The Pleasure Project with Dana Skoglund

How I used ChatGPT to uncover my patterns (and turned it into a Success Playbook)I share a behind-the-scenes experiment that turned into a game-changing self-coaching tool: I uploaded two years of journal entries to ChatGPT and asked it to identify my patterns. What came back was like having an ultra-insightful coach mirror back the exact moments I get dysregulated, slip into fear-based survival mode, and unintentionally self-sabotage… plus the specific non-negotiables that keep me grounded, regulated, and moving forward.If you’ve ever wondered why you “know what to do” but still fall into the same loops, this episode will help you see the real root: safety. When the body doesn’t feel safe, it defaults to fight/flight/freeze/fawn — and willpower won’t fix that. Awareness + regulation tools + a personalized Success Playbook will.In this episode, we cover:The real reason self-sabotage happens: your subconscious is designed for survival, not successHow fight/flight/freeze/fawn can show up as:People-pleasing and overcommitting (fawn)Overworking and pushing harder (fight)Procrastinating, scrolling, avoiding (flight/freeze)Why “try harder” and “more discipline” often backfire when you’re dysregulatedThe power of awareness: naming your triggers and patterns so you can interrupt them in real timeHow I created a Success Playbook (and why certain practices became non-negotiable)Why a simple habit tracker can help reinforce safety, consistency, and momentumHow you can create your own Success Playbook in about an hour — even without years of journalingGet the Success Playbook Prompts (Free)I created a Google Doc with journal prompts (takes ~1 hour) + the exact ChatGPT prompt to generate your own Success Playbook.To get it:Click here to go to the Instagram postComment PLAYBOOKYou’ll be automatically sent the Google DocIf this episode helped you, share it with a friend — and please rate + review the podcast. It helps more people find these tools and use them to create real change.Click here to join The Pleasure Project Program

In this masterclass-style episode, I share the core framework behind Your Year of Pleasure: how to stop white-knuckling your goals and create results with pleasure and ease instead of pressure. You’ll learn the Being & Becoming paradox (loving where you are while loving where you’re going), the two habits to stop immediately if you want real change, and how to work with your nervous system and subconscious patterns so follow-through becomes easier—and more enjoyable.If you’re tired of the “I’ll be happy when…” treadmill, this one is your reset.In This Episode, You’ll LearnWhy “getting what you want” doesn’t automatically make you happier (hello, hedonic treadmill)The Being & Becoming paradox: how to love your life now without giving up your desiresThe New Rule: I can love where I am… and still want moreThe 2 things to STOP if you want to change your patterns:Judging yourselfIdentifying with your challenges as “who you are”How subconscious programming + nervous system safety drive your habits and choicesWhy avoiding emotions keeps you stuck—and how learning to feel it all creates freedomHow to change your relationship with fear so action becomes easierThe 4-step Follow-Through Formula to reduce resistance and build momentumThe “Pleasure Tax”: what we pay when we rely on quick fixes for reliefIf you’re done postponing your life—and you want coaching support while the pattern is happening—I invite you into The Pleasure Project Program, a 12-month coaching experience designed to help you rewire your patterns, build pleasure-based follow-through, and create results with more ease, joy, and self-trust.Apply hereClick here to join The Pleasure Project Program

Create Your 2026 VisionHappy New Year! This episode is your invitation to pause before you sprint into New Year goals. In today’s episode, I share pieces from my 2-Day Annual Planning Retreat, including a powerful reframe on why your dream life is closer than you think, how subconscious programming shapes what you believe is possible, and why the real key to transformation isn’t willpower—it’s alignment, emotional mastery, and self-trust.You’ll explore how to reflect on your wins (so you don’t miss your own life), why visualization and “observation” matter, and how to become the kind of woman who can hold what she says she wants. This is equal parts mindset, neuroscience, and deep personal truth—designed to help you step into 2026 with clarity, confidence, and excitement.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why reflecting on your wins is a potent step before setting new goalsHow weekly “win tracking” helps you stop living in “not enough” energyThe quantum-inspired idea that your desires already exist as possibilities—and the real gap is programming, not potentialHow visualization trains your brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS) to notice opportunities aligned with your visionWhy “resistance” often isn’t laziness—it’s a lack of internal safetyThe difference between the happiness of pursuit vs. the pursuit of happinessHow to “insource” the feelings you think you’ll get once you reach the goalThe surprising reason you may not have what you want yet: avoidance of unwanted emotionsWhat emotional mastery actually looks like: the ability to hold duality—desire and discomfort, joy and fearMentioned in This EpisodeAnnual Planning Retreat Replay + WorkbookYou can still access the full replay and workbook so you can take yourself through the planning process for 2026.👉 Get the replay + workbook hereHere's what participants said:These two days were like “coming home”, putting things together, acknowledging the wonderful things in my life this year and excited about the new. Thank you, Dana. - Elvira Biggest takeaway from these two days: it can be pleasureful — it is not a grind, it's a JOY to set and pursue goals. — StephanieThank you 🙏 Energizing process !! Loved hearing others' goals/intentions. Loved the feeling in meditation to go from cinema seat into future self. — SueIf You Loved This Episode…Share it with a friend who’s setting goals for 2026Leave a rating + review (it helps more women find this work)And if you want support implementing your vision (not just writing it down), keep an eye on myupcoming offerings in 2026—including the revamped Pleasure Project Program and my new Coaching Certification Program.Click here to join The Pleasure Project Program

We’re taught that great decision-making is about logic—more pros/cons, more research, more certainty. But neuroscience tells a different story: we don’t decide with logic alone. We decide with emotion. And when you’re struggling to choose, it’s often because you’re trying to avoid an uncomfortable feeling—regret, failure, judgment, disappointment, uncertainty.In this episode, I break down why analysis paralysis happens, why waiting to feel confident is a trap, and how to make decisions from self-trust instead of fear.You’ll walk away with a simple 3-step framework to help you decide faster, cleaner, and with way more peace.In this episode:Why decision-making isn’t driven by logic—it’s driven by emotionThe real reason you procrastinate decisions (and what “thinking about it” usually means)How avoided emotions turn into analysis paralysis and self-doubtWhy “Is this the right decision?” is the question that keeps you stuckA new definition of confidence: self-trust, not certaintyThe hidden cost of choosing “not now” (and why indecision is still a decision)A 3-step decision framework you can use immediately: your why → normalize discomfort → choose growthIf you’re craving a real reset—one that actually changes how you live (not just how you plan)—join one of my New Year's Retreats:✨ If you’re in Kelowna and want a full embodied reset, join in-person:Pranify Yoga on January 1, 2026, to ring in the New Year with movement, mindfulness, reflection, and visioning. Click here to save your spot (use discount code HAPPYNY50 for $50 off!) ✨ If you want time to pause and plan from home during the quieter days, join the virtual retreat:My 2-Day Annual Planning Virtual Retreat on Monday, December 29 & Tuesday, December 30, 2025. Click here to sign upClick here to join The Pleasure Project Program

In this episode, I’m finally sharing something that has been 13 years in the making: my brand new coaching certification program. It feels surreal to say that out loud.I start by taking you back to the moment everything changed for me—the night I realized I wasn’t willing to settle for a job just to pay the bills. Thirteen years later, I’ve turned my annual income into my monthly income, and I can honestly say I have the most fulfilling job in the world.In this episode, I’m walking you through the 7 steps to becoming a life coach, based on everything I’ve learned through helping hundreds of people transform their lives. Whether you’re already coaching, secretly dreaming about it, or just curious if this path is for you, this conversation will help you get clarity on what’s next.In this episode, we explore:The real beginning of my coaching journey (and the full-body “no” that redirected my entire life).Why knowing your story, your values, and your “why” is the foundation of everything.The skills every great coach needs—and why one modality isn’t enough.What makes an offer truly compelling (hint: it’s not more sessions).Simple ways to get visible without feeling like you’re “putting yourself out there.”How to think about sales in a way that actually feels good.What “red carpet delivery” looks like in practice.And the mindset work that separates the people who dream about coaching from those who actually build a career doing it.If you’ve been feeling that tug—like there’s something more you’re meant to do, or a bigger impact waiting for you—listen closely. You’ll know if this path is calling your name.About the Coaching CertificationFor the first time ever, I’m bringing together everything I’ve learned—mindset, behavioural, emotional, somatic, and subconscious coaching—into one year-long program. This founding round is small, intimate, and high-touch because I want to personally mentor each coach through the process.If you want 2026 to be the year you finally step into the work you feel called to do, you can apply to join the founding group. There are only a few spots left, and if you’ve been listening to this episode thinking “this is me”… it probably is.👉 Apply here to join us (or reach out to me directly if you have questions).And if you have a friend who’s been talking about becoming a coach, send this episode their way. One conversation really can change the entire trajectory of someone’s life.Click here to join The Pleasure Project Program