Start with Small Steps

78 - Take Five and a Health Snack

The book called "Feel Better in Five" by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee is about taking small, quick actions, or "health snacks," to improve your physical and emotional well-being.

Dr. Chatterjee emphasizes that it's not about the destination, but rather the journey. And he gives some awesome tips for creating healthy habits, like starting easy, tying habits to existing ones, respecting natural rhythms, and designing environments for success. Plus, he encourages positive self-talk and celebrating your successes along the way.

One of the coolest parts of the book is that it includes recipes for health snacks to address various physical and emotional issues. But even better, Dr. Chatterjee encourages readers to come up with their own health snacks too!

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3100

https://drchatterjee.com/feel-better-in-5/

https://drchatterjee.com/feel-better-in-5-how-to-follow-my-daily-plan-that-will-help-you-feel-great-for-life/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MekMbN4hDzY

Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

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77  - Why Say Yes to Life

The book by Viktor Frankl’s book “Yes to Life” is about finding meaning in life, even when things get tough. I’ve been reading it lately and it’s really inspired me to take action and focus on loving others. Frankl asks some pretty deep life questions to help us find purpose. He also talks about how materialism can have negative effects and how we need positive role models in society. But you know what? Ultimately, he believes that the meaning of life is simply life itself. Each of us has a unique role to play in making the world a better place. It’s a powerful message and I can’t wait to dive deeper into it.

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3097

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQbxRkXzTjg

https://gen.medium.com/in-dark-times-we-must-say-yes-to-life-c5f93a6ee46f

Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

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76 – Be Negative and Be Prepared

In this podcast episode, I talk about “The Power of Negative Thinking” by Bobby Knight. He makes excellent points about how being aware of potential negatives can actually lead to positive outcomes. It was fascinating to hear his perspective on why having a positive attitude all the time can actually be counterproductive. Instead, he emphasized the importance of discipline, perseverance, and knowing when to pivot.

One of the things that really stood out to me was his idea that successful leadership means being hard to please. He argued that we should always look for things to fix and improve upon, rather than simply settling for what’s good enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRk38CdgEDE

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3092

Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

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75 – Go For a Walk, Meet a Neighbor, and Be Happy

I love discussing cultural concepts and this week the topic is related to appreciating our surroundings and finding happiness through leisurely walks, taming the environment, and connecting with nature. See how these concepts can help make your life better too.

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3083

https://www.gearpatrol.com/archive/a266818/how-to-appreciate-architecture/

https://www.theemotionmachine.com/take-a-moment-to-appreciate-everyday-nature-that-is-right-in-front-of-you/

https://www.naturalnavigator.com/books-and-library/the-lost-art-of-reading-natures-signs/

https://exploringchatt.com/how-to-truly-enjoy-nature/

https://leafyplace.com/flowering-trees/

Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]

74 - Be a Scientist of Your Own Life

 
I discuss the book “Skip the Line” by James Altucher, it challenges us about how to achieve our goals and dreams. Altucher suggests setting up small experiments in life that are easy to do, have little downside, and have a potential upside. I love the idea of becoming a scientist of my own life and being obsessed with what I’m working on. It’s also important to exercise our “possibility muscle” and find virtual mentors to learn from. And even though it can be scary, leaning into fear is key to making progress. I’m excited to start trying out these small experiments and seeing where they take me.

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3072

https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/a-review-of-my-new-book-skip-the-line/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/700-skip-the-line-into-the-impossible-podcast/id794030859?i=1000513737111

Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]

73 - This Episode Correlates to Success

I talk about something really important: how to avoid being misled by correlations. I've seen so many people fall for statistical mistakes and manipulations, and I want to help you avoid making the same mistakes.

One of the most common ways people manipulate statistics is by cherry-picking data. They'll choose only the data that supports their argument and ignore everything else. Another trick is to mislabel the axis, which can make the data look more significant than it is. And then there are the emotional stories, which can be used to manipulate people's emotions and convince them of something untrue.

The key thing to remember is that correlation does not equal causation. Just because two things are correlated doesn't mean one caused the other. It's important to be critical of statistics and charts presented to you and to always ask questions.

I hope this will be helpful in understanding how to avoid being misled by correlations. Stay curious and always question the data presented to you!

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3069

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3069https://statanalytica.com/blog/misuse-of-statistics/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misuse_of_statistics

https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/availability-heuristic/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfVaOqLUbZA – How Not to Fall for Bad Statistics – with Jennifer Rogers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E91bGT9BjYk    – How to spot a misleading graph – Lea Gaslowitz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVG2OQp6jEQ – This is How Easy It Is to Lie With Statistics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioxWuCd-mn0 This is how easy it is to manipulate public perception

https://tylervigen.com/discover – Spurious Correlations Generator

 
Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]

72 - Can We Trust Statistics?

I'm sure you've come across them before, maybe even unintentionally used them yourself. But it's crucial to know when statistics are being misused, whether it's through tainted data, bad questions, or a lack of understanding of sample size.

As a consumer of information, it's essential to be able to identify when statistics are being used correctly and when they're not. That's why I'm here to help. I'll be sharing some tips on how to better understand statistics and how to be a smarter consumer of information. So tune in and let's dive in together!

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3062

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3069https://statanalytica.com/blog/misuse-of-statistics/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misuse_of_statistics

https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/availability-heuristic/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfVaOqLUbZA – How Not to Fall for Bad Statistics – with Jennifer Rogers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E91bGT9BjYk    – How to spot a misleading graph – Lea Gaslowitz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVG2OQp6jEQ – This is How Easy It Is to Lie With Statistics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioxWuCd-mn0 This is how easy it is to manipulate public perception

https://tylervigen.com/discover – Spurious Correlations Generator

 
Jill’s Links
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]

71 – Take On Fear

I talk about facing our fears and solving problems instead of avoiding them and encourage people to take small steps towards addressing our fears and turning fear into excitement. I discuss the negative effects of the confirmation, coherence, and compliance effects. I encourage dropping the rope in the tug-of-war with anxiety. I challenge everyone to identify one fear and take small steps toward addressing it, and

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3058

https://stevenchayes.com/a-liberated-mind/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o79_gmO5ppg

Jill’s Links

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]

 70 - Say YES to Yourself

I review the book "Getting to Yes with Yourself" by William Ury which really struck a chord with me. It got me thinking about the importance of negotiating with ourselves and how often we hold ourselves back because of fears and anxieties we may not even be aware of.

But by taking the time to listen to ourselves, understand our needs, and find acceptable negotiating points, we can break through those obstacles and ultimately get to "yes" with ourselves.

Take a moment to identify one thing you've been telling yourself "no" about and try negotiating with yourself using these steps. You might be surprised at the progress you can make!

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3051

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=2502 – 27 – Negotiate the River of Your Life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrtccgWxrU8

https://www.williamury.com/books/getting-to-yes-with-yourself/

Jill’s Links

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]

69 - Let the Reticular Activating System Fill Your Thoughts

Today, I talk about the Reticular Activating System (RAS). I've been doing some research on this bundle of nerves in the brainstem that filters out important information and boosts things that it thinks we want to pay attention to. It's fascinating how it can cause dysfunctions like attention deficit or PTSD and even validate negative self-messages.

But here's the thing: we can break out of what RAS decides to filter. We can define what success means to us and use the word “intend” instead of “hope” or “want.” By focusing on what we’re good at and what we want to achieve, and setting goals to reinforce it even further, we can strengthen our RAS system.

And you know what's even better? The RAS system can be programmed to target something visual or active that we intend to do. So, if we infiltrate our brain with imagery, success, and visualization, we can help ourselves notice that thing more often.

So, let's take control of our Reticular Activating System and start achieving our goals!

https://startwithsmallsteps.com/?p=3046

https://extension.umn.edu/two-you-video-series/ras

https://www.lifeonyx.com/understanding-the-reticulating-activity-system-ras-and-how-it-relates-to-success/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF-RZlaPMpU - RAS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsrkOSTyWCU – WYTAYBA

Jill’s Links

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/startwithsmallsteps

Twitter startwithsmallsteps

Email the podcast at [email protected]