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Better Me
Better Me
Heather Ross

The Better Me Podcast delves into how people navigate through life’s challenges and live as the best people they can be. Writer... more

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Episodes

EP 164 Why is Change So Hard (with guest Najwa Zebian)

Dr. Najwa Zebian, my guest for episode 64, joins me 100 episodes later to talk about her latest book The... more

16 Dec 2024 · 39 minutes
EP 163 Choice, Consequences, and Comfort Zones (with guest Oliver Burkeman)

Best-selling author Oliver Burkeman and I discussed the fact that we all have choices in life as long as we’re... more

27 Nov 2024 · 23 minutes
EP 162 What She Said- Conversations About Equality (with guest Elizabeth Renzetti)

Bestselling Canadian author and journalist Elizabeth Renzetti joined me to discuss her new book What She Said: Conversations About Equality.... more

11 Nov 2024 · 24 minutes
EP 161 Every Little Thing She Does is Magic (with guest Michelle Hébert)

Author Michelle Hébert joins me to discuss her debut novel Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, which is a story... more

04 Nov 2024 · 23 minutes
EP 160 Telling the Story of Jack Whalen

Bestselling author Lisa Moore joined me to discuss her latest book, Invisible Prisons: Jack Whalen’s Tireless Fight For Justice. Moore... more

21 Oct 2024 · 28 minutes
EP 159 Why Trees Could Save Humanity (with guest Diana Beresford-Kroeger)

Best-selling author and award-winning scientist Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger joined me to talk about her latest book Our Green Heart: The... more

07 Oct 2024 · 35 minutes
EP 158 Privilege and Productivity

Loleen Berdahl joined me again, and we talked about how so much of the productivity advice out there is by... more

23 Sep 2024 · 28 minutes
EP 157 Kicking Off the Fall 2024 Season

Welcome back for the new season! In this episode, I talk about the change to our schedule and the importance... more

09 Sep 2024 · 10 minutes
EP 156 Signing Off for The Summer

I’ll be back in the fall, but I took a few minutes to talk about why I do this podcast,... more

24 Jun 2024 · 11 minutes
EP 155 What, So What, Now What?

At a time when I’m hearing so much from people about feeling burned out, asking simple questions can help you... more

17 Jun 2024 · 10 minutes
EP 154 Setting an End-Time for Your Workday

For a lot of us, especially those working from home, the end of your workday can be hard to spot.... more

10 Jun 2024 · 4 minutes
EP 153 Give Yourself Time for Ideas

If we’re always racing around or staring at a screen, our brain doesn’t have the chance to ponder what we’ve... more

03 Jun 2024 · 5 minutes
EP 152 Women and Mental Health- The Problems Aren’t All in Our Heads (with guest Misty Pratt)

Writer Misty Pratt joined me to talk about her new book “All in Her Head: How Gender Bias Harms Women’s... more

27 May 2024 · 40 minutes
EP 151 Take a Pause

This is a reminder that pausing from the chaos of our days, even just five minutes, can bring a lot... more

20 May 2024 · 4 minutes
EP 150 Domestic Violence - One woman’s story and the need for change (with guest Denise Chong)

Writer Denise Chong joined me to talk about her latest book *Out of Darkness*, domestic violence, and the troubling way... more

13 May 2024 · 19 minutes
EP 149 How Awareness and Heritage Months Connect to Mental Health

Our mental health can be harmed by how others treat us, which is why  Awareness and Heritage Months are important... more

06 May 2024 · 6 minutes
EP 148 You Have Choices

Sometimes we tell ourselves “I have no choice” because it’s easier than having to consider what can happen if you... more

22 Apr 2024 · 4 minutes
EP 147 Why Do You Do That?

Sometimes you need to ask yourself the question, “Why do I do that?”

15 Apr 2024 · 6 minutes
EP 146 Individuals Make a Difference (with guest Sally Armstrong)

Award-winning Canadian journalist Sally Armstrong joined me to discuss the new book she co-authored, some amazing women who have made... more

08 Apr 2024 · 22 minutes
EP 145 In Consideration of Future You

What are you putting off today that you’ll have to deal with tomorrow? What are you doing that you’ll pay... more

01 Apr 2024 · 6 minutes
EP 144 Distractions

We have lots of distractions in our lives and they come from a variety of sources. How can you block... more

25 Mar 2024 · 13 minutes
EP 143 What You Consume Matters

What you eat and drink is important to your health, but so is the content you read online, listen to... more

18 Mar 2024 · 6 minutes
EP 142 Self-care is About Doing

Self-care takes many forms, but what you do to care for yourself in the moment, shouldn’t come at the expense... more

11 Mar 2024 · 10 minutes
EP 141 Clearing the Deck With a Weekly Review (with guest Loleen Berdahl)

Frequent guest Loleen Berdahl joined me to talk about how we each take time on Fridays to prepare for the... more

04 Mar 2024 · 21 minutes
EP 140 The Brave Habit (with guest Todd Henry)

Writer, speaker, and podcaster Todd Henry joined me for our third conversation on the Better Me Podcast. We spoke about... more

26 Feb 2024 · 30 minutes
EP 139 Sunlight, Bravery, and What's Coming Up

This episode includes a bit about how I'm trying to improve my wake-up routine, a challenge for you around bravery,... more

19 Feb 2024 · 9 minutes
EP 138 The Mocking of Trauma and Mental Health

For this episode, I took a few minutes to share some thoughts on Larry David, Elmo, and the mocking Will... more

12 Feb 2024 · 8 minutes
EP 137 Habits and Encouragement

In this episode, I talk a bit about what I’ve been reading, what I learned from Katy Milkman’s book How... more

05 Feb 2024 · 17 minutes
EP 136 The Interview (with guest host Kelly S. Thompson)

To kick off a new season of the Better Me Podcast, Kelly S. Thompson took over the podcast and interviewed... more

29 Jan 2024 · 39 minutes
EP 135 Wrapping Up 2023

This is the final episode of 2023. I talked a bit about wrapping up the year and preparing for 2024.... more

18 Dec 2023 · 10 minutes
EP 134 It's Never Too Late to Tell Our Stories (with Fran Eldridge)

Fran Eldridge joined me to talk about her debut book A Moment of Clarity, a collection of short fiction stories... more

11 Dec 2023 · 21 minutes
EP 133 Books, Chocolate, and Other Holiday Traditions (with guest Kelly S. Thompson)

Author Kelly S. Thompson joined me again to talk about our recent in-person visit, setting intentions for 2024, and holiday... more

04 Dec 2023 · 35 minutes
EP 132 Writing to Process Tragedy (with guest Stephanie Kain)

Writer Stephanie Kain joined me to talk about her latest book Lifeline: An Elegy in which she uses a variety... more

27 Nov 2023 · 27 minutes
EP 131 The Year of Heather

Birthdays often get people thinking about their lives and the coming year. In this episode, I talk a bit about... more

20 Nov 2023 · 5 minutes
EP 130 Finding Some Joy

As days turn grey and the temperature drops for many of us, it's important to look for some joy. In... more

13 Nov 2023 · 7 minutes
EP 129 Caring For Yourself When You're the Caregiver (with guest Kelly S. Thompson)

Author and all around great person Kelly S. Thompson joined me to talk about the importance of caring for yourself... more

06 Nov 2023 · 25 minutes
EP 128 Finding Your Sense of Belonging (with guest Ritu Bhasin)

Writer, entrepreneur, and leader Ritu Bhasin joined me to talk about her new book We've Got This: Unlocking the Beauty... more

30 Oct 2023 · 28 minutes
EP 127 Returning to Musical Roots to Withstand the World (with guest Jesse Daniel Edwards)

Singer/song-writer Jesse Daniel Edwards joined me to talk about his latest album Violensia, our mutual California connection, and how he... more

23 Oct 2023 · 21 minutes
EP 126 When Others Try to Define Your Identity (with guest Charlotte Gill)

Author Charlotte Gill joined me to talk about her latest book, Almost Brown: A Mixed Race Family Memoir, how others... more

16 Oct 2023 · 32 minutes
EP 125 Bullies and Besties

In this episode for Canadian Thanksgiving, I talk about the bullying I experienced growing up and finally being in a... more

09 Oct 2023 · 15 minutes
EP 124 When the World is Heavy (with guest Loleen Berdahl)

Loleen Berdahl returns to the podcast to explain the Canadian Notwithstanding Clause and talk about how to cope with the... more

02 Oct 2023 · 31 minutes
EP 123 Doing the Work of Mental Health for Ourselves and Others (with guest Rowan Jetté Knox)

Author, speaker, and human rights activist Rowan Jetté Knox and I sat down to talk about his new book One... more

25 Sep 2023 · 29 minutes
EP 122 Fall 2023 Kick-Off

Welcome to the new season of the Better Me Podcast. In this episode I give a quick summary of the... more

18 Sep 2023 · 14 minutes
EP 121 That's a Wrap on Winter-Spring 2023

It's time for me to take a break so this is the last episode until late summer or early spring.

29 May 2023 · 8 minutes
EP 120 Cleansing Your Mental Palette

As we move between meetings and other activities, we should take a few minute to reflect and prepare. Like having... more

22 May 2023 · 8 minutes
EP 119 Writing for Your Mental Health (with guests Loleen Berdahl and Kelly S. Thompson)

Loleen Berdahl and Kelly S. Thompson returned to the podcast to talk about the role that writing plays in caring... more

16 May 2023 · 40 minutes
EP 118 Books, Festivals, and Home (with guest Jennifer Diehr)

My good friend Jennifer Diehr returned to the podcast to talk about book festivals, meeting authors, and the reunion we... more

08 May 2023 · 36 minutes
EP 117 Depression is Scary

For people who have depression, just getting out of bed can be a struggle, but on top of that, there... more

01 May 2023 · 24 minutes
EP 116 Dogs Make Us Better People (with guest Rona Maynard)

Former long-time editor of Chatelaine Magazine, writer, and mental health advocate, Rona Maynard joined me to talk about her latest... more

24 Apr 2023 · 24 minutes
EP 115 What Do You Need Right Now?

I'm working on being more mindful, which has included asking myself "What do I need right now?" while curled up... more

17 Apr 2023 · 14 minutes
EP 114 How Are You? Busy (with guest Loleen Berdhal)

Frequent guest Loleen Berdahl is back to join me in a free-range discussion of what it means to be busy,... more

03 Apr 2023 · 31 minutes
EP 113 Preparing Your Body to Avoid Injury (with guest Miranda Esmonde-White)

Former ballerina, star of the PBS fitness series, Classical Stretch, and author Miranda Esmonde-White joined me to discuss her latest... more

27 Mar 2023 · 25 minutes
EP 112 - On Repentance and Repair (with guest Danya Ruttenberg)

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg and I talked about her latest book On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in An Unapologetic World.... more

20 Mar 2023 · 37 minutes
EP 111 Writing to Tell Your Stories and to Help Others Heal (with guest Kelly S. Thompson)

Retired Canadian Forces officer and writer Kelly S. Thompson joined me to talk about her latest book Still, I Cannot... more

13 Mar 2023 · 44 minutes
EP 110 Chronic Stress, Burnout, and the Temptation of Dopamine (with guest Chris Bailey)

Best-selling author, speaker, podcaster, and all-around-cool guy Chris Bailey joined me to talk about his latest book How to Calm... more

06 Mar 2023 · 31 minutes
EP 109 Priorities and Creativity (with guest Loleen Berdahl)

Loleen Berdahl returns to the show for the 5th time to talk about prioritizing the things that matter, including creativity.... more

27 Feb 2023 · 33 minutes
EP 108 Every Family Has a Story (with guest Julia Samuel)

British psychologist and writer Julia Samuel returns to the Better Me Podcast to talk about her latest book, Every Family... more

20 Feb 2023 · 25 minutes
EP 107 Welcome to 2023

I'm back with a preview of what's coming up in the new season. It's going to be a good one... more

13 Feb 2023 · 4 minutes
EP 106 We’re Talking Baseball … and Education and Podcasts (with guest Stephen Hurley)

I had a great conversation with Stephen Hurley, the founder of VoiceEd Radio, talking about baseball, education and podcasts.

28 Nov 2022 · 38 minutes
EP 105 Meaningful Things Aren't Meant to Be Automatic

In this episode I talk about why it's good that we do some things automatically, but that more meaningful things... more

21 Nov 2022 · 5 minutes
EP 104 Being Ready for Your Found Time (with guest Loleen Berdahl)

The ever popular Loleen Berdahl returned to the podcast for the fourth time to talk about the concept of "found... more

14 Nov 2022 · 25 minutes
EP 103 Setting and Upholding Boundaries (with guest Melissa Urban)

Best-selling author Melissa Urban joined me to talk about her latest book, The Book of Boundaries. We discussed why boundaries... more

07 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
EP 102 Freeing Yourself of Subscriptions

In this episode I share some advice on dealing with subscriptions that are taking more from you than they're giving.

31 Oct 2022 · 6 minutes
EP 101 Being Prolific, Brilliant, and Healthy (with guest Todd Henry)

Writer, podcaster, and speaker Todd Henry returned to the show to talk about his new book Daily Creative: A Practical... more

24 Oct 2022 · 30 minutes
EP 100 Trauma, Illness and the Myth of Normal (with guest Gabor Maté)

Addiction expert, speaker and author Dr. Gabor Maté was my guest for the 100th episode of the Better Me Podcast... more

17 Oct 2022 · 41 minutes
EP 99 Yes, Things Have Been This Bad Before (with guest Shaylyn Romney Garrett)

Author and social entrepreneur Shaylyn Romney Garrett joined me to talk about her book The Upswing: How America Came Together... more

03 Oct 2022 · 48 minutes
EP 98 Don’t Forget to Have Fun (with guest Isabeau Iqbal)

Dr. Isabeau Iqbal, who was my guest for Episode 92, returned for a conversation about fun, including trying to figure... more

26 Sep 2022 · 34 minutes
EP 97 The Earned Life (with guest Marshall Goldsmith)

I spoke with best-selling author Marshall Goldsmith about his new book "The Earned Life" and the importance of finding the... more

19 Sep 2022 · 30 minutes
EP 96 Fall 2022 Preview

Tune in to hear about what guests are coming up on the Better Me Podcast through the fall, including Marshall... more

12 Sep 2022 · 6 minutes
EP 95 We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program ...

I’m taking a break for a couple of months, but first I want to thank a few people.There's some distortion... more

04 Jul 2022 · 8 minutes
EP 94 Avoiding Overwhelm in a Time of Crisis

It's hard to focus, to feel like you can do what needs to be done when there's chaos around you... more

27 Jun 2022 · 9 minutes
EP 93 Starting Points

It doesn’t matter how good your map or your plan is, if you don’t know where you’re starting from.

20 Jun 2022 · 4 minutes
EP 92 What Can We Do About Imposter Syndrome (with guest Isabeau Iqbal)

Dr. Isabeau Iqbal joined me to talk about “imposter syndrome” including where it comes from, how we can deal with... more

13 Jun 2022 · 34 minutes
EP 91 The Benefits of Doodling (with guest Giulia Forsythe)

Educator and visual note-taker extrodinair, Giulia Forsythe joined me to talk about how doodling helps her be a better listener,... more

06 Jun 2022 · 17 minutes
EP 90 - Kangaroos, Courage, and Baseball (with guest Laney Jones)

Song-writer and recording artist Laney Jones joined me to talk about her new album Stories Up. We also chatted about... more

30 May 2022 · 28 minutes
EP 89 The Many Benefits of the Culture of Open (with guest Lena Patterson)

Lena Patterson, the President of Open Education Global joined me to talk about the challenges and responsibilities of women in... more

23 May 2022 · 38 minutes
EP 88 My Pillars of Mental Health

There is no one thing that keeps me mentally healthy. There is no one set of things that will work... more

16 May 2022 · 12 minutes
EP 87 Starting Small

What small steps could you be taking to make your life, or even just your day, better?

09 May 2022 · 5 minutes
EP 86 Avoid Anxiety Over What You Can’t Control

In this episode I talk about a quote from Khail Gibran and the Serenity Prayer, and avoiding anxiety about things... more

02 May 2022 · 6 minutes
EP 85 Lessons I’ve Learned From My Dogs

We had to say goodbye to one of our dogs last week. As a tribute to her, this episode is... more

25 Apr 2022 · 15 minutes
EP 84 Protect Your Boundaries From Yourself

We can set all the boundaries we want, but often we’re the first ones to violate them.

11 Apr 2022 · 4 minutes
EP 83 Success, Failure, and Boring Days

We should celebrate our accomplishments, including thanking those who helped us. We need to share our failures to help others... more

04 Apr 2022 · 17 minutes
EP 82 Things That Make Me Happy

Here are some of the things that are making me happy right now. How about you?1000 Awesome Things (website... more

28 Mar 2022 · 4 minutes
EP 81 With Self-Care, One Size Doesn’t Fit All (with guest Jorden Cummings)

Professor, clinical psychologist, and co-founder of Teach Me Self Care (http://www.teachmeselfcare.com) Jorden Cummings joined me to talk about not only... more

21 Mar 2022 · 37 minutes
EP 80 Having the Right Words

Having the right words is vital to good communication. Having the right words to describe our emotions is necessary for... more

14 Mar 2022 · 4 minutes
EP 79 Students Helping Students (with guest Terry Greene)

Terry Greene, the host of the Gettin’ Air podcast and the Senior eLearning Designer at Trent University, joined me to... more

07 Mar 2022 · 29 minutes
EP 78 EASY Goals, Motivation, and Time to Think (with guest Loleen Berdahl)

Professor and writer Loleen Berdahl was back on the podcast to talk about dumping SMART goals for EASY goals, why... more

28 Feb 2022 · 25 minutes
EP 77 Books, Book Banning, History and The Green Room (with guest Jennifer Diehr)

My good friend Jennifer Diehr joined me again to talk about books, this time focusing on book banning, the importance... more

21 Feb 2022 · 38 minutes
EP 76 The Teen Perspective (with guest Sydney B.)

My daughter Sydney joined me on the show for the third time, this time to talk about going from being... more

14 Feb 2022 · 16 minutes
EP 75 Don’t Be Trashy (with guest Tara McKenna)

It’s episode 75! To celebrate I spoke with the founder of the Zero Waste Collective, Tara McKenna about her new... more

07 Feb 2022 · 23 minutes
EP 74 You Can’t Buy Happiness (with guest Michael Harris)

Michael Harris joined me to talk about his new book All We Want: Building the Life We Cannot Buy. We... more

31 Jan 2022 · 22 minutes
EP 73 Consistently, With a Few Mulligans

In this first episode of 2022, I talk about taking mulligans in golf, habits, and life in general.

24 Jan 2022 · 4 minutes
EP 72 Letting Go of Embarrassment

In this final episode of 2021 I tell a funny story and offer some advice.

06 Dec 2021 · 5 minutes
EP 71 Laughter, Grief, and Community (with guest Shawn Hitchins)

Canadian comedian Shawn Hitchins joined me to talk about his latest book the Light Streamed Beneath It: A Memoir of... more

29 Nov 2021 · 32 minutes
EP 70 Using Poetry to Talk About Mental Illness (with guest Sabrina Benaim)

The incredibly talented spoken word poet Sabrina Benaim joined me to talk about metal health, relationships, and her new book... more

22 Nov 2021 · 20 minutes
EP 69 Midlife Transitions (with guest Dr. Kristina Dervatis)

I had a great time talking with gynaecologist / singer-songwriter Dr. Kristina Dervatis about her recently released album Overdue, telling... more

15 Nov 2021 · 28 minutes
EP 68 Living Through Tragedy with Help from Family, Laughter, and Pharmaceuticals (with guest Donna Morrissey)

Award winning Canadian author, Donna Morrissey joined me to talk about her new memoir Pluck: A Memoir of a Newfoundland... more

08 Nov 2021 · 22 minutes
EP 67 Integrity

For this episode I took just a few minutes to talk about some thoughts on integrity and being true to... more

01 Nov 2021 · 5 minutes
EP 66 Stepping Back to Breathe (with guest Kirsteen MacLeod)

Writer Kirsteen MacLeod joined me for a conversation about her new book In Praise of Retreat: Finding Sanctuary in The... more

25 Oct 2021 · 36 minutes
EP 65 Lessons Learned From Music, Parenting, and Life (with guest Emm Gryner)

Canadian singer / song writer and singing teacher Emm Gryner joined me to talk about her new book The Healing... more

18 Oct 2021 · 33 minutes
EP 64 Welcome Home (with Guest Najwa Zebian)

Lebanese Canadian activist, author, speaker, and educator Najwa Zebian joined me to talk about her new book Welcome Home: A... more

11 Oct 2021 · 32 minutes
EP 63 Stay on Top of Things, Without Burning Out (with guest Loleen Berdahl)

Loleen Berdahl, the author of the popular Academia Made Easier blog/newsletter, which provides easy tips for teaching, productivity, and work-life... more

04 Oct 2021 · 33 minutes
EP 62 Higher Ed Gig Economy in the Time of COVID-19 (with guest Christina Katopodis)

When we think of the “gig economy” we often picture Uber drivers, but it also exists among positions that require... more

27 Sep 2021 · 30 minutes
EP 61 Productivity and Mental Health - Part 4

Self-care, whatever that looks like for you, is key to both good mental health and productivity. This is the fourth... more

19 Jul 2021 · 6 minutes
EP 60 Productivity and Mental Health - Part 3

It’s all well-and-good knowing what you need to get done, but how do you make sure you have the time... more

12 Jul 2021 · 9 minutes
EP 59 Productivity and Mental Health - Part 2

In part two of this series on productivity and mental health, I talk about the importance of saying ‘no’ (when... more

05 Jul 2021 · 10 minutes
EP 58 Productivity and Mental Health - Part 1

When I'm dealing with depression or anxiety, my memory suffers and I can be horribly disorganized. Over the years... more

28 Jun 2021 · 13 minutes
EP 57 Viewing Food and Myself Differently

I've long struggled with emotional eating and how I view my body. In this episode I talk about how I'm... more

21 Jun 2021 · 10 minutes
EP 56 Being a Fine Wine

I'm turning half a century this year. I could look at time gone by or time to come. I'm capable... more

14 Jun 2021 · 8 minutes
EP 55 Asking For Help Is a Sign of Strength

In this episode I talk about Naomi Osaka and the need to remove the stigma associated with mental illness.

07 Jun 2021 · 7 minutes
Better Me
EP 63 Stay on Top of Things, Without Burning Out (with guest Loleen Berdahl)
Better Me
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Description

Loleen Berdahl, the author of the popular Academia Made Easier blog/newsletter, which provides easy tips for teaching, productivity, and work-life balance in... more