Colder or busier times of year always seem to take a bigger toll on our immune systems. And while getting sick isn’t always a bad thing, constantly getting sick isn’t helpful to our bodies or living the rest of our lives. This episode covers 5 ways you can boost your immunity that can also be helpful in your everyday life as well.

A lot of people come to exercise with the intention to keep their bodies smaller. And as more of us realize that’s connected to diet culture and want to move away from that, exercise can feel a bit weird. On today’s podcast I talk with fitness coach Jessie Mundell on how she shifted her relationship with exercise and found joy in movement.

So often we can get caught up in the holiday whirlwind of “what’s always been done” or “what we’re supposed to do” that we end up doing a lot of things we don’t want to do this time of year. That can be stressful, wear us down or get us sick. This episode invites you to take some time, set some intentions for the season and put you first.

As the holidays approach, we may be thinking on plans to visit our families and that can come with some tension and baggage. I talked with Yin Li, LMFT about how we can get clear on our fears or uneasiness and potentially try a different approach to being around our families than in years past. We also talk about her site, Asians Do Therapy, that helps break the stigma that Asians and therapy don’t mix.

With the holiday season starting, the anxiety around all of the “bad” or “unhealthy” foods making more appearances than normal in our day to day or at the many family or friend gatherings you may be attending. I talk about how to work through that anxiety and remember that you have choices and can make a decision that works for you, whatever that decision is.

When you’re a high performer or high functioning person, it can be really easily to work through or miss signs that your lifestyle may not be the best for your overall health and wellness. My guest today, health coach and nutritionist Kayla Nedza shares how her high performing behaviors stopped working for her and how she helps fellow high performers find a better balance in their lives.

You can be adding things to improve your health and feel in the groove with in one day, and then after some days or weeks, those things feel so hard and overwhelming. While this may feel strange and upsetting, this can be normal. Today’s show I share the signs it might be time to take a break with health or nutrition things so you can feel some relief overall.

As we move forward in our lives, we can often feel lost in where we’re headed or feel stuck comparing ourselves to past versions of ourselves, even if we know they don’t ring true for us anymore. Today’s guest, health coach Shanique Allen is on the show to share her many transitions in her life and how she’s navigated growing and figuring things out with lots of kindness and experimentation.

The Small Steps Podcast turns one! This week I reflect on what it’s been like podcasting for a year and how it’s helped me grow and feel more comfortable in my own voice. I also share some of my favorite podcast episodes from the past year, as well as your top five favorite episodes from this year.

It can feel normal to feel very out of place and confused as a person of color navigating how you fit in it, especially if you grew up or have been in the minority in your environments for a long time. Today’s guest, Lillian Farzan, AMFT, talks about how there are stages to rejecting, connecting with and integrating our races, heritages and cultures as we move through life.