About Progress

Cloud10

All the self-help extremes out there seem designed for perfect robots. But what if progress doesn’t require perfection? Welcome to your gentle self-development hub: About Progress, a podcast and community devoted to progress made practical. Join host and coach, Monica Packer, and her special guests to get the hug AND kick in the pants you need to do something and grow in ways that stick.

  1. 1h ago

    Special Bonus with Lori Atwood: Your Happiness is the Key to Your Wallet: Sustainable Habits for Financial Security

    What if the secret to fixing your finances isn't another budget spreadsheet—it's your happiness? In this episode, financial expert and founder of Fearless Finance, Lori Atwood, reveals the surprising truth: when there's a gap in your life, you fill it somehow. And for many moms, that "filling" is costing you real money. The late-night Amazon orders, the impulse buys, the little treats that add up to big stress—they're not a discipline problem, they're a happiness problem. In this special session, discover why closing those emotional gaps is the real foundation for financial freedom, why your well-being might be the smartest investment you ever make, and the five sustainable habits that will increase your financial security. FREEBIE for all: A Planner's Checklist for Financial Security learn the 5 financial signals that you're financially "okay" BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: One Free Financial Review This includes moving through the online intake process and one hour with a planner, valued at $390.+ get $50 off your first financial planning session with the code PROGRESS. Lori Atwood, CFP®, created Fearless Finance to make expert, fiduciary, hourly financial planning accessible to everyone. No sales. No commissions. No asset minimums. No judgment. Fearless Finance operates nationwide, has over 2000 clients and is registered with the SEC (the legal entity is Atwood Financial Planning). Lori launched Fearless Finance in 2016. Before 2016, Lori started her 25-year finance career in telecom investment banking in Europe, then as the CFO of an internet company and in private equity. Lori holds a BA from UPenn and a Master’s from Georgetown. She enjoys cooking, gardening and spending time with her family. FOLLOW ON IG WEBSITE   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. 1h ago

    Catherine Price: "How to Break up with Your Phone (So Your Kids Can, Too)"

    You're not addicted to your phone; you're being manipulated. Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up With Your Phone and The Awesome Generation, joins the More for Moms Conference to reveal what the apps on your phone are really designed to do (hint: the same engineers studied slot machines). But this isn't another shame-fest about screen time. Catherine digs into why willpower alone never works, what your kids are silently noticing about your phone habits (every kid she's asked has a story), and the surprisingly small tweaks that can shift your whole family's relationship with screens—starting with a breakup letter to your phone and a $10 alarm clock. If you've ever ended an hour-long scroll wondering where your evening went, this one's for you. FREEBIE for all: Family Screen/Life Balance Starter Kit A PDF kit from Catherine Price with a suggested road map for when/how to introduce your kids to tech, Catherine's suggested family guidelines for how to create better boundaries with devices, recommendations for books and products, and a 15% discount off of her 7-day Family Plan for Screen/Life Balance. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: 7-Day Family Guide to Screen/Life Balance Sick of fighting with your kids over screen time, social media, and smartphones? The Family Guide to Screen/Life Balance — delivered as a digital download — is a 7-day plan designed to help you and your family (including your partner/spouse and your kids) create better screen/life balance TOGETHER.  Each day, you’ll receive a concrete assignment or exercise that will help you and your family establish healthy habits and boundaries with screens, social media, smartphones, and video games. You’ll also receive discussion questions designed to prompt conversation and level the playing field between you and your kids.  The goal? To turn confrontations over screen time into productive conversations—and to help create better screen/life balance for everyone in the family.   Catherine Price is a leading voice in the national conversation about how people of all ages can create healthy relationships with technology and live meaningful, fun lives. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, her books include How to Break Up With Your Phone, The Power of Fun, and The Amazing Generation: Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World, a book for kids and teens co-authored with Jonathan Haidt. Catherine and her work have been featured in outlets including The Best American Science Writing, NPR, The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Wall Street Journal, and The Daily Show, among many others. She writes the popular Substack newsletter, "How to Feel Alive," and her TED talk on fun has been viewed more than 8 million times. Catherine's ultimate goal is to help people of all ages scroll less and live more. FOLLOW ON IG SUBSTACK WEBSITE   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. 1h ago

    Chrissy Lawler: "Hidden Habits That Are Hurting YOUR Sleep as a Mom (+ How to Fix Them)"

    You got the kids down. Now you're scrolling, overthinking, or squeezing in "one more thing," and your own sleep is the casualty. Sound familiar? In this conversation, sleep expert and 17-year clinical therapist, Chrissy Lawler (aka The Peaceful Sleeper), flips the script on the either/or trap moms fall into: either my kid gets rest, or I don't. She makes the bold case that the best thing you can be for your children is well, and that prioritizing your sleep isn't selfish. It's strategy. We dive into the sneaky habits quietly wrecking your sleep (and the surprisingly simple fixes), the "junk sleep" trap, what nobody tells you about sleep aids, and why you can't problem-solve at 2 AM. Whether your kids are sleeping through the night and you're still not, or you're deep in survival mode, this session will convince you that better sleep is possible—and worth fighting for. FREEBIE for all: The Maternal Mental Health Class BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: 3 month subscription to The Peaceful Sleeper App! Access to the Peaceful App gives you unlimited access to all sleep training and maternal mental health courses, live coaching events with Chrissy Lawler, an active parents community, and discounts to sleep training consultations with The Peaceful Sleeper's certified sleep consultants.   Chrissy Lawler is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 17 years of experience, as well as the owner, founder, and CEO of The Peaceful Sleeper, where she offers coaching, courses, and resources for parents to achieve better sleep and mental health for their babies and themselves. Her central premise is that quality sleep is critically important for the whole family system, but it doesn't matter how we get there - as long as we do. FOLLOW ON IG WEBSITE CHRISSY'S BOOK   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. 1h ago

    Jess Massey: "Daily Habits to Help You Romanticize Your Life"

    What if the secret to surviving the daily mom grind isn't more time off—it's making the ordinary feel special? Jess Massey is back at the More for Moms conference, and this time she's talking about something that sounds indulgent but is actually a survival tool: romanticizing your life. Not spa days or shopping sprees; think a candle you only light during your planning session, jazz in the car for school drop-off, or turning a sick day into a blanket-fort movie night (held up by a Swiffer and twine, because perfection is not the point). Jess shares how adding vibes with intention, "movie star energy," and small, sensory touches (ones that cost nothing) can be the very thing that helps you actually be present for the life you're already living. This session is tailor-designed for you If your days are blurring together and you want life to feel different without adding one more thing to your plate. FREEBIE for all: Chaos to Calm Workshop Learn 5 routines that will make your life less stressful and how to create a weekly schedule with them so you can get stuff done while prioritizing your mental health and relationships BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: 2027 Peacefully Productive Planner and Peacefully Productive Journal Winner's choice of a weekly Peacefully Productive Planner from our 2027 collection that launches at the end of September plus a Peacefully Productive Journal.   Jess Massey is the host of The Hustle Sanely Podcast, creator of the Peacefully Productive Planner®, and founder of the community-centered productivity brand Hustle Sanely®. She uses her framework, The Hustle Sanely Planning System, to help women create sustainable rhythms that support their goals, well-being, and the people they love so they can get the important stuff done without losing their minds. FOLLOW ON IG HUSTLE SANELY ON IG WEBSITE   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. 1h ago

    Yashi Srivastava: "Shift Your Self-Talk: How to Befriend Your Inner Critic and Be Nice to Yourself"

    What if the meanest person in your life . . . is you? You'd never talk to a friend the way you talk to yourself. And most of us wouldn't tolerate a boss who spoke to us so harshly; and yet, we let that voice run on repeat, 24/7, inside our own heads. In this session, coach Yashi Srivastava sits down with Monica Packer to unpack the inner critic—that harsh, relentless voice that shows up loudest in motherhood. But instead of the usual advice to "just silence it" or "think positive," Yashi makes a surprising case: what if you could befriend it? She shares her own story of entering motherhood with a picture-perfect image of who she'd be, and crashing into a harsh reality with a harsher internal voice telling her she was failing at all of it. From that breaking point, Yashi discovered a step-by-step process for turning the inner critic from an enemy into an unlikely ally, one that can still keep you honest, but without the shame, anxiety, and second-guessing. The best part? The ripple effect of this work transcends our relationship to ourselves.  FREEBIE for all: How to Actually Calm the Inner Critic A FREE 5-day email course that teaches you how to shift your self-talk from critical to supportive. Based on practical, evidence-based insights from the science of happiness. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: One month free to the Inner Alignment Lab A monthly membership where growth-driven people come together to make consistent progress on their goals - without pressure, critical self-talk, or forced discipline. Experience a whole month inside the membership - with self-paced lessons, community calls, and direct access to Yashi: send a question anytime and get a personal response back.   Yashi Srivastava believes the most effective way to calm your inner critic is to make friends with it, not fight it. As a positive psychology coach, she helps people move from self-doubt to self-trust by turning their inner critic into an inner ally, so they stop wasting precious energy on internal battles. She knows the terrain firsthand: as an entrepreneur, creative, and mother, her inner critic ran the show for years before she learned how to work with it. She delights in helping people experience this inner shift. Yashi holds a Master of Applied Positive Psychology and is an ICF certified coach. She lives in Canada with her husband and two daughters. FOLLOW ON IG WEBSITE LINKEDIN MEDIUM   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. 1h ago

    Dr. Danielle McGeough, PhD: "Habits-as-Rituals That Boost Your Productivity, Without Losing Yourself”

    You've been told productivity means perfection—and perfection means burnout. Dr. Danielle McGeough says there's a better way: grit gently. In this session, Danielle flips the script on what it means to be productive. After grinding her way to a PhD and tenure through a "binge and crash" cycle, motherhood forced her to rethink everything. The result? A connection-driven approach to productivity built on small habits-turned-rituals, not relentless hustle. You'll learn the four-step RISE method for turning your daily planning into a cozy ritual, how naming your "Daily Top Three" can reveal what actually matters to you, and why a single sentence of "interstitial journaling" at each transition can stop the mental fragmentation that's draining you. Plus: the powerful distinction between burnout and demoralization. If you're tired of the all-or-nothing approach to getting things done, this episode will show you how to do big things without losing yourself. FREEBIE for all: The Demoralization Diagnostic Tired in a way sleep doesn't fix? There's a difference between burnout and demoralization—and the fix for one won't touch the other. If you're a high-achieving woman who's exhausted, running on empty, and starting to wonder if something is fundamentally wrong with you (it's not)—this 8-question diagnostic will tell you exactly what you're dealing with. Take it. Know what you're actually up against. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: Sense the Possibilities Planner and Journal Not your typical planner—this is your companion to whatever calendar or agenda book you already use. It’s less about boxes to check and more about rituals that bring you back to yourself. Inside you’ll find: The R.I.S.E. Ritual Method – Ground your mornings in purpose and presence. This isn’t another task—it’s a ritual to return to who you are before the day takes over. The V.I.S.I.O.N. Framework – Forget “shoulds.” This process asks what you long for. Set goals that fit your capacity, honor your values, and reflect the life you want—not just the one you’ve been managing. Regular Check-Ins – Quarterly, monthly, and weekly prompts that keep your actions aligned with your values, not just your to-do list. Think of this as your anchor: a journal that helps you reflect, reset, and realign.   Danielle McGeough, Ph.D. is equal parts professor, planner, and ritual nerd. She believes that what we are starving for isn’t better behavior, but a life that means something. For over twenty years, Danielle has taught communication and community-building in higher education. She’s the host of the Plan Goal Plan podcast, ranked in the top 1.5% worldwide, and a certified Women-Centered and Elite Life Coach who helps high performers and teams turn everyday routines into transformative rituals that avoid burnout and create sustainable success. With a mix of research-backed strategy, deep reflection, and playful energy, Danielle’s mission is simple: help you realign not just with your goals, but with yourself. FOLLOW ON IG WEBSITE LINKEDIN   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts & Guests

4.9
out of 5
1,287 Ratings

About

All the self-help extremes out there seem designed for perfect robots. But what if progress doesn’t require perfection? Welcome to your gentle self-development hub: About Progress, a podcast and community devoted to progress made practical. Join host and coach, Monica Packer, and her special guests to get the hug AND kick in the pants you need to do something and grow in ways that stick.

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