If traditional goal-setting feels exhausting, rigid, and not your jam, this episode will help you reimagine how you plan your life in 2026.

We’re diving into The Odyssey Plan, a powerful life design and goal-setting framework developed at Stanford University as part of the Designing Your Life curriculum by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

It’s the ideal method for anyone who feels burnt out by traditional goal-setting, overwhelmed by decisions, or scared of choosing the “wrong” path.

Instead of forcing yourself into one narrow future, the Odyssey Plan helps you imagine multiple possible lives, reduce fear-based decision-making, and set goals that actually align with your values, energy, and curiosity — not just productivity or external pressure.

Tune in for a creative and science-backed way to reset and design goals you can actually stick to.

Listen in for:

• Using Stanford Life Design principles to set meaningful goals without burnout
• Create three different life paths instead of committing to one rigid plan
• Set intentions for 2026 that feel exciting, flexible, and realistic
• Reduce fear of “making the wrong choice” and embrace curiosity-driven planning
• Prototype and test future goals before fully committing
• Turn long-term life vision into actionable goals you can start this year
  

Download the Odyssey Plan template.

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We're back! Happy New Year and welcome to today’s ICYMI, where we kick off the week with a quick game-changing tip from one of our guests that you might have missed.

As we navigate the realities of our New Year goals and resolutions throughout January, we have the key ingredients to actually making them stick... a framework for structuring your dreams and implementing impactful goals from the master of goal-setting and planning, the force behind Passion Planner, Angel Trinidad.

Listen for mindset shifts that will get you in motion, and how to cultivate the kind of relationship with your goals that will unlock deep manifestation.

Angel is the CEO and founder of Passion Planner, an all-in-one paper life coach, which has helped millions of people plan their goals and their lives. They have built a devoted global community of people who swear by their planners and journals.

Listen to our full episode with Angel here.

Tune in every Monday for an expert dose of life advice in under 10 minutes.

Get started on Passion Planner

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@gillian.berner

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Between the holiday parties, family dinners, office events, and end-of-year gatherings... the holiday season can be a lot. (Even for extroverts like me.)

If you’ve ever felt socially drained, awkward, anxious, or stuck in mind-numbing small talk during the holidays, I gotchu. This episode will hook you up with powerful conversation starters and questions you can keep in your back pocket to help you navigate social situations with confidence, steer conversations away from awkward topics and political landmines, and actually feel connected to the people around you.

Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, cutting back from relying on drinking at parties, or just tired of endless small talk, learning how to ask better questions is one of the most underrated communication skills you can have.

Research shows that the best communicators ask up to 20 times more questions than the average person... and that people consistently underestimate how much others crave meaningful conversation. So don't worry about making it weird... thoughtful questions aren't awkward, they're impactful.

✨Tune in to hear about:

• The most interesting and fun conversation starters
• Why asking good questions releases oxytocin and builds closeness
• Questions to avoid small talk, create real connection, and bond the room
• Reflection questions to spark meaningful year-end conversations
• Forward-looking questions for intentions, growth, and the new year
• How to redirect uncomfortable topics with boundaries and grace
• Why curiosity is the ultimate hack for social confidence and overcoming social anxiety

For advertising and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Frequency Podcast Network.

Sign up for our monthly adulting newsletter:

teachmehowtoadult.ca/newsletter

Follow us on the ‘gram:

@teachmehowtoadultmedia

@gillian.berner

Follow on TikTok: @teachmehowtoadult

Subscribe on YouTube