What's on Your "Almost" List? - Minisode - Everything Is Energy with Cathy Heller

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: "What's on Your 'Almost' List?" - The Cathy Heller Podcast with Cathy Heller

Episode Date: January 23, 2026
Host: Cathy Heller
Main Theme: Identity, Self-Betrayal, and Actually Becoming Your “2.0” Self

Episode Overview

In this minisode, Cathy Heller challenges listeners to confront their patterns of almost changing—where dreams remain unfulfilled and goals untouched—not due to laziness, but to deep-seated identity and generational programming around self-betrayal. The episode is a call to move beyond wishful thinking and spiritual surface work into concrete behavioral change, aligning daily actions with one’s highest, most expansive self. Cathy introduces her new program, "Done," designed to help people shift from endless planning to real transformation, eliminating the annual sadness of unfulfilled resolutions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Manifestation Requires Behavioral Change, Not Just Positive Thinking

Identity is the Real Block:
Cathy opens by explaining how real transformation isn’t about “trying harder” or manifesting through vibes alone, but about fundamentally changing habitual behaviors that reinforce outdated identities.
- Quote (00:00):
  
  “If you keep saying that you want a new life, but your days still look pretty much the same, it’s identity. Most people aren't blocked. They're just unconsciously loyal to the version of themselves that they've always been.” — Cathy
Habits Over Affirmations:
Visualization and desire alone are not enough; action is necessary for life to “respond differently.”
- Quote (01:04):
  
  “You can visualize the next level all day long, but if your habits stay the same, life keeps responding with the same results, the same patterns, the same money, the same almost Groundhog Day, but just with affirmations.” — Cathy

2. The "Almost" List: The Truth Behind Unfulfilled Dreams

Cathy introduces the concept of the “almost” list—those goals you nearly achieved but never finished.

Year in Review — The Regret of Almost:
Cathy prompts listeners to reflect on 2025:
- Quote (03:31):
  
  “What did you almost do in 2025? Did you almost become powerful? Did you almost set the boundaries that you needed to set?... This is the best list ever, because this is where the rubber meets the road. So let's get honest.” — Cathy
A Personal List:
She gets vulnerable, sharing her own almosts despite her overall success.

3. Why We Stay Stuck: The Pattern of Self-Betrayal

Choosing Others Over Ourselves:
Cathy exposes a hard truth: We’re more comfortable letting ourselves down than risking others’ disappointment.
- Quote (05:26):
  
  “…We've gotten so used to self abandonment, self betrayal. That's really what it is. We would rather disappoint ourselves than anyone else.” — Cathy
The Cycle is Generational:
She explains how women, in particular, have been conditioned for centuries to self-betray—being “good girls” rather than living their fullest truths.
- Quote (06:11):
  
  “It's because it is genetically passed down. Right? We are the generation of women who've been told, ‘Hey girl, hey, you can do whatever you want!’ But that was just not the way it was for thousands of years.” — Cathy

4. The Solution: Action Through Identity Shift

“To Done” List vs “To-Do” List:
Cathy flips the script, inviting listeners to create a “to done” list for 2026, not just goals, but completed dreams.
Accountability and Support - The “Done” Program:
Cathy introduces her 90-day program, “Done,” built around daily identity habits, live coaching, and community—because structure and consistent commitment are necessary for deep change.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

On the futility of surface manifestation:

"Manifestation is not about wanting harder or having only better vibes. It's actually about your behavior."
– Cathy, 00:25
On the almost list:

“You almost got divorced. You almost started a business. You almost had fun. You almost launched a podcast... How does it feel that year after year, you look in the rearview mirror and there’s a long list of almost?”
– Cathy, 03:44
On self-betrayal’s roots:

“We have guilt in our head, like, I can’t do that because I need it. It all goes back to self betrayal and self abandonment... your job is to be nice and good. Be a good girl.”
– Cathy, 06:01
On breaking the cycle:

“You are the answer to their prayers.”
– Cathy, 06:44

Important Timestamps

00:00 – Discussing identity and why patterns don’t change
01:15 – Explanation of the “Done” program and its purpose
03:31 – Deep dive: What’s on your almost list? Self-review exercise
05:26 – Root causes: Why do we keep disappointing ourselves?
06:11 – Generational conditioning and self-betrayal

Cathy’s Tone & Style

Cathy’s delivery is grounded yet encouraging, candid and often vulnerable. She lovingly holds the mirror up, urging listeners to move from introspection and intention to bold, sustained action—not through shame but empathetic truth-telling.

Summary Takeaways

Surface manifestation is not enough; everything changes through identity-backed action.
Your “almost” list is powerful data; it reveals where self-betrayal and old habits block your progress.
Women, especially, are rewriting centuries of programming around putting themselves last.
Creating a “to done” list requires support, structure, and a willingness to prioritize your own dreams without apology.
Real transformation comes from shifting how you see (and treat) yourself—then your life must reorganize around the new you.

For those needing more than inspiration—a real catalyst for change—Cathy’s message (and her “Done” program) provides both tough love and tangible pathways.

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Transcript6 lines

[00:00]
A
If you keep saying that you want a new life, but your days still look pretty much the same, it's identity. Most people aren't blocked. They're just unconsciously loyal to the version of themselves that they've always been. Because we all love to plan and journal and process and we love to talk about what we want to do. And then we wake up the next day and we don't do any of it. And it's because manifestation is not about wanting harder or having only better vibes. It's actually about your behavior. Because your identity is not just how you think and feel, but then it becomes the actions of what you're doing. And then the results show up, right? So if your actions don't change, your life doesn't either. That's why so many people are living the same Groundhog Day year after year, on repeat. And they set new intentions, but they have the same outcomes. Because the shift is not about more insight. It's from moving differently. Moving differently long enough for life to respond at some point. It's taking that action that becomes the flex. So if you've been thinking, I know what I should be doing, so why am I not doing it? This is for you. It's not because you're lazy or broken. It's because we keep living from an old identity, but we have new desires. And manifestation does not work that way. You can visualize the next level all day long, but if your habits stay the same, life keeps responding with the same results, the same patterns, the same money, the same almost Groundhog Day, but just with affirmations. So this is why I created done, period. Done is a 90 day sprint where we stop talking about what your 2.0 self would be like and we start living like her. So inside Done, it's daily training to lock in your 2.0 identity habits. Clear direction every single day so you're not second guessing yourself. There's going to be two live coaching sessions a week for me, for momentum and support and a container that keeps you in motion long enough for reality to actually shift. This is not about trying harder. It's about committing differently. It's the identity. It's how you think and feel. It's the action, it's what you do. And then the results can't help but show up. When you change your behavior, the identity follows. And when you change your identity, life reorganizes. If you're tired of just waiting to be ready, this is your season. The doors are open now and the price is going up. On Monday if you want to join us, go to kathyheller.com done. You are going to be so happy that you did this. And now in 90 days, we are going to do more in 90 days than you did all last year than you probably did in years. We're going to collapse decades into days. I cannot wait. Let's freaking go. Go to kathyheller.com done. I can't wait.
[02:38]
B
Hey, guys, it's Kathy.
[02:39]
A
I'm back for a bonus episode because your dreams can no longer be just in layaway. Like, this is the year that you are going to allow yourself to show up and live as the most expansive, healthiest, wealthiest, most alive version of you. So I hope that this is going to inspire you. And I want you to know that I just announced a brand new program I'm doing. It's called Drumroll, please. Done. Done is a 90 day sprint where we stop talking about your 2.0 self and start living like her. Done is about mastering manifestations so completely that deciding becomes enough. You move, life responds. It's done. It's 90 days of structure, support, follow through. If you're tired of knowing what you want and still not living it, this is for you. Doors are closing soon, so get in now. Just go to kathyheller.com done. Okay, let's get into this episode. Take a listen.
[03:32]
B
What did you almost do in 2025? But you didn't. What did you almost do? Did you almost become powerful? Did you almost set boundaries that you needed to set? Did you almost lose the weight, but didn't? Did you almost decide that this was the year that you're going to do all the things you need to be wealthy and financially literate, but you just didn't. What did you almost do? I almost. This. This is the best list ever, because this is where the rubber meets the road. So let's get honest. You almost got divorced. You almost started a business. You almost had fun. You almost launched a podcast. You almost were horseback riding regularly. You almost hired a housekeeper. You almost quit your job. You almost finished the book. You almost were consistent. You almost learned. First of all, I love you and I love the honesty. And I have a whole list of those myself. Even though 2025 was a really good year for me because I followed through on a lot of things and we're going to talk about that later. But there were still other things that were almost all of these things. It's interesting now. How does it feel that year after year, you look in the rearview mirror and there's a Long list of almost. And many of you know at this point, I created this program called Done. But it's because I don't want to do lists out there that are almost. I want you to have a to done list. I want it done. I want you to feel it's done. It's not almost. I want you to get to the end of this year, December 31, 2026, and say, here's my to done list. It's done. This was the year. This is it. Okay? And it goes back to those two words I said before. Because why the almost? Why is there a list of almost? It's because we've gotten so used to self abandonment, self betrayal. That's really what it is. We would rather disappoint ourselves than anyone else. And that is the reason. That is the reason if we went through every single one of what you think is the reason.
[05:49]
A
It's not.
[05:50]
B
It has to do with what they call the shitty committee, right? What would these people think? What would actually happen? Blah, blah, blah, blah. How would I be perceived? Would I fail? Would I this? Would I that? Can I take the risk? Can it? Am I worthy of it? It's like all the ways we just don't invest in ourselves, all the ways that we're just afraid of rocking the boat, all the ways that we have guilt in our head, like, I can't do that because I need it. It's like it all goes back to self betrayal and self abandonment. And sadly, it's because it is genetically passed down. Right? We are the generation of women who've been told, hey girl, hey girl, hey, you can do whatever you want. But that was just not the way it was for thousands of years. Okay? So what happened was in order for people to live inside of their lives, they had to be obedient to the rules. Which meant, of course, you self betrayed. Your job is to be nice and good. Be a good girl. Be a good girl. You know how to be good, right? Being good at all costs was the name of the game. So it's a big mission when what you saw in your mother and your grandmother and her mother and her mother and her mother and her mother and her mother wasn't this. But you are the answer to their prayers.