Coach Polly Solo this week! Stressed, scattered, or stuck in analysis mode? Here’s a powerful reset you can do in the time it takes to boil water. We walk you through a three-minute inner alignment practice grounded in the science of heart-brain coherence—no fluff, just a clear method to calm your nervous system and think better under pressure.

First, we reframe where control lives in your body. The heart’s neural network and the vagus nerve send a constant stream of information to the brain, shaping your hormones, attention, and choices. When your heart rhythm is jagged, the body reads danger and floods you with cortisol, narrowing focus and hijacking judgment. When the rhythm is smooth and steady, your system shifts toward safety, creativity, and repair. We unpack coherence in plain language, including the 0.1 hertz breathing cadence that supports calm, and why longer exhales are your fast lane back to clarity.

Then we get practical. You’ll learn a three-step method—hand on heart, slow controlled breathing, and vivid gratitude—that reliably reduces stress chemistry and boosts DHEA, the “vitality” hormone tied to immune strength and resilience. We explain when to use it for maximum impact: before tough conversations, during high-stakes decisions, ahead of negotiations or public speaking, and as a non-negotiable morning ritual. You’ll also experience a guided practice so you can feel the shift from “scrambled” to “steady” in real time.

If you’re ready to trade reactivity for presence and make choices from your wiser self, this is your blueprint. Try the practice today, save it for your morning routine, and share it with someone who needs a quick way to reset. If it helped you find your true north, tap follow, leave a review, and tell us where you used it next.

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

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OUCH! This week Coach Sam shares the day her back said “NO” and how it can feel like when your life says “STOP.” When her herniated L4–L5 back discs began pressing on her S1 nerve root (sending signals from her back, glutes, all the way down her leg to her foot) what were basic everyday tasks turned into full on battles. Coach Polly & Sam open the curtain on that experience and translate it into a clear plan: how pain signals actually work, why the brain decides what to amplify, and how you can step back into agency even when the pain is loud. Pain happens to all of us sooner or later so learn here how to speak to the pain and make peace with healing. 

We break down the nervous system in plain language—nociceptors, spinal cord gating, endorphins, and the stress cascade—so you understand why your heart races, sleep tanks, and exhaustion builds. From there, we shift to the practical: distinguishing structural pain from normal soreness; advocating with clinicians; using imaging wisely; and balancing pain relief with root-cause solutions. We talk through missed appointments and emotional swamps, then show how to regulate in minutes with breath, movement, and better self-talk so the “central governor” dials down alarm instead of spiraling into hypersensitivity.

You’ll also hear the small, human moves that keep life intact: building an A team that calms rather than catastrophizes, replacing heavy training with gentle walking to pump blood to healing tissues, clearing the calendar to protect recovery, and choosing simple pleasures—like a short coffee run or a few minutes outside—as daily signals of safety. The theme is consistent: protect your nervous system, keep your hope, and take the next intelligent step. If you or someone you love is navigating sciatica, herniated discs, or persistent pain, this is your field guide to staying functional, optimistic, and informed.

If this conversation helps, follow the show, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review to help others find it. Your story might be the nudge someone else needs to choose agency over agony.

-Coach Sam & Polly xoxo 

@everydayawesomeproject 

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

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Coach Sam here solo this week! Asking what if curiosity could change your health more than willpower ever did? Coach Sam opens up about gut issues, anxiety spikes, and performance dips that pushed her to reexamine alcohol and the habits that quietly shape daily life. From a clear definition of the sober curious movement to a step-by-step process for mindful tracking, this conversation swaps shame for data, and pressure for agency, making it easier to align choices with what you value most.

We walk through how to notice when, how often, and why you reach for a drink, then zoom out to assess the true impacts on sleep, focus, relationships, training, and mood. You’ll hear how social norms and marketing blur our motives, why connection often hides under coping, and how to meet the same needs with better tools. We talk candidly about the spectrum of addiction, the role of compassion in hard conversations, and evidence-backed insights that show fewer exposures lead to better long-term brain and body health.

Support is the force multiplier. Sam shares takeaways from visiting a Recovery Dharma meeting, reflects on Buddhist-informed approaches to craving, and highlights community, coaching, and accountability options. We also introduce a free workbook created with sober coach and liver transplant survivor Kelly Thrush to help you map triggers, plan alternatives, and design a 30-day experiment. Expect practical ideas for replacing alcohol with endorphin-positive habits—movement, nature, art, humor, and mindful social time—so you gain energy, clarity, and confidence without sacrificing connection.

Ready to test what truly serves you? Hit play, grab the free workbook from our Instagram bio, and start your curiosity-led reset. If this helped, follow the show, share with a friend, and leave a review to support future conversations.

-Coach Sam xoxx

@everydayawesomeproject

@thesamanthapruitt

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

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Bagging the peak of Mount Whitney, the highest mountain peak in the contiguous United States, is hard as hell for any human. But what happens when you get invited to climb this beast with only three and a half weeks to prepare? Our tenacious Coach Polly said YES, and then redesigned everything—her training, her time, and most importantly... her mindset, to turn a daunting summit into a living lesson on wonder, focus, and self-trust. This isn’t a highlight reel of hero shots at 14,505 feet; it’s a candid, strategic walk-through of the choices that made her success possible. 

Let's start with the real constraints: a packed calendar, sub‑ideal fitness, and a permit date that wasn’t moving. From there, we map a minimalist plan— two weeks of specific training, acclimating in Mammoth, planning water and gear, and last minute packing microspikes after scanning current trail snow reports. The 2 a.m. start under a near super moon set the tone: steady pacing over ego sprints, calm breathing over nervous chatter. When whitecaps on the lake and a wind-chill slap threatened to unravel the team, we used small levers to regain control—layers, shelter, and music to manage the pain cave on the infamous 99 switchbacks! 

On cliff exposure, we trade bravado for protocol: eyes on the next step, not the void; simple cues; quiet leadership. The summit is cold and fast—photos by the hut at 19 degrees with 25 mph winds—and the descent becomes a masterclass in risk reduction with microspikes. Along the way, wonder shifts from a postcard mood to a daily practice. Constraint sharpens decisions. The A‑team proves priceless. And the real win becomes the journey itself, not the last step at the top, but WONDER. 

So if you’ve got a big goal—whether it’s Mount Whitney, the Camino de Santiago, a business launch, or a creative leap—this conversation is your field guide. Coaches Sam and Polly share the tactics that matter (acclimation, gear, pacing, mindset) and the invaluable inner work that sustains them (agency, community, and a commitment to process). Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review telling us the mountain you’re choosing next.

-xoxo Coach Polly & Sam 

@everydayawesomeproject 

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

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An addicted body on the brink. A liver transplant just in time. And a life rebuilt through small, stubborn, daily choices. Another broken down body and brain. And a life transformed through self compassion, self investment and self love. Now these two humans are here to offer a gift to others suffering. This intro to their free new workbook is for anyone looking to shed shame, self imposed suffering and pounds.  

Kelly Thrush joins Coach Sam this week to trace the full arc—from bar culture and denial to end-stage liver failure, four and a half months in the hospital, and the first breath on the other side of a transplant. What followed wasn’t a montage; it was one day at a time, stacking quiet wins: taking seventeen stairs without a handrail, tossing a hidden shooter, learning to run far, and then farther—DNFs included—until a 300‑mile finish line proved what self investment can do.

We zoom out from survival to a method you can use. We walk through five core truths (suffering is optional, worthiness is a given, you are a statistical miracle, impermanence is real, everything is interconnected) and turn them into practice with five grounded strategies: clear the decks, build your A‑Team, replace hope with a plan, stack wins, and choose progress over perfection. Then we tighten the bolts with mindset shifts that last—move from “I can’t” to “I’m learning how,” trade punishment for nourishment, turn shame into empowerment, and ditch quick fixes for a sustainable lifestyle. This is where sobriety tools, sustainable weight loss, stress reduction, and mental health meet: biology aligned with behavior, community aligned with accountability.

If you’re an addict, sober‑curious, rebuilding after a physical or mental health break down, or just tired of being stuck, you’ll hear practical steps and zero judgment. We also launch a free workbook—The Five Truths, The Five Strategies, The Five Mindset Shifts to Shed Shame and Pounds—to help you put this into action today. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help others find these stories. 

Ready to make the next 'right' decision? We are here to offer tactical tools, experienced success strategies, and unconditional love. 

-xoxo Coach Sam and guest Coach Kelly 

LINK TO FREE WORKBOOK IN INSTAGRAM BIO

https://everydayawesomeproject.com/5-mindset-shifts-workbook/

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

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Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

Website/About Us: https://everydayawesomeproject.com/about-us/

This week we introduce Coach Polly's RETURN TO THE LIGHT program and discuss ways we can all take a 'year end' release inventory in order to set ourselves up for next years success. We ask ourselves "what if the word “busy” is the very thing draining our joy?" Let's dig into a year-end reset that trades hustle for aliveness, unpacking how language shapes your nervous system, why honoring seasons matters, and how small, sacred rituals can transform the way your days feel. Instead of racing to stack new goals, we invite you to slow down, reflect on the year with compassion, and create space—literal and energetic—for what you actually want next.

We walk through a practical release ritual: let go of five physical items (and maybe one sentimental piece) to clear visual noise and reclaim attention. Then we turn inward to build sacred space—short, consistent practices that protect your energy, like a simple morning ritual, a technology boundary, or a weekly reflection that reminds you who you are. Along the way, we explore the “hard no” as a powerful tool: every yes spends time, focus, and emotional bandwidth, so pruning old commitments becomes an act of self-respect. From this quieter ground, you’ll be able to hear your “hell-yes” again—the full-body signal that tells you what’s alive for you now.

We also share details about Return to the Light, a three-part December gathering designed to help you slow down, reflect, and carry that clarity into the new year. Expect grounded practices, gentle prompts, and a space that values presence over performance. Whether you’re entering a season of rest or a season of creation, you’ll leave with rituals you can sustain and choices that align with your values.

Ready to reset from the inside out? Listen, then share one thing you’ll release this week. If this resonates, follow, subscribe, and leave a quick review so others can find the show. Your words help our community grow.

Click now to learn more and sign up for Coach Polly's December 2025 program https://getbusythriving.com/course/return-to-the-light

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

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Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

Website/About Us: https://everydayawesomeproject.com/about-us/

Coach Polly solo this week! Asking what if the fulfillment you're seeking isn't found on the easy path, but rather through the challenges that scare you most? When I received a last-minute invitation to hike Mount Whitney—the tallest peak in the continental United States—with just three weeks to prepare, my immediate reaction was fear. A 22-mile trek with 6,000 feet of elevation gain at high altitude typically requires months of training. Yet something in me knew I needed to say yes.

There's a profound difference between "hard" and "scary" that transforms how we approach life's challenges. Hard challenges have known difficulties—like physical endurance or disciplined practice. You know what's required; you just need to do the work. Scary challenges involve uncertainty—unknown outcomes, vulnerability, and letting go of control. Our comfort-seeking minds naturally resist scary things, always pulling us back from that ledge of uncertainty.

Through countless physical challenges, business ventures, and personal growth experiences, I've discovered that repeatedly choosing both hard and scary challenges builds an unshakable foundation of self-trust. Each time you face uncertainty and survive it, you create evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. This compounding effect builds confidence that transfers to every area of your life.

The most significant breakthroughs happen not at the beginning or end of a challenge, but right in the messy middle—where most people quit. If you're feeling stuck or unfulfilled, it might not be because your life is too hard—it might be because it's not hard enough in the right ways. The path to fulfillment, confidence, joy, and freedom runs directly through experiences that challenge your capabilities and comfort zone.

What's one hard or scary thing you've been avoiding that would make a difference in your life? Take the first uncomfortable step this week. Remember, your awesome life isn't waiting on the easy road—it's just beyond what feels impossible today.

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/everydayawesomeproject

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Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

Website/About Us: https://everydayawesomeproject.com/about-us/

THE WORK: That is the convo this week between Coach Sam and Coach Polly, as they revisit Byron Katie's mindset transformation process they both experienced well over 20 years ago. THE WORK asks you- what if the source of your suffering isn't what happened to you, but the stories you tell yourself about what happened? And what if we pause long enough to dig underneath that crappy feeling to see if your ideas about what, why and who did you wrong is even true? In this eye-opening exploration of Byron Katie's transformative practice we will dive into a deceptively simple process that has the power to completely revolutionize your relationship with your thoughts.

THE WORK isn't complicated—it's just four questions that, when applied honestly, can dismantle even your most painful beliefs: Is it true? Can you absolutely know it's true? How do you react when you believe that thought? Who would you be without the thought? These questions serve as a meditation, inviting you to look deeply at what's really causing your suffering.

We break down how this practice works in real-world situations, from that person who didn't show up to your meeting (and what you made that mean about yourself) to broader anxieties about the state of the world. The beauty of The Work is that it applies universally—whether you're struggling with personal relationships or feeling overwhelmed by societal challenges.

What makes this practice particularly powerful is its accessibility. Byron Katie gives this work away freely, through books like "Loving What Is," her podcast "At Home with Byron Katie," and resources on thework.com. You don't need special training or expensive retreats to benefit from this process—just the willingness to question your most cherished beliefs.

Our minds are constantly deleting, distorting, and making meaning of everything around us, often in ways that cause unnecessary suffering. By slowing down and examining these thoughts, we can free ourselves from patterns that may have controlled us for decades. This isn't about positive thinking or denial—it's about finding what's true and reclaiming your power to choose how you respond to life.

Try this practice once. You might be surprised by how quickly you can move from upset to clarity, from suffering to freedom. Because ultimately, how your life feels is far more important than how it looks.

xoxo - Coach Sam & Coach Polly 

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/everydayawesomeproject

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Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

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More and more of us are feeling serious stress and anxiety in these turbulent times. But your anxiety isn't just about worried and confused mind thoughts—it's likely living in your physical body as well. When your gut health is compromised, blood sugar fluctuates wildly, or hormones are imbalanced, your body sends distress signals that your brain interprets as anxiety. This physical-mental connection explains why traditional approaches focusing solely on thought patterns often fall short. Coach Sam and Polly are here to help! 

This week we dive deep into how everything from that morning Frappuccino habit, to poor sleep quality can trigger real anxiety responses. The science is clear: mental health IS physical health. Your vagus nerve, gut microbiome, and endocrine system are constantly communicating with your brain, creating what you experience as emotions (feelings). Understanding this connection can give you empowering tools to address anxiety at its root cause, like all dis-ease and unease human conditions. There is hope and help here. 

Most surprisingly, many anxiety solutions are remarkably simple and often free. Regular movement (especially dance), nature exposure, proper sleep, blood sugar stabilization, and gut healing can dramatically reduce anxiety symptoms. Rather than seeing anxiety as a mysterious mental condition requiring medication or years of therapy, we explore how addressing physical foundations can create profound shifts in your emotional experience.

The most empowering aspect? You likely have significant control over many anxiety triggers. While genetics play a small role, environmental factors and daily choices have much greater impact. By understanding which factors in your physical body might be creating anxiety, you can make targeted changes that bring genuine relief. Stop wondering if it's "all in your head"—discover how addressing your body can transform your mental wellbeing.

Let's heal together, 

Coaches Polly & Sam xoxo 

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/everydayawesomeproject

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Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

Website/About Us: https://everydayawesomeproject.com/about-us/

The art of communication shapes every aspect of our lives, yet most of us never receive formal training in how to effectively speak and listen. In this illuminating conversation, we unpack the hidden dynamics that either connect us deeply or create unnecessary suffering in our relationships.

Did you know that only 7% of communication happens through words? The remaining 93% flows through tone, body language, and energy—explaining why digital interactions often leave us feeling depleted and misunderstood. We explore how our internal "listening filters" (defending, fixing, justifying, controlling) create barriers to authentic connection, and share practical strategies for recognizing when you're bringing a "backpack" of emotional baggage into conversations.

The foundation of masterful communication starts with awareness. When you notice yourself tensing up during an interaction, pause and ask: "What's in my listening right now?" This simple practice can transform how you engage with others. Instead of reacting from old patterns, you can choose to speak your truth with compassion, creating space for real understanding even in challenging moments.

Ready to strengthen your communication muscles? We share powerful practices like writing love letters to yourself and others, setting clear intentions before important conversations, and approaching each interaction with a foundation of "love and affinity." These skills aren't mastered overnight—they're lifelong practices that become more natural with conscious effort.

Whether you're struggling with difficult family dynamics, workplace relationships, or simply want to express yourself more authentically, this episode offers practical wisdom for creating more meaningful connections through the words you speak and how you listen.

Follow Coach Polly @getbusythriving and Coach Sam @thesamanthapruitt 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/everydayawesomeproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everydayawesomeproject

Linktree for ALL THE THINGS: https://linktr.ee/everydayawesomeproject

Website/About Us: https://everydayawesomeproject.com/about-us/