Podcast
Becoming My Stronger Me
Hosted by Nassim · EN
"Becoming My Stronger Me” is a podcast designed to help you become stronger in mind, body, and heart.
Season 1 - Like 47 million other Americans, I voluntarily left my successful full-time career to pursue, well, whatever was next. We’ll call this “my great resignation.” As you get to know me, you’ll see that I’m a type-A planner. So to make a life choice without some grand detailed master plan on the other side was unheard of. But now, 2 years later, it was the best decision of my life. Join me as I share my story, questions I asked myself (or wish I had), missteps I made (and how to avoid them), the effect this had on me and everyone around me, and other musings that helped me to become my stronger me.
Season 2 - The Mental Performance Series is dedicated to exploring the intricate relationship between mental performance, sports excellence, leadership, and personal growth. We’ll dive deep into the psychology behind peak performance in athletics, leadership roles, and everyday life. Whether you're an athlete looking to optimize your mental game on the field, a leader seeking to inspire and motivate your team, or an individual striving for personal growth and success, this series provides practical tips, actionable strategies, and inspiring stories to help you unlock your full potential and become your stronger you.
Check out additional resources online: (https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com) and IG (@strongerme)!
44episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Why the Mind is Trainable
Jan 1200:12:44Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Mental performance training only works if the mind is capable of change — and science says it is.In this episode, Coach Nassim explores why the mind is trainable across development, drawing from neuroscience, developmental psychology, learning theory, and skill acquisition research. The conversation breaks down neuroplasticity, brain development from youth through adulthood, and why confidence, focus, and emotional regulation are skills that evolve over time — not fixed traits.As part of the Foundations mini-series, this episode helps athletes, coaches, and parents understand why inconsistency is often a sign of learning, how brain development impacts performance, and why mental skills can be trained at any stage of development.This episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a science-backed explanation for how mental performance is built — intentionally, patiently, and over time.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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What Mental Performance Really Is (and Isn't)
Jan 500:16:29Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Season 3 of the Becoming My Stronger Me podcast begins with the foundation every athlete, coach, and parent needs: a clear, evidence-based understanding of what mental performance actually is — and what it is not.In this episode, Coach Nassim defines mental performance through the lens of applied sport psychology and performance science, clarifying how mental skills differ from motivation, mindset talk, and clinical mental health care. The conversation explores the ethical scope of practice, why psychological skills are trainable, and how confusion around mental performance can lead to unrealistic expectations for athletes, coaches, and parents.This episode sets the stage for the entire season by establishing shared language, clear boundaries, and a research-informed framework for understanding confidence, focus, emotion, and performance under pressure.Whether you are an athlete looking to train the mental side of performance, a coach shaping learning environments, or a parent supporting development, this episode provides the clarity needed to build mental performance with intention and integrity.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Pause with Purpose: Resetting and Creating
Nov 2000:08:56Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this special episode, I share an important update about the podcast, what’s ahead, and why I'm taking a purposeful pause for the first time since launching the show in March 2023.After two full seasons — from the foundational conversations of Season One to the deep-dive Mental Performance Series in Season Two — it’s time to step back, breathe, and create space for something new: the first Becoming My Stronger Me book.For the very first time publicly, I reveal the heart behind the book, how the idea grew from listener feedback, and what this written companion will offer athletes, parents, and coaches who want mental performance tools they can return to again and again. I also share why rest and recovery matter not just for athletes, but for all of us — and how I'm using these next few weeks to write, recharge, and spend time with family.If you’d like to be the first to know when the book is available for pre-order, follow @strongerme on Instagram or email nassim@becomingmystrongerme.com to join the monthly email newsletter.This episode is an invitation to pause with intention — and to step into the new year stronger, clearer, and grounded in purpose.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Social Comparison
Oct 900:10:47Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Comparing yourself to teammates, rivals, or even highlight reels on social media is nearly impossible to avoid. But when social comparison takes over, it can erode confidence, fuel anxiety, and impact mental health.In this episode, Coach Nassim explores the psychology of social comparison, from Leon Festinger’s classic theory to modern research on how constant upward comparison undermines motivation and joy in sport. You’ll hear real-world examples of how comparison shows up in athletes’ lives, why it can be so damaging, and—most importantly—how to shift toward self-reference as the true measure of growth.This episode offers practical strategies for athletes to track their own progress, tools for coaches to create growth-centered cultures, and guidance for parents to help their athletes build confidence without falling into the comparison trap.Whether you’re a young athlete, a coach, or a parent, this conversation will help you reframe comparison and focus on what really matters: becoming stronger, day by day, against your own best self.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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The Parent-Athlete Relationship
Oct 200:10:16Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Parents are some of the most powerful influences in an athlete’s life. The car rides, sideline reactions, and dinner table conversations all leave lasting impressions that can either build confidence or increase pressure.In this episode, I explore the parent–athlete relationship—what helps, what hurts, and how parents, coaches, and athletes themselves can create environments that support resilience, confidence, and joy in sport.Whether you’re a parent on the sidelines, a coach guiding a team, or an athlete reflecting on your own experiences, this episode is filled with tools to make the parent–athlete relationship a force for growth.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Building a Championship Team Culture
Sep 2500:08:00Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!Talent might win games, but culture wins championships. In this episode, I explore how team cohesion and culture can elevate performance on the field and far beyond it. Drawing on sports psychology research, real-life examples, and years of experience working with athletes and coaches, this episode unpacks what makes teams thrive: trust, communication, and shared purpose. You’ll hear practical insights for athletes on how to build up their teammates, guidance for coaches on shaping environments where players take ownership, and advice for parents on reinforcing a healthy culture at home.Whether you’re on the field, on the sidelines, or supporting from the stands, this episode will challenge you to think about the role you play in shaping team culture—and inspire you to start building championship environments, one choice at a time.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Fear of Success
Sep 1800:12:35Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!We all know about the fear of failure—but what about the fear of success? In this episode, I unpack a mindset pattern that quietly limits athletes, coaches, and even parents: the tendency to hold back just as things are going well.Drawing from psychology, sport science, and real-life examples, I explore why some athletes shrink when the spotlight gets brighter, how fear of success differs from fear of failure, and what research tells us about impostor phenomenon, fear of positive evaluation, and self-handicapping.You’ll also hear practical strategies to help athletes own their wins, coaches to create environments where success feels safe, and parents to support their athletes without piling on pressure.Whether you’re on the field, in the classroom, or navigating life beyond sports, this episode will give you the tools to step into success with confidence.Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Linda Penkala
Sep 1100:36:19Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I’m joined by Linda Penkala—former racehorse jockey, licensed massage therapist, wellness educator, and author of "The Pause to Relax". Linda’s journey from the fast-paced, high-stress world of horse racing to her work in women’s health and self-care offers a powerful perspective on resilience, healing, and the importance of slowing down.We talk about how her experience as a jockey shaped her understanding of stress and performance, and how she now helps women prioritize their own heart health, manage stress, and reclaim balance through intentional practices. Her message is clear: pausing isn’t a weakness—it’s a path to strength, healing, and vitality. This conversation is for anyone who feels caught in the race of life and needs a reminder that taking time for yourself isn’t optional, it’s essential.Connect with Linda: www.lindapenkala.comSupport the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Kelsey Lineberger
Sep 400:50:25Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I’m joined by Kelsey Lineberger—a lifelong softball player, former collegiate athlete, and mental health professional who has redefined her relationship with the sport she loves.Kelsey’s journey began at just five years old on the t-ball field and carried her through collegiate play in West Virginia and at Saint Vincent College. After graduation, she coached as a graduate assistant at Hood College before transitioning into a career in the mental and behavioral health field, where she’s worked with people of all ages and backgrounds.But softball never left her story. Today, she plays several times a week, competes in monthly tournaments, and in 2023 co-founded a women’s team with her best friend. Earlier this year, they won their first championship together at Spring States. Beyond the wins, their team has become a safe and supportive space where women can compete, connect, and grow both on and off the field.Kelsey opens up about how this chapter of her life has been deeply fulfilling and healing—an opportunity to return to the game not for performance, but for the pure joy of playing. Her story is a powerful reminder that sport can be both competitive and restorative, and that the communities we create matter as much as the results we achieve.Connect with Kelsey:kelseyllineberger@gmail.comIG @kelslineSupport the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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Conversation with Jess Jensen
Aug 2800:32:49Tap to summarizeText me your thoughts!In this episode, I’m joined by Jess Jensen, founder of Co-pilot Communications, a Portland-based advisory helping bold executives and founders build digital brands that actually sound like them.After 20 years inside Fortune 100 companies—including Microsoft, Qualcomm, Nestlé, and Adidas—Jess launched Co-pilot in 2024 to help leaders stop playing small online and start showing up with clarity and confidence. Her approach blends sharp messaging, editorial strategy, and smart use of platforms like LinkedIn and podcasting to help clients cut through generic content and amplify leadership that’s clear, grounded, and human.Beyond her professional work, Jess’s story is also shaped by sport. Growing up, she was both a soccer player and a dancer—learning to balance discipline with creativity, teamwork with individuality. Today, she’s an avid cyclist, finding resilience and endurance on the bike that mirrors her mission as a brand advisor: pushing limits, staying the course, and helping others show up fully as themselves.In our conversation, Jess shares why your personal brand isn’t just marketing—it’s your moat. We dive into how to lead with authenticity online, why clarity matters more than polish, and what it looks like to take back the mic before someone else shapes your narrative for you.If you’re a leader, coach, athlete, or anyone navigating how to show up authentically in the world, this episode is full of insights you won’t want to miss.Connect with Jess:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicakjensen/Website: https://www.copilotcommunications.com/Support the showWebsite: https://www.becomingmystrongerme.com/Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/becomingmystrongerme/IG: @strongermeTikTok: @becomingmystrongerme
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