Most Self-Improved

In this episode of Most Self-Improved, behavioral economist Peter McGraw discusses the benefits of embracing singledom as someone whose identity is independent of their relationship status. He calls it living as a Solo.

Peter says being single is often “viewed as temporary, viewed as less than. It's like, ‘Oh, I'm sure you'll find your person,’ kind of dinner conversation.” But Peter wanted to alter that perception and examine “what are the opportunities that come from being single and to celebrate this time in life, whether it be for now or forever.”

Drawing from his book released in January, “Solo: Building a Remarkable Life of Your Own,” his podcast, Solo, and personal experiences, Peter outlines the differences between being a traditional single and being a wholehearted, self-reliant Solo. He specifies the four types of singles and offers insights on how to thrive, regardless of your relationship status. Tune in to discover how you can live a fulfilled life as a solo individual.

“The world tends to tell you that there's one way to live,” Peter says. “But really there's not one remarkable life. There are remarkable lives.”

In this episode:

3:16 Meet Peter McGraw: Origins of his interest in single living

5:20 Peter’s experience being single: “I always just felt like a misfit”

7:10 The difference between being single and Solo living

8:40 The three characteristics of Solos: wholeheartedness, self-reliance, unconventional thinking

18:22 Designing a meaningful life: The sailboat metaphor for wellbeing

23:27 The four types of singles defined: Some Day, Just May, No Way, and New Way Singles

More:

For more information on Peter and his work, visit his website.

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In this episode of "Most Self-Improved,” hosts Erin Jensen and Bhavana Chilukuri chat with goal achievement coach Kristin Burke about the power of consistency in reaching your goals. It’s one of Kristin’s four C's of goal achievers, after all — along with clarity, confidence and courage.

For our audience, Kristin outlines a simple yet effective four-part goal-setting process. She also reveals how we can learn to identify meaningful goals, develop courage by "partying with fear," and implement consistent habits to make your goals a reality.

Join us for a motivating conversation that will leave you equipped with practical tips, like the Friday ritual of reviewing weekly wins and the power of tracking your progress to overcome guilt and stay on course. This episode is perfect for anyone looking to be more consistent and productive in both their personal and professional lives.

In this episode:

6:30 Kristin’s 4-step plan for getting clear on what your goals should be:

Step 1: Create your longterm vision.

Step 2: Reflection: “There’s so much power in the pause.”

Ask:

What do you want more of?

What do you want less of?

Step 3: Brainstorm your goals and narrow them down to the most meaningful.

Simplify and focus on less goals if you’re new to goal setting and achieving.

To help prioritize your goals, rank them from 1-5, with 5 being the most meaningful and 1 the least.

Step 4: Come up with a plan to achieve your goals.

Ask:

What are you willing to give up?

What will your strategies be?

11:12 What do the people who are great at achieving their goals do that others don’t? They have clarity, confidence, courage and consistency. (Each are defined.)

16:46 How to combat the things that derail your consistency: Ditch all or nothing thinking, embrace progress, not perfection. Remember, “Consistency is not 100% of the time.”

19:46 Embrace tracking your goals for success: “We have to move away from shame and judgment and move towards perspective and understanding."

26:46 Advice for the overly-ambitious goal setter

30:53 How to know if it’s time to give up on a goal? Perform goal check-ins at the end of the month and quarterly

32:33 Silence your negative mental narratives by asking these two questions.

34:00 Kristin’s Friday Ritual: At the end of each week, write down your wins, lessons learned, and 3-4 priorities for next week.

More:

If you’d like more information about Kristin or her teachings, you can visit her website, follow her on Instagram, and listen to her podcast, Elite Achievement.

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Hello! Allow us at Most Self-Improved -- hosts Bhavana Chilukuri and Erin Jensen -- to reintroduce our podcast. While we launched in September 2023 as a podcast book club devoted exclusively to personal growth titles, we've pivoted to an interview format in which we talk to experts in the wellness space seeking answers to questions like, "Where the heck do I make friends as a thirty-something?" "Do I really want to have kids?" "How do I make the most of my morning?"
Speaking of, "morning routine" has become one of those buzzy phrases, like "gut health" as of late. The pressure to live up to those getting up at 3 a.m. to work up a sweat and then cold plunge, or begin your 25-step skin care routine begins the moment we open up our eyes now. Or at least that's how it can feel (and more power to the people able to accomplish these things!).
But our morning routines should not be thought of as a to-do list, says Kerry Biskelonis, owner of Reset Brain and Body, which offers its clients therapy and coaching services.
“It’s so important not to listen to the noise about what you should be doing," Kerry says in the Season 2 opener of Most Self-Improved. "We go on social media, we go on TikTok and it’s, ‘This is the best morning routine! And these are the things you need to do!’ And it’s so overwhelming, and there’s way too much that we’re consuming.
"And what you’re going to stick to is the thing that comes from within," she continues. "So the more that you get in touch with that, the more it’s going to feel that you can be consistent because it’s authentically driven.”
Furthermore, Kerry says we should reframe the morning routine as a sacred hour which, when done consistently, reaffirms, "I matter. I am a priority. My wellbeing matters. I am worth my own time.”
In this episode:

Intro: The new Most Self-Improved format explained. It's like our podcast got bangs!

3:05 Welcome therapist Kerry Biskelonis to the podcast

5:13: Reframing the morning routine as a “sacred hour” for yourself. Kerry says it’s not a to do list but “a sacred hour in which you are queuing to yourself I matter.”

7:34 Benefits of a sacred hour. Kerry acknowledges, “If I don’t take care of myself, I am not good to other people.”

8:35 How to fit in your sacred hour with a spouse and kids: “No one will ever give it to you — ever!" Kerry says. "You have to really grab it.”

10:28 Organizing your sacred hour and the two questions to help you decide what to include.

16:01 The 90-second trick to overriding that urge to do what’s comfortable in order to meet your goals

20:49 How routine helps us embrace “the magic of the monotony.”

27:04 Tapping into your authentic self

More:

For more about Kerry's practice, visit her website or the office's Instagram.
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Naturally a podcast named Most Self-Improved is returning with a few, well, improvements!
Though the show launched in September 2023 as a book club podcast exclusively reading personal growth titles, your hilarious, relatable and never-afraid-to-be-vulnerable hosts have gotten rid of the required reading.
Going forward, hosts Bhavana Chilukuri and Erin Jensen will interview therapists and experts in the wellness space to help answer questions plaguing them and their fellow Millennials: “How do I make friends as a thirty-something?” “Do I really need a 25-step skincare routine?” “How do I truly know if I want kids?”
Episodes drop every other Thursday after the premiere on June 6.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Maybe you haven’t found the right partner, or perhaps pairing up isn’t of interest at all, but you’d still like to pursue your dream of becoming a parent on your own. In this eye-opening episode, Most Self-Improved hosts Bhavana Chilukuri and Erin Jensen chat with Ali Cherry, wearer of multiple hats, including therapist, writer, standup comic and mom.

Discover Ali’s inspiring story of embracing life on her own terms and her journey to becoming a mom. This heartwarming episode is not only an exploration of what it means to pursue solo motherhood but also a celebration of life's non-linear paths.

This episode also reveals some happy, personal news for one of our very own podcast hosts as the show heads for a break.

In this episode:

2:30 Introducing Ali Cherry: Therapist, writer, and mom

3:19 Ali's journey to solo parenthood: Trying on the idea of solo parenting

5:58 Fears about solo parenting

6:45 Picking a sperm donor: “Shockingly easy”

7:11 How being a solo parent has changed her: “I feel more settled”

9:44 Ali on being the author of her own parenting journey: “I don’t want that story of ‘It’s hard’”

11:20 The process of getting pregnant

14:45 Ali’s parting advice for aspiring solo parents: Acknowledge “life is not linear” and embrace the process

19:40 One co-host announces her own baby news and a Most Self-Improved break

More:

Watch Ali talk about “Being Single in a Coupled World” on YouTube.

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