In a special landmark 50th episode of the Monkey Chatter podcast, Amy, Lara, and Michelle are getting serious about rest! We're not just talking about a long weekend—we're talking about the deep, meaningful breaks that truly fuel creativity and avoid burnout.

We’re making a big announcement: the Monkey Chatter crew is taking a much-needed sabbatical for the holiday season! Think of it as a planned hibernation—we're hoping to peel back the layers of stress, find some fresh intellectual jungle, and swing back in the new year with enough energy to climb Mount Kilimanjaro (or at least record another 50 episodes!).

Michelle gives us the scoop on the sabbatical—what it is, where this ancient practice began, and how modern monkeys (like us!) can actually make long breaks work. We discuss how taking a proper time-out can be the ultimate defense against the dreaded burnout, how it fuels personal growth, and why sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is the key to getting everything done.

Lara recently returned from a yoga retreat in Italy and shares how she found her inner calm (and probably ate a lot of delicious food). We wrap up by discussing the natural, almost primordial, rhythm of taking a break as we swing into winter and the holidays. It's time to follow the lead of the animal kingdom and recharge the batteries.

If you’re feeling worn out, need a chuckle, or just want to learn how to master the art of the perfect rest, climb aboard!

This week, the hosts of the Monkey Chatter podcast—Amy, Michelle, and Lara—get real about the habit they know all too well: procrastination.

Michelle owns up to it being "one of her things," while even the organized Amy struggles with the occasional task. Lara, however, wonders if a little pre-deadline chaos might actually be a productivity hack!They dive into the psychology of delay, making it clear that procrastination isn't laziness—it's just a fight between your brain and your desire to watch more cat videos.

The Highlights Reel

• It’s Not Laziness! The monkeys offer a definition of procrastination, separating it from simply being apathetic. It's an emotional battle, not a moral failing.
• The Frog, The Monkey, and The Deadline:
• • They discuss the "old school" self-help classic, Eat That Frog!, pulling out tips like time blocking and tackling the absolute worst task first.
  • Amy offers the "Little Wins" approach: knocking out smaller, easier things to build momentum before you tackle the monster.
  • Lara argues that the impending pressure of a deadline might just be the focus tool she needs!
• The Pre-Game Plan: While Amy says procrastination only causes her stress, Michelle and Lara sometimes feel like they're actually working out the plan in their heads until the final deadline arrives.
• They explore the power of accountability—it turns out the fear of letting someone down is often more motivating than the fear of letting yourself down.
• Final Tips for Taming the Jungle of Dragging Feet: The hosts share their own ways to force action and accomplish that goal
• 
  

Tune in to discover if you're navigating the jungle of your to-do list like a seasoned explorer or just swinging through the tangled vines aimlessly!

Menopause is no longer a conversation whispered behind closed doors! It's finally having its moment in the cultural spotlight, and we're swinging through the jungle of midlife to talk about it!

In this episode, we celebrate the "We Do Not Care" (WDNC) movement spearheaded by the hilarious Melani Sanders (1.87M followers on Instagram!). We explore why this message of radical authenticity is so powerful right now—are we finally letting go of the need to camouflage ourselves? We're embracing our inner primate and asking: do we really care what we wear or what people think of us anymore?

We chatter about the hormonal changes, and the symptoms you actually experience, with brain fog being one of the big, frustrating ones that makes finding your way through the vines of life feel impossible.

Lara brings her menopause-informed yoga wisdom to the mic, offering gentle, effective ways to manage the change. Michelle discusses challenging our expectations and toning them down so we can still accomplish goals, urging us to stop beating the jungle drums of self-criticism and saying, "I should have...". She also shares her mother's ingenious productivity secret: the 10-inch square tactic for getting big jobs done, which helps us talk about picking that one thing to focus on instead of trying to clear the whole rainforest at once.

Of course, it wouldn't be a show about menopause without talking about the classic symptoms that make us want to scream like a howler monkey: hot flashes, anxiety, sleeplessness, bone and muscle loss, and the ever-present cortisol spike!

We wrap up by discussing the healthy habits, eating right, and moving our bodies—focusing on what we do care about to keep our monkey minds calm and letting go of what we don't so we can feel as good as possible through the transition.