The Intention Sessions Podcast: Recent Episodes
Adrienne Enns
The Intention Sessions is an interview-style exploration of what it means to live intentionally. We’ll talk to a beautiful cross-section of inspiring people. They will share their raw, authentic journeys and their most intentional living. We will hear from authors, artists, chefs, doctors, healers and everyone else. We’ll illustrate that there’s no right or wrong way to live intentionally. It’s a personal and human journey of self-discovery and it can express itself in an infinite number of ways. You will find hope, inspiration and beauty here.
I was keen to have Emma on this end of year podcast as I wanted her to share a astrological forecast and she did just that! There is a wealth of information in this conversation from giving us a contextual framework from 2021, to forecasting what we can expect in 2022 and the numerological significance of next year.
Much of what she shared had me thinking about it for a long time afterward - particularly her comments about balancing our inner and outer worlds. May this conversation provide you an interesting perspective on what’s to come and inspire your journey forward!
Mentioned in This Episode:
www.astro.com
More About This Guest:
Emma Kupu Mitchell is a Soul Medicine Artist. She has been a practitioner of holistic therapies for over 30 years, including clinical Aromatherapy, Plant Medicine, Ayurveda, Depth Numerology, Elemental Astrology with an emphasis on the Moon, Yoga Nidra, and Sound Healing. Her passion lies in elemental and shamanic astrology (particularly the lunar/moon wisdom). Her intention is to demystify and share these teachings with you in practical ways and invite you to embody these wisdoms into your every day to create greater health, harmony and alignment in all areas of our lives.
Website: www.emmakupumitchell.com
Instagram: @soulguidekupu
Facebook: Soul Sensory Guide
In this episode, I interview Nicole D’Angelo about mindfulness, yoga and meditation. We talk about the stress and burn-out that’s being felt right now, how meditation can help and how to get started when you really don’t feel like it. This is a beautiful invitation to gently reclaim the power of your breath, your time and your mindset. Enjoy!
Mentioned in This Episode:
https://yogacollectivenyc.com/
More About This Guest:
A native Philly suburbanite, owner Nicole D'Angelo moved to New York City in 2014. She is a licensed master social worker, certified health coach and a 200-hour yoga and meditation teacher.
Nicole has been the owner of The Yoga Collective NYC since 2015. Director of the rental yoga studio from 2015-2020, Nicole is now the lead teacher of the studio online. Nicole has taught yoga for runners, led meditation groups, and wrote and teaches TYC's Meditation Teacher Training
TYC is now a virtual studio for teachers to practice self-care and enroll in continuing education courses. It is a studio focusing on meditation and mindfulness.
Outside of TYC, Nicole's podcast The Mindful Vegan is full of cool solo and interview conversations. The creator and writer of Fabulous Vegan Recipes blog, Nicole self published an ebook of dessert recipes in November 2020.
Nicole works as a therapist and meditation teacher. She is working towards her clinical social work license. Nicole combines her clinical skills with the meditation and mindfulness she teaches online on TYC.
Website: https://yogacollectivenyc.com/
Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/yogacollectivenyc/
https://www.instagram.com/yogacollectivenyc/
In this episode, I have a beautiful conversation with Felecia Etienne. Now, a popular and passionate business coach, Felecia shares a very personal story about the life event that changed everything for her. In listening to her, it’s clear to me that her business smarts combined with life experience and her EQ make her a powerful force. I hope you love this episode.
Mentioned in This Episode:
https://www.feleciaetienne.com/
Free Gift: Level Up & Thrive High-Performace Assessment.
More About This Guest:
Felecia Etienne, MBA is the Founder & CEO of Level Up & Thrive Coaching & Consulting & Host of Level Up & Thrive Virtual Events. Felecia has nearly 2 decades of experience working with top Fortune 500 Finance companies. Felecia has coached over 1,500 high-performing leaders, executives, and business owners. Felecia is on a mission to help empower 500,000 Business Owners who have left corporate who struggle with overwhelm & burnout reclaim their power while they create profitable legacy businesses and careers on their terms. When Felecia isn't beating burnout from high-performing female leaders, you can find her practicing her boxing moves in her home gym.
So, if you’ve constantly feeling worried about your business (Job), finding it difficult to be happy, think that you’re not enough, sales give you anxiety, you’re in the right place.
Through her unique proprietary process, you’ll learn how to develop an Unshakable Mindset and CRUSH your limiting belief while unleashing your warrior within, you’ll gain clarity on your purpose (goals) while eliminating overwhelm and burnout.
Website:
https://www.feleciaetienne.com/
Social Media:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/felecia-etienne
https://www.instagram.com/feleciaetienne/
https://www.facebook.com/felecia.etienne/
https://www.pinterest.ca/feleciaetienne/
https://twitter.com/feleciaetienne
In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking to Iana Velez, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of NY Yoga + Life Magazine. We dispel a lot of the myths around yoga and explore its benefits and accessibility. If you love yoga or are brand new to it, there’s something here for you. Enjoy!
Mentioned in This Episode:
SOULFest Yoga and Wellness Festival (coming in nov) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soulfest-nyc-tickets-166354882933
Release of the 8th print issue of NY YOGA LIFE
More About This Guest:
NY YOGA + LIFE ™ magazine is New York's only free print and digital magazine celebrating yoga, art, music, wellness and NY lifestyle. NY YOGA + LIFE magazine prints annually, and curates and co-hosts over dozens of yoga and mindfulness events a year with partners that include The Rubin Museum, Kripalu, Omega and many more. NY YOGA + LIFE magazine is a volunteer based publication owned and published by Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Iana Velez.
Iana is also co-producer of SOULFest, a national yoga and wellness festival that celebrates diversity, accessibility and community. SOULFest is the only FREE festival that includes spanish/bilingual yoga in its programming as a tribute to the city's hispanic community and Iana's family.
Iana was born and raised in New York City and has worked internationally as an Art Director for over 20 years in TV, Film and now print. She has also completed her 200 YTT certification, teaches restorative yoga, and has been practicing yoga for over fifteen years. NY YOGA + LIFE magazine celebrates the intersection of her greatest passions: NYC, sharing people’s stories, art and yoga.
Iana was born and raised in NYC, and providing free wellness resources that are accessible to all in her hometown has been something she has been passionate about for many years. She knows first hand the enormous stress that can come from growing up and living in a dense, urban environment and the physical and emotional relief and comfort that wellness practices can provide.
Website:
https://www.nyyogalife.com/
Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/nyyogalifemag/
https://www.facebook.com/nyyogalifemag
I love this episode with Sheetal Story, Psychic Medium and Astrologer. Sheetal is an engaging storyteller and we have a rich conversation about how Sheetal came to cultivate her intuitive gifts and how all of us can tap into the power of our intuition. As you may expect, it can be difficult to trust and understand these gifts. We explore the confusion, the magic and how life expands when we learn to trust. Enjoy listening!
Mentioned in This Episode:
www.sheetalstory.com
More About This Guest:
Sheetal Story and was born with the ability to see aura and spirit (the souls of our dearly departed). Ever since she was a child she could remember seeing colours about people, but not quite understanding what it meant. Sheetal could also see spirit as a child, and realized early on that she was different from other children. She did my best to hide it. But at night, she would get horrible nightmares. When she told her mom, she said Sheetal had the ability to control her dreams and to protect herself. She said if Sheetal told them to go away, they would. And if she didn’t want to see them at all, she could turn it off. At the age of 9 Sheetal did exactly that.
Over the past 11 years, her abilities have returned in full force, and she has had no choice but to explore them fully. And with each new turn, the right teachers and opportunities have appeared and opened up her life so much. And finally for the first time ever Sheetal felt like she was living in alignment with her soul’s purpose. On top of her Business degree, Sheetal has become a Certified Medium and Meditation teacher, Law of Attraction Coach, Master’s in Coaching, Certified Grief Support Counsellor, Certified Therapeutic Hypnotherapist, and Tarot reader. She is also a Certified Astrologer under ISAR (International Society for Astrological Research). Sheetal gets to do what she loves and is so grateful for it. She sees clients every week, and she loves to help people every day. Sheetal is so passionate about empowering women to trust and strengthen their intuition, so they can use this soul led compass to live their most passion-filled and purpose-led life.
Website: www.SheetalStory.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SheetalStoryMedium
Instagram: http://Instagram.com/sheetalstory
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCsKJg8srvX70HMYpyQMJnw
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/sheetal-story-72871421
CONTENT TRIGGER WARNING: This episode discusses childhood sexual abuse and addiction.
Jon Rokochy created the How to Love an Addict Summit which I had the opportunity to speak at. I immediately knew I wanted to have Jon on the podcast so, he could share all of the wisdom with us. In addition to vulnerably sharing his own experiences with trauma and addiction, we have a thorough conversation about how people who love addicts can support the addict and also live their own most meaningful lives.
With addiction prevalent, everyone involved needs support and coping tools. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, I encourage you to seek out resources to support you. There is help and recovery is possible.
Mentioned in This Episode:
How to Love an Addict Summit
More About This Guest:
Jon Rokochy understands addiction and he doesn’t like it. He intimately knows the destruction it can cause in relationships and he has a deep desire to see families break free from the cycle of addiction and live peaceful, purposeful lives.
Jon holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counselling and is the founder of Brilliant Strategies and Assure Occupational Testing.
Jon’s mission is to see families free from addiction. He coaches loved ones of addicts on how to break free from the addictive cycle, offer meaningful help to others & live a peaceful, happy life.
www.assuretesting.com
LinkedIn: Jon Rokochy
In this episode, we have a beautiful, rich and deeply personal conversation with Sheri Johnson who is a Pregnancy Loss Recovery Coach. If you have experienced a miscarriage or have people in your life navigating this, this episode is a must-listen. We talk about grief, loss, life experiences and how to move forward. We also talk about how we can get and give great support. As you know, I believe that our toughest life experiences can often be our greatest teachers and an opportunity to find joy - if we allow it. This is a very beautiful example of joy.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Roadmap Download: From Grief to Joy After a Miscarriage
Journey to Joy After Miscarriage
More About This Guest: Sheri is the founder of Sheri Johnson coaching, creator of Journey to Joy After Miscarriage and the Love & Loss Podcast. She is passionate about helping women recover physically, emotionally and spiritually after pregnancy loss. After 3 miscarriages and 6 years of infertility, she discovered a process for navigating the emotions of it all using mindfulness tools and essential oils. She has turned that into a coaching program that teaches other women how to journey from grief and triggers to a place of peace and joy. You can learn the steps to her process in her free PDF download.
Sheri’s mission is to help women recover physically, emotionally and spiritually after pregnancy loss. When you hit rock bottom, it is an opportunity to awaken, to change, to grow and to rise. It's Sher’s passion to help women rise through their loss.
Website:
www.sherijohnson.ca
Social Media:
Instagram: @miscarriageloveandloss
Facebook: Miscarriage - Love and Loss
In this episode, I have a great conversation with Selene Wilkinson, Naturopathic Doctor and Owner of Lemon Water Wellness in Toronto. We have an inspiring talk about how simple changes can make an impact on our mindset and general well-being. Selene explains the 5 Pillars of Health: Eating, Drinking, Thinking, Resting and Recharging. I know you’ll find inspiration here. We also talk about the heightened levels of anxiety and depression due to COVID. Of course, you need to seek the help of a professional but, if you are seeking general perspective, this may be a great help.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Selene’s Bio
(03:30) What Selene’s seen in her practice over COVID
(04:50) 5 Pillars of Health – Eating, Drinking, Thinking, Resting, Recharging
(05:36) What do you do when you first wake up?
(10:00) What does productivity mean?
(14:55) Eating – how to eat with intention
(18:41) Drinking – how to hydrate in a way that’s intentional
(27:55) Resting – how rest is so good for you
(32:00) Re-charging – how re-charging can really fuel you
(36:42) What to do if you’re struggling with anxiety and depression
(40:23) Everything comes down to love and fear
(41:53) Things can change very quickly
(45:17) A message to remind you that life is limitless
Mentioned in This Episode:
Box Breathing
More About This Guest:
Dr. Selene Wilkinson is the Owner and one of the Naturopathic Doctors at Lemon Water Wellness Clinic, Vitamin IV Lounge and General Store. Selene is a certified IV Therapist and Doula and has an integrated approach to her practice. Her goal is to inspire people to get excited about living their truth and to live life to its fullest potential. She does this by incorporating a wide variety of treatment modalities such as nutrition, Vitamin IV therapy, acupuncture, Asian medicine, botanical medicine, physical medicine and lifestyle counselling. She is also a sought-after writer, speaker and TV guest – sharing her wisdom on healthy living and environmental issues.
Website: www.lemonwaterwellness.ca
Instagram : @lemonwatergeneralstore
@lemon_water_wellness
@drselenewilkinson
In this episode, we talk to Jill Valentine about what it means to travel intentionally and the big impact that this can have on us personally and the world around us. Jill’s company, UGO, offers incredible volunteerism trip opportunities to amazing parts of the world. They offer opportunities to volunteer and make a big impact on local communities. The personal transformation that comes along with these journeys is unparalleled. Through her engaging story-telling, honesty and infectious enthusiasm, I’m sure you’ll be inspired and start thinking about travel differently.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Jill’s Bio
(02:50) Travelling with intention
(04:05) Jill shares what brought us to this work
(06:30) Tanzania 2022
(07:47) What this travel experience is really like
(13:55) What Jill says for people who want to go but, are scared
(17:50) Tough days and aha moments
(22:36) Moments of pure bliss
(25:25) How they are volunteering in local communities
(31:33) How does travel or being away help us change and grow
(35:36) Tanzania 2022
(38:25) A candid conversation about travel post-COVID
(45:25) How to connect with Jill and UGO
(46:27) A few final inspiring words
Mentioned in This Episode:
Tanzania 2022
More About This Guest:
Jill Valentine is a Co-Founder of the social enterprise, UGO Travel for Change and author of the book Dare to be a Dandelion. She has been a Transformative Travel and Social Impact coach for over 5 years following over two decades of work and volunteering in the charity and non-profit sector and becoming a Certified Professional Coach. She has led life-changing coaching programs around the world helping her clients gain clarity, confidence and a deeper sense of self while impacting local communities in Belize, Nepal, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and Tanzania. Jill is the creator of the UGO Triple Change Model whose three pillars include Change Yourself, Change Your Community and Change Your World. She leverages the power of travel and volunteerism as tools for creating profound personal and social change. She’s an adventurer, a force for good, and lives by the words, “Let’s Make it Happen”.
Website: www.ugoimpact.com
Instagram : @ugoimpact
Facebook : The More Community
In this episode, we talk to Nadine McNeil, Universal Empress, about living a truly intentional life. We have a rich conversation about navigating crises and how these tough times are always opportunities. Nadine is wise, compassionate and a very engaging story-teller. I enjoy her honesty so much. There is a lot of wisdom here for anyone at any stage on their spiritual journey. I know you will find beautiful perspective and a lot of inspiration. Enjoy listening!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Nadine’s Bio
(04:40) How we met
(06:20) How crisis offers us immense opportunity
(09:40) Witness suffering and crisis
(10:33) Where do we find the opportunity?
(12:37) People are craving human connection
(13:43) There’s nothing to fix & loving ourselves
(16:02) Life as a speedometer, managing worry and showing up
(19:20) Softening our shoulders and our hearts
(20:00) Leaning into our feelings
(22:25) How do we open up to ourselves & social connection
(24:43) Safe spaces for men
(28:15) Simple ways to start to ground
(31:51) Beautiful ways to live intentionally
(40:00) How do we move forward
(45:00) Adrienne does a card pull
(46:50) How to follow Nadine and connect with her
Mentioned in This Episode:
Wisdom Mentoring & Transformational Group Coaching
More About This Guest:
Nadine McNeil is no stranger to moments of crisis. A global gallivanter who goes by the moniker Universal Empress online, for nearly two decades, prior to her deep dive into yoga in 2008, Nadine travelled the world in service of the UN, UNICEF, Global Volunteer Network and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. She was the former UN Chief of Operations in the Central African Republic and UNICEF humanitarian who is now based in Bali as a yoga instructor and personal coach. These and other experiences rooted Nadine’s continued devotion to activism. She is a yoga teacher, speaker, wisdom mentor and humanitarian and her mission is to ignite infinite possibility in people around the world and share yoga especially with diverse underserved communities. Inspired by her firsthand encounters with both the resilience of the human spirit and also its suffering, Nadine’s talks, workshops, yoga sessions, Women’s Circles and retreats are continually described as powerful, moving and insightful. As her Women’s Circles continue to gain global traction, women from across the world who have sat with her in Circle, have returned to their communities to offer this necessary and important work. Her mantra for this work is: when one of us suffers we all suffer. Yet when one of us heals, we all heal.
Website: www.universalempress.com
Instagram : @universalempress
Facebook : @universalempress
In this episode, we talk to Cristina Tahoces, Holistic Nutritionist about her popular TedX Talk: Sleep, Love, Poop. Speaking from personal experience and professional wisdom, Cristina walks us through the signs of burn-out and how nutrition can support us in mindfully navigating stress with resilience. She also guides us through the 3 pillars of her talk: Sleep, Love and Poop and shares how optimizing these can foster our most intentional living. I’m pretty sure we’ve never talked about poop before so, there’s a first time for everything!
One of my favourite distinctions that she made is the one between deficit-led nutrition vs. love-led nourishment. This is a big one which I imagine many of us can relate to. She explains what love-led nourishment is and how it can have a big impact in all areas of our life: physical, mental and emotional.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Cristina’s Bio
(04:00) Cristina’s career in corporate banking & living outside of herself
(07:53) Cristina’s body’s warning signs of burnout (realized post-partum)
(16:00) Burnout doesn’t mean you have to leave the corporate world
(18:17) Burnout vs. bow-out
(18:50) How nutrition changes can help us build resilience in the face of stress
(20:50) Being mindful of the choices you’re making on a daily basis
(22:55) The difference between deficit-led nutrition vs. love-led nourishment
(28:15) Emotional eating
(29:35) All about sleep and how we can optimize it for our most intentional living
(33:38) The benefits of sleep and how productive it is
(35:34) How nutrition can help if you have trouble sleeping
(40:15) No one needs help to eat. We need self-love.
(42:47) Me-time myths and creating a life you don’t need a vacation from
(38:33) How healthy bowel movements can help you live with intention
(50:35) The importance of gut health & daily detoxification
(57:10) The importance of understanding our worthiness - believing it & practicing it
Mentioned in This Episode:
Cristina’s TedX Talk: Sleep, Love, Poop
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Dr. Emily Nagoski
More About This Guest:
Cristina Tahoces is a holistic nutritionist and owner of Thrive Nutrition Practice, a global online wellness business focused on building physical and mental health resilience to stress. A former corporate banker, Cristina turned to nutrition to help herself heal from acute allergies, post-natal depletion & burnout. Over the years, she has helped clients boost energy levels & immunity, improve sleep and anxiety and even reverse hypertension and insulin resistance – all through her in-depth knowledge about how to use food therapeutically to align mind and body. Cristina holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and graduated with First Class Honours from the Edison Institute of Nutrition in Toronto, where she earned a Diploma in Holistic Nutrition. In 2017, she shared her nutritional strategy on the TEDx stage as part of the TED Women’s Global Conference.
Website: www.thrivenutritionpractice.com
Instagram : @thrivenpchristina
Facebook : Thrive Nutrition Practice
In this Episode of The Intention Sessions Podcast
In this episode, we talk to Tricia Lewis, Host of the Recovery Happy Hour Podcast, about intentional living in recovery. Tricia shares her journey of recovery from addiction and how when we say we’re “fine” but, we’re really not. Perhaps, more importantly though, we talk about what life is really like in recovery (it’s not boring like we might have assumed!). We talk about the many tools and resources. Tricia also shares the universal truths she hears through the telling of so many recovery stories on The Recovery Hour Podcast.
What I love about Tricia’s podcast is it always features someone’s story. The person needs at least a year of sobriety and she explores what sober life is really like and how people not only navigate but, really thrive in recovery. I highly recommend you give it a listen.
If you like truth, this is the podcast for you. If you are in recovery, struggling with addiction or know someone who is, there is a lot of wisdom here for you. As Tricia points out, you are not alone and you may actually find living without alcohol way easier and a lot more fulfilling.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Tricia’s Bio
(03:20) Dispelling stereotypes around drinking
(04:25) What life looked like when Tricia quit drinking
(08:33) How to understand you have a problem
(10:06) The question is not am I an alcoholic, the question do I want to change my life?
(11:11) Tricia’s story
(16:10) The early days of quitting drinking
(17:46) Getting a community of support and different recovery tools
(22:20) When it’s time to mix up your recovery
(23:52) There’s no right or wrong way to recover
(25:25) What has surprised you about recovery?
(28:41) What inspired Tricia’s podcast – The Recovery Happy Hour Podcast
(32:02) What Tricia has learned from her podcast interviews
(32:50) How waking up is so much different
(34:49) How what we learn teaches us to really live life
(36:20) Life is actually easier when we don’t drink
(37:35) Universal truths in recovery – you’re not alone in this
(39:45) What really happens when you say you’re going to quit drinking
(42:33) Whether you share your story or not is your own prerogative
(44:55) What Tricia would say to you if you’re struggling with alcohol right now
(52:00) Where to hear Tricia’s podcast & access resources
Mentioned in This Episode:
The Recovery Happy Hour Podcast
My Episode on The Recovery Happy Hour Podcast
Recovery Resources
More About Tricia Lewis:
In November 2016, Tricia Lewis decided that balancing a life of being an entrepreneur and a high functioning alcoholic was too much to handle. She quit drinking and learned how to recover as hard as she drank without looking back. Tricia produces and hosts a weekly podcast called Recovery Happy Hour, where listeners can celebrate life beyond the bottle. Weekly guests from all over the world dissect all forms of recovery from alcohol use, and the idea that an alcohol-free life is not only worth living but more fun than you'd imagine. Recovery Happy Hour has been downloaded over a million times in over 100 different countries.
Website: www.recoveryhappyhour.com
Instagram : @recoveryhappyhour
FB : Recovery Happy Hour
In this episode, we talk to Celia, Fernandes, Founder of Celia Marie and an incredible Business Strategist who is transforming how women entrepreneurs structure, strategize and thrive in business. Celia candidly shares her journey and big realization that her role in the corporate world was disconnecting her from herself. She also shares how she help female small business owners create viable, soulful and purposeful businesses.
One thing that really stood out to me (and perhaps will resonate with you too) is this idea that intentional living is all about making choices and taking action aligned with those choices. What Celia so beautifully illustrates in her story-telling is how, so often, we don’t even know we have choices and that intentional living comes through challenging social norms that don’t feel authentic to us.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Celia’s Bio
(02:47) How Celia’s upbringing influenced her future intentional living
(07:15) “that tiny whisper” that’s always talking to us
(08:06) A pivotal moment in Celia’s life and what led her to teaching in Japan
(15:34) The exhilaration of being on a new path & making brave new decisions
(17:30) Celia’s journey in the corporate world
(19:33) Celia’s burn-out
(21:15) What it feels like to leave the corporate world
(24:50) Reluctant entrepreneurship
(31:20) Creating space to figure out the right next steps for you
(32:55) Can anybody be an entrepreneur?
(33:29) Entrepreneurship as a path to accelerated personal growth
(34:31) How Celia helps entrepreneurs with business strategy and success
(41:08) Business growth takes time
(44:51) Celia’s words of wisdom
Mentioned in This Episode:
Lao Tzu Quote
More About Celia Fernandes:
Celia is a business mentor and guide for entrepreneurs who want to build a business that is aligned to their values, their gifts and that creates an impact. With an MBA and over 13 years business experience, Celia helps entrepreneurs bridge the gap between the passion and drive to launch a business and a lack the knowledge, skills and support to grow their business into a sustainable source of income. Celia’s work in the belief that we are all here to realize our greatest potential and unleash our skills and talents in service of a better world.
Website: www.celiamarie.co
Instagram : @iamceliamarie
FB : Soul, Service, Success in Business Sisterhood
Description:
In this episode, we talk to the lovely and incredibly inspiring Kate Golding about intentional design. Kate is renowned for her beautiful patterns and wallpapers. We explore where inspiration comes from and how the design process takes place. We also explore the importance of being present in the moment and the impact our most intentional spaces can have on our intentional living and our joy.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Kate’s Bio
(03:00) Kate’s earliest design influences
(06:20) When Kate realized she needed to return to her design path
(07:43) When Kate really began the work she’s doing today
(11:20) How nature inspires Kate’s work
(16:08) The importance of being present
(16:24) How a collection is inspired and comes to life
(18:40) The creative process
(23:08) Kate’s collaboration with Balzac’s Coffee
(26:00) How creating beautiful intentional spaces can impact our lives in positive ways
(33:05) What’s next
Mentioned in This Episode:
Fogo Island Inn
The Luncheon Collection
The Magical Day Collection
More About This Guest:
Kate Golding is a British born surface pattern and wallpaper designer based near Kingston, Ontario. Inspired at an early age by her granny’s 1970’s toile de jouy curtains and the textiles in the family caravan, Kate became obsessed with pattern design, interior design and the people who encompassed these design choices. Fascinated by the small details in daily life and the beauty of her natural surroundings, Kate unites the world as she sees it with her passion for interior decoration. All of her artwork is forged by hand using brushes, ink and fine line pen on thin transparencies on a light table. Kate’s designs can be found on collections of wallpaper, textiles and she also works with clients to create custom designs for special projects. Kate Golding has been featured in Interior Design, House and Home, The Globe and Mail, Applied Arts and on multiple HGTV shows. Her clients include Shopify, Penguin Random House, Balzac’s Coffee Roasters and The National Residences of Canada.
Website: www.kategolding.ca
Instagram : @kategolding
Description:
In this episode, I talk to Mike Shoreman - who is an absolute inspirational force! We met unexpectedly when I stumbled into the front row of his now viral Speaker Slam speech (link below). In a surprising, compelling and heart-wrenching manner, he shared with journey with suddenly falling ill and his remarkable rise. Mike is now a renowned author, speaker and mental health advocate. What I really love about him though is his humble honesty, beautiful heart and inspiring resilience. Prepare to be inspired by the Unbalanced Paddleboarder!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Mike’s Bio & Mike’s Speaker Slam Speech
(05:48) Mike shares his personal journey with us
(07:20) When Mike got sick
(09:58) A reactivation of chicken pox (Ramsay Hunt Syndrome)
(10:33) What this diagnosis means for a paddleboarder
(11:48) The moment when it felt like life was over & the anger that comes with that
(13:30) How Christmas felt & Mike’s mental health journey
(15:33) How Mike navigated his mental health
(18:05) Mike learns he can do hard things
(18:46) Mike’s first time back on a paddle board
(22:50) What inspired Mike’s awesome Speaker Slam talk
(27:35) Mike’s Speaker Slam remarkable experience in his own words
(30:00) Paddles Up!
(35:10) The legend of the Unbalanced Paddleboarder and its viral influence
(36:33) Mike’s core message is for us to get up when we’ve been knocked down
(37:03) What’s happening next
Mentioned in This Episode:
Speaker Slam Speech: The Diagnosis that Changed My Life
Speaker Slam Grand Slam Speech: Super Heroes Rise Together
Diaries of the Unbalanced Paddleboarder: Crash & Rise
#PaddlesUp
More About This Guest:
In November 2018, Toronto-based Stand Up Paddle coach Mike Shoreman was diagnosed with a rare disease, the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. All at once, he lost his balance and as a direct consequence, his independence, his SUP-coaching business and his social life. But Mike’s story in 2019 is not about falling down, it’s about standing up again. A public speech competition about the power of positivity which he won in last year has created a viral effect on social media, touched millions of hearts and triggered the #PaddlesUp movement amongst the worldwide SUP community. Mike is an ambassador for several non-profit organizations and a mental health advocate who fights to break stigmas. Mike is now officially the Unbalanced Paddleboarder. He does inspirational speaking and recently published his book, Crash & Rise.
This Summer (2021) – Mike will be the first person to ever paddleboard between the US and Canada. Check out his website to learn more!
Website: www.mikeshoreman.org
Instagram : @theunbalancedpaddleboarder
Facebook : Mike Shoreman
Linked In: Mike Shoreman
In this episode, we talk to tech leader and author, Debra Christmas. She talks to us about her amazing new book and shares a behind the scenes look at women in tech. We explore being intentional in business, in leadership and in life. Debra chooses to live from a place of joy – that’s what immediately connected us. Her description of what intentional living means to her is very powerful. She is an inspiration and a force. I hope you love this interview.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Debra’s Bio
(02:00) About Debra’s new book, Please Stay: How Women in Tech Survive and Thrive
(06:48) The challenges for women in tech
(10:52) What keeps women in tech
(11:30) About Debra’s upbringing and how it influenced her
(12:50) About women using their voices
(14:30) Various topics in the book
(15:30) Key takeaways from the book
(16:15) Finding your voice and using your voice
(18:05) “honey, could you get me a coffee” story
(20:00) How you can find your voice
(25:26) How Debra would like to see things change
(26:18) Male response to the book and this conversation
(33:08) What it means to intentional
(40:16) How Debra lives with joy
(42:14) About Debra’s mom’s passing and how she moved through it
(47:54) Debra’s final words of inspiration – celebrating who we are
Mentioned in This Episode:
Please Stay: How Women in Tech Survive & Thrive
More About This Guest:
Debra Christmas is a seasoned leader in the high-tech field. In her 40 plus year career she has led IT organizations in driving change and transformation through engaged, diverse and high-performance teams around the world. She is a Senior Executive Partner at Gartner and recently co-authored the book, Please Stay: How Women in Tech Survive and Thrive. She is a dynamic leader and widely recognized for her many contributions to leadership, mentorship, diversity coaching and the list goes on. I met Debra a few years ago through a mentorship group for entrepreneurs and it may not surprise you that our common denominator is choosing to live in the world from a place of joy.
Website: www.womenintechtribe.com
LinkedIn: Debra Christmas
Facebook: Debra Christmas
Caroline has been my Naturopath for years and we have also collaborated on many wellness workshops. She is also a regular contributor to the May You Know Joy Membership where she guides us in aligning our most intentional living with the seasons. I love this content and think it’s valuable for us all to return to so, I invited her to share it with all of us on the podcast.
In this episode, we explore practical and soulful approaches to optimizing our health. The body has its own wisdom and we regain health and wellbeing by this listening and honouring. Our health evolves through connection to the natural world and its seasons. We explore each season specifically discussing diet, exercise, rest, mindset and wisdom to attune to.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Caroline’s Bio
(02:45) Talking About Cycles (Seasonal, Lunar and more)
(03:50) How We Get Disconnected from Cycles
(04:45) Exploring Spring’s Qualities and How We Can Align
(08:25) About Spring Cleansing
(12:45) About Summer & the Lightness that Comes with this Season
(20:15) About Fall and How to Navigate Mindfully
(28:20) Intentionally Navigating Winter
(31:33) Honouring Smaller Cycles (i.e. the lunar cycle, the 24-hour cycle)
(33:50) The Power of Small Daily Habits
(36:40) Dealing with Stress
(40:02) The Importance of Rest & Sleep
Mentioned in This Episode:
www.drcarolinemeyernd.com
More About This Guest:
Caroline Meyer is a naturopath and energy healer who has helped thousands of children and adults realize their own health potential. She leads workshops and seminars as well as writing on natural approaches to health. Caroline also teaches the next generation of naturopaths at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.
Website: www.drcarolinemeyernd.com
Instagram: @drcarolinemeyernd
Facebook: Dr Caroline Meyer ND
Joining us from Peru, Liz shares her own incredible journey of spiritual awakening. Her experience has led her to deeply explore how we can embody intention. She explores healing through intuitive movement (specifically dance) and shares how she creates this in the world.
She guides us in how we can engage our breath, playfulness and embodied listening. She asks us to be willing to explore, feel our emotions and be open to the fullness of the experience.
She also explores how we can be in our bodies when there’s suffering (whether it’s stress, chronic illness or otherwise). How can we befriend our bodies? She offers us simple tips as to where we can start and how we can integrate movement into our every day.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Liz’s bio
(03:36) Liz’s shares her personal journey and her spiritual awakening
(16:02) How Liz creates women’s dance circles
(25:52) The body as a temple and how can we be mindful of it
(28:35) Liz’s experience with concussions and chronic fatigue
(29:35) Befriending our bodies
(31:05) Building a relationship with our bodies
(32:07) Navigating the pandemic through movement
(36:21) Being present
(38:45) A simple grounded breathing exercise
(42:14) Building our own toolkits
(44:34) How to learn more from Liz & to connect with her
Mentioned in This Episode:
Dance Temple
More About This Guest:
Liz started her career as a Social Worker & Counsellor. In 2011 Liz had her second spiritual awakening. This experience led her to find free-formed intuitive dance; a gateway to come back home to her body and to herself. For the last 9 years she has been working with Womxn as a Holistic & Spiritual Life Coach holding and create spaces that inspires them to cultivate embodied awareness and connection to the divine within. She is committed to supporting womxn in cultivating embodied awareness and connection to the divine within through ritual, mindfulness and expressive movement.
Website: www.lizdiaz.ca
https://lizdiaz.teachable.com
Instagram: @mywisebody
Facebook: @sacredwomenscircles
Jackie and I have a beautiful conversation about what “Sovereign Beauty” means. She shares what her illustrious career has taught her about beauty and invites us into the world of her Wholistic Beauty Lab. Jackie is creatively combining decades of knowledge with energy, vibration and natural ingredients to create radiant beauty in all of us – from the inside out.
She also gives us some great tips that you can integrate immediately!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Jackie’s Intro
(02:40) What Jackie’s career with celebrities & rock stars taught her about beauty
(04:44) Jackie’s career evolution
(05:44) Jackie’s experience with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
(07:48) Wholistic beauty
(09:00) Sovereign beauty, what it means and how it relates to life today
(11:50) The colonization of beauty & a reminder of your innate beauty
(14:47) How to start a more mindful beauty regime
(16:00) Skincare unique to your energy
(17:39) About how Jackie created an unexpected cream for Adrienne
(23:35) Healing on a cellular level
(24:50) Collaborating to create the May You Know Joy essential oil
(26:23) The power of creating sacred moments & rituals & being present
(31:23) Simple ways to shift your morning routine
(36:24) Internal power & making it work for you
(38:23) More morning rituals
(42:05) Jackie’s perspective on “anti-aging”
(51:41) Jackie speaks to women in this moment and offers inspiration & simplicity
Mentioned in This Episode:
Sovereign Beauty Program
Dr. Masaru Emoto & the Consciousness of Water
More About This Guest:
Inspiring others to take a wholistic approach to beauty Jackie Shawn is an acclaimed international editorial and celebrity makeup artist. She is the founder of Wholistic Beauty Lab and a certified aromatherapist. With 35 years in the beauty industry her proprietary blend of bespoke skincare and energy work is what she calls Vibrational Beauty. Jackie helps women who are overwhelmed by having to look, think and feel a certain way about their beauty. She guides them in expressing themselves by using skincare and cosmetics that reflect authentically who they are. She helps them declutter what's no longer working, simplify their routines, and become sovereign in their beauty choices, so that they radiate confidence from the inside out.
Website: www.jackieshawn.com
Instagram: @wholisticbeautylab
Facebook: Wholistic Beauty with Jackie Shawn (Group)
This episode is incredible absolutely incredible. Not only does Sarah very honestly share her experiences with mania and psychosis, she does so in a way that we can understand it. She talks candidly about her journey, challenges our ideas and also gives us a glimpse into the universal wisdom she’s accessed. Sarah is an entrepreneur, a mom, a creator and a remarkable story-teller. I think you will enjoy every word of this!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Sarah’s Intro
(03:30) About storytelling and its importance
(12:23) Post-partum psychosis, bi-polar, OCD, anxiety
(14 :24) Sarah’s story about her journey through the above-mentioned mental health issues
(23:33) What psychosis is like
(24:09) The paradox of this struggle & an incredible state of consciousness
(27:49) Sarah’s last psychotic episode and a spiritual emergency
(33:00) More to life than the physical
(34:18) Sarah’s dark night of the soul
(37:55) Spiritual Emergency or Bipolar?
(39:45) Messages from the Universe
(44:18) Being stuck and learning from the duality of life
(48:10) About Bliss B4 Laundry
(54:14) About We Thrive Wellness Centre
(58:10) Sarah’s final thoughts
Mentioned in This Episode:
Spiritual Emergency – Dr. Stanislov Grof
More About This Guest:
Sarah is wellness entrepreneur, a creative and also a busy mom. Her drive, creativity and mark in the world are a testament to her commitment to her personal journey. Sarah was diagnosed with mental illness after the birth of her children and turned to spirituality and writing as a catalyst for her transformation. Sarah’s superpower is creating and cultivating nourishing healing environments. Spend any time around her and you’ll just KNOW why. She is integral in We Thrive Wellness Centre in Belleville. She is also co-founder of Bliss B4 Laundry – a women’s retreat in Ontario that always sells out but, more importantly creates a space for women to show up from themselves and one another. Quite simply – Sarah’s purpose is to hold space for the personal growth, transformation and healing of others.
Website: www.wethrivewellness.ca
www.blissb4laundry.com
Instagram: @wethrivewellness
@bliss_b4_laundry
Facebook: We Thrive Wellness
Bliss B4 Laundry
I’m wrapping up 2020. Pictured alongside me is my dog, Piper, who pretty much barked in every episode!
This is a thank you for listening. It’s also a thank you to my guests for their honest, raw and beautiful sharing. I share why I started, what I learned and express my thanks.
Thank you here to Penny Cook for getting the podcast distributed and to Matthew Robertson for being the very best editor ever!
I’ll be back in February!
Keep listening. Keep sharing. Subscribe. Drop a review. All of these things help share the goodness.
Be well XO
Key Takeaways:
(00:00) A big gigantic thank you! Why I started, what I learned & what I’m grateful for
Mentioned in This Episode:
May You Know Joy Cards
Intentional Days Book
Intentional Days Subscription Membership – I’d love for you to join us
More About This Guest:
It’s your host Adrienne, Founder of May You Know Joy. I’m trying to inspire your joy & intentional living through products, experiences and conversations like these.
Through my recovery from addiction, I learned that I could choose how I wanted to show up and what I created for myself. I’m just after peace, joy and connection.
That’s why I created this podcast – to talk to inspiring people who are on the journey – just like you and me. May you be inspired. May you know great joy and may you lead your most fulfilling life with each small intentional steps.
Website: www.mayyouknowjoy.com
Instagram: @mayyouknowjoy
Facebook: May You Know Joy
We had some internet connections fail us but, we persevered! And, with our incredible editor, we put it all together, warts and all so, you don’t miss a thing.
Tara Greene is a world-renowned astrologer and I had the opportunity of hearing her 2020 forecast last fall. I was intrigued to have her back to find out what astrology has to reveal about the state of the world and what we can expect in 2021. It’s a great episode!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Intro and Tara’s Bio
(03:13) What Tara had forecasted for 2020
(03:48) What astrology is and why we can’t blame the planets
(04:23) About 2020
(06:17) Our tech snafu
(07:10) We pick up on 2020
(08:49) December 21st, 2020 is a turning point initiating a brand new 20-year cycle
(12:18) Pluto return for the USA
(12:36) What 2021 means based on numerology and tarot
(14:58) 2021 is about love, speaking out and fixing
(15:48) Understanding astrology & the 4 elements
(18:10) What our horoscopes mean
(23:29) More about what to expect in 2021
(30:13) Working with the cycles of the moon in our personal lives
(35:36) How to mark December 21st this year
(39:28) Creating regular practices
(42:52) How to connect with Tara
(44:30) Tara’s closing comments
Mentioned in This Episode:
www.astro.com
Doris Lessing Books
More About This Guest:
Tara Greene is a natural-born Psychic who has always remembered her past lives and that we are all multi-dimensional spiritual beings. She is an internationally known Intuitive, Tarot Reader, Astrologer, Numerologist, Women’s Spirituality and Ceremonial Workshop Leader, Shamanic Healer and Dreamwork Expert. Tara has read for 30,000 people at corporate events and private readings worldwide since 1991. Tara writes horoscopes and leads women's spirituality workshops at The Grail Springs Wellness Retreat in Bancroft Ontario and in Sedona, Arizona, her second home. Tara is a Double Sagittarius with Scorpio Rising. She loves to connect deeply with others through her work and, in doing so, bring them greater awareness and self-empowerment.
Website: www.taratarot.com
Instagram: @taragreenetarot
Twitter: @6thsensemoment
YouTube: Tara Greene
In this inspiring episode, I talk to Gurbeen Bhasin who is the Executive Director of Aangen Community – a thriving social enterprise contributing to the fabric of Toronto.
We hear Gurbeen’s inspiring journey. She is true to her lineage in her community building. And – what inspired me most was her desire to blaze a new trail, always say yes and be incredibly resourceful.
She reminds us of how important it is to hold our vision and stay true to it. Her beautifully woven stories remind us that opportunity can knock at any moment and there are some things we just can’t plan for. Prepare to be inspired.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Gurbeen’s Bio
(03:54) How Gurbeen’s frustration with existing systems drove innovation
(07:40) How Aangen has been a labour of love over several years
(12:25) Gurbeen had a belief this would happen
(14:29) How Aangen got started
(16:16) How Aangen began to expand (such great stories)
(23:55) Expanding into office cleaning
(28:00) Saying yes
(29:35) Expanding to food service
(32:15) Aangen make half a million meals
(33:34) The impact of COVID 19
(37:44) Getting healthy meals to seniors
(39:02) About self-care
(41:29) Gurbeen’s reflections and thoughts on truth & holding your vision
Mentioned in This Episode:
Farm Products
Chance for Change Program
More About This Guest:
Gurbeen Bhasin is the founder and executive director of Aangen, a Toronto-based non-profit organization that focuses on advancing food security and social justice locally and globally. A trained social worker, Gurbeen established Aangen in 2000, following in the footsteps of multiple ancestors who welcomed and supported community members facing challenges. She and her team run community service programs that help families in crisis access food, shelter and other essentials; and that provides jobs and support services to those who have faced homeless, addiction, mental illness and other barriers to sustainable employment. Aangen funds these programs by operating social enterprises that sell farm products and provide catering and cleaning services. Her primary purpose with Aangen is to foster personal empowerment and nurture communities by responding to community needs as they arise with sustainable and equitable solutions.
Her professional journey has included serving as project manager of a global human rights initiative; senior analyst at the Canadian Mental Health Association; and as an entrepreneur and creator in Toronto’s independent arts sector. Gurbeen holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan, a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Windsor, and a BA in Political Science from York University. She is best known for her mile-wide smile, her funky shoes and her mom’s timeless life wisdom.
Website: www.aangen.com
Instagram: @aangencommunity
@gurbeenbhasin
Facebook: @Aangen
In this episode, Madeleine returns to share The Four Seasons of Manifesting. This is an intuitive and practical system for taking stock of where we are and intentionally moving into (and through) the new year in a mindful way.
Grab a journal and something to write with. We will begin with November and Madeleine will walk us through looking at all aspects of our life, identifying what we want to create, a New Year’s Eve ritual and synching with the energy of the seasons to manifest our dreams.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Madeleine’s bio
(03:30) Madeleine introduces the process encourages us to not stop dreaming
(06:59) Grab your pen & paper
(08:20) Grab a journal & an annual calendar
(08:50) How do we use our connection to everything to live optimally
(12:10) Re-assess your life and ask yourself… what are your top 10 core values
(14:50) November is about Accountability & reflection
(20:57) December is about Vision/Description of Circle of Life
(34:20) Circle of Life – Health & Selfcare, Spirituality, Relationships, Financial Wellbeing, Continued Education, Purpose/Path/Career, Travel & Adventure, Community, Sacred Home, Play, Giving Back and Planet Earth
(44:05) The Magic Question: So, what else is possible?
(46:40) New Year’s Eve (not Christmas Eve) Ritual
(48:28) January is for Planning
(49:27) February is “The Preparer”
(50:10) March – Spring Equinox is ‘Launch Day’ (The Planter)
(51:06) April – The Month of the Guardian (Guard Your Dreams)
(52:52) May – The Connector (Nurturing Collaborations)
(52:30) June – The Celebrator (Enjoy the fruits of your labour)
(54:12) July – The Wayfarer (Take time to release & express love of life)
(56:09) August – Restful (Rest & restore before Fall Harvest)
(57:30) September – The Month of the Harvester
(58:04) October – Gratitude
(58:40) November – A return to Accountability
(59:08) The importance of light
(1:01:45) Creating & finding joy in chaos – the importance of practice
Mentioned in This Episode:
Four Seasons of the Soul
Core Values List
More About This Guest:
Madeleine Marentette is the founder and CEO of Grail Springs Retreat Centre for Wellbeing, Canada’s leading holistic wellness destination. Bestselling author, Metaphysician, educator, soul coach and healer, she continues to illuminate the path for individuals seeking personal transformation and life fulfillment. For over twenty-five years Madeleine has dedicated herself to the study and processes of the human-soul-energy-connection, this awareness she feels, relevant more than ever to today’s changing and challenging world. A dedicated life of service to people, planet and our sacred animal kingdom, has her working relentlessly taking action, co-creating with others, and hosting wellness retreat programs at Grail Springs. Madeleine holds a series of lectures and retreats throughout the year both at Grail Springs and abroad. She is presently working on her next book on the human condition as it relates to the sacred, and the evolutionary track of soul consciousness and destiny.
Website: www.grailsprings.com
www.madeleinemarentette.com
Instagram: @grailsprings
@madeleinemarentette
Facebook: Grail Springs
Twitter: @grailsprings
In this episode, I am in conversation with the beautiful, Emma Kupu Mitchell, from Hawaii. Emma is an incredible healing practitioner and she shares with us how we can use sound vibration (specifically crystal bowls) and the energy of the moon cycles to amplify and bring deeper meaning to our intention setting rituals.
We examine her ‘buffet of self-love’ and we tap into ancient wisdom to bring this energy into our everyday lives. She is incredible at sharing both large concepts and practical wisdom in very accessible ways. A true gift.
If you are short for time, go straight to the 20 min mark for beautiful self-care rituals in alignment with the moon cycles.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Emma’s bio
(03:00) Emma is a life-long learner
(04:06) About sensory practices & weaving them together
(06:30) What brought Emma to this work
(08:20) Exploring astrology, the energy of the skies & the world we live in
(11:24) About sound meditation
(12:52) What astrological charts tell us and how we can use it
(20:00) Simple self-care rituals for various moon cycles
(27:34) What’s happening right now astrologically
(36:25) Using sound for healing
(46:10) Emma’s closing words and information about her inspiring offerings
Mentioned in This Episode:
Emma’s Astrology Work
Emma’s Sound Healing
Emma’s Membership
Emma’s Sound Healing
More About This Guest:
Emma Kupu Mitchell is a Soul Medicine Artist. She has been a practitioner of holistic therapies for over 30 years, including clinical Aromatherapy, Plant Medicine, Ayurveda, Depth Numerology, Elemental Astrology with an emphasis on the Moon, Yoga Nidra, and Sound Healing. Her passion lies in elemental and shamanic astrology (particularly the lunar/moon wisdom). Her intention is to demystify and share these teachings with you in practical ways and invite you to embody these wisdoms into your every day to create greater health, harmony and alignment in all areas of our lives.
Website: www.emmakupumitchell.com
Instagram: @soulguidekupu
Facebook: Soul Sensory Guide
In this episode, I talk to Tony Colley who is the Founder and CEO of B12Give. B12Give is an app that recirculates prepared food from retailers/restaurants/venues to homeless shelters in Toronto. He shares his own personal journey from the world of banking to food insecurity to his social impact work today.
We talk about what food insecurity means, how you can support his work and how we can all intentionally make a difference in our own lives.
Food insecurity is a significant issue and COVID has amplified the need to change this. Tony’s work is nothing short of remarkable and I know you will be inspired. Enjoy listening!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Tony’s bio
(02:28) Tony tells his story of falling into food insecurity & the road to social impact
(07:10) The launch of b12give
(12:04) What food insecurity is and the 3 categories
(16:15) COVID’s impact on food insecurity and Tony’s work
(21:12) How the b12give app works
(26:22) Tony’s highest hope
(31:50) A call out to all major food retailers to work with b12give
(35:34) What consumers can do in their day-to-day live to make a difference
(43:17) How to reach out to Tony & b12give
(44:15) Tony’s empowerment as a black, gay man running a sustainability business
(45:55) Tony’s incredible journey doing this on his own
(51:06) Life lessons from COVID
Mentioned in This Episode:
From Social Assistance to Social Impact (Tony’s Speaker Slam Talk – Listen!)
B12give News Media Coverage
Tony’s CBC Community Champion Award
More About This Guest:
Tony Colley is a sustainability entrepreneur who developed an app called B12Give, combating food insecurity via the redistribution of surplus unsold prepared food from retail operators. The app creates a circular food economy rescuing and redistributing surplus food to shelters within the hour of receipt. Tony aims to lower retailers' carbon footprint by providing healthy, nourishing meals to the estimated 5.6 million Canadians who are currently suffering from food insecurity.
Website: www.b12give.ca
Instagram: @b12give
Facebook: Be One to Give
Twitter: @b12give
Often, we think about intentional living in terms of our daily practices – the activities and rituals that lift us up, bring up back to centre and inspire joy.
However, it’s these very same practices that can also support us as we navigate some of our toughest human experiences – like grief for example.
In this episode, Susan talks to us about how grief impacts us, what it feels like and how we can move forward. She reminds us how raw it feels and that it is something that we will all go through. She also reminds us that each person’s experience of it can be very unique so, there’s no on-size-fits-all step/stage or solution for what we should do or how we should be feeling.
We also discuss how essential self-care (intentional) practices are to helping us grieve productively. We need to reach out, get help and find our way forward.
There is so much wisdom here for everyone. However, if you are grieving or know someone who is, this might be an extra special resource when the time feels right to give it a listen.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Susan’s bio
(02:56) What brought Susan to do this work
(08:38) The raw emotion of grief
(09:00) The loss of significant people in our lives & stages of grief
(11:30) The universality of this experience
(12:20) The problem with women who are grieving & self-care
(15:05) Productive and non-productive grieving
(17:15) Susan describes self-care and why it’s essential to moving us through grief
(24:19) Susan talks about her book, The Mourning Pages
(28:00) Susan tells us about her colour work & the gift of pink
(30:34) About the colour yellow and the healing properties of colour
(37:49) Growing through grief
(43:12) Choosing life every day is a lesson grief teaches us
(44:47) Finding counsellors you like and trust
(47:55) There is a way to feel better & know joy
(51:22) Susan’s final words for someone who is grieving right now
Mentioned in This Episode:
The Mourning Pages: Working Through Loss (Experiential Workbook)
The Colour Bottles on Susan’s Website
More About This Guest:
Susan McKenzie is a Clarity Coach, writer and a healer and incorporates modalities such as colour, vibration and relaxation massage. She works extensively with women grieving the loss of a significant person in their life helping them to embrace grief as a journey to transform their lives, so they can, experience joy again. In October 2019, Susan published “The Mourning Pages; Working through Loss”, an experiential workbook infused with healing to guide grievers along their journey.
Website: www.susanmckenzie.biz
Instagram: @susanmckenzie.biz
Facebook: Susan McKenzie
Anne-Marie is an award-winning event producer (you can read her impressive bio below). She is also my sister and one of my favourite people on the planet.
In this episode, we are detouring from her career accomplishments to talk about when the body has other ideas, women’s heart health and intentionally navigating life.
18 months ago, Anne had heart failure and it is her journey to change her life that inspires this conversation. I deeply admire how she became more attuned with her body and really initiated a road to recovery that would see her thrive. Things were immediately re-prioritized and I believe this in an important story for all people – particularly women who may find themselves in a similar situation.
I imagine listeners will find that Anne’s experiences, perspective and lifestyle changes offer valuable insights. She talks about advocating for herself, how her life has completely changed, the importance of patience, advocating for yourself and the incredible connection she’s made to herself.
PS – Our voices sound similar so, that’s fun!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Anne’s bio
(2:56) Anne’s background, how life was hectic & how she felt
(4:55) What the doctors had said when Anne wasn’t feeling well
(5:39) Anne was hospitalized with congestive heart failure
(7:15) How women with heart trouble actually feel
(10:50) Anne shares her healthcare experience
(11:30) Anne needed a total life reset
(12:54) What practices helped Anne the most
(14:48) Anne describes her breathwork technique
(17:11) How yoga helped Anne not only cope but, change her physical response
(19:10) How Anne changed her work-life and what actually happened
(22:40) Anne’s proactive approach to her health
(27:00) Anne shares her biggest lessons
(31:50) Paying attention in your life & making shifts
Mentioned in This Episode:
Grail Springs Retreat Centre for Well-Being
“Pump” Breathwork (with David Donnelly)
Dr. Caroline Meyer, Naturopathic Doctor
More About This Guest:
Anne-Marie is an award-winning event producer, speaker, and co-founder of Pulledin Productions, an event production company. She is widely considered a specialist in live and virtual events, strategic partnerships and in the immersive technology market segment. Her long list of legendary event productions includes TED, Bloor Street Entertains, Honda Celebration of Light, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, CVR (Consumer Virtual Reality Show) and the VR/AR Global Summits.
When not producing events, Anne-Marie can be found hanging out on the beach, playing yahtzee, meditating and exploring the Sunshine Coast, where she lives with her family.
Website: www.pulledin.com
Instagram: @annemarieenz
Facebook: Anne-Marie Enns
As many of you know, I have been 8+ years sober and this journey completely altered my life and continues to do so every day. To me, addiction and recovery are essential conversations. With that, I am thrilled to share this interview with Jean McCarthy with you. She is a prominent voice in the recovery community and has been telling her own story and the stories of others for years now – most notably through her blog, her books and her Bubble Hour podcast.
In this episode, we have a candid conversation about her own recovery. She is raw and authentic and also offers sage wisdom for people in recovery and those around them. Whether you struggle with addiction or not, it is my experience that meeting our true selves without numbing is a challenge for everyone – it can be the most uncomfortable and yet, most worthwhile journey of this lifetime. This episode has something for everyone and I encourage you to give it a listen.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Jean’s bio
(04:12) Jean’s history with alcoholism and what was going on around her
(07:42) Jean’s turning point and avoiding rock bottom
(09:30) Sharing our problems with people we trust
(10:58) Our truth vs what the world tells us
(12:11) Jean’s first blog post and what happened from there
(14:40) The cycle of addiction and how we heal
(18:37) Universal themes from Jean’s podcast
(21:04) How Jean actually recovered – on day 1 and over the years
(24:53) The kindest thing you can say to someone who wants to stop drinking
(28:25) How relationship dynamics change
(32:50) How to socialize without alcohol
(36:59) Recovery & healing the reason you numbed in the first place
(41:48) Letting go of shame
(43:25) Jean talks to us about her writing
(48:23) Jean’s wise and inspiring advice to anyone who is struggling
Mentioned in This Episode:
Unpickled Blog
Bubble Hour Podcast
UnPickled Holiday Survival Guide
The Ember Ever There
SheRecovers
#recoveryposse (on Twitter)
#xa (on Twitter)
More About This Guest:
Jean McCarthy is an award-winning blogger and podcaster who is best-known as a voice of recovery advocacy. Her blog UnPickled began in 2011 and has continued to chronicle Jean’s alcohol-free lifestyle since her first day of sobriety. Thousands of readers credit UnPickled as a motivating factor in their decision to quit drinking. Jean joined The Bubble Hour podcast as a co-host in 2013. She took over the weekly program as its sole producer and host in 2016. The show has a devoted and enthusiastic audience. She has published 2 books about recovery: UnPickled Holiday Survival Guide, a resource for sobriety over the festive season, and The Ember Ever There, a collection of poems about recovery. At a gala in New York City, Jean was named recipient of the 2017 SheRecovers Hope Award in recognition of her efforts to help others seek positive changes in their lives. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband Ross and dog Scout.
Website: www.jeanmccarthy.ca
Instagram: @jeanmccarthy_writes
Twitter: @jeanmccarthy_ca
@unpickled
Facebook: @unpickled
@thebubblehour
Mikaila is an incredible yoga and meditation teacher. She’s a best-selling author, an entrepreneur and the founder of Empowerment Within.
Mikaila shares her harrowing tale from 9/11, how it changed the course of her life and how it profoundly affected the path that has led her to today. She shares how 9/11 shaped who she was and how yoga and meditation shaped how she dealt with it.
This is a beautiful and intimate conversation about the power of our moments, how we can truly be present in them and how every moment is rich with very powerful choices.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Mikaila’s bio
(03:00) Mikaila’s experience on 9/11
(13:05) Yoga, meditation, anxiety and PTSD
(15:17) After a traumatic event, how do you even begin to meditate?
(17:25) The misconceptions about meditation and how simple it really is
(19:47) Addiction, anxiety and numbing versus awareness
(22:45) Every day we can create a new life
(23:32) How do we pick ourselves out of tough times?
(30:00) What does it really meant to practice yoga?
(32:15) The shift from Wall Street to life as it is today
(35:55) Mikaila gives us a sneak preview of her new book
(40:07) Mikaila’s work in the world
(42:26) Final words of inspiration
Mentioned in This Episode:
Mikaila’s book: Pursuing Your Destiny
Karma Yoga
Bhagavad Gita
More About This Guest:
Mikaila Cruz is a yoga and meditation teacher, best-selling author, and entrepreneur from New York City. She combines studies of the Eight Limbs of Yoga with alignment, creating a dynamic flow. As the voice for humanity’s evolutionary movement, Mikaila is the founder of Empowerment Within, LLC, a consulting firm devoted to empowering people from all walks of life. Her mindful practice is shared with all levels of yoga and meditation. Over the past decade, Mikaila has been recognized by CNN, NBC Nightly News, FOX and BBC named the “Woman of Empowerment” by the Washington Times, and her words have been featured in “Manifesting Grace Through Gratitude,” Oprah’s 21-Day Meditation Experience. Mikaila travels to host classes and workshops in yoga, meditation, and empowerment.
Website: www.theempowermentwithin.com
Instagram: @mikaila_nyc
Facebook: Mikaila Cruz
Corene and I met a few years ago in Los Angeles and quickly became friends.
I admired the work that Corene was doing on her Mommy Hour Podcast and wanted her to talk to us about why mothers need advocates, how they’re struggling, what the pandemic has been like and where we go from here.
I love what she has to share on all of these topics. And – it really comes down to the importance of connection to ourselves. So, whether you are a mom or not, this episode is very much about being on our own side, being centred and from that place really showing up for the people in our lives – whether they’re our kids, partners, friends, fellow parents or anyone else who may cross our path. Whether she meant to our not, she gives us a great lesson in intentional living and parenting.
The last part of this interview is raw, deeply heartfelt and very important. We talk about how Corene feels right now about raising black boys. She shares her own journey, people’s diverse racial experiences, her fears and her hopes. We also talk about how kids of all backgrounds can step up to create a real difference moving forward. Honestly, this is a must listen.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Corene’s bio
(03:17) How Corene became inspired to become an advocate for moms
(08:12) Instead of suffering in silence, the importance of talking to each other
(10:22) When did moms become disconnected from joy and what to do about it
(14:05) Letting our kids see us in the process of being very human
(16:30) Let’s talk about pandemic parenting and what has been learned
(19:15) Our phones, distractions and paying attention to our kids
(22:20) The importance of consistent self-care & nurturing
(25:50) Connecting to joy
(30:38) Looking ahead to navigating September
(35:45) Corene’s heartfelt and candid sharing about mothering black boys
(49:08) When can kids of all backgrounds do to create change
(52:54) Corene offers her biggest hopes for this next generation
Mentioned in This Episode:
Mommy Hour
More About This Guest:
Corene Lavhan is the host a podcast and YouTube channel called Mommy Hour. She started building her platform 3 years into motherhood realizing that the key to healing is sharing journeys with each other. Each story of transparency comforts other moms and puts a stop to feeling alone in the world that judges mothers so harshly. Corene believes that it is important to continue to have dialogue that will heal and inspire moms to be the best versions of themselves.
Instagram: @corene.lavhan
YouTube: Mommy Hour
As we head back to school this September, I wanted us to hear from an educator about what is going on right now and how we can intentionally prepare for our best possible re-integration.
When I thought about who I could reach out to, Amy immediately came to mind. She has been a dear friend since Grade 7 (!). She is a parent of 3 and she has been an educator for 21 years. She is a compassionate person and she is well-positioned to look at this situation from multiple perspectives. She is also an innovative and creative thinker who always puts students’ growth and a strong sense of community first. I was curious to hear her opinions and find out what insights she could offer us as we navigate a September like no other.
She shares her insights on what has been going on in the ‘classroom’ and how we can intentionally navigate as we move forward. She also offers great tools on helping kids to talk about their feelings and prepare for coming months. This a great episode for all of us in terms of exploring our most mindful collaboration, communication, stress management and mental health.
It wraps up with a beautiful conversation about the gifts of resilience and how this pandemic teaches us to navigate our joys and our pains and, in doing so, step deeper into our wholeness.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Amy’s Bio
(03:12) Where we are right now (mid-Summer 2020)
(04:15) How Amy’s own parenting has been shifting as a result of COVID-19
(06:40) When this is over, how are we going to undo the fear?
(07:10) The realities of online learning & the importance of community
(08:45) How Amy encouraged student participation through visual/online connection
(11:15) The importance of structure & working with individual family needs
(16:35) Looking ahead to September and how to prepare
(20:42) What Amy heard from parents and their concerns (beyond their kids’ progress)
(22:00) Children’s mental health & how to help them cope
(25:44) A tool to help kids open up about their feelings
(32:40) How can the kids prepare to go back to school in a healthy way
(38:27) How educators can prepare to re-enter the classroom in a mindful way
(42:19) The importance of shifting from ourselves to others
(46:36) Amy’s final words of inspiration about our wholeness, our joy and our pain
(48:03) The beautiful gift of resilience
Mentioned in This Episode:
No external links for this episode.
More About This Guest:
Today we have with us an amazing educator and my dear friend, Amy Allison. Amy has been an elementary school teacher with the Greater Essex County Board of Education for 21 years. She now teaches grade 3 at D.M. Eagle Public School in Tecumseh, Ontario but has worked with students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. As a teacher, she most enjoys building community in the classroom and conferencing with students to really get to know what their ideas, strengths and weaknesses are. She passionately believes that student voice and choice can lead to success.
She has 3 children ages 11, 12 and 16 who are learning to be amazing global citizens. As a family they enjoy giving back to our community in a variety of ways - and consider community service as important as any extra-curricular activity that the kids can be a part of.
Alicia is on a mission to bring Mindful Self-Regulation programming into schools and workplaces.
As we head into an unprecedented September and school year, Alicia walks us through the steps of Mindful Self-Regulation. It’s an eye-opening conversation about recognizing our stressors and learning how to navigate in a mindful, empowered and self-aware manner.
She offers valuable insights and tools for educators, parents, students and everyone.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Alicia’s Bio
(03:50) Alicia’s definition of mindfulness
(05:32) What does self-regulation mean how can we use it to manage stress
(07:35) Step 1 of self-regulation is re-framing behaviour with real world examples
(14:40) Ways Alicia reduces stress in the moment
(15:18) The Bumble Bee Breath
(18:14) Discussing mindfulness and educators moving into this new school year
(24:28) Alicia outlines our key stressors (Step 2)
(32:49) Step 3 is how to reduce stress and lighten the load
(34:34) Step 4 is enhancing stress awareness (mindfulness practices)
(38:27) Step 5 is responding and developing personal strategies for restoring energy and reducing tension
(39:05) The Energy Tension Matrix (identifying our energy & our stress cycles)
(42:50) The Basic Rest Activity Cycle
(45:35) Negative Stress can turn into positive stress
(50:35) Simple caregiver/kid tools to help kids become more mindful (through play)
(54:51) Alicia’s closing message of hope and calm
Mentioned in This Episode:
The Shanker Method & Self-Reg Resources (The Mehrit Centre)
Self-Reg 101
Self Reg School Toolkit
A Glitter/Mind Jar
The Bumble Bee Breath
5 Domains of Stressors
Thayer Energy Tension Matrix
The Basic Rest Activity Cycle
More About This Guest:
Alicia is a Moon Mama of 2 and the Founder of Mindful Roots. Alicia’s path began with university studies in sociology, psychology and women’s studies. She holds diplomas in Developmental Services Worker Field and Autism and Behaviour Sciences. She worked for 13 years as an Educational Assistant and Instructor Therapist in the public school system.
What really led her on her path to discover mindfulness and yoga were her own mental health challenges and the realization that close friends, students, and family members shared similar experiences. These events led her on an inward journey of self-healing. She found breathwork, meditation mantras and with this, greater purpose and intention. Mindful teachings inspired her to launch her work as a Mindfulness & Yoga Teacher.
Alicia is grateful to work with children, teens, educators, and all humans to help them embrace joy and build resilience through mindfulness. She is on a mission to bring yoga and mindfulness programming into schools and youth groups through physical literacy and Mindful Self-Regulation practices into the workplace. She loves this work because she knows the significant impact mindfulness practice can have on mental health, confidence, emotional & social intelligence and self-love.
Website: www.mindfulroots.ca
Instagram: @mindful_roots_love
Twitter: @mindfulalicia
Facebook: Mindful Roots
In this episode, we cover a lot of territory – from what it means to be optimistic to navigating anti-racism.
Karla is one wise woman. She is a bi-racial woman, coach, mother, entrepreneur, activist, basketball fan and true enthusiast of life.
I invited Karla on the podcast because she has so much to teach us. She regularly coaches people and is known for her transformative practices and her emphasis on optimism.
In recent months, all of her life and personal experiences have intersected and she has been asked to speak up, talk about anti-racism and guide us as we move forward.
In this episode we explore all of this and so much more.
She eloquently yet, powerfully, reminds us the importance of taking the very smallest first steps and committing ourselves to the exhilarating marathon of this journey.
Prepare to be inspired!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Karla’s Bio
(03:55) What does it mean to be optimistic
(05:45) Karla’s personal journey
(09:55) Optimism is born out of a dark place
(11:05) The practice of optimism
(12:29) Karla’s daily intentional practices
(15:12) How to move forward even when it’s tough
(17:50) How to start loving yourself
(21:50) Karla shares about her bi-racial background
(26:05) How can we intentionally approach anti-racism
(30:10) Where to start in furthering our anti-racism actions & conversations
(32:05) The importance of listening
(34:14) Being an ally in all aspects of our lives
(36:50) Teens inspiring activism
(44:40) Take action and be in collective service
(47:12) Karla’s final and powerful inspiration for us all
(50:37) How to connect with Karla
Mentioned in This Episode:
Metta Meditation
Anti-Racism Resources
Anti-Racism Reading List
Brené Brown’s Podcast Interview with Ibram Xendi, author of How to Be An Anti-Racist
Brené Brown’s Podcast Interview with Austin Channing, author of I’m Still Here
Karla’s Blog Post: This Isn’t New To Me
More About This Guest:
Karla Smith is a Personal Transformational Coach, Speaker, Writer/Blogger, and Optimism Expert dedicated to guiding people to courageously choose to live a life of their own creation. She believes that we all have great vision for our lives but often we are in our own way. Her mission is to help as many people and create a new approach to embracing change, so they feel capable and equipped to face life with confidence, optimism, and joy.
Website: www.kslifecoach.com
Instagram: @karlalifecoach
Facebook: Karla Smith
Private FB Group: Dare to Shine
CONTENT WARNING: In this episode, we talk about suicide.
This episode is raw, honest, inspiring and incredibly beautiful. Julie is remarkable in her resilience and ability to articulate a very difficult journey from a place of deep self-compassion and with a mission to inspire healing.
Within the tapestry of Julie’s attempted suicide and lifelong struggle with depression, we talk about seeking professional help, enlisting a support team, doing our work, medication, yoga, meditation and so much more.
Whether these experiences have personally touched your life or not, Julie’s story is sure to move you and inspire you to reflect and slow down. She reminds us of the importance of mindfulness, choice, gratitude and resilience.
If you are struggling with depression, contemplating suicide or know someone who is – Julie and I both encourage you to reach out for help. We know it feels impossible but, it’s not. Julie is living proof of that. Listen to this episode and refer to the resources below or to other health professionals – help is always available. You do not have to do this alone.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Julie’s Bio
(04:37) Julie shares how she struggled with depression and an eating disorder as a teen
(07:13) How this star high school basketball player really felt on the inside
(09:41) Seeking help
(10:09) At 32, Julie felt whole and hit her stride – personally and professionally
(18:35) Fast forward 12 years and Julie’s depression re-surfaced
(22:10) A perfect storm of events lead to Julie’s life imploding
(23:39) Julie’s fast fall into darkness
(25:34) Julie describes how her November birthday unfolded and her attempted suicide
(31:25) What changed the course of Julie’s plans that day
(34:25) Julie’s heartfelt message that life DOES get better
(35:08) Julie’s message for people who find themselves in this dire place
(39:16) Julie’s journey back to wholeness and equanimity – with a healthcare team
(45:05) The role of family and friends is to show up and be present
(47:15) Returning to wholeness
(49:40) Daily practices of awareness, health and well-being
(54:30) The real practice of yoga
(56:02) The healing practice of walking
(57:48) Finding the tools that work for you
(1:00:46) What we need is already within us
Mentioned in This Episode:
Suicide Prevention Resources:
Complete List of Canadian Crisis Centres and Hotlines
Suicide Hotlines USA
List of International Suicide Hotlines
Preventing Suicide: Warning Signs and Getting Help
Definition of Equanimity
More About This Guest:
Julie is a passionate and very accomplished student and teacher of yoga. She has studied extensively with the world’s best teachers and her studies have seen in her dive into niche areas includes alignment, chronic pain, depression & anxiety and yoga nidra … just to skim the surface. And – speaking of surfaces, stand up paddle board yoga is also a passion of hers.
Julie completed her RYT 200 teacher training at White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA under the direction of Ganga White, Tracey Rich and Sven Holcomb. Julie then completed her RYT 500 teacher training mentoring with Karen Claffey and the esteemed faculty of The Heaven on Earth Yoga Institute in Stoney Creek, Ontario. Julie’s studies at Heaven on Earth focused upon: Structural Alignment, based upon Anusara Universal Principles of Alignment; Anatomy and Physiology, Yoga for Chronic Pain with Neil Pearson; Yoga for Cancer, End-of-Life and Chronic Illness with Jnani Chapman; Yoga for Grief Relief, with Antonio Sausys; Yoga Cosmology, Psychology and The Chakras with Kaoverii Weber; LifeForce Yoga for Anxiety and Depression with Joy Bennett/Amy Weintraub; an introduction to Ayurveda with Nitin Shah M.D. Ayu; and last but not least; Yoga for Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Fibromyalgia; Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra. This intensive training profoundly impacted Julie’s deeper understanding of the power of yoga to both nurture and inspire one’s mind, body, and soul. In addition, Julie has a mad passion for Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP)-Yoga and completed her SUP Yoga Teacher Training/Paddle Into Fitness Certification and Level 1 WPA SUP Instructor Certification with Gillian Gibree and Paddle Into Fitness. When the warm weather hits you will find Julie out on the water, blissfully playing on her board, smiling ear to ear!
Website: www.juliethayeryoga.com
Instagram: @juliethayeryoga
Facebook: Julie Thayer
Chantal McCulligh is the creator of Anxiety Gone – an amazing resource for people with anxiety. She also curates Anxiety Gone subscription boxes. Chantal reached out to me about including Seeds of Intention cards in the boxes and I was really struck by the incredible resource she’s created.
As someone who struggled with severe anxiety and panic attacks, I think her work is incredible. I felt alone and terrified in that struggle so to know that there are places for people to get help and inspiration makes me very happy.
Chantal was diagnosed with panic disorder at 7. In this episode, she shares candidly about her own journey. She also shares how she copes with anxiety today and offers us some practical and useful tips. She reminds us that we need to trust ourselves, be kind to ourselves and be open to finding solutions. She shares how she layers these practices into simple daily practices to give herself a solid foundation and a real shift in mindset.
If you or anyone you know struggles with anxiety, this is a must listen. It is also great for anyone looking to enhance their daily practices. All of the tips are accessible and valuable to anyone. We also talk all things yoga, meditation, aromatherapy and crystals. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Chantal’s Bio
(02:43) Chantal’s path through anxiety to helping others heal
(05:00) How people can get started in managing their anxiety
(06:00) Chantal’s anxiety journey
(07:52) What anxiety looks like for Chantal today
(08:55) What changes things – including age – with perspective for parents & kids
(11:40) The myths about ‘facing’ anxiety and effective tools (including breathwork)
(13:05) Anxiety as an opportunity to learn about ourselves
(15:16) Chantal’s top tools and techniques (and her own daily practice)
(20:07) We talk about meditation, daily intentional practices and being present
(25:50) About essential oils and crystals
(31:05) We talk about worthiness
(32:30) Resistance to change and what to do with it (key message: TRY)
(37:00) Re-wiring our brains and our mindset
(39:17) All Chantal’s contact info & where to buy boxes
(40:02) Chantal’s closing thoughts and pep talk
Mentioned in This Episode:
Get Your Own Anxiety Gone Subscription Box
Anxiety Gone Tips
Anxiety Gone Podcast
How Gratitude Rewires our Brains
More About This Guest:
Chantal is a former Youtuber, freelance writer and owner of Anxiety Gone. Diagnosed with panic disorder as a child, Chantal spent the majority of her childhood and teenage years with limiting beliefs. Today, she runs a successful mental health company teaching others how to manage their anxiety so they can live their best life too. Chantal is the creator of the very popular Anxiety Gone subscription box.
Website: www.anxiety-gone.com
Instagram: @anxietygone
YouTube: Anxiety Gone by Chantal McCulligh
In this episode, we talk to the inspiring and smart, Justyna Sanders MD. Not only does Justyna share her journey but, she takes us through her battle with depression and how it led her to be a leader in functional and integrative medicine and an important champion for a wholefood, plant-based diet.
What I love about this episode is that Justyna really gives us an insight a revolutionary way of looking at our optimal health and how we heal. And – we also bring it right back down to basics and where we can start today – with our mindset.
Justyna uses the beautiful metaphor of an orchestra. The symphony of our overall and optimal health can begin one instrument and one note at a time.
Give it a listen. Warning: there’s some pretty powerful evidence here and you may just want to change your life!
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Justyna’s Bio
(03:17) How Justyna’s early years influenced her
(04:24) Her path to become a doctor
(06:03) The year her world crumbled
(08:38) Justyna’s struggle with depression
(12:30) Justyna’s integrative approach to healing and well-being
(13:30) Focussing on functional & integrative medicine
(15:28) Justyna’s view of the future of medicine
(17:05) Shifting our perspective – in the field and on an individual level
(19:46) Where to start in shifting our knowledge and optimizing medicine
(21:05) A whole food, plant-based diet can reverse heart disease
(22:04) About chronic disease, root causes and inflammation
(24:15) Reducing inflammation leads to reducing and reversing disease
(24:50) Mental health
(25:21) The remarkable difference mindful help can make
(28:17) What small steps can we take and where can we start? If you only listen to 15 minutes of this episode, start here.
(34:40) Our next steps once we have our mindset onside
(34:59) A beautiful metaphor of the orchestra for wholistic health
(36:32) How to connect with Justyna and access her work
Mentioned in This Episode:
TedX Talk – No More Dieting, Ever
Talks at Google – Your Journey to Optimal Health & Well-Being
More About This Guest:
Justyna Sanders, M.D., is a California-based Medical Doctor, CEO and Founder of Prescription Lifestyle LLC. She completed her medical training at Poznan University of Medical Sciences and has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from McMaster University. Dr. Sanders is a Medical Lifestyle Transformation Specialist™, is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition, is a public health researcher and visionary for transforming the field of medicine. As an expert in chronic disease reversal, whole food plant-based nutrition, using lifestyle as medicine™ and prevention, Dr. Sanders frequently speaks at various different events, but is most known for her Google Talk and TEDx Talk. Dr. Sanders' sincere hope is that through her work, she will inspire and empower people to take autonomy of their own health and ultimately aid in the transformation of medicine.
Website: www.prescriptionlifestyle.com
Instagram: @prescriptionlifestyle
YouTube: Prescription Lifestyle
Facebook: Prescription Lifestyle
Twitter: @PrescrLifestyle
Ali is a popular LA-based stylist, media personality and influencer. We met at a wellness event we both attended in Los Angeles where Ali chose a May You Know Joy card. Our connection blossomed from there. Ali started regularly posting the cards and we talked about how they influence her day-to-day life.
I was interested to interview Ali because I was curious how she came to find intentional living and how it intersected with her very public life. She is another beautiful example of how life teaches us lessons if we’re willing to listen and what it means to be true to ourselves.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Ali’s Bio
(02:20) How we met & how Ali uses her May You Know Joy cards
[07:32] I ask Ali if her role pulls her out of being intentional
[07:50] Ali talks about life in Hollywood
[09:12] A day in the life of a celebrity stylist
[12:13] How Ali’s life shifted and her experience on Bravo’s “Stripped”
[17:25] The birth of Ali’s daughter and how that contributed to her shift
[19:22] Post-partum depression, lessons about control & autopilot and moving forward
[21:08] The fear of letting go and the beauty of being truly present in life
[24:22] The reality of being an ‘influencer’
[26:00] Being raw and authentic and the time she lost 10k+ followers
[27:45] Being aligned and sharing from this heart-centred space
[29:24] Life transitions, loss and loving your whole self
[32:15] Really becoming intentional
[34:55] What helps Ali get grounded right now
[36:37] How important our morning practices are
[39:35] Being intentional doesn’t have to take a lot of time
[43:22] How to connect with Ali
Mentioned in This Episode:
Bloom Media
Bravo’s “Stripped”
Renegade Mama Pregnancy Affirmation Cards
More About This Guest:
Born and raised in New York, Ali has worked for some of the biggest names in the fashion industry. Ali relocated to Los Angeles, California and became a household name as a celebrity stylist. Ali recently appeared with her husband on Bravo's hit show, "Stripped." Ali makes regular appearances on local to National television promoting herself as a brand becoming and on- camera expert. After Ali's recent birth of her daughter Amelia Rei, Ali has transitioned to mompreneur and mommy influencer across the board. Belonging to sought-after mommy groups, her keen fashion sense and real-ife experiences inspire many.
Websites: www.alilevine.com
www.alilevinestyling.com
Instagram: @alilevinedesign
Twitter: @alilevinedesign
Podcast: Striptd Down with Ali Levine
I'm here to help creatives, healers and helpers find their wings. I do this through shamanic healing/mentoring as well as intuitive coaching.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Sarah’s Bio
(02:56) How does a doctor’s life get re-routed by a walrus?
(06:18) Fear, courage and making big changes in life
(07:39) About Sarah’s new book, How Good are You Willing to Let it Get?
(13:18) All about animal spirits and wisdom
(15:17) How we can set a daily intention to receive animal wisdom
(15:52) Sarah’s great story about the message she received from ants
(22:52) We open the Book of Beasties and receive a message from the Caracara
(30:54) Our core animal spirit guides and guest beasties who come to help us
(31:52) How to figure out your core beastie
(35:56) Sarah talks about shamanic journeying
(41:16) All of Sarah’s contact info
Mentioned in This Episode:
The Book of Beasties
How Good Are You Willing to Let it Get
Sarah’s Other Books:
Born to Freak
Swimming with Elephants
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
The Caracara (Our Animal Spirit Reading)
Video of Caracaras (Johnny Rooks) and the campsite of the National Geographic photographers
Guided drum journey to find your core beastie
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
More About This Guest:
Sarah Seidelmann was a physician living a nature-starved, hectic lifestyle until a walrus entered her life and changed everything. She has trained at the Martha Beck Institute and Michael Harner’s Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and is author of How Good Are You Willing to Let it Get?(2020) and The Book of Beasties (2018). She lives in northern Minnesota.
Website: www.followyourfeelgood.com
Instagram: @sarahseidelmann
Facebook: Follow Your Feel Good
This is a big conversation, so I hope you’re sitting down! We talk with the very passionate and wise Reiki Master, Clare Kenty.
Clare shares so much of her personal journey and the way reiki has become such an interwoven thread of everything she does.
This episode was recorded in the Spring of 2020 and Clare offers rich insights on what is happening energetically – both on macro and micro levels – and how this is a significant time in our collective evolution.
With change as a constant, she reminds us to trust ourselves and to intentionally create daily practices that are meaningful to us – that connect us to our deepest knowing and our highest sense of purpose.
If you are interested in Clare’s work, I wholeheartedly encourage you to find her online (or in person). Her wisdom and body of work are fascinating and continually changing with our times. She is a powerful and radiant energetic resource.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Clare’s bio
(05:52) Clare’s background and how she’s always believed in magic
(08:00) Clare tells us about reiki
(10:00) Clare’s own reiki journey and how it’s changed her life
(10:40) How reiki helped Clare navigate her father’s passing
(16:14) Adrienne shares her first reiki experience
(17:40) How are difficult times are catalysts for our questioning what is
(19:15) Clare’s take on what – energetically – is happening right now on a macro level
(24:35) What is happening in the world right now on a micro level
(28:00) This is a heart chakra activation for everyone
(31:00) The massive energy shift we are experiencing and how to be present
(38:40) Simple ways to connect to yourself and cultivate awareness
(44:25) The roots of a personal spiritual and/or intentional practice
(49:55) Change will be a constant and how we can navigate
(51:50) Exploring reiki further (whether for personal or professional reasons)
(55:13) Clare’s offerings
Mentioned in This Episode:
About Reiki
Natoya Hall
Reiki for the Times Course
More About This Guest:
A Reiki Master Teacher, Coach and Facilitator, Clare Kenty has been working with folks for over 15 years. Clare offers tangible ways to heal, grow and evolve through Reiki and supports both clients and students in cultivating a relationship with energy, reconnecting to their magic and remembering their purpose.
Clare is passionate about creating experiences and facilitating events that challenge the status quo and inspire change and growth through healing with the intention to not only heal ourselves, but heal the collective and the planet.
Website: www.clarekenty.ca
Instagram: @clarekenty
Facebook: Clare Kenty
I am thrilled to talk to Julie Skirving in this episode. Julie owns a store called Logan & Finley which is on trendy Queen West in Toronto. She is a retail partner of mine. She has also become a friend and a source I turn to as I try to continually shift to a more mindful and sustainable lifestyle.
What I admire about Julie is her passionate dedication to the items she curates in her store and to her customers’ real needs. She is a curator, ally and educator.
Julie offers a powerful and insightful perspective on intentional and sustainable living, shopping and consumerism. Unlike many retailers, she wants you to buy sustainable pieces and less often. She wants to help people create sustainable lives through creating mindful habits and wardrobes. She reminds us that an important aspect of our intentional living is also here – in choosing mindfully what we bring into our lives, our homes and our closets.
Julie curates beautiful items that are well-made, thoughtful and functional. Julie lives it to give it. If you are inspired to consume and live more mindfully, check out Logan & Finley’s website or Instagram feed for lots of awesome inspiration.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Julie’s Bio
(02:38) Inspiration for Logan & Finley
(04:38) How the concept of Logan & Finley emerged and the running store example
(05:55) How Julie’s lifestyle influenced her approach to her customers’ experience
(06:55) How Julie’s upbringing influenced her dedication to practicality & sustainability
(08:50) Creating a sustainable wardrobe
(13:07) How Julie helps people get started and gives them a meaningful experience
(16:40) How Julie’s products and services are evolving to the online experience
(22:30) The ‘Surprise Me’ Boxes and the role of thoughtfulness
(27:25) Building a life that is simple, beautiful, sustainable and what we love
(30:00) Spend less time and money to live more sustainably
(31:50) Specialty businesses help people interpret their needs
(33:18) Shop small businesses are integral to communities for so many reasons
(36:00) Changing our lives and the world through consistent small actions
(41:38) An invitation from Julie to reach out for her skills and services
(43:33) A message for the people who don’t like shopping
Mentioned in This Episode:
Wardrobe Consultations
‘Surprise Me’ Boxes
Simple Luxuries Self Care – Surprise Box
Low Waste Home – Surprise Box
Low Waste Kitchen – Surprise Box
Low Waste Bathroom – Surprise Box
Less Waste Solutions
More About This Guest:
Julie Skirving is the creator of the Logan & Finley brand and retail store located on Queen Street West in Toronto, Canada. You will often find her sharing her enthusiasm and product expertise with customers in the store. Julie started Logan & Finley after 20+ years in leadership roles in the outdoor apparel industry. It blends her professional expertise of telling really interesting brand stories with her love of nature, travel and living a healthy lifestyle.
Having her own store had been a dream for a long time and it has allowed her to put down some roots in a community she calls home. Her practical sensibility is what she brings to the store. Everything she does is done with a purpose and that is reflected in Logan & Finley. She has hand-selected every single item in the store for a reason. She believes that using products that you don’t need to replace all the time is a key part of living a more sustainable lifestyle.
Julie creates a safe space where people feel comfortable learning about ways to live more sustainably. In a nut shell, she introduces them to cool products that they will really enjoy using in their everyday lives.
Website: www.loganandfinley.com
Instagram: @loganandfinley
Facebook: Logan and Finley
Twitter: @loganandfinley
In this episode, we cover a lot of ground with Rusul Alrubail who is the Executive Director of the Parkdale Innovation Centre in Toronto.
Rusul shares how her journey to Canada created a deep need to have and create a sense of belonging. We talk about authenticity, finding your voice and creating community.
We also talk about entrepreneurship, diversity, inclusion and explore the concept of intentional leadership.
Rusul is an inspiring leader who is committed to learning, creating change and expanding opportunities. While she may not have recognized it as is was unfolding, Rusul’s passion, commitment and dedication are such a beautiful example of intentional living.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Intro and bio for Rusul
(04:45) About intentional living
(05:15) On social justice
(05:38) Rusul shares her background and shares about having a sense of belonging
(07:42) Starting the Parkdale Centre for Innovation
(09:55) How diversifying a work environment is full of opportunities
(13:55) Female entrepreneurship
(15:15) All about the Parkdale Centre for Innovation
(19:35) Rusul’s intention to be a teacher and her journey beyond that
(23:00) The struggles that come with finding our voice
(24:50) What changes Rusul would like to see & measuring success
(27:45) How we grow and flourish in ecosystems
(29:03) What does intentional leadership look like
(36:35) Advice for finding your voice and amplifying it
(39:14) Handling judgement, obstacles and failure
(48:47) Parkdale Centre is bringing their programs online
(49:33) What brings Rusul Joy
(52:09) How to follow Rusul on Twitter and connect with her in other ways
Mentioned in This Episode:
Rusul’s Tedx Talk – Systems of Adversity for the Love of Teaching
A Clip from Rusul’s Panel Discussion at the Collision Conference
Parkdale Centre – For Start Ups
Parkdale Centre - Media Incubator
Parkdale Centre - Women in Leadership
Partner with the Parkdale Centre
Start with Why – Simon Sinek
More About This Guest:
Rusul is the Executive Director and one of the founders of Parkdale Centre. The centre opened in 2017 with a mission to fill the accessibility and inclusivity gap to innovation, tech and entrepreneurship, especially for underrepresented groups: women, newcomers and those from low-income backgrounds.
Before Parkdale Centre, Rusul co-founded The Writing Project, a student publishing platform used in the U.S. by educators and students to amplify student voice and help students become better writers. During that time, she worked as an Educator-in-Residence at Ci. Strategy+Design, supporting community engagement at a design thinking agency that works with organizations on strategy and design.
Prior to this, she taught English composition and literature at Ryerson University and Seneca College for 10 years. She has written for Edutopia, Education Week, The Guardian, PBS Newshour, The International Literacy Association, EdWeek Teacher, Teaching Tolerance, ASCD's Educational Leadership, Edsurge, Annenberg Learner Foundation, and Medium which I helped to grow its largest education community from 7000 to 47000 readers!
She is a 3x published author, sought-after keynote speaker and a social media influencer on equity and inclusion.
Website: www.parkdaleinnovates.org
Twitter: @rusulalrubail
@parkdalecentre
Instagram: @rusulalrubail
@parkdalecentreforinnovation
In this episode, our conversation with Madeleine Marentette is rich in inspiration and insight.
We talk about navigating tough times and while this period may seem incongruent with manifesting, it is an essential time for self-care, moving forward and for dreaming.
Madeleine also shares the inspiration behind her Four Season of Manifesting methodology. She walks us through the thought process and provides tips on how to implement this powerful practice. It’s an annual practice but, you can start at any point and she tells you how.
I think there is something for everyone here and I hope you will be inspired to use this content for your own grounding, self-reflection, dreaming and, of course, intentional living.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Madeleine’s Bio
(04:50) Manifesting is all about creation and loving life
(06:38) When the heart cracks open and the excitement for new things
(08:15) The COVID-19 pandemic and how this is like a cracking open
(09:45) How do we move forward in tough times?
(11:25) It’s not a time to stop dreaming but, rather use this incubation period
(12:20) Calming the mind is essential
(13:45) Tips for how to ground and get centred
(16:29) Finding solutions to move forward
(20:22) Madeleine provides background for her manifesting teachings
(36:20) The 4 seasons of manifesting explained
(42:20) How the 4 bodies (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual) relate to the 4 seasons
(43:36) Spring (mental)– this is the time for seed planning and birthing new ideas
(44:58) Summer (physical) – this is the time for nurturing, energy and celebration
(46:06) Fall (emotional) – a time for reaping rewards, abundance and gratitude
(50:05) Winter (spiritual) – a time for active silence and self-reflection
(54:00) Creating an intentional year
(55:24) Where to start right now
(1:04:36) Madeleine’s New Year’s Eve super manifesting ritual
Mentioned in This Episode:
Grail Springs Retreat Information (at home during COVID-19 and onsite once re-opened)
Four Seasons of the Soul
More About This Guest:
Madeleine Marentette is the founder and CEO of Grail Springs Retreat Centre for Wellbeing, Canada’s leading holistic wellness destination. Bestselling author, educator, soul coach and healer, she continues to illuminate the path for individuals seeking personal transformation and life fulfillment.
For over twenty-five years Madeleine has dedicated herself to the study and processes of the human-soul-energy-connection, this awareness she feels, relevant more than ever to today’s changing and challenging world. A dedicated life of service to people, planet and our sacred animal kingdom, has her working relentlessly taking action, co-creating with others, and hosting wellness retreat programs at Grail Springs. Madeleine holds a series of lectures and retreats throughout the year both at Grail Springs and abroad.
She is presently working on her next book on the human condition as it relates to the sacred, and the evolutionary track of soul consciousness and destiny.
Website: www.grailsprings.com
www.madeleinemarentette.com
Instagram: @grailsprings
@madeleinemarentette
Facebook: Grail Springs
Twitter: @grailsprings
I met Chef Kim at his sushi making school, Sushi for the Soul. It was a gift to my son and we were excited to learn how to make sushi together. As the class got underway, Chef Kim shared his story, his philanthropy, his culinary precision and his passion. He also mentioned the importance of gratitude. I beamed and my son shot me a look thinking that must be the ‘real’ reason I’d brought him there.
In this episode, Chef Kim shares about his unexpected journey to and through the culinary world. He is wise, smart, witty and so talented. I admire the way he intentionally contemplates life and his story is rich in the awareness of our human complexities. He is open to life’s experiences and also plays a valuable role in creating rich experiences for others.
I’m grateful that we had this conversation and I hope you enjoy it too. If you’re in Toronto, his sushi classes sell out fast but, there’s a good reason for that – they’re awesome. I also recommend following him on Instagram. His musings, humour, beautiful perspectives and great writing are a complete gift.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Sang’s bio
(04:20) The journey started with stealing a can of Chef Boyardee
(05:37) Sang’s first job at Pizza Hut and experience of gratitude
(06:48) Community work and going door-to-door to make people dinner
(11:05) The unexpected journey of a chef and his struggle with this path
(13:25) Time at Nami and lessons about people and Japanese/Korean social relations
(16:13) His training and complex relationship with all things Japanese
(17:40) His relationship with his grandmother
(24:21) What his last meal would be
(25:50) What words he’s thinking about these days (essential and gather)
(32:10) Navigating COVID-19 life
(35:50) All about Sushi Marking for the Soul (it’s amazing, funny and inspiring)
(45:50) The ‘gaze’ exercise and the great social experience it creates
(51:33) What brings Sang joy
Mentioned in This Episode:
Sushi Making for the Soul
Nami Japanese Restaurant
More About This Guest:
Sang Kim a chef, restaurateur and writer.
Sang has been behind some of the most iconic modern Asian restaurants in the city of Toronto. He was profiled in the New York Times #1 bestselling business book, Better and Faster, by Jeremy Gutsche, for his innovative approach to restaurant marketing and Asian cuisine. He operates Canada’s most popular sushi making school, Sushi Making For The Soul, with over 19,000+ “graduates” since its inception in 2010.
He is the regular Asian food correspondent on CTV’s popular national daytime talk show, The Social and national breakfast show, Your Morning. He also does his rounds on all of the other networks.
He is an award-winning author of two books. He has won the Gloria Vanderbilt Prize for Short Fiction, Third Prize for Grain Magazine’s Short Grain Fiction Contest, finalist for the CBC Short Story Competition. His next two books, Woody Allen Ate My Kimchi, a memoir about his restaurant and food journey, and his collection of short stories, Eating Dogs, will both be released in 2020.
Website: www.sushimakingforthesoul.com
Instagram: @chefsangkim
@sushimakingforthesoul
Facebook: Sushi Making for the Soul
In this episode, we have a rich conversation with Asha Frost who is a Native Medicine Woman, Spiritual mentor and an individual I admire deeply. Asha has played an integral role in my own personal journey, so to share her wisdom and teachings with you is an honour and a gift. In this episode we explore how navigating chronic illness, reclaiming her ancestral teachings and finding her voice has all been woven into her most intentional living.
We talk about the book she is writing which is all about connecting with our own medicine. We also talk about her blog post, Dear White Woman Who Wants to be Like Me which went viral. We talk about the messages shared in that letter, what inspired it, the conversation it sparked and how she personally navigated the response.
Finally, Asha takes us on a beautiful journey. If you’re able to listen to this part in a quiet place where you can close your eyes and take in the fullness of the experience, you will be grateful you did.
Asha’s personal journey and ancestral wisdom are a gift. I look forward to her first book and I invite you to check out her website, social media and her membership, Sacred. This is soul food.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Asha’s bio
(03:00) Asha talks about the book she’s writing and her medicine
(05:39) About trusting our medicine
(06:50) Asha’s personal journey with Lupus and her ancestral teachings
(09:49) Discussion about Asha’s viral ‘Dear White Woman’ blog post
(10:50) How to use sacred teachings respectfully
(17:15) Asha’s personal journey having shared this blog post
(24:27) About our truth, being brave and healing
(26:35) The wholeness of our experiences and sharing them
(28:10) Intro to the journey Asha will lead us in
(29:00) Asha leads us in a beautiful journey (close your eyes & breathe it in)
(35:50) Adrienne shares how she experienced the journey
(36:35) Resources for looking up animal spirits
(38:30) Asha shares how you can connect with her & offers closing thoughts
Mentioned in This Episode:
Dear White Woman Who Wants to be Like Me Blog Post
More About This Guest:
Asha Frost, is an Anishinaabe (Ojibway) Medicine Woman, Healer and Spiritual Mentor. She is a member of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation. As a Soul Seer and Visionary, Asha believes that we can all reclaim our roots and deepest medicines.
Asha has facilitated healing with thousands of people through the use of Indigenous Based Ceremony, teachings and sacred circle. As a teacher and leader, her purpose is to help women connect to the magic of spirit within their lives so they can root down and be of service to the world.
Asha is working on her first book and has a popular and beautifully curated membership called Sacred.
Website: www.ashafrost.com
Instagram: @asha.frost
Facebook: Asha Frost
Sacred Membership: Sacred Membership Details & Sign-Up
Robert Sturman is an incredible artist and photographer. I wanted to interview Robert because his work is so captivating and I admire the way he captures the rawness and beauty of the human experience.
In this episode, he shares with us that his art is a creative expression of his most intentional living. He shares stories of photo sessions with BB King, inmates at San Quentin, women with breast cancer and people on the front lines of COVID-19.
While Robert shares so much in this conversation, what has really stayed with me is the beauty he sees in all things. He also talked about how essential it is to see people, be in the moment and care.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. I also hope you’ll follow Robert on Instagram and take time to enjoy his portfolios. You will be grateful you did.
Key Takeaways:
(00:50) Robert’s bio
(04:05) The yoga of seeing
(05:21) On being present
(06:08) On paying attention and caring
(06:40) Photography of yoga classes at San Quentin
(10:25) COVID-19 photography
(11:50) About Robert’s father
(16:15) Seeing the beauty of this world
(18:05) The start of the Italy story
(20:40) Re-writing the story of being an artist
(21:20) The artist in St. Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy
(25:03) A story from San Quentin
(27:15) Photography of breast cancer survivors
(30:40) It’s an honour
(31:44) Story about BB King
(34:46) Where to check out Robert’s work
(36:28) What brings Robert Joy
Mentioned in This Episode:
Prison Portfolio
COVID-19 Photography
- Emergency Room First Responder – Suicide and Prevention Assessment
- Robert’s father
Photo from St. Mark’s Square
Scars are Beautiful (Breast Cancer) Portfolio
Portrait of Musician with Guitar Over Shoulder
BB King Portrait
More About This Guest:
A dedicated yoga practitioner, photographer Robert Sturman has increasingly focused on capturing the timeless grace and embodied mindfulness of asana in his work.
His portraits, whether set in the lively streets of Manhattan, the expansive beaches and canyons of Malibu, the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, the timeless elegance of Walden's New England, or the bleakness of San Quentin Prison, remind us that there is beauty everywhere.
His stunning repertoire runs the gamut from yogis perched on rocks surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, to African orphans practicing yoga in Kenya, to breast cancer survivors, bare-chested and scarred. In addition, Sturman has worked extensively photographing war veterans who have embraced the practice of yoga to heal PTSD, in an effort to help change the heartbreaking statistics of veteran suicides each day.
In Sturman's own words, "I often think of Rumi's words 'I can't stop pointing to the beauty.' That feels right to me." Sturman's honors include Official Artist of the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, 2010 FIFA World Cup Artist Representing America, and Official Artist 2008 United States Olympics. Sturman has been the subject of two separate New York Times articles celebrating his photographs of yoga from around the world.
Website: www.robertsturmanstudio.com
Instagram: @robertsturman
Facebook: Robert Sturman
Twitter: @RobertSturmanStudio
Welcome – from your host, Adrienne Enns Description: I want to welcome you to the Intention Session podcast. This brief welcome will give you a feel for what inspired this series, my own intentions and what I hope you will experience. Much of my work is about our daily intention setting practices. With this podcast, I wanted to create a much larger conversation. I wanted to interview an incredible cross-section of remarkable people living intentionally. Not only are they inspiring but, they remind us that tough moments can be wise teachers and that intentional living can manifest itself in an infinite number of ways. I enjoy creating these podcasts immensely and I hope that you enjoy listening to them. Key Takeaways: (00:32) My own intentional living through my recovery from addiction (01:11) How The Intention Sessions started (01:32) I aspire to create a much greater conversation through these interviews (02:17) What is intentional Living (02:30) I’m inspired and hope you are too (02:57) Creativity, COVID-19 and what I remembered (03:38) Our intentional living is essential and my hopes for you Let’s Connect and Share I welcome you here. I hope you listen, share and enjoy. If you want more daily inspiration, you can find me here: On Instagram @mayyouknowjoy Facebook at May You Know Joy Check out the Intentional Days Membership if you want to be inspired and cultivate your own intentional living practice. If you’re enjoying the podcast, please feel free to show your love. You can do this by: * Subscribing to the podcast * Writing a review * Sharing with your friends
Thanks for joining me on this journey. I’m thrilled to have you here.