Clean Your F*cking House B*tch
Our minds are like houses. When they're new, they're empty. As we live our lives we acquire treasures that eventually turn into shit that creates clutter. Some of this stuff is useful, while some of it is simply junk which just creates obstacles for us. What if we could eliminate the nonsense we don't need, and create more room for useful things? Join us on this podcast where we discuss removing what we don't need, implementing beneficial changes to our minds, bodies and souls, to create a life of abundance and fulfillment.
Clean Your F*cking House B*tch
Ep. 116 - Variety Builds Better Minds
Variety doesn’t have to mean chaos. We pull apart the myth that change derails progress and show how intentional variety—paired with a simple structure—can boost motivation, sharpen your mind, and unlock better results in fitness, nutrition, work, and everyday life. It starts with a small spark: one unexpected reaction to a social post, a new food on your plate, or a single switch in your morning routine. That spark creates momentum because your brain thrives on novelty and your body responds to fresh stimuli.
We walk through practical ways to keep things fresh without losing your footing. In the gym, that looks like alternating movement patterns, training stabilizers as well as prime movers, and cycling intensity to avoid plateaus. In the kitchen, it’s “eat the rainbow,” rotating proteins, and adjusting meal timing to support your goals. On the mindset side, we lean into micro-experiments—brushing with your non-dominant hand, changing your route, or inserting a three-minute breath reset—so your nervous system learns to handle bigger changes with less stress. Structure stays on duty: a steady sleep window, a short daily plan, and a baseline of movement give you an anchor while you explore.
Community supercharges the process. Training with others shows you what’s possible, keeps you honest, and often inspires more consistent solo practice between sessions. We talk about embracing discomfort in small doses—like easing into cold exposure or testing a fasting window—so you can separate true misfit from simple hesitation. Along the way, gratitude reframes “one more problem” into a “high-class problem,” the kind that signals you’re growing. The pattern becomes a loop: awareness leads to a tiny switch, a small win builds confidence, and confidence invites the next challenge.
If you’re ready to trade autopilot for intention, start with one change today and build from there. Subscribe for more practical mindset and performance tools, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a review with the tiny switch you’re trying this week.
Hello and welcome to Clean Your Fucking House, bitch, with Nancy, Kevin, and Lou. In our program, we get real about the challenges of life and living. Your mind is the most powerful tool you have to ensure you are on your desired path for success and satisfaction. Yet, from the day you are born, you gradually and subconsciously fill it with tons of useless shit that gets in your way. Why is that? How can you clean that mess up? We'll show you how. Get ready to clean your fucking house.
SPEAKER_01:Hi, everybody. Thanks for joining us yet again. Today, Kevin and I are here without Lou, and we thought we would talk about the power of variety. And this struck me because, you know, I do regular social media posting. And well, I'm irregular about it, but I do it. And I try to just do a variety of things that grab a variety of people. And it really struck me in particular when I posted something that someone who doesn't respond very often, not even with a like or a love, you know, they just acknowledgement, but comments, um, was deeply moved by something I posted. And it just gave me an aha moment, a feeling like, wow, it's so important to remember that we want to be um inclusive of everybody, right? We want variety and we want to not get stuck in a routine. And and it's it empowered me, it gave me new energy back because this person came from out of the normal breadth of people who respond to my social media, and it gave me some extra juice, which we all need. But then it also made me think, yeah, thanks, about not only do we need to have variety in our social media, but like maybe many of you have heard the term eat the rainbow. And we can't people who then get into a mindset of changing their diet for whatever purposes, to gain weight, to build muscle, to lose weight. Um, start a routine and you want to be consistent with that routine. But if you do the same thing every time, your body wises up and it says, Oh, now you're just giving me the same thing every day, and I'm gonna start reserving energy again and holding on to the carbs you ate. So you have to mix it up and confuse it. And hopefully many of you have also heard of the term muscle confusion. And we can't just work the same muscles or just the large muscles. We have to work the small muscles. We have to find variety even in the physical activity that we do in order to really gain the most from it. So even though I knew that before, it just struck me in a new way that the power of variety is impactful.
SPEAKER_03:That's funny how that happens out of random things sometimes, right? You have this aha moment. What's really coming to mind for me, so two main things like I guess the word balance now that I'm thinking what to say, but variety struck me from the aspect of like brain plasticity and trying different things. I just went through a training week um with a decent sized group, and part of what I discussed in one of the presentations was kind of switching things up a little bit, like how to take action, you know, despite it maybe feeling uncomfortable. And I didn't really bring it up at the time, but I thought about it afterwards. It was one of those moments where it's like, damn it, I should have ventured down this path. But it was, I think we had it like episodes ago, possibly with a guest, but just talking about like kind of switching things up, something as simple as your morning routine. Yeah. And you're, you know, you're igniting different neurons and pathways. And through doing that, you can create more of an internal neurological environment of being okay with change, right? The more that you get out of your comfort zone, and even if it's not like something you're uncomfortable with, just trying something different, just being present, being aware, and really like intentionally switching it up. Brush your teeth with the opposite hand that you always do, or whatever. But then the other thing that came up to me was how to balance switching things up with the structure that can be very useful in life, too, right? You can't just be hectic, and the word hectic comes to mind, Nancy. Like, you know, all a lot of the stuff I'm dealing with with this new house and move and moving and all of that. And for me to get through, like that was a lot of change for me to get through that. I had to have some of my normal routine going through with a lot that that I know serves me well. So I guess what are your thoughts on everything I just shared?
SPEAKER_01:Oh my gosh, so many things, but balance is you're so right. Like, we need some centering balance for the consistency that helps us build the routines, right? And that you need some balance for all the new stuff. You need the core strength to handle all the other shit happening around. I'm waving my arms. Um, and I love what you said about inviting different pathways because I know we've talked before about neuropathways and how it's now pretty common for everybody to know that at any age people can create new neuropathways, but it does take the choice to take new actions and switch up your routine, as you say, and embrace doing that different thing. So it takes you know, it's funny how every time we talk, it comes back to choice and awareness.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Decisions.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, everything happens in the present moment. Well, you just made me think of I know we always try to share practical like use cases for our listeners. But what just came to mind, and it feels new as a concept to me, although we've probably ventured down the path before. But just like doing just that, like if you feel like you're living in autopilot, maybe a first step versus like jumping off a cliff into something completely crazy and trying to change up your life overnight, is just try to live with a bit more awareness and a bit more intention. And in the morning, when you know, depending on someone's schedule, that to me is one of those times where you probably do things a very specific way because you have to be somewhere at a certain time, and you probably have some shit to do in the morning, right? So to me, that's a time where it's like bam, bam, bam, same routine, take the same exact steps every morning, like you cut it perfectly close to be able to get to work on time or whatever. But maybe that's just you know, get up a little bit early, try something completely different. It's gonna force you to be more present and aware.
SPEAKER_01:So true. And I'm laughing because literally I had that conversation with my daughter, whether it was this morning or yesterday, I don't know. But we were talking about embracing some new activities, if you will. And she's like, that's just not gonna happen for me in the morning because already this is the way it goes, and there isn't room.
SPEAKER_04:Right.
SPEAKER_01:But being able to know that instead of thinking, well, what I should do in the morning and trying to do the hard thing is like, no, no, no, do it where you know you can be successful.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. Love that concept, and have a plan. It's funny that you like that it was presented that way of like, no, like I don't have the time, like I this a lot of the topics that came up for me in this training was having an action plan and knowing how to incorporate different things into an already busy life, right? We're typically utilizing every minute of every day for something, whether it's autopilot or intentional or whatever, just you know, have a plan to execute. And then the other thing is like the self self-limiting beliefs, I guess, are strong in all of us. And these these scripts that we have. Yeah, like let's not. I I I'm I try to be of the mindset of like I don't want to could I want to be my biggest supporter, you know. Like if I'm not gonna cheer for myself and root myself on, like how can I expect anybody else to? And just knowing, like, even if it's hard, I can try.
SPEAKER_01:That's easy to say out loud and bless you, right? Like I'm back for that. But also in your head or my head is that you know, like I want to do that thing, but in my head is all the reasons that are limits.
SPEAKER_03:Um for sure. Maybe with that, it's just like try try a piece of whatever it is that might seem very big, you know, dip your toes in instead of just cannonballing in. Just kind of seeing if it's you know, if it's just that it's on if it's not a fit, that's one thing. You know, we need to be in tune enough to know what doesn't resonate. But also, I feel like many of us are very quick to make decisions on something that seems hard or impossible. Um, two things that come up for me are fasting and cold water exposure, right?
SPEAKER_01:I just read an article on that today, but keep going.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, and those two things, for some reason, whenever you talk about like you know, diet is a very sensitive topic for everybody, everybody has preferences and perceptions, perspective. The cold water therapy thing, it's like just immediately many responses for anyone who's never tried it is no, absolutely not. There's no way. But then if you talk to someone who has tried it, like I survived, I felt great afterwards. So, you know, don't say no to something if it's just your hesitancy to get uncomfortable, I guess. Again, if it's not a fit or whatever, then you're making a conscious decision, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Exactly. To your point, it you may not choose to do it, and that's okay, but don't blindly eliminate the option before you play out possibilities.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, 100%.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:But I will say, like, that is definitely something very uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_01:And oh, I say, I'm like not going to happen. I was going to a place where it's an option. I was doing a heat therapy, and they kept saying, You would this would be really good for you, you would respond, your body would like it. I'm like, mm-mm.
SPEAKER_03:Don't touch me with that cold.
SPEAKER_01:I'm also doing what you made me think of. Um there's a group in the neighborhood of women that do uh a regular workout. Um there's a person who leads it, she's amazing, they're all amazing. And so I have some free time currently, so I decided that it would be good for me to join. Oh my gosh. They're doing things at a level well beyond me, but I don't mind being there and just knowing what my level and capacity is, you know, and recognizing that I don't need 30 pounds right now for the deadlift. I'm fine with less, or whatever the things are, right? That I can modify to begin that affords me the ability to keep going.
SPEAKER_03:I feel like the connection piece, like the human to human interaction piece is really beneficial. I've learned that in like recent years. And then you end up meeting people with similar interests. And like even if it doesn't become you know your entire life, because we all have so much going on, at least it's it's a part of it. You know, it becomes something that's very important a lot of times. And then when you have some support or some people around you that you know you enjoy that lift you up, sometimes challenge you, yeah. You know, that can be a phenomenal thing versus trying to do everything solo.
SPEAKER_01:Well, ironically, it has provided more motivation and inspiration to do my independent workouts in between the times that I join those. So it has given, you know, even my existing routine a boost and more consistency or more repetition simply because so variety, so boom, without even planning that it comes back to variety, um supporting impact in that.
SPEAKER_03:I love that. The same thing happened to me too. I don't know, I never really thought about why. I think maybe it's because like if you start something new and you're around some people that have been doing that practice for a number of years, they're gonna be at a different level a lot of the times than where you currently are. And to be able to see what's possible right in front of your eyes, and then also to have the support, it makes you want to like improve in a way, at least it does for me. Like I'll find myself working out on the side outside of the gym to try to just level up, you know? Yeah, like a channel, a personal challenge.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and it does it helps, and that comes across in a physical and a mental way. Like you're physically going to get your body is going to have some result. But in your head, that comes first. Oh, 100%. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Especially if it's a very difficult challenge, something that's not, you know, you're not rolling out of bed, maybe looking forward to all elements of that thing, but you push yourself to go, knowing that once you complete it, you've always felt good afterwards, right? So it's like a delayed gratification in a way, in a world where it's all about immediate gratification. And you know, sometimes the intention is needing to really focus on changes that you are going through. The mental, emotional element of a lot of physical activities does come first. And it for like it's the most important piece in a lot of ways. You know, the the physical health part is almost secondary to having the will and determination and knowing that you did something hard and you followed through. You know, you kept going with it. I'm speaking a lot from like personal experience, but I'm being pretty vague, so that hopefully it resonates with our listeners.
SPEAKER_01:I think I hope it does too, because I think that's so true. People can imagine sometimes it's good to be vague because the people can imagine their own experience and where they have felt it before, and then snag that feeling back up.
SPEAKER_03:And and you know, coming back around to the original topic, there's a whole world of options out there of things to try. I just learned I was talking with one of the guys at Jiu-Jitsu, I think this week, and we never really chatted too much, but we started chatting. He would we were talking about my house and stuff, and he's house hunting and whatever. And he wants to get a large, a larger property, and he was asking me, like, what are you gonna do with the land and all this stuff? And I was like, I'm gonna get some chickens or whatever, right? He's like, Yeah, I really want to get a nice size lot so that I can get back into pigeons. And I was like, pigeons? He's like, Yeah, pigeon racing. And I was like, I didn't know that was a thing. And he was telling me, like, even where I used to live in Oak Lawn, he's like, Yeah, if you ever like, do you ever look up at this? Because you'll see pigeon, like they fly hundreds of miles, like in a like a homing pigeon. Or I had no idea that that existed, but that's something he's super passionate about, and so just getting out there and trying different things, like maybe you fall in love with something you never even knew existed.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Um, and you don't necessarily need a lot of space for that. There's one of my neighbors, and I'm kind of in the burbs, has some. I don't know which house, but I see the afternoon. There's definitely a flop, and they have an afternoon flight pattern. Yeah. So I know they're right here, and whether they race them or they I don't know what they do.
SPEAKER_03:I don't know. Pigeon fighting?
SPEAKER_01:No fighting. No. I don't think that's happening. Not fine. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Yo.
SPEAKER_01:What other ways has variety variety been a thing that has ended up serving you well, surprisingly or intentionally?
SPEAKER_03:I don't, I just I feel more well-rounded. I feel more like I was having a discussion for context with someone at work, and it's a high output, high pressure in a lot of cases, environment. And I feel like forcing myself to really perform has helped mold me into and I think all that along with jujitsu has helped me to be able to adapt to situations better than I would have been able to. Like this this house has been project after project a lot unexpected. And I don't think years ago I would have been able to maintain kind of handling it or maintain like maintaining a positive mindset towards it. I think I would have probably fallen into like a pit of regret or something, at least for a temporary amount of time. I can see that. You know, when you are able to accomplish something that's pretty difficult every single day, and all the challenges are different, and they they present differently, and there's different methodologies to achieve them. Um that, you know, not completely like I guess intentional from the standpoint of me putting myself in these situations and environments, but I don't choose the challenges that come in front of me, but I choose to conquer them, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. You've built some kind of an armor.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You've built some kind of like your skin has toughened, and it's not, you know, it's not all dry.
unknown:It's just
SPEAKER_01:Scaling like you're durable, you've got this new endurance, and when things come at you now, what I'm hearing is like you have this feeling of okay, shit, here comes another thing, but I can do this 100%.
SPEAKER_03:That's what I was gonna say. It's like when you overcome enough obstacles, anything that comes up is just another obstacle, and you maybe haven't done that exact thing before, but you've been through a million things already that you didn't think you were gonna be able to get through, but you did it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Yeah. And having the variety of obstacles to work your way through strengthened you for new ones.
SPEAKER_03:I've been kind of joking because I'll share a lot of the stuff that's happening at the house with my coworkers or whatever. And it's like it's kind of a joke, but it's kind of not a joke. But I'll be like, I'm blessed to have these issues and challenges that I'm having. Then it's like sometimes it's one thing after another or a new one every single day, but at a like from a certain perspective, like I am blessed to be in the position to even have these challenges and issues in the first place.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. When we had business challenges due to strong sales back in another career in life of mine, you know, our our manager would say that's a high class problem. And you got to find a solution. It doesn't change the immediate environment that you're in, that you have an issue and you need to solve it. But it, yeah, you can be, you feel blessed or grateful.
SPEAKER_03:Like and that goes back to perspective, right? And you can look at any situation negatively or positive, like you can find some specks of positivity or benefit in everything or anything. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Just like the person that we've all worked with or have in our family or whatever it is, who finds the negative in everything, and all you ever hear is, oh, that's stupid, and this won't work. Why did you do that? But you know, the opposite of that, we can find the okay, this can work, that'll be fine, I can do it, can can carry you forward.
SPEAKER_03:And also, if you're like, I remember when I was first like first getting into whatever, where it's like a challenge after challenge and it seems very overwhelming. And maybe you have this like moment, maybe it's not a short moment, but a moment of like, like, why the fuck am I doing this or whatever? Yeah, but then you start to realize that that reaction has never really served you and it's never helped you overcome it. So then you're like, why even bother with that, you know, brief or extended moment of time? That I just let's just bypass that in general and get right work, you know.
SPEAKER_01:That's an aha moment. That's like, damn. Yeah. Sometimes in those moments, it's been like, but I want to bitch to somebody, but get taken over it and move forward.
SPEAKER_03:Right, right.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:You you learn to just lean into things and not try to shy away, and everything just works out fine.
SPEAKER_01:You know, it's not only does that thing you feel accomplished. Yeah, you feel accomplished, that thing you're dealing with gets resolved, but then you get to move on to whatever's next sooner, and that feels good too. Like good can bring good, and it doesn't have to be the whole the world's not always happy and perfect. No one has to think or believe that, but you can be more at ease more often.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, you can choose what to focus on. That is a choice you have.
SPEAKER_01:Awesome. Well, that was my aha moment for um the week where it just really struck me that the variety that does come within each day can be built on and you can build consistency out of variety, if that makes sense. It does. And still grow and learn in the things that you're doing.
SPEAKER_03:It can become the new norm. All right, everybody. Uh we miss Lou. Lou, if you're listening, can't wait to see you again. Um, thanks everybody for tuning in, and we'll we will see you next time. Bye for now.