in the groove

In this episode, Chris and Carly explore the Seven Levels of Energy (an iPEC Coaching Structure) as a living framework for understanding emotion, connection, and the way we interact with the world. From survival-based thinking to collaborative flow, we unpack how energy shapes not just what we do, but how we interact with our internal and external world—including how our ideas of “winning” and “losing” evolve, and what it means to step beyond them entirely. This framework offers a way of operating from a place of intention and an ability to notice where we are to decide where we want to go. Timestamps:  06:34 Understanding Catabolic and Anabolic Energy 08:25 Level One: I Always Lose  10:05 Level Two: If I Want to Win, You Have to Lose 17:01 Level Three: Sometimes I Win, Sometimes You Win, Good Luck 20:25 Level Four: If You're Winning, I'm Winning 25:20 Level Five: We Win When We Work Together 44:07 Level Six: Everything is a Win 1:00:04 Level Seven: Winning and Losing is an Illusion Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InTheGroovePodcast Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com/ Resources & References: iPEC's Seven Levels of Energy Chapters (00:06:34) - Understanding Catabolic and Anabolic Energy(00:08:25) - Level One: I Always Lose (00:10:05) - Level Two: If I Want to Win, You Have to Lose(00:17:01) - Level Three: Sometimes I Win, Sometimes You Win, Good Luck(00:20:25) - Level Four: If You're Winning, I'm Winning(00:25:20) - Level Five: We Win When We Work Together(00:44:07) - Level Six: Everything is a Win(01:00:04) - Level Seven: Winning and Losing is an Illustion

In this episode of In The Groove, Carly and Chris explore why so many of us know what we don’t want, but might struggle to identify what we do want. Through conversation and reflection, they unpack how shifting our focus from avoidance to intention can transform the way we approach growth, decision-making, and our everyday lives. They discuss how judgment often pulls us out of our growth zone, why direction matters even when the path isn’t clear, and how curiosity can become a powerful guide when navigating uncertainty. Timestamps:  04:41 Where we are and where we want to be 10:38 Venn diagram of our head and heart 15:52 Dream life workshop 26:11 The lives we inherit 34:29 The feeling we want 41:13 Accepting where we are 48:38 Signals to pivot 49:09 Design thinking 57:42 Evaluate and iterate 1:02:22 Embodying the world we want to live in Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InTheGroovePodcast Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com/ Chapters (00:04:41) - Where we are and where we want to be(00:04:43) - Dream life workshop(00:10:38) - Venn diagram of our head and heart(00:26:11) - The lives we inherit(00:34:29) - The feeling we want(00:41:13) - Accepting where we are(00:48:38) - Signals to pivot(00:49:09) - Design thinking(00:49:10) - Evaluate and iterate(01:02:22) - Embodying the world we want to live in

Chris and Carly play with the nuances between the concepts of "discipline" and "devotion" in a candid conversation to explore how the two concepts differ and how they can work together to help support a holistic and engaging lifestyle. Their discussion takes on a lens of curiosity for how we can use our self-talk and mindset to become both the student and the teacher of what we decide to pursue, and how to help ourselves have a good time while doing it.   Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly and @inthegroovepod YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InTheGroovePodcast Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com/ Chapters (00:01:56) - Exploring How We Understand and Apply Discipline(00:15:13) - The Potential of Devotion, Not in a Religious Way(00:25:07) - What if "Discipline" is the Cup and "Devotion" is the Water?(00:28:14) - Society, Discipline, Childhood, and Metronomes(00:33:00) - The Shift from What We Don't Want to What We Do Want(00:37:57) - Why Are We Punishing Ourselves?(00:46:00) - Opening Our Understanding of Failure(00:48:17) - Alignment

Chris and Carly continue their conversation on habits and scaffolding through sustainable changes. Their discussion further explores the perspective of habits, cues and triggers for habit building, and finding flexibility between the bare minimum and the ideal. They also dive into the plastic nature of our brains and the “secret third option” that can open up ways we engage with the life we want to live. Have thoughts or questions you'd love to hear Chris and Carly chat about? Email us at [email protected] Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly and @inthegroovepod YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InTheGroovePodcast Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com/ Chapters (00:02:07) - Carly’s Perspective on Structuring Habits(00:13:03) - Habits You Want to Break(00:16:11) - Cues and Triggers(00:26:31) - The Malleability of a Habit - Thresholds from Bare Minimum to Ideal(00:29:35) - Neuroplasticity and Shame(00:36:49) - The Secret Third Option(00:42:43) - Take a Guess(00:47:52) - Hot Air Balloon(00:50:22) - Reward

Carly and Chris chat about habits as supportive rhythms we build over time, not strict routines we have to get perfectly right. They explore how self-talk, friction, and perfectionism can shape the way we grow, and why aiming for excellence with compassion often leads to something richer. It’s a thoughtful conversation to sit with if you’ve been navigating habits in your own life. Timestamps: 02:55 Defining a habit 07:20 Where does a habit exist within the growth zones 14:20 How habits serve Chris  16:50 How habits serve Carly 19:25 The language of habits 26:58 “Don’t think of a red barn” 28:17 Common points of friction  36:39 Friction’s purpose in building a habit 39:00 The steps of identifying and building habits 48:45 How to handle unsupportive voices Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly and @inthegroovepod YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InTheGroovePodcast Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com/ Chapters (00:02:55) - Defining a habit(00:07:20) - Where does a habit exist within the growth zones(00:14:20) - How habits serve Chris(00:16:50) - How habits serve Carly(00:19:25) - The language of habits(00:26:58) - “Don’t think of a red barn”(00:28:17) - Common points of friction(00:36:39) - Friction’s purpose in building a habit(00:39:00) - The steps of identifying and building habits(00:48:45) - How to handle unsupportive voices

In this episode of ‘in the groove,’ Chris and Carly dig into the zones of growth; a concept popularized by adventure education pioneer Karl Rohnke. They chat about the comfort, growth, and panic zones to think about what each zone can teach us about how we learn, feel, and make choices. The conversation explores learning through play, the brain’s natural desire to learn, how outside judgment and fear can creep in, and the importance of noticing and accepting fear without letting it be the driver. New episodes drop every Thursday, so stick around. Until next time, take it easy. Timestamps:  02:00 Intro of the Three Zones of Growth and Adventure Education 08:53 Entering the Growth Zone and Getting Comfortable 14:18 Entering the Panic Zone and the Role of Judgment 22:27 What Links Us to the Zones & Outside Influences 24:12 When in the Panic Zone: Hitting Pause and Checking In 27:19 Growing Up with the Zones 33:20 Knowing When We’ve Spent Too Much Time in the Comfort Zone 42:57 The Span of the Growth Zone 45:41 Doing Something Relaxed and Doing Something Afraid 51:43 The Invitations of the Growth Zones Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@InTheGroovePodcast Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com/ Resources & References:  Your Guide to the Comfort Zone: How Stepping Out Unlocks Your Potential Chapters (00:02:00) - Intro of the Three Zones of Growth and Adventure Education(00:08:53) - Entering the Growth Zone and Getting Comfortable(00:14:18) - Entering the Panic Zone and the Role of Judgment(00:22:27) - What Links Us to the Zones & Outside Influences(00:24:12) - When in the Panic Zone: Hitting Pause and Checking In(00:27:19) - Growing Up with the Zones(00:33:20) - Knowing When We’ve Spent Too Much Time in the Comfort Zone(00:42:57) - The Span of the Growth Zone(00:45:41) - Doing Something Relaxed and Doing Something Afraid(00:51:43) - The Invitations of the Growth Zones

Hey and welcome to the very first episode of In the Groove, a podcast where we create space and let meaningful conversations unfold. We explore the human experiences that connect us all to deepen our understanding of ourselves, our connection to the world, and the ways we engage with the aliveness within us. We’re glad you’re here. In this intro episode, you’ll meet Chris, an educator, life coach, and deep listener, and Carly, an artist, designer, and creative. To each other, they are  mom and daughter! Together, C&C talk about what’s been inspiring them lately, the kinds of structures that create space in our lives, and what it looks like to show up with creativity and curiosity. New episodes drop every Thursday, so stick around. Until next time, take it easy. Timestamps:  00:53 Intro/Chris and Carly’s relationship 03:38 Who Chris and Carly are 18:00 Exploring form and space  20:30 The process of our actions and failing forward  25:40 What has Chris been paying attention to? 34:00 What has Carly been paying attention to? 40:15 Internal structures Where to find us: Instagram and TikTok @thegnarliestcarly Substack @thegnarliestcarly Carly’s cool art https://www.carlywh.com Watch us on Youtube Resources & References:  Your Guide to the Comfort Zone: How Stepping Out Unlocks Your Potential Eckhart Tolle Chapters (00:00:53) - Intro/Chris and Carly’s relationship(00:03:38) - Who Chris and Carly are(00:18:00) - Exploring form and space (00:20:30) - The process of our actions and failing forward(00:25:40) - What has Chris been paying attention to?(00:34:00) - What has Carly been paying attention to?(00:40:15) - Internal structures