Being hard on yourself probably worked at some point in your life. It helped you perform, push through, and get results. But if that same pressure now feels exhausting, heavy, or like it's quietly working against you, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I unpack the quieter, socially rewarded version of being hard on yourself; the kind that looks like discipline, high standards, and responsibility. You'll hear why this approach works for a long time, why it starts to feel so heavy as life gets fuller, and why questioning it can feel unsettling.

Tune in this week to hear why being hard on yourself isn't working anymore, and the fear so many high-achieving women experience around letting go of the pressure they're used to. You'll also learn what self-compassion actually looks like in real life, why it's not the opposite of discipline, and how it helps you stay engaged instead of burning out or shutting down.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/190

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Have you ever thought, "I know what to do… so why does this still feel hard?"

In this episode, I'm talking about that uncomfortable middle space where progress feels slow, quiet, and honestly, a little underwhelming. The phase where nothing dramatic is happening, there's no clear payoff yet, and it's tempting to assume that what you're doing isn't really working.

Instead of another episode about what to do or how to do it better, I slow things down and talk about what sits underneath real, lasting progress. Join me to learn why sustainable progress rarely comes from perfect plans or big overhauls, why the gap between knowing and doing is where so many people get stuck or start doubting themselves, and what it actually takes to keep going when there's no immediate feedback telling you that you're on the right track.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/189

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Have you ever started a clean eating plan that felt amazing at first, only to watch it completely unravel when life got stressful?

For a lot of women, clean eating works… until it doesn't. And when it stops working, it usually has less to do with food than you think. In this episode, I break apart something that comes up constantly with clients and gets oversimplified in the nutrition world: the pattern of clean eating that starts out feeling stabilizing, then slowly becomes something fragile that takes a lot more effort to maintain.

Tune in this week to learn how to recognize the clean eating cycle that keeps so many women stuck. You'll hear why food rules feel comforting when life is messy (and why that's a problem), and what sustainable eating actually looks like. If you've ever felt like clean eating started out supportive but ended up holding you down, this episode will help you understand why and what to do about it.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/188

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Have you ever noticed how some days, food just takes up way too much mental space? You're eating your meals, trying to make good choices, but your brain keeps coming back to food. You're bargaining with yourself, negotiating what you can have later, or replaying what you already ate.

For most women, when food feels loud, the instinct is to clamp down harder, add more rules, or try to white-knuckle through with willpower. But that tightening and overcorrecting doesn't work. What actually quiets things down is steadiness. And one of the most effective, underutilized ways to create that day-to-day steadiness in your nutrition is protein.

Join me this week to learn why eating feels harder than it should, and how one simple nutritional shift can create more steadiness in your eating. I'll also show you how to use protein as a support strategy instead of another rule to micromanage, and what it looks like when protein is actually working in your life.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/187

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It's January, which means you're probably thinking about your diet. Maybe you've calculated your macros, set your eating window, or created a list of food rules to follow. But here's what happens every year: Work gets busy. Kids' sports ramp up. Life gets messy. And suddenly that "perfect" plan feels impossible to maintain.

The truth is, you don't need a better nutrition plan. You just need one that works on your best days and your worst days.

Join me this week as I break down why so many January diet attempts fail by February and offer a completely different approach to changing how you eat. You'll discover the three nutrition basics that create real stability, and how, once you nail these basics, consistency stops feeling like something you have to fight for every single day.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/186

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Most of us walk into January with big plans and even bigger expectations. But by the time real life kicks back in - the emails, the schedules, the kids' activities - those shiny new goals start feeling a lot less manageable than they did on January 1st.

This week, we're talking about the only three things you actually need to change your life in 2026. Not 12 resolutions, not a complete life overhaul. Just three non-negotiables that will make this the year you actually follow through.

Join me on this episode as I share a different approach to creating lasting change that doesn't rely on willpower or perfect circumstances. You'll discover why the January overhaul approach sets you up to fail, and how to create habits that work even when you're tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. You'll learn specific strategies for each non-negotiable that you can implement immediately, plus a simple follow-through system that keeps you consistent all year long.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/185

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As another year comes to a close, it's easy to jump straight into planning what you'll do differently next time. But what about all the lessons you've already learned? What about the moments that shifted your thinking, the habits that actually stuck, and the mindset work that made a real difference in how you showed up for yourself?

In this episode, I'm sharing a best-of collection from the Strong Is a Mindset podcast. I've pulled together the most powerful moments from this past year: the ones you shared, replayed, and messaged me about because they stuck with you. We've covered a lot of ground together this year, so let's look back at what is possible when you keep showing up for yourself, one thought, one choice, and one habit at a time.

Listen in this week to hear nuggets of wisdom on everything from breaking habits to rethinking overachieving to keeping it all together when life gets messy. You'll be reminded of strategies for handling the little things that derail progress, why white-knuckling through challenges is actually a sign something's off, and how the work you do on your mind isn't separate from the work you do on your body.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/184

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Are you hiding in the bathroom right now, taking a break from the holiday chaos? If you are, I get it.

This time of year has a way of turning even the most organized person into an overwhelmed, overfunctioning machine. You're trying to keep all the traditions alive, cook the perfect meals, buy thoughtful gifts for everyone, manage everyone's emotions, and somehow make it all look effortless. So, if the holidays feel more exhausting than they do magical, you're in the right place.

Join me this week as I explore why we turn this season into a performance instead of a time to actually enjoy ourselves, and how to stop overcomplicating the holidays. You'll discover why doing more doesn't create more meaning, the deeper emotions that often hide underneath all the overdoing, and how to let the holidays be exactly what they are - nothing more, nothing less.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://carriehollandmd.com/183

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