Simply 1 Percent

Meredith Richards and Wendolyn Pascale
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Daily

“Small shifts, big change. Simply 1 Percent is about making simple, powerful adjustments in your life and relationships that lead to massive growth.”

  1. 1d ago

    Anxiety Is An Alarm, Not A Decision | Ep. 50

    Have you ever wondered if your anxiety is protecting you — or keeping you from actually living? In this episode of Simply 1%, Meredith and Wendolyn talk about anxiety, what it is, what it is not, and why it sometimes serves an important purpose. Anxiety can be a signal to pause, prepare, pay attention, or practice discernment. But when fear starts making the decisions, it can keep us frozen, avoidant, and disconnected from the life we actually want to experience. Through stories about parenting, safety, intrusive thoughts, cockroaches, trauma, control, and learning to “do dangerous things carefully,” Meredith and Wendolyn explore the difference between helpful anxiety and anxiety that has taken over. They also talk about what it looks like to support someone in high anxiety without minimizing, rushing, or trying to fix their feelings too quickly. This week’s 1% shift: the next time you feel anxious, ask yourself, “What kind of anxiety is this?” Is it asking you to prepare, discern, pay attention, get support, build a skill, or work through something deeper? Anxiety is an alarm for assessment — not an alarm for a decision.

  2. Aug 11

    Don’t Overthink It: Your Brain Is Convincing You of Things That Aren’t True | Ep. 49

    You can convince yourself of almost anything. That a relationship will change. That everyone is looking at you. That you cannot do something. That you can afford something you absolutely cannot afford. Or that something someone said years ago still defines who you are today. Meredith and Wendolyn are back together this week to talk about the stories we create, repeat, and eventually start treating like facts. Sometimes those stories protect us. Sometimes they help us avoid something uncomfortable. Sometimes they justify what we already want. And sometimes they actually motivate us to move toward something better. The question is not simply, “Is this true?” It is also: Why do I need this to be true? What am I afraid of? And how is this story serving me? Along the way, there are murderous Cabbage Patch dolls, expensive nachos, questionable childhood decisions, relationship reality checks, and possibly the first recorded use of the phrase “ball sack mentality.” Your 1% this week: Notice one thing you have been telling yourself repeatedly and ask whether it is actually true—or simply a story you have gotten very good at believing.

  3. Jul 29

    The Discipline Of Saying No| Ep. 48

    Sometimes the “no” you did not want was actually protecting you. In this solo episode of Simply 1%, Wendolyn explores why no is not always rejection, punishment, or deprivation. Sometimes it is a boundary. Sometimes it is timing. Sometimes it is protection from something that would not have been good for us in the first place. Through stories about rest, friendship, parenting, money, relationships, discipline, and one unforgettable high-school crush, Wendolyn reflects on the value of learning to hear no, say no, and sometimes tell ourselves not yet. She also shares why discipline can create freedom, why getting everything we want does not always build gratitude, and how looking back can reveal that some of the biggest disappointments in our lives were actually gifts. This episode is a reminder that wanting something does not automatically mean it is right for us. Your 1% practice this week: Where in your life have you been saying yes when no—or not yet—may actually be what you need? And where might a past no have protected you more than you realized?

  4. Jul 22

    When Hard Conversations Turn Into Fights | Ep. 47

    Have you ever tried to bring up a concern, only to end up defending yourself, debating what happened, or arguing about something from seven years ago? In this solo episode, Meredith explores why two people can experience the exact same moment and walk away with completely different interpretations. The problem is not always that one person is right and the other is wrong. Often, each person is working with a different angle, different information, and a different emotional experience. Meredith introduces REPAIR, a six-step framework for having difficult conversations with more honesty, clarity, and care: Recognize the person or their perspective. Explain your concern clearly. Put words to the emotion. Acknowledge the part that belongs to you. Invite the other person into a clear next step. Reinforce the value of the person, relationship, or conversation. The goal of a meaningful conversation is not to control the outcome or force someone to agree with you. It is to create the best possible conditions for both people to speak honestly, listen openly, understand each other more accurately, and decide what happens next. Your 1% practice this week: Choose one concern you have been avoiding and write out your REPAIR before you begin the conversation.

  5. Jul 15

    What Went Unsaid: Why Appreciation Matters | Ep. 46

    What if gratitude isn't something you feel... but something you practice? This conversation starts with air conditioning, Alaska, summer heat, and everyday frustrations. Somewhere along the way, it turns into something much deeper. Meredith and Wendolyn explore why we often overlook the people, moments, and ordinary comforts that quietly shape our lives until they're gone. Through stories about family, childhood, relationships, travel, and even the invention of air conditioning, they unpack how gratitude isn't about pretending life is perfect—it's about learning to notice what's already good. In this episode, they discuss: • Why we naturally take the best parts of life for granted • How gratitude changes your perspective without changing your circumstances • Why being specific with appreciation strengthens relationships • The connection between gratitude, resilience, and emotional health • How humor, forgiveness, and perspective can exist alongside pain • Simple ways to practice gratitude without forcing positivity This isn't a conversation about ignoring what's hard. It's about recognizing that even in difficult seasons, there is almost always something worth noticing. Life is hard. We make it simple. One percent at a time.

  6. Jul 8

    How to Help Someone Who Won’t Listen with Amber Hollingsworth| Ep. 45

    Today on Simply 1%, we are joined by Amber Hollingsworth, a clinician who focuses on relationships and specializes in working with people and families impacted by addiction. Amber is also the creator of the YouTube channel @Put the Shovel Down. While Amber’s work is rooted in addiction and family recovery, this conversation goes far beyond addiction. It is about relationships, communication, shame, boundaries, over-functioning, and what happens when our desire to help starts to feel like carrying someone else’s life. We talk about how to support someone without enabling them, how to set a boundary without becoming harsh, and why people often cannot hear the truth until they feel seen. Amber shares a simple but powerful distinction: helping usually leaves you feeling good, while enabling often leaves you feeling resentful. This episode is for anyone who has ever tried to get through to someone they love: a partner, child, parent, friend, client, or family member who is stuck, defensive, ashamed, or not ready to face something yet. The Simply 1% shift from Amber: Before you try to get someone to hear you, concentrate on hearing them first.

  7. Jun 30

    The Surprising Connection Between Your Hands, Heart & Mind| Ep. 44

    What do your hands have to do with your thoughts, emotions, memories, and growth? More than you might think. In this episode, Meredith and Wendolyn explore the surprising connection between your hands, your heart, and your mind—and why the simple act of creating, writing, building, or making something by hand can have a profound impact on how you process life. From the "Winter Is Coming Journal" to family recipes, woodworking, childhood memories, gardening, gratitude, and handwriting, this conversation is about preserving what matters before life gets hard. It's about creating reminders for your future self, quieting the mental noise, and reconnecting with the truths you've already learned. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, overthinking, stuck, or simply trying to be more intentional, this episode offers a simple practice that can help you think more clearly, stay grounded, and remember who you are—even during life's hardest seasons. Because sometimes the smallest things we do with our hands create the biggest changes in our lives.

  8. Jun 23

    How to Stop Reacting So Fast: Pause, Gather Information, and Stop Taking It Personally| Ep. 43

    Have you ever reacted before you had the full story? In this episode, Meredith and Wendolyn talk about the everyday moments when we get annoyed, activated, impulsive, disappointed, or start taking things personally. Through humor, real-life examples, parenting moments, restaurant frustrations, sidewalk irritation, and one unforgettable Donnie Wahlberg story, they explore how to pause before reacting, gather information, repair quickly, and remember that you have options. This conversation is about changing one small variable in the moment instead of trying to change your whole life overnight. This week’s small shift: write down one word, phrase, or reminder you want to practice.

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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

“Small shifts, big change. Simply 1 Percent is about making simple, powerful adjustments in your life and relationships that lead to massive growth.”

Information

  • Creator
    Meredith Richards and Wendolyn Pascale
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Meredith Richards and Wendolyn Pascale
  • Show Website
    Simply 1 Percent

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