Today’s episode is a MUST listen. 

This is your 2026 Body Reset and it’s all about taking control of your health once and for all. 

If you want to get stronger, lose fat, move better, and feel good in your body again –  without extreme workouts, punishing diets, or guessing what actually works – this episode will give you a clear, proven path forward. 

For too long, people have been told to ignore pain, push through exhaustion, and accept stiffness, weight gain, and chronic discomfort as “part of getting older.”

That ends now. 

Today, Mel sits down with Dr. Betsy Grunch, one of the top neurosurgeons and spine surgeons in the world, known to millions online as Lady Spine Doc, where her advice on health has earned her over 185 million likes on TikTok alone. 

In this powerful, practical episode, Dr. Grunch breaks down how to eat, sleep, and move in a way that protects your body, builds strength, and keeps you out of pain.  

She shares her own transformation from caregiver to neurosurgeon to losing over 85 pounds and rebuilding her own health, and what that taught her about sustainable change. 

Then, she reveals the proven protocol she uses with patients every day to help them lose fat, regain strength, and take control of their health. 

She also explains why most people are unknowingly damaging their bodies through everyday habits, why pain is a warning sign you should never ignore, and how small changes compound into massive results over time. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

-The everyday habits that quietly damage your spine (and speed up aging) 
-The biggest posture and movement mistakes most people make 

-What tech neck is and how to reverse it
-How to sleep for better spine health (including the best positions and pillow) 
-How to rebuild muscle and gain mobility with 2 simple exercises 

-How to get stronger and lose fat without wrecking your joints or back 
-Why sitting, sleeping, and lifting the wrong way accelerates aging 
-The simple strength principles that protect your body for life 

If you want 2026 to be the year you feel stronger, leaner, and more capable in your body, this episode is for you. 

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.  

As a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel has created a free 20-page workbook to help you make 2026 a great year. This workbook is designed using the latest research to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it. Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: Change Your Body & Your Life in 1 Month: 4 Small Habits That Actually Work

Connect with Mel:  

• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In today’s episode, you’re going to learn exactly how to achieve your goals, stay motivated, and create real, lasting change in your life. 

If you’ve struggled to create change that sticks… 

If you know exactly what you want to change, but can’t follow through… 
If you’re tired of blaming willpower… 

This conversation will give you clarity, relief, and a proven way forward. 

Joining Mel today is Dr. Katy Milkman, PhD, one of the world’s leading behavioral scientists, an endowed professor at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-founder of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative. 

In her lab at UPenn, Dr. Milkman consolidated the findings from 192 researchers and found that there are 7 hidden barriers that stop people from changing, even when they desperately want to. 

Today, she walks through each of the 7 barriers and explains why each barrier requires a different, evidence-backed strategy. Trying harder doesn’t work. Using the right tool does. 

Dr. Milkman will also share the secret weapon for creating real change in your life called the Fresh Start Effect. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

-The real reason change feels so hard – and why you’re not lazy, broken, or lacking discipline 

-The 7 hidden barriers that quietly stop you from following through 
-How to identify which barrier is blocking you 

-Why willpower keeps letting you down and what works when motivation disappears -Why procrastination, impulsivity, and forgetting are predictable and the simple tools that stop them 
-How to make hard habits feel easier and more rewarding, so they finally stick 
-The science-backed way to design your environment for success instead of relying on self-control 
 

In this conversation, Dr. Milkman gives you a practical framework to stop fighting yourself and start working with how your brain actually functions. 

If you’re ready for this year to be different, this episode is for you. You’re not broken. You’re not behind. And once you understand the science, change finally becomes possible. 

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.  

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: The 7‑Day Habit Reset: Start Today, Feel Different By Next Week

As a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel has created a free 20-page workbook to help you make 2026 a great year. This workbook is designed using the latest research to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it. Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

Connect with Mel:  

• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, you’re getting the best of the best of The Mel Robbins Podcast. 

These are the 9 moments people couldn’t stop talking about this year. 

In 2025, Mel released 106 episodes of the podcast and featured 75 experts who shared their transformative insights on health, relationships, mindset, and more. 

Together, this adds up to thousands of takeaways. 

Because your time is valuable, Mel is giving you a gift today: 

She and her team crunched the data, reviewed hundreds of hours of content, analyzed listener feedback, and pinpointed the moments you saved, replayed, and wrote about – the moments that made people sit up straighter, breathe deeper, and whisper, “Oh… that explains everything.” 

Whether you’re new to the podcast, are figuring out which episodes to listen to next, or want to hear the most impactful advice summarized, today’s episode is for you. 

These 9 ideas changed something in how you see yourself, how you heal, how you eat, how you love, how you relate to your family, and what you believe is still possible for your life. 

If you’re ready for the kind of insight that rearranges how you think and how you live, start with these 9 moments people couldn’t stop talking about – including the #1 most-shared episode of the entire year on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 

This episode is the cheat sheet for the level-up in life you have been looking for. 

Want more from these experts? 

Check out the full episodes here: 

Jay Shetty: A Process for Finding Purpose: Do THIS to Build the Life You Want | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Danielle Bayard Jackson: It’s Not You: The Real Reason Adult Friendship Is So Hard & 3 Ways to Make It Easier | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Dr. Dawn Mussallem: Mayo Clinic Cancer Doctor: 5 Foods That Heal the Body, Starve Cancer, & Prevent Disease | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Vanessa Marin: Your Guide to Better Sex, Intimacy, & Love From a World-Leading Sex Therapist | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Jason Wilson: The Real Reason Boys and Men Are Quietly Giving Up & What They Need to Hear | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Dr. Stacy Sims: The Body Reset: How Women Should Eat & Exercise for Health, Fat Loss, & Energy | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Dr. Vonda Wright: Look, Feel, & Stay Young Forever: #1 Orthopedic Surgeon’s Proven Protocol | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Dr. Gabor Mate: Why You Feel Lost in Life: Dr. Gabor Maté on Trauma & How to Heal | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

Bryan Stevenson: This Conversation Will Change Your Life: Do This to Find Purpose & Meaning | Apple | Spotify | YouTube

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.  

As a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel has created a free 20-page workbook to help you make 2026 a great year. This workbook is designed using the latest research to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it. Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

Connect with Mel:  

• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If your family stirs up feelings - stress, guilt, grief - this episode is for you. 

Whether you love spending time with them, can only handle them in small doses, or stay away for your own sanity, being around family has a way of pushing every button you’ve got. 

That’s why Mel invited Dr. Mariel Buqué, a Columbia-trained psychologist and leading expert on family dynamics and generational patterns, to share the real reason why your family stresses you out. 

Dr. Buqué will help you see how the home you grew up in and the role that you played in your family shaped you as a person. 

She will also explain why the same tension, guilt, and arguments keep repeating year after year and how you can shift this dynamic. 

In this episode, you’ll learn about: 

-How no siblings grow up in the same family, and why it’s important to understand this 

-The specific challenges and lasting impact of being an eldest daughter 

-How women in particular absorb family stress, and the impact this can have on autoimmune diseases 

-How family trauma can be passed down through generations until someone decides to break the cycle 

-The impact on you of how your parents were parented 

-Specific daily tools and tactics to use around your family 

-How to do the work to heal yourself, even if others are not supportive 

This conversation will give language to what you’ve been feeling for years and tools you can use immediately: at the table, on the phone, or in everyday life. 

It’s an invitation to stop absorbing everyone else’s stress, see your family with clearer eyes, and protect your peace. 

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.  

As a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel has created a free 20-page workbook to help you make 2026 a great year. This workbook is designed using the latest research to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it. Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: The One Tool to Transform Your Relationships: The Let Them Theory

Connect with Mel:  

• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, you are going to learn scientifically proven ways you can use your mind to upgrade your life, starting with your body, your energy, and your confidence. 

In this episode, Stanford professor and leading psychology and mindset researcher Dr. Alia Crum reveals the science behind how your thoughts shape your body, your energy, and your health. 

She’s proven over and over again that your thoughts about exercise, stress, and food are working against you – and how you can change them. 

She’ll explain that this isn't just about thoughts, but that you have settings in your mind that you need to change. 

This is not positive thinking. This is repeatable, evidence-based science behind mindset, motivation, and physical change. 

You’ll learn: 

-The one mindset shift that makes healthy habits feel easier instead of exhausting 

-The groundbreaking studies proving your beliefs can change your biology 

-How to make workouts easier so you get fitter, faster 

-How the “settings in your mind” influence your metabolism, hunger, stress, and recovery 

-How to make healthy eating easier so you feel your best every day 

-How to stop fighting your body and start working with it 

-How to feel more energized, capable, and consistent without forcing yourself 

-How to overcome your worst fears so you don’t let anything hold you back 

If you are tired of criticizing yourself, tired of your fears and anxiety, and tired of never seeing the results you deserve, Dr. Crum is going to teach you, step by step, exactly how to change the settings in your mind to achieve anything you want. 

Once you hear this, you’ll start noticing shifts in places you never expected. 

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.  

As a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel has created a free 20-page workbook to help you make 2026 a great year. This workbook is designed using the latest research to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it. Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: How to Create a Successful Mindset: The Science of Passion and Perseverance

Connect with Mel:  

• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In today’s episode, you’re going to learn what nobody tells you about grief and loss. 

Whether you’ve lost someone recently, years ago, or are anticipating a loss, this conversation will give you clarity, relief, and a way forward. 

Or if someone you love is grieving and you feel helpless and want to know how to support them, after this conversation you will know exactly what to say and do.  

Joining Mel today is David Kessler, one of the world’s most renowned experts on grief and loss and bestselling author of eight books, who has spent more than 40 years helping millions of people through the hardest moments of their lives. 

David has lived profound loss himself, and he brings a rare combination of research, compassion, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom. 

What he shares today will change the way you understand grief, your own emotions, and what healing actually looks like. 

In this episode, you’ll learn: 
-The real reason grief feels so confusing (and why you’re not “doing it wrong”) 

-The biggest mistakes people make when they’re grieving 
-What to say (and what never to say) when someone you love is grieving 

- Why waves of sadness hit you out of nowhere 

- What grief bursts and love bursts are and what they mean 
-Why guilt is so common after loss and how to release it 
-How to carry your love forward without being trapped in pain 
-The surprising ways laughter and anger help you heal 
 

Today, David offers you a simple framework to live with more peace, grace, and meaning after loss.
 

If you’ve ever felt alone in your grief, confused by your emotions, or pressured to “move on,” this conversation is for you.

You are not doing it wrong. You are not alone.

And with David’s clear, compassionate guidance, you’ll understand how healing can become possible. 

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page.  

As a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mel has created a free 20-page workbook to help you make 2026 a great year. This workbook is designed using the latest research to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it. Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: Why You Feel Lost in Life: Dr. Gabor Maté on Trauma & How to Heal

Connect with Mel:  

• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Do you want to make 2026 your best year yet? 

An amazing year doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by choice. And there are only 6 questions to ask yourself for instant clarity and insight. Your answers will show you what the very next steps are in your life. 

The brand new companion workbook to this episode can be found at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

In this episode, Mel walks you through her empowering, research-backed, year-end ritual designed to set you up for success. By the end, you’ll know exactly where to steer your energy to make next year your best yet.  

She will cover: 

-The powerful year-end ritual she has used for the past 22 years 

-The simple question to ask yourself to know what you really want 

-Why doing this every single year is the key to her own success - and how if you've done this process in the past, you can take it up a notch this year 

-How to use your camera roll to highlight your year 

-The one best step you should take after listening to this episode 

-Her own reflections on the year and the goals she is setting. 

This episode comes with a 20-page companion workbook. This brand new workbook is designed to help you get clear about what you want and empower you to take the next step forward in your life. 

And the cool part? It takes less than a minute for you to get your hands on it.

Just sign up at melrobbins.com/bestyear. 

To learn more about Pure Genius, which Mel mentioned in today’s episode, click here to get on the waitlist.

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: How to Reinvent Your Life Starting Today

Connect with Mel:  

• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get on the waitlist for Pure Genius
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is a MUST listen. 

If you feel stuck right now - whether it’s with your health, your job, your habits, your relationships - this conversation is for you. 

Today, you’re getting a new framework that helps you create an instant shift, and it comes from one of Mel’s favorite thinkers on the planet: Mark Rober. 

Mark is a NASA engineer who turned his love of science and education into the #1 science education platform in the world, with 72 million YouTube subscribers. 

And here’s here to teach you a completely different way to approach goals, confidence, and happiness: 

Treat your entire life like an experiment. 

Mark has spent his life turning failure into data, setbacks into experiments, and high-pressure work into play. 

He has synthesized every single thing he has learned into a few simple tools and strategies that he is teaching you today. 

His personal framework, rooted in engineering, will help you achieve your goals, improve your habits, be happier, make better decisions, have more fun, and become more confident. 

This is about thinking like an engineer, not to build rockets, but to build a better life. 

You’ll learn: 

-How to make your goals more fun so you stick with them 

-What the Super Mario Effect is and how it will change how you think about “failure” forever  

-A stress-free way to choose your next step when the future feels blurry 

You’ll also learn the lessons behind some of his wildest experiments, his simple method for beating overwhelm and uncertainty, and a specific message for teachers. 

If you’re tired of overthinking, afraid to make a move, or bored with your own excuses, this episode is a masterclass in engineering your way forward and turning failure into fuel.  

For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself to Figure Out What You Really Want.

Still looking for a holiday gift?

One of Mel’s favorite gifts to give is a CrunchLabs subscription.

And as a gift to listeners of The Mel Robbins Podcast, Mark is offering a special discount of 15% off any CrunchLabs subscription using the code MELROBBINS. 

These monthly subscription boxes, created by Mark, are great for the kids in your life because they are designed to foster creativity, inspire hands-on engineering, and teach robotics and coding skills. 

Connect with Mel: 

• Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration.
• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you’ve been feeling the itch for something more in life: a new chapter, a new dream, a new version of yourself – this episode is your green light. 

It is a guide to how you can transform your life at any moment. 

Today, Mel sits down with her friend Hoda Kotb. Hoda, more than anyone else, will prove to you that reinvention is something you CAN do. 

In her twenties and thirties, she climbed the ranks in newsrooms across the country and refused to quit until she landed one of the most coveted jobs in the world, a co-anchor of the Today Show. 

In her forties she became a breast cancer survivor, in her fifties she adopted her daughters and became a mother for the first time, and at sixty, she walked away from the peak of her career to launch a brand-new business with no prior experience. 

Every single time life whispered, “It’s too late for you,” Hoda said, “No, it’s not. Watch me.” 

The wisdom she is sharing, directly with you, will prove that it's not too late – you can reinvent your life. 

She is going to walk you step by step through how she did it, over and over again. 

She will teach you how to: 

-“Stop the train” of your life, zoom out, and honestly ask, “Is this actually enough for me?” 

-Find the courage to give voice to the quiet dream you’ve buried because you’re afraid it won’t happen 

-Keep going when other people say you're not good enough 

-Reframe fear, rejection, and “no” using Hoda’s wild early-career story (27 rejections and ONE person who changed everything) 

-Truly start to believe that you do deserve more 

If you feel stuck in your job, your relationship, your routine, or just in a version of yourself you’ve outgrown, this episode is your permission slip and your playbook. 

This is your sign. This is your moment.

Let Hoda show you what’s possible. 

For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next with Dr. Martha Beck: How to Find Your Purpose & Design the Life You Want

Connect with Mel: 

• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Sign up for Mel’s personal letter 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is one of the most motivating episodes of all time on The Mel Robbins Podcast. 

If you’ve ever felt stuck, unmotivated, or like it’s too late to reach your potential, you need to hear this conversation. 

Today’s episode is a wake-up call. 

You can break free of regret, shame, and fear. 

You can become the person you know you’re meant to be. 

It’s not too late to change. 

And this conversation will show you how. 

Today, you’re going to meet one of the most inspiring and motivational human beings on the planet, viral powerhouse Wallace Peeples, also known as Wallo. 

Wallo spent 20 years in prison and came out with nothing but $1,000, a used iPhone, and a mission to change his life. 

Now, he reaches millions every week with a message that reminds you that you are capable of so much more. 

Whether you’re rebuilding after a setback, struggling to believe change is possible, or finally ready to stop making excuses and start moving, this conversation will light a fire under you. 

And fair warning: this episode is more intense than the average episode. More cursing. But also more truth and even more fuel. Because sometimes that’s what breakthrough sounds like. 

For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. 

If you liked the episode, check out this one next: It’s Not Too Late: How to Transform Your Life at Any Moment

Connect with Mel: 

• Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory
• Watch the episodes on YouTube
• Follow Mel on Instagram 
• The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram
• Mel's TikTok 
• Sign up for Mel’s personal letter 
• Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free
• Disclaimer

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.