Gratitude Before Gravy: How Gratitude Boosts Willpower
Lifting the Lifters
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Instead of stretchy pants and self-control guilt, let's go for gratitude! In this episode, w break down the surprising science of willpower, why it drains so fast, why we think we have more than we actually do, and how gratitude can literally replenish the brain’s self-control system. You’ll learn: What willpower actually is (and why it’s not just “trying harder”) How decision fatigue drains your ability to make good choices Why gratitude calms cravings, reduces impulsivity, and restores mental energy The “Gratitude Before...
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The Healing Power of Childhood Joy
Lifting the Lifters
Do you ever feel anxious, uptight, or "hyperaroused" for no clear reason? In this extremely relatable episode, we dive into the surprising therapeutic benefits of intentional nostalgia! We reveal how recreating simple, sensory-rich childhood moments can literally calm your biology. I share how recreating the simple act of crunching fall leaves on a walk to church felt and how that same tool can be used as a way to relieve day-to-day stress and anxiety. We discuss: * 🧠 The neuroscience of nostalgia: How positive memories reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and activate your brain's...
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At the Center: Family and Life Lessons in Teamwork and Contribution
Lifting the Lifters
Life has a way of teaching us in the most unexpected ways! This was the case just recently with football season this year. In this podcast episode, I interview our youngest son Stockton, and we talk about his experience playing center on his football team. We discuss team over self, sacrifice, the people and positions in life that don't get "noticed" but make major contributions. This episode will make you think and give some pretty powerful life lessons on and off the field!
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When Fear Wears a Different Mask
Lifting the Lifters
Fear doesn’t always wear fangs! It doesn't scream and isn't loud; sometimes it wears and whispers, “not enough.” This week’s episode, “When Fear Wears a Different Mask,” dives into the sneaky ways fear shows up as scarcity. Scarcity is the fear of not enough time, love, money, or worth. We'll discuss how to recognize it, its impact on your body, brain, nervous system, and actions, and provide simple and practical ways to move back into abundance. We can tell the truth of what is, right now. "Right now, I have enough." "I have 15 minutes." "I have a healthy...
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Interview with Jarred Rydalch
Lifting the Lifters
This episode is a special treat for us all! WAY Back, on Lifting the Lifter's 100th episode, I finally got my favorite human on the podcast! My husband Jarred! We are doing a replay of an amazing interview! Jarred is FULL of wisdom and good advice. We have worked together in life, family, and business. In this episode, we discuss our family motto. We talk about why we created one, what is in that motto, how it has blessed our family, and how you can create one! If you are new to the podcast, take a listen, and if you are a frequent listener, enjoy a refresher! I am sure you will have...
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It's Not Everyone: When Things Get Blown Up!
Lifting the Lifters
Do you ever catch yourself spiraling, thinking “everyone’s judging me” or “everyone noticed that mistake”? Chances are… It’s not everyone. It’s probably just two people. In this episode, we’re breaking down why small situations can feel huge in our minds, and how your nervous system is often the one behind the exaggeration. You’ll learn what’s actually happening in your body when fear or embarrassment kicks in, how your brain builds stories to match those sensations, and what to do to bring it all back to size. We’ll talk about neuroception (how your body detects threat...
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Concerned vs. Consumed
Lifting the Lifters
Have you ever caught yourself spinning in your head about something...replaying a worry, a decision, or a problem you can’t fix right away? In this episode, we explore the difference between being concerned and being consumed. You’ll learn why concern is necessary for forward movement. It’s what drives awareness, growth, and intentional living, and how it can quietly turn into consumption when our thoughts take over. We’ll also look at what happens inside our nervous system when that shift occurs, and how simple grounding practices like breathing, writing, and prayer help calm both...
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Where Is Your Heart?
Lifting the Lifters
"Where is your heart?" This is a question we can ask to reflect on our intentions, our lives, and our motivations. It can help us realign to be where we want to be. In this episode, we explore this very question from President Russell M. Nelson’s: “Where is your heart?” Drawing on his life as a world-renowned heart surgeon and as a prophet of God, we look at why the heart matters, not just physically, but spiritually. We’ll reflect on how our hearts are pulled in so many directions: family, work, goals, and personal interests and how President Nelson’s example shows us the strength...
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Catch the Yellow, Stay in the Green
Lifting the Lifters
Your body is always talking to you—it whispers before it shouts. In this episode, we explore the “traffic lights of resilience”: the green zone where we feel balanced and energized, the yellow lights that signal stress or fatigue, and the red or blue zones where burnout and shutdown live. I’ll share how running has taught me to listen to my body’s yellow lights—tight muscles, fatigue, or stiffness—and how ignoring them always comes at a cost. Together, we’ll learn how to spot our own warning signals and make small shifts that keep us in the green zone, steady and strong! ...
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Pain vs. Suffering: Understanding Clean and Dirty Pain
Lifting the Lifters
In this episode, we discuss pain vs. suffering. There is a difference! We explore the difference between clean pain and dirty pain. Clean pain is the natural hurt of being human, the sting of loss, rejection, or disappointment. Dirty pain is the suffering we pile on top through resistance, self-criticism, and “what if” thinking. With some practical tools, exercises, and an experience we had this week with a sliver , you’ll learn how to recognize when you’re stuck in dirty pain and how to gently shift back into clean pain. This conversation will help you navigate...
info_outlineThanksgiving is right around the corner!
Instead of stretchy pants and self-control guilt, let's go for gratitude! In this episode, w break down the surprising science of willpower, why it drains so fast, why we think we have more than we actually do, and how gratitude can literally replenish the brain’s self-control system.
You’ll learn:
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What willpower actually is (and why it’s not just “trying harder”)
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How decision fatigue drains your ability to make good choices
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Why gratitude calms cravings, reduces impulsivity, and restores mental energy
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The “Gratitude Before Gravy” method to stay intentional at Thanksgiving
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A simple 3-breath gratitude reset that kills cravings in 10 seconds
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How spiritual principles like “live in thanksgiving daily” line up perfectly with neuroscience
Whether you want to avoid overeating, stay patient with family, or feel lighter emotionally this holiday, this episode gives you a practical roadmap.
Listen in and learn why gratitude isn’t just a warm fuzzy feeling! It’s weightlifting for your willpower muscle.