Do you ever walk into a family gathering feeling confident and capable, only to find yourself 30 minutes later scrubbing dishes to avoid conversation or saying yes to things you don't want to do?

In this episode, I'm addressing something that affects every single one of us during the holidays but that we usually don't name - the version of you that shows up when you're back in an old environment. You walk into your childhood home or your in-laws' house, and suddenly you're not the confident adult you've become. You're slipping back into old roles you thought you'd outgrown, whether that's the helper, the peacekeeper, or the one who cleans up to avoid vulnerable conversations.

Join me this week to discover why your brain defaults to these old patterns, how your primitive brain's need for safety drives you back into outdated roles, and most importantly, how to bring the present version of yourself to the table. You'll learn practical tools for staying grounded when everything around you is pulling you back into who you used to be, so you can leave holiday gatherings feeling steady and proud instead of depleted.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/179

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So you've done all the mindset work: read the books, listened to the podcasts, practiced the tools… only to find yourself slipping back into old patterns.

Maybe it's a critical voice that resurfaces during stress, or that familiar spiral of negative thinking that you thought you'd conquered. If this sounds like you, I have good news: you're not failing when old thoughts show up. The truth is, progress in mindset work looks different than we expect.

Tune in this week to learn why your old thought patterns keep showing up and what to do when they do. You'll hear why the goal isn't to eliminate all negative thoughts, why progress in mindset work is far more subtle than you might expect, and simple tools I use to catch myself before spiraling out.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/178

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Have you ever noticed how we willingly sign up for a very specific type of pain, when in general, pain is the very thing we spend our lives trying to avoid?

We crawl out of warm beds to lift heavy things. We run until our lungs burn. We push ourselves to the point of exhaustion. And we do it on purpose. This willingness to choose pain on purpose is one of the greatest lessons that exercise can teach us, and it got me thinking about the profound lessons hidden in our choice to embrace physical discomfort.

Listen in this week to hear how every rep, every mile, and every bead of sweat is teaching you something beyond fitness. You'll discover why willingly walking into discomfort changes your brain's relationship with pain, how physical challenges teach you to handle emotional challenges, and what your workout habits reveal about how you handle challenges everywhere else in your life.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/177

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What if that moment your brain starts screaming "This is too hard" when you're trying to change a habit isn't failure? What if it's actually the exact moment where real change happens?

Most people walk away at this point, convinced they need a better plan or more willpower, but they're missing the crucial piece that makes habit change actually stick. While everyone gets laser-focused on perfect macro splits, new tracking apps, and detailed meal prep systems, they're overlooking what really matters: how you think when things get uncomfortable.

Tune in this week to learn why habit change requires both a solid strategy and the mindset to stick with it when your brain inevitably freaks out. You'll hear why your plan is useless if your brain isn't on board when discomfort hits, how the right thinking gives you staying power, and why you need willingness, not willpower.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/176

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You start a new workout program with all the excitement in the world. The spreadsheet is color-coded, your meal prep containers are lined up perfectly, and you've got that brand new notebook with matching pens ready to track every detail.

For those first few weeks, you're unstoppable. Checking boxes, hitting targets, feeling like you've finally cracked the code. Then something shifts. The salads taste boring, your fancy notebook sits unopened, and you're already negotiating with yourself about tomorrow's workout. This isn't a moral failing or a lack of willpower - it's your brain chemistry at work.

Tune in this week to learn how dopamine affects your motivation and why it's working against you. I break down why your brain loves starting but hates maintaining, how to find satisfaction in the "boring" habits that actually change your life, and simple strategies to retrain your brain for long-term success.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/175

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Pushing harder isn't working. Despite your best efforts, you're still stuck in the same patterns: starting strong then quitting, living in extremes, or running yourself into the ground.

If you've ever waited for the "perfect time" to start something, thrown in the towel after one slip-up, or pushed yourself to exhaustion because "that's just what it takes," this episode is for you. The belief that more effort equals better results keeps you trapped in cycles that leave you exhausted and frustrated. Most high achievers live by this belief, nodding knowingly when they hear it out loud, yet continuing to grind away hoping things will finally fall into place.

Listen in this week to hear the three biggest traps that are currently keeping you stuck. You'll learn how each trap operates differently, and you'll gain practical tools to recognize these patterns and choose different ways of thinking that actually move you forward instead of keeping you spinning in the same exhausting loops.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/174

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Most people carry around a mental scorecard of their failed attempts. Every diet that fell apart, every workout routine that fizzled out, every promise to stop snacking that ended with your hand in the chip bag - they all stack up as evidence that maybe you're just not cut out for lasting change.

Your brain uses this track record like a crystal ball, predicting that your next attempt will end the same way. And when you're stuck in that loop of trying and failing, it becomes harder to trust yourself each time you want to try again. The real challenge with habit change isn't finding the perfect program or the right motivation. It's believing you can actually stick with it when your history says otherwise.

Join me this week to discover how to stack small wins, expect discomfort, and keep moving forward even when belief feels far away. If you're tired of starting over and ready to build lasting habits (even if you don't fully believe you can yet), this episode is for you.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/173

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When life gets overwhelming, there's a natural human tendency to look around and wait for someone to fix it. But that waiting becomes a trap - a comfortable but suffocating space where you convince yourself that your circumstances will magically improve. And while you wait, the years slip by and nothing changes.

Join me this week as I share seven words from David Goggins' book Can't Hurt Me that completely shifted my perspective. You'll discover practical ways to stop making excuses, own your choices, and focus on solutions instead of living in your problems. Most importantly, you'll understand why taking control of your life - even when it's messy and imperfect - is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/172

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