Simple Shifts Forward Podcast
Life can feel heavy when you’re circling in indecision, stuck in old habits, or second-guessing every move. These short talks are here to make things feel lighter, clearer, and easier to navigate.
Each episode is like a quick coffee chat with a friend — no jargon, no pressure. Just simple ideas you can actually use, like why procrastination happens, how to quiet that loud inner critic, or what to do when life feels like goo.
Because real change doesn’t mean starting over or following a big philosophy. It can be as simple as learning something new about yourself… and choosing one small step forward.
Podcast Episodes & Transcripts
Holiday Emotions Series 3: Ten Ways to Protect Your Peace This Holiday Season
Here are ten simple, gentle, truly doable ways to protect your peace during the holiday season — without disappearing, overworking, or performing joy. These ideas help you lower the pressure, plan for emotional triggers, choose what actually matters, and build small grounding moments into your days.
Holiday Emotions Series 2: Hidden Holiday Expectations That Drain Us
So many holiday emotions come from expectations we didn’t even choose. In this episode, we explore where these “shoulds” come from — childhood patterns, social pressure, old traditions, comparison, and unspoken family roles — and how they quietly shape our experience of the season. You’ll hear a powerful metaphor about the “emotional backpack” and learn how the Expectation Gap magnifies everything we’re already carrying.
Holiday Emotions Series 1: Why The Holidays Feel Weird Sometimes
If the holidays bring up a strange mix of pressure, sadness, resentment, or anxiety — you’re not alone. In this cozy, honest chat, we unpack why emotions feel louder this time of year, especially with the earlier-and-louder holiday marketing season. You’ll hear a relatable story, learn about negativity bias, and get a grounding metaphor that helps everything finally make sense.
Clarity Chat: Gain More Time and Improve Your Focus (S3E11)
Do you feel like your phone is dinging and lighting up all day? In this episode, Dana explores how notifications hijack your time and attention — and why it’s not your fault. Learn how those red dots, pings, and alerts are designed to trigger your brain’s reward system, and discover one simple shift that can bring your focus and calm back. A small system change that creates big mental freedom.
Clarity Chat: When Great is Better Than Perfect (S3E10)
Clarity Chat: When Great is Better Than Perfect. Chasing perfect may look like high standards, but it often steals time, energy, and even connection. Dana shares personal stories about her husband and daughter that taught her the value of stopping at “great.” Learn how to let go of perfection and apply the 90% rule in your own life.
Clarity Chat: Talking Back to the Inner Critic (S3E9)
Clarity Chat: Talking Back to the Inner Critic: Your inner critic is sneaky — hiding in phrases like “I should,” “I never,” or “What’s wrong with me?” Dana shares how to name that voice, spot its buzzwords, and reframe its harshness into kinder truths.
Clarity Chat: Forgive Yourself First (S3E8)
Forgive Yourself First. We forgive others all the time, but forgiving ourselves is often hardest. Dana shares a five-minute journaling practice — plus a modern metaphor about clearing your browser history — to help you release guilt and feel lighter.
Clarity Chat: Stop Letting Should Weigh You Down (S3E7)
Stop Letting Should Weigh You Down. “Should” sounds small, but over time it can weigh us down like a backpack of bricks. Dana shares how many of our “shoulds” come from family folklore, cultural expectations, or old hand-me-down rules. Learn how to drop the “shoulds” that aren’t yours and replace them with the lighter power of “could.”
Clarity Chat: The Power of Pause (S3E6)
The Power of Pausing. Pausing isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom. Dana shares a story about car shopping with her family (and why a sandwich break made all the difference!) to show how slowing down creates clarity, better decisions, and stronger relationships.
Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)
Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination. Motivation is like the weather — unpredictable. If you wait for it, you might wait forever. In this Clarity Chat, Dana shares a funny family story and explains why taking one tiny step is more powerful than waiting for the perfect moment.
Clarity Chat: Simple Steps to Happiness (S3E1)
One small step up your emotional ladder is enough. Happiness isn’t about fake smiles or chasing a perfect life. It’s about small, real shifts that feel possible today. In this short pep talk, Dana shares her “ladder” metaphor to explain how to move just one step at a time up the emotional scale — from heavy feelings toward lighter ones.
Clarity Chat: The Closet and the Critic (S3E2)
Sometimes the loudest voice isn’t in your closet — it’s in your head. Dana shares how her own closet turned into a mirror of old expectations and self-criticism. Whether your “closet” is clothes, emails, or a messy inbox, you’ll learn how to quiet the critic and take one small step forward.
Clarity Chat: Circling in Indecision (S3E3)
Circling in Indecision? Ever get stuck circling a decision — from picking pillows to choosing a career move? Indecision isn’t laziness; it’s your brain trying to keep you safe. In this talk, Dana shares a playful ice cream counter metaphor and a powerful question that helps you cut through the noise.
Clarity Chat: The Goo of Change (S3E5)
Change rarely feels exciting at first — it often feels sticky, messy, and uncomfortable. Dana calls this the “goo stage,” the middle ground between who you were and who you’re becoming. Through her own story of shifting roles as a mom, she shares how to find small breadcrumbs of joy in the messy middle.