I reached out to Melissa Wolak because I wanted to get someone on the show who could talk about habits. I read "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg a few years ago and I've been intrigued by the concept of creating positive habits and eliminating unhelpful habits so we can live happier lives. It seems to me that if we really want to achieve something or make meaningful change in our lives, we need to make sometimes difficult changes, and let's face it, change is one of the hardest concepts for people to embrace.

Melissa is a transformational and mindset coach. Sounds fancy, but it's really simple. Her mission is to help you build a foundation for change that will empower you no matter how you choose to dance on your path and what rhythm you go with. She can help you find your path, stay on your path, or develop tools to blaze your path in a bigger way.

I love Melissa's approach. She is practical, empowering, gentle when needed and incredibly mindful. Today we talk about:

Pause and Breathe: This theme is repeated many times through the episode. This is the key to forward change as it precedes the most important concept - Awareness.
How does one become a transformational and mindset coach? Melissa's career path from speech language cognitive therapy to life coach
Her long, winding path to understanding gut health: gluten intolerance caused many other issues
Habit change in all its glory: baby steps
What the heck is mindfulness? Melissa's definition "Being present in the moment without judgment or criticism"
When the teacher becomes the student: Melissa's concussion and recovery
Her three nonnegotiable habits: Diet, Outside time, Gratitude
And so much more

If you take one thing away from this episode it is this: Pause. Breathe. Check in with yourself. Why are you feeling the way you feel? Get to the bottom of it before you take the next action. Pause. Breathe. Check in. Pause Breathe. Check in. I know I will be working on implementing this new habit. Let me know if you are too!

For more Melissa, check her out here!

Work with Melissa

Instagram @melissahwolak

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158 - Remember to Breathe with Melissa Wolak

Welcome to my Run This World Podcast! I’m a former pro athlete turned entrepreneur and life adventurer. I feature visionaries who are creating change in the world; people who will inspire you to create positive forward change in your own worlds. You’ll hear from entrepreneurs, athletes, experts in health and nutrition, and amazing humans with a message to share. It’s time to get out there and Run This World!

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

It's not everyday that you stumble across a world champion athlete in Steamboat who isn't a snow sport athlete. Today you will hear a parallel perspective on what it takes to be the best - from my favorite person in the world - our current SSWSC mountain bike and skimo coach, former 2-time Ironman Triathlon world champion, consummate gear enthusiast, health and fitness guru, father of 6th grade SSWSC athlete Wilder, and my husband, Tim DeBoom. 
 

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Tim is an elusive champion; he doesn't wear his accomplishments on his sleeve. When we moved to Steamboat in 2020, he didn't want to leverage his athletic past, so he started by volunteering to coach whichever ski program needed him. After a season of wrangling 6 year olds on cross country skis, the club figured out his skills would be better suited for a different level of athlete! Today he coaches the kids who have a proclivity for endurance - on the bike and on skis - notably starting the first-ever Steamboat Springs Skimo program (one of just a few kids' skimo programs in our country). 
This interview was a blast - when's the last time to sat down with your spouse and asked them all the big questions about what makes them tick? After listening, please reach out if you have any questions about the programs Tim leads or anything else! 

Today you will hear:
Tim's background: family, sports, philosophies and more
Swimming: How one sport set the stage for a future world champion in another sport
Trust in the process is key to success in everything.
Specialization vs diversification
Patience & Consistency
Identities: How they shift and change from Swimmer to Pro Athlete to Dad to Coach 
"I wonder if I can finish?" The Power of Wonder
As always, please share your questions, comments, feedback and requests. Go to sswsc.org! Now get out there and support, lead or be a champion on and off the mountain!

219 - ”I wonder if I can do this?” the Story of 2-time Ironman World Champion & SSWSC Coach Tim DeBoom

Today we have my favorite guest in the world - you guessed it - Mirna Valerio! This is an obviously true statement due to the fact that she has been on this podcast more times than any other guest by far. 8 times! That means you can have hours of happy, mind-expanding Mirna listening by simply tuning in here. I am going to take you back in time so you can appreciate Mirna’s evolution and then, better appreciate our conversation today which really centers on a topic that we haven’t explored before. A topic that affects pretty much everyone I know. The topic of depression and anxiety. But first, let's hit memory lane...
In Dec 2016, episode 34 titled Mirna Valerio of Fatgirlrunning Promotes Health at Every Size. This was not too long after we first connected. Mirna was experiencing that beautiful thing we call momentum. It was around this time that I think I told her, this is amazing, and let’s keep it going as long as we can because one day we’re not going to be able to afford you anymore! Her message at that time was simply about the fact that people at any size can get moving for reasons above and beyond trying to lose weight but simply for the love and joy of movement. 
Well people noticed and while many agreed with her, others decided to make her the subject of their anger so in Sept 2017 we recorded episode 69 - Mirna Valerio is not a Liar and a Fraud. You guessed it - as she gained popularity and inspired many people to try new things, she also gained the attention of some haters, one of whom took the time to email her that she is a liar and fraud. 
Instead of stopping, the message fueled her to go even further. So she kept pushing, moving and breaking barriers. In June 2018, she was the star speaker at the Skirt Sports Ambassador Retreat in Boulder, and since we had an in-person opportunity, i grabbed her and fellow ambassador Latoya Snell and we recorded episode 97 - Mirna & Latoya Uncensored - and had a fun, deep and raunchy conversation about all sorts of awesome topics like lady part chafing, how people project their fears on others, how we’re all nuts and more. At this point she was comfortable in this space of both empowerment and controversy, and she was learning how to navigate it successfully. We took a little podcast break, mainly because Mirna became insanely busy as a very sought-after speaker, athlete, and more. Our next podcast was in March 2020 - 163 - Mirna Valerio Leans Into Joy. The pandemic had just begun and I was desperate for a voice that could help pull me and my listeners out of the daily fear and figure out to embrace joy even during the toughest times. After today’s episode I wonder if I was among the many who have unrealistic expectations even for the most positive spirits in this world. The truth is that I needed her for more than the pandemic, I was also in my most turbulent professional crisis ever, making decisions about the future of Skirt Sports, and it was tearing me up - I needed every trick in the book. 
Which leads me to episode 200 - Mirna Valerio Live and Unfiltered which we recorded in May 2021. I was on my honeymoon - only 9 months after I sold Skirt Sports and moved to Steamboat Springs, CO. This episode was basically a celebration - of how far we’ve come and how much there still is to explore. 
 
And she made two bonus appearances on fun group podcasts:
In March 2017 she sang opera at my parents dinner table at a photo shoot in Savannah Georgia in episode 43 - Tales From the Shoot. There were 5 of us, Mirna, my parents Gail and Roger Molzahn, and Kim Cook, our amazing photographer. THe sound sucked but the conversation was awesome. 
In January 2019, we recorded episode 119 - Body Talk - with 3 other amazing, strong women who were helping promote the launch of our new Plus Size collection, Jen Szabo, Katie Kelly and another frequent pod guest, Jill Angie. It’s that collection that Mirna credits with helping her learn what really goes into the creation of products tha

218 - Mirna Valerio - When the Sh*t Hits the Fan

Today I’m trying something new. I’m interviewing a friend, someone who has been on the show before - Elizabeth Kraus. Check out episode 139 - Elizabeth Kraus Asks Herself 3 Questions Every Day - an interview we did in July 2019. It's sooo good...and it also shows how much we go through and how much we can change in just 3+ years. 
Elizabeth is a powerhouse business woman who I’ve often called when I need career advice and she always delivers. She’s strong. She’s brilliant. And she’s an incredible leader and role model to many. So when she reached out not too long ago and said she has a story that she wants to share and the best way to do it would be on the podcast, I didn’t hesitate. The hook? She didn’t tell me any details. I had no idea what she was going to share. Only that she had recently been through an experience that changed her life and she needed the world to know about it! So get ready to go through a ride with me today. 
Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!
Teaser - some high level topics we cover:
Mind & Body Breakdowns
Body image
Eating disorders
Hormones
The illusion of success
How our relationships can be affected by our body/mind journeys
Elizabeth also turns the mic on me and shares a great technique for helping others navigate their menopause journeys.

217 - Elizabeth Kraus from Mental Breakdown to Midlife Metamorphosis

Today you will hear our version of the Girlfriend’s Guide to Menopause and Hormone Replacement Therapy. Our guest, Mary Jane Minkin, is possibly the best-suited person to speak on this subject and I’ll tell you why. She is a practicing gynecologist who has been teaching at the Yale University School of Medicine for over 41 years! She has ridden the menopause rollercoaster, experiencing society’s many changing beliefs and recommendations over the past 40+ years. She has treated 1000s of women to help them find hormone relief. She’s written 7 books on the subject. And she’s been through menopause herself. Plus, she is excited to share what she’s learned and help kick the stigma around menopause. 
I first discovered Dr Minkin on Selene Yeager’s Hit Play Not Pause podcast in an episode called Happy Vaginas. Which led me to your fabulous, Information-packed website Madame Ovary. Finally I recently read the brilliant NY Times article by Susan Dominus titled "Women Have Been Misled About Menopause" that debunked some long-held myths about menopause and included some very powerful quotes from Dr Minkin. I decided I needed to get her on this show so we could help more women make sense of this crazy rollercoaster of a ride that we all go through.
Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!
Today you will hear the following and so much more!
Dr Minkin's path to practicing medicine and in particular, women's medicine (spoiler: it all started with Sputnik!)
Her personal menopause journey two decades ago
Check out menopause.org - the 2022 Hormone Therapy Guidelines
The Girlfriend's Guide:
How do I know when I'm perimenopausal?
How long will it last?
How can I help my symptoms?
Can you recommend some natural remedies?
What is HRT and how do I know if I'm a candidate for it?
What are HRT risks? (and an explanation about the WHI study from the 90s that caused a breast cancer scare associated with HRT)
What are HRT benefits?
Does HRT help with cognitive issues (brain fog)?
How do I know when to stop?
What are the positives to menopoause?

For more on Dr Mary Jane Minkin, go to MadameOvary.com - you can reach her directly here. 
As always, please leave a review on itunes, or reach out anytime with thoughts, ideas or just to say hi!

216 - The Girlfriend’s Guide to Menopause & HRT with Dr Mary Jane Minkin

This episode is SO FLIPPING GOOD! If you don't know Dr Mindy Pelz, today be prepared for your mind to bend and possibly explode with happiness, hope and motivation. If you've been sitting around wondering how to move out of your current energy state, slump, universe of uncertainty, you will walk away with some tools to start RIGHT NOW! 
Series Sponsor InsideTracker has a special deal for Run This World listeners - 20% off at insidetracker.com/runthisworld - use it now!
I learned about Dr Pelz when I was walking my dog, Pickle, on the trail near my house. A couple of my friends walked up talking about this amazing doctor who was recently on Danica Patrick’s podcast sharing her expertise on women and fasting and how the number one thing we can do is plan our lives around our cycles. It was a new outlook that I hadn’t heard before - instead of trying to push through the waves that our cycles bring - she was suggesting that we honor our cycles and plan our schedules, productivity and brain power needs appropriately. She calls it “understanding the language of hormones.” I cold emailed her and then hounded her until she scheduled with me! We had the greatest conversation - my mind literally exploded multiple times, especially in regards to being a female athlete. And it was funny, we also had a couple glitches and we just decided to roll with them because that’s what hormones do - you’re going along just fine and then blam-o! They can hit you hard and sideline you for a second! 
 
In addition to learning a ton of very interesting and valuable info, you'll want to check out Dr Mindy's work.
Peruse her website: drmindypelz.com
READ her new book Fast Like a Girl
LISTEN to The Resetter Podcast
JOIN her Reset Academy and get supported in your fasting journey

158 - Remember to Breathe with Melissa Wolak

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