This one hit home. After a year of slowed down podcast publishing pace for Chasing Common Ground, I sat down with my friend Dal Sekhon to talk about what it means to evolve in real time—when life doesn’t go how you planned, when progress isn’t linear, and when consistency doesn’t look like what it used to.

We covered the real-life side of growth, not the polished version. The kind that requires humility, flexibility, and a serious reevaluation of your self-talk. Dal brings both the lived experience and the coaching insight, and I think her story will resonate with a lot of you.

🔑 In This Episode:

1. When Your Year Didn’t Go As Planned

– We reflect on the heaviness of 2025, the guilt that comes with unmet goals, and how to course-correct without quitting.

2. Pivoting With Purpose

– Dal shares how a small change in workout structure led to her best consistency in years—and why your systems should work for your life, not against it.

3. Soft Skills Make Strong Coaches

– We dig into why adaptability and empathy are underrated superpowers in coaching, and how those qualities shape trust and retention.

4. Bridging Cultural Gaps in Nutrition

– A powerful breakdown of how to approach traditional cultural meals with balance, not restriction—plus how Dal’s approach helps clients feel seen.

5. Building Real Career Longevity

– We both share what’s changed in how we see coaching, content, and mentorship—and why in-person events like RCS are a non-negotiable for growth.

🎧 Sponsor

This episode is supported by two projects that mean a lot to me:

🛍️ The community gear at store.invigoratetraining.com — legacy CL apparel, Fully Human gear, custom shoes, and a whole lot more.

🎓 My Podcast Course — For anyone serious about building a show that actually lasts. Learn more at christianliddle.com/podcastcourse and save $50 with code COMMONGROUND at checkout.

Train with me at

https://invigoratetraining.com/

Loved this one? Share it with a friend or tag me on IG @christianliddle. Thanks for being here.

In this deeply human conversation, coach Paul Buono opens up about identity, perfectionism, OCD, lupus, disordered eating, fear-based avoidance, and the path to becoming a more integrated person. The episode explores how tunnel vision—whether toward fitness, career, or health—can disconnect us from friendships, opportunities, and fully living.

We also talk about coaching psychology, small wins, micro-habits, routines, messy life transitions, and why connection is the most important part of health.

This one is rich with insight, self-awareness, compassion, and extremely relatable struggles. Paul’s honesty helps listeners feel seen, and his coaching philosophy shines through story after story.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro — Chris opens the episode and asks Paul for a short personal intro.01:00 – Who Paul Is Beyond Coaching — identities outside of career.02:00 – The struggle with accepting help — Chris’s couch story and independence.03:00 – Tunnel vision & the “rabbit wheel” — Paul’s CrossFit era and missing life.04:00 – Living like a racehorse — blinders, achievement, and imbalance.05:00 – Anchors in life: people who pull you out — Chris’s travel breakthrough.06:00 – OCD, fear, and exposure therapy (ERP) — Paul goes deep.07:00 – Fear of the future & “3-2-1 just do it.”08:00 – Closing the loop: exposure → proof of safety09:00 – When OCD shapes your whole life — childhood patterns, checklists.10:00 – Eating disorder origins & control11:00 – Lupus diagnosis shrinking his world — hypervigilance & restriction.12:00 – Bringing your own soap to work — how extreme it became.13:00 – Reintegrating with the real world — embracing discomfort.14:00 – Safe foods vs connection — Chris’s nutrition reflection.15:00 – Real Coaches Summit impact — connection > fear.16:00 – Diversity in fitness & hidden limitations17:00 – Hearing impairment + jiu jitsu — Chris’s perspective.18:00 – Nothing has to be perfect to still be worth it19:00 – People think coaches are perfect—but we’re not20:00 – Coaching breakthrough story — client who transformed through compassion.21:00 – “You have to be willing to look like an idiot.”22:00 – Shortening the gap after setbacks — from 6 weeks to 2 days.23:00 – Micro-habits & clothes on the toilet seat24:00 – Setting people up for wins instead of overwhelm25:00 – Turning weaknesses into strengths (homemade pizza story)26:00 – Tiny details that unlock big adherence27:00 – Breaking workouts into 5-minute chunks28:00 – Plan A vs Plan B programming29:00 – Weight trends vs real progress31:00 – Compassion > criticism32:00 – The brain’s bias toward threat34:00 – In-person training and human connection36:00 – Why funny stories often reveal wins38:00 – Chris’s philosophy in-person training39:00 – Are relationships scalable in online coaching?41:00 – Loneliness, AI, and the future of fitness42:00 – Chris’s Substack & predictions about the future44:00 – Online coaching delivery models46:00 – Automation for call scheduling (backend vs client-facing)48:00 – Exposure therapy in everyday life (dishwasher story)50:00 – Removing life “leaks” one decision at a time51:00 – Moving out post-divorce & ripping the bandaid53:00 – When chaos moves you forward faster54:00 – Leaning into discomfort & not waiting for perfect clarity55:00 – Paul’s January coaching waitlist56:00 – Paul’s life advice: know your values, prioritize authentically.

Paul Buono

Instagram: https://instagram.com/paulbuono

Website: https://paulbuono.com

Host Links:

Podcast: https://podcast.invigoratetraining.com

Training: https://invigoratetraining.com/

Media Consulting: https://christianliddle.com/

Store: https://store.invigoratetraining.com

I got to visit Liv and her family last summer in Denmark, and it really left a mark on me. In this episode, we talk about growing up between cultures, raising grounded kids in a digital world, and how empathy can be a guiding principle when you’re unsure where to go next. Liv brings a quiet wisdom that’s been shaped by travel, parenthood, and a life dedicated to helping others feel seen.

If you’ve ever wrestled with how to connect movement, purpose, and compassion — this one’s for you.

⏱ Episode Breakdown:

[02:00] Early sparks of empathyHow traveling to Nepal as a teen shifted Liv’s worldview and instilled a lifelong desire to help others.

[06:00] Culture, curiosity, and what makes us humanLiving across the globe taught Liv to value connection over differences — and how to prep for every country with good shoes and an open mind.

[10:30] What orienteering teaches about lifeA family sport with layered mentorship, inclusivity, and community-first values — why it’s become a pillar for Liv’s family.

[20:00] Screens, social media, and raising teens todayLiv shares how walking, setting goals, and simple routines helped her son disconnect from gaming and reconnect with purpose.

[30:00] Coaching different people, different pathsWhy helping someone starts with asking the right question — not everyone needs a meal plan, some just need permission to rest.

[38:00] The power of walking and setting meaningful goalsHow a list of 100 goals and going on weekly walks can shift your whole outlook.

[41:00] One last takeaway: just go for itLiv’s advice for anyone holding back on something they’ve been wanting to do.

🎤 Host: Chris LiddleExploring the overlap between lifestyle and wellness, one real conversation at a time.

🌐 Podcast Site:

https://podcast.invigoratetraining.com

💪 Training & Coaching:

https://invigoratetraining.com

📸 Media Consulting:

https://christianliddle.com

📥 Courses & Tools:

* How to Build a Podcast You Won’t Quit

* Holiday Meal Guide

* CapCut Video Editing Academy

* Follow-Along Workouts

🛍 Store:

https://store.invigoratetraining.com

📱 Connect with Liv: @dinkrop_duvaelgerselv

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