Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)

Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)

Oct 16, 2025 | Podcast: Simple Shifts Forward

Simple Shifts Forward Podcast

Episode 04: 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.

You’ll learn:

  • Why motivation isn’t the spark you think it is.
  • The “tiny step” principle that builds real momentum.
  • Every day, examples you can try right away.

“You don’t need a giant burst of motivation — you just need one tiny step.”

Full Transcript

Hi, I’m Dana. Let’s talk about why progress comes from small steps, not waiting around for motivation.

 Let me tell you a story About My Dad: My dad was a master procrastinator. His favorite line was: “I’m getting ready to start thinking about doing it.”

It always made me laugh — but it also bugged me. As a Type A kid, I couldn’t stand inaction. Ironically, he wasn’t bothered at all. I was the one bothered.

So that leads me to the The Motivation Myth: We tell ourselves: “When I feel ready, I’ll start.”

But motivation is like the weather — unpredictable. If you wait for it, you may never begin.

So then what do we do? In comes the Power of Tiny Steps: Tiny steps bypass the motivation trap.

Examples:

o Putting on sneakers instead of running three miles.

o Opening your laptop instead of finishing a report.

o Washing one plate instead of scrubbing the whole kitchen.

Once you begin, energy shows up. Momentum builds. Like pushing a swing — the hardest part is the first push.

Bonus Takeaway: Most people wait to feel motivated before they act. But it works the other way around: action sparks motivation.

Reflection Prompt: What’s one tiny step you could take today? Something so small it feels almost laughable — but once you do it, you’re in motion.

Everyday Examples:
o Write one sentence — not a chapter.
o Send one text — not overhaul your social life.
o Drink one glass of water — not change your whole diet.

As we wrap up, I will circle back to my dad story from earlier… Looking back, I realize my dad’s procrastination taught me something valuable — I don’t want to wait for “someday.” I’d rather start small today than laugh later about what I never began

In closing:

So I hope you feel a bit inspired to take action today. don’t wait for motivation to strike. Just take one tiny step.  You’ll be surprised how far it carries you.

Thanks for spending this moment with me — I’ll see you in the next talk.

💭 Reflection Prompt:

What’s one tiny step you could take today? Something so small it feels almost laughable — but once you do it, you’re in motion.

Your Next Steps

Let’s navigate “what’s next”:

• A new business or career path
• A reinvention after retirement
• A shift in identity, energy, or priorities
Work With Me

Listen to more episodes

• Season 3: Simple Shifts Forward
• Season 2: Master Essential Oils
• Season 1: Organize DIY
More Episodes

Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)

Clarity Chat: Simple Steps to Happiness (S3E1)

Oct 14, 2025 | Podcast: Simple Shifts Forward

Simple Shifts Forward Podcast

Episode 01: Simple Steps to Happiness (S3E1)

Simple Steps to Happiness. 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.

You’ll learn:

  • Why happiness isn’t a destination but a series of gentle shifts.
  • How to notice the small things that bring a little lift.
  • A few everyday examples you can try to move one rung higher on your emotional ladder.

“Happiness isn’t about fake smiles — it’s about the small, quiet shifts that actually feel possible.”

Full Transcript

Thanks for joining me for a few minutes today. Here, we keep things simple — no jargon, no pressure. Just little shifts to make life feel a bit lighter and calmer.

We’ve been told happiness is a place we “arrive at.” The good job. The perfect home. The dream relationship. But if you’ve ever checked off those boxes and still felt flat… you know it’s not that simple.

Real happiness is often smaller. Quieter.

  • It’s breathing a little easier after a long day.
  • It’s laughing at something silly.
  • It’s the calm of knowing you’re moving in a good direction, even if it’s only one step.

Think of happiness like a dimmer switch — you don’t flip it on and off. You nudge it brighter, one notch at a time.

Here’s a picture that helps: imagine a ladder. At the bottom are the heavy feelings — overwhelm, numbness, hopelessness. At the top: joy, peace, freedom.

Most of us want to jump from the bottom straight to the top. But that’s like trying to pole-vault up a ladder. Impossible.

What if you just climbed one rung today? From “meh” to “maybe.” From “I can’t” to “maybe I could.”

I remember one day where I was firmly on the bottom rung. Exhausted, drained. Then I turned on a song I loved from high school. Within minutes, I felt lighter. Not joyful, but less heavy. And that was enough.

Reflection Prompt: Where are you standing on your ladder today? And what would just one rung higher feel like?

To move up:

  • Play a song you love.
  • Step outside and notice the sky.
  • Say something kind to yourself.
  • Move for one minute.

Tiny things count. They’re how the dial gets brighter. 

In closing:

So today, let yourself off the hook. Don’t try to leap into joy. Just shift one step closer. That’s happiness too.

Thanks for sharing this moment with me — I’ll meet you again soon with another small but powerful shift.

💭 Reflection Prompt:

Where are you standing on your ladder today? And what would just one rung higher feel like?

Your Next Steps

Let’s navigate “what’s next”:

• A new business or career path
• A reinvention after retirement
• A shift in identity, energy, or priorities
Work With Me

Listen to more episodes

• Season 3: Simple Shifts Forward
• Season 2: Master Essential Oils
• Season 1: Organize DIY
More Episodes

Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)

Clarity Chat: The Closet and the Critic (S3E2)

Oct 13, 2025 | Podcast: Simple Shifts Forward

Simple Shifts Forward Podcast

Episode 02: 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.

You’ll learn:

  • Why clutter often stirs up self-judgement
  • Three small option for shifting your space (and your mood)
  • How to reframe your “shoulds” into kinder choices

 Want more clarity tools? Download the free Stuck to Started Reset Kit at www.dana-mitchell.com. For more short, story-based talks, follow Dana on Insight Timer. https://insighttimer.com/danamitchell 

“Sometimes the loudest voice in the room is the one in your head — even when all you did was open a closet.”

Full Transcript

Hi, I’m Dana. Thanks for spend a few minutes with me. I have put together some short chats where I share small, real-life shifts that help us feel a little clearer and calmer and maybe even make life easier.

The other day, I opened my closet. And before I even touched a hanger, the critic in my head chimed in.
“Why are you keeping this stuff?”
“Why haven’t you let go of those jeans they don’t fit anyway?”
“What happened to being organized.”

It wasn’t just clothes staring back at me — it was old versions of me. Outfits I loved once, things I thought I’d wear someday, expectations of who I “should” be by now.

That’s when I gave myself three options:

  • • Donate a few things — nothing dramatic.
  • • Move one or two good pieces front and center so I’d actually wear them.
  • • Or just notice what was there and walk away.

And you know what? Even the smallest step quieted the critic. Those were actions that I could take to change the state of mind I was in.

Maybe your “closet” isn’t clothes. Maybe it’s a junk drawer. An inbox with 5,000 unread emails. A calendar that feels overstuffed. We all have spaces that whisper shame at us.

In closing:

So next time the critic pipes up, remind yourself: you don’t have to do everything. Just one gentle choice. That’s progress too.

Thanks for spending this moment with me — I’ll see you in the next talk.

💭 Reflection Prompt:

Where is your “closet”? Where do you hear that critic loudest?

Remember: moving forward doesn’t always mean a full overhaul. Sometimes it’s one shelf, one drawer, one moment of noticing.

Your Next Steps

Let’s navigate “what’s next”:

• A new business or career path
• A reinvention after retirement
• A shift in identity, energy, or priorities
Work With Me

Listen to more episodes

• Season 3: Simple Shifts Forward
• Season 2: Master Essential Oils
• Season 1: Organize DIY
More Episodes

Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)

Clarity Chat: Circling in Indecision (S3E3)

Oct 13, 2025 | Podcast: Simple Shifts Forward

Simple Shifts Forward Podcast

Episode 03: Circling 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.

You’ll learn:

• Why your brain delays decisions and how that’s actually protective

• A playful trick that reveals your gut answer in 24 hours or less

• How to shift from “What if this goes wrong?” to “What do I want instead?”

Want more clarity tools? Download the free Stuck to Started Reset Kit at www.dana-mitchell.com . For more short, story-based talks, follow Dana on Insight Timer. https://insighttimer.com/danamitchell 

    “Think of one decision you’ve been circling. If you had to choose within the next day, what would bubble up first?”

    Full Transcript

    “Ever get stuck circling a decision? Like an ice cream counter with too many flavors — you freeze instead of choosing.”

    Hi, I’m Dana. Around here, we keep things simple — no big lectures, just everyday ways to feel a little less stuck.

    Indecision is exhausting. I’ve done it with little things, like standing in Target debating pillow colors. And with big things, like career changes.

    And here’s the truth: it’s not laziness. It’s your brain’s way of keeping you safe.
    “If I don’t decide, I can’t be wrong.”
    “If I delay, I stay safe.”

    But safety can feel like being trapped in circles.

    Here’s a playful trick: tell yourself,
    “I know I don’t know… but if I did, what would I choose in the next 24 hours?”

    It’s like the ice cream shop. If someone said “Pick now, quick!” — you’d blurt out a flavor you already love. That’s your gut cutting through the noise.

    Think of one decision you’ve been circling. If you had to choose in the next day, what would bubble up first?

    Remember: the answer doesn’t have to be forever. Just the next step. One color, one email, one start.

    In closing:

    So next time you find yourself circling, try asking the question – “I know I don’t know… but if I did, what would I choose. Then let the small answer be enough.

    Thanks for joining me — I’ll be back soon with another gentle nudge.

    💭 Reflection Prompt:

    Think of one decision you’ve been circling. If you had to choose in the next day, what would bubble up first?
    Remember: the answer doesn’t have to be forever. Just the next step. One color, one email, one start.

    Your Next Steps

    Let’s navigate “what’s next”:

    • A new business or career path
    • A reinvention after retirement
    • A shift in identity, energy, or priorities
    Work With Me

    Listen to more episodes

    • Season 3: Simple Shifts Forward
    • Season 2: Master Essential Oils
    • Season 1: Organize DIY
    More Episodes

    Clarity Chat: Easy Steps to Beat Procrastination (S3E4)

    Clarity Chat: The Goo of Change (S3E5)

    Oct 13, 2025 | Podcast: Simple Shifts Forward

    Simple Shifts Forward Podcast

    Episode 05: The Goo of Change (S3E5)

    Clarity Chat: The Goo of Change. Change rarely feels exciting at first — it often feels sticky, messy, and uncomfortable. Dana calls this the “goo stage,” the in-between space where you’re no longer who you were, but not yet who you’re becoming. Through her own story as a mom shifting roles, she shows how to find breadcrumbs of joy in the messy middle.

    You’ll learn:

    • Why change feels like goo (sticky, stretchy, and awkward).
    • How to reframe transitions as space, not loss.
    • One small way to reconnect with things you used to love.

    “Change doesn’t feel clean — it feels like goo. Sticky, stretchy, messy — the middle space between what was and what’s next.”

    Full Transcript

    Hi, I’m Dana. Thanks for being here. I share small shifts and real-life stories to help you feel clearer and calmer as you move forward.

    There’s a stage of change I call the goo. You’re not who you were, but you’re not yet who you’re becoming. It’s the in-between.

    It feels… sticky. Like gum on your shoe, slowing you down.

    It feels… stretchy. Like you’re being pulled in two directions. It could show up as I could do this or that…

    It feels… uncomfortable. Like wearing a sweater that doesn’t fit anymore.

    I’m in the goo right now. That’s why I thought we could chat about it today. My daughter has started driving. Overnight, I’m not needed as the family Uber anymore. I had extra time — and this weird, strange ache. The words that come to mind are bittersweet. She’s growing up and making her own decisions – that’s what she’s meant to do in this phase and chapter of her life AND I will miss her telling me about her day in those first moments after carpool pickup.

    So the GOO
    It can show up when you least expect it – usually during transitions:
    • when kids leave home,
    • when jobs shift,
    • when relationships end,
    • or even in retirement.

    We think change should feel exciting. But often, it feels like goo.

    Here’s the gift, though: goo isn’t just sticky. It’s space. Space to breathe. Space to remember what you used to enjoy. Space to try something new or pick back up on forgotten projects,

    For me, it was picking up an old craft hobby. Not to spend a ton of time to be perfect, just to reconnect with a forgotten part of me. I bought an inexpensive bow maker – and am going to redo some of my wreaths. Exciting, I know! Really only for the crafters listening.
    So here’s a question for everyone…

    Reflection Prompt: If you’re in the goo, what’s one thing you used to enjoy that you could dip back into, even just a little?

    The goo doesn’t last forever. It’s not a failure. It’s just the middle stage of becoming something new. 

    In closing:

    So if you’re in the goo right now, take heart. It means you’re already in motion. Messy, yes. But also full of possibilities.

    Thanks for sharing this space with me — we’ll meet again soon.

    💭 Reflection Prompt:

    If you’re in the goo, what’s one thing you used to enjoy that you could dip back into, even just a little?

    Your Next Steps

    Let’s navigate “what’s next”:

    • A new business or career path
    • A reinvention after retirement
    • A shift in identity, energy, or priorities
    Work With Me

    Listen to more episodes

    • Season 3: Simple Shifts Forward
    • Season 2: Master Essential Oils
    • Season 1: Organize DIY
    More Episodes

    Pin It on Pinterest