Plucky Not Perfect Podcast

#20 Incurable Cancer Doesn’t Define You: Stepping into Courage with Monica Rosenke

First doctors told her she would go blind because of a brain tumor, but she didn't. Twenty years later they discovered a massive liver tumor and diagnosed her with a non-treatable cancer, Primary Hepatic Angio Sarcoma. Later, she found two breast tumors. Most people with this condition are given 2-6 months to live. But Monica Rosenke is living an active and thriving life as a mom of three, Personal Trainer, coach and adventurist. Tune in to hear what healing shifts she’s made to thrive and be courageous when facing death and authentically living life. 
 
Favorite quotes: 
 
“Movement is a tool to work with your body, not on your body.”
 
“I’m acutely aware of every breath anyone takes is one breath closer to death. That makes you just want to live your life and grab it by the pelotas and like, really, really live it. And you start to shed layers of appeasing to others..who other people want you to be and you start to realize that this is my one and only life I get to live.” 
 
“Thriving with cancer is living in the moment because I’m not guaranteed tomorrow. But nobody is.” 
 
“Moving into acceptance quickly for me has been key.” 
 
“It [cancer] doesn’t define what I can do. This is my F-U to cancer, not letting cancer steal my joy, my peace, my calm….That applies even to people who are afraid to do that thing…If you’re living in fear of death, you’ll never live.” 
 
“I’m enough in whatever circumstance in this very moment. When I came to that place of deeply knowing in my gut that I’m sacred and that I’m a gift…the other things became more pleasurable.” 
 
“Strong, capable, able…Hold hands with fear and step into courage.” 
 
“I’ve been brave for a very long time in my life. I just did not know that about myself.” 
 
Connect with Monica: 
@monicarosenke.wellness
www.monicarosenke.com  
 
Remember to share your #pluckynotperfect moments on social media. Tag me and use the hashtag when you show up bravely and imperfectly. I want to celebrate with you!
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @‌carriejobradley or email carrie@carriejobradley.com.
 

#19 My cancer diagnosis; how I’m practicing courage

There is no courage without vulnerability as Brene Brown says. Vulnerability involves uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. It feels very vulnerable to share my diagnosis with you, but I want you to be a part of the journey. 
Being plucky is about enduring the messy middle and going through the valleys to get to the finish line, the medal, the mountain top. 
While cancer is not what I expected, nor is it what I wanted at this stage of my life, I can see it as a gift. 
If you want to hear more about my story, take 20 minutes and listen. May you be encouraged to see your own challenges as opportunities as well. 
In this episode I refer to 5 levels of gratitude I learned from James Wedmore, in which he talks about on his podcast, Mind Your Business. 
Remember to share your #pluckynotperfect moments on social media. Tag me and use the hashtag when you show up bravely and imperfectly. I want to celebrate with you!
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @‌carriejobradley or email me at carrie@carriejobradley.com.
 
 
 

#18 Coaching Corner: A Desire to Run Farther and Faster in Community: Alex Fales

We're starting something new! It's called Coaching Corner. It’s a real coaching session recorded live and shared with you. This is an insider’s look at what it’s like to work with Coach Carrie. 
In my session with Alex, you might relate if you…
* lack community and would like to find more runner friends
* are in a phase of life where running isn’t as much of a priority as it used to be
* would like to get back into running but not quite as intensely as before
* have associated running with being obsessive about body image and food. 
If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast so you’ll be the first to know when more are released. 
Connect with Alex on Instagram @mindfulwithmedia and check out her podcast. 
If you want to be coached for free and are willing to share your session on the podcast (you can remain anonymous if you'd like), click here to apply. 
I would love to help you work through whatever issues you're facing in your running journey. 
We hope you find these sessions relatable and helpful. Sometimes it’s nice just knowing you’re not alone. 
I respond to every message and would love to hear your takeaways and aha moments. Email me at carrie@carriejobradley.com or send me a DM on Instagram @carriejobradley.
If you’re doing something that requires determined courage, use the hashtag #pluckynotperfect and tag me. I always love to reshare and cheer you on.

#17 How being plucky like a duck will help you be a better person...whether it's running, writing, parenting, whatever...

In this episode we dive more into the definition of “plucky” –what it is and isn’t. I give examples of plucky people including my friend, Mandy, and Susan Atkey, who writes about her stroke recovery on Medium. She is swimming 100k and raising awareness and funds for the Heart & Stroke Foundation. 
Learn to be plucky like a baby duck learns to fly–by winging it. Watch baby ducks courageously jumping from their nest here. 
Connect with me, Coach Carrie, @carriejobradley. If you’re doing something that requires determined courage, use the hashtag #pluckynotperfect and tag me. I always love to reshare and cheer you on. 
 

#16 Slow Down to Speed Up: a Triathlete’s Journey to Self Discovery with Miranda Bush

If you’ve lost a bit of who you are, this conversation with Miranda Bush is for you. She’s a triathlete, mom, coach, and author of a new book, “Far Better: Self-Discovery through the Power of Endurance Sports.” 
Miranda encourages others to find their authentic selves, live out of love rather than fear, and embrace the transformative power of endurance sports for personal growth. 
 
We talk about
Early Athletic Background:Miranda grew up playing sports, but her upbringing instilled a perfectionist mindset — if she couldn't do something perfectly, she tended to move on or disconnect.
Entry into Triathlon:Inspired by watching an Ironman race in 2006, Miranda decided to pursue triathlons.
Despite having no background in swimming, biking, or running, she committed to the challenge.
Learning and Overcoming Challenges:Miranda faced difficulties, especially in mastering swimming, but she persisted and gradually improved.
She received support from mentors and friends, learning valuable lessons about perseverance.
Shift in Perspective:Over the years, Miranda achieved success in terms of race placements but felt an emptiness after completing races.
She realized her fear of failure and a desire for control were hindering her growth.
Book Writing Journey:Miranda decided to write a book to share her experiences and lessons learned.
Overcoming fears of judgment and perfectionism, she embraced vulnerability and authenticity in her writing.
Living Authentically:The importance of living authentically, being true to oneself, and embracing vulnerability is a central theme in Miranda's story.
Goal Setting and Values:Miranda emphasizes aligning goals with core values.
Reflecting on personal values helps make decisions that honor one's true self.
Honesty and Integrity:Miranda shares her personal experience of prioritizing honesty and integrity, especially in her training for Ironman Wisconsin.
Reflection and Journaling:The significance of daily journaling, setting intentions for the day, and reflecting on emotions and experiences.
And more…
 
Connect with Miranda on her website: MB Coaching or on Instagram: Miranda Bush (@zonecoachm)
 
Remember to share your #pluckynotperfect moments on social media. Tag me and use the hashtag when you show up bravely and imperfectly. I want to celebrate with you!
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @‌carriejobradley or email carrie@carriejobradley.com.

#15 Three Ways to Defeat Discouragement

Discouragement: it's real, and it happens to everyone.We all "fall off the wagon." The trick is getting back on. In this solo episode I share three ways you can defeat discouragement so you can keep going. 
 
Remember to share your #pluckynotperfect moments on social media. Tag me and use the hashtag when you show up bravely and imperfectly. I want to celebrate with you!
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @‌carriejobradley or email carrie@carriejobradley.com.

#14 Empowering strong girls: create a new identity by writing your own story with Molly Hurford

Molly Hurford is plucky in many multifaceted ways. As a self-described unathletic bookworm/punk kid, she developed a new identity as an Ironman athlete in her 20s after realizing that donuts and Mountain Dew didn’t make her feel good. She’s now an ultrarunner who hosts The Business of Fitness podcast and co-hosts the Consummate Athlete podcast. She created Shred Girls, a middle-grade fiction series focused on getting girls excited about bikes and founded Strong Girl Publishing.
In our conversation we talk about: 
-Her school didn't have a newspaper and she wanted to be a writer, so at 11 years old she started the school newspaper and her high school didn't have a literary magazine, so she started that.
-She couldn't run a mile until she was 20.
-In college her Resident Assistant (RA) did Ironman. She didn’t know what that was, but decided to do one. Here’s what NOT to wear. 
-Molly started Strong Girl Publishing after traditional publishers told her the girls in sport don't sell.
-How we can have multiple facets of our identity, and that’s a good thing. 
- Why her word of the year is Strong Word of the Year: Strong - Consummate Athlete
-Why Jessie Zapo (@jessiezapo) is her athletic inspiration.
- We got the scoop: you’re hearing it here first folks, a funny story about how a low-altitude-living athlete has a secret training tool to prepare for the uber-high altitude 100-mile race in Leadville.
 Favorite quote: “That's probably the easiest way to be plucky is just like what you're doing.” 
Connect with Molly:
stronggirlpublishing.com
consummateathlete.com
@mollyjhurford
@stronggirlpublishing
Connect with your host, Coach Carrie, @carriejobradley. 

#13 Where to look when you don’t know what goal to pick

How do you know if you’ve picked the right goal? 
Whether you’re an avid goal-setter or a skeptic, this episode will help you look in all the right places when considering your plans for the coming year. 
In this solo episode I guide you through a process of looking backward, forward, within, around, and up to discover a “goldilocks” goal that’s just right for you. 
Kickstart a fulfilling and intentional year ahead with these valuable insights and actionable steps. 
Let me know what your goals are for 2024, and reach out if you want help setting your next goal. Book a free 30-minute appointment here:  https://calendly.com/coachcarriebradley/30min
Remember to share your #pluckynotperfect moments on social media. Tag me and use the hashtag when you show up bravely and imperfectly. I want to celebrate with you!
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @carriejobradley or email carrie@carriejobradley.com.

#12 Beyond Endurance: Managing Motherhood, Medicine, and Ultra Running with Lauren Puretz

My fun, fierce and fabulous friend from Colorado Springs, Lauren Puretz, recently completed Javelina Jundred 2023, placing fourth. She’s an amazing all-around human who works full-time as OB/GYN, is a mom of two, and an ultra runner who also placed first overall at the Sawatch Ascent 50k this summer, a race she entered on a whim as a training run. 
In this conversation, we talk about:
How she manages her time to get it all done 
How her medical training and being “sleep deprived and miserable” prepared her to run ultras 
What she does when the “I can’t do this” thoughts enter her brain
Breaking down training into one checkbox at a time
Why you don’t have to be perfect 
Why she does not cycle sync, and what she does instead
The strength training every woman should be doing
The mantra that gets her out of tough places 
How working with coach, Megan Roche, has helped 
Words of wisdom for those who struggle with self-doubt
Connect with Lauren @lauren1642
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @carriejobradley

#11 Fear is my best running friend: 5 steps to moving forward with courage

Have you ever been held back by fear? 
The episode explores the idea of befriending fear rather than resisting or ignoring it. 
We talk about the five types of fear and why labeling can be effective. 
The show concludes with a five-step guide for moving forward in the face of fear. 
Journaling ideas: 
If I wasn’t afraid, I would….
If I couldn’t fail, I would….
Write about your why or your purpose. 
Write a letter to yourself from someone who loves you unconditionally. What would they want to tell you? 
 
Read more about Dr. Karl Albrecht's "Feararchy": The (Only) 5 Fears We All Share | Psychology Today
Connect with your host: Coach Carrie @carriejobradley
Don’t forget to share your #pluckynotperfect moments on social media. Tag me and use the hashtag when you show up bravely and imperfectly. I want to celebrate with you!