Goals & Habits Episodes

In this solo ep of Crappy to Happy, Cass shares a realistic and compassionate approach to setting goals for 2026. Instead of traditional New Year’s resolutions, we'll explore why doing less, setting a lower bar, and focusing on consistency can improve self trust, confidence, and emotional wellbeing. Drawing on coaching psychology, habit change research, and her lived experience of ADHD, Cass explains how to create meaningful goals, sustainable habits, and a stronger sense of self without burnout or guilt. This episode is ideal for anyone who feels overwhelmed by self improvement culture and wants a calmer, more intentional start to the year.

In January, I commenced ADHD medication and now 11 months later, I'm sharing my experience of how it has impacted my productivity and mood. While my experience has been mostly positive, there are some negative effects that I wasn't expecting and even now, I'm still figuring out the right balance for me.In this episode, I'm sharing as honestly as possible what I was struggling with before, how the medication has improved things and the reality that it isn't a cure-all. If anyone is considering se...

Neuroscientist, Anne-Laure Le Cunff challenges the traditional notion of linear goal-setting in our lives, urging us instead to embrace "tiny experiments" as a more fulfilling and adaptive approach. In this episode, we explore the concept of liminal spaces—those uncomfortable periods of transition that often provoke anxiety. Anne-Laure shares her journey from a successful career at Google to studying neuroscience, emphasising the importance of curiosity and personal exploration over societal exp...

Today’s episode dives deep into a crucial question: who are you when you’re at your best? I’m inviting you to explore the qualities that make you shine and how to create the conditions in your life that allow you to be at your best more of the time. We discuss the importance of understanding both our best selves and our not-so-great moments, drawing connections between our moods, circumstances, and overall well-being. This episode is all about setting yourself up for success and identifying what...

Today, I'm celebrating a huge milestone: 100 days alcohol-free! It feels amazing, and I want to share my journey with you—from the challenges to the triumphs. I also dive deep into the reasons behind my decision, including some personal revelations about ADHD and how it has shaped my relationship with alcohol. It’s not just about quitting drinking but understanding why we turn to these habits in the first place. Plus, I’m inviting you to complete a listener survey to help us grow and improve the...

Cass is joined by Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa, a neuroscientist, best-selling author and host of the incredibly popular "Do You F*cking Mind?" podcast. The conversation explores how Alexis discovered her love for cognitive neuroscience and how she uses her knowledge to optimise her own health, happiness and success. She urges listeners to conduct an inventory of what they identify with to foster flexibility and resilience in their lives. She argues that rigid identities can limit personal growth. T...

As the new year unfolds, it brings a fresh opportunity to reflect on what will truly make you happy. This episode of Crappy to Happy offers a guiding light for anyone looking to set meaningful goals in 2025 and give yourself the best chance of achieving them. I'm letting you in on how my personal experience of being diagnosed with ADHD has prompted a shift in goal-setting strategies. Rather than see it as a hindrance, I'm hoping to embrace it as a catalyst for change, using it to inform my ap...

Cass explores the concept of being fully committed to goals while remaining unattached to the outcomes. She discusses the balance between giving your all and not letting the results define your self-worth. Through examples and personal insights, Cass emphasises the importance of understanding commitment, non-attachment, and the role of personal values in achieving true fulfilment. The conversation also touches on spiritual concepts of ego and essence, encouraging listeners to find peace in their...

In this solo episode, Cass discusses the importance of goal-setting, but understanding why you want the things you want when you're aspiring to achieve or create something in your life. She talks about the trap of attaching your happiness to a goal or outcome, and offers some tips for how you can overcome that.Cass also discusses the concept of "memetic desire", which is when social trends influence your goals, causing you to aspire to things that aren't aligned with your authentic desires or va...

In this solo ep, Cass shares her decision to take an extended break from alcohol after quitting drinking for (almost) two years in 2020 and then taking it up again in 2022.She highlights all the best things she experienced during two years of being alcohol-free, as a way to remind herself of the benefits to be gained from staying sober, and as motivation to anyone else who might be toying with the idea of giving up their evening glass of wine, but is worried about how they'd cope without it. Con...

Cass chats with Victoria Vanstone, host of the Sober Awkward Podcast and creator of the Drunk Mummy Sober Mummy blog and website, about her decision to leave behind her partying days in order to be a happier, less anxious, more present parent by giving up alcohol. Vic admits she didn't like sober people and that she feared no-one would want to be around her anymore if she stopped being the life of every party.Vic has recently published her first book, "A Thousand Wasted Sundays" and shares how s...

Cass talks with Lizzie Williamson, the founder of Two Minute Moves, about the astonishing benefits of building micro-movement breaks into your day. Whether you're at home or in the office, taking tiny opportunities to move your body will reduce your risk of a range of diseases while improving your productivity, creativity, energy and mood.Connect with Lizzie: www.lizziewilliamson.com Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytohappypodwww.tikto...

Cass talks to psychologist and author, Dr Amantha Imber about the surprisingly small changes that have the greatest potential to significantly improve your health. Amantha also shares her research into how you can personalise your approach to behaviour change to give you the best chance of making those habits stick.Covering everything from sleep to exercise and nutrition, this is a must-listen for anyone who wants to know the minimum required dose that will yield maximum results! Highlights: Wh...

In this episode, Cass discusses the drawbacks of traditional New Year's resolutions and offers alternative approaches to setting goals for the new year.Takeaways: Traditional New Year's resolutions often lead to feelings of failure and self-criticism. Instead of resolutions, focus on setting meaningful goals that align with your values. Consider setting intentions for how you want to show up in the new year. Choose a word for the year that represents your desired qualities or themes. Connec...

In this solo episode, Cass reflects on the importance of self-reflection. She shares two exercises for self-reflection and visualisation, guaranteed to inspire you to be your best self and live your best life, as we begin to wind up one year and prepare for the next. Grab a cup of tea and maybe a journal for this one. Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytohappypodwww.tiktok.com/crappytohappypod Join the free 7-day Happiness Challenge:www....

Chantel Mila began sharing ideas for creating 'pockets of peace' in your home during pandemic lockdowns. Just three years later, her eco-friendly home cleaning and styling videos have attracted an audience of millions worldwide. She's just launched her own product line called 'Mama Mila Home' and published her first book.In this episode, Chantel tells the story of her success and shares some of her most popular tips for how to turn your home into a sanctuary. Connect with Chantel:Instagram.com/m...

In this weeks episode, Clinical Psychologist, Cass Dunn breaks down everything 'quitting'. And answers the question: how do we know when to hold, or fold?We hear, and are often sold, the idea that the only thing stopping us from success is that we give up too easily or early. But what if that isn't the case? What if some things just are never going to work and we are wasting our time hanging on - like the 90s poster of the cat clinging to dear life from the edge of the cliff. Cass shares the 'su...

Procrastination is a universal struggle. When we leave things up to the very last minute, or we delay things and make it a 'future you' problem, it adds stress and overwhelm to our lives. So knowing all this, why do we continue to procrastinate and what can we do about it?This week we have another listener question. Why do we procrastinate? What does the science say, and what can we do about it? Listen to Cass' latest audiobook, The Imposter Solution, on Audible here. And get on the waitlist for...

Have you noticed that you sometimes use self-kindness as a way of letting yourself get away with bad habits? It's tough to strike a balance between being kind and self-compassionate while also keep yourself accountable and achieving your goals. In this episode, I respond to a listener who is dealing with this exact issue, and offer ways for you to find this healthy balance. Want more great content and less ads? www.crappytohappy.supercast.com Upgrade to Paid and listen ad-free on your favourit...

Do you struggle to stick to the New Years Resolutions you set? You're not alone. In this episode, I explain why so many people can't seem to keep up with their new year goals, explain why certain goals are difficult to maintain and the kinds of goals you can set in the new year to help you succeed in self-growth and development.Your feedback is important!To receive a FREE subscription to Beyond Happy, the subscriber only podcast and community, please take a minute to fill in our listener survey ...

Nick Bracks has struggled with low self-esteem and anxiety since he was a kid. His mental health struggles hit a low point when in 2007 he was in a drink driving car accident while his father Steve was the Premier of Victoria. Since then he’s been on a mission to improve his mental health, and has gone on to run multiple businesses and perform on shows like Dancing with the Stars and Neighbours. Nick has some amazing advice around self-worth, intuition and the value of exercise and meditation. C...

In this episode, Cass talks with Dr Peta Stapleton who is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Bond University and a leading researcher in the area of Emotional Freedom Techniques. They chat about the latest research supporting EFT (tapping!) as a tool for managing stress, anxiety, food cravings, chronic pain and more. Far from being pseudoscience, tapping is now a recommended treatment for trauma, which is simple, free, effective and for many people, produces lasting results.Buy her book The...

Founder and CEO of The Positivity Institute, Dr Suzy Green joins Cass Dunn to talk about the power of positive psychology to cultivate resilience, deal with life’s challenges and to fulfil your potential. At a time when we’re experiencing global crises, unprecedented changes to the way we live our lives, and ongoing uncertainty about the future, Suzy shares the science of positive psychology and the tools we can all use to help us manage our mood, motivation and mindset. Find out more about S...

Kristy Goodwin sheds light on how our use of technology is affecting our productivity and attention and offers realistic advice for setting reasonable boundaries and regaining our mental space. Kristy gives host Cass Dunn great advice for how we can help our kids develop a healthier relationship with technology, why banning devices is neither realistic nor particularly helpful and what we can do instead.www.drkristygoodwin.com Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com...