We are rapidly approaching the end of the year, and I am SHOOK at how fast 2024 flew by. I have a rigorous reflection process, and I always find a ton of value in tracking the highs, lows, and lessons of the year, which help inform how I move forward into the new year.

You need to understand where you’ve been to plan where you’re going, so today I’m sharing how to do a comprehensive end of year audit, and how to use this last month of the year to set yourself up for a successful 2025. Think of this as your condensed winter arc where you “soft launch” your new year goals.

I cover the journaling prompts, assessments, exercises and goal-setting guides I use to evaluate my year in review, and how I transform those takeaways into actionable goals and priorities for the new year. All of this is captured in a super helpful FREE guide to goal-setting and year-end auditing, which you can download here to accompany this episode!

Trust me when I say this will make it so much easier to hit the ground running on January 1st, because you won’t be starting from ground zero this year.

Tune in to hear more about:

• Leveraging the holiday slowdown to get ahead and test-drive new goals/habits
• Why we should give our new goals a trial run before January starts
• The journaling prompts I use to reflect on the year’s biggest lessons and takeaways
• Measuring your satisfaction using the Life Balance Wheel
• A game-changing exercise for auditing your time and how you spent your energy this year
• Honing in on areas for improvement, and setting SMART goals for each category
• The power of a guiding quote or mantra

Everything we cover in today’s episode is available to download in our free year-end audit - get your guide today and get a head start on your new year planning! You’ve got this.

Resources mentioned:

End Of Year Audit

How to set SMART goals

How To Design A Life Of Purpose, Using Ikigai

This show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host & Producer
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler , Designer & Web Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. 

If you're struggling with debt or moving the needle on your financial goals, this is a must-listen reminder for overcoming financial stress and toxic money patterns.

A healthy money mindset is the missing ingredient for a lot of people's financial security. So we’re throwing it back to this sustainable financial advice from finance coach Nicole Stanley on dealing with debt, setting realistic money goals, and her own journey to get debt-free. 

Nicole Stanley is the Founder & Head Financial Coach of Arise Financial Coaching. After battling crippling financial anxiety in her early twenties, Nicole enrolled in her first personal finance course and made changes to go from 30K in debt to building over a quarter-million in net worth for her family at age  27. Arise Financial Coaching has now served over 600 clients and has been featured in TIME, Yahoo Finance, & CNET.

Listen to our full episode with Nicole here.

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

Follow Nicole:

On Instagram: @arise.financial.coaching

Arise Financial Coaching

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If you’re looking for the cheat code to catapult your career trajectory, today’s episode is a must-listen. We’re learning how to succeed using our most valuable currency: our reputation, and our networks, from global communications strategist Maha Abouelenein.

Our reputations matter in every area of our lives, especially in this digital age when comments, reviews and feedback are instant and public. The reality is, everyone has a personal brand — it’s not just for influencers — and today you’ll learn how to harness yours as a powerful tool.

Maha Abouelenein is a strategic communication and personal branding expert who has handled communications for some of world’s largest tech companies in the Middle East - from Google and Netflix to Udacity and Weber Shandwick. She supported the largest IPO and acquisition in Egypt’s history, along with promotions and sports marketing programs for the Olympics, NASCAR, Women’s Hockey, and the NFL.

Maha consulted on strategic communications with the Obama administration and has worked with powerhouses like Gary Vaynerchuk and Deepak Chopra. She was honored as one of the most influential women in Dubai, and nominated as of one of Forbes Power Women of the Middle East.

She’s the CEO of Digital & Savvy, host of the Savvy Talk podcast, and Best-Selling Author of "7 Rules of Self-Reliance”.

Ready to listen? Learn how to make yourself indispensable at work:

• The formula for building self-reliance, and Maha’s Seven Rules
• How prioritizing my reputation has served me throughout my career
• How to cultivate an authentic personal brand that stands out at work
• Figuring out what your unique narrative really is
• How to elevate your reputation online and in person
• Why it’s key to be a value creator, and easy ways to add more value
• Hacks for networking meaningfully online and IRL
• Why every leader should be prioritizing storytelling
• Maha’s #1 tip for staying agile in an ever-changing world
• How to stop being a waiter and create your own opportunities
• The power of strong relationships

Follow Maha on Instagram and on her website.

Listen to Maha's Podcast, Savvy Talk.

Order Maha's book, 7 Rules of Self-Reliance

This show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & Editor
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler , Designer & Web Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter 

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@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. 

We could all use a confidence boost sometimes, and we’re throwing it back to Komal Minhas, who drops doable research-backed tips on how to cultivate more confidence and courage to tap into our potential. 

Komal is an executive coach, business strategist, interviewer, and resilience educator who coaches people to build successful businesses while improving their wellbeing and mastering their mindset.

She’s landed a spot on Oprah’s Super Soul 100 list, screened her film, Dream, Girl, at the Obama White House, and has interviewed legends like Glennon Doyle and Michelle Obama. She’s overcome great adversity to accomplish so many incredible things in her life, sharing her insights and wisdom on her podcast, Lessons Learned, and in her own column for Fortune Magazine.

We hope this episode helps inspire you to relentlessly pursue your full potential and believe in your damn self. 

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

For show notes and more adulting tips, visit: teachmehowtoadult.ca

Follow Komal:

Komalminhas.com

@komalminhas

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@gillian.berner

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I’ve been struggling with self-trust and self-doubt lately, so today we’re diving deep on how to build more self-worth and how self-accountability is the ultimate confidence-builder, with my dear friend and self-love queen, Afomia Hailemeskel.

There’s nobody better to speak to about self-worth and self-trust than Afomia — she’s a Certified Life Coach with a specialization in self-love, authenticity, and consent and boundaries. She’s the number one hype-woman in any room, and this conversation on building self-awareness and trusting yourself is a must-listen.

Tune in to hear more about:  

• Making big decisions when we lack self-trust
• Practicing self-compassion and self-awareness to build trust
• Embracing a balanced approach to self-love, without toxic positivity
• The importance of accountability and keeping promises to ourselves
• How neurodiversity and ADHD factor into self-trust and self-discipline
• Creating incremental wins to build evidence in our abilities
• Deepening our relationships by trusting ourselves more
• The power of sustainable micro-habits
• Why building self-worth is worth the work

Our show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & Editor
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler, Designer & Web Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter 

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@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. 

Is it safe to pick stocks, and what should you know as a beginner investor? Do you invest your money in large amounts, or dollar cost average into the market? And how do you prioritize sustainable investing? 

We’re throwing it back to some solid tips and advice, like how to practice investing with test accounts, for anyone new to investing from finance expert, Jessica Moorhouse. 

Jessica is a millennial money expert, speaker, Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada®, award-winning blogger, host of the More Money Podcast and founder of the Millennial Money Meetup, a series of empowering personal finance events. Her mission is to teach others how to take control of their lives by taking control of their money.

We hope this helps you start building your financial knowledge so you can invest with confidence.

Listen to our full episode with Jessica here.

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

Follow Jessica:

jessicamoorhouse.com

@jessicaimoorhouse

More Money Podcast

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@gillian.berner

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Welcome back to another edition of “I’m the problem, it’s me”, where I call bullshit on myself for the stuff I’ve been getting wrong, because we learn the most through our fuck-ups.

If you’re listening to this, you’re probably dating or thinking about dating… but please (speaking from experience!), whatever you do, don’t date someone for what you think their potential is.

Do not date for what someone could be and ignore what they are right now. This is what leads us to fall for the idea of people and stay much longer in bad relationships than we should… a recipe for abandoning yourself.

So here’s my solution. Date for progress, instead. Because we’re all a work in progress.

Tune in to hear about:

• Why the “I can fix them” attitude isn’t fair to your partner
• Stop telling yourself stories about who someone could be and accept them for who they are now
• Why we shouldn’t pressure our partners too much to change
• How to date for progress and unlock your partner’s vision of their own potential
• Sharing and building out a vision for the future
• Why dating for a specific metric of success or money isn’t always a good idea
• My framework for gaging progress and potential

Our show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & Editor
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler, Designer & Web Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

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@gillian.berner

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Are you feeling lonely and disconnected? There’s a phenomenon right now I’m seeing in friendships, where we get stuck in the “catching up” loop.

As we get older and enter our “splinter era” of different schedules, different priorities, and different life stages, it can feel like our friendships constantly take the backseat. We’re relegated to a one-dinner-a-month maintenance catchup that keeps us stuck in an endless loop of recounting our memories instead of making new ones.

I miss the intimacy and close bonds we got in our teenage years and early 20s when sleepovers and shared meals and weekend getaways were the norms.

So how do we go deeper in our friendships to create more intimacy?

Tune in as I dive deep on:

• Why creating memories is more important than quick catchups
• How novelty and exciting experiences create lasting memories
• Why some cities and places prioritize close community more than others
• Combatting loneliness in places that feel isolating
• The case for doing monotonous daily tasks like grocery shopping together
• Why being generous and accepting help will bring you closer
• Skipping the catchup coffees for a new experience or adventure
• Why we need to lean into hard conversations with a goal of resolution
• The 3 Fs: Friendships, flexibility and forgiveness

Our show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & Editor
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler, Designer & Web Producer
• Sara Valentine, Content Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter 

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@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

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Welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed. 

I'm here this week to myth-bust our ideas of desire, because most of the conflict couples have around sex comes down to having different desire responses. Tune in as we throw it  back to this deep dive on how to approach different sex drives and desire types, and questions to ask if you're not having the sex you want in your relationship. 

Whether you’re dating, in a relationship, or single and ready to mingle, this will help you build a stronger sex life.

Listen to the full episode here!

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter 

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@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

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I’ve been hitting a ceiling with my upper limits lately — in love, business, and life decisions, limiting beliefs and self-sabotage have been showing all the way up. So I revisited this episode with Lori Harder, and it was a powerful reminder of how to get out of my own way… it felt right to throw it back to this top-performing episode today for anyone who needs to hear this.

The biggest thing that gets in our way of the success and fulfillment we desire isn’t external factors, it’s ourselves. So listen in to this masterclass on how to stop upper limiting and break up self-sabotage.

There’s no one better suited to speak to resilience and transformation than Lori Harder, who pushed herself out of her comfort zone to go from a broke, unhealthy, anxiety-ridden introvert, to a confident and abundant self-made millionaire, speaker, podcast host, fitness world champion, and cover model. Lori is a serial entrepreneur and CEO of multiple companies, including Glōci and Lite Pink. She’s a best-selling author and the host of top podcast, Earn Your Happy.

Tune in as we chat about: 

• What are quantum leaps, and how has Lori harnessed them for her success?
• Dealing with anxiety and panic attacks
• Using fear as a compass to find our purpose
• Practical tips to overcome public speaking anxiety
• Overcoming the fear of failure
• Using resistance and challenge to create inner strength
• How upper limiting is holding us back from our potential
• The different disguises of self-sabotage
• The power of our relationships and social circles in our success

Follow Lori on Instagram and on her website.

Listen to Lori's Podcast, Earn Your Happy.

Order Lori's book, A Tribe Called Bliss

This show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & Editor
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler , Designer & Web Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter 

Follow us on the ‘gram:

@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

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It’s World Mental Health Day this week, and we're having lots of important conversations to increase awareness around emotional wellbeing. I called in Trauma Therapist Simone Saunders to learn more about somatic therapy, how our mental health impacts our physical health, and how trauma and distress shows up in our bodies.

Anxiety and mental illness can show up in so many ways physically — from getting sweaty and experiencing heart palpitations or nausea, to general posture and shoulder stiffness, gut issues, and sleep problems. More and more we're seeing physical diagnoses like chronic pain and IBS linked back to trauma and nervous system dysregulation. And it doesn't always have to be a big T trauma... we talk a lot in this interview about how repeated micro traumas can build up to have the same impact. 

So if you want to take control of your mental health and expand your techniques and awareness, this episode is a must-listen.

 Simone has a Master's in Clinical Social Work, with a specialization in trauma, emotional regulation, anxiety and depression. As a trauma therapist and educator she has over 800,000 followers across her Instagram and TikTok accounts, the cognitive corner, where she helps people understand the connection between the mind and body and patterns that your nervous system engages in.

Tune in to hear more about:

• Signs we might struggle to regulate our emotions and nervous system, and the best tools for nervous system regulation
• The typical survival responses we cycle through when triggered
• Navigating familial relationships or partnerships that trigger the dysregulation loop
• Unhelpful coping strategies that might make you feel worse
• Cognitive bypassing: The difference between intellectualizing and feeling
• How trauma manifests physically
• What if you can't remember your trauma?
• Somatic therapy techniques and processing stored trauma
• Building a life that's healthy for your nervous system
• Navigating the loneliness and isolation on our mental health journey

Follow Simone on Instagram and TikTok.

Our show is produced by:

• Gillian Berner, Host, Producer & Editor
• Olivia Nashmi, Audio Engineer
• Carolyn Schissler, Designer & Web Producer
• Sara Valentine, Content Producer

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter 

Follow us on the ‘gram:

@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

Follow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadult