This is the fourth step in the Cool Change journey—a series that guides you through navigating meaningful transitions with clarity, courage, and intention.

After:

🌱 The Stirring – when something within you begins to shift

🪞 The Mirror – when you start seeing yourself more clearly

🔥 The Disruption – when old patterns break and new truths emerge…

…comes 🧭 The Design: the moment you stop drifting and begin shaping your life on purpose.

But here’s the twist: design doesn’t start with massive reinvention.

It starts with small, seemingly insignificant moments—the quiet 99% of life that most of us overlook.

In this episode, Chuck shares a pivotal story from his early 20s, when a Tony Robbins course and a bowl of instant oatmeal shifted everything. That experience launched a lifelong practice of life design, rooted not in control or planning—but in intention, iteration, and everyday joy.

You’ll learn:

• Why the key to change isn’t dramatic decisions, but subtle upgrades
• How to identify where your life has become smaller than it needs to be
• A simple “1–10” tool that can immediately increase your daily sense of meaning
• What it feels like to shift from reacting to designing
• How to choose a direction—even if you don’t know the destination

Are you stuck in a pattern you didn’t choose… but keep repeating?

Do you ever feel like your life is running on autopilot, and no matter how hard you try, you keep ending up in the same place?

That’s not a motivation problem. It’s a disruption problem.

In this episode, Chuck Allen helps you identify the unconscious beliefs that are driving your behaviors—and gives you a practical tool to begin breaking free. This is the third stage of the Cool Change Method™—where awareness turns into agency, and real change begins.

You’ll learn:

• Why behavior change doesn’t last without belief change

• How to know when you’re truly ready to disrupt a pattern

• The difference between performative change and real traction

• A simple Pattern Interrupt Practice to apply immediately

• Why your focus must be top-of-mind, not buried in a doc

You’ll also hear a story from Chuck’s time at The Home Depot that changed his leadership identity—and a deeply personal reflection on the grief and freedom that come with disrupting what no longer serves you or the people around you.

🎧 This is the moment to take the wheel of your life.

🔁 Share this episode with someone who’s ready for real change.

▶ Listen now, or catch up on the first two episodes in the series:

• Episode 77: The Stirring

• Episode 78: The Mirror

What happens when you stop coasting, stop justifying, and stop mistaking other people’s kindness for clarity? What happens when you finally pause long enough to really see yourself?

In this second installment of the Cool Change Method™ series, Chuck explores The Mirror—that uncomfortable but necessary moment when we come face-to-face with the gap between who we are and who we want to be.

Drawing from a life-altering health reckoning, years of coaching insight, and the quiet truths we often avoid, this episode invites you to slow down and reflect on the path you’re really on—not the one you hope you’re on, but the one your actions are taking you toward.

• Why good intentions aren’t enough
• The danger of mistaking momentum for alignment
• How other people’s kindness can keep you stuck
• A powerful wake-up call that came just in time
• The most important question you can ask yourself right now

• The Cool Change Method™ series (6 episodes)
• Coaching insight: The most common identity shifts people face in midlife

The mirror doesn’t judge. It just offers you a choice. And the moment you’re willing to see yourself clearly—that’s the moment everything can begin to change.

There’s a moment — sometimes subtle, sometimes undeniable — when life starts to whisper that something needs to shift.

That moment is The Stirring — the first step in the Cool Change Method™ and the first solo episode in this new series. Whether you’re facing a clear transition (like a new role, relationship change, or identity shift) or simply feeling low-grade restlessness, this episode is designed to meet you right where you are.

🔸 What you’ll hear:

– How to recognize The Stirring

– Why it often arrives before clarity

– What to do when you’re no longer comfortable in your current chapter

🎧 Listen now (under 9 minutes)

🔗 Full episode page + journaling prompts → coolchangelifedesign.com/stirring

Series Info:

This is Part 1 of a 6-part series on the Cool Change Method™ — a grounded framework for navigating personal transitions with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

#CoolChangePodcast #TheStirring #LifeDesign #IntentionalLiving #PersonalGrowth #Coaching

⸻

In a world fueled by stress and anxiety, emotional awareness is more vital than ever. On this episode of Cool Change, Chuck Allen speaks with Sarah Retzer, a mindfulness coach who transformed herself from a constantly anxious engineer to a thriving expert in emotional resilience.

Sarah shares how discovering mindfulness through InterMatrix Systems allowed her to move beyond simply managing emotions to actively training them—like building muscle at the gym. She explains how emotional patterns shape our reality, why intentional emotional responses are essential, and how we can shift from fear-based reactions to love-based interactions.

Whether you're feeling stuck in anxious loops, overwhelmed by emotions, or simply looking to enhance joy and peace in your daily life, Sarah’s insights offer practical tools to create lasting change.

Key Takeaways:

• Emotions aren’t just reactions; they're patterns that we can consciously reshape.
• Creating space between stimulus and response allows intentional emotional choices.
• Intentional daily practices can shift emotional patterns, enhancing relationships and overall life experience.
• Mindfulness and breathwork techniques effectively rewire emotional responses.

Special Offer:

Sarah is offering Cool Change listeners a complimentary special introductory three-session course designed to help you identify areas of your life ready for transformation, recognize emotional patterns holding you back, and begin the shift toward lasting peace and joy.

Connect with Sarah Retzer:

Phone/Text: 503-929-4632

Email: sarahretzer@innermatrixsystems.com

Recommended Books:

• Emotional Intelligence 2.0* by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
• The Untethered Soul* by Michael A. Singer
• Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself* by Dr. Joe Dispenza

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Thanks for joining us—keep living intentionally, and see you on the next episode!

In this episode of Cool Change, I share one of the most transformative experiences of my life—my journey with Ayahuasca. For decades, I lived with a deeply rooted fear tied to my heart health, stemming from childhood experiences with my father’s repeated heart crises. After a casual lunch with a trusted friend, I found myself embarking on an unexpected path—one that led me to confront my fear through Ayahuasca, a plant medicine known for its profound spiritual and healing properties.

In this episode, I take you through each step of that journey—starting with the preparation, to the intense three nights of ceremony, and the life-changing lessons I received from Ayahuasca. I reflect on how it reframed my understanding of my heart, not just as an organ but as the core of my emotional and spiritual being. Whether you're curious about Ayahuasca, grappling with your own fears, or simply love stories of transformation, this episode has something to offer.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The power of intention when entering an Ayahuasca journey
• 
  
• How childhood trauma and unresolved fear can manifest in our adult lives
• 
  
• The transformative experience of letting go of fear
• 
  
• The spiritual, emotional, and physical lessons Ayahuasca can offer
• 
  
• How my relationship with my heart—both physically and emotionally—was changed forever

Key Quotes:

• "Ayahuasca told me: 'You will be remembered as a man with a very good heart.' And in that moment, I knew it wasn’t just about physical health—it was about how I live, love, and serve."
• 
  
• "What I once saw as a source of anxiety—those heart palpitations—became reminders, love taps, pushing me to go out and do something meaningful with my heart."
• 
  
• "Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is ask for help, and Ayahuasca put me in a position where I had no choice but to ask."

In this brief episode, I take you back to the summer of 1990—when my best friend Tim and I, fueled by our “do-it-yourself” mentality, embarked on a series of DIY adventures that nearly cost us our lives. From leaky boats to collapsing cars, we learned that sometimes the most valuable skill is knowing when to call for help. This episode explores the fine line between admirable self-reliance and reckless overconfidence, and how a little humility can be the key to growth and survival.

The Cool Change: Sometimes, growth comes from realizing you don’t have to do it all yourself. Knowing when to step back and ask for help is a form of strength, not weakness.

Michelle Huebner is a powerful example of how attitude can color your everyday existence. In this episode, Michelle shares her journey with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) and how it has shaped her perspective on life. She discusses the symptoms and challenges of living with FA, as well as the importance of finding joy and living life to the fullest.

Michelle emphasizes the need for independence and letting go of anger. Listen in as she shares her approach to everyday life, including a cool way to schedule more activities that bring you joy.

For more info on FA, check out www.curefa.org

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Inspiration

09:04 Finding Relief and Connecting with the FA Community

15:52 Hope and Progress in FA Research

45:10 Finding Happiness and Fulfillment in the Face of Challenges

57:20 The Power of a Strong Support System

01:10:20 Advocating for Others and Sharing Experiences