Episode 320: Un-Shaming the Brain - A New Take on Motivation and Executive Functioning with Chrissy Nichols

This week’s Success is Subjective guest, Chrissy Nichols, spent more than two decades teaching before discovering her true calling—helping learners of all ages understand how their brains actually work. As an executive function coach, Chrissy specializes in guiding young adults (often returning from therapeutic or wilderness programs) to find balance, accountability, and self-trust through what she calls “love-hammer coaching”—a blend of compassion and tough honesty that empowers lasting change. In this conversation with Joanna Lilly, Chrissy shares how growing up with an undiagnosed ADHD brain led her to design her own hacks for organization and focus, eventually turning those same strategies into tools for others. She and Joanna explore what it means to un-shame the brain, why traditional “just try harder” messages fail, and how foundational routines—sleep, hydration, movement, fuel, and reflection—create the mental bandwidth needed to thrive.This episode is an encouraging reminder that success isn’t about perfection or productivity—it’s about connection, curiosity, and learning to meet yourself where you are.

Chrissy’s Resources:

Chrissy’s Website
Complementary Consultation
Facebook: The Chrissy Concept

Connect with Joanna Lilley

Therapeutic Consulting Association

Lilley Consulting Website

Lilley Consulting on Facebook

Lilley Consulting on YouTube
Email [e-mail]

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