagine how it'll feel when you are doing everything perfectly for your execution.  You can even use negative visualization- how will you deal with potential hiccups? If this gives you anxiety, don't spend too much time on the negative parts.
• View stress as a positive, especially with stereotypical "nerve-wracking situations."  Instead of saying "I'm so nervous" or "I'm stressed", tell yourself that you're excited and you're amped.  Kelly McGonigal PhD has written a whole book on research surrounding how and why this works, and techniques you can use called The Upside of Stress.
• Pick a mantra.  Mantras can be really powerful.  Pick on that makes you feel good. Mantra: I got this.  I'm unstoppable. I'm confident. I'm ready.
• Relax: breath, routine

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Reggie Miller's tips on choking and performing under pressure.

First let me say, there is no such thing as “choking”, we all have at some point come up short at the biggest moments in our athletic endeavor.. But here’s how I approach pressure moments..

1. Act like you’ve been there. There’s a reason why you got up 3 hours earlier to get to the gym or football field or on a trail. Practice makes good, not perfect.. The more time you spend doing what you love, the less pressure it will feel like..

2

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