PLAN GOAL PLAN | Goals, Transformation for Women, Mindful Time Management, Balance, Working Moms

This month we're talking about creativity and play, and today's conversation completely changed the way I think about both.

I'm joined by Tasha Golden. She is a former touring songwriter turned public health researcher whose work explores how creativity shapes our wellbeing, identity, and ability to navigate change.

What started as a conversation about creativity quickly became a conversation about burnout, life transitions, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.

We explore:

why creativity is about more than art or self-expression

how burnout can become an invitation to reimagine your life

the connection between creativity and behavior change

why difficult emotions can act as guides instead of obstacles

Tasha's concept of "The Art of Refusal"

how limiting stories shape our choices and identities

and why creativity may be one of the most important skills we have for navigating uncertainty

One of my favorite moments in this conversation is the idea that sometimes we haven't reached the limits of reality. We've simply reached the limits of the story we're telling ourselves.

If you've ever felt stuck, burnt out, uncertain, or like you're standing in the middle of a life transition wondering what's next, this episode offers a powerful reminder:

The end of one story doesn't mean it's the end of your story.

It may simply be the beginning of a new one

Connect with Tasha 

Website: Tasha Golden

Free Resources: Plan Goal Plan Listener Page

Connect with me:

Email: support@plangoalplan.com

Facebook Group: Join Here

Website: PlanGoalPlan.com

LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

Last week, we talked about whether play can be productive. This week, we're digging into different questions:

If play is important... why is it so hard to actually let ourselves do it? Why does rest feel uncomfortable? Why does fun feel like something we have to earn? And why do so many high-achieving women find themselves waiting for permission to stop, even when no one is asking them to keep going?

In this episode, I'm exploring:

why guilt around rest is often a learned response

how productivity culture shapes our relationship with play

the invisible ways women are socialized to earn rest and fun

why so many of us wait for external permission before taking care of ourselves

the "put on your shoes" principle and why action often comes before feeling ready

how over-functioning becomes a pattern we don't even notice

and why play is deeply connected to identity, self-trust, and knowing what you actually want

One of the biggest takeaways?

Permission isn't a feeling you wait for. It's a decision you make. The goal isn't just to make more time for play. The goal is to stop outsourcing your choices and start trusting yourself enough to honor what you need.

And maybe the next step isn't waiting until things slow down. Maybe it's putting on your shoes anyway. 

Connect with me:

Email: support@plangoalplan.com

Facebook Group: Join Here

Website: PlanGoalPlan.com

LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

This month on Plan Goal Plan, we’re talking about play, and honestly, I think a lot of us have forgotten how to do it.

Somewhere along the way, many high-achieving women learned that if something is serious, meaningful, or important… play has no business being there. That joy is earned. That rest has to be justified. That fun should come after the work is done.

But what if play isn’t the opposite of ambition?

What if it’s part of how we sustain it?

In this episode, I’m exploring:

whether play can actually support productivity and creativity

why so many women struggle to access play without guilt

the connection between play, nervous system regulation, and burnout

how achievement culture teaches us to treat play like a reward instead of a necessity

why planning your play may actually help you enjoy it more

and how play helps us stay connected to ourselves outside of our roles and responsibilities

I also share stories from teaching, motherhood, amusement parks, public speaking “play days,” and the ways play can become a form of resistance in a culture obsessed with output and proving yourself.

One of the biggest takeaways?

The women doing the biggest things long-term are not necessarily the ones sacrificing the most. They’re often the ones who have learned how to refuel.

And maybe play isn’t a distraction from your life.

Maybe it’s part of how you stay found inside of it.

Connect with me:

Email: support@plangoalplan.com

Facebook Group: Join Here

Website: PlanGoalPlan.com

LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

Focus isn’t something you force. It’s something you create space for.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Tracy Hoth to talk about why so many smart, capable women feel mentally scattered… and how organization can actually help us reclaim our attention, energy, and peace.

And this conversation goes way deeper than bins and labels.

We talk about:

the connection between clutter and mental load

why physical environments impact focus and overstimulation

the identity stories that keep people feeling “messy” or disorganized

how delayed decisions create clutter in both our homes and our minds

why organizing starts with removing—not containing

how to create systems that actually work in real life

and how small maintenance rituals can completely change your home and routines over time

Tracy also walks us through her five-step SPACE method for organizing everything from physical spaces to calendars, digital clutter, and even our thoughts.

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is the reminder that organization isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating enough space to focus on what actually matters.

And honestly? This episode feels like a deep exhale for anyone carrying too much mental load right now.

Connect with Tracy

Website: Simply Squared Away

Podcast: Join Here

Website: PlanGoalPlan.com

LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com

Perfectionism is loud. Invisible labor is constant. And focus can feel impossible when you’re carrying it all.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Monica Packer—host of About Progress, certified habits and identity coach, and author of the upcoming book Sticky Habits—to talk about what it really looks like to build habits that support women’s lives instead of working against them.

Monica shares her own journey from overachieving perfectionist to burnout, depression, and eventually discovering a more sustainable model for growth: progress over perfection.

We dive into:

why traditional habit advice often doesn’t work for women

how invisible labor impacts focus, consistency, and energy

the connection between perfectionism and all-or-nothing thinking

why flexibility—not rigidity—is the key to sustainable habits

how “baseline habits” help you stay consistent even on hard days

the difference between habits and routines

and why habits should support you instead of controlling you

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is Monica’s redefinition of consistency: doing your best most of the time over time—and letting your best change.

This episode is thoughtful, practical, validating, and honestly? A huge exhale for anyone who’s tired of feeling like they’re failing at habits that were never designed for real life in the first place.

Connect with Monica:

Podcast: About Progress — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/about-progress/id1173416233

Website: https://www.aboutprogress.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aboutprogress/

Connect with me:

Email: support@plangoalplan.com

Facebook Group: Join Here

Website: PlanGoalPlan.com

LinkedIn: (I post most here!) www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-mcgeough-phd-🗓️-b673334

Ready to begin? Schedule a chat about Simply Bold at plangoalplan.com