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. 13 hr ago

    Rachel Coons: "How to RESET Your Relationship with Money: From Scared to Secure"

    You've started a budget a dozen times. You're "good" for a few weeks, then an unexpected bill lands and you quit checking the account altogether. Sound familiar? You're not failing—the system is. In this session, money coach Rachel Coons reveals why 80% of people who start a budget abandon it within three months, and why the real key to financial peace has nothing to do with tracking every penny. She walks through her RESET framework, starting with the one thing most money advice completely ignores: your relationship with money. (PS: you formed it by the time you were 15!) You'll discover how to get off the "money rollercoaster," why systems beat willpower for busy moms (saving families an average of $600/month on groceries alone), and the simple exercise that could put you 95% closer to solving your biggest money problem. It's time to reset your relationship with money AND improve your finances, too. FREEBIE for all: The Shift, a free private podcast for women who are tired of feeling stuck, stressed, or ashamed about money. In 5 short episodes, Rachel walks you through the real reason money has always felt hard . . .your nervous system, your money story, and the patterns running in the background. This isn’t about budgeting better. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: 3-month pass to The Money Mom Club, a membership community and practical financial system o help busy moms take control of their family finances without rigid budgets, complicated spreadsheets, or deprivation. Members learn flexible strategies for spending less on groceries, creating a realistic family budget, paying down debt, saving and investing, while getting ongoing support through monthly masterclasses and a private community.   Rachel Coons is the founder of Money Mom Club and the Inner Circle Coaching program, helping women transform their relationship with money from the inside out. After struggling with money for years, Rachel discovered that money freedom starts with mindset, not just budgeting. Through her coaching, digital programs, and live trainings, she helps women stop feeling stuck and start owning their financial story. If you’re ready to finally feel in control of your money, Rachel’s your person. 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. 13 hr ago

    Casey von Stein (Miss Freddy): "Easy Digital Scrapbooking 101: How to Actually USE Your Photos"

    (Short note: we recorded this session prior to securing our sponsors for the conference. All references to them were organic.) You have thousands of photos on your phone . . . and your kids almost never see them. In this session, photo expert Casey Von Stein (Miss Freddy) makes the case for actually using your pictures in easy-to-make photobooks that will be cherished by the whole family. She breaks down every obstacle that holds us back and replaces them with stupid-simple options that meet you where you are. Casey's family yearbook method takes a few hours a year, follows a "decide once" principle so you never have to rethink the process, and costs less than you'd think. If you've been telling yourself you'll make a photobook "someday," this conversation will finally help you cross that finish line.   FREEBIE for all: Managing Kids Memories eBook Do you feel overwhelmed by preserving kids memories? What should you do with all the STUFF of childhood? This 44 page digital guide has practical tips and project ideas for documenting childhood from birth through high school. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: Backup Bootcamp Course Everyone needs this course! Backup Bootcamp™ will teach you how to make sense of your digital photo mess. Video tutorials for both Mac + PC walk through centralizing photos from many devices (creating one digital photo hub), removing duplicates, sorting into simple folders, and backing it all up to the cloud.   Casey von Stein, aka Miss Freddy, is a certified Professional Photo Organizer in Golden Colorado.  She’s a mom of two (a 13 year old boy and 11 year old girl). After 10 years as a professional photographer, she realized that what people really needed was HELP managing and enjoying their photos.  She offers remote organizing services for clients worldwide and self-paced online courses for those who want to tackle their photo mess on their own. 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

  3. 13 hr ago

    Brooke Eliason: "How to Have Fun Again in the Kitchen (+ Feed Your Family, Too)"

    If the 5:00 p.m. fridge stare-down is a daily low point in your house, food creator Brooke Eliason (Female Foodie) is here to lift the pressure off. In this session, Brooke unpacks two of the biggest ways we make feeding our families harder than it needs to be, and tips to bring fun back to the kicthen. From rethinking what your kids really need on the plate to reframing dinnertime as something you actually get to enjoy, Brooke's approach is less about elaborate meal plans and more about small shifts that change the whole experience. Whether you're a confident cook stuck in a rut or someone who's never felt at home in the kitchen, this episode will make you want to turn on some music, open the fridge, and actually have fun with what's already there.  BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: 1 Year Membership to The Food Letter Female Foodie's Substack  with one new recipe each Monday and five recipe ideas you can make this week.    Brooke Eliason is the founder of Female Foodie, a food and travel brand she started in 2010 after setting out to try every restaurant in West Yellowstone, Montana. Today, Female Foodie features hundreds of restaurant guides and restaurant-inspired recipes created by Brooke and her team of food writers and recipe developers across the country. Female Foodie has hosted hundreds of women in tours across Italy, with no sign of stopping. A Salt Lake City native, Brooke, her husband, Cody, and their four children are currently living in Milan, Italy.   FOLLOW ON IG WEBSITE FOOD TOURS   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. 13 hr ago

    Jen Smith: "Practical Tips to Feel More Confident as the 'Primary Spender' in Your Home"

    As the primary parent, you're also the primary spender. Every grocery run, every kid's activity, every household decision—it all flows through you. And somehow, that makes you feel like you're doing something wrong. Jen Smith, from the Frugal Friends podcast is back to flip that narrative on its head. In this conversation, we dig into why moms carry so much guilt around spending, why studies show you're probably spending less than you think, and how reframing your role from "the one who spends the money" to CFO of your family changes everything. Plus: a simple 90-day exercise that takes the shame out of your numbers and puts you back in control. If you've ever felt the weight of every purchase (even the groceries) this one's for you. FREEBIE for all: The 10 Money Decisions You Need to Make Before 40 Being good with money isn't just about how much you save. These are the decisions you need to have made to protect those savings. This Workbook helps you move through those decisions. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: Ultimate Spending Planner Spreadsheet: Whether you're just starting your budgeting journey or you’re ready to level up your financial game, this All-in-One Monthly Spending Planner is your secret weapon to managing your money with clarity and ease.   Jen and her husband paid off $78,000 of debt in 2 years and bought a house on a combined income of less than $90K. Jen didn’t want to change her spending to pay off debt and opted for side hustles instead. She quickly took on so many that she contracted shingles due to stress. Shingles led her to try a no-spend challenge to control her spending. The experience was so life-changing she wrote a book about it. It has over 2k reviews on Amazon. She feels personally victimized by budgets, doesn’t make one, and tells others they don’t have to either. Jen is the co-host of the Frugal Friends Podcast and co-author of Buy What You Love Without Going Broke. FOLLOW ON IG FOLLOW FRUGAL FRIENDS ON IG FRUGAL FRIENDS YOUTUBE WEBSITE NEWSLETTER   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. 13 hr ago

    Michelle Gauthier: "When Work Comes Home: How Overwhelmed Moms Can Take Back Their Home Lives"

    Remember when email was supposed to save us time? Instead, it just raised everyone's expectations and somehow, we got even busier. In this session, single mom-turned-entrepreneur Michelle Gauthier unpacks the sneaky ways working moms blur the lines between work and home, and how that "accidental overwhelm" becomes a pattern we can't seem to break. Michelle digs into the red flags most moms ignore, why "lowering your expectations" is actually about getting honest with them, and why overwhelm is a choice—one you might be making every time you answer that 7 PM email. Plus: a two-minute quiz to pinpoint your personal overwhelm driver, the power of a "to-don't" list, and the reminder every mom needs to hear: It's never too late, and you're probably already doing a better job than you think. FREEBIE for all: The Overwhelm Quiz A quick that pinpoints the main source of your overwhelm, so that you can take your first steps to feel less stressed.  BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: The Overwhelm Audit The Overwhelm Audit diagnoses what's really driving your stress, so you're not spinning your wheels on the wrong solutions. You'll walk away with clarity and a concrete plan to feel better   Michelle Gauthier is a professional life coach who helps busy, overwhelmed women create a more calm and intentional life. She is also the host of the top podcast Overwhelmed Working Woman. Michelle is a single mom of two adopted kids and used to be an overwhelmed, busy working mom herself. She quit her successful 20 year corporate career to become a life coach in 2017. Since then, Michelle has helped hundreds of women learn to navigate their careers and home lives with ease. FOLLOW ON IG LINKEDIN 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

  6. 1 day ago

    Special Bonus with Rachel Nielson: "The Simplest Shift to Find the Magic in Your Motherhood"

    What if the secret to loving motherhood isn't enjoying every minute, but recognizing the small, golden moments that make motherhood feel magical? Rachel Nielson, host of 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms Podcast, founder of Flecks of Gold Journal, and special sponsor of this Conference, wants moms to start looking for the tiny flecks of gold tucked into their days with their kids instead of waiting for the huge nuggets of joy.   This is a practice that saved Rachel's young motherhood when her expectations of cotton candy and angel babies met the cold hard reality of colicky newborns and fiery toddlers. Learning to locate the small, golden moments shifted the story Rachel was telling herself about her children and her parenting, and it's continued to support Rachel (and so many other moms) as her kids have grown, alongside their struggles.  With practical tips and simple mindset shifts, Rachel encourages every mom to stop trying to "enjoy every minute," and to instead focus on a single moment that documents daily why you love motherhood as much as you love your kids. FREEBIE for all: Find Your Magic in Motherhood Mini Course A 5-Day mini-course to help you find your magic in motherhood. BONUS raffled off to one participant: One Free Flecks of Gold Journal! Get 15% your Flecks of Gold Journal with the code MORE.   Rachel Nielson is a motherhood educator, podcaster, and mom of two. As a former high school English teacher, she has a gift for making complex ideas clear and actionable—a skill that shows up in everything she creates. Rachel's own path into motherhood came through adoption and IVF, and she expected to love every minute of it. Instead, she found herself lost in postpartum depression, wondering why loving her kids and loving her motherhood felt like two entirely different things. So she started the 3 in 30 Takeaways for Moms podcast, where she's since interviewed more than 350 parenting and self-development experts, searching for the core principles behind a motherhood that actually feels good to live. What she learned along the way became the Self-Assured Motherhood Framework, the foundation for her live program, and the Flecks of Gold Journal for Moms. Everything Rachel creates is designed to help women find joy in their own unique motherhood, not the one they think they're supposed to have. 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

Hosts & Guests

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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