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What if the real secret to change wasn’t discipline or willpower but learning how to work with your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in harmony?

In this empowering episode of Manders Mindset, Amanda Russo sits down with Melyssa, a health coach with a master’s in clinical psychology, to explore how lasting change really happens. From her early days as a marine mammal trainer to her journey through group fitness, body image challenges, grief, and burnout, Melyssa shares why mindset matters more than motivation, and how small behavioral shifts can reset everything.

Together, Amanda and Melyssa unpack the power of the cognitive triangle, why emotions shouldn’t drive the car, and how to “sit in the suck but not get stuck.” With refreshing honesty and deep insight, Melyssa shows how movement, mental health, and mindset intersect and why behavior is the one part of change you can control.

This episode is for anyone who's tired of starting over, wants to build sustainable health habits, or is ready to rewrite the story in their head.

💡 In this episode, listeners will discover:

🧠 How the cognitive triangle connects thoughts, emotions, and behaviors
 💥 Why behavior change works even when motivation is missing
 🧘‍♀️ How grief, stress, and burnout impact wellness and how to move through them
 🩰 The story of ballet, body image, and finding healing through fitness
 🎧 A genius tip for writing a book without writer’s block
 🧬 What lifestyle medicine really means and how it can transform your health
 💬 The mindset mantra: “Sit in the suck, but don’t get stuck”

⏰ Timeline Summary:

[2:20 ] – From marine mammal training to mindset coaching
 [7:55 ] – Childhood, identity, and the roots of her wellness journey
 [14:30 ] – Discovering group fitness and the healing power of movement
 [21:40 ] – Breaking down the cognitive triangle: where real change starts
 [30:15 ] – Body shame, ballet, and redefining strength
 [38:40 ] – Grief, loss, and honoring emotions without getting stuck
 [46:25 ] – Coaching vs. therapy: how mindset bridges both
 [55:10 ] – Size-inclusive fitness, bar classes, and reclaiming joy in movement
 [1:03:45 ] – Final five: values, legacy, and creating change with kindness