About Progress

Today I'm taking you behind the scenes of the wild but wonderful journey to the Sticky Habits book cover—from my very first DIY mock-up to the unexpected title change to the final holographic pink and gold cover I absolutely love.

I was nervous about having any say at all, and I probably pushed the limits by sending my publisher a whole vision board. But I'm so glad I did, because the Wiley team made it even better. Grab your copy at stickyhabitsbook.com!

Watch this episode on Youtube

Order Sticky Habits!

Leave a review of the book

Sign up for the More for Moms Conference with $10 early bird pass: “LISTENER.”

Join the Supporters Club to keep About Progress around for good.

Complementary episodes: The BTS episodes: Here and Here; Messy Middle of Dreams

This episode brought to you by ⁠⁠Quince⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns; and from REBEL, your next favorite find is waiting at fromrebel.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A year or two ago, I did a whole deep dive on positive thinking—and while we all know the importance of believing in ourselves, science actually shows that if you don't already have a strong sense of self-worth, positive thinking can backfire and hurt you more. That research uncovered by my friend Dr. Marisa G. Franco, was the result of years of study that completely changed how she thinks about self-esteem, self-love, and secure attachment.

In this episode, Marisa is back to reframe the way we think about self-worth. We talk about why some of our hardest patterns may be rooted in old memories, why shaming ourselves into change doesn't actually help us change, and what it looks like to become a safe place for every version of ourselves—including the messy, needy, angry, or insecure ones. If you've spent years trying to fix yourself into finally feeling worthy, this conversation is going to give you a very different way forward.

You can follow her on Instagram (@DrMarisaGFranco) or sign up for her free quiz (www.DrMarisaGFranco.com) to assess your friendship strengths.

Complementary episodes: Past episode with Dr. Franco on friendship

Order Sticky Habits!

Sign up for the More for Moms Conference with $10 early bird pass: “LISTENER.”

Join the ⁠Supporters Club⁠ to keep About Progress around for good.

⁠Get the free DSL Training⁠.

This episode brought to you by Quince. For free shipping on your order and 365-day returns at https://www.quince.com/monica. And by REBEL, your next favorite find is waiting at fromrebel.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrice Washington opens up about a truth so many of us recognize but rarely say out loud: her busyness was never really about productivity — it was about earning love. She traces it back to childhood, to always being "the smart one," and how achievement became the way she proved her worth. Even after years of therapy and real self-awareness, she found herself still trapped in cycles of hurry long after she'd outgrown the need for them.

This clip is for anyone caught in that same loop — the go-go-go that feels less like ambition and more like survival. Patrice's honesty about needing to be "so much more selective" and learning that she has to validate her own gift before anyone else does is such a powerful reframe for how to be happier and finally stop being a perfectionist. It's a gentle nudge toward self-compassion, daily habits that protect your peace, and the kind of personal growth that starts with asking why you're really doing what you're doing.

Listen to the full episode here: https://www.aboutprogress.com/blog/ways-to-stop-chasing-busy-and-live-with-more-purpose

Order Sticky Habits!

Sign up for the More for Moms Conference with $10 early bird pass: “LISTENER.”

Join the Supporters Club to keep About Progress around for good.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I can't believe it — we recorded a live episode of About Progress, and you're invited to join us for the whole thing. My friend Julie Rose, an NPR journalist and incredible interviewer, took the mic and asked me everything: how Sticky Habits went from a failed course to a published book, what 10 years and four million downloads of podcasting has taught me, and why I finally stopped waiting for permission to call myself a writer.

This conversation is about so much more than habits or books. It's about learning to be bad at things, giving yourself permission to be mediocre, and realizing that your worth isn't tied to your output. If you've ever felt like you're doing it all wrong, or that progress is something other people have figured out — this one's for you.

Order Sticky Habits!

Sign up for the More for Moms Conference with $10 early bird pass: “LISTENER.”

Join the Supporters Club to keep About Progress around for good.

This episode brought to you by ⁠⁠Quince⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns; and from REBEL, your next favorite find is waiting at fromrebel.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode I'm getting real with you the day before my book Sticky Habits officially publishes. This isn't a heavily outlined or scripted episode — it's a fireside chat where I'm sharing honestly about what this moment feels like from the inside. I talk about the intense, exhausting year it's been, the stress that's shown up in my body, the self-doubt that keeps creeping in alongside the excitement, and how publishing a book that's so deeply personal feels like standing at mile 25 of a marathon with no idea what waits on the other side of the finish line.

I also share my hopes for what this book can do — not just for my own work and family, but for women everywhere who deserve a better, more realistic approach to habits. And I get honest about the choice I know I'll have to keep making: to pay attention to the empty chairs or the full ones. This episode is my way of thanking you for being part of this journey, and asking you to help me carry this book across the finish line.

Complementary episodes: The BTS episodes: Here and Here; Messy Middle of Dreams

Order Sticky Habits!

Sign up for the More for Moms Conference with $10 early bird pass: “LISTENER.”

Join the ⁠Supporters Club⁠ to keep About Progress around for good.

⁠Get the free DSL Training⁠.

This episode brought to you by ⁠⁠Quince⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns; and from REBEL, your next favorite find is waiting at fromrebel.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices