9 Habits That Will Change Your Life: The Best Expert Advice I’m Using This Year

Hey, it’s your friend Mel, and I’m so grateful you’re here as we celebrate the nine moments you loved most this year from the number one most followed podcast; thank you for listening, sharing, and for making this community explode, and as a thank you I made you a free science‑backed workbook to help you create your best year yet.

First up, the moment with Jay Shetty that made all of us pause and breathe when we felt stuck.

You’re not stuck, you’re grieving an old version of yourself, and what holds you back is what you keep gripping instead of releasing so momentum can start.

That reframe hit like a lightning bolt because it names the fear under “I don’t know what to do,” and letting go becomes the first move forward.

You also went all‑in on friendship, especially the confusion and churn of adult connection, so we brought in Danielle Bayard Jackson.

We naturally replace about half our friends every seven years, so shedding isn’t failure, and you’ll keep needing to invite new people in instead of clinging to a best‑friend myth that makes one person do everything.

What would you say to someone who doesn’t have a best friend or a tight group right now?

You’re not alone—around forty percent of adults don’t have a best friend—and you can meet your needs through the collective while you build deeper bonds, without shame or self‑blame.

That permission to see friendship as a village instead of a single soulmate takes the pressure off and makes making new friends a normal, proactive practice.

Then came a rocket‑ship episode with Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Dawn Mussallem on foods that fight cancer.

Berries and purple sweet potatoes are packed with anthocyanins that help flip on tumor suppressors and quiet growth pathways in powerful ways.

Chop cruciferous veggies before cooking to activate myrosinase for better absorption, prioritize beans for fiber with top‑tier evidence for longevity and lower cancer risk, know that modern data show soy is safe and protective for survivors, and remember kiwi helps tame oxidative stress.

Her blend of science and hope made a terrifying topic feel doable, and you could feel your power in daily choices again.

A surprise hit was our conversation with sex therapist Vanessa Marin that normalized intimacy instead of shaming it.

Late‑night is the worst time for sex, so move it earlier and plan it like you did when you dated, and build connection fast with gratitude, a six‑second kiss and a twenty to thirty‑second hug, plus real eye contact.

Scheduling intimacy and adding those longer hugs changed my marriage overnight and stripped out the guilt and guesswork.

You also devoured the emotional world of men with Jason Wilson.

We’re taught to color with anger because it feels safe, but when a man names the hurt under the rage he expands his crayon box and a mature partner’s guard drops so real communication can start.

That explains shutdowns without excusing harm, and it gives all of us a way to meet each other better.

Then Stanford’s Dr. Stacey Sims dropped the year’s most shared insight on women’s health.

Women are not small men, most fitness advice comes from male data, and women do better skipping fasted training and taking a little fuel before moving so the brain and muscles know they’re supported.

I now eat before every workout or walk, and it’s a game‑changer.

Next, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright gave us a jolt about aging we all needed.

I see the cost of neglect in every hip fracture—pain, incontinence, fragile hearts, and fading minds—and while aging is inevitable, weakness isn’t, so choose strength and protect your future.

Her push‑up challenge and daily mobility cues made thousands of us stand taller and believe we’re not too late.

Dr. Gabor Maté then unlocked family dynamics that quietly shape us.

No siblings share the same childhood because parents change, kids differ, and each child experiences how a caregiver shows up rather than abstract love, so our paths diverge from the start.

That releases shame, explains patterns, and opens the door to real healing.

Finally, Brian Stevenson taught us how to carry hope when the world feels heavy.

Hopelessness is the enemy of justice, so treat hope like a discipline by studying hopeful lives and training your spirit to act when it’s hardest.

Thank you for spending this year with me; grab the free workbook in the show notes, and as your friend, I love you, I believe in you, and I’ll be right here to welcome you the second you hit play on the next episode.