In this episode, host, Yayoi Komiyama and guest Stella Tokar explore the roots of procrastination, explaining how fear and the amygdala can override the prefrontal cortex and how neuroplasticity lets you reprogram habits.

They share practical strategies—tiny rituals, pattern interrupts like "killing the ants," the WHOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) model, and celebrating small wins—to build lasting routines and reduce decision fatigue.

Stella offers real-life tips for morning and evening rituals, setting boundaries, and staying consistent so listeners can stop waiting for Monday and start making progress today.

Sometimes the weight we carry isn’t food. It’s grief.

What if the weight you’re carrying has nothing to do with food?

In this deeply emotional episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I sit down with fellow coach Cindy Gould to talk about grief, emotional eating, healing, and the hidden emotional patterns that keep so many people stuck.

Cindy shares her powerful story of releasing over 135 pounds, and how the real transformation didn’t begin with another diet.

It began with healing.

In this conversation, Cindy opens up about:

One of the most powerful moments comes when Cindy shares this realization:

“The weight wasn’t just physical. It was emotional.”

Together, we explore how unresolved pain can silently shape behaviors, habits, and even our relationship with food and our bodies.

But this episode is also about hope.

About healing.

If you’ve ever struggled with emotional eating, self-worth, grief, or feeling stuck in old patterns, this episode will remind you that lasting change doesn’t begin with punishment.

It begins with healing.

Because real transformation starts when we stop fighting ourselves, and start listening to what our pain has been trying to say.

Host Yayoi Komiyama welcomes returning guest Cindy Gould to share her powerful story of releasing 135 pounds through emotional healing after trauma, miscarriage, and multiple losses. They discuss how grief, self‑love, and rewiring the nervous system shaped Cindy’s transformation.

The episode explains practical tools—neuroencoding, the "stop" technique, gratitude practice, and mirror/I‑am exercises—to interrupt old patterns, retrain responses, and begin living with purpose. A concise, encouraging conversation about choosing joy and starting now.

What if the reason nothing has worked is that you’ve been taught to fight yourself instead of love yourself?

In this episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I sit down with Chris Rosa, who shares his powerful journey of losing over 150 pounds; not through punishment or restriction, but through a complete shift in mindset and identity.

Chris opens up about years of yo-yo dieting, people-pleasing, and using food as a form of self-soothing, and the moment everything changed.

It wasn’t another diet.

👉 It was a question:

In this deeply honest conversation, we explore:

• Breaking the cycle of yo-yo dieting and “starting over”

Chris also shares how his relationship with food completely shifted, from using food for comfort to using it as nourishment, and how that change brought him something even more valuable than weight loss:

Peace.

This episode is a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t come from forcing yourself to change.

It comes from finally learning how to care for yourself.

Because real change doesn’t begin on Monday.

It begins the moment you start treating yourself with love.

From Yo-Yo Dieting to Surfing at 44 | Ruth Pettit on Courage, Identity & Starting Now

How many times have you told yourself,

“I’ll start on Monday”?

In this episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I sit down with Ruth Pettit, Navy veteran, Neuroencoding Specialist, weightlifter, and surfer to talk about breaking the cycle of procrastination and finally taking action.

Ruth shares her very real journey from years of yo-yo dieting to building strength, confidence, and a completely new identity.

And here’s the part that might surprise you:

*Even now she still catches herself saying, “I’ll start after this holiday.”

Because change isn’t about perfection.

In this conversation, we explore:

Ruth also shares a powerful truth:

* Nobody starts out good at anything.

This episode is a reminder that the life you want isn’t waiting for Monday.

It’s waiting for you to begin.

What if the reason nothing changes is because you keep waiting?

In this powerful episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I sit down with Maria Caso, PCC-certified coach, leadership expert, and recovery specialist, for a deeply honest conversation about procrastination, resilience, and what it really means to take action.

Maria challenges a common belief:

👉 “I’ll start on Monday” isn’t a plan, it’s a delay.

Instead, she reframes change through a different lens:

You either start when you say you will or you don’t start at all.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why procrastination is often a lack of true commitment

Maria also shares powerful metaphors from walking through waves to escaping the “crab bucket” that reveal how people stay stuck and how they break free.

Her message is clear:

👉 You’re not stuck.

And the way out isn’t more thinking.

It’s action.

If you’ve ever delayed, overthought, or waited for the “right time,” this episode will challenge you in the best way.

Because real change doesn’t begin on Monday.

It begins the moment you decide to move.

Stuck at Mile Five? | Steve Wright on Identity, Procrastination & Sustainable Change

Why do so many capable people keep postponing the changes they want to make?

In this episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I speak with Steve Wright, coach and host of the One to One Thing Podcast, about why high-achieving professionals often feel successful on the outside but stuck on the inside.

Steve introduces the powerful metaphor of being “stuck at mile five”, that early stage of any journey where motivation fades, and the real work begins.

Drawing from his experience as a marathon runner, IT leader, and coach, Steve shares how sustainable transformation happens when we move beyond motivation and focus on identity, belief, and consistent action.

In this episode, we explore:

Steve also shares his innovative idea of “My Year in Months”, a powerful way to rethink time, goal-setting, and personal progress.

If you’ve ever told yourself, “I’ll start on Monday,” this episode will help you understand why that cycle happens and how to break it.

Real change doesn’t happen when the calendar changes.

It happens the moment you choose differently.

The Endurance Mindset | Susanne Mueller on Leadership, Discipline & Showing Up

What can marathon training teach us about leadership, resilience, and personal growth?

In this episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I speak with Susanne Mueller, executive coach, leadership expert, and endurance athlete who has completed multiple marathons and an Ironman competition.

Susanne shares how the discipline and mindset required in endurance sports directly translate into leadership, coaching, and navigating life’s challenges.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why showing up consistently matters more than motivation

Susanne’s perspective reminds us that transformation rarely happens overnight. Just like endurance training, personal growth happens through consistent effort, discipline, and the courage to keep showing up.

If you’ve ever struggled with procrastination, self-doubt, or staying committed to your goals, this episode will inspire you to keep moving forward.

Because real change doesn’t begin on Monday.

It begins the moment you decide to show up for yourself.

We’ve all said it:

“I’ll start on Monday.”

It sounds responsible. Organized. Hopeful.

In this first episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I share the personal story behind the name of this podcast, including the moment I stopped waiting for the “perfect day” and took action on an ordinary Thursday instead.

In this episode, we explore:

• The psychology of procrastination and delay

This podcast is about more than productivity. It’s about understanding the mindset patterns behind hesitation, breaking the cycle of starting over, and creating lasting transformation, especially in the areas of health, habits, self-confidence, and self-trust.

If you’ve ever struggled with procrastination, self-discipline, emotional eating, body image, or rebuilding confidence, you’re not alone. And you’re in the right place.

Because real change doesn’t begin on Monday.

What happens when life changes in an instant?

In this deeply moving episode of I’ll Start on Monday, I sit down with Wil Wize Otero, a podcaster, coach, speaker, and a resilience advocate to explore what it truly means to rebuild after profound loss.

After losing his wife at just 31 years old, Wil faced a level of grief and disruption most people never plan for. Instead of staying stuck in despair, he began the slow, intentional work of rebuilding his mindset, habits, and identity.

In this episode, we explore:

• Navigating grief and emotional trauma

This conversation is about more than grief recovery. It’s about personal growth, emotional resilience, and learning how to move forward when life doesn’t go according to plan.

If you’ve ever faced loss, burnout, identity shifts, or felt paralyzed by fear and hesitation, this episode offers hope and perspective.

Because sometimes starting again isn’t about Monday it’s about surviving today and choosing one small step forward.