What if the habits you struggle with most are actually attempts to help you? In this episode, I revisit a powerful way of understanding habits through the lens of Internal Family Systems and the idea of using "the most generous interpretation," a concept popularized by Dr. Becky Kennedy. When we look at our patterns this way, habits stop looking like flaws and start looking like strategies that once served a purpose.

I walk through the Internal Family Systems framework and explain how different parts of us work together to manage painful experiences. Some parts try to prevent discomfort, others step in to soothe overwhelming feelings, and still others carry the emotional burdens from past events. When these parts interact, they can create the repetitive thinking, feeling, and behavior patterns we recognize as habits.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/214

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Anger is often seen as something to avoid or suppress, but what if I told you it's actually an emotion that can offer valuable insights? In this episode, we'll explore how to rethink your relationship with anger and use it as a powerful tool for growth and clarity.

For many of us, anger is tied to shame or the belief that it's an emotion we should hide. However, when we embrace anger as a signal rather than a problem, it can alert us to boundary breaches, compromised values, or injustices. I'll explain how shifting your perspective on anger can transform your emotional landscape and help you make decisions aligned with your core values.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/213

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When you think of trauma, do you picture only extreme, life-threatening events? In this episode, I expand the definition of trauma and explain why many high achievers unknowingly overlook their own experiences. Trauma isn't defined only by what happened, but by how your nervous system responded when you felt overwhelmed, powerless, or alone.

I break down the difference between Big T and small t trauma and explain how stress and trauma exist on a continuum. Many of the habits we struggle with, like perfectionism, overachievement, hypervigilance, chronic worry, or emotional reactivity, may not be personality flaws but adaptive responses that once helped you cope. Understanding them with curiosity instead of judgment opens the door to healing and growth.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/212

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Do you take forever to make decisions, only to second-guess yourself once you finally choose? In this episode, I unpack why analysis paralysis feels so intense and how the belief that there is one right decision quietly fuels decision block, overthinking, procrastination, and chronic comparison.

I offer a practical shift that makes decisiveness possible: letting go of the idea that there is one right choice and instead choosing to make your decision right. You'll learn a concrete process to identify what you would decide if you trusted yourself, uncover the inner objections that surface, and respond to those concerns with curiosity and compassion while still moving forward.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/211

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Curiosity gets a lot of praise, but not all curiosity actually leads to change. In this episode, I introduce the concept of pragmatic curiosity and explain why simply understanding yourself better isn't always enough to shift long-standing habits.

I walk you through what true curiosity is and what it isn't, including how curiosity can quietly turn into judgment, fixing, or endless analysis. You'll also learn how to practice pragmatic curiosity by pairing insight with action so your self-awareness actually translates into real habit change. I share a simple framework you can use with any dilemma, pattern, or decision so that curiosity doesn't just stay in your head but helps you move forward in a concrete, supportive way.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/210

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When you're feeling stuck, stressed, or overwhelmed, the right question can shift everything. In today's episode, I share a list of my favorite productive questions that help me get unstuck, tap into curiosity, and break free from confusion. These questions are the antidote to overthinking, indecision, and self-doubt.

Our habitual thought patterns often keep us in a loop of stress and overwhelm, especially when we're not clear on what we really want or need. By asking the right questions, we can break out of that cycle and start finding clarity. The powerful questions I'm sharing today help me connect to my deeper needs, quiet my inner critic, and tap into my intuition when I'm feeling lost.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/209

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Most habits aren't random or self-sabotaging. They're signals. In this episode, I explore the deeper needs and desires hidden beneath your habits and why understanding those needs is one of the most overlooked keys to lasting habit change. When you only focus on stopping a behavior, you miss the reason it's there in the first place.

I explain how habits like procrastination, self-criticism, people pleasing, numbing, overthinking, and comparison often develop as solutions to something deeper. You'll learn a simple three-step process to identify the need beneath any habit so you can address the root cause instead of fighting the symptom.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/208

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://habitsonpurpose.com/207

Join the Habits on Purpose newsletter for extra tools, prompts, and stories between episodes: https://habitsonpurpose.com/