About Progress

Ever feel like everyone else is on a rocket ship while you’re pedaling a tricycle? Crystalee Beck, founder of Comma Copywriters and The Mama Ladder, shares how she stopped comparing herself to other women after a layoff left her family’s finances and marriage at a low point. She decided to choose what she wanted her life to feel like instead of measuring herself against someone else’s pace.

If you’ve been wondering how to be happier without having it all figured out, this is a warm reminder that self-compassion is a real tool for personal growth and development, and one of the kindest forms of self-care for mothers.

Listen to the full episode here: https://www.aboutprogress.com/blog/owning-your-own-path-and-going-at-your-own-pace

Order Sticky Habits (now available as an audiobook!)

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In this Growth Spurt, I share a moment from narrating my audiobook for Sticky Habits when I spotted small errors that survived countless rounds of editing. Spiraling into self-doubt, I had to remind myself that even masterpieces like Harry Potter and Oppenheimer aren't perfect — and that mistakes aren't just unavoidable, they're a necessary part of the path. The only way to avoid mistakes is by not trying, and that's the biggest mistake of all.

⁠Order Sticky Habits⁠ (now available as an audiobook!)

Leave a ⁠review⁠ of the book

Get the Archive Pass for the ⁠More for Moms Conference⁠ with $10-off code: “LISTENER.”

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

Watch this episode on ⁠Youtube⁠ Go to Quince for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns at https://www.quince.com/monica.
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How many times have you caught yourself scrolling and immediately thought, "Oh no, I did it again. I seriously need more self-control"? I've done this too. We all do. But what if scrolling isn't proof that you lack discipline? In this episode, I talk with Ruby Ryba, author of How to Stop Scrolling, about a much more compassionate way to use our phones less.

Instead of shaming ourselves or swearing off our phones entirely, Ruby teaches us to get curious about what our scrolling is really giving us, design our lives so our phones have less power over us, and fill that reclaimed space with things that actually meet our needs. Because the goal isn't just to spend less time on your phone—it's to spend more time actually living the life you choose.

Ruby's website, book

Order Sticky Habits (now available as an audiobook!)

Leave a review of the book

Get the Archive Pass for the More for Moms Conference with $10-off code: “LISTENER.”

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

Watch this episode on Youtube

Complementary episodes: The Practice of Attention: How to Stop Scrolling in a Distracted World, with Cody Cook-Parrott; How Screens Are Changing Childhood, with Catherine Price

Go to Quince for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns at https://www.quince.com/monica.
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Ever wonder why you feel like you have to hustle for everything, or why one critical comment can undo a whole good day? In this clip, Jessica Hottel gets honest about growing up in survival mode and how those early beliefs followed her into adulthood: the approval-chasing, the trouble resting, and the shutting down when she felt triggered.

If you're a mom trying to figure out how to be happier without adding one more thing to your to-do list, this one's for you. Jessica talks about why the stories we carry about ourselves start so early, and why getting curious about where they began is a powerful piece of personal development. It's not self improvement in the fix-yourself sense. It's about understanding the daily habits and reactions you built to protect yourself, and meeting them with kindness instead of criticism.

That's where self-compassion comes in. When you can see why you hustle, why you go quiet, or why "good enough" feels so out of reach, it gets easier to stop being a perfectionist and start treating yourself the way you'd treat a friend. Self care for mothers isn't only bubble baths and naps (though we're pro-nap). It's also giving yourself permission to understand why you are the way you are. Small shifts like that are what personal growth and development actually looks like, and they're often how to feel happy on an ordinary day, not just in the big moments.

Listen to the full episode here: https://www.aboutprogress.com/blog/5-steps-to-better-process-emotions-and-heal-your-souls-story
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After months of interviews for my book Sticky Habits, one question kept coming up: "How do you make time for self-care habits?" And it stopped me in my tracks. We love to say "just make time," but honestly? I think that reeks of toxic positivity. I spent a year and a half waking up at 5:00 AM to write my book while walking, doing strength training, and running on fumes — and it nearly broke me. You will never make time for everything — need, good, or worthy — and that's not just okay, it's the whole point. So let's talk about what it really means to make time for what matters, without losing yourself in the process.

Order Sticky Habits (now available as an audiobook!)

Leave a review of the book

Get the Archive Pass for the More for Moms Conference with $10-off code: “LISTENER.”

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

Watch this episode on Youtube
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