What if the reason you're struggling to make lasting changes isn't because you lack motivation, but because you're waiting for motivation to show up before taking action? In this episode of PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive, I sit down with Robyn Godfrey, TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and certified running coach, to explore why motivation may not be the answer we've been looking for and how small, consistent actions can create lasting transformation. At age 47, Robyn stepped onto a treadmill and ran for just 30 seconds. She wasn't trying to become a marathon runner. She simply wanted to feel better and start taking care of herself. That one small decision eventually led her to complete seven marathons, including all six World Marathon Majors, and completely changed the direction of her life. But this conversation goes far beyond running. We talk about why waiting until you feel ready, confident, or motivated can keep you stuck, how small promises to yourself can build self-trust, and why it's never too late to reinvent yourself. Robyn also opens up about navigating perimenopause, caring for her husband through a serious cancer diagnosis, and learning to make space for her own well-being without feeling guilty. We explore the importance of community, letting go of perfectionism, finding movement that supports your mental health, and recognizing that confidence doesn't necessarily come before action. Sometimes, it comes because you took that first step. One of my favorite things Robyn shares is this simple reminder: "Forward is a pace." You don't have to move quickly. You don't have to do everything at once. And you certainly don't have to wait for the perfect time. If you've ever thought, "I know what I need to do, but I just can't seem to get started," this conversation may help you see what's possible when you stop waiting for motivation and start with the smallest step you can take today.
Listening is a great place to start, but lasting change happens when you begin putting these ideas into practice.
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This week, I want you to stop waiting until you feel motivated, have more time, or have everything figured out.
Instead, ask yourself:
What is the smallest possible step I can take today toward something that matters to me?
Not the biggest step.
Not the perfect step.
Just one small action that feels realistic for where you are right now.
Maybe you:
❤️ Put on your walking shoes and step outside
❤️ Move your body for just 30 seconds
❤️ Do one push-up or a few squats
❤️ Write one sentence in your journal
❤️ Spend five minutes working toward a personal goal
❤️ Reach out to someone who can support or encourage you
❤️ Take a few minutes for yourself without feeling guilty
❤️ Make one small promise to yourself and follow through
And here's the important part:
Do it again tomorrow.
Robyn reminds us that consistency builds self-trust. Every time you follow through on a small promise, you begin showing yourself that you are capable of change.
Remember:
Forward is a pace. And every small step counts.
Robyn Godfrey is a TEDx speaker, bestselling author, and certified running coach whose personal journey demonstrates the power of starting small and continuing to move forward.
After spending much of her career in corporate sales, Robyn began running at age 47 with just 30 seconds on a treadmill. That decision eventually led her to complete seven marathons, including all six World Marathon Majors.
Today, Robyn shares her experiences through speaking, writing, and coaching, encouraging others to stop waiting for motivation, build confidence through action, and recognize that it's never too late to pursue something new.
She's also the author of Running the World: A Runner's Odyssey of Struggle and Triumph in the World Marathon Majors, a memoir about running, resilience, and personal transformation.
Website:
https://www.robyngodfrey.com/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/robyn.godfrey.speaker/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyngodfrey/
Watch Robyn's TEDx Talk — What If Motivation Is the Problem?
https://youtu.be/E1xUzBNJQgc
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Your life isn't determined by your past, your diagnosis, or your circumstances. The stories you believe shape the choices you make—and every new choice is an opportunity to create a different future.
⚠️ Podcast Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine.
(0:00) Do the smallest thing you possibly can and you'll be surprised, I think, (0:04) at the ability to keep going. Make it small. Make the steps small and tiny.What is the (0:10) tiniest thing that I can do to move myself forward? You don't have to run a mile. You (0:16) don't have to write an entire novel. You don't even have to write a paragraph.Make it small. (0:22) Make it tiny. Double down the next day.Do it again. And keep doing it and keep those (0:27) promises to yourself. Welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, where we help you understand what (0:35) your body has been trying to tell you all along.I'm your host, Lindsay, nurse turned health coach, (0:41) two-time author, and your body wisdom guide. What if motivation isn't actually what you need (0:46) to make lasting changes? Today's guest, Robin Godfrey, is a TEDx speaker, bestselling author, (0:52) and certified running coach who at age 47 started running for just 30 seconds. That one small (0:59) decision eventually led to seven marathons, including all six world marathon majors.(1:05) Today, we're talking about why confidence comes after action, the power of small, (1:10) consistent steps, and why it's never too late to reinvent yourself. And before we dive in, (1:16) I have something exciting coming up in December. I'm not sharing all of the details quite yet, (1:20) but if you want to be among the first to hear about it, make sure you're part of my free Healthy (1:24) Ever After community.The link to join us is in the show notes. As always, this podcast is (1:29) for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare (1:35) provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan.Now go ahead, grab (1:41) your favorite beverage, and let's dive in. Here is my conversation with Robin Godfrey. (1:52) Hello, welcome back and welcome back to, or welcome back, welcome to Robin.I'm super (1:59) excited to have you. So I just want to start by having you tell us who you are. (2:07) Well, my name is Robin Godfrey.I live in Wilmington, North Carolina, and I'm a running (2:12) coach. I'm an author and recently a TEDx speaker. And I talk about how you can transform your life (2:21) in as little as 30 seconds.And this happened to me about midlife. I spent most of my career as a (2:28) corporate sales rep, traveling all the time, working a lot. And midlife, I started to kind of (2:36) question what I was doing, how I was feeling.And I decided one morning after being out really late (2:44) the night before that I needed to take better care of myself. And so I got on a treadmill and I (2:50) ran for just 30 seconds and it transformed my entire life. (2:56) It's funny because I actually just recorded with somebody else and we talk about this exact thing.(3:01) So it's like serendipitous. You guys are both in the same day. But I mean, yeah, so you had no running (3:10) like no running background.You didn't really work out? (3:13) I worked out and I played tennis, but I was never really a runner. I ran a tiny bit in school, (3:20) but never a person that would just go start running. That was so far from my (3:26) wheelhouse at the time.But I'd always been sort of a person who went to the gym and, you know, (3:32) I did all the aerobics classes, you know, back in the day. And I played a lot of tennis and tennis (3:38) started to really tear up my body, my knees especially, the side to side movement. And it got (3:43) super competitive and sometimes catty.And I just wanted to socialize and have fun. I didn't really (3:50) want to like win a championship or anything. And I found that it was really hard for me to (3:55) concentrate because I just wanted to socialize.So when I started running at the very beginning, (4:02) I had no intention of being a runner. I just did it because I just wondered, could I do this? And (4:09) I became kind of hooked on it. I did it again the next day and I did it again the next day.And (4:15) pretty soon I started running outside for longer intervals. I found a running group, (4:21) which I didn't know those things existed at the time. And I found a tribe there and I found (4:27) friends there.And I realized I could socialize and I could exercise. And these people pushed me (4:33) to do more and more and more, not really pushing me like, oh, you have to go do this, but just (4:39) inspiring me is more of a probably better way to put it. Inspiring me to do more, inspiring me to (4:44) sign up for races and see what I could accomplish.And before you knew it, I was (4:50) running a marathon and then I decided to run marathons around the world. And (4:54) then I did an ultra marathon and I just couldn't believe the things that I was doing and the things (5:00) I was accomplishing. I never thought in a million years I would ever be able to do anything like (5:04) that.But I think it just goes to show that it's really never too late to try something new and to (5:12) go out there and try to change your life. And that's what I did. (5:17) Yeah.Looking back, do you have any idea what made you run for 30 seconds a day? (5:24) I think, you know, part of it was that I wanted to feel better. I was a little hung over from (5:28) the night before. I've been out late with clients the night before, you know, drinking wine, doing (5:33) the things you do.And I felt terrible the next day. I had to get up early and do it all again. (5:38) And I think I was just disappointed in how I was treating myself.And that 30 seconds made me, (5:44) you know, running for 30 seconds, walking for five minutes, that was my interval at the time, (5:48) was it made me feel better when I got done. I was, you know, sort of detoxed, which happens, (5:53) you know, that happened to me before. But it was different this time.I don't know what changed, (5:59) but I just felt like those endorphins really hit. And it made me come back for more. And I never (6:05) envisioned that I would be doing what I did, just starting at 30 seconds.I thought I would just, (6:12) you know, run on the treadmill a little bit, but soon it took over. (6:17) Yeah. Yeah.I mean, that's such a good point, because I think some people get so overwhelmed (6:21) by thinking to make a change, they need to, you know, run for three miles or 30 minutes or (6:28) whatever, you know, where just 30 seconds, you could even, for some people, if they're wanting (6:33) to make that change, you could even back it up and say, just put your shoes on. Like, just like, (6:38) you know, like, just to kind of change the mindset and like, break that pattern and, (6:43) you know, tell your mind, you know, that like, this is what we're doing now. Right? So, yes.(6:52) Yeah, it's interesting. A lot of people ask me, like, how do you get motivated to do things like (6:57) that? And the reality is, I'm not really that motivated. I have created a community that helps (7:03) keep me accountable.And the hardest part about running, and, you know, I took up swimming later, (7:08) and swimming is even harder to get out the door, is creating that community gets me going there. (7:14) But the hardest part is getting out of your bed and going. Once you're out of bed, and you're up, (7:19) and you're awake, then it makes it 10 times easier just to get out the door.And then once (7:24) you're there, you're so glad you showed up. And it's funny, I started swimming a few years ago, (7:29) because I was having some injuries. And swimming is really hard to get up in the wintertime when (7:35) it's cold outside and go immerse yourself in a pool of water.Even if it's heated, it's still (7:40) super hard. But I found that if I text my friends the night before, hey, you want to swim tomorrow, (7:47) at 10 more times, I would show up than if I tried to do this by myself. And I found that (7:53) that community just made my life so much easier.And it doesn't have to be running or swimming, (7:59) or it can be a community of people who are writing, or people who are doing art, or people who are (8:04) trying to be an entrepreneur. When I was writing my book, I found a writing group, (8:09) because I knew it was going to be really hard to do this on my own. And finding the writing group (8:13) really kept me writing and kept me engaged.And not only was I writing more, but I was helping (8:19) other people write more, too. So I think finding your tribe, and no matter what it is you're doing, (8:24) it doesn't have to be exercise-related. But if it is something artistic, something business-wise, (8:30) something that you've always wanted to do, quilting, whatever, crafts, it's finding that (8:35) tribe that will keep you going back.And that will help to make that transformation even easier. (8:40) Yeah, yeah. I love that, because that was a big part of why I even started the gym.(8:45) It was the community. I love the community aspect at the one I was going to, because it (8:48) was a franchise. And I was like, I want to create this.I want to be the one that actually (8:53) does this. And that's what we did. It was amazing.And yeah, some people would fall off, (8:58) and then they'd come back, because we'd have everybody poking at them, saying, where are you? (9:04) Yeah, exactly. Why did you show up today? (9:07) Exactly. Yes, that helps so, so much.And I've talked about it, too, in past episodes. But (9:13) like you said, it could be anything. And there's PCOS groups as well.And I think you just have (9:22) to also be aware. Make sure you are compatible, I guess, with the group. Make sure it is a positive (9:33) thing.Because I feel like, specifically with some of those groups, you can get sucked into (9:38) more of the negativity side of things. So yeah, make sure you're wired. (9:45) Yeah, I think anytime you're in a sporting situation, things can get competitive.And I (9:50) mean, I'm just as competitive as the next person. I've been in sales my whole entire career. I'm (9:54) very competitive with myself.I don't try to compare myself with anybody else, because that's (9:59) just miserable. And especially in the running world, there's so many people doing amazing things. (10:04) It's just incredible.And if you're in the running space, then all of a sudden you feel pretty small (10:11) because there's people that are in their 60s and 70s running 100-mile races and just absolutely (10:16) crushing it. So I think it's important to find those people within that tribe that are going (10:22) to be supportive of you, that are going to be not going to be competing with you. Because that (10:29) kind of sort of happens sometimes when you're in a sporting situation.And that's what I wanted (10:32) to avoid when I was playing tennis, is I just wanted to have fun with people. I didn't want to (10:36) compete with anyone. And finding that in running, I mean, there's definitely times when I felt like (10:43) there was a little bit of a competition happening, and I start getting that thought in my head.And (10:47) I'm like, no, I don't want to go down that road. And I had to really pull back. And I think anytime (10:52) you're in a sporting situation, that happens.But if you enjoy that, if you like the competition, (10:58) go for it. But for me, I wanted to just have that friendship and that support and feeling like a (11:06) cohesive group, not that we were in a competition with each other. And I think also with any kind (11:13) of sporting events, it can also escalate into other issues around eating and overdoing it and (11:21) all the things, you know, I've seen that happen a lot.So you have to just be kind of cognizant of (11:26) that and always do what is right for you and not necessarily what other people are doing. (11:33) Yeah, I love that. Yeah, no matter what it is, for sure.Many women are dealing with, (11:40) you know, hormone changes, chronic health issues. And I mean, I hear it, you know, with PCOS, (11:46) of course, it decreases your motivation, right, to do anything. You know, maybe it's weight-related (11:53) or just a pain, you know, maybe it's more pain that day or whatever it might be.So (11:58) what would you say to someone who feels stuck and unmotivated? (12:05) Yeah, I think it's very common. And I was right there. I really suffered a lot during perimenopause, (12:10) much more so than I did during menopause.And nobody was really talking about perimenopause (12:14) when I was going through it. So I thought I was going crazy. But I think the key to keep (12:20) yourself moving forward is to make it small.Make the steps small and tiny. What is the (12:26) tiniest thing that I can do to move myself forward? You don't have to run a mile. You don't (12:32) have to write an entire novel.You don't even have to write a paragraph. Make it small. Make it tiny.(12:39) It's like when you clean out your junk drawer, you start off thinking, I'm just gonna throw (12:43) a couple things away. And the next thing you know, the whole drawer gets clean, right? (12:47) Start with the smallest possible thing you can. And if that's all you do, that's totally fine.(12:53) I had somebody tell me a couple months ago that they wanted to be able to do 10 push-ups on their (12:59) toes, and that they were just really struggling with this. And I said, well, just start with one. (13:04) Can you do one on your toes? And if it takes you a month, and you can only do one until you can (13:10) do two, well, that's okay.I mean, who's keeping score? Nobody. So do the smallest thing you (13:15) can. And you'll be surprised, I think, at the ability to keep going.And that's the key. Double (13:22) down the next day. Do it again.And keep doing it. And keep those promises to yourself. That way, (13:28) you start to build the trust in yourself.Okay, I did this, and now I can do it again. (13:34) Yeah. The consistency, right? That's probably, yeah.Start small, and then just be consistent. (13:40) Put it in your calendar. Carve out that minute, whatever it might be to start that you need to (13:46) make.And you mentioned earlier, just putting your shoes on kind of changes the dynamic, right? Or (13:51) if you think, I want to walk every day, well, that's kind of a lot. Maybe you talk to your (13:57) neighbor and say, hey, do you want to walk on Mondays? And just start small and work your way (14:03) up. And it's interesting, my mom walks a lot.And some days, she just isn't in the mood to walk or (14:10) is not motivated or whatever. But it's become such a routine for her that it's almost like, (14:16) if she doesn't do it, it just throws everything off. And just keeping that trust in yourself every (14:22) day is so key.And some days she may not walk very far, but at least she got out and walked. (14:27) Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's what's important.And I think I shared with you when we first met, (14:30) that's where I can get in that mentality too, because I'm thinking like, (14:34) oh, well, I need an hour to get a workout in or to do whatever when it's like, okay, but I have (14:39) like 15-20 minutes and I can still make the best of that. Absolutely. Yeah, because that is part of (14:45) who I am.And I know that will still help me either way, but I kind of get in that trap of (14:48) like, well, I need to do all of this, you know, during that time. I think you said something (14:54) really key there. You said, this is who I am.And I think that that is such an important statement, (15:01) what you said there, because once it becomes who you are, motivation is not really a factor (15:08) anymore. It's who you are and it's what you do. And so therefore you do it.So I think worrying (15:14) about motivation, motivation is going to be up and down. It's not going to be something you have (15:18) all the time. It comes and goes.You can't count on it. But if it's who you are, then that's what (15:25) keeps you going. It keeps you doing it because this is who I am.Yeah. So I think that's a really (15:29) good point that you bring up. Yeah.And you know how you feel on the other side of that, I think, (15:34) too. Yeah. Yeah.So I want to talk about your TEDx talk. It's titled, What If Motivation Is (15:44) the Problem? How can women take meaningful steps forward when they just don't simply have the (15:51) energy or confidence that they used to? Yeah, I think it's so easy to just be (15:59) complacent. I don't feel like doing this.I don't know what I want to do. I'm too old. (16:05) It's too late.And I say, it's never too late. You are never too old. I didn't start running (16:12) until I was 47.And I am now 60, and I feel better than I did those years before I started (16:21) running. Now, sure, you get a little creakier as you get older. But I think that it's just (16:29) important to realize it's never too late and you're never too old.I had somebody tell me who (16:33) just turned 40, well, I feel like it's too late for me to start something new. I'm like, no, (16:36) you're just getting started. So I think putting that mentality away and not letting that stop you (16:43) from doing something you've always dreamed of doing.And one of the things that happened when (16:48) I was running marathons all around the world, and I hope to still do more marathons around the world, (16:53) is that I would always say dreams do come true. Like they do. You can have dreams that you want (16:59) to do something and all you have to do is lay it out step by step.When I was working in the (17:06) January, you know, couple million dollar quota, whatever it was, I would break it down into small (17:12) steps. How I'm going to meet this quota. What are my milestones in order to have to be here by this (17:17) date? I got to have this much by this date.I would break it down into smaller steps because (17:22) otherwise it's so overwhelming and you're just like, I don't know how to go about this. Breaking (17:27) it down, making it small, and then just doing those small steps. And those are stackable wins.(17:35) They create wins. Each one of those wins stacks on the next win and the next win and you trust (17:40) yourself more and you do more. And the next thing you know, your dream is coming true and you're (17:44) doing something epic.Yeah, yeah. Well, and I want to touch on too, because I think so many women, (17:51) especially, of course, we do for everybody else, you know? And so this concept, you know, (18:00) too might be tough for somebody because they might say, well, I don't have time for me. (18:05) I mean, so what was kind of your, I know you had some stuff happen in there if you'd like to share (18:11) that as well.Yeah, yeah. So when a few years ago, about eight or nine years ago, my husband (18:15) was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer. And overnight our lives completely changed.(18:23) And loving somebody through something like this is not just their journey, it's your journey as (18:30) well. And being a caregiver. And there's a lot of guilt and a lot of anger that comes with that, (18:34) at least it did for me.Our lives were so different because my husband had a lot of (18:39) complications. He had to have his jaw completely reconstructed. Eating and drinking and just like (18:47) talking is really difficult for him.So our social life just went down to zero. And I'm an extremely (18:52) social person. So this was really, really hard for me.I felt super guilty, but I was also super (18:58) angry that I wanted that life that I was expecting. But during this time, it was a lot to (19:05) take care of. I mean, having a patient or a spouse who has complete jaw reconstruction, they took a (19:10) bone out of his leg, they put it in his mouth, he had a trach, he was on a feeding tube, he had all (19:14) these things going on.And it was a lot. And the stress was overwhelming. And I just found that I (19:23) needed to carve out that time for me to do what I needed to do to stay present for him, strong for (19:30) him.And sometimes I would feel guilty about it, but I did it anyway. And it's like putting your (19:36) oxygen mask on first so that you can help someone else. And I think caregivers really struggle with (19:41) this.And it doesn't necessarily mean caregiving like, you know, you're caring for somebody sick (19:45) in your family. It could just be taking care of your family. If you have children or you've got (19:51) an aging parent or things like that, carving out that time is so important to keep you mentally (20:00) stable and to keep you, you know, just able to help them in your best way and not lose it.You (20:08) know, I mean, I did lose it several times, but it keeps you from losing it as often. (20:13) Yeah. (20:13) There's a lot.It's a lot to take on. And I think a lot of people are facing this right now with (20:18) kids at home and aging parents are kind of in that sandwich right now. And women especially (20:23) take that role on a lot more, I think, than men do.It's just kind of a traditional thing, (20:28) whether it's right or wrong. And as women, I think we need to get away from feeling guilty (20:33) about leaving our kids with somebody else while we go for a 45-minute workout or a 45-minute walk or (20:40) just maybe go get a coffee and journal. You should not feel guilty about that.That is filling your (20:45) cup so that you can be there for those people in your family or those people in your life that (20:49) need you. And as we age, it's going to start becoming more and more of an issue. You know, (20:55) I've got aging parents and it's tough.I mean, it's a tough situation that we're in. (21:01) And also taking one day at a time. For me, I try not to get too far ahead of myself (21:06) in all the things that are happening.And my husband still has ongoing problems. We're not (21:12) done. And just not getting too far ahead of yourself.Just crossing these bridges as they (21:18) come to you and not stressing about things in the future that may or may not happen is just a waste (21:24) of time. So get the therapy you need because it helps a lot. Getting rid of that anger and that (21:31) guilt really, really helped me move forward.And therapy is, I had never gone to a therapist (21:37) before and it was life-changing. I highly recommend it. I don't know why I never did (21:43) it before, but it really helped to have that person on your side who's listening to you.(21:49) And you can admit things to that are really hard to say out loud to other people. (21:54) Yeah. Well, I appreciate you sharing that story, but, you know, it's a theme that I think comes (21:59) up in a lot of my episodes.And so it's just one more person, you know, and also from personal (22:05) experience saying that, like we do, we have to take care of ourselves to be able to take care of (22:12) everybody else. You know, I always used to say actually, cause I've been running for quite some (22:16) time too. And I'm like, running's my therapy, you know, and even exercise.And I've even kind (22:22) of shifted my mindset because I was so heavy on the fitness piece. You know, I opened a gym, (22:27) but then I had my own personal struggles and realized how much nutrition plays a role. And (22:31) to me, the physical piece is more for mental health than, you know, than anything else.And (22:38) yes, you get the physical benefits, but I think mentally it helps so, so much. (22:45) Yeah. I think just, you know, if folks aren't really into the fitness routine, (22:50) just being able to read a book or being able to journal or being able to just (22:56) get away and have a coffee or whatever.When you're living with somebody who's sick or has (23:03) issues or you're just dealing with an aging parent or you're just a mom, everything seems to focus (23:08) around that other person and less on yourself. And nobody is going to take better care of yourself (23:14) than you. So don't feel guilty about it.Get on board with it and just do it. And if somebody (23:21) tries to make you feel guilty about it, then that person needs to exit the life or you need (23:27) to set them straight. You need to set them straight and say, this is the way it's going to be because (23:31) I need this in order to take care of all the things.So I think if you don't start with yourself (23:39) first, then you're going to go down a path that's going to end up burning out. (23:45) Yeah. Burning out and leading to maybe other potentially, you know, health problems.(23:49) Yeah. Yeah. (23:51) And then you're going to have to have the choice that's going to be made for you, (23:55) you know, to make yourself a priority.Yeah. (23:58) Absolutely. (23:59) So we talked about the consistency piece.I want to talk a little bit more about that (24:03) because you often say that confidence comes after action, not before. So can you explain why small, (24:11) consistent actions are more powerful than just waiting for that perfect moment? (24:17) Well, there's a lot of people out there that are perfectionists. Luckily, I'm not one of them (24:21) because I think that is such a hamstring trait.It's really unfortunate if you have that (24:27) perfectionism in you because it makes it really hard to ever start and do anything. (24:32) Letting go of that perfectionism, letting go of feeling like you have to be ready (24:36) and moving forward, you're not going to get confidence by sitting around (24:41) waiting until the perfect time or waiting until the perfect conditions or waiting until you feel (24:47) like you have permission or you're ready. (24:50) Acting, moving forward, whatever you want to call it before you feel ready, in my opinion, (24:57) is a superpower.Being able to do that is so powerful. You're not going to be perfect, (25:03) you're going to make mistakes, but you're also going to gain so much wisdom and confidence from (25:09) that that you will then be able to do it even better next time. So before I did my TEDx, (25:16) there was about an eight-month period when I found out I was going to be able to do a TEDx (25:19) until I actually did the TEDx.I spent that eight months going to Toastmasters every week, (25:25) practicing in my office all the time, writing and rewriting, just looking at every single word, (25:33) constantly working on that. But it wasn't hours and hours and hours a day. It was (25:37) a few minutes a day, Toastmasters once a week for an hour.It was a few minutes every day. (25:43) But just doing that few minutes, getting up in front of a group, I had my friends come and do (25:48) a mock TEDx in somebody's living room. That was hard because it was my friends and I was (25:55) very nervous about that, about my friends seeing me.But just taking those tiny little steps (26:02) on the day I had my TEDx, it was the best I thought I could have done that day. (26:06) And I was super proud of that and super pleased with it. But it was a bunch of tiny little steps, (26:12) day in and day out, that aren't sexy, nobody's watching, nobody's patting me on the back for (26:17) those, but they come and they pay off later.So being able to consistently work on whatever it (26:25) is you're working on, if you want to be able to do more push-ups, you want to be able to (26:29) do pull-ups or whatever it is you want to do, and writing a book even, is just working on it. (26:35) If you can't work on it a ton at one time, then work on little tiny bits of it and just stay (26:40) consistent. I call it doubling down.Keep doing it the next day and the next day and the next day. (26:46) I always thought that authors were like these people who would go to a cabin and write for (26:52) 48 hours at a time. That's not the experience I had.I wrote furiously maybe for three or four (27:01) hours and then I was like, I gotta get out of this chair, I gotta move. And I would think up (27:07) things in the middle of the night or in the morning sometimes or on a run and I would put (27:11) them in my voice memos or on my notes and then I might not touch it for a couple of days and then (27:16) I would come back and maybe I'd only write for half an hour. But just moving forward is really (27:22) the key.And one thing I tell the runners that I coach is forward is a pace. It doesn't have to be (27:30) fast. It doesn't have to be a certain length or time.It just has to be forward. And I started (27:37) running for 30 seconds and that is forward. Writing a sentence is forward.Taking a tiny step is (27:41) forward. As long as you're moving forward, you're killing it. Yeah, yeah.And I love what you said (27:48) there in the beginning of that that, you know, there's not going to be some perfect time like (27:52) any time, right? No perfect condition, no, yeah, nothing. Like you just have to have to do something (27:58) and like you said, keep moving the needle forward. If you wait, you're going to be (28:02) waiting for a long time.Oh, exactly. Yeah. And it may never come.Yeah, exactly. Love that. (28:10) If someone listening today feels overwhelmed by where they are in life, what's one small step (28:15) that they could take to, you know, that might even just change everything? Yeah, I think it (28:21) depends on what's overwhelming you.If you are having, if you're overwhelmed by just tasks or (28:29) things that you have to do, just breaking that down into smaller steps. Like I told you when (28:34) I was a sales rep, I would get these humongous quotas. Lord, how am I going to do this? Breaking (28:39) it down, finding those people in my area and finding people that can help me (28:49) stay on task, who can help keep me going, but also telling myself I need to keep at this, keep (28:58) chipping away at this, because the more I chip away at this, the more I'm going to trust myself (29:03) and the more I'm going to know that I'm going to get this done.And just, you know, kind of have (29:07) that end in mind, but don't be looking so far out that you're not paying attention to what's going (29:12) on right now, what you have to do every day. And I know it's hard. A lot of people are like, well, (29:17) I put it on my calendar that I'm going to do these things every day and then it slips away.(29:21) Well, you need to reduce it down into something even smaller then. If it's something that you (29:27) can't get done because your day gets away from you, reduce it into a smaller amount and just (29:32) do it before you go to bed, whatever that is. So I have a couple of people that I coach and they're (29:38) like, I just don't have time to do strength work.I'm like, if the only thing you can do for strength (29:43) work, because you are so busy, do 10 squats, 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups. That'll take you about (29:49) two minutes, if that's all you have time to do. It's better than nothing and it gets you, I mean, (29:55) those are pretty good strength moves.So I think there's always time. You have to make that time (30:00) and to make that time for yourself and make yourself a priority. And if you're overwhelmed (30:05) by, like I was overwhelmed by guilt and anger when my husband was going through some of his issues, (30:11) and I'm still a work in progress, I still get guilty and angry every once in a while, (30:15) go to therapy.Find somebody that can help you deal with those emotions. If you're going through (30:20) something with your family or you're just overwhelmed by a family life or whatever, (30:24) find that way to kind of help relieve some of that. If that's a therapist, your best friend (30:30) or whatever, I think finding a way to kind of deal with that and letting that pressure off so (30:37) you're not snapping at people, you're not angry, because menopause and all that is rough on our (30:42) bodies.It changes us. It changes our personality. It makes us irritable.I couldn't believe the (30:48) things that were coming out of my mouth when I went through perimenopause and I had no one to (30:53) really talk to about it and I thought I was losing my mind. So being able to kind of find somebody (31:00) that can help you through that is really a key. But I think, again, just breaking it down into (31:06) smaller steps and if you're still not able to find the time to do something, even breaking it (31:11) down, then make it smaller.Yeah. And as kind of as a follow-up question too, because I'm thinking, (31:17) because I've had clients like this too that say they don't have time, but at some point we need (31:22) to look at maybe where they are putting their time, right? Is it, you know, is it scrolling (31:26) on social media? Absolutely. Is it watching Netflix, you know, at the end of the night? (31:31) And then that's fine, but maybe do those push-ups and sit-ups and, you know, squats and everything (31:37) like while you're doing that, right? I feel like for, you know, yes, we do have busy days and busy (31:42) lives, but there's usually some time.There's time. If you got time to scroll. It used to be when we (31:49) were kids.If you got time to lean, you got time to clean. If you got time to scroll, you got time (31:54) to do. And I'm sure if you were to look at your whatever that thing is on the phone that tells (31:58) you how long you've been on your phone, you would be shocked, right? So I think that time is in, (32:04) there was another TEDx that happened at the same time as mine, and there was, (32:08) his talk was about time and how we need to keep track of our time better.And you can find time (32:15) in kind of the edges, right? So if you're waiting to go somewhere, you're going to have to be (32:20) somewhere in 20 minutes, then do something for 20 minutes. It doesn't have to be this big, (32:25) giant project. Just do something for 20 minutes.Make use of those little gaps in your day (32:32) that you have that you think, oh, I don't have time, but you've got little gaps in your day, (32:37) little gaps where you can get things done, or you can make time, like, lock it out on your calendar. (32:43) One of the things I do a lot is I set a timer on my phone. And when that timer goes off, that means (32:49) whatever, you know, if I was scrolling or if I was doing reading or whatever, that's over.Now it's (32:54) time to go back to what it is that I need to get done for the day. It doesn't mean you can't scroll. (33:00) It doesn't mean you can't watch Netflix.All of those things are fine. Just maybe kind of keep (33:04) track of that a little better, and you will find those moments. Oh, yeah, for sure.I was going to (33:10) say, even just sitting in silence sometimes, like, we're not anymore because we're so distracted by (33:16) all of the things, you know, plus feeling like we have to take care of everybody. But sometimes (33:21) just sitting in silence for, like, a minute or two is amazing. And it might be hard.Like, that (33:26) might be really hard at first. It was. I tried to do that, too.It was so hard. Yes. I am not very (33:33) good at sitting still and meditating.It really challenges me to do something like that. And (33:41) I'll tell you, I had a kind of a out-of-body experience one time doing this. I was meditating.(33:46) I had been with a group, like a book group, and we were reading this book, and there was a mantra (33:50) in there that he wanted us to do, the author, and to do this mantra and, like, kind of hear what (33:56) your mind has to say. So, I tried and tried and tried, and I just couldn't keep myself in this (34:03) meditative state. And one morning, it was in the winter, it was kind of dark outside, and my husband (34:08) was gone.The dogs were, they were walking, and I thought, okay, I'm going to try this again. And I (34:12) sat down on the couch, and I started the mantra. And for some reason that day, it just, I really (34:18) zoned into that.And I was at a crossroads in my life at that time. I had been in corporate America. (34:25) I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do next.And while I was in this deep kind of meditative (34:30) state, this word just flew into my head, and it was free. The word was free. And all of a sudden, (34:37) I realized that when I heard that, I thought, I don't have to go back to that corporate life (34:45) if I don't want to.Because I was kind of juggling. Should I go back to corporate America? This is (34:50) my identity. This is who I am.Or should I write a book? That was the part I was having (34:55) trouble with. And when that word free came into my head, all of a sudden, I realized, (35:02) okay, the universe is saying you better go write that book. You are free to go do that.(35:06) And I haven't looked back. So, meditation, I swear, I think it is, there's something there. And I don't (35:13) know how that works or why that works so well, but I heard it, and I obeyed it.I listened to it, (35:19) and I did what it said, and it was amazing. And I'm so glad that I was able to have that moment. (35:25) And I'm still not very good at meditating, but when it comes, it's good stuff.(35:30) Yeah, yeah. I feel like, yeah, you don't really have to be good at it, right? You just have to kind (35:35) of, I mean, same thing, right? Like running. I mean, you don't have to be good in the sense of (35:39) running whatever, nine-minute miles.You just have to do it. And if you feel like you're getting (35:44) a benefit from it and it's serving you, then just keep doing it. Yeah, yeah, for sure.(35:51) As we kind of wrap up, is there anything else you'd like to talk about or any last (35:59) message that you want the audience to hear? Yeah, I think for the audience, I know as women, (36:06) we got a lot going on. Our hormones, our health, there's a lot happening regarding our health. (36:14) It's outside of our control.And it can be frustrating, and it can be overwhelming at times. (36:21) Now there's so much more education out there about our health and what's happening in our bodies. (36:27) But I think also we have to take ownership of our own emotions and our own behavior, (36:34) and that starts with trusting yourself.And I call that keeping your promises you make to yourself (36:41) when no one is watching. It's easy to break our promises when nobody knows about them or nobody's (36:47) watching. But if you're making promises to yourself, keep them.That is the key to really (36:52) leading yourself and moving forward in your life and accomplishing the things you want to do. We (36:57) all have so many gifts and abilities and things to offer. And keeping those promises to yourself (37:04) to keep you moving and growing and moving forward is key.And also just moving forward sometimes (37:11) before you're totally certain, before you're totally ready. Making those courageous choices (37:17) is a superpower. And for me, one of the things that I had to learn to do was to let go (37:24) of things I couldn't control anymore.The life that I had with my husband before he got sick, (37:29) I had to let go of that, and I had to embrace the life that was unfolding in front of me. (37:34) And that really helped to set me free of all these expectations and things that I thought (37:39) life was going to happen to us, and they didn't. Now it's different.But that's okay. It didn't (37:43) have to be bad. It's just different.So just being able to let go of perfection, let go of (37:52) playing it safe, let go of not moving forward with your life and starting to embrace what's (37:59) happening right in front of you is super brave and super important. But leading yourself, (38:05) I think, is one of the keys to really having success as we age and move forward, (38:11) because you have so many gifts to offer to the world. And we need those.(38:15) Yeah. Yeah. Love that.That's a good way to end it. Very last question is, (38:21) how can somebody find you, find your book, connect with you? I'll put it in the show (38:25) notes as well. Yeah.Yeah. My book is on Amazon and all the normal retailers. It's called Running (38:31) the World, A Runner's Odyssey of Struggle and Triumph in the World Marathon Majors.And it's (38:36) a book about running, but it's also a book about just transformation. And I hope there's some humor (38:41) and some fun in there too. You can find me, my website is my name, Robin Godfrey, Robin with a (38:48) Y, robingodfrey.com. I'm on Instagram as robin.godfrey.speaker. My TEDx is out there in (38:56) the world as well.What if motivation is the problem? Would love it if you take a view and (39:01) comment and share. But yeah, I'd love to interact with anyone. I'm a running coach.So if somebody (39:07) is looking for some help with running, I'm happy to assist with that as well. So I'm out there in (39:13) the world. Awesome.Yes, you are. So good. Thank you for being here.Thank you for sharing your (39:20) story with everybody and your knowledge. And yeah, thank you so much. What an inspiring (39:27) conversation with Robin.I absolutely loved her reminder that confidence doesn't come before (39:33) action. It comes because we take action. And one of my favorite takeaways was her saying (39:38) forward is a pace.It doesn't matter how small that step is as long as you're moving forward. (39:44) So here's my challenge to you. What's one small promise you can make to yourself today (39:48) and actually keep.And don't forget, I have something exciting planned for December. (39:53) Be sure to join my free healthy ever after community. So you're among the first to hear (39:57) all the details.You'll find the link in the show notes along with Robin's information. (40:02) If you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who (40:06) needs this reminder because healing doesn't come from doing more. It comes from understanding (40:11) better.I'm sending you so much love and I'll see you on the next episode of PCOS unfiltered, (40:17) nourish, heal, thrive.