Exploring the Seasons of Life

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." - Martin Buber

Guest Introduction:

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, your host and founder of Pangea World Travel Agency.

If you’re a midlife professional, an empty nester, or a woman with a heart for adventure, you’re right where you belong. This isn’t just another travel podcast—it’s an invitation to look at how travel shapes our lives, inspiring us to grow, to see the world in new ways, and to rediscover ourselves in the process.

Together with incredible guests, we’ll dive into heartfelt stories of adventure, resilience, and transformation, exploring not only hidden travel gems but those unforgettable, life-changing moments. So, grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let’s set off on this journey—together.

Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce today’s guest, Robin Finney.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Robin Finney is a travel coach with Soulo Experiences, a certified Sourced™ Leader, Retreat Master, and transformational coach. As the founder of Wandering Aunt, international model, and world traveler, she empowers others to build confidence through solo travel, coaching, retreats, and unique photoshoot experiences. Since 2018, Robin has embraced a bold, nomadic life, inspiring others to trust themselves and explore the world.

Welcome Robin. I'm thrilled to have you on the podcast.

2:55 I used to have a "work to travel" mindset. I'd save up money and vacation time, then take long trips—three or four weeks at a time—exploring the world with some of my college friends. Each year, this passion grew, and I felt an increasing drive to explore. By 2017, that inner voice was too strong to ignore. I knew I had to take the leap, go out there, and see where the journey would take me.

4:43 I sold my furniture, gave up my apartment, and condensed my life down to just three crates in my sister’s garage. I still had my car, though—I wasn’t ready to let go of that yet. I thought, "Let me try this lifestyle and see how it feels." So I went to Thailand. Just a couple of weeks into my trip, I messaged my sister and told her, "I think I'm going to sell my car.

6:58 From day one, I set the intention to meet amazing people and have the best experiences. That’s how I approached every day. I fully believe that the energy we put out into the world is what we attract.

12:19 This is why I call myself "The Wandering Aunt." I think about the legacy I'm creating for my littles and for my sister's kids. I want them to see me living this lifestyle so it encourages them to explore and be brave in their own lives. I believe this also applies to people with families or other commitments; by prioritizing themselves, they're teaching their kids, family, and even coworkers that self-care and following one’s passions is a healthy thing to do.

30:06 There’s a place I visited in a town called Coyhaique in the Patagonia region. I flew into the town, then took a five-hour trek to reach it. I found a tour company that took me out to see these incredible rock formations known as the Marble Caves. The rocks are massive and have this surreal, almost Dr. Seuss-like quality, with shapes and colors that seem straight out of a fantasy.

You can find Robin Finney at:

Website | Instagram

Thank you for joining me on Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, and it’s an absolute joy to share this adventure with you.

I have something truly special to share today: picture a magical winter wonderland where enchanting Christmas markets come to life! Join us for a delightful getaway that blends nostalgia with festive fun—perfect for friends and empty nesters alike! Our group trip to the Christmas Markets of Montreal and Quebec City is scheduled for December 3 – 9, 2025. Visit my website PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com for more information.

If you loved today’s episode, please share it with your friends, spread the word on social media, or leave a rating and review. Your support means the world and helps us connect with even more fellow travelers and dreamers!

Until next time, keep exploring, keep growing, and embrace every step of your journey. I can’t wait to connect with you again!

Have questions? I’d love to connect—give me a call or drop an email!

Upcoming Group Trips:

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line on Wonder of the Seas/ 7 night Eastern Caribbean & Perfect Day July 27, 2025

Christmas Markets of Montreal and Quebec City December 3 – 9, 2025

California Dreamin': Monterey, Yosemite & Napa April 27 – May 4, 2026

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Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness was originally released on June 18, 2022

“To heal, you have to get to the root of the wound and kiss it all the way up” ~ Rupi Kaur

Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between; and let’s don’t forget about those moments that we never saw coming.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about self-forgiveness and why it’s so hard to forgive ourselves. And my guest is Niki Svara.

With a master's degree in spiritual psychology, and over 15 years of experience working with clients, Niki Svara has the love, the listening, and the tools that enable people to create deep and powerful growth, greater self-expression, and personal healing in their lives. Niki is the founder of Love The Way You Look and the author of Piece Talks: Messages of Love from your Body and Soul.

Welcome to the show, Niki. Thank you for being here.

I believe it was Brendon Burchard who said, “No matter how small you start, start something that matters.” And this series, “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.” is what I am doing - because self-care matters. Throughout our conversation today we will be weaving in self-care tips.

2:23 I love the word explore; it's such a fun word. And it really it just it lifts my spirit. And so, to me, exploring the seasons of life means to get curious about them, to have a curiosity. And I’m going to say let go of resistance of those seasons. And I can tell you from my own personal experience that for a good majority of my early life, I resisted my seasons, I constantly wanted to be somewhere other than where I was, and it really wasn't a joyous and fulfilling experience.

6:25 I believe we're all in need of self-forgiveness. Because whether we realize it or not, there's always something that we're judging ourselves for. Could be something we said or didn't say, could be something we did or didn't do. We're not happy. And we're judging ourselves for where we are in life for whatever particular season, we are in.

7:50 I think, number one, is the idea of becoming willing, becoming willing to forgive ourselves, we have to have that piece because if we're not, it's just not going to work. And there are several different ways to become willing.

10:54 I wanted to add one thing, because self-forgiveness is not something I think that we think about. I know, it's not for me, so I must set reminders. I set little reminders so that I can make it a consistent practice.

14:04 Practice helps us to remember the truth of who we really are; the truth of our being. And it's like I can be put in two awareness’s at one time - I'm aware of my human self and I'm aware of my spiritual self, and it's really just a fulfilling and peaceful experience.

19:32 And this was the aha moment that I came to, in an inner exploration, that love and loving somebody is not the same as being and feeling emotionally close to that person.

23:15 Or we can take a step back, pause, and really begin to choose that gentleness toward ourselves and that self-love and self-compassion.

Thank you for joining me on Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, and it’s an absolute joy to share this adventure with you.

I have something truly special to share today: picture a magical winter wonderland where enchanting Christmas markets come to life! Join us for a delightful getaway that blends nostalgia with festive fun—perfect for friends and empty nesters alike! Our group trip to the Christmas Markets of Montreal and Quebec City is scheduled for December 3, 2025. Visit my website PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com for more information.

Travel isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you become along the way. Let’s start this journey together.

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“If we don't attack the heart of the issue - the fear, guilt, and shame in our lives that cause us to buy what we don't really need - we are going to use that clutter to build our own prisons and keep us from connecting with others.” ~ Kathi Lipp

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m excited to bring you some of our earliest episodes this November and December—stories that delve into beginnings, endings, and everything in-between.

Every Friday, we’ll revisit these "from the vault" episodes and reflect on the moments that truly shape our journeys. So, let’s embrace the twists and turns of life’s transitions together, each one bringing us closer to where we’re meant to be.

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen was originally released on August 24, 2021

Guest Introduction:

I’m Cindy MacMillan and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life. You’re listening to episode 73.

This podcast is for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers about beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

If this is your first time joining me, I’m especially glad you’re here. I often say this podcast that has followed the breadcrumbs of my own interests and healing journey.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Star Hansen.

Star Hansen is a Certified Professional Organizer and Clutter Whisperer who helps people use their clutter to overcome blocks in their lives. Her unique approach has been featured on HGTV, OWN, TLC, Style, A&E, and TEDx.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Hi, Star. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:00 I'm in the middle of developing a class right now called The Meaning of Stuff that's launching in September. It's so incredible, because my whole career, I've been able to track what the clutter means, like what the symbolism of people's where you have your clutter and what your clutter is, tells me a whole story about your life.

3:33 You know, it's funny because when you think about it, it's disorder, it’s untidy, clutter is it's a crowd, it's a mess. And yet, and yet something can look like a mess to one person and feel like home to someone else. So, it's subjective.

5:11 I was on the phone with a client for two hours today, discerning the symbolism of their storage areas, and how it's not just, it's not cut and dry. It's like an onion, there's, you know, you're not a simple being, we're complex beings as humans, and we have lots of, you know, emotions and, you know, journeys tied in.

16:56 Or maybe you make a sign that says creative party in place. And you know, create a party in progress and you hang it on the wall. And you say you can come in. But this is a laboratory of creativity, and you don't mess with my creative Juju. Like you just claim that you set that intention. That's like yeah, that's not welcome here because we're in the middle of something.

18:29 So the interesting thing about clutter is that it is rarely one sided. So, the client I was talking to today, her clutter was inviting her to step into her purpose to really choose to step into her purpose. At the same time, that clutter was inviting her to punish herself. So, it was doing both.

28:21 So keeping an entire house of stuff doesn't serve us because the more we keep the less we see. And what I've done for the people that I love dearly who've passed away is I'll create a box or two of items from them that mean the most to me. So, journals, clothes, things that smell like them, like I had my grandpa's shirt in a Ziplock bag for years before the smell went away. But what you want to do is create a box or somewhere that you can go and revisit that loved one.

37:23 Thank you so much, Cindy, this was such a treat. And thank you to everyone for listening. It's really wonderful to connect energetically with you all.

You can find Star Hansen at:

Website Instagram Facebook YouTube

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone

Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
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Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." - Ernest Hemingway

Guest Introduction:

Hey there, friend! Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, your host and founder of Pangea World Travel Agency.

Whether you’re a busy midlife professional, an empty nester, or a woman with a heart for adventure, you’re in the right place!

This podcast isn't just about travel—it’s about how travel connects with the broader themes of life: growth, discovery, and reinvention. Join me and inspiring guests as we share personal stories of adventure and meaningful transformation. We’ll explore everything from hidden travel gems to life-changing experiences.

So grab your coffee, get cozy, and let’s embark on this adventure together!

Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce today’s guest, Susan Houts.

Susan Houts is a world traveler, former educator, and current Community Liaison for Assisting Hands Home Care here in Brevard, Florida. After serving as an Associate Professor of Public Speaking and Interpersonal Communication at Eastern Florida State College for 12 years, she transitioned into Senior Care after seeing the need for community education in this area. She grew up in Rockledge, Florida, and currently lives in Palm Bay with her husband of 16 years, Aaron.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

2:15 I’ve spoken to many people who are afraid to leave because they’re the primary caregiver for someone. But this can be a great opportunity to benefit both the person receiving care and the caregiver, allowing them to continue living their lives without worry.

6:01 In our community, there's a phrase that resonates with travelers: 'Take your oxygen first.' On a plane, they always instruct you to put your own oxygen mask on before helping a child or anyone else. The reason is simple: if you pass out, you won't be able to help anyone.

6:46 It's important to prepare in advance by reaching out to the community and using resources like Assisting Hands and the healthcare community to set up care ahead of time. If you leave it as an afterthought, you might find yourself on your trip, unable to fully enjoy it because you're constantly worried about what's happening at home.

8:35 If you have a company, ask others for recommendations. When we have a loved one in need of care—whether it's a senior or someone with health issues—it often feels like we're the only ones going through it. It feels very personal and can affect every part of our lives. But remember, you're not alone in this.

13:36 The really interesting thing about care, especially that I've learned in the senior care world, is that everybody's needs are completely different. Completely different, right?

34:33 I’d like to share one more tip I got from a friend who is a senior care advisor. I love her advice: when you're looking for support, whether before your trip or even during, focus on getting help with the task you dislike the most.

You can find Susan Houts at:

Website | Susan Houts, Certified Dementia Practitioner

Thank you for tuning in to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, and I’m truly grateful to have you on this adventure with me.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to share it with your friends, post about it on social media, or leave a rating and review. Thanks to your support, we can inspire even more travel enthusiasts like yourself!

I’d love to connect with you! Follow me on Instagram @pangeaworldtravelagency for more travel inspiration and updates.

Until then, keep exploring and embracing the journey. I can’t wait to see you next time!

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“Believe in your heart that you’re meant to live a life full of passion, purpose, magic and miracles.” ~ Roy T. Bennett

Guest Introduction:

Hey there, friend! Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, your host and founder of Pangea World Travel Agency.

Whether you’re a busy midlife professional, an empty nester, or a woman with a heart for adventure, you’re in the right place!

So grab your coffee, get cozy, and let’s embark on this adventure together!

Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce today’s guest, Leah Goerke.

Leah owns Escape The Nest Travel, specializing in empty-nester group travel. Globetrotting is her passion. She has explored 40 countries with family and friends. Leah has a doctorate in education and applies her research and teaching skills to create and prepare her clients for life-changing vacation experiences. She is a Certified Travel Associate and a member of the American Society of Travel Advisors.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Welcome to the podcast, Leah.

2:33 Every summer, my mom and dad would pack us up in the station wagon and we would head out to either Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach.

4:31 It's the only place that you can see certain species like marine iguanas, the giant tortoises, and the blue-footed booby, my favorite.

7:30 I'm an empty nester too, and I've learned to take full advantage of traveling during off-peak seasons. The pricing is better, the crowds are smaller, and you get to enjoy more personalized attention, especially on the islands or in these destinations. If the Galápagos is on your bucket list, you're on the right track with all your research. I encourage everyone to do the same!

17:32 Well, it all goes down to what type of activities they're interested in, who they're traveling with, you know, because you're picking a vacation, not just for yourself, but who you're traveling with. Also, what time of year? What destinations are you interested in and what kind of vibe do you want?

18:49 River cruises are what we call port-intensive. It's all about the ports, and in some cases, you may even visit two different ports in the same day.

24:55 On our ocean cruise with my family, we went ziplining in Roatan, off the coast of Honduras. We zipped through the rainforest and ended up on a private beach. My kids still rave about it to this day—it was an unforgettable experience. A friend recommended it to me, as we were relatively new to cruising, and they had just been on the same trip. It was extremely memorable, and there are so many similar touchpoints with the Galápagos.

You can find Leah Goerke at:

Website | Facebook |

Thank you for tuning in to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, and I’m truly grateful to have you on this adventure with me. As a travel advisor and transformational coach, I believe in the power of both travel and personal growth to shape our lives.

I’d love to connect with you! Follow me on Instagram @pangeaworldtravelagency for travel inspiration, personal insights, and updates on upcoming journeys.

Until then, keep exploring, growing, and embracing the journey. I can’t wait to see you next time!

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“Every woman’s success should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” ~ Serena Williams

Guest Introduction:

Hi, I’m Cindy MacMillan—your go-to Travel Bestie and the founder of Pangea World Travel Agency. Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition!

This podcast is designed for three unique yet wonderfully interconnected groups: busy midlife professionals, empty nesters, and women with an adventurous spirit.

Whether you’re navigating the demands of a thriving career while balancing personal commitments, stepping into the newfound freedom that comes with an empty nest, or feeling the call to explore the world in ways that truly speak to your soul—this podcast is your companion.

After years of dedication to your career and family, it’s time to rediscover the joy of travel and reignite your passions. Does that resonate with the Season of Life you’re in right now?

In each bi-weekly episode, I’ll be joined by inspiring guests who share your love for travel, personal growth, and wellness. Together, we’ll dive into topics that matter most, guiding you toward a life that’s richer, fuller, and more adventurous.

Grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dive into the incredible possibilities that await you!

Now, it’s my pleasure to introduce today’s guest, Angie Brandt.

Angie believes that a single moment can profoundly impact our lives—shaping our story and sculpting our legacy. For those open to it, travel is the ultimate connector and a gift that keeps giving. Through this lens, Angie founded Both Worlds Travel to cater to clients who are as curious as they are passionate about experiencing the world in all its beauty and diversity.

Both Worlds Travel specializes in crafting highly customized, refined journeys and small ship cruises for discerning travelers, offering unique experiences that blend quiet luxury with thoughtful exploration.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Welcome to the podcast.

3:24 I believe the most profound travel story of my life actually happened before I was even born. On the wall of my grandmother's house was a photo taken in the 1960s when she and her grandmother, my great-grandmother, traveled to Iceland—back to my great-grandmother's homeland where she was born.

7:39 I remember the headlights and being with my aunt, who was just a couple of years older than me and my parents, and a song came on the radio. I think it was Every Breath You Take, which, looking back on it, you know, that song's a little suspect now, but that song was on the radio, and we were driving through the bluffs at night, and it was magic to me.

12:54 I think as women, we often do it all, right? We become everything for everyone, except for ourselves most of the time. We tend to neglect our own needs and put ourselves last. It's not that we don’t want to embark on a journey of self-improvement, but by the time we've invested our energy and effort into everyone and everything else, there’s very little left for ourselves. At the end of the day, we’re exhausted, and then we wake up the next day, trying again, doing our best.

16:24 The boys may not have fully understood what was happening in the moment, the way that the adults did, but I do know that, in 20 years, they're going to be looking back and remembering that they were there, with their moms for that big game.

28:25 To travel responsibly and respectfully means you'll have a richer experience as a traveler. I believe you'll also gain a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty and its delicate nature, even amidst its ruggedness.

You can find Angie Brandt at:

Website |FaceBook | Instagram

Thank you so much for tuning in to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition. I’m Cindy MacMillan, and it’s been a joy to share this journey with you. Just a few weeks before the pandemic, I launched this podcast to dive into the "beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in between" that we, as women, experience. Now, as we shift our focus towards travel, I’m thrilled to continue bringing topics that resonate deeply with our community and add value to your life.

If you enjoyed this episode—and I know you did—be sure to subscribe so you never miss a show. And if you could take a moment to leave a review, it would mean the world to me and help us reach even more amazing listeners like you.

Ready to stop dreaming and start doing? Head over to PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com, get in touch, and let’s plan your next unforgettable journey.

Until next time, keep exploring, stay curious, and take care!

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“It takes a lifetime to discover Greece, but it only takes an instant to fall in love with her.” ~ Henry Miller

Guest Introduction:

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, your host and the founder of Pangea World Travel Agency.

If you’re a woman with an adventurous spirit, a busy midlife professional, or an empty nester looking to rediscover life’s magic through travel, you’re in the right place. Imagine this: You’ve spent years building a successful career, raising a family, and checking off life’s milestones. But now, it’s your time—a time to embrace the joy of discovery, reignite those passions that once filled your heart with excitement, and explore the world in ways that are truly fulfilling.

In each bi-weekly episode, I’ll be joined by guests who share your passions—from travel enthusiasts to experts in personal growth and wellness. Together, we’ll explore topics that truly matter to you, enhancing your journey toward a more enriched and adventurous life.

So, grab your coffee, get cozy, and let’s dive into this journey together.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

It’s a pleasure to introduce today’s guest, Hannah Clemente.

Hannah is the owner of Clemente Travels, a travel advisory based in Canton, OH, where she crafts unforgettable adventures for her clients. As an avid adventure seeker, Hannah's love for hiking, kayaking, yoga, and all things outdoors fuels her passion for exploration. Having started her travel journey at just 6 months old and never looking back after her first overseas trip at 19, she brings a lifetime of experience and enthusiasm to helping others discover the world.

7:01 Greece is my happy place. The people are so genuine and kind, with a carefree spirit that makes you feel at home. The food is incredible, and the country is steeped in history—from the cities to the monasteries in northern Greece. Then there are the beaches: sandy, pebbled, even black sand beaches. I could go on and on, but truly, Greece has it all.

11:09 I try to put them in the mindset that it’s not bad, it’s not wrong—it’s just different.

15:45 Over the last decade, I’ve especially learned patience. I grew up with none, but it’s become my biggest lesson.

20:22 My best friend is going right before us, and we'll be meeting her there for a few days. I added a note on her itinerary: 'Please bring comfortable shoes, wear a backpack, and don’t go there if it’s windy!

32:58 Travel is full of ups and downs—they’re inevitable with every trip. But with that said, get the travel insurance. If I could shout it from the rooftops, I would! Please, just get the travel insurance. Even if you're in perfect health, you still need it.

You can find Hannah Clemente at:

Website |FaceBook | Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us on 'Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition.' I’m Cindy MacMillan, and you can find me over at PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com.

If you enjoyed this episode—and I really hope you did—make sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a show. And if you could leave a review, it would mean the world to me. Your support helps us reach more amazing listeners just like you.

Remember, if you're dreaming of your next cruise or adventure, I'm here to help make it happen. Head on over to my website to get in touch, and let’s start planning your journey.

Until next time, keep exploring, stay curious, and take care!

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“Treat employees like they make a difference, and they will.” ~ Jim Goodnight

Guest Introduction:

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, your host and the founder of Pangea World Travel Agency.

If you’re a woman with an adventurous spirit, a busy midlife professional, or an empty nester looking to rediscover life’s magic through travel, you’re in the right place. Imagine this: You’ve spent years building a successful career, raising a family, and checking off life’s milestones. But now, it’s your time—a time to embrace the joy of discovery, to reignite those passions that once filled your heart with excitement, and to explore the world in ways that are truly fulfilling.

In each episode, I’ll be joined by insightful guests from a variety of fields, including travel, personal growth, and wellness. We will delve into topics that resonate with you and enhance your journey towards a more enriched and adventurous life.

So, grab your favorite drink, get cozy, and let’s dive into this journey together.

We are joined today with Eyad Mubaied, Founder and CEO of Cultivate Culture LLC, and author of the Culture Driven Organization: How to Create Your Desired Organizational Culture and Sustain It. Eyad spent over 20 years practicing as a CPA at KPMG and L3Harris then found himself at a crossroads at the end of 2023 and has an unconventional story about changing careers that we can hear from him directly.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Eyad, welcome to the show.

3:56 Organizational culture was something I've always loved.

4:57 If you had asked me six or nine months ago if I would be doing this, I would have said you were absolutely nuts. But one thing led to another, and I found doors closing and others opening, and I just went through them.

5:25 The technical term that I use or definition that I use in the book is the manifestation of shared beliefs reflected in common behaviors.

11:36 In any organization, just like countries, there would be multiple cultural traits. The idea of the book is how do you now bridge the two? How do you take a good leader? And then take them through the process of actually instilling or integrating their philosophies into a process and then instilling it into people.

14:20 You could be a good, genuinely good leader from a people perspective, but maybe not the best leader when it comes to continuous improvement or innovation.

14:34 The two or three biggest traits for a good culture have to include humility as one of them.

33:12 And at the end of the day, your organization's heart, its people.

You can find Eyad Mubaied at:

Website |E-Mail: info@cultivateculturellc.com

Thank you for joining us today on Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition. I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan, and you can find me at PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. Your support means the world to us. For any travel inquiries or to start planning your next adventure, feel free to reach out to me directly through my website. Until next time, happy travels and take care!

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“I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list.” ~ Susan Sontag

Guest Introduction:

Hey there, friend! Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I’m Cindy MacMillan, your host and founder of Pangea World Travel Agency. If you’re a busy midlife professional, an empty nester, or a woman with a heart for adventure, you’re in exactly the right place. Here, we believe that travel isn’t just a getaway; it’s a chance to grow, discover, and deeply connect with the world.

This podcast is more than just a show—it’s an invitation to embark on a journey with us. My mission is to bring you guests who resonate with your dreams, understand your challenges, and ignite your adventurous spirit. Together, we’re building a vibrant community of travelers ready to embrace their next great adventure.

Today, we’re talking about how a travel advisor can save you time, stress, and even money, all while promoting responsible tourism. We’ll dive into choosing eco-friendly options, supporting local communities, and reducing our carbon footprint—all while exploring this incredible planet of ours.

So, pour yourself a big cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s embark on this journey together. You ready? Let’s do this!

It's my pleasure to introduce Rachel Velthuisen, the owner and travel advisor behind Essence of Elegance Travel, based in Raleigh, North Carolina. With an a deep love for travel, Rachel has explored 22 countries across 5 continents, bringing a wealth of experience to every journey she crafts. Her talent for creating one-of-a-kind trips ensures that each itinerary is infused with heart and soul. Rachel is dedicated to helping you explore the world in the most enriching and unforgettable way possible.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Oh my goodness, Rachel—22 countries! That's truly incredible. Thank you so much for being here on the podcast today.

2:23 My first memory of being intrigued by the idea of traveling, stems from my Nana. She came home from Antigua and talked all about the wonderful people that she met, the beautiful beaches and being in Wisconsin at the time. It was a lovely picture to envision, in the cold of the winter, got me thinking about what it was like to travel.

3:23 I have three children, and I get to take them on these exciting adventures around the world with me. Really, I just love planning the details of all these trips.

6:43 Yeah, so in my day job I’m an air quality consultant. I have a PhD in Chemistry and I’ve been doing this job for 20 years, over 20 years now, and as a consultant, I feel that a lot of what I do in my day-to-day work carries over to working with clients on the travel side. I keep track of a lot of moving parts in different projects.

14:55 First, I would see if you have friends and family that are using a travel advisor and get a good referral. I think that's a good place to start, is to know that someone has used someone and recommends them. Referrals are good. First place to start. If you don't know anyone who's using a travel advisor, I would do a search online.

20:40 I'm a member of Virtuoso which is our consortia and I'm a member of the Virtuoso Sustainability Community. So, I hear about a lot of new hotel chains or tour operators around the world that are focusing on that aspect and trying to work more with the local communities and with incorporating sustainable practices into their day-to-day operations.

31:04 I would have to say it would be the ability to be willing to step outside of my comfort zone and try new things.

You can find Rachel Velthuisen at:

Website |FaceBook | Instagram

Thanks so much for joining us on 'Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition.' I’m Cindy MacMillan, and you can find me over at PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com.

Remember, if you're dreaming of your next cruise or adventure, I'm here to help make it happen. Head on over to my website to get in touch, and let’s start planning your journey.

Until next time, keep exploring, stay curious, and take care!

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“I feel very grateful I get to write my own ending.” ~ Simone Biles

Guest Introduction:

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition! I'm Cindy MacMillan, your host and founder of Pangea World Travel Agency. If you're a busy midlife professional, an empty nester, or a woman who simply loves to explore, you're in the right place. We believe travel isn't just a vacation; it's your chance to grow, discover, and truly connect with the world around you.

Join us as we take you to incredible destinations, share practical travel tips, and tell stories from fellow wanderers just like you. Whether you're dreaming of far-off lands or eager to find beauty close to home, this podcast is your guide to making those dreams a reality. Tune in to discover how you can create unforgettable experiences and make the most of your travel adventures, no matter where you are in life.

I'm so excited to chat with Kelly Tolliday, a Wellness Travel Expert, Retreat Facilitator, Travel Advisor & Podcast Host of Transform with Travel.

She's also a 500-Hr Registered Yoga Teacher & an Accredited Continued Education Provider for the Yoga Industry.

She's the Co-Founder of RNR, a boutique retreat & travel company, guiding you on intentional travel experiences in the world's most breathtaking destinations. Through their organized group tours & retreats, custom travel advising services, as well as retreat management & facilitation for coaches, businesses & communities, RNR is your one-stop shop for all your travel needs.

She's married to her husband Sam and is a mom to 2 beautiful girls & 2 crazy dogs.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Thank you for being here today, Kelly.

4:38: I've been running group tours and retreats for seven years and I know we'll probably chat about this later down the track but one of the biggest takeaways that I see in people traveling, not only do they get to see the Eiffel Tower, but they get to walk away with a renewed sense of themselves or a renewed commitment or a sense of their purpose, or they get to feel strong within themselves.

6:21: I've actually never been asked that so that's it's a really really good question. What you learn through the practice of yoga is that everyone is having their own perceptions of reality and that is a hundred percent what I've learned through this podcast is everyone is experiencing travel in different ways and not everyone actually perceives travel as this enlightening, opening, freeing experience. It can be fraught with stress.

14:06: On our retreat in Greece, in 2023, the overall theme that we all took away with - was how can we slow down more in our day-to-day life? We noticed how agitated all of us retreat facilitator, me included, we noticed how agitated we were with how slow the pace of life was on this small island south of Athens. And we noticed with that agitation, like, wait a minute, this could be a point of healing or transformation for us.

16:16 One of the biggest joys for me is seeing people learn from a 20-year-old learning from a sixty-year-old and a sixty-year-old learning from a 20-year-old. I'm like, that is community, that is humanity, coming together.

21:08: When you're traveling, you can't go on autopilot. You're using every sense, taking in new information every single second. It's a beautiful place to be—the present moment.

You can find Kelly Tolliday at:

Website | Podcast | Instagram

Hey there, friend! Thanks so much for joining us on 'Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition.' I’m Cindy MacMillan, and you can find me over at PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com.

Remember, if you're dreaming of your next cruise or adventure, I'm here to help make it happen. Head on over to my website to get in touch, and let’s start planning your journey.

Until next time, keep exploring, stay curious, and take care!

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"The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself." ~ Wallace Stevens

Guest Introduction:

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition. I'm Cindy MacMillan, and I’m so glad you’re here.

A bit about our journey together: I launched Exploring the Seasons of Life just weeks before the pandemic, initially focusing on the unique seasons we, as women, experience—the beginnings, the endings, and all the messy bits in between.

With the launch of Pangea World Travel Agency, our podcast is evolving. We're now shifting our focus to explore the transformative power of travel, particularly for busy midlife professionals, empty nesters, and women. Join me as we dive into amazing travel experiences that enrich our lives, reduce stress, and help us grow. Each episode, we’ll have insightful conversations with travel experts, share personal stories from fellow travel enthusiasts, and offer practical advice to inspire your next adventure.

Let’s explore the seasons of life through the lens of travel.

Today, we have a special guest, Dr. Jaya Prakash, affectionately known as Coach Jaya. As a retired physician and professor, she has been helping young professionals, medical and chiropractic students, colleagues, and community members manage day-to-day chronic stress for nearly four decades. Her guidance is deeply rooted in mindfulness practices that are easy to adapt and sustain. She offers individual coaching, group workshops, and the Thrive workplace wellness plan. Coach Jaya is very active in the community, currently serving as vice president of the Kiwanis Club of Melbourne, ambassador for the Cocoa Beach Chamber, and member of many other nonprofit organizations serving the community.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Welcome Coach Jaya, thank you for being a guest.

2:57 Anytime you have mental or emotional response to difficult situations which seems interfering with your life. That is called stress. So, it is not so much as a physical response, but something which is mental and emotional, which is stretching your endurance beyond what you can deal with. Then that would be called stress.

10:23 We are digitally connected and socially isolated.

12:45 It’s not just the modern world, it is also just the loss of connected, real human connection.

29:00 Travelling to new places also makes you more mindful because you're noticing what is in front of you, rather than obsessing about what happened last week or what's happening next week.

Thank you for joining us today on 'Exploring the Seasons of Life: Travel Edition.' I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan, and you can find me at PangeaWorldTravelAgency.com. Remember, while stress is a part of life, it doesn't have to overshadow your travel dreams. Take a deep breath, plan that adventure, and let the journey transform you. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. Your support means the world to us. For any travel inquiries or to start planning your next adventure, feel free to reach out to me directly through my website. Until next time, happy travels and take care!

You can find Coach Jaya at:

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“There is a voice inside that does not use words. Listen.” ~ Rumi

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan.

I have conversations with coaches, spiritual explorers and thought leaders from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode, I’m thrilled to dive into the work of Judith Maxey, whose exploration into alternative and traditional healing practices began while pursuing a Master’s degree in Applied Anthropology, exploring the cultural roots of healing.

Judith is the owner of Almus Energy Medicine, has been practicing energy medicine for over 15 years. She is an experienced and certified Usui/Holy Fire® and Karuna Reiki® master teacher, mentor, shamanic practitioner, meditation guide and essential oil specialist. In 2023, she also became a certified End-of-Life Doula.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome Judith. I’ve really been looking forward to this conversation.

Judith: “There's always an underlying level of grief. Right now, I feel, in part because of the pandemic we just simply did not acknowledge the grieving that might have happened. That should have happened because we have a very, in my opinion, narrow perspective on what grief is.”

Judith: “I'm a doTERRA wellness advocate, so I use mostly doTERRA oils. I believe in their quality, but I use a Snow Lotus aromatherapy oil that was created by a Five Element Acupuncturist, and it's called Sedate Metal and so from the Chinese medicine perspective. It's about metal and it's very good in fall for the lungs where we hold grief and it is a blend of Copaiba balsam, Atlas cedarwood, Amyris, and Geranium. And I would never even attempt to blend it the way that Peter Holmes does. It's just an amazing blend. I keep it in my office.”

Judith: “I'm so happy that there are end-of-life doulas for the person who is passing and also for everyone involved and that's what I found was really there was so much learning in my end of life doula training about that about the interactions between the caregivers and what was happening for everyone how to be aware of the cues and Like everything else, Cindy, again, I feel like I say a certain few things throughout the conversation, but it's about being present.”

Judith: “And then I started, in the same community as my Reiki teacher, I'll give her a shout out, Colleen Benelli, Licensed Reiki Teacher, The International Center for Reiki Training. She was also involved in The LightSong Community of 21st Century Shamanism and Energy Medicine. So, I started doing core shamanism training as well.”

Judith: “You are meant to use us and, and we're meant to work together. And so, I started bringing in essential oils, the plants to my work. And I just feel like the combination of the shamanic practices that, I'd say in general, allow you to work with larger energies than yourself, Reiki, and the miracle, the magic of the plants, you know, getting to work with those three in a session with someone is a powerhouse. It's so supportive.

Judith: “I would suggest, your ceremony be specific to you and what you're comfortable with. And most importantly, what you will actually do. You know, we can look at a lot of different ceremonies, but what calls to you? Do you want to gather in a big crowd? Do you want to gather with your three closest friends? In the darkness, with a candle? Being grateful? Saying out loud what you want to get rid of? You know? I think those elements are the important part. Again, gratitude, community, release, and calling in what you would like for the new year or your life. I'll say that I would suggest those same elements for any ceremony.

Judith: “Forgiveness is so much larger than that. A little bit like grief, right?”

Judith: “I also want to say that in 2024. I'll be coming out with Plant Speak Retreats, and that's for the doTERRA community to learn how to build relationships, spiritual personal energetic relationships with the oils.”

Resource Mentioned: Firewalk Ceremony

You can find Judith Maxey at: Website Instagram Mentorship Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

Journey of Healing with Alana Keddie

Conversation with Julie Jancius: The Angel Medium

Confidence is a Journey with Sha Sparks

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“Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind and spirit. The realization that everything we do, think, feel and believe has an effect on our wellbeing” ~ Greg Anderson

Guest Introduction: Welcome to the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast! I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan and I'm thrilled to have you here. Today, we're diving into the extraordinary world of holistic living in our new series, Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life.

Holistic living, it's not some fancy buzzword. It's like coming home to yourself – body, mind, heart, and soul. Imagine showing up for yourself in every way possible, like you're your own best friend, therapist, chef, and personal cheerleader. It's about nurturing all those parts of you that make you, well, you.

Now, wholeness – that's where the magic sparkles. It's embracing your stories, your scars, your stumbles, and your soaring moments, and realizing they're all essential brushstrokes that create your masterpiece. You're not a puzzle with pieces missing; you're a tapestry woven from the threads of your experiences.

Holistic living isn't about adding more to your plate; it's about savoring every bite, every breath, every precious moment.

Prepare to unlock the doors of your heart and mind, inviting in a world filled with love, connection, and profound insights. Let’s dive in?

Shā Sparks is an energetic catalyst and fearless communicator who sparks leaders in transition, who are unclear, go from fear to fired up about their life and business. Through her renowned Spark Your ALPHA program, Shā’s audiences and clients experience more confidence, amplified emotional intelligence, and the spark that ignites their fearless action.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome, Sha!

Sha: “It's not just a one and done and we become this beautiful butterfly. No, I think sometimes our butterflies become different butterflies depending on the season of life that we're in. And I know for my own I have overcome so many different adversities and, you know, came out one butterfly with each one of those.”

Sha: “I think all of them, we go through a little bit of grieving process because the identity of who we've been is disappearing. And part of us is like, I don't want to lose that part. And, honestly, we don't technically lose it, but it just shifts and molds into, you know, like we're a piece of clay.”

Sha: “I started to capture my own thoughts, like really understand that my voice in my head, that inner voice that we all have, was not helping me and propelling me. It was holding me back and hurting me. And so, I just started a brain dump, is what I call it and write down all the negative things that I would say to myself.”

Sha: “I knew that we are a mirror of what we see. So, I then started to think about all the people that I admire. I started researching billionaires and millionaires and successful leaders of all walks of life and just started to write down the characteristics of what I admired in them. And then I wrote the two most powerful words in the English language before each one. I AM.

Sha: “I took an improv class, a comedy improv class for a year. And it was just so much fun and so out of my comfort zone. And it was not about being funny at all. It's, it's about surrendering to the process and being able to dance with your partners on stage and say, yes.

Sha: “So that my brain was picking up and noticing how whenever I saw a cigarette or anything that looked resembled a cigarette, it reminded my brain that I don't want it.”

Sha: “Confidence is a journey. You gain confidence all along the way just by doing little things and then acknowledging yourself for doing those little things and patting yourself on the back.”

You can find Sha Sparks at: Website Instagram FaceBook Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

Journey of Healing with Alana Keddie

Conversation with Julie Jancius: The Angel Medium

Ceremonies and Healing with Stacy Mitchell

Curious About Reiki: A Conversation with Terry Dulin

Confid

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Guest Introduction: Hello and a warm welcome, friends, to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast! I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan, and I hope you're finding inspiration and connection in our new podcast series – Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life. And if you happen to be joining us for the first time, a heartfelt welcome to you, new friends.

Throughout this series, I've had the privilege of chatting with some incredible healers and experts in various modalities. From the transformative power of sound baths to the profound wisdom of yoga, the sacred art of womb healing, the realm of angels, and the soul stirring beauty of poetry, we've delved into the diverse practices and perspectives that contribute to our holistic well-being.

My goal here is to offer you insights, stories, and practical advice. Wisdom. Wisdom that can inspire you to live a more authentic, balanced, and fulfilled life. Whether you're a seasoned explorer of these healing paths or just beginning your journey, there's something for everyone in this series.

Go ahead and cozy up with your favorite drink, find a snug place to unwind, because we're about to embark on a deeply inspiring conversation.

Terry Dulin is a fourth-generation paranormal practitioner. She was raised in a metaphysical environment by her mother who is a professional psychic, trance medium and healer. She started assisting her mom doing healings at the early age of 12. She initially learned Reiki in 2002 to assist her mom in her practice. In 2008 she had a spiritual calling - a strong desire to do something more. She was led for Reiki to be a stronger presence in her life. In 2009 she learned Reiki II and a few months later she took the ART/Master class. Terry traveled to Southfield MI in 2010 to learn Karuna Reiki ® from William Rand.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Terry: “It really was not until 2008 to 2009 when, Reiki, and I didn't know Reiki was going to be this, divine force in my life. I had a spiritual calling, you know, for me, it's God. My spiritual calling is God, right? So, God was, encouraging me telling me I needed to do something more with my life than what it was.”

Terry: “I have to tell you, it's been an amazing journey to see how it has shifted, altered and really propelled me to be where I'm at and who I'm meant to be.”

Terry: “Every practitioner has their own way of practicing, right? Doing Reiki. So, they might ask someone, you know, for permission to touch.”

Terry: “You can have an intention, you can go in with having, say, pain on your knee, or with your knee, and the Reiki energy will know that something is off in your body, and that say maybe the root cause is the hip.”

Terry: “Just like we don't necessarily always get along with every person. So, every relationship is different. Every Reiki experience is different. If you really want to come from a stance of true knowledge, my encouragement would be to have a session.”

Terry: “I of course would encourage you to find someone within your local area. I’m a Licensed Teacher with The International Center for Reiki Training. I am a member of the Reiki Membership Association. So, my encouragement would be to start there at Reiki. org and they have a link on their website to find a practitioner in your area.

You can find Terry Dulin at: Website Phone# 219-712-0507 Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

Journey of Healing with Alana Keddie

Conversation with Julie Jancius: The Angel Medium

Ceremonies and Healing with Stacy Mitchell

Conversation with Yoga and Reiki Teacher Jerry Mikutis

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"Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Guest Introduction: This podcast is for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey who are ready to lead healthier and happier lives and improve their emotional well-being.

I interview coaches, spiritual explorers and thought leaders from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan.

I am really excited about today’s interview and before we jump in, I want to say thank you for being here.

Today’s guest is Jerry Mikutis. She is a Licensed Reiki Master Teacher with the International Center for Reiki Training, a yoga teacher and crystal practitioner and I am so excited to share this conversation with you!

Let me tell you a little more about Jerry Mikutis. She has been enthralled by yoga ever since her first class in 2005 as a means for mental clarity from the stresses of life. The sense of peace the practice cultivated kept her coming back to the mat and the physical benefits soon made themselves evident. Her yoga practice eventually led her to subtler practices such as Reiki and other methods of energy harmonizing, such as connecting with the beauty of crystals. She facilitates yoga and Reiki classes as well as meditations online. Jerry lives in Chicago with her 2 cats Rosie and Milo and dozens of plants and looks for the magic everywhere.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome Jerry.

Jerry: “I had this coupon, a postcard, that your first class was free. And I remember that the class completely transformed me. It showed me the stillness within me; I was probably like a hundred pounds heavier, and I couldn't do any of the poses.”

Jerry: “Yoga was just really showing me how the body relates to the mind. So that was my introduction to yoga during a really difficult time in my life. It gave me that sense of peace and clarity.”

Jerry: “I came from a very linear, logical thinking family. My dad was a math teacher. All my friends from college were, that were in my life at that time, they were just very logical thinkers.”

Jerry: “That really made me realize even more that we’re always in communication with each other. It may not be words, it may not be eye contact, but it's within what we carry in our energy field.”

Jerry: “When people ask me what crystal they should get, I almost always say, like, start off with rose quartz, because it's soft pink, the crystal itself isn't soft, because it's quartz, but the colors are soft pink. I think of it as the light of the heart, the light of connection with others, the light of connection with the divine.”

Jerry: “So we have cats that like to sleep. So, they teach us how to rest and to sleep and take things slower. I have two cats.”

Jerry: “So back to your question about how I find the magic. I think Chicago is a very nature centered city in itself in so many ways. I live about three blocks from Lake Michigan, which is one of the largest lakes in the world.”

You can find Jerry Mikutis at: Website Instagram FaceBook Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

Journey of Healing with Alana Keddie

Conversation with Julie Jancius: The Angel Medium

Ceremonies and Healing with Stacy Mitchell

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“You are not a drop in the ocean, you are the ocean in a drop”. ~ Rumi

Holistic living—it's not just a fancy buzzword. Think of it as returning to the very essence of yourself – your body, mind, heart, and soul. Picture a world where you show up for yourself in every way imaginable, like you're your own best friend, chef, and personal cheerleader. It's about nurturing all those beautiful facets of you that make you, well, uniquely you.

But here's where the magic truly begins – wholeness. It's embracing your stories, your scars, your stumbles, and your soaring moments, and realizing they're all essential brushstrokes that create your masterpiece. You're not a puzzle with pieces missing; you're a tapestry woven from the threads of your experiences.

Grab your favorite cozy beverage, find a comfy spot to sit back and relax, because we're about to dive deep into a truly inspiring conversation.

Stacy Mitchell has been a Life-Cycle Celebrant® since 2005, co-creating and officiating meaningful ceremonies across the life-cycle based on the beliefs and values of her clients. She is also a Reiki Master/Teacher, certified Soul Realignment advanced practitioner and Soul Regression therapist. Her goal is to provide others with the tools and knowledge they need for self-empowerment and self-healing through the weaving together of these offerings.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the podcast, Stacy.

Stacy: “In Hinduism, there is an understanding that the cycles of life are birth, life, death, and rebirth and in the Western world, we tend to stop with just death, right? Not that rebirth part; but it's not a full cycle if we don't have that fourth.”

Stacy: “For me, life isn't about exploring cycles. It's about living into each season and cycle.”

Stacy: “I think as time goes on, we really begin to understand that we are a part of the cycle, and so we are living the cycle, whatever, that cycle that we're in is in that moment. And really, that’s the key to integration, I guess, is that that ability to just live the cycle rather than peering in from the outside and say, oh, what's this?”

Stacy: “In the ceremony co creation process or the healing process, as a practitioner, the most important thing for me is to be an active listener. Active listening requires you to lay down any preconceived ideas or agendas about the work, or the people that you are speaking with. And it also requires a presencing in the moment, to be fully there in that moment, and not thinking in the before time, thinking into whatever's in the future, not jumping ahead mentally or even verbally, but to really just take in what is said to marinate in those words and the emotions that the words invoke and to listen between the lines in order to hear what the silence is saying.”

Stacy: “It can really be eye opening to, to see, like your friend, you know, to see how other cultures treat food and treat the sharing of food. And I'm sure you're aware that even in the West, sharing food after a ceremony, especially a funeral, is, like, one of the most important parts of the experience. So, it's not just, what happens within the ceremony itself, but that moment of breaking bread together, that moment of being...In community and feeding each other and in some circles would be called feeding the soul, right?”

You can find Stacy Mitchell at: Honor Your Voice Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

Journey of Healing with Alana Keddie

Conversation with Julie Jancius: The Angel Medium

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"Your intuition will tell you where you need to go; it will connect you with people you should meet; it will guide you toward work that is meaningful for you – work that brings you joy, work that feels right for you." – Shakti Gawain

Guest Introduction: I'm your host Cindy MacMillan and you are listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast! We're currently immersed in a fantastic series called Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life.

Holistic living isn't about adding more to your plate; it's about savoring every bite, every breath, every precious moment.

Julie Jancius is The Angel Medium™ and host of the #5 spiritual podcast, Angels and Awakening, which receives over 2 million downloads a year in 80+ countries around the world. Julie is a world renowned angel expert on a mission to teach you how to connect with your angels and loved ones on the Other Side in order to make living “Heaven on Earth.”

Get ready to open your heart and mind to a world of love, connection, and spiritual wisdom. Let's dive in!

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome, Julie!

Julie: “I think it's really, really fascinating that throughout time we have all fought and throughout history on so many different points when it comes to religions, but angels are this fundamental piece and thread, that is woven in between all religions and all religions seem to remain consistent on there are divine helpers, right? God, Universe, Source did not set us up to fail.”

Julie: “Archangel Michael is here as a strength that when we're really having to have courage and resilience and be courageous; we're able to step into that and let our self-doubt and our fears go.”

Julie: “When you're working with somebody who you resonate with on all levels, your heart chakra is just completely open, your energy, your consciousness, your mind. You're completely open to that teacher and because you're more in that state of being, you're absorbing more of what they're trying to say instead of you being in a state of where you're like filtering what they're saying.”

Julie: “I started writing for the third largest newspaper in Illinois when I was 14 years old, and I loved journalism even back then because every day was going to be different. I didn't know what stories were going to pop up that week, who I was going to get to interview or talk to and I still love that today. I don't want to know what the rest of my life is going to be like, I enjoy, the magic.”

You can find Julie Jancius at:

Website Instagram YouTube IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH JULIE JANCIUS YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

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Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

Journey of Healing with Alana Keddie

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“The condition of women’s wombs also directly reflects the condition of women’s minds, spirits, and actions. The womb is a storehouse of all our emotions.” ~ Queen Afua, Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind, and Spirit

Guest Introduction: Hello and a warm welcome, friends, to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast! I'm your host Cindy MacMillan, and I hope you are enjoying the new podcast series – Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life. If you are new to the podcast, welcome new friends.

Grab your favorite cozy beverage, find a comfy spot to sit back and relax, because we're about to dive deep into a truly inspiring conversation.

I'm thrilled to introduce my guest, Alana Keddie, a remarkable Energy Healer & Conscious Life Coach hailing from the beautiful city of Sarasota, FL. Alana is the brilliant mind behind the AK Healing Method, a transformative approach that she uses to help clients globally find balance, healing, and growth. Her expertise extends to the fascinating realms of Subconscious reprogramming and Sacred Womb Healing, making her a true source of wisdom and inspiration for anyone seeking to embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment. Stay tuned for an enlightening conversation with Alana, as we delve into her unique methods and the profound impact they have on people's lives.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Alana: “Yeah, this is a good question. I mean, we all, we have so many seasons in life, you know, and you don't even realize you're in it until maybe you're out of it. And then even as women, we have the archetypal seasons, we have the maiden and the mother and the, I prefer the sage to the Crone, but we have so many seasons. So, I was really reflecting on this before I came to talk to you, and I feel currently, personally, I'm in a season of, I would call Rebirth.”

Alana: “I couldn't work. I couldn't function. The neurologist wrote me off and basically, I was lying in my bedroom like most hours of the day in a dark room with ice on my head and that was it. So, during that time, I had a lot of losses in my personal life as well. And I would call that absolutely my dark night of the soul, beyond broken.”

Alana: “Sometimes it's not in the way they want or in the way they think they want. You know, sometimes someone comes in for, you know, deep emotional scarring for one thing and before we know it, it's the womb that's releasing. It's we're having massive sacral healing. So, it's just in the way that they're meant to heal.”

Alana: “One thing that stands out for me is “As Within, So Without” and that is across the board on so many different spiritual schools or teachings. And so that leads me to, in my coaching, you know, really trying to get my clients to understand it's, there's nothing to change but self. It's all within.

Alana: “For women, we hold all our feminine essence in the sacral, all our creative ideas, all our healing, all our sexual energy. In fact, sexual energy, healing energy, and creative energy, it is one energy, and it all lives in the sacral.

Alana: “There's a lot of access to me right now as we expand. The main business is AK Healing. So that's just www.akhealing. com. We have two divisions. There's a manifestation and success coaching division with subconscious reprogramming. That's called Manifest Dreams Now, www.manifestdreamsnow.com and then I have the Sacred Womb Healing Division. That's www. SacredWombHealer.com and the workshops and ceremonies are on there too.

Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life Series

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

Empowering Your Inner Wellness Warrior: Insights from Joyce Jimenez

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“Growth and comfort do not coexist.” ― Ginni Rometty

Guest Introduction: Welcome to the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast! I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan, Life + Well-Being Coach for Women, and I'm thrilled to have you here. Today, we're diving into our new series, Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life.

Holistic well-being isn't about overloading your schedule; it's about savoring every experience, every breath, and cherishing every moment.

I am thrilled to introduce my guest.

Joyce Jimenez is a dedicated entrepreneur and wellness advocate. As the owner of True Wellness Brevard, a renowned yoga and wellness studio, she has passionately guided individuals on their journeys to better health and mindfulness. In addition to her studio, Joyce is also the visionary behind Detox Energy Greens, a natural supplement company that promotes holistic vitality. With a profound commitment to holistic living, Joyce continues to inspire and empower others to achieve balance and wellness in their lives.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Joyce. I am so happy to have you here.

Joyce: “Detox Energy Greens came first. I started that business six (6) years ago, and it started because I was looking for a way to heal my body because I was experiencing a lot of health issues that I couldn't get the answers to what was actually occurring in my body. So, I was introduced to a more holistic aspect and when I started to take herbs and heal my body I knew that there was more to this type of healing.”

Joyce: “Because one thing about Entrepreneurship is that you have to deal with yourself; your own limiting beliefs, your own fears, your own restrictions.”

Joyce: “One of the most common things that you hear someone complain about is the tightness of their hips or their shoulders or their neck and predominantly it's because we sit, you know, we're driving a lot. Like you said, all these different things to where it's a lack of movement.”

Joyce: “Holistic wellness is completely different than some of the more modern style forms of wellness that people consider to be wellness right now. And for me, holistic wellness was more of like, okay, how do I heal internally? My physical body? How do I heal my mind, my heart, my soul, and doing it in a more holistic way?”

Joyce: “So the breath is one of the most important key factors in your yoga practice.”

Joyce: “I honestly am a firm believer of intertwining both your feminine and your masculine.”

Joyce: “I had a coach that once said that the masculine is like the riverbank. And the feminine is the river; she is the flow. And you need the bank to hold the flow of the water or else that water is just going to flow and go crazy everywhere. And so, we need the balance of the two.”

Joyce: “My website is DetoxEnergyGreens.com and that is where all my products are listed and sold and my studio is located in Palm Bay, Florida.”

You can find Joyce Jimenez at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH JOYCE JIMENEZ YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

The Healing Power of Sound Baths with Stephanie Weber

Trust in Your Soul with Sonee Singh

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“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” ~ Joan Didion

Guest Introduction: Welcome, welcome, friends, to a brand-new episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast! I'm your host Cindy MacMillan, and I'm happy to be back after a refreshing summer break, and super excited to introduce a new podcast series – Holistic Living: Embracing Wholeness In Everyday Life.

Holistic living isn't about adding more to your plate; it's about savoring every bite, every breath, every precious moment.

Join me as I welcome my guest, Sonee Singh.

Sonee Singh is a Doctor of Divinity, poet, novelist, avid reader, and cross-cultural seeker of deep knowing. Author of award-winning novel, Lonely Dove, and of the Soul-Seeker Poetry Collection: Embody, Embrace, & Embolden. Her second novel will be out this summer.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome, Sonee – we're truly fortunate to have you on the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast!

“It was in that theme of exploring who we are, I got to a point in my life, and this is going back about, five or six years ago, so relatively recently, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was not happy doing what I was doing in my career because I had not allowed myself to really, follow my purpose and follow my dream.”

“I let myself believe that it wasn't possible for me, that I wouldn't be successful, that, you know, I wouldn't be financially stable.”

“Once I realized intuition is listening to my own voice, listening to myself and that's how I connect with the world outside, it just became this search of wanting to know more and do more, and so that's what led me into the Doctor of Divinity.”

“I don't usually feel like I have a home. I feel like I belong everywhere, but at the same time, I belong nowhere. And I think that is an important perspective, you know, some people, though not a lot of people, can relate to, there's a lot of us that are, you know, in a way not necessarily tied to any particular location.”

“I mean, for one, I think it's important to recognize that sometimes this is a life journey. As we explore who we are, we continue to evolve and change, but we also have to be mindful that who we are now may not be who we are tomorrow. And who we are now is not who we were yesterday. And that's okay.”

“Trusting in yourself is the greatest gift that we can give. It really encompasses in a way all that we've been talking about. Trusting yourself means connecting with your intuition, means accepting where you are in life, it means that you understand that we're in an evolution and when you're constantly trusting in yourself, that is your one constant. That is the one place that you can always rely on to handle anything that comes up.

You can find Sonee Singh at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH SONEE SINGH YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Spiritual Matter with Martine Bachelart

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“Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are." ~ Rachel Naomi Remen

Holistic living isn't about adding more to your plate; it's about savoring every bite, every breath, every precious moment. It’s about balance and mindfulness… whatever that looks like for you.

Join me as I welcome my guest, Stephanie Weber.

Stephanie Weber is a certified sound healer, mindful meditation facilitator, yoga instructor, and holistic coach. She leads deeply restorative sound baths designed to empower her clients to rediscover their inner light and heal from the inside out! Stephanie has a deep passion for helping others find balance and joy in their lives. She believes that sound healing can be a powerful tool for self-discovery and transformation, and she is committed to helping her clients explore their inner depths and uncover their true potential!

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome, Stephanie – we're truly fortunate to have you on the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast!

“Each season in our life really brings its unique energy, it brings new lessons, it brings new opportunities for growth, new changes. And sometimes we go through expansive seasons of growth and abundance and change and exciting things. And sometimes we also go through seasons of contraction and learning lessons and introspection.”

“I think that nothing in life is ever a coincidence. I think that sometimes our most difficult seasons can be our biggest teachers. And I know that looking back at my own life, honestly, some of the most difficult times in my own life have been my biggest periods of learning. It's been the catalyst for my growth and expansion.”

“It was kind of the path that we're given, right? You go to college. You get a degree, you get a nine to five, you climb the ladder, you settle down, you get your white picket fence, and then you retire and die. That's kind of what people give us. And, you know, I realized really quickly that the corporate world was not for me.”

“I've done classes for companies like Salesforce and Bank of America and TikTok, McDonald's Corporation, you know, JLL, and so many more. And I love doing that because it's fun to go back into the corporate places where I once was to help the people who were once like me, the stressed out people and to really give back to them.”

“Each of my bowls specifically are tuned to the chakras and there's also bowls that are tuned to the endocrine system. There's lots of different tunings with the bowls. The sounds are tuned in a way that target your specific chakras or the specific pieces of the endocrine system, which are your energy centers in your body.”

You can find Stephanie Weber at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH STEPHANIE WEBER YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Cornelia Gilbert on Boundaries and Integrity

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Hannah Fowler

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“Breathe darling, this is just a chapter. It’s not your whole story.” – S.C. Laurie

Guest Introduction: Hello friend, Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I’m your host Cindy MacMillan, Essential Emotions Coach and self-care advocate for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey who are ready to lead healthier and happier lives and improve their emotional well-being.

Exploring the Seasons of Life is a metaphor for understanding the complexities of being alive. It's a gentle reminder that our journey is filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and moments of both growth and stagnation. It's within these seasons that we learn, we evolve, and we become the most authentic and vibrant versions of ourselves.

In today's episode, we have the amazing Lisa Dunlap joining us, so, let's dive in and make the most of our time together.

Lisa Dunlap AGPCNP, is a holistic nurse practitioner, public speaker, healer and coach. She helps high achieving moms and nurses restore and revive, reignite their passions, and build profitable online holistic coaching businesses so they can leave the bedside.

Lisa nearly died in order to wake up and heal from burnout and start living a life she loved. Now the women she coaches, don't have to wait for rock-bottom to heal. While working on the frontlines of the pandemic as a Hospice NP and juggling two small children at home she saw the critical need for women in healthcare to prioritize their mental health. She founded Nurse Your Soul, after she transformed her own rock-bottom burnout, debilitating pain, and potentially life threatening diagnosis into spontaneous healing and living her dream life. She quit her 14- year career as a nurse, and started Nurse Your Soul to empower nurses with practical tools to get unstuck. As a certified herbalist, clinical aromatherapist, reflexologist, energy healer, and trained in mindfulness and self-compassion her coaching targets the mind-body and spirit.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Lisa, welcome to the podcast. It's wonderful to connect with like-minded women who share a passion for exploring the mind, body, and spirit connection. I believe that nurturing all three aspects is essential for overall well-being and personal growth.

2:25 I've been a nurse practitioner for, gosh, nine years now and a nurse five years before that. I have two little ones, they're now five and eight. And if we rewind, a lot of peoples, stories these days start at the beginning of the pandemic, and that's where mine starts. It was not the beginning of burnout for me. I was in Seattle where the pandemic unfolded and the nursing home where COVID first began was in my territory.

3:32 I feel like an onion, you know, I had these layers of burnout that we're building up that I didn't even know, you know, it's like, we as moms, as women, as high achievers, we're going through the motions and kind of putting the signs under the rug like no, no, I'm good. I'm gonna keep pushing, I'm gonna keep doing and, you know, on a real authentic, vulnerable level, I was sort of not admitting to myself, that I wasn't happy that I wasn't feeling healthy.

5:45 We get this call, we're driving up to the mountains, I had started to use a lot of my holistic tools. I'm certified in aromatherapy, energy work, mindfulness, and I had already started to use them and started to work on healing myself. And so, my family took a ski trip, sort of before Seattle, went lights out, everyone stays at home, don't leave your house for two weeks. And I was well enough to go.

6:39 We found a solid grapefruit size, mass in your ovary, now an ovary is like, like a walnut size really. And I thought what, and I just sunk into my seat, you know, and I could see everything up until age 40 flash before my eyes and the next 40 years and as a hospice nurse practitioner, the first thought was ovarian cancer.

9:37 The unraveling was stripping away identities I had formerly found self-worth in and so here I was, and the nurse practitioner was getting stripped away. I couldn't go to work. I was in a lot of pain. The runner, the athlete, the snowboarder, the mother who could care for her children and so here you are. Left sort of what I felt was a shell of myself, right? I'm lying on the couch most of these months in pain and couldn't be a hero on the front lines. I wasn't working at that moment.

17:27 And we just sat, and this was a very important conversation. And we said to each other, what is it we want? This question is transformational for you, for me, for anyone out there listening to this, ask yourself this question. And not what is it I think I should do? What is it I can do within the limits that are not what my parents want? It was, what is it we want if money wasn't an issue, location, and we just crafted, we said we want to surf more.

22:33 I think it's really hard to answer it in a few words, but what I'll say is, for me, it's that at that time, I got really clear on my values. That word can sound cliché, but when I say values, what I mean is, what do I love? What makes me tick? What makes me get up in the morning? What do I love today, you know, the vision of the nurse practitioner with the full practice, I always wanted that. Once I got there, it didn't feel right. It didn't align with my motherhood values with my mind, body spirit values, right?

You can find Lisa Dunlap at:

Instagram Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH LISA DUNLAP YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

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Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Beautiful friends, that's a wrap for today's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life! I hope you enjoyed our discussion on self-compassion and giving yourself permission + found it informative and engaging. I’m always thrilled to bring you meaningful conversations with incredible guests.

If you loved what you heard today, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave me a review on your preferred podcast platform.

Whether you listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other platform, leaving a review only takes a minute, but it means the world to me. Your reviews not only motivate me but also helps others discover the show and join our vibrant community.

A quick announcement, I am taking a short break recording the podcast to recharge and revitalize my creative spirit. You have heard me say many times, taking care of our emotional wellbeing is essential, as it radiates positivity into every corner of our lives. So, just like savoring an ice cream on a hot day, I'm indulging in this hiatus to nourish my creativity and bring forth a fresh wave of inspiration.

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“Jobs fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul.” – Jaime Lyn

Guest Introduction: Welcome back, lovely friends! You're listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan, and I'm delighted to have you here today.

Exploring the Seasons of Life is a metaphor for understanding the complexities of being alive. It's a gentle reminder that our journey is filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and moments of both growth and stagnation. It's within these seasons that we learn, we evolve, and we become the best versions of ourselves.

Each week, I have the privilege of connecting with incredible women who are dedicated to exploring the many facets of life. Our conversations are centered around self-love, well-being, and mindset, as we seek to understand how these elements shape our experiences and perspectives.

It's an absolute joy to have Cindy Kippley join us on the podcast today.

Cindy Kippley is not your average individual. She's a Business Professional, dog mom, yogi, marathon runner, outdoor enthusiast, mountain trekker, biker, weekend warrior, explorer, and world traveler. She embraces the world as her playground. From boardrooms to mountain peaks, she immerses herself in diverse cultures, forging connections, and leaving her mark on every path she treads. Her adventurous spirit knows no bounds, making her a true citizen of the world.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show Cindy.

4:03 My first thought was, I did it. And then I also said, you know what, I am a badass. I don't like to swear. But I'm a badass. I can be a successful businesswoman during the day, during the week, but on my weekends and on vacation, I'm adventurous and I like to kind of push my body and my mind past that comfort zone to accomplish a goal or mission and that's what I felt.

5:12 I mean, overall, I just think age is only a number. I don't feel 56, well, maybe after doing that hike, I probably felt 86. At the end of that hike, I was very exhausted.

7:17 My trip started when I fainted on the airplane. Now, you may think it's funny, but it does happen occasionally. And so that started out my trip on my 14-hour flight. But I got through it. I was a little weak the first two days of my trip, but I recovered. I just had to hydrate a lot and kind of eat carefully.

9:05 So in our tea house, which is a hotel, the only place there's heat is in the dining room, and they only heat up the stove in the evening time for dinner. So that's where you would go to get warm, read a book, eat your dinner, etc. Well, instead of putting sticks or something out, they were putting yak dung in the stove, and that's what was burned to keep the dining hall warm. It was an amazing use of resources.

11:04 So for a week, I ate alot of like soup for dinner, like onion soup, garlic soup, potato soup. And then for like breakfast, I'd have a boiled egg, or maybe fried potatoes with the fried egg on it. So, it was kind of basic, very basic meals, nothing fancy.

13:00 Well, number one, for women that are working, we're very busy and it's very hard to coordinate schedules with a friend. It's also not always easy to find someone with the same interests as you to go to the same places. And at the same time that you're available.

18:36 Well, as a leader, you have to have perseverance, courage, and confidence. And the perseverance I used like, you know, maybe after so many days, you're getting burned out, or maybe you don't feel well and you're just like, oh, I can just turn around now and go back. I don't need to go to the top like, I'm good here. But it's like, no, you kind of have to check yourself and go, no, you signed up for this trip, you have a goal to reach and you're going to do it.

23:38 For me, I think it means living in the present. Not dwelling in the past, you know, I have done some self-discovery on that topic, and having gratitude for the gifts that God has given me, accepting what I have, embracing my age, making the most of what physical abilities I have right now. And how can I go explore if I have vacation time? How can I explore and use those physical abilities? I don't want to put off doing an activity and say, oh, I'll do that, when I retire. Well, maybe I won't have the physical capacity when I retire. So, I'm trying to take advantage of that.

25:18 I'm going to say, I know you thought that you'd be married at age 26 with 2.5 kids and a dog, but that's not how life worked out for you. But it's okay. You're going to be divorced and childless. But you're going to have eight awesome nieces and nephews, and two dogs, that you're a dog mom to and you're going to be climbing mountains in your 50s, you're going to be happy with your life and living your best life.

26:25 Actually, just two days ago, I signed up to hike the Camino de Santiago which is in Spain and that'll be spring of next year.

It's time to wrap up this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I hope you've found inspiration and guidance in our conversation. Remember to visit CynthiaMacMillan.com for all the links and resources mentioned today. Until we meet again next time, I encourage you to keep embracing the ever-changing seasons of your life. Learn from the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future. And always remember to prioritize self-care and self-love. You are truly worthy of all the wonderful things that life has to offer.

You can find Cindy Kippley at:

LinkedIn IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH CINDY KIPPLEY YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

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"Isn’t it marvelous to discover that you are the one that you’ve been waiting for? That you are your own freedom" ~ Byron Katie

Guest Introduction: I wanted to address a small technical issue with today's recording. Unfortunately, there was some fuzziness in the audio quality. However, I didn't want to let that deter us from sharing the incredible information that Dr. Eliza provided on the topic of burnout. Her insights and expertise were invaluable, and I didn't want to scrap such valuable content. So please bear with us regarding the audio quality, and I'm confident that you'll still find tremendous value in what Dr. Eliza had to say.

Today we are chatting about the stages or “seasons” of the burnout process, and how to work within them to recover.

You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. With your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Dr. Eliza Collins.

Each week, I interview coaches and spiritual explorers from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

I’m so grateful that you tuned in today; it means a lot to me. If you love this conversation and you want to continue it or want to share your thoughts, your takeaways, or just any aha’s that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

It is my great pleasure to introduce Dr. Eliza Collins.

Eliza Collins is a burnout expert, a Doctor of Acupuncture & Eastern medicine, and Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. She works with clients to recover from and prevent burnout by simultaneously addressing mindset and underlying physical health issues, bringing them a sense of ease, agency, and wellness.

Welcome to the show, Dr. Eliza.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:33 Burnout is kind of one of those insidious things, because we don't really see it coming. It's something that builds over time. So, the best sort of working definition that we have of burnout right now is that it is a state of sustained chronic stress that over time degrades your ability to handle day to day stress with ease. So, it's not necessarily this like aha moment of like, bang, all of a sudden, I have burnout. It's this real slow erosion of your ability to continue to handle stress. And that can come from a variety of places.

7:30 That started me on the road to burnout recovery, that I'm still on and much farther along. But you know, like most types of recovery, it's something that you have to be mindful of always going forward. And in the process of doing that and collecting these tools and getting other certifications and trainings for things like functional medicine, and hypnosis, gave me this really interesting constellation of tools to help other individuals address the same issues that I did without having to take the time, you know, to kind of trudge through it and find it themselves.

11:57 That's such an interesting question. And this is an answer that I give a lot because it's something that I don't think it's straightforward. The answer is I don't know. I would say yes. And probably, because a lot of it has to do with our coping mechanisms. So how well did we cope? What's our attachment style? Are we an anxious attachment? Are we avoidant attachment. So it's not necessarily like a type A personality, specifically of like the go getter, the perfectionist like those definitely, those attributes can play into burnout. But if somebody is a go getter, but they also understand how to rest and how to recover, and how to take care of themselves, they're not going to burn out as easily.

13:50 I always really like being able to make this distinction for people. So when my coach was burned out, she did not have depression, she just had burnout. She was happy in her relationships; she was genuinely happy with her life outside of work. But work was the primary focus of where she was getting drained and exhausted and resentful because she didn't have the boundaries necessary to do the work that she wanted in a way that filled her up versus drained her, but she wasn't depressed. I have a history of depression. And so when I was burnt out, I was also depressed.

16:25 Typically, for a lot of people, the first season with burnout is not knowing that you're burnt out. Because we are so I think cultured particularly in American culture in Western culture to be the go getter to be the pull yourself up by the bootstraps to, you know, be the self-made man, woman, person that is so ingrained in our culture, that it can be very difficult to recognize that you're burnt out, I certainly didn't.

26:39 Like many things in life, symptoms vary, depending on the person. So, it can be fatigue, resentment. Brain fog is a big one that I see with people. Because I work in a medical field with acupuncture and functional medicine, I also see people with like gut issues.

34:38 I have a lot of tools. Up to now, I would probably say the values exercise, because it tends to shock people where their values lie. Because oftentimes we try and function in a way that we think is beneficial for society, or for our household, or whatever the case may be. So, if somebody has a loving husband and three kids, and they really care about their family, and they do the values exercise, and they find out that family is not one of the values, that can be shocking to them.

40:25 I didn't have that three years ago, when I was burnt out. So that recovery process has been critical for me to actually show up in the world to be able to talk about this. And I think that my future self will really appreciate that. Because I want to make a big impact on the world.

You can find Dr. Eliza Collins at:

Website Instagram Core Values Resource mentioned: The Bouncebackability Factor: End Burnout, Gain Resilience, and Change the World

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“The attempt to escape from pain, is what creates more pain.” ~ Gabor Maté

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I am thrilled you’re here.

Exploring the Seasons of Life is a metaphor for understanding the complexities of being alive. It is a reminder that life is filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and moments of both growth and stagnation. Life is a journey, and each season brings its own unique lessons and experiences. As we move through the different “seasons” of life, we learn, we grow, and we become better versions of ourselves.

Each week I interview spiritual explorers, amazing coaches, and authors from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Prepare yourself for another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life Podcast with my guest Martine Bachelart. Martine and I first met over a decade ago and our conversation today is a heartfelt journey.

Martine Bachelart is a trained architect, painter, and sculptor. She moved to the United States in 1996 with her husband Eric, a racecar driver, and their two beloved children, Eliott and Emilie.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:51 When I met my husband and we created our family and we had Eliott and Emilie, I felt extremely happy for tons of reasons. We came to the US, my husband created his team, I created a company where I organized parties for children, which I loved. With my background as an architect, I began to rehabilitate an old chicken farm, it was exhilarating because we were manifesting our dreams and passion. And I really believed at that point that happiness was granted. It was just normal; it was part of life. And of course, when Eliott my son began to suffer from addiction, everything changed because suddenly I discovered what fears were, I discovered shame, guilt. I was so sad. I realized that nothing was granted, not even life.

7:22 I wrote this book after my son passed away; I began to write this book one year after. And what happened is that when my son passed away, I was filled with immense love. Something that is almost impossible to describe.

11:30 Eliott, we will meet you where you are. We love you. And we love you always.

13:38 The answer that I found was, my grief didn't begin when Elliot passed away. My grief began 10 years before when addiction began. And this is such important information for the people who are facing and the mothers who are facing this incredible illness which is addiction. It's such a terrible illness. You live in fear, you know, it's it's excruciating. It's so painful.

21:48 Eliott was a beautiful young man in and out. Anyone that will talk about him will remember his smile, will remember his kindness.

27:22 It means that being conscious of our body, our mental process, our emotions, our habits, allow us to change, to evolve, to see out of the box, to have another perception, a bigger angle, and completely change our story and the grief, then what can I say, we change our life, by changing what we see how we see how we function, how we operate, by expanding what we allow us to see.

43:31 I want to say three things that I learned. The first thing is that when you have addiction and dependency, you usually have codependency. I was codependent, I became codependent, I showed that I could fix by controlling.

45:23 The second thing is that we not only forget ourselves. But sometimes we forget the siblings. My daughter has been so courageous. She was also, you know, powerless in the face of her brother's addiction, she tried so much to help him.

46:32 The third and final thing I want to say is that behind the behavior of the addiction, the lying the stealing, the ugly things, there is love. And I mentioned that before, love your child. Love him, don't only look at his behavior, and the addictive behavior, love him from soul to soul, because you know what you suffer, but he's probably the one who suffers the most.

You can find Martine Bachelart at:

Website Contact Martine IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH MARTINE BACHELART YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Lean Into the Seasons with Barbara Friesen

Grief Comes in Many Forms with Bobbie Rae Boyer

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

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“The healer you have been looking for is your own courage to know and love yourself completely.” — Yung Pueblo

Guest Introduction: Hello and welcome back my friends to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey.

I’m your host, Cindy MacMillan, and today, I have a special treat for you as I'm joined by two amazing Essential Emotions Coaches, Dawn Behm and Nicole Williams, who are equally passionate about helping others achieve emotional wellbeing. This episode is particularly special to us as we get to indulge in our passion and share it with you.

Exploring the Seasons of Life is a beautiful metaphor for understanding the complexities of being alive. It's a reminder that life's got it all - the ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and moments of both growth and stagnation. It's like we're all on this big adventure, and each season brings its own lessons and experiences.

So, get cozy and prepare to be uplifted, because it’s a good one. Remember, taking notes can help you retain information and reflect on it later. So, grab your favorite notebook and pen and let's get started!

Dawn and Nicole, thank you for being on the podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:36: Cindy MacMillan: Before we dive into our discussion, I want to emphasize that we are not medical professionals, but rather Essential Emotions Coaches who are passionate about sharing our knowledge and experiences.

3:51: Cindy MacMillan: Dawn and Nicole, I will kick it off by saying, It's important to recognize that our emotional health plays a vital role in how we experience life. When we prioritize our emotional wellbeing, it has a positive ripple effect on all aspects of our life. Our intention is to share with our listeners some valuable insights into the relationship between essential oils and emotions that can help them on their journey towards health and happiness. Essential oils are an incredibly effective emotional regulation tool.

5:54: Dawn Behm: When I was in my 30s, I was going to yoga and people, all my life had told me, you know, your body is so fragile, you have such a fragile body, what a shame. And my yoga teacher was like, you're actually really resilient, your body is badass, because, you know, it's been through so much, and it keeps overcoming. And one of the health problems I had was that I bruised really badly.

6:57: Dawn Behm: Our cells have these little receptor sites on them; every single cell does. We learn this through Dr. Candace Pert’s work in the Molecules of Emotion, she was a researcher in the field of neuro chemistry in our brains, and how all of our emotions work.

8:37: Nicole Williams: Just as Dawn so beautifully explained, we experience our emotions in our body. I think many people like to believe that it's just all in your head. And maybe you heard that even that phrase, right growing up. But in actuality, what's happening is we're forming a thought based on what we're experiencing. And that thought is generating this feeling in our body, which is evoking usually an emotion sometimes it will evoke a sensation in our body. I would encourage anyone to first spend some time being an observer of yourself.

10:32: Nicole Williams: There are numerous moments throughout the day that are that can be really challenging between balancing your personal life and your home life, when we begin to draw more awareness on the thought we're having, how it's showing up in our body, it then gives us the ability to interrupt that pattern so that we can really support ourselves in a different way.

42:11: Nicole Williams: I love that question simply because I've not heard it posed that way. I've always heard the opposite, right? What would you tell your 18-year-old self? So, what would I thank my 18-year-old self for? Probably the spirit and embodiment of like exploration and curiosity. So, at 18, it felt like anything is possible, literally anything is possible, I can do anything. This idea of the world is your oyster, so to speak.

43:09: Dawn Behm: Gosh, I really liked this question. And I love reflecting back on that 18-year-old. I think I I'm very thankful for her stubbornness, because she had a lot of health issues. And she just stubborned through a lot of it. But even more, as I reflected, I am so thankful that she listened to her intuition and her heart and her gut when she met her husband at 18. And he didn't fit the boxes of what she was told was the right kind of guy for her. But her heart knew. And he's been the best thing that ever happened to me and my life partner. We've been together 35 years now. And I'm really grateful that she didn't listen to conventional wisdom. But she listened to her heart and her body.

You can find Dawn Behm at: Website FaceBook You can find Nicole Williams at: Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH DAWN BEHM and NICOLE WILLIAMS YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Essential Oils with Brianna Wilkerson

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Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

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“Where there is love, miracles occur naturally. Miracles are your inheritance in any given moment. A miracle is available to you when your heart is open. A Course in Miracles says you have a grievance or you can have a miracle – you cannot have both.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Helen Fernald.

Each week I interview spiritual explorers, amazing coaches, and authors from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between because I believe every season is a beautiful opportunity for transformation.

In this episode of the podcast, we are chatting with Helen Fernald about 5 tangible steps someone can take to finally befriend their grief and her book LOVE, HELEN--Letters to My Mother: Creating a Loving Connection After Loss.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Helen Fernald is a grief recovery expert and author of the forthcoming book LOVE, HELEN--Letters to My Mother: Creating a Loving Connection After Loss. She specializes in teaching therapeutic letter writing.

All right, Helen, thank you very much for being with us.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:21 But then when I really started to think about was how my book is actually about exploring the seasons of life. And I think unlike a linear timeline, my book is about exploring the seasons of the heart. So, it's how all those emotions, the joy, the sadness, everything gets all mixed together. And I think that's the beauty of life. And that's the beauty of the seasons of life.

7:13 I've reflected on this question a lot over my life, because I've had so many sudden losses in my life of the people that I really loved and I come from a family where we didn't deal with grief, we didn't deal with emotions. And I don't think I'm the only family from the only family that did that.

7:55 The first thing that I would recommend to people is that you just acknowledge your grief. I think that's the first step, acknowledging it. And then also giving yourself permission to feel it to actually grieve. I know that that can be so hard because I realized, after a number of years of not dealing with the grief around my mother, there was a part of me that was so afraid, I would never be able to stop crying that I didn't want to start cry.

8:37 The second step is absolutely to find someone to talk with. I personally would suggest a therapist, someone who really specializes in this, it could be a therapist, a doctor, a coach, there are grief groups I know. And even in our small town, we have a grief group. It could be a pastor, I first turned to my pastor, and then he connected with me with a therapist, and it was just so extraordinarily helpful.

9:24 Step number three is to find some sort of practice, some sort of practice where we can just learn to take a breath and be still. I think that we can't really turn into our grief until we can slow down enough to acknowledge it and to be able to talk about it.

14:38 The first thing I think for writing letters, is that it needs to be something that you want to do. It shouldn't be something that you feel oh my god, I have to sit down and write a letter, I have to do all this other stuff and I’ve got to have a letter, it should be something that you want to do.

16:57 This was the first letter that I wrote to my mother, my mother just to give you a little timeframe my mother died in July of 1992. And I did not start writing letters until 2008. So, this was my first letter and I entitled it Letters Through the Veil because I feel like for me from a spiritual sense our loved ones are always around us, but we just simply can't see them.

23:12 I also just wanted to mention that I never knew when, when this book would end, I had no idea I just kept writing and writing and the letters all sort of ended the same way. They all ended in with perhaps the exception of this one. They all were about Mom, please stay by my side, I still need you.

31:27 I think that it's when we actually stop and explore the seasons of our life. I think that there are miraculous things that can happen. Amazing things. And, and it's okay to be vulnerable. It's okay to be honest. We are who we are. And we are all gifts to the world. We are all lights to the world. And I think that those are, I know that's a little more than what you asked. But that's what that's that would be for me the biggest takeaway.

You can find Helen Fernald at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH HELEN FERNALD YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Lean Into the Seasons with Barbara Friesen

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Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thank you Helen for joining us and as always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I'm

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"I dwell in Possibility." ~ Emily Dickinson

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I am thrilled you’re here.

Get ready… it’s time to hear some words of wisdom… from today’s guest, Miriam Wexler.

Miriam is a Certified Mindset and Life Purpose Coach currently based out of Florence, Italy. Miriam helps clients live their best life, by filling the gap between where they are now, and where they want to be. By identifying where growth is desired, setting goals and objectives, and holding accountability, clients will reach their highest goals and dreams.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Miriam, welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

5:25 How am I living my life? Is this how I want to live my life? Like, am I happy? Am I not happy? Like actually starting to ask those questions happened in my early 30s. I went on a backpacking trip in Asia for a year. And that's when you know, the deep contemplation about what the hell am I doing with my life started.

10:58 That's why, I became both a mindset and life purpose coach, because our purpose isn't, there's no one thing that we're stuck doing for the rest of our life, our purpose can change. This is where I think a lot of people make the mistake thinking, oh, I've never found my purpose. Well, you can have multiple purposes. And people think that purpose has to do with your career, it doesn't.

11:41 This is another exercise I do with all my clients…I create two lists. And this is the easiest and most fun way to figure out what your purpose is. I did a list of everything that I have ever been interested in, it could be the most ridiculous to the most profound, right. And it's things like travel and food and friendship and laughter, and comedy shows and movies, like anything and everything, and I call it a living list.

12:18 And then I do a second list with everything that I'm good at, have skill and experience in a talent in etc. And then I start cross referencing, and one of my biggest passions is travel. Obviously, I live in Italy. And one of the things that I'm really, really good at is event planning, right? So I'm like, Okay, how can I take travel and event planning and combine them to create the next chapter of my life, I'm like, oh my god, I can do wellness retreats, I can bring communities of women together.

24:11 It's how to manage the fear, how to respond to the fear, and how to get through life in spite of being afraid. That's the first mindset concept that I that I work with my clients. And then of course, creating a new system of beliefs and assumptions and ideas that will help us move forward.

29:15 For me my purpose is to help people recognize themselves, step into themselves, like build themselves up as human beings and live lives that just satisfy and excite them. But my passion is travel. My passion is food. I'm actually creating a couple of projects together that revolve around food and travel and community because that's what I'm passionate about. Am I passionate about life coaching, Yes, of course, I'm passionate about it. But it's not the end all and be all for me. It's my purpose. It's not my passion. My passion is something else altogether.

You can find Miriam Wexler at:

Instagram Website Live Out Loud Retreats IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH MIRIAM WEXLER YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

The Quaranteen Project with Tanya Rex

Helping Women Heal from Their Divorce with Karin Nelson

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"As a woman who’s highly gifted and co-creating your masterpiece in the world, it’s your birthright to give yourself what you need, energetically, emotionally and spiritually as much as possible." ~ Lynne Taggart

Guest Introduction: Hey, my friends, I’m Cindy MacMillan and I am so glad you’re here. Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I am thrilled to introduce my guest and dive into some really important topics today.

Ashley Valliere is a Body Educator, her background is in personal/group fitness training, massage therapy and currently she's in school to become a Somatic Body Therapist. Her goal is to inspire and embolden people to advocate for themselves by understanding their bodies in new ways.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Ashley, welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

3:57 I ended up finding it in a modality called Bodynamic and it is developmental psychology that is based in somatics. Traditional psychology is talk therapy, with Bodynamic, it's a little bit of talk, like obviously we have to talk but the idea is it's really body driven.

5:38 There's a lot of emotional, like resonance that comes up in stretching, because all of a sudden, you're elongating a muscle that's maybe been rigid for decades, right? And like, physically rigid, yes, but also like energetically rigid, and then when you open it up, and you're in a different place than when that disruption happened, you're in a safer place. Now, all of a sudden, those emotions have a place to be processed.

6:28 So the way that I've learned it is that there are seven universal emotions. We have fear, sadness, shame, anger, joy, connection, and disgust and each one of those has like subsidiaries, right. So, like, you can filter it down, kind of like the feeling wheel, right? They can all get boiled down to different kinds of sensations.

10:30 So yes, like I think self-reflection, journaling, meditation, contemplation, whatever it is to you, that you reflect upon yourself is huge. Like, that is absolutely how you can get so many answers, right, like, that's how you can really start connecting your own dots. And though a lot of times, we're too close to our own situation. So it's like you need that outside help.

12:49 Each muscle has the capacity for any of it. Like for any emotion, really. So, there isn’t a specific muscle. It's not like my shoulders, is my happy muscle, right? Like, it's, it's not quite like that. I could give an example of, I like to think of our arms, and especially like the biceps, like those, those are our huggy muscles. Like that is like you bring somebody in and you're just you're holding them tight, you're squeezing them in, you're getting really good connection, like that is I think that's a joyful experience, right?

24:25 Just talk to your body. I think we overcomplicate it, but it literally is just pausing like, hey body, and ask it a question. It can be that simple. Keeping in mind that you might not get an answer that second, right? So, it's like, hey, body, why did we react like that at the grocery store, like that was weird. You might not get the answer right then but maybe later when you're just doing something a little bit mundane.

You can find Ashley Valliere at:

Instagram Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH ASHLEY VALLIERE YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

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As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

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Let me touch on a couple of the emotional aspects of these beautiful oils.

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Which oil will become her new favorite?

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“Love is a choice you make everyday.” ~ Gary Chapman

Guest Introduction: Hey, my friends, I’m Cindy MacMillan and I am so glad you’re here. Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I am thrilled to introduce my guest.

J. Parker is a Christian sex author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster. Her ministry, Hot, Holy & Humorous, focuses on helping others understand God's design for sexual intimacy in marriage.

J has a personal story of redemption in the area of sexuality, holds a master’s degree in counseling, and lives in Texas with her fabulous but oh-so logical husband, fondly nicknamed "Spock."

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: J. Parker, welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

2:51 Professionally, because I'm talking a lot of times to wives and or couples, about sexual intimacy and marriage, there are seasons for that in your marriage. So, this idea that you get married, and then you're just gonna have a sex life, and that's the sex life you have for your whole marriage. It's just not true. And the more that we understand that there are ups and downs and sweet spots and challenges and all of that, then the better we're able to weather that and create something really beautiful.

10:01 I would say the hot part to me represents that this is supposed to be something that is pleasurable, that is mutually desired, mutually satisfying. It's supposed to feel good. Sex is supposed to feel good, and supposed to be something you enjoy doing.

13:35 One is, we don't necessarily always have the language for it. Some people grew up with, this isn't talked about at all. And so they don't really know how to talk about it. Other people grew up with a situation of it always being talked about in crass language. And so they know they're not supposed to do that with their spouse, but they don't know what else to do.

16:03 I think that we have to understand that sexual intimacy is not just the sex itself. And I'll say that this is something I was hearing recently, another author on sex, Dr. Juli Slattery talk about who's excellent. How even talking about sex and getting comfortable talking about sex is something that builds sexual intimacy and makes the experience of being physical together later better.

21:07 The first thing I would say is you can have a conversation and say, hey, it really makes me feel great when you initiate.

25:04 I would say in almost every marriage, somebody's higher drive than the other. But, I guess statistically, it seems like about 20% of couples are fairly well matched, in another 20% to 25% the wife is the higher desire spouse. And in the rest, the husband is higher drive. I mean, they're not perfect statistics, but it's pretty good. I've looked at a lot of research on this.

32:28 I would say in those situations, it's considered a sexless marriage, if you're having sex 10 or fewer times a year. Because you're really not getting the benefits of sexual intimacy in a marriage. And there are really a whole lot of benefits to your relationship, even to your health. I mean, sex is really good for your marriage.

YOU CAN FIND J. PARKER AT:

Website Instagram Blog Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. I would love to hear your favorite part of the conversation.

This may not be for everybody but this might be perfect for some of you. I would like to extend an invitation to join a dōTERRA® 30-Day Cleanse that I will be hosting on April 12, 2023.

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The last 3 years have been hard, not only emotionally, but on our physical health as well. I believe when a group of women come together that have similar needs and desires, magic happens!

I’m inviting you to join other women in community as we give ourselves permission to feel good and BE ALL IN ON OURSELVES. This is a wellness lifestyle change not a diet.

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Enroll with my special link https://doterra.me/FC1GUn to order the doTERRA Cleanse and Restore Kit by March 31st 2023 so the products will be in before we begin.

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“Aim for emotional wholeness. When you’re upset or feeling sick, try to get to the bottom of your feelings. Figure out what’s really eating you. Always tell the truth to yourself. Find appropriate, satisfying ways to express your emotions. And if such a prescription seems too challenging, seek professional help to feel better." ~ Candance Pert, PhD

Guest Introduction: Hello and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Deyna Phillips.

Today we are chatting about emotions and anxiety. What are emotions and the possible root causes for anxiety?

It is my great pleasure to introduce Deyna Phillips.

Deyna is a Master Emotional Wellness Coach specializing in anxiety and emotional flow mastery. She is a Certified Health & Life Coach, Certified Anger Management Specialist, and Domestic Violence Specialist. Deyna works with people throughout the country helping them embrace their anxiety and emotions so they can feel confident and empowered to live life by their own design!

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Deyna, I am thrilled you are here and I am so looking forward to today’s conversation. Thank you so much for being here today.

8:37 Let's define what anxiety is before we get to the causes, right? So, anxiety is an emotion along with a memory that got stored in our part of our brain called the amygdala. And it's stored there. And what it does is that it just really wants to keep us safe. So, it'll continue to run almost like a, like an anti-virus in our memory bank, right.

9:45 What ends up happening is that it will manifest itself again in different types of anxiety. So, there are five usual different types of anxieties, PTSD, OCD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic, Panic Attacks. And so, what we end up doing is that, depending on the trauma itself, it'll fall into one of those types of anxiety.

13:25 I want you to just look around you right now and tell me five things that you can see. And then you would look around and you would tell me, I see you know, all the things. Now four things that you can hear. Now, that's going to require you sitting quietly and paying attention to what's going on around you. Three things that you can touch, two things that you can smell, one thing that you can taste, the unconscious mind, which is where the anxiety is, is very sensory based, and it can't handle both jobs at the same time. So what we're doing is we're literally giving the mind a brand new assignment, I'm switching it over from the panic of what was happening here to now this job, which again, the mind is very sensory based. So it's going to be quiet and listen to what's happening around looking for the textures, looking for certain things. And now focus on that.

15:03 When you first asked me this question, I thought this was such a beautiful question. I love exploring the seasons of life because my approach, not just to business, but to life itself is, really being like nature and being like a tree. And I use this example so much with my clients, you know, I learned to start practicing detachment. And detachment really for me is the seasons of life. Because, you know, Nature doesn't get attached to every season that happens.

22:47 For example, one of my core needs is love and love, can be looked at as connection, affection, understanding, empathy, things like that. So, when I say love, my definition of love might be super different than your definition of love.

30:36 Anxiety, emotions are healthy, and you can use them as your superpower. And once you learn how to give yourself permission, you will literally create a completely different life for yourself. A life that is confident and empowered, and the life that you deserve. So please embrace your anxiety and embrace your emotions? Because you are beautiful.

You can find Deyna Phillips at: Facebook Instagram Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH DEYNA PHILLIPS YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

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I have partnered with dōTERRA Essential Oils. Just one of the many reasons I am so excited; is because it's in total alignment with the podcast and the topics that I am passionate about...topics that encompass the human experience; self-care, stress management, resiliency, grief and our emotional health.

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👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“The secret to life is to put yourself in the right lighting. For some, it's a Broadway spotlight; for others, a lamplit desk. Use your natural powers -- of persistence, concentration, and insight -- to do work you love and work that matters. Solve problems. make art, think deeply.” ~ Susan Cain

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I'm so grateful that you tuned in today; it means a lot to me. If you love this conversation and you want to continue it or want to share your thoughts, your takeaways, or just any aha’s that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

It’s my great pleasure to introduce you to Tanya Rex.

Tanya Rex is a Commercial Photographer and Intuitive Guide and Whole Healing Practitioner. She currently guides successful women, who have lost themselves in the daily grind, to rebalance and find their truth through unconditional self-love. Her passion is working with teens and she will be shifting over to this solely and launching an 8 week course for teens in a few weeks.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Tanya, I'm SUPER excited you are here.

3:15 One night as I was going to bed, I had this feeling that I had to help teenagers through photography, to find themselves through photography. And I didn't know how I was going to do it. But I thought I'll sleep on it. And tomorrow morning, I'll figure it out. And by the time I woke up the next morning, I had the whole plan in my head.

4:29 I started connecting with teenagers around the world, the whole project started to come together. And as I mentioned, I didn't really think about the logistics and especially since the world had kind of shut down. It wasn't always that easy to get cameras to refugee camps in Sudan or into India that was under complete lockdown for almost a year. But somehow, I managed to get to, I think it was 18 or 20 countries.

8:57 The first roll of film that I got back was from a 12-year-old boy who lived in Belarus. And one of the first images that he took was of his mother and sister lying in a cast iron bath that was in a field and it was being heated by a fire from underneath. And the way that he just captured life and innocence and his story, you know, his vision, what he saw was unbelievable.

17:41 I think I've had three seasons of life so far. And they have nothing to do with my age, or anything like that. It's more around, I guess, spirituality. I grew up in a very religious family and as a teen, I started asking questions, and I didn't really find answers. So, I would say that I have walked away from religion and rather accepted morality as my way of being so The Ten Commandments gave me a great background for what I thought good morals were. And now I'm in a space of spirituality and it just feels more all-encompassing, and more wholesome, if I can say that, for me personally.

26:18 I'm sure it comes as no surprise, since what I've been talking about is photography that the literal filters that so many people are using on various social media platforms are causing big issues with self-perception, self-image and self-esteem. And many people are only seeing a filtered and edited version of other people's lives, that's hard to live up to if you feel that you need to keep up with the Joneses.

34:57 I would love for listeners to be able to see the value of being themselves, of speaking their truth and of living in their own authenticity, however that looks. Because, as I mentioned before, I think so often we allow our ego to get in the way. And we only want to show certain parts of it, of our lives. But when we start to speak our truth and living our authenticity, it doesn't matter what anyone else is doing, once you realize the beauty of who you are, and you're able to shine past all of the limitations that you might feel that you have, or insecurities, or doubts and fears that you feel that you might have.

40:00 My website is SoulTribeCoaching.com.

You can find Tanya Rex at:

Facebook Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH TANYA REX YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Cornelia Gilbert on Boundaries and Integrity

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Grief and Big Love in the Adoption Journey with Kim Noeth

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining Tanya Rex and myself this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I know just how many podcasts you could have been listening to and I have a personal favor to ask...can you share this episode with others who may be interested in this topic!

Make sure to visit my website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, where you can subscribe to the show in iTunes, Stitcher, or iHeartRadio so you’ll never miss an episode.

In closing, I have a message for you today, you are not alone, you are worthy, and you are good enough.

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“Something precious is lost if we rush headlong into the details of life without pausing for a moment to pay homage to the mystery of life and the gift of another day.” Kent Nerburn

Today we are chatting about something a little different and here is where I’m giving a content warning for this episode; the podcast today will discuss a specific person’s experiences with robbery and abduction. This may be difficult for some listeners.

Before we begin our conversation, I have an exciting announcement to share with you! I love working with modern, midlife women to help them lead a healthier and happier life and improve their emotional wellbeing. So, I am following my own advice about self-care - the podcast will now be twice a month vs weekly to dedicate more time working with women. Visit my website CynthiaMacMillan.com to learn more and join my newsletter Exploring SoL for updates on workshops.

Now on to the show and It’s my great pleasure to introduce you to Jennifer Lee.

A decade after surviving an armed robbery and abduction, Jennifer Lee created the I Need Blue podcast. She recognized a need for other survivors to share their stories in a space where they felt comfortable. I Need Blue became that space where survivors feel they belong, are loved, are understood, and feel empowered to share their truth.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Jennifer, I'm SUPER excited you are here.

2:26 I was store manager for a women's clothing store in Virginia and it happened to be a Saturday evening and there were about nine of us in the store. So quite a lot of people including children. I was working in the fitting room area and behind me I heard give me all your money. Now I stopped because those words didn't register. I'm used to hearing can you zip me up? Does this look good?

11:49 I'm on the phone with the 911 dispatcher and I will tell you that I have the most respect for what they do. Because literally all they have is a voice of a distraught person trying to describe the scene and what is going on and then to give directions to me so I can help. But they were wonderful. What they told me on the phone was helpful. And I was able to administer what they wanted me to do to help the lady.

13:10 I get asked did they catch the robber. So, to kind of fast forward a little bit. Yes, they did. And they did it because he kept my cell phone. And they pinged my cell phone and he was 20 miles north at a bar living it up with his friends. And they were able to arrest him there.

17:47 This is not just Jen's opinion, like these are coming from an expert is well, and I will say I have these magnets that Mike and I put together and I will gladly mail one to any of your guests that want one for free. If you just email me or email you and send me the address, I will gladly send you a magnet. But in the magnet, we have the word LIVE, very simple. So, the L is listen to your gut never apologize for listening to your gut, because it is there for a reason. Okay. And then I is identify the threat. So be aware of your surroundings. And that's so important. Like put your cell phone away, walk with your head up all of those things. If you run at least make sure you have one ear open, don't run with your music blaring because you have no idea who's who's coming behind you nothing. And then the V is visualize your response. So have a plan ahead. Like when you're aware of your surroundings? Is there an emergency door you could run through? Are there houses around you could run to if you needed to all of those things. And then the E is eliminate distractions. Again, it's so important just to be aware of your surroundings,

33:34 Take naps, be compassionate, don't take on other people's emotions and allow them to penetrate. You don't carry that around. And I'm a firm believer of therapy, always. And I also just did hypnotherapy as well. And I found that to be beneficial. So, there are ways to find help. And if therapy doesn't work, then try another source because there are many options out there.

You can find Jennifer Lee at: Facebook Instagram Book IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH JENNIFER LEE YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Cornelia Gilbert on Boundaries and Integrity

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast with your host, Cindy MacMillan! I hope you loved this conversation with Jennifer Lee as much as I have.

Join me on February 20, 2023 at 2:00 PM ET for the Essential Emotions Masterclass where I will be discussing How to Use Essential Oils for Emotional Wellness.

As always you can head over to CynthiaMacMillan.com to sign up to our email list, as well as check out all the links and resources in the show notes.

That’s all for this episode folks, see you next time!

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“Before I can tell my life what I want to do with it, I must listen to my life telling me who I am.” ~Parker J. Palmer

Guest Introduction: Welcome to 2023 and another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

It’s my great pleasure to introduce you to Jessica Louise. Jessica is a guide, mentor and healer to heart centered soul led women who are ready to truly connect to and embody their most authentic self, to feel fully free in the way they show up to their lives. Her clients are often gentle, sensitive spiritual women who desire to be of service to the world. Jess supports her clients in remembering their worthiness and seeing their unique gifts they bring to this world. As they work with Jess they feel more confident to take aligned actions from a deeply empowered place.

I am starting off the New Year with conversations on topics I have been thinking about lately. In this episode of the podcast, Jess and I are chatting about Beingness vs Doing, taking aligned action, worthiness and visualizing our life force energy.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Jess, I'm SUPER excited you are here.

4:24 This is a season for me where I'm more outwardly connecting with people and building relationships. And so just honoring the seasons of our spiritual journey and all of it in between because those moments where it might feel like there's contraction, there's this going inwards can feel quite uncomfortable, can feel like there might be something wrong with us. The world tells us we need to be more outward. And so, I've just been learning how to honor each season and each season really has a part to play and is there for us.

8:56 The woman that I work with, and myself and my personal journey, my nervous system has been so dysregulated that to rest or to lie on the couch and just BE was impossible. And it's been such a journey with myself to allow my body to relax.

14:55 In my past life, I like to say, I studied Food Science, and I did a master's in wine biotechnology, and I worked as a winemaker for many years. And I believed it was very much in hindsight, very much an ego-based decision. It was very much a mental decision of what I wanted to do, and I wanted to be the best woman winemaker in South Africa.

16:50 I think a key piece of taking aligned action is to understand ourselves on a very deep level, you know, what makes me tick? What brings me joy? That was a key piece for me around understanding myself, like, what do I really enjoy? Who am I without the identity of being a winemaker? Or, you know, whatever it may be, but who am I underneath all of that? And what expands my heart?

29:20 I almost sent you an email to say, you know, can we reschedule because I'm not feeling and I had to talk to myself and say Jess that is you sabotaging, that's you not wanting to show up because you feel you're not ready. There's this unknown of how this is going to unfold and maybe a lack of trust of how this is going to unfold and that piece around being perfect. And I was busy writing an email to you. And then I was like, No, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna get centered, connect back to my heart and show up messy, myself, and share my voice. Share my truth because it's enough. So yeah, I just wanted to share that.

35:13 At the moment, my key offering is my 1:1 Embodied Essence Mentorship. So, I work in a deep intimate container with a woman that's online. And so that's a three month or a six-month program, so they have the option to choose.

You can find Jessica Louise at:

Instagram Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH JESSICA LOUISE YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Helping Women Heal from Their Divorce with Karin Nelson

Letting Go of Resistance with Michelle Kinnett

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“It isn’t what happens to us that causes us to suffer; it’s what we say to ourselves about what happens.”

~ Pema Chodron

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey who are ready to lead healthier and happier lives and improve their emotional well-being. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

In this season of the podcast, I’m inviting you to lean into well-being. Well-being takes into account the entire person, body, mind and spirit. It’s feeling good and functioning well; it’s experiencing positive emotions such as contentment and gratitude; it’s developing your potential, having a sense of purpose, and experiencing close relationships.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about grief and how it shows up in the adoption journey. And my guest is Kim Noeth.

Kim is a grief recovery specialist working with post adoption grief and other trauma related issues that prevent people from moving forward in life and pursuing their dreams.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Kim. Thank you for being here.

1:31 So in my personal life, and also very much so on the adoption journey. I think for me, the seasons of life represent the constant change that's always present on that journey. You know, some of those changes are behind the scenes, and some of it's in the spotlight. And I guess I kind of see it, like a birth, a death and a rebirth cycle that's always going on and happening, you know, sure, you know, you'll experience great joy one minute, and then another, you know, you can be brought to your knees and sorrow.

10:41 I wrote him a letter, and I kept a copy of it for myself. And always hoping that maybe one day he would read that letter and know that if he ever wanted to look for me, I would be ever so grateful to be able to, you know, meet with him again. Life went on, had lots of children and experienced lots of things. Never heard anything, remembering when he turned 18, I was super hopeful.

14:14 And the very first time I laid my eyes on my son, it was as if a piece of my soul came back to me. It was an incredible, incredible experience. We sat together, had some coffee, and just talked. And what was most incredible was realizing that even after all these years of separation, there was still a huge part of me in him. And so much of us is similar.

15:32 You know, adoption has a lot of joy. And it has a lot of sorrow. And we have to be willing to embrace both parts.

17:09 I think one of the biggest components in the adoption journey is what is called disenfranchised grief. And that's almost a grief that has no closure, if I can simplify it in that way.

24:57 I think one of the biggest is being willing to realize especially in the adoption journey, that you have to do your own healing, it's so important for both the mom and the adoptee to do their own healing, to be able to come together and be human. But also to recognize that we can't fix this for each other at the level that, you know, the depth of the level that it is, you know, moms carry a lot of shame.

30:48 There's something that is a very powerful tool, both to birth moms and adoptees. It's a podcast that's called “Who am I Really?” and it's by a man named Damon L. Davis. What I love about his perspective is he invites it in conversations that allow especially a birth mom to hear stories of adoptees that aren't painfully personal.

34:14 Every adoptee wants to know, first of all that they're deeply loved, and that they were thought of over the years. You know, I was shocked to have conversations with my son where he was surprised that I was, you know, thinking of him at the level that I was.

38:58 A lot of the work that I do in the Brave and Noble circles is being willing to go first, you know, being willing to be vulnerable, and to model what that looks like. And I do some of that on social media through the Brave and Noble circles.

You can find Kim Noeth at: Birth Moms Today FaceBook Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH KIM NOETH YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Lynn Principe is an End-of-Life Doula, Coach and Celebrant

The New Face of Grief with Katie Rössler

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close.” ~ Francis Weller

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about what death can teach you about living. And my guest is Jill McClennen.

Jill is a certified death doula which is a non-medical person trained to care for someone holistically at the end of life. She offers support, preparation, and soul-level healing to her clients and their families in person and virtually through her work as a death doula and end-of-life coach. In addition to being a death doula, Jill is a trauma-sensitive yoga instructor, and she also uses reiki and shamanic healing techniques to help her clients heal their fears around death and dying as well as work with their grief.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 13:50 That's what started me down this path to really being able to help other people through these experiences so that they can just enjoy it for what it is. It's you know, death and dying is not always going to be pretty but it can really be a beautiful time to connect with your loved ones if we can get over our fears and our anxieties and open ourselves up to the possibility of what it could be like other than what we've essentially mostly grown up with, which is not talking about it, being afraid of it, sheltering our children and our loved ones from the reality of it. It really doesn't have to be that way.

15:49 And the reality is, if you're living, you're going to die, I mean, that there's no way of escaping that. But that doesn't mean that we must suffer at the end of life. Yes, I mean, most of us will probably die from the disease that might give us some pain. But the mental part of it, you know, the fears and the anxieties, we don't have to die that way.

17:17 It's important for us to do this work now, before we're faced with our own death or with somebody that we love. And not only will it help us navigate the end of life, if we can work with some of our old grief and our shame, and our fears and all that stuff. It'll really help you to live a better life.

19:05 You know, no matter how much we educate ourselves around death, dying and bereavement, we're all going to have our own individual experiences. It doesn't mean that any of it is right or wrong. It just means that really, we need to honor ourselves and what we need, so often, especially women, we are taught to care for everybody around us before ourselves.

22:00 I mean, self-care, to me is still something that I struggle with a little bit, it's still something that I'm trying to make sure that I put some importance on my own self-care, because again, you know, the way that society has essentially taught me is that my worth is based off of how much I'm getting done. And oftentimes, how much I'm getting done is not part of taking care of myself.

35:20 I love this kind of work. I mean, this, to me was something that I didn't necessarily plan on doing. When I became a death doula, I thought I was just going to help people that were dying at the end of life. But this is the work that I think can really transform people the most if we start doing the work now at any age at any stage of life, because it'll really kind of ripple out into our life and the way that we interact with other people.

38:30 And it's really important that we understand that forgiving other people takes our power back. And that was something that I had to go through forgiving somebody that really hurt me when I was 21. And I was able to really heal it and forgive and let it go about two years ago.

39:50 Forgiveness is so important for us to be able to move on from a situation.

46:29 I mean, I think honestly, the biggest thing is I would thank her for is not giving up because I was in a rough spot when I was a teenager.

You can find Jill McClennen at: End of Life Clarity FaceBook Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH JILL MCCLENNEN YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Lynn Principe is an End-of-Life Doula, Coach and Celebrant

The New Face of Grief with Katie Rössler

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” - J.K. Rowling

Guest Introduction: Hello friend, Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I’m your host Cindy MacMillan, Integrative Life Coach and self-care advocate for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey who are ready to lead healthier and happier lives and improve their emotional well-being.

I’m really excited about today’s interview but before we jump in, I want to pause for a moment to thank you dear listeners for being here.

Today’s guest is Karin Nelson.

Karin Nelson is a divorce confidence coach helping women heal from their divorce while redefining their new life. Karin went through her own divorce 6 years ago after a 20-year marriage and has since reinvented herself. She is the host of the Becoming You Again Podcast and is a mom to 2 kids and 3 cats.

Welcome Karin. Thanks so much for coming on the show. I’ve been really looking forward to this conversation.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:42 I really think that exploring the seasons of life means that like our life, our human life, just in general, for every human being is going to be ever changing, it is never going to stay the same, right? Sometimes it's going to feel like summer, and it's going to feel really fun and happy, and things will be going great. And then it might feel like winter where there's transitions and there's challenging things and it might seem a little darker and a little harder.

7:05 I was married almost 20 years and about six years ago, my husband and I were struggling in our relationship. And we were kind of in this stage of like, should we, or shouldn't we? And it's not like we had a very, you know, we didn't have a very contentious marriage. It's just that we had grown apart, we wanted different things.

10:04 It's so many things, first of all, but when we really boil it down, it comes down to number one, they mostly don't know who they are, they are just so disconnected with themselves as human beings, because they have been getting so much of themselves through their relationship.

15:00 Acceptance doesn't mean you have to be happy about where you're at. It doesn't mean you have to enjoy everything that's going on in the challenge that you're facing. But it really is just opening yourself up to. Okay. This is where I'm at right now. And how do I want to move forward from here? Who do I want to be in this situation that I've got, that I'm surrounded with right now. And without that acceptance, you just stay stuck you there's no moving forward.

25:00 I also believe that part of that self-care is being compassionate with yourself as you go through these hard times. Because the tendency for so many of us when we go through something really challenging is to just beat ourselves up

29:00 Often when we go through a divorce, or we go through something challenging, where it doesn't look like that anymore, the holidays look different. And we have this idea in our head of my family doesn't look traditional like that anymore. Now my family is broken, divorce means my family is broken, something is wrong here. And we have this idea and this story that we hold on to and we carry it around with us like that. It makes the holidays very scary. It makes them hurt.

31:26 So much of the pain that we create for ourselves comes from a comparison of the past, like what it used to look like.

35:11 I want all of your listeners to remember that their worth isn't conditional on anything that happens in their life, it isn't conditional on whether they have a successful podcast, or they are succeeding as a parent, or they have the most amazing job that they always wanted, or whether they have money in the bank or, you know, are with family on Christmas. Their worth has literally nothing to do with any of that. None of those things outside of you determine your worth and your love ability.

You can find Karin Nelson at: Facebook Instagram YouTube IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH KARIN NELSON YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Cornelia Gilbert on Boundaries and Integrity

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“Some days, doing the ‘best we can’ may still fall short of what we would like to be able to do, but life isn’t perfect – on any front – and doing what we can with what we have is the most we should expect of ourselves or anyone else.” ~ Fred Rogers

Guest Introduction: You are listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am your host Cindy MacMillan.

Hello, my beautiful friends and welcome back to the show. I am so so excited about today’s interview and before we jump in, I really want to thank you for being here.

Today’s guest is Michelle Kinnett.

She is a life coach, supporting women who are ready to create a life they love in a new season, so they feel aligned with their purpose and are able to live guilt free in becoming the person she wishes to be.

This podcast is for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey who are ready to lead healthier and happier lives and improve their emotional well-being.

I interview coaches, spiritual explorers and thought leaders from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this season of the podcast, I’m inviting you to lean into well-being. Well-being takes into account the entire person, body, mind, heart and spirit. It’s feeling good and functioning well; it’s experiencing positive emotions such as contentment and gratitude; it’s developing your potential, having a sense of purpose, and experiencing close relationships.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:18 It means to let go of the rigid rules and requirements that life puts on us and being able to fully embrace who we are stepping into something new. Because life is always changing. It's time for us to recognize that it's always a new beginning that is coming our way that we get to embrace.

11:39 We all have time to become the person that God really has intended us to be. It just takes starting now, starting today and stepping into that.

13:41 I think that the starting point of moving through difficult situations is letting go of the resistance and letting go of the idea that it's not supposed to be this way, or it's not supposed to happen to me.

15:08 And when we give ourselves that grace to walk through it, and to really understand how we feel about it, I think that's another thing is give yourself permission to feel everything that you feel about it. That's okay, we're human. And all of those emotions come with it. And we have to be able to be okay with that and embrace that. But it's only when we get to that point that we can choose our next step.

20:04 And once you recognize that it must start with worthiness, you have to explore this idea of worthiness and being enough. And when we do, when we step into the idea that we are worthy, it opens up so many avenues to be able to be able to release the past, were able to restructure our stories that we have of the past.

27:00 Yes, perfection is the thing, I think one of the biggest things that we always want to compare ourselves to someone else that's doing it that maybe has been doing it for a lifetime, or, you know, 20 years, 10 years, and we're just stepping out, we're just starting on our journey. And we you know; we have to remember that our race is not someone else's. And because you're bringing your last 20 years into it, your journey, your path is different.

34:44 We all have a choice. We all have a choice to either play it small, or to step out and be courageous.

36:19 I use Facebook that is my primary platform right now. And I love for people to come and friend me and to DM me, I love to have conversations, private conversations in the DM’S. That's my best to go to because it's the easiest way that I can interact and get to know people. I also have an email that I do connect with people through it’s coach@michellekinnett.com. And I would just invite anyone who is ready to have a conversation and what might their next step look like to reach out to me.

You can find Michelle Kinnett at:

FaceBook IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH MICHELLE KINNETT YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Jill Krzyzanowicz on Living out Loud + Self-Loyalty

What is Your Choice Today with Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Let’s get Vulnerable with Kayleen Johnson

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“Where there is sorrow there is holy ground.” ~ Oscar Wilde

Guest Introduction: Today’s guest is Lynn Principe and I know that you are going to love her if you are not already a fan.

Lynn is a Certified End of Life Doula, Conscious Dying Coach, Educator and Lifecycle Celebrant. Her passion is walking with dying people and their community in their final days by providing support in creating end of life plans, being a loving presence at the bedside and offering ritual and ceremony services. The honor of being with the dying has inspired her to dive deeper into the practices of living life with more intention.

Hello friend, Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I’m your host Cindy MacMillan, Integrative Life Coach and self-care advocate for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey who are ready to lead healthier and happier lives and improve their emotional well-being.

In this season of the podcast, I’m inviting you to lean into well-being. Well-being takes into account the entire person, body, mind and spirit. It’s feeling good and functioning well; it’s experiencing positive emotions such as contentment and gratitude; it’s developing your potential, having a sense of purpose, and experiencing close relationships.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome Lynn. Thanks so much for coming back on the show. I’ve been really looking forward to this conversation.

2:52 In the past year, I think I performed about 30 funerals and being able to dive deeply into the lives of others and start to look at what really matters. And honestly, what really doesn't matter, is so informative to me. And it sounds cliche, but it's true, that love is the thing that matters at the end of the day, you know, that is our legacy.

4:39 There's an author that I often go back to, Francis Weller, he wrote The Wild Edge of Sorrow, and he talks about grief. And there's more to grief than just losing someone that we love, although that's a huge one. And that's the one that we most think about when we talk about grieving. But there's so many other types of grief, such as ancestral grief, grieving for our planet, grieving for the life that we wish that we had, or the love that we wished we had that we didn't have.

6:16 I'm an empty nester now, a newly empty nester, and there's grief there. You know, I miss the daily rituals of a house full of children. So, I think that I'm starting to look at the grief that we all live with every day – it gives us the chance to give us some grace towards ourselves and towards one another, maybe we can be a little more patient with each other - could be a unifier.

9:30 So where we are currently, we just had some midterm elections. And when I sit with people at the end of their lives or perform their funerals, I'm not thinking about who did you vote for? Or how we're different. And I think that you know, death can be an equalizer in a lot of ways. It's taught me to stop making assumptions and start looking at all the ways that we are similar, and how, at the end of the day, we really want the same things. So that's a big teacher for me.

11:52 I'm actually having a Friendsgiving celebration for the first time at my house. And for the potluck, I've asked people to bring a dish that invokes a memory of a person or an event, so that our table will be full of all of their people and their memories. And people can share the stories if they like to. So just creating opportunities to share I think is a great way to acknowledge our grief.

30:49 I created the Gratitude and Grace program. Because, like I said, we think we have more time, and maybe we have a ton of time. This goes for end-of-life planning, you know, people think, you know, they're going to wait to do that, when they're dying. And that's actually the worst time to plan these things. What I think is magic about it is, once you do the things, you do the work you, you do your soul work, whatever they may be for you. The time that you do have, like I said, whether it's short or long, has a different quality to it.

You can find Lynn Principe at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH LYNN PRINCIPE YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Lean Into the Seasons with Barbara Friesen

Grief Comes in Many Forms with Bobbie Rae Boyer

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

The New Face of Grief with Katie Rössler

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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  **“We have seasons when we flourish and seasons when the leaves fall from us, revealing our bare bones. Given time, they grow again.” ~ Katherine May**

Guest Introduction: Today’s guest is Katie Rössler and I know that you are going to love our heartfelt conversation today.

Katie Rössler is a transformative grief guide, licensed counselor, and author of the book The New Face of Grief. She is on a mission to change how people understand the hidden grief in their lives and transform their pain into empowerment.

Hello friend, Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome Katie. Thanks so much for coming on the podcast. I’ve been really looking forward to our conversation.

6:48 My mom went to law school when I was in high school. So, I got to see her go on a different career route, like later in life. And it just reminds me regularly that even if you pick something at one point in your life, it doesn't mean you're stuck with it. And I think that needs to change in our culture is the realization that we can grow, and we can adapt and change to new careers and try out new hobbies and see if that's what we want to do.

8:02 So grief we traditionally know is related to death. But when we do a lot of self-reflection, we realize we actually grieve throughout our lives for a variety of reasons. You know, its changing identities, its health conditions, it's related to separation and the relationship divorce boundaries with family members, is letting go of who we thought we would be or where we thought we'd be in our lives.

10:43 I find that the holidays bring up a lot of hidden grief, and it comes out as being irritable, easily crying, reactive, kind of just like on edge. And you'll notice it'll start to happen even before the holiday like you know, even weeks before the holidays, you start to already get in that space, because you know, subconsciously we know it's coming, that the hidden grief is going to rise up.

13:40 The definition of grief I like to use and it's in my book, The New Face of Grief, is letting go of the way we thought life would or should go and learning how to accept how it is. And then the hope is from that acceptance, you start to allow life to happen as it's going to without the kind of strangling it, it must go this way, or it must look this way.

17:39 I highly encourage people to check in after they've written it? Is there something in there I want to share with someone? Do I need to burn this? Do I need to get rid of the evidence? Do I need to rip it up?

30:08 If you don't even have that amount of time, then it's the two-minute check in, closing your eyes turning everything off around you, I usually put my hand on my chest and sort of just rub because often we need to kind of love on ourselves too and going, you know, what do I need right now? And, listening to that voice rather than hearing it and being like, I don't have time. I don't want that.

You can find Katie Rössler at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH Katie Rössler YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Lean Into the Seasons with Barbara Friesen

Grief Comes in Many Forms with Bobbie Rae Boyer

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”—Hamilton Wright Mabie

Guest Introduction: Hello friend, Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Today’s guest is Suzie DeVaughn and I know that you are going to love her if you are not already a fan.

Suzie is a speaker, author, healing guide, and channel. She speaks the light language of love and proudly serves humanity with her illuminated consciousness. She is a natural born leader on a mission to help heal the world, one person at a time.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Thank you for coming back on the show Suzie.

10:43 This is a bit of a paradigm shift for a lot of people, because of all the invitations and all the obligations that some people experience during the holidays; they feel like they must be places and they have to do things. And it can be draining. And sometimes there are things that people get invited to or feel they need to go to, that they don't really want to go to, or maybe it's not even in their highest and best interest. And so, what I encourage you to do is really set boundaries around what it is that you do. So, if there's something you really must do, honor your needs.

12:20 Part of that is doing the work within to get comfortable enough to honor yourself, to love yourself, to give yourself what it is you need, and just be willing to speak your truth.

13:34 If you really feel you must go or must do something, even though you're tired, or even though you want to be doing something else or feel a little bit tired, or drained or whatever the circumstance may be, what you can do is just be aware within yourself of how you're feeling. Sleep a little bit later in the morning, when you get overwhelmed in rooms full of people or with your family, just excuse yourself and go for a walk or go step outside into the fresh air which can be rejuvenating.

17:11 Taking a nice brisk walk, or even a slow walk after having heavy meals and indulgences can be really helpful during the holidays. It keeps us moving.

32:31 A trigger is like that feeling that something gets a grip on you or a hold on you or really upsets you. And you may even consciously realize that I don't know why I'm so upset because it's not that big of a deal. Someone said something and you can't seem to let it go. It's got a grip on you. And you may even sense the trigger in your body. Like you feel a place in your body that feels tight or constricted or uncomfortable or sometimes even painful.

39:54 As we do the work, we also become more resilient not only in speaking our truth and setting out boundaries, but we become more resilient energetically as well. And so, we're not as drained by people and situations around us because we begin to carry the vibration within ourselves. And we hold it better, we hold a higher, more positive vibration that's more solid and we become more whole.

47:00 One business, Blossoming Heart Center, is geared more towards spiritually minded individuals, they tend to be Lightworkers, Healers, Intuitive Leaders, and then the other business Self-Care Specialists is geared towards care for the caregiver and stress management for the professional.

You can find Suzie DeVaughn *at:*

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH SUZIE DEVAUGHN YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Cornelia Gilbert on Boundaries and Integrity

If you love what you’re hearing, make sure to follow Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast on any of your listening platforms. Thank you Suzie DeVaughn for joining us.

Come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

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“Big changes don’t have to be hard, but they do have to start with a choice. This is where real change begins; this is where you start taking control of your life and how you choose to live it; this is where it all starts.” – Nathalie Thompson

Guest Introduction: I’m your host Cindy MacMillan, Integrative Life Coach and self-care advocate.

Hello friend, Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. If you’re a woman who loves to chase big dreams and is ready to discover the power of essential oils to lead a healthier and happier life and improve your emotional well-being; you are in the right place.

American writer, Cheryl Strayed said, “You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery.” I am encouraging you to explore what it means to be emotionally brave and I am deeply honored to walk this path with you.

I think you are going to love this episode. My guest is Anyssa Lucena and I am so excited for her to share her story with you.

Anyssa is the owner of Genuine Climbing and the founder of the Confident Climbers Club with over 12 years’ experience on the rock. She’s a climbing coach for women, AMGA Certified SPI, Apprentice Rock Guide and Mom of 3 kids. Anyssa has discovered the secret sauce for helping women gain confidence by teaching them how to overcome self-limiting beliefs and get stronger so they can climb to their greatest potential. She is a firm believer that climbing and nature is the perfect way to learn about yourself, heal your soul, and develop ways to grow inside.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 4:37 I think you know, my life personally, my business I find is kind of like one in the same just because you know, it's hard to kind of separate the two and especially with climbing I find like all the lessons that you learn in climbing just naturally are lessons that you learn in life and vice versa.

6:36 It's very easy for me to want to compare myself to how strong I was, you know, wishing I was a younger person or a younger woman doing things and, and yeah, you just have to stop and be like, well, what are the great things about being where I am at this age, like the wisdom that I acquired, the self confidence that I've acquired over the years.

11:14 I think it's just the fear of maybe the fear of failure, the fear of judgment, the fear of trying something and it not working, you know, we get so afraid of the potential, like, you're sitting at your home, you're like, well, what if I can't do it? Or what if I get disappointed? Or what if somebody laughs at me?

12:28 Your story is a woman who later on in life went outside and love the attachment to nature and was curious and wanted to try something, like it doesn't have to, you know, there's, there's a million stories and that's like rock climbing, that's whatever hiking that's going out for a new job later in life. It's whatever it is, it could just be about where your curiosity takes you.

14:23 it's really just kind of making the commitment to yourself to try it and being able to - I've used this word a million times already in this podcast, but the idea of being curious, right, so it doesn't have to be like, I'm going to try this and that’s a definition of failure or success. It doesn't even have to be like that. It could just be like; I'm just going to see what it's about.

17:49 I call it like your Personal Summit, whatever your Personal Summit is.

24:10 So in my case, I had kids, I got divorced. I've had the heartbreaks, I've had some health conditions, like you've kind of like seen enough stuff and, and gone through enough challenges that you're like, I'm still here.

32:38 Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And I've just finished radiation a week ago. And, I'm just again, just amazed at how resilient we really are. Like, even when things happen out of the blue that you don't expect and it feels really horrible in the moment; you can get through it. We're just incredibly resilient people.

You can find Anyssa Lucena *at:*

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH ANYSSA LUCENA YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

Thank you Anyssa Lucena for joining us.

If you love what you’re hearing, make sure to follow Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast on any of your listening platforms.

Come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

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"The opposite of success is not failure...it's being stuck. You have a unique gift that's meant to be shared. When fully aligned with this everlasting GIFT, an unshakable confidence becomes REAL!" ~ Jennifer Villarreal

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and my guest today is Telma Sanchez.

It can take a long time to figure out how life should be lived, so each week, I interview coaches, spiritual explorers and thought leaders from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between and at the heart of our conversations is hope.

Telma is a Bilingual Life and high-Performance Coach, Speaker, and Author. She loves working with those who are ready to release what has kept them stuck to create what they are truly worthy of. Telma will also be discussing her new upcoming book - which is about letting go of cultural expectations and self-limiting beliefs that are no longer serving you to fully embrace your magic and shine your light proudly going forward.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:31 I was born and raised in Mexico City in a very traditional culture with a very traditional dad. I moved to the States without speaking the language. I constantly felt like I was not good enough or worthy of normal success. And for a long time, I stayed in a safe, comfortable place in my life, in my marriage and in my work. And I wouldn't really push any buttons because I thought that you had to choose between being safe and feeling fulfilled.

3:41 This book is a collection of stories that invite you to do just that. Release what's no longer serving you, embrace exactly who you are for your authentic self, and find your own unique, beautiful potential to create the life that you dream of.

7:31 I told my husband, I was like, listen, if we really want to teach our kids what's important to us, we need to just show up and do it.

10:08 I have found that as I'm sharing this journey and why I began coaching is because I noticed that I wasn't the only one feeling this way. And how sad is that we have this fabulous life, this abundance of opportunities. And yet we're over here feeling like not good enough to deserve that.

12:14 I ran out of excuses to not be able to run because I saw people running in front of me an 80-year-old passing me; like there's people showing you how doable it is. So just do you.

14:59 You have this view, right? You have this amazing view of what a bigger perspective it is to get out of the darkness.

20:00 I would say it is giving yourself the permission to stay curious, loving yourself, and giving yourself a lot of compassion to realize that everything that has happened to you, this far, has been there to make you who you are, and guide you on a path of growth that is uniquely yours.

23:15 I would thank her for being so resilient, for always figuring things out, for knowing that we had to get through things one way or another and for never giving up.

You can find Telma Sanchez at:

Book Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH TELMA SANCHEZ YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

That brings us to the end of this episode! As always, thank you for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

As women we often have an inner voice nudging us to go a different way or calling us forward to play bigger and express our truth, but we often ignore that voice.

Over the next few episodes of the podcast, I’m inviting you to lean into things that spark curiosity. Specifically, metabolic health. Yes, metabolic health.

In our modern world, average life expectancies are higher than ever, and with continual breakthroughs and advances in the fields of science and medicine, they’ll likely continue to rise. But are we healthier than ever before? Are the many years we’re living filled with wellness and vitality? Or are we spending those extra years unable to do the things we love because of poor health.

Join me next time ask we start the conversation on the Basics of Metabolism.

Follow me on Instagram @cindy.macmillan.

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7:31 I told my husband, I was like, listen, if we really want to teach our kids what's important to us, we need to just show up and do it.

12:14 I ran out of excuses to not be able to run because I saw people running in front of me an 80-year-old passing me; like there's people showing you how doable it is. So just do you.

14:59 You have this view, right? You have this amazing view of what a bigger perspective it is to get out of the darkness.

23:15 I would thank her for being so resilient, for always figuring things out, for knowing that we had to get through things one way or another and for never giving up.

You can find Telma Sanchez at:

Book Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH TELMA SANCHEZ YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Sue Phillips

That brings us to the end of this episode! As always, thank you for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

As women we often have an inner voice nudging us to go a different way or calling us forward to play bigger and express our truth, but we often ignore that voice.

Over the next few episodes of the podcast, I’m inviting you to lean into things that spark curiosity. Specifically, metabolic health. Yes, metabolic health.

Join me next time ask we start the conversation on the Basics of Metabolism.

Follow me on Instagram @cindy.macmillan.

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“What you align to is an accurate reflection of yourself.” ― Paul Selig

Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Rev. Suzie DeVaughn.

Each week, I interview coaches, spiritual explorers and essential oil advocates from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

All right, my friend. I hope you enjoy every minute of this episode. Let me introduce my guest today.

Suzie DeVaughn, LMSW, REV is an author, speaker, psychotherapist, and healing facilitator who has expertly guided thousands of clients to their innermost pain, transforming wounds into wisdom through compassion, love and insight. She founded Self-Care Specialists and Blossoming Heart Center to serve those interested in personal growth through therapy, energy healing, uplifting workshops and retreats. Suzie is the author of "Mastering Self-Care: Building Resiliency Through Healthy and Mindful Living."

Welcome Suzie, thank you for being here today as we talk about Self-Care on a Budget. You are the only guest that has been on the podcast 3 times so thank you. 3:34 Self-care is truly an act of self-love.

4:46 I look at it as how we divide our resources, our financial resources, but it isn't always just a financial resource because sometimes our resources come in ways of being able to trade services with other people and factoring that into the mix. Because sometimes when we do that, we can actually save money.

9:37 There's a book I'd like to shout out here called Walking Your Blues Away: How to Heal the Mind and Create Emotional Well-Being by Thom Hartmann. And this book talks about how you can use bilateral stimulation as you're walking to, in a sense, do your own therapy.

14:40 You can even lie in bed and think positive thoughts about what you would like to create for the day. I ask this question, “What amazing adventures and opportunities am I going to have today?” “Universe, God what have you got in store for me today?” and leave it open and I just start to feel an openness in my heart. So, these are some of the ways that I start my day. I find it to be really nurturing and soothing to gently get out of bed and to feel your covers and just be present in that warm safe space before facing the day. It's a simple little tool but it works really quite nicely. It's a way to connect with yourself and get centered before you step out into the world.

18:03 Affirmations can be beneficial and uplifting also.

18:30 It's also very powerful to begin them with I am statements. I am this I am confident. I am self-assured. I am healthy. I am gentle and compassionate with myself. I am motivated and inspired to make self-care a high priority in my life. These are just a few but you can make these you know these limitless statements on anything and everything for yourself.

31:41 We each have our own needs and the more connected we are with ourselves, the more we understand what our needs are, and to make them individual to us. You do you, I think that's important.

36:19 My last words are and my encouragement would be to make yourself a priority. So many of us have been conditioned to put ourselves on the back burner, or to not even think of ourselves because we're so busy giving to others to our children, our families, within our workplaces, our friends, and we can forget ourselves in the mix. And we have so much more empathy, love compassion, to give others when our cup is full.

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thank you Suzie DeVaughn for joining us and I hope the tips Suzie shared about Self-Care on a Budget was helpful to you. As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. If you love this conversation and you want to continue it or want to share your thoughts, your takeaways, or just any aha’s that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

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“What you align to is an accurate reflection of yourself.” ― Paul Selig

All right, my friend. I hope you enjoy every minute of this episode. Let me introduce my guest today.

18:03 Affirmations can be beneficial and uplifting also.

31:41 We each have our own needs and the more connected we are with ourselves, the more we understand what our needs are, and to make them individual to us. You do you, I think that's important.

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“As much as talent counts, effort counts twice.” ~ Angela Duckworth

Guest Introduction: Grit, Grace and Gratitude: Navigating Emotional Wellbeing with Essential Oils is a new podcast series. Join me on this journey and learn the benefits of essential oils for your mind, body and spirit.

Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Brianna Wilkerson.

I am delighted to introduce my guest, Brianna Wilkerson.

Brianna Wilkerson is a Holistic Health and Life Coach, Essential Oils Advocate with doTERRA, podcast host, wife and momma, matcha tea lover, and at-home crossfitter. She helps women find peace with food, create healthy habits, and use essential oils confidently so they can feel better, have more energy, and take care of themselves and those they love.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Friend, I know you’re going to love this episode. I just know it. Brianna, welcome to the show. I am so excited for this conversation today.

4:46 I think every different season has something to teach us and something good to offer us and a way for us to grow.

8:28 For the last six and a half years, I've been teaching, I've been sharing, I've been using oils, and it's just been fun to see how now over time, our whole household like the first thing I go to when I'm when any of us need anything, whether it's, you know, some lotion to come at night or to or just like my daughter, like bit her lip, it's like something to help with, like, you know, the healing of the lip. It's like I go to essential oils.

10:35 I love the fact that every essential oil, whether it's a single oil or whether it's a blend has an emotional quality to it, you know, when we smell an oil, or we apply it topically, it works in our bodies to impact our mind and our mood, right.

11:40 Frankincense is kind of the known as the oil of divinity or oil of truth and where grace comes in is when we can really recognize the truth in a situation and really remain calm and grounded. And Frankincense is a beautiful one to support even physically, so your renewal and so it's a way to renew after needing a little bit more grace.

32:21 I really had struggled with my weight. And for a long time in my life and finding my worth in my weight, worth in how I looked, the size I was, it led to under eating, over eating, emotional eating, so many up and downs. When I could, when I finally found peace with food, in the sense, like food wasn't the enemy and it wasn't a friend, it was just something that I needed to fuel myself; something that could partner with me to nourish myself in the way I needed. That's when I started to like, realize, okay, I'm going to approach healthy eating not from a diet, I'm going to approach it from like, what's going to nourish me, and slowly change, change my habits.

35:44 Made Well actually came from the Bible, where Jesus, had gone to multiple people and said, you are made well or asking them “Do you want to be made well?” and I think that was it for me. Do I really want to be made well, or do I want to always struggle with this? And so, I was like, yeah, I do. And so that's when it started a different transformation. And I just felt like ultimately, my goal was to help women be made well.

You can find Brianna Wilkerson at:

Facebook Instagram Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH BRIANNA WILKERSON YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Dr. Laura Ricci on Integrating Essential Oils Into our Daily Lives

Embracing the “And” with Leah Brashear

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Linnea Offerman on Bright Line Eating and Essential Oils

Thank you for listening and I'm grateful that you're tuning in. If you loved the conversation that I'm having today with Brianna Wilkerson and you want to continue the conversation or you want to share your takeaways (the big aha), or just any ideas that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Jump into my DMs, say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

Friend, Have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world!

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“As much as talent counts, effort counts twice.” ~ Angela Duckworth

I am delighted to introduce my guest, Brianna Wilkerson.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Friend, I know you’re going to love this episode. I just know it. Brianna, welcome to the show. I am so excited for this conversation today.

4:46 I think every different season has something to teach us and something good to offer us and a way for us to grow.

You can find Brianna Wilkerson at:

Facebook Instagram Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH BRIANNA WILKERSON YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Dr. Laura Ricci on Integrating Essential Oils Into our Daily Lives

Embracing the “And” with Leah Brashear

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Linnea Offerman on Bright Line Eating and Essential Oils

Friend, Have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world!

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"Appreciating every moment doesn't mean pretending that something is good when it isn't. It's not about denial or delusion. It's about training yourself to see the good that actually exists alongside the challenges and to notice the ripple effect of this positive perspective." ~ Dr. Frank Lipman

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Dr. Laura Ricci.

Each week, I interview coaches, spiritual explorers and essential oil enthusiasts from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

This podcast series is called Grit, Grace and Gratitude: Navigating Emotional Wellbeing with Essential Oils. Join me on this journey of learning about essential oils and integrating them into our daily lives.

I am delighted to introduce my guest, Dr. Laura Ricci.

Dr. Laura Ricci is a licensed doctor of physical therapy specializing in Women's Health and Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation, a certified Women's Health and Functional Nutrition Coach (WHNC) through the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) through the International Consortium for Health & Wellness Coaching, and an essential oil educator and international leader with doTERRA essential oils. Through her own medical challenges, including cancer and major orthopedic surgery, she found a passion for natural remedies and functional nutrition. She strives to be a light in the darkness, offering hope for others with her personal story of love and healing.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Dr. Laura, Thank you for coming on the podcast.

2:26 For me, it's honoring your seasons, and honoring the season that you're in, I think there is a time for creation and there's a time for rest. And even with our hormones, as women, I really try to plan my work, and my month around my hormonal cycle, knowing that there are going to be times when I have more energy around ovulation. And then there are going to be times where I'm going to need more rest around my period.

11:35 I think how we do one thing is how we do everything. And you cannot lead others until you can lead yourself. And I came across this quote by Elbert Hubbard that says, “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.” And I think most people are waiting around to feel like doing the thing, they're gonna wait till they feel motivated to go to the gym, or to live a health and wellness lifestyle, or eat a cleaner diet or all of these things. And what I found is, you're not going to feel like doing it 100% of the time.

14:46 When you become a person who keeps commitments to yourself, your word takes on a different meaning. When you commit or you say that you're going to do something, you really think about it and decide whether or not you're going to keep that commitment. too, and you build that trust, and you become a person who keeps those commitments. And it actually comes back to you, knowing deep down inside that you are worthy of doing these things for your health and wellness.

21:18 I say if you want an easy button, and you want it just done for you. Adaptive is my jam. It's probably one of my favorite oils. It's the oil that I leaned on a lot going into major surgeries. It's such a beautiful one.

But if you wanted to make a roller ball blend, I like this blend of 10 drops each Bergamot which is a really beautiful citrus oil and emotionally it's the “oil of self-acceptance”. So, 10 drops of bergamot, 10 drops of peppermint, which is very energizing. And it helps with focus 10 drops of the Ylang Ylang which emotionally is the “oil of the inner child” to kind of help with play and spontaneity and 10 drops of wild orange oil, which is the “oil of abundance”. It's another citrus oil, its which is very energizing, and 10 drops of Copaiba. And if you don't have all of these oils just yet, use what you have. But 10 drops each bergamot, peppermint, ylang ylang, wild orange, and Copaiba. And then top with your favorite carrier oil of choice in a 10 ML roller bottle. I really love fractionated coconut oil. And that is just a really beautiful roller ball that you can roll it on your wrists, behind your ears over your heart, even the back of the neck or roll on your hands. And then do a nice palm inhale, just kind of cup your hands over your mouth and nose and take a couple slow deep breaths. But that's a beautiful one just for wellbeing and supporting your emotions when you need it.

You can find Dr. Laura Ricci at:

Instagram Facebook Website IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH DR. LAURA RICCI YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Emotional Self-Care with Jamie Martin

Linnea Offerman on Bright Line Eating and Essential Oils

Mindy Schrager on the Shadow Side of Color

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Bonus Episode: Essential Oils Made Easy with Dr. Laura Ricci

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thank you Dr. Laura Ricci for joining us.

Oh, and before I sign off, there’s actually one more thing I want to talk about…I am really excited to share that mid-September, dōTERRA is releasing incredible new products to help maximize your metabolism.

Say hello to MetaPWR™.

Meta – short for Metabolic Health meets PWR – Personal. Wellness. Realized.

The dōTERRA® MetaPWR™ system can help you optimize your metabolism, curb cravings, shed excess weight, and have more stamina throughout your day. It can also help to slow biological aging and extend your healthspan.*

There is a big difference between our ‘lifespan’ and our potential for ‘healthspan’. I will be doing a solo episode and the personal reason this means so much to me.

Until next time live inspired!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Get in touch with Cindy… Integrative Coach | Cynthia MacMillan

Essential Oils Advocate | doTERRA

Podcaster | Exploring the Seasons of Life

Facebook | Exploring the Seasons of Life

Instagram | @cindy.macmillan

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“Resilience is very different than being numb. Resilience means you experience, you feel, you fail, you hurt. You fall. But, you keep going.” ~ Yasmin Mogahed

Guest Introduction: Grit, Grace and Gratitude: Navigating Emotional Wellbeing with Essential Oils is a new podcast series. Join me on this journey and learn the benefits of essential oils for your mind, body and spirit.

Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Leah Brashear.

Each week, I interview coaches, spiritual explorers and essential oil educators from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: I am delighted to introduce my guest, Leah Brashear.

Leah is a wife, a mother, and an essential oils wellness advocate with dōTERRA. Her family has been using essential oils since 2019. These essential oils have helped her family through her daughter's journey with developmental hip dysplasia, through her journey with degenerative disc disease, and supported their physical and emotional wellness journeys as well!

Help me welcome my very special guest, Leah.

1:58 I've actually given myself a lot of time to really think about it and kind of meditate on what that really means. And through doing that, I realized that both personally and, in my business, it's about allowing ourselves to be real and raw and vulnerable in our current situations, whatever that may be at the time. And not only with ourselves, but with the people around us. I think that when we allow ourselves this opportunity to be truly authentic, it creates this beautiful space to be able to learn more about ourselves and about other people.

4:02 I've also been thinking about all of our “ands”, how none of us are just one thing.

5:07 My daughter was diagnosed with developmental hip dysplasia when she was born, she was actually born with both of her hips completely dislocated. And that kind of was the trigger to us getting started with essential oils.

9:26 It's like if this is so amazing, and it's helping our family so much what am I doing keeping this to myself? There's so much benefit in just simply sharing my story and allowing other people to have a healing opportunity like that too.

10:59 The oil that I would choose for grit would be a blend that doTERRA has called Northern Escape. And it's the oil for stable transitions, which I think is really beautiful. And it's a blend of seven different tree oils. And the positive properties for this blend are stable, adapting, enduring, grounding, acceptance, all of these things that really help us to know like, I am strong, and I can do this, I think that's really beautiful. And surrendering control is another property of this.

16:08 That's what's beautiful about essential oils, I have diffusers all over my house. And what I like to do is set oils next to my diffusers and I have them in places where I see them. So, I have him in the bathroom, I have them in my kitchen, I have him in my living room and I have the oils that I like to use throughout the day next to them. So, it's really easy to remember, oh, I need to turn my diffuser on and use this to help me and by the bed, that's a really great place to use them too.

21:56 I think, honestly, it would be my journey with doing the business side of doTERRA. In how I kind of always, before I had this idea of who would learn from me, you know, what do I do? What do I have to offer people and then having this opportunity to just share with people and to see I'm changing people's lives just by being me, just by sharing what I love and what I have learned. And getting that opportunity to learn from other people too.

Thank you for listening and I'm grateful that you're tuning in. If you loved the conversation that I'm having today with Leah Brashear and you want to continue the conversation or you want to share your takeaways (the big aha), or just any ideas that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Jump into my DMs, say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

Friend, Have a wonderful day wherever you are in the world!

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“The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Grit, Grace and Gratitude: Navigating Emotional Wellbeing with Essential Oils is a new podcast series. Join me on this journey and learn the benefits of essential oils for your mind, body and spirit.

Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Linnea Offerman.

I am delighted to introduce my guest, Linnea Offerman.

Linnea is a functional medicine nurse and health coach. She is a recovering food addict having lost 90 pounds, and strives for a healthy and natural home with her husband and two children.

I hope this episode is just as insightful and inspiring for you as it was for me.

Linnea, I'm SUPER excited you are here.

4:22 I knew there had to be more, so I started researching and looking into other options and fell in love with functional medicine, a holistic approach, root cause analysis care. And from there I just started delving into nontoxic living and what else in this world - the sad American diet the Standard American Diet is one thing that's near and dear to my heart - I beat with my weight loss journey losing 90 pounds and moving into focusing on food as medicine has been crucial in my life.

7:41 I am addicted to food, I would hide food from my husband, I would go out of my way I would live that I needed to be somewhere earlier than I needed to so I could go somewhere and eat food. If I was going to a restaurant with friends, I would eat at home first. So, they wouldn't see the amount of volume that I would want to binge on at a restaurant.

10:45 I no longer am a slave to food thoughts which is just as good or better than the weight loss truly like I was a slave in my mind to food. And now I know what I'm going to eat I know it's enough. I know what satisfies my body it keeps me going I've been maintaining my weight loss for almost 250 days. I'm 621 days sober from flour and sugar today. So I'm coming up on getting close to two years and it has been just absolutely life changing.

12:11 There is a fantastic blend called Motivate, which is which is exactly what that's for. It's been cultivated by the doTERRA science oil experts for that purpose. But I also really love the blend, Adaptive. Adaptive brings you out of a chaotic environment and helps you really center in and get focused. It's also very calming for addiction. So, it can be you can use it for any type of addictions. There are all sorts of addictions, there's chemical addictions and process addictions.

14:07 Absolutely. So, grit I love that word and I've never really identified it with it before until my one of my mastermind sisters tells me all the time that I have grit and I was like what is this word? So, I looked it up and it's a perseverance and passion for a long-term goal. And that spoke to my soul, like it's getting me through, I'm a heavy weightlifter.

21:24 Do you remember, like the old school black original ChapStick before ChapStick got fancy, there was just one ChapStick brand. ChapStick, it was a black container, my dad has used that like every day of his life. And so, if I smell original black ChapStick, I immediately think of my dad that is because our olfactory nerve goes to our amygdala and then our hippocampus. And I find that just fascinating.

23:00 But also at the same time, I really encourage my Oilers to be very intuitive, that if you're experiencing something and you smell one of the ones that I recommend, and you don't like it, and it turns you off, well, there's two points to that. One point is you probably really need it - oftentimes we are turned off to an oil emotionally, because that's an emotion we struggle with.

27:04 Oils are backed by science. For me as a nurse that is so important. And I mean, there's so many amazing things to know about oils and to learn about them. But that's just, for me a really, really important thing that they are backed by science and that they're timeless.

33:35 My mom always told me whenever I would clean up my diet. I was one of the lucky ones, I guess my face would thin out first, and so you could really see it in my face. But she would say I had this glow. And she would always tell me Linnea healthy looks really good on you. It was never, she never encouraged me about the weight loss just being healthy. You glow. And so I just have always taken that to heart. And so that's where the healthy looks good on you comes from.

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thanks to Linnea Offerman for joining us and I genuinely hope the tips Linnea shared on the emotional components of essential oils was beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

If you love this conversation and you want to continue it or want to share your thoughts, your takeaways, or just any aha’s that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

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“Fully grieve your losses and also, let yourself feel the full weight of your joys.” ~ Morgan Harper Nichols

I heard someone say, "Everyone needs enough grit to stand their truth, grace to accept who they are, and gratitude to live a happy life." It perfectly sums up my new podcast series. Grit, Grace and Gratitude: Navigating Emotional Wellbeing with Essential Oils

Join me on this journey of learning about essential oils and integrating them into our daily lives.

I am delighted to introduce my guest, Jamie Martin.

Jamie is a Life and Leadership Coach who is passionate about partnering with people who have been going so long they lost themselves. Her 17-year career in technology at companies like DoubleClick and Google, combined with intensive coach certification training gives Jamie a unique perspective into what it takes to make a significant transformation for her clients. Working with Jamie, her clients end up standing in their power, even when they are doing the uncomfortable things, they have always dreamed of doing.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Jamie, I'm SUPER excited you are here.

5:24 The thing that I've experienced with a lot of my clients, is that oftentimes, we try to move forward too quick. It's like, we name it, and we move forward, but we don't experience the emotion. And this is one thing I love about toddlers, because, they experience it, you know, fully embody it. But they don't know how to how to do it in a healthy space, right?

9:57 I’m so passionate in my space and it took me a long time to actually reclaim that word. Because I grew up feeling that that was a negative thing, just the way that it was framed up in my family. And it's funny because I talked to my mom about this, and she's just like, really, that's what you got from it. I was like, yep, that's what I got.

10:42 The other thing I want to make sure listeners hear is that playing small is about you in your space, it doesn't mean what you're doing. Right? Like, it's how you're being in your space. Because I think sometimes, we think that we have to go and save the planet when we hear going big. But really, it's not about that, it's about whether or not we're shrinking in our space and are we shrinking who we are.

12:57 But the first thing I would say is really understand what it is that you need. Right? So, until we understand what we need and how that gets filled, it's hard to put a boundary in place. So, for example, a desire to work 40 hours a week. Like, if that's what you really think you need, what's the reasoning behind that?

16:32 Sometimes saying no; is super uncomfortable.

32:32 The thing that I've really been working on myself that shifted my whole gratitude practice is embodying it, and actually feeling the gratitude. So when you're imagining gratitude for somebody else, really feeling what it is about their being that really wraps you up, feeling that hug, feeling the love around it, and letting it really percolate throughout your whole body.

53:27 I also have just recently launched a six-week challenge called Positive Intelligence. And it's an app guided program that also is group oriented. That allows us to really start to see the difference between when we are in our saboteur mind versus our sage.

You can find Jamie Martin at:

Website Instagram Facebook IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH JAMIE MARTIN YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Mindy Schrager on the Shadow Side of Color

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Nicole Baker on Perfectionism

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thanks to Jamie Martin for joining us and I genuinely hope the tips Jamie shared on emotional self-care was beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Join Dr. Laura Ricci and myself live on Zoom - Sunday, August 7, 2022 at 3:00 Eastern for the Emotions & Essential Oils Masterclass. Learn how essential oils and aromatherapy can impact your emotional health and well-being. Zoom info will be in the show notes at CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Reach out to Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com to learn how to incorporate essential oils into your daily routine.

DISCLAIMER: THIS WEBSITE OR PODCAST DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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“Environmental wellness includes trying to live in harmony with the earth by understanding the impact of your interaction with nature and your personal environment and taking action to protect the world around you.” ~ Tyler Eilts

All right, my friends. I hope you enjoy every minute of this episode. Let me introduce my special guest today.

Suzie, thank you for being here today as we talk about environmental wellness and self-care.

2:14 Environmental self-care is something that everything that we have in our lives impacts us. So, the home that we live in, the products that we use, the chemicals, the physical agents that we breathe in, the people in our lives are all part of our environment.

3:25 Anything that we do with our self-care that has a positive environmental impact on us is going to have an impact on the environment.

12:28 That's when we need to connect deeply within and find that place inside that centered, that place inside that's always there. It's like that calm in the center of a storm, if you go within, and you can't get to that, then by all means, you know, there are ways to get to that, like meditation and breath work are wonderful.

14:40 But our mental and emotional care impacts our physical bodies and our spirits. It's all connected. Making that a priority and being willing to invest in ourselves both the time and the resources. Because if we don't feel good within then everything else outside of us is impacted by that. In our behaviors and the way, we speak to people and the way we interpret messages from others from our environment. And so this is a really, really important part of self-care, especially now.

27:39 And so turning inward, making space for ourselves. And learning to love ourselves is absolutely paramount. Because how is it we're going to change this world, it starts with us with each one of us, working out what's inside of us, and becoming the love that we truly are. And radiating that outward.

32:31 I think that is a very important area to look at within each one of our lives. Because, you know, sometimes we can have friendships or relationships that are toxic, they're not good for us, they're not uplifting. They don't feel healthy. And we don't have to stay in those circumstances, we can do the work and try to work through things. But sometimes we just have to let go. And sometimes we have to say no to other people to say yes to ourselves.

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"Color is a power which directly influences the soul." ~ Wassily Kandinsky

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I'm so grateful that you tuned in today; it means a lot to me. If you love this conversation and you want to continue it or want to share your thoughts, your takeaways, or just any aha’s that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

Friends, Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview spiritual explorers, amazing coaches and essential oil enthusiasts from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about why color is such a powerful force in our lives, and the shadow side of color. And my guest is Mindy Schrager.

Mindy is an ICF PCC credentialed coach, Integrative Coach, Systemic Facilitator, and Aura-Soma practitioner with a passion for transformational work. Her experience and transformational training has been focused on creating positive change in life and business experiences (i.e. shadow, family DNA) for herself and her clients. Mindy loves to shine the light on hidden patterns and the root cause of dysfunction and then help you create new pathways to growth.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Mindy. Thank you for being here.

2:56 Things I was unaware of when I was younger have come clearly into view. I see it in my coaching practice, when a major life transition such as becoming an empty nester or going through a divorce or moving into retirement. They're all indicators of a new season beginning. And it reminds me also of a bottle of Aura-Soma, which is called New Message, where people oftentimes are seeking a new expression of themselves as they move into a different season of their life.

5:26 All of them actually focus on the gifts and lessons and hidden patterns, the choice to create new pathways, and the letting go of what no longer serves us. The more of this work that I did, the more of the transformational work that I did, the less my corporate work, energized me, as I really shifted to a new level of passion for helping individuals change and grow within themselves and also in their relationship with others.

8:03 For me, self-care also includes being open to learning, reassessing our relationships, and other aspects of our lives to ensure they're still in alignment. Decluttering and organizing our space so it's in harmony with our life and incorporating downtime and fun in order to feed our soul.

16:24 Color really shows up in many different ways as a way for us to express ourselves.

16:49 Color has many different meanings, so just like shadow work, some of the meanings are more positive than others. For instance, think about the color yellow, you might think about a sunflower dancing in the sun. But on the other side of yellow, we use the phrase yellow bellied for someone who is cowardly.

21:23 So for me, the biggest surprise is seeing just how much the shadow appears not only in integrative coaching, but in looking at family patterns, and looking at Aura-Soma.

You can find Mindy Schrager at: Website IF YOU LOVED THIS CONVERSATION WITH MINDY SCHRAGER YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH: Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Nicole Baker on Perfectionism

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

Bonus Episode: Essential Oils Made Easy with Dr. Laura Ricci

4 Self-Care Practices for the Mind with Jill Krzyzanowicz

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thanks to Mindy Schrager for joining us and I genuinely hope the tips Mindy shared on self-care and color resonated. As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I appreciate you.

Join Dr. Laura Ricci and myself live on Zoom – Sunday, August 7, 2022 at 3:00 PM EST for a workshop on Essential Oils and our Emotions—and be sure to c

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“As each day dawns, pure sunlight sparkles in dewdrops, shimmering on the grass, and on the leaves and flowers of the world.” ~ Valerie Ann Wormwood

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

This is a bonus episode of the podcast – And it’s a replay of a workshop that was held on July 16, 2022.

Hello, Hello and welcome to Essential Oils Made Easy. My name is Cindy MacMillan; I’m an Integrative Coach and host of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I’m a mom, Gigi, and partner to Andre and I have many interests that are reflected on the podcast and essential oils are one of those interests that I am incredibly passionate about. I am so happy you are here.

And a big hello to everyone watching or listening to the recording at a later date.

Today’s workshop is packed with valuable and important information, and you are going to want to take notes.

We are so fortunate to have Dr. Laura Ricci with us today.

Dr. Ricci is a doctor of physical therapy, a national board certified health & wellness coach, and an essential oil educator & leader with doTERRA. She is passionate about empowering women to reclaim their health & wellness.

Dr. Laura and I have been “friends” on social media for several years and I would read her posts and watch her reels but Dr. Laura I think I really got invested in YOU as a person when you were working through a hip surgery. By that I mean you weren’t just someone I was scrolling by BUT Dr. Laura the woman. I remember thinking; wow this woman is resilient and vulnerable and inspirational.

Not only that, but your content is so educational and I am excited to have you here today as my Essential Oil mentor to teach this class.

Here’s a glimpse of the Workshop: 3:01 I'd like you to start by just thinking about what are your top three health concerns? What brought you to this class, or what made you curious about oils, and you can type them into the chat and share with us if you want. I'll say I'll share mine if you share yours. So many years ago, when I first started with oils, I was really struggling with digestive issues with really bad head tension and with sleep. And I was looking for solutions for those things.

4:06 What's important about essential oils is quality and purity. So I know and love and trust doTERRA essential oils, they are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® and they are very potent.

10:21 So let's talk a little bit about the three ways to use essential oils. First step is aromatic. This is going to be the best to support your emotions and your mood, it's going to cleanse and purify the air. And it's also going to support your respiratory system.

11:22 This is why you can smell something and think of your grandmother cooking or a childhood memory can pop in, it's a direct link into the central nervous system. So when we're wanting to help calm down the central nervous system, calm down stress, sense of smell is very powerful. And I actually love to combine it with music; to make it even more powerful. That's another link into the central nervous system. So diffuse some oils, put on some calming music, these are great ways to help reduce stress and cortisol and help you to feel your best.

30:59 The oils can support us physically, but they also support us emotionally, as we mentioned, affecting the limbic system. So when you inhale, it does this dance through your neuroanatomy, it's kind of powerful, having that impact on your central nervous system. And this book goes into great, great detail about all of the emotional aspects of using the essential oils, which is really key. It's pretty amazing. I will say I came to the world of essential oils for physical support but it's been the emotional piece that's become my favorite way to use the oils.

32:07 There are several oils that can help with thyroid support. Frankincense is one - Lavender, Peppermint and Lemongrass I actually like to make a roller bottle with those for thyroid, apply it right over the thyroid morning and night can be really key. From an emotional standpoint, which is really fascinating, Lavender is the Oil of Communication and when we're talking throat chakra, and being able to speak, Lavender aids with verbal expression and calms the mind, specifically those who feel they're at risk of sharing their true thoughts and feelings. And so this actually helps with expression.

IF YOU LOVED THIS EPISODE WITH DR. LAURA RICCI YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Nicole Baker on Perfectionism

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

4 Self-Care Practices for our Spiritual Life with Lydia Knorr

Reach out to Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com to learn how to incorporate essential oils into your daily routine.

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“The moment we try to please another and abandon our own truth for theirs, we essentially hand our power to them, violate our own integrity, cut ourselves off from our inner wisdom, and at least for a while, disconnect from our ability to love and nurture ourselves.” ~ Debbie Ford

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Nicole Baker.

Each week, I interview coaches and spiritual explorers from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In our hectic modern world, many of the women I talk to feel stressed, they feel overscheduled, and they feel overwhelmed racing from one meeting to the next, planning this or worrying about that.

My solution is self-care.

I know, I know, you are rolling your eyes and saying I can’t do one more thing but what the world thinks is self-care is just scratching the surface.

I’m inviting you into a deeper understanding of self-care…to have a different perspective…to reconnect with YOU.

I’ve titled this series “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.”

And I am delighted to introduce my guest, Nicole Baker.

Nicole Baker is a Coach who helps high achievers ditch perfectionism, cut the hustle and start achieving goals with fun and fulfillment. Having grown up in a family immersed in the personal development world, she has been attending seminars and absorbing personal growth tools her whole life and she has since helped hundreds of perfectionists accomplish goals ranging from starting their own businesses to finishing a half marathon. She has been featured in Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, Voyage Denver, The Self Helpless Podcast and The Mighty plus is the CEO of Life Coach Baker LLC and the host of The Life Coach Baker Podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Nicole, Thank you for coming on the show.

3:25 I noticed that a lot of my clients fell into one of three categories. They all have their own individual struggles, their own individual goals they wanted to go after, but they all have three different types of self-sabotaging habits, and that was one the overachiever, the person who tends to chase success go on the hamster wheel of hustle culture, always looking for the next thing. The next thing, the next thing.

There was a procrastinator, who has these big, beautiful goals, but then gets so overwhelmed by them that says, you know, scrolling through TikTok is so much easier today. I'm just going to do that.

And then there's the people pleaser, like you mentioned, the person who tries to be perfect for everyone else. So, they put themselves on the backburner, which, especially touching on self-care, whoa, buddy, do those to go so hand in hand.

8:20 I grew up in a family very heavily immersed in the personal development world. And I feel it important to note, it was a personal development world of the 80s and 90s, which was, go go go achieve your dreams as fast as possible, change your state, be positive, all this kind of stuff, which I think has some good merit to it with some elements of being a human thrown into there.

13:55 I normally phrase it, perfectionism is having this expectation for yourself, an A plus on a report card, for instance and anything short of that isn't enough, is a failure, quote, unquote. Now, we might phrase it a little bit differently. Like for some people, for instance, I see this a lot, in my community. Unless I'm working 24/7, I'm not working hard enough. Or if I end my day with any amount of energy leftover, I didn't leave it all on the table, which means I'm lazy, or it means I don't want it bad enough.

19:10 When I think of self-care, I think of little, teeny tiny two-degree shifts. I don't think self-care is throwing 50 million things into the ring and saying good luck. I think it's adding things, I think it's subtracting things, I think that is something we definitely overlook; asking yourself what is giving me stress in my life and is there a way I can either reduce it, delegate it or automate it so that it's no longer this big of a part of my life.

32:57 One of the biggest things I see in perfectionist is this need to be in control, always. And I noticed this in myself, about a year ago when I was going through a hard season.

37:22 One of my favorite quotes is by Marie Forleo, and she says, “If what you're doing isn't working, stop doing it harder.” And I was doing it harder. And finally, I was like, okay, like, what if I just go into the polar opposite just to like, really freak out my comfort zone.

You can find Nicole Baker at:

Website Instagram IF YOU LOVED THIS CONVERSATION WITH NICOLE BAKER YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH: Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Tess Zigo on Financial Self-Care

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

4 Self-Care Practices for our Spiritual Life with Lydia Knorr

Suzie DeVaughn on Comprehensive Self-Care to Uplift Your Body, Mind and Soul

4 Self-Care Practices for the Mind with Jill Krzyzanowicz

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thanks to Nicole Baker for joining us and I genuinely hope the tips Nicole shared on self-care and perfectionism were beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I appreciate you.

Join Dr. Laura Ricci and myself live on Zoom - Saturday, July 16th at 3:00 EST for the Essential Oils Made Easy workshop —and be sure to come back next week for a discussion with Mindy Schrager and why color is such a powerful force in our lives Until then, this is Cindy MacMillan and don’t forget: Live inspired!

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“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about self-care for our finances and being intentional. And my guest is Tess Zigo.

Tess obtained her B.S. in Finance from Northern Illinois University, and later returned to get her M.A.S in Accounting Science and her CPA after the company she worked for filed for bankruptcy during the 2008 recession. That experience taught her a valuable lesson in being aware of concentration risk since her 401(k) match was in company stock.

You're going to love this episode, and I personally can't wait to talk to Tess, so let's get to it.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Tess. Thank you for being here.

8:32 That's when I discovered that there was a profession called financial advising, which I wasn't familiar with. And I think, you know, there's still this myth that financial advisors are for the wealthy, you have to be wealthy in order to work with a financial advisor. And that is just not the case anymore. I'm a Certified Financial Planner, and I actually love working with people who are just getting started.

9:51 That's such a great question. So, Cindy, I think the first and most important thing that people have to realize is that a lot of life insurance agents, for example, can call themselves a financial advisor. So, the title of the person is not as important as the credentials and the education. So that is really for you as the consumer to be educated on and to look at the person's credentials and education.

12:13 I think my most important tip would be - be intentional with your money and make time to look at your finances.

14:40 If you're putting every emergency on a credit card, you're starting to dig yourself into a hole. And it's very difficult to dig yourself out of that kind of debt because it's high interest and it starts to compound very quickly on you. So, it just balloons out of control.

26:19 I'm European, so I'm very much a believer in vacation and time off. Because otherwise, what happens is you get burned out, and then you're just not performing at your highest level. So, you know, that's to your detriment to your company's detriment, you're doing the opposite of what you think you're trying to achieve.

29:56 The one thing that I that I think is so paramount is that you have to believe that you are worthy of being wealthy.

You can find Tess Zigo at:

Website FaceBook IF YOU LOVED THIS CONVERSATION WITH TESS ZIGO YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH: Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

4 Self-Care Practices for our Spiritual Life with Lydia Knorr

Suzie DeVaughn on Comprehensive Self-Care to Uplift Your Body, Mind and Soul

4 Self-Care Practices for the Mind with Jill Krzyzanowicz

That brings us to the end of this episode! Thanks to Tess Zigo for joining us and I genuinely hope the tips Tess shared on financial self-care was beneficial to you. As always, thanks for listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Join Dr. Laura Ricci and myself live on Zoom - Saturday, July 16th at 3:00 EST for the Essential Oils Made Easy workshop —and be sure to come back next week for a discussion with Nicole Baker, a Coach who helps high achievers ditch perfectionism. Until then, this is Cindy MacMillan and don’t forget: Live inspired!

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“Know yourself. Do your best. Make a little progress every day. Don’t overdo it.” ― Master Jou Tsung Hwa Guest Introduction:

Welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about the parallels between surfing, tai chi, and the Tao. I’m so excited to share with you today my conversation with Lea Williamson.

Lea Williamson is the founder of BeachsideQigong.com, a board-certified tai chi and qigong instructor for over a decade and author of the Amazon #1 book Surfing the Sea of Chi. A Florida Space Coast native, Lea’s diverse background has ranged from the Yang of extreme adventure travel to the Yin of consciousness exploration via extended fasting and meditation.

Lea herself used tai chi to relearn walking after a devastating accident and qigong breathwork to overcome her lifelong fear of water; she now finds great joy in sharing these profound self-healing techniques with others.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Welcome to the podcast, Lea. Thank you for being here.

2:48 A lot of us tend to embrace the milder seasons like the fall and the spring but tend to shun the seasons like winter and summer when it's really hot. But in my mind and in my business in life and philosophies, we need to embrace all the seasons and explore what they have to offer us.

5:28 So in keeping it really simple, I view Tai Chi after 30 years of practice, as ancient biotechnology for healthcare; mental and physical health care. It's a very ancient system - thousands of years old.

9:58 My journey to Tai Chi has been unusual, in that I grew up a Florida native, I'm from Brevard County. Nobody in my family has had any connection to China or tai chi or mind, body practices. It was not something I was raised in, no one did yoga, or meditation. That word didn't even really exist when I was a kid. So, it wasn't really part of my life.

13:55 I saw the video of hundreds of people all dressed the same, moving very, very slow, all exactly in the same way. In my little child's mind, I remember thinking, oh, that is the most beautiful flock of human birds I have ever seen flying together. What are they doing? I want to learn that I want to know what that is. I want to fly with my humans that way.

17:39 And now that I'm into my mid-50s, I'm so blessed to have picked up these moving practices when I was young to the point that I know a lot of them very well and can teach them. Because as my body is now starting to age, I now use Tai Chi the way most people come to Tai Chi, most Americans I have found start Tai Chi, because they hear it's good for balance as you get older, which is true.

26:26 . On a surfboard, we stand in what's called in Tai Chi, the bow stance, it is the strongest way to stand when you stand in this particular position, people can push you, the waves in the water can push you in different directions, and it's much easier to hold your ground to not get pushed around to keep your feet connected to the foot to the surfboard.

42:05 Every single morning, I get up before the crack of dawn before there's even light in the sky. I drink a hot beverage, it might be coffee one day, tea another, or hot lemon water. I sit, I contemplate my day and I just kind of prepare my mind and body and then I go do Qigong and Tai Chi on the beach. To me that is like the best way I could possibly take care of myself.

44:34 Taking care of yourself is something that will not go away if you want to feel good and to be happy and to be healthy. You’ve got to maintain yourself mentally and physically and it doesn't have to be hard.

46:30 I think that that is the number one takeaway that I try to share with everybody let alone here on your podcast. It should be enjoyable to care for yourself, so you keep doing it forever.

You can find Lea Williamson at:

Website E-Mail

IF YOU LOVED THIS CONVERSATION WITH LEA WILLIAMSON *YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH:*

Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

Deanne Rose on Owning and Trusting our Sexual Energy

4 Self-Care Practices for our Spiritual Life with Lydia Knorr

Suzie DeVaughn on Comprehensive Self-Care to Uplift Your Body, Mind and Soul

4 Self-Care Practices for the Mind with Jill Krzyzanowicz

Thank you for listening and I'm grateful that you're tuning in. If you loved the conversation that I'm having today and you want to continue the conversation or you want to share your takeaways (the big aha), or just any ideas that come up…come on over to Instagram. That is where I spend most of my time when it comes to social media. I'm @cindy.macmillan on Instagram. Make sure you're following me. Jump into my DMs, say hello. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time, live inspired.

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“Sexual energy shows up when we are actively participating in our lives, not simply letting life happen to us. Simple things like communicating how we feel, exercising in a way that makes us feel connected and healthy in our bodies, and speaking up for ourselves can be fantastic ways of clearing the blockages to this energy and letting it begin to flow again.” ~ Julie Peters

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about things we do without realizing it that block our sexual energy. And my guest is Deanne Rose.

Deanne is a pleasure coach and ecstatic birth doula. She believes in a world where women are connected to their natural rhythms and cycles. She guides women in remembering who they are, reclaiming their power and rising into the best version of themselves.

You’re going to love this episode, and I personally can't wait to talk to Deanne, so let's get to it.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Deanne. Thank you for being here.

1:44 I believe our sexual energy is our life force energy, our creative energy. You can use it for sexual pleasure. But you also could use it in your tangible day to day, life, and work. So, I believe that when we can get in tune with this creative sexual energy, that we really, truly find our voice.

4:08 About seven years ago, I went through a divorce. And so, I was given the spaciousness, this time to look at myself, and to see where I had lost myself; you know, as a mother, as a wife, and as a woman. The first thing I did, I remember, was I went to Victoria's Secrets and got all new underwear.

7:44 I don't think we're living, we're just surviving, you know, we're truly not living life, because life is pleasure.

12:43 I love to dance, and I remember years ago thinking, oh, you know what, when I come back in another life, I want to be a dancer. And there was like a little voice inside of my head said we'll just start dancing now. And I'm like, okay, I will and it's just so free. That's what I do every morning.

15:45 Sometimes it's just coconut oil. If I have time, I'll add some essential oils, some essential oils that are good for, for women. Geranium, Clary Sage, I like Douglas fir, because that's a very grounding oil, but those other two I mentioned are good for hormone balancing.

18:36 I think it's very few people who actually had a very healthy sex education, when they were growing up.

21:01 What has helped me, is I use what is called a jade egg, it's like a gem for my vagina.

29:17 And like you said, it doesn't have to end in divorce. Sometimes it does if you're just not compatible anymore, but I think most of the time when there's communication, because if you're feeling this way, your partner's probably also feeling this way. So, who's going to have enough courage to bring this up? And, and you know, how can we address this?

32:12 I just want to remind, especially women, that pleasure is our birthright, that we are here to live in the full expression of ourselves. In all the beauty that there is because we're each are individually beautiful beings here for a purpose and when we can express ourselves fully. That's how we make a giant positive impact in the world.

You can find Deanne Rose at: Website Instagram FaceBook IF YOU LOVED THIS CONVERSATION WITH DEANNE ROSE YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH: Niki Svara on Self-Forgiveness

4 Self-Care Practices for our Spiritual Life with Lydia Knorr

Suzie DeVaughn on Comprehensive Self-Care to Uplift Your Body, Mind and Soul

4 Self-Care Practices for the Mind with Jill Krzyzanowicz

Friends,

And I love love their uncompromising commitment to purity and being a company with a conscience.

I truly feel this is a beautiful fit with my mission to serve and support women in every season of their life; beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

I'm also doing this for my overall well-being, and want to share my journey with you, as I rediscover the benefits of essential oils.

👉 Contact me to get started on your journey. My e-mail is Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com or go here to my doTERRA website.

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“To heal, you have to get to the root of the wound and kiss it all the way up” ~ Rupi Kaur Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between; and let’s don’t forget about those moments that we never saw coming.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about self-forgiveness and why it’s so hard to forgive ourselves. And my guest is Niki Svara.

With a master's degree in spiritual psychology, and over 15 years of experience working with clients, Niki Svara has the love, the listening, and the tools that enable people to create deep and powerful growth, greater self-expression, and personal healing in their lives. Niki is the founder of Love The Way You Look and the author of Piece Talks: Messages of Love from your Body and Soul.

Welcome to the show, Niki. Thank you for being here.

I believe it was Brendon Burchard who said, “No matter how small you start, start something that matters.” And this series, “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.” is what I am doing - because self-care matters. Throughout our conversation today we will be weaving in self-care tips.

2:23 I love the word explore; it's such a fun word. And it really it just it lifts my spirit. And so, to me, exploring the seasons of life means to get curious about them, to have a curiosity. And I’m going to say let go of resistance of those seasons. And I can tell you from my own personal experience that for a good majority of my early life, I resisted my seasons, I constantly wanted to be somewhere other than where I was, and it really wasn't a joyous and fulfilling experience.

6:25 I believe we're all in need of self-forgiveness. Because whether we realize it or not, there's always something that we're judging ourselves for. Could be something we said or didn't say, could be something we did or didn't do. We're not happy. And we're judging ourselves for where we are in life for whatever particular season, we are in.

7:50 I think, number one, is the idea of becoming willing, becoming willing to forgive ourselves, we have to have that piece because if we're not, it's just not going to work. And there are several different ways to become willing.

10:54 I wanted to add one thing, because self-forgiveness is not something I think that we think about. I know, it's not for me, so I must set reminders. I set little reminders so that I can make it a consistent practice.

14:04 Practice helps us to remember the truth of who we really are; the truth of our being. And it's like I can be put in two awareness’s at one time - I'm aware of my human self and I'm aware of my spiritual self, and it's really just a fulfilling and peaceful experience.

19:32 And this was the aha moment that I came to, in an inner exploration, that love and loving somebody is not the same as being and feeling emotionally close to that person.

23:15 Or we can take a step back, pause, and really begin to choose that gentleness toward ourselves and that self-love and self-compassion.

IF YOU LOVED THIS CONVERSATION WITH NIKI SVARA YOU’LL ALSO LOVE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH: Jill Krzyzanowicz on Living out Loud + Self-Loyalty

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

5 Tips to Better Sleep with Kelly Murray

You have just listened to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast with your host Cindy MacMillan. As always, you can head over to CynthiaMacMillan.com to sign up for our newsletter, as well as check out all the links and resources in the show notes. That's all for this episode.

See you next time and Live Inspired.

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“One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Soul on deck shines like gold in dark times.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Welcome back friends to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about 4 Self-care practices for our spiritual life. I’m really excited to share with you today my conversation with Lydia Knorr.

Lydia Knorr has more than 25 years in the Health and Wellness industry, formerly as a Registered Dietitian and currently, as a Healthy Lifestyles Coach. Her signature program Discovering Y.O.U. (Your Own Uniqueness) is centered around empowering people to turn inward, establish and align with their personal core values, and honor their own set of best practices so that they can live in a way that feels authentic, purposeful, and fulfilling.

Welcome back to the podcast, Lydia and thank you for being part of this special edition series called, “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.”

8:19 (Lydia Knorr) In light of my own journey and in some of the more challenging times in my life, nature really was a go to for me, and it's just this place where I can find solace.

10:42 (Lydia Knorr) If you get yourself deep into a forest, and I don't mean deep to get lost, but just where there's, you know, a lot of trees, sometimes, you know, with the different seasons, you can hear the needles falling from the trees, and it's almost like a light raindrop. And it's just this magical quiet, and yet, you're just a stone's throw from civilization, but you can just get lost in it. And I really find it important to take note of those moments, and just be present with them and appreciate it, you know, because we have so much abundant nature around us. And it's something that I personally don't take for granted, it really is my fuel.

14:36 (Cindy MacMillan) I have mentioned journaling before, but what I haven't talked about was the different types of journaling. There's art journaling, where you are just really cutting out pictures and you have these images and these patterns, so you don't have to do a lot of writing. It's just purely filled with those images. We've all heard of the gratitude journal. What about that laughter journal just writing down things that make you laugh during the day?

20:23 Journaling prompts: What's preventing me from having the life I want? What would my life look like if I gave myself permission to do that? What can I learn from nature? Who or what is God to me? And how would I describe this higher power? What spiritual practice do I like to engage in?

22:14 (Lydia Knorr) Let's talk about first and foremost, what is forgiveness. And I think forgiveness really is about releasing feelings of resentment, or vengeance. And it's really important, to let that go, you know, whether it's towards someone else that we feel have hurt us or even of ourselves, which I think is really, really important to cover. And I will do that in a second.

26:26 (Lydia Knorr) Here's the thing, whether it's a positive event or a negative event or a positive action or negative action, everything has a ripple effect, right? So let's say your actions, my actions caused a negative ripple effect on someone else. That's the part that's hard to let go of. And that's my point where I say, Forgive yourself but don't forget. Don't forget that there was a ripple effect on someone else because it'll remind you the next time moving forward and in how you do things moving forward, that there are consequences.

29:10 (Lydia Knorr) To forgive yourself, it's giving yourself permission to bring practices into your life that nourish your well-being, it's giving yourself permission to be happy. But if you're not going to do it, who's going to do it for you?

33:28 (Lydia Knorr) I think that's why people meditate so that they can just find and really connect to their inner self, and let flow whatever needs to flow or nothing at all, just to experience that state of peacefulness.

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“Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It’s about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them.” ~ Kristi Ling

Guest Introduction:

In our hectic modern world, many of the women I talk to feel stressed, they feel overscheduled, and they feel overwhelmed racing from one meeting to the next, planning this or worrying about that.

My solution is self-care.

I know, I know, you are rolling your eyes and saying I can’t do one more thing but what the world thinks is self-care is just scratching the surface.

I’m inviting you into a deeper understanding of self-care…to have a different perspective…to reconnect with YOU.

This interview is part of a self-care series called, “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.”

All right, my friends. I hope you enjoy every minute of this episode. Let me introduce my special guest today.

licensed master social worker

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

Suzie, I'm SUPER excited you are here and today we are talking about Comprehensive Self-Care to Uplift Your Body, Mind and Soul.

3:25 (Suzie DeVaughn) I really appreciate the metaphor that you just used or shared, relating to a bouquet of flowers or to that flower and the petals. Because self-care truly is like a lotus flower that continually unfolds and the deeper that you go into your self-care and the deeper you go into yourself; the more beauty you find.

9:39 (Suzie DeVaughn) I started turning to alternative practitioners doing acupuncture, kinesiology, there were just different practices that I did, which made a big difference. So yes, that was the nudge, I was on my knees, and I knew I had to do something. And I realized that health is wealth. If you don't have your health, nothing else matters, I had all kinds of beauty and positive things in my life. But I didn't feel well.

12:34 (Suzie DeVaughn) A lot of people have really forgotten themselves in the mix of it all. So, they focus so much on other people, on their family, on their friends, on their clients, on their work, that they don't even consider themselves. And what we really need is a paradigm shift, where we recognize that we too are worthy, we are important, and we matter.

17:14 (Suzie DeVaughn) That's a question that I believe we, we can ask ourselves, often throughout the day, and especially when we're feeling a little out of balance, then that's a really good time to ask the question. But starting your day with self-care is a beautiful way to start the day, and whatever that looks like for you. So maybe your self-care starts off with a walk in the morning.

21:09 (Suzie DeVaughn) How often do we really make a commitment to ourselves; a devotion to ourselves. Sometimes not often enough, it's like we get what's left, instead of doing what makes sense for you.

22:09 (Suzie DeVaughn) When you start with yourself, when you take care of yourself, the little self-care needs and the bigger stuff. We haven't really gotten into that too much. But it really has to do with unpacking the baggage, the emotional stuff that you've accumulated, we all have to dust our shelves. But how often do we do the internal dusting, and the deep cleaning. And that's really important to working with our beliefs with releasing energies and emotions that don't serve us - changing patterns, habits. And doing the deeper inner work helps to make that all a lot easier and make it more of a reality you can move towards the reality that you want to create. But it starts inside of you.

48:30 (Suzie DeVaughn) There is a quote that I like very much and it's a quote by Buddha. And it's “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete." So never forget about yourself in the mix. You are unique to your core. We need every one of us. We all matter. We're all unique and different, like snowflakes. And the more you peel back the layers of that which is not you, you get closer and closer and closer to accessing the true authentic you that you that your Divine Self and how to change the world is by being the very best version of ourselves; by being ourselves.

YOU CAN FIND SUZIE DEVAUGHN AT:

Website Instagram Resources

If you LOVED this conversation with Suzie DeVaughn you’ll also love the conversations I had with:

Jill Krzyzanowicz on Living out Loud + Self-Loyalty

What is Your Choice Today with Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Balance and the Benefits of Gratitude with Lisa Zawrotny

Over the next few weeks, I will be announcing a 12-week one-on-one coaching program. It’s for women who are ready to make a change, finally let go of the past and stop waiting for permission to step into their big, beautiful lives. Whatever that big, beautiful life looks like for them.

It's called Journey of the Heart: An Inner Revolution.

Until next time live inspired!

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“Stop going to the hardware store for milk.” ~ Cheryl Richardson

Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Jill Krzyzanowicz.

In our hectic modern world, many of the women I talk to feel stressed, they feel overscheduled, and they feel overwhelmed racing from one meeting to the next, planning this or worrying about that.

My solution is self-care.

I know, I know, you are rolling your eyes and saying I can’t do one more thing but what the world thinks is self-care is just scratching the surface.

I’m inviting you to learn and experience a different kind of self-care…to have a different perspective…to reconnect with YOU.

I’ve titled this series “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.”

Let me re-introduce Jill. Jill was on a previous episode that I have had so much incredible feedback on that I couldn’t wait to get her back again.

Jill is an author, speaker, spiritual seeker, and empowerment mentor. After years in public education, Jill feels called to help others increase their confidence and rediscover their personal sense of self. She feels self-loyalty is the key to happiness and a fulfilled life.

Jill, I'm SUPER excited you are here.

14:28 (Jill Krzyzanowicz) So I'm thinking about the innocence of that child telling a funny story all the way to the other end of the spectrum where I actually fell in hurt myself, and both times in two completely different situations. Laughter was the remedy. So, it reminds me of the things that we can utilize laughter for I mean, obviously laughter as I just said, is a natural endorphin so it can relieve us of pain. It helps us to decrease stress.

15:22 (Jill Krzyzanowicz) So there's lots of benefits from laughter. And, you know, I find it interesting that today, you can even go out there and find that there is laughter therapy, there is laughter yoga classes. Because just like when we use the I am affirmations, the body and the brain really doesn't know the difference between fake laughter and real laughter. And we can take my fall, for example, I didn't want to laugh at that, but I chose to.

18:27 (Cindy MacMillan) Sometimes self-care involves things that we don't even think of as self-care at all, like maybe a digital detox or decluttering.

19:13 (Jill Krzyzanowicz ) So think about the last time you cleaned out a closet or a junk drawer. Isn't there just something so gratifying when you finally you know, you avoid it like the plague because you don't want to do it. It's daunting task. But when you finally do it, you just you just want to go open that drawer or that door because you're like, oh, everything is organized and needed. I got rid of so many things.

25:42 (Cindy MacMillan) But judging ourselves, and when it comes down to it, it it's about pointing out and over stressing about things we don't like about ourselves, or life, or certain situations. For example, have you heard someone say, I'm not smart enough to get that job? I shouldn't have said that. I'm just a selfish bitch, I should be further along in my career. And which by the way, we need to drop the word should from our vocabulary, it's just a dirty word. But that judgment of ourselves is born out of acting, and comparing ourselves to other folks.

37:24 (Jill Krzyzanowicz) I love the farmers markets because you're also supporting local businesses. You know, I love to buy gifts for people from local shops and businesses versus going to the big box stores when I can obviously. So, I love that. And I love that you you're you gave some examples of things that are not really all that extravagant there, you know, like, those are obtainable things that people can do. When I think about trying something new, we can, we can obviously think of things that are more simplistic, or we can think about the bigger bolder things. And I'll start off with something simplistic. And I'm going to tie it right back to self-care.

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"Perhaps the deepest reason why we are afraid of death is because we do not know who we are." ~ Sogyal Rinpoche

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about what makes a good death doula. And my guest is Sue Phillips.

Sue is a Critical Illness / End of Life Doula in Ontario Canada interested in raising public awareness on the scope and value of the support she provides.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Sue. Thank you for being here.

3:01 I'm in that season or stage, if you will, you know, I think back to maiden, mother and crone and I'm at that crone stage, and with that crone stage comes wisdom and acceptance, and a willingness to explore more difficult, you know, feelings and topics, you name it, just a willingness to explore the hard stuff, feel the feelings, not be afraid.

6:18 You're right, Cindy, about different perspectives because we all are unique, just as our life experiences and our death experiences are all unique. So, the word doula is a Greek word for servant or helper. So just like a birth doula helps a woman during the labor process a death doula does the same for someone experiencing the dying process. And that process can span months and years.

9:28 That's a big part of why I'm doing what I do. I'm very interested in raising public awareness. I will say that in my experience, and I have been practicing for only the last 14 months, so kind of hung my shingle, if you will, not very long ago, at the beginning of the pandemic, actually, and what my experience has been other than one client who was 94. My clients have been late 50s, early 60s. So, you know, it's the baby boomers who are looking for this kind of support. It's gaining momentum.

14:47 When I say support group or circle of care, I'm referring to everyone that's involved with care, and it doesn't necessarily mean at end of life. So, when we're talking about critical illness again, then it can last a long time. So that support can be surrounding that person for a long time. And you have your medical teams and your maybe social service teams, your faith-based teams and their family and loved ones. So that support does extend to loved ones, you know, who may need to talk, may need to understand, and give them opportunities for reflection, and to share how they're feeling with what's happening.

19:04 I just want to say this quote, and it's by a Japanese writer, Haruki Murakami, “Death is not the opposite of life but an innate part of it. By living our lives, we nurture death.” 25:16 I wouldn't say that there was forgiveness there. But there was an acceptance that provided what this client needed.

28:30 There's a really good strategy for people to use and it's, I wish, I worry, I wonder. I wish we didn't have this need to have this conversation, because I know, it might make you uncomfortable. But I wonder if we can take some time to talk about what our wishes might be because I worry about not knowing what you will need. And I wonder if we could share some time to explore that. And I think it's important for people to try and have those conversations with each other.

It's called Journey of the Heart: An Inner Revolution.

Also, June 1st is the beginning of a self-care series called “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.” We will be talking about Self-care Practices for our Mind, Comprehensive Self-Care to Uplift Your Body, Mind and Soul, and Why it’s Important to Own and Trust our Sexual Energy plus so much more with incredible guests.

Until next time live inspired!

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“The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself.” ~ Anais Nin

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan. Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about why progress isn’t linear. I’m so excited to share with you today my conversation with Staci B.

Staci B is a super smart, highly sensitive creative *with a touch of trauma, who openly discusses the healing journey she undertook so she could live her destiny, not her fate. She uses her successes and failures to create tools that support others who want to do the same.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Staci. Thank you for being here.

2:10 I realized that I use the word seminal moments, you know, moments that signify a beginning or an end to a chapter of my life or a piece of my life. And as I explore them, I feel grateful to do that, because I get to share stories with people.

10:59 And as you explore the seasons of life, you know, I look back on that. And I'm like, yeah, girl you got in that car, there might not have been Uber or Lyft back then. But there was someone I could have called who would not have been happy about driving to Miami to pick me up but who probably would have. It was my fear about what I thought I could lose by not doing it.

14:30 I saw the most amazing thing and I will do my best to remember who it was and email you it, so if you want to put it in the show notes you can, so that people can follow her, but she is a Registered Clinical Counsellor that I follow on tick toc, and she had the most amazing Venn diagram. The one big circle was safety, the other big circle that overlapped was belonging and the third smaller circle that overlapped both bigger circles was identity. And she pointed out that the two most important needs of any human being are to feel safe and that they belong.

19:12 By creating an intention to make things different. You know, if you're not happy with your life, if you are feeling you know, it's interesting because human beings most of the time are not motivated by what will bring them joy. They're motivated to get out of stuff that makes them feel like crap.

25:13 We live in a world and in a society where progress is measured in steps to get somewhere. So how often have you heard five steps forward and two steps back? So, when you're on some type of conscious journey, whether it's, you know, to get a new job, or change careers or lose weight, or, you know, excavate your soul, whatever it is, I think people have a tendency to frame it in that linear context.

34:57 I went to my first therapy session in 1993 through the Employee Assistance Program, which I believe still exists. And it was because I was having an issue with a coworker that I'd been in a relationship with, and we were not seeing each other and he was doing things to hurt me at my job, we worked at the same company. That's what drove me to therapy. Oftentimes, I find what takes you to therapy, for the first time has nothing to do with why you're really there. It was just the excuse, for lack of a better word, it was the pain point was big enough to cause you to ask for help.

43:12 I would say first, the most important thing is to accept that this is where you are in this moment. And you're there for a reason. Even if you're not privy to what that reason is, and don't try to figure it out. Through finding a way to accept it, you will find the piece that is necessary for the next step to show itself.

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. I would love to hear your favorite part of the conversation.

A couple of announcements that I am so excited about - I have a special edition podcast series with incredible guests starting in June called “Self-care is more than a buzzword. It’s personal.”

And I will be announcing my new coaching program.

Until next time – live inspired!

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“The most radical thing any of us can do at this time is to be fully present to what is happening in the world.” ~ Joanna Macy

Guest Introduction: Welcome to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. My name is Cindy MacMillan.

Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

In this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life, we are chatting about Energy Work and Self-Care. And my guest is Cornelia Gilbert.

Cornelia Gilbert is a Transformative Coach and is passionate about the balancing of body, mind, and soul, and helps her clients to master their own transformation, so they are able to live in alignment with who they truly are. She runs her own practice and works with national and international clients via video call or telephone.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Cornelia. Thank you for being here.

2:36 From a business perspective, seasons, it really means seasons of life are like cycles. So, we have planetary cycles, we have life cycles, the stages that every living creature or creation has to run through from the moon, the plants, animals, birth, death, female cycles, and all those cycles consist of very specific, different stages. And some stages require sometimes more of a resting period, and others more activity.

5:13 Having worked as an ICU nurse, and then also Hospice RN, it's really made me understand the human psyche on a much deeper level. The hardship you encounter in people in their darkest moments of life, can be sometimes shocking. I'd even want to say sometimes even abhorrent, and sometimes you encounter the extreme opposite, there are moments that are so profoundly beautiful, and hold such a divine nature. And the overall experience for me, nursing has been an incredibly humbling experience.

6:57 Let's start with alignment, what really is alignment. It's really to do, how we relate to something and our relationship to something and it kind of describes a situation in where something is harmonious or balanced in our relationship with something else. And you may have also come across the term or heard the term soul alignment.

7:45 7:45 Are you in a truth, living your integrity. And I think a big part is also being authentic, being really who you are. And that allows you to live a purposeful life while you're here on this planet. So this is really about creating or maintaining a healthy balance between physical, emotional, mental, spiritual bodies.

16:11 So I'm looking at, if I have the same thought continuously, I'm ugly, I'm ugly, every time I look in the mirror, that creates a very specific reaction in my brain. And it's almost like you walk in the snow, and you leave a footstep, and every day, have you ever done it as a kid you try to step into somebody's footstep. So, there's only one trace over years, it is the same. So, it's important to change that and create another set of footsteps that don't continue that same set of footsteps if that makes more sense.

24:36 The biggest obstacle to self-care is self-worth, self-love, self-value. If you don't believe you truly deserve this, you will not make it a priority and create time for it. Yet it really must be a priority because for us to really be there for others, whether that's our family, our partners, our work colleagues, we must make ourselves an absolutely priority. And self-care needs to be a part of the daily routine.

26:36 Very, very quickly and simple. You're in a stressful situation, you really don't know what to do. Take one moment for yourself, whether that is you leave the room, whether you're going to the bathroom, whatever it is you need to do. The first thing is always breathe. Okay, deep breath in and deep breath out, because that always centers yourself.

You can find Cornelia Gilbert at:

Website Instagram Twitter If you LOVED this conversation with Cornelia Gilbert you’ll also love the conversations I had with: Jill Krzyzanowicz on Living out Loud + Self-Loyalty

Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

What is Your Choice Today with Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen

Recently, I had someone tell me they loved the podcast but they couldn’t quite figure out how to get to the right page to leave a review; so I am here to help.

Here is how to leave a review on your iPhone.

1.Open Apple Podcast App

Tap the Search tab in the lower right corner of the screen.
Search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life” and tap the blue Search key at the bottom right.
Tap the album art for the podcast.
On the next screen, scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
Then you will be able to rate on a five-star scale - Tap the Stars to leave a rating. (5 stars for top rating)

You can also leave a review without leaving a rating (but the rating is definitely important!)

I read every comment and they make my heart smile.

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“The Universe buries strange jewels deep within us all… and then stands back to see if we can find them.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

Today we are chatting about breathwork and the benefits of breathwork.

Each week, I interview coaches and spiritual explorers from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Rosemary Brocco is a breathwork and consciousness specialist, she helps individuals access and dissolve unconscious blockages and traumas while simultaneously tapping into the superconscious so that we can be guided by intuition and actually liveas the people we imagine ourselves to be.

Please help me welcome my guest, Rosemary Brocco.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the show, Rosemary. I am so honored that you're here.

1:52 If you really think about it, when we talk about seasons, we're talking about birth and death, right? It's a growing and a shedding and a growing and a shedding. And, you know, I often I often say to people, I feel like I've lived like a million lifetimes in one lifetime.

6:01 I grew up in a regular, you know, what would appear to be an average middle-class house, we had family dinner together, we went camping and skiing, and we were a family.

11:49: I opened a yoga studio, but I was a disaster inside. And eventually it completely fell apart. I wound up claiming bankruptcy, being homeless, house hopping, and I don't want to glorify that, because there's nothing glorifying about that, when your security and safety is threatened in that way. It's a horrific thing to go through.

13:38 Rick Doblin has since 1985, been the guy working on getting MDMA, which is the active ingredient, in ecstasy, legalized for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma and all these types of things. Every year it gets pushed back. Now, it was supposed to be legalized in like 2020, then 21. Now it's 2023. It just keeps getting pushed back.

16:09 So eventually, my studies now this is like weird, divine timing thing, because I wound up finding Stanislav "Stan" Grof.

22:42 So when you work in those states, you start to clear out the shadowy stuff, and make space to bring the more spiritual, whatever you want to call it, your true self, your Higher Self, your inner intelligence that starts to become a part of your life, those states of consciousness.

26:27 I would say the most important and I say this lovingly, I'm a certified yoga teacher, this is not your yoga teachers breathwork. This is something different. It's just different. There are benefits to pranayama. I do pranayama I do my yogic breath work, and I use it for what it's for. This is something different.

You can find Rosemary Brocco at:

Website How It Works If you LOVED this conversation with Rosemary Brocco you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Jill Krzyzanowicz on Living out Loud + Self-Loyalty

What is Your Choice Today with Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen

Balance and the Benefits of Gratitude with Lisa Zawrotny

A Life that Feels Integrated with Ronna Detrick

Recently, I had someone tell me they loved the podcast but they couldn’t quite figure out how to get to the right page to leave a review; so I am here to help.

Here is how to leave a review on your iPhone.

1.Open Apple Podcast App

Tap the Search tab in the lower right corner of the screen.
Search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life” and tap the blue Search key at the bottom right.
Tap the album art for the podcast.
On the next screen, scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
Then you will be able to rate on a five-star scale - Tap the Stars to leave a rating. (5 stars for top rating)

You can also leave a review without leaving a rating (but the rating is definitely important!)

I read every comment and they make my heart smile.

Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

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"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected." ~ Robert Frost

Today we are chatting about Living out Loud, self-loyalty and being a child living in chaos.

All right. Let's get into the show with the lovely Jill Krzyzanowicz.

Jill is an author, teacher, and empowerment mentor. She just published her self-help memoir, "When the Apple Falls far from the Tree," under her pen name, Margo Reilly. She hopes to inspire others who may feel stuck in their circumstances. From a chaotic childhood, cancer recovery, multiple weight loss journeys, and a newly sober lifestyle; Jill feels compelled to share her resources with others who seek personal growth and improvement.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the podcast, Jill.

2:14 First of all, I love that you shared that because I think that's probably the most important part of self-care is recognizing what your needs are. And kudos to you for recognizing that you needed to take a break because that is exactly what self-love and self-care is about.

4:30 The sooner we embrace the fact that life is about the seasons, and we understand that change and evolution is always going to be a part of things; the sooner we can embrace it and grow with it and evolve with it.

5:46 I was having this conversation with my daughter one day where she was trying to tell me about a particular student at her school that was going through some stuff. And she was stressing mom and Mom, you don't understand it's really bad. He lived in a homeless shelter. And at that particular moment in time, I let my daughter in on something she hadn't known. And that was that I myself had lived in a homeless shelter when I was younger.

7:42 But as I was writing, and editing, and writing and editing some more, I noticed that it was more of a manual and that I was uncovering these tools that I used, and it then dawned on me, wow, I'm not just writing this book for myself, I really am writing it so other can other people can see themselves, and what tools they might have used or still could use to get to the other side of adversity.

11:30 In fact, when I do start my podcast in the near future, it's going to be called the Live Out Loud cast.

12:47 You know, I love myself the most so that I can love and give to others.

13:49 As I mentioned approximately, two and a half years ago, I embarked on a sobriety journey. The reason that I did that was because I come from a long line of alcoholics.

26:03 If I could go back and thank my 18-year-old self, it would be for going to college. I'm so proud of that person. I did not have parents edging me along. Obviously, I emancipated myself from my parents, when I was 13, or 14 years old, and was kind of considered my own independent adult at a very early age.

You can find Jill Krzyzanowicz at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Jill Krzyzanowicz you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Honoring my Today with Telma Sanchez

What is Your Choice Today with Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen

A Life that Feels Integrated with Ronna Detrick

Recently, I had someone tell me they loved the podcast but they couldn’t quite figure out how to get to the right page to leave a review; so I am here to help.

Here is how to leave a review on your iPhone.

1.Open Apple Podcast App

Tap the Search tab in the lower right corner of the screen.
Search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life” and tap the blue Search key at the bottom right.
Tap the album art for the podcast.
On the next screen, scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
Then you will be able to rate on a five-star scale - Tap the Stars to leave a rating. (5 stars for top rating)

You can also leave a review without leaving a rating (but the rating is definitely important!)

I read every comment and they make my heart smile.

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“Leave behind things that no longer serve you. We are talking about the difficult stuff: toxic relationships, the uninspiring job, or maybe a destructive belief. When you let go you create space for the new and wonderful to come in and fill your life.” ~ Tiny Devotions

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen.

Today we are chatting about being brave.

Hey, there, friend. Thanks for joining me on this lovely day, wherever you are in the world, and just know I'm grateful for you.

Amy is a self-proclaimed Bravery Activator, Soul Polisher and Speaker. She advocates and educates on the importance of our mental wellness and overall mind, body, emotional and spiritual health. She guides clients on the importance of acknowledging their bravery and reminds them that we are All in this together for we All need each other. #BraveOn

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Amy, welcome to the podcast.

2:28 Choosing to be human and getting up in the morning is brave. So, the idea of what does brave mean to me, I like the acronym B means bold, R means resilient, A means authentic, V means vulnerable, and E means energy. That's what it is to be BRAVE. That collective combination of all of what makes us human.

4:26 I love that you said that too in your in your intro because to me that's the meat, that's the juiciness of life, those in-betweens are those bits that you know when we're in it - just seems like a never ending say tornado or roller coaster ride but that's where we gain our most wisdom and lessons because we are put to the test if you want to say.

6:15 So ever since a little girl, I always carried my soapbox around, I was very much protesting for everyone's rights and making sure everyone was treated fairly.

9:06 Hey, what is your choice today? Are you going to get up today? You know, do you need five more minutes? Give yourself five more minutes. After the five more minutes? How do you feel now it's a constant check in and then it is ownership. Okay? We agree that we're going to get up and we're going to start the day.

13:27 Because life is moment by moment. And that's another thing that I think we neglect to remember is that life is moment to moment, we again, are so used to rushing to, you know, step 10, when we have, you know, two through nine to get to, and it's this, let me end the day like you wake up, I just can't wait to the end of the day. Right? And you go to sleep, I can't wait till I get to the morning. But what happened to all the hours in between?

18:08 I created four principles for myself called the Four P’s to Peace and this is what I take clients through. And the first P was shifting perspective. So right away, shift the perspective I am brave. You know - I don't want to - I am brave.

You can find Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen *at:*

Website Instagram Twitter If you LOVED this conversation with Amy Gonzalez-Nelsen you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

Through the Lens of Yoga and Mindfulness with Elizabeth Savage

Honoring my Today with Telma Sanchez

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

A Life that Feels Integrated with Ronna Detrick

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

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3 John 1:2 “Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your soul is prospering.” ~ The Passion Translation

Today we are chatting about taking action to be the best versions of ourselves and essential oils.

If this is your first time here listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast a big welcome and if it’s not your first time listening, thank you and welcome back.

Shamekah Shaw has been a registered nurse for 11 years. She is a mother to two awesome kids and an avid learner. Shamekah earned her MBA in 2020 and is currently in school working towards her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She understands firsthand the complexities of trauma, abuse, the stigma of mental health, and the disconnect that happens between the Christian and secular world regarding healing and holistic health. Shamekah is a certified Soul Care Practitioner and Biblical life coach and a functional nutrition counselor.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Shamekah thanks so much for joining me on the podcast and the first thing I want to say is I admire you earning your MBA in 2020 and currently in school working towards your master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a family. That takes determination and dedication.

2:28 I would say personally, what that means to me, and what it's meant to me is really removing the limitations and expectations in life, I have found that my life has taken lots of twists and turns that I didn't expect that it would take but understanding one of the sayings that I like is that our detours don't determine our destinations.

8:06 God, let me know that no matter how spiritual I thought that I was, I needed to deal with some soul issues and that he was concerned about not only myself but humanity as a whole, and gaining that fullness of healing, not just spiritually or physically, but also with those soul care issues that we have and sometimes don't like to deal with.

9:47 I think we have been taught so much that our worth our value is wrapped up into all the busyness in the doing and not really understanding who we are individually as a person.

15:00 It’s being willing to surrender. And sometimes the hardest thing for us to do, but it's the best thing to do, I kind of went through the season of learning, this process of releasing, relaxing and receiving. And it's being able to release those things that you know, I don't have control over, because sometimes we overwhelm ourselves because we expect in our wanting everything to be a certain way, or perfect, or, you know, we have these expectations. And so it's being willing to release those expectations.

17:17 I was taught to be a strong, independent woman, and not have to rely on a man for anything. But on the flip side of that, there was like, this kind of thought process of women being weak. And it was, like, totally conflicting messages.

22:25 I ended up taking my first plane ride at the end of January.

26:14 I would thank her for never giving up; for pushing through all of the tough times. And just always knowing that there was more ahead, even if she didn't quite understand.

You can find Shamekah Shaw at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Shamekah Shaw you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

Balance and the Benefits of Gratitude with Lisa Zawrotny

Honoring my Today with Telma Sanchez

Lean Into the Seasons with Barbara Friesen

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“To be hopeful means to be uncertain about the future, to be tender toward possibilities, to be dedicated to change all the way down to the bottom of your heart.” ~ Rebecca Solnit

Today we are chatting about energy, mindset and living in alignment.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Allison thanks so much for joining me on the podcast. I have been looking forward to this all week.

3:33 So what came to my mind immediately is the word present. And this is something that I've been working with for years, right? Like that's such a spiritual principle, like the present moment, that's the only thing that exists, we need to be here now. And that's such a, lovely concept, but to really, really do that is what enjoying and embracing the seasons of life means to me, because for me, it's really if we look at our lives, and we look back on our lives, in every single season, there was really beautiful things, there were struggles, there was pain, there was joy.

6:00 If we can live by that principle, how full does our life feel, you know, when you just let go of the pressure, and you're just like, Okay, I'm not waiting for anything to be happy. Just being in life and being here right now.

10:0 And God said, let me show you the truth of who I am. Everything you think you know about spirituality about God, about source, universe, whatever you want to call him, I'm going to need you to lay that down and be open to some new ideas to some new truths, and be open to new ways of healing. And I just knew in my soul that I had to trust my journey at that moment.

16:43 If someone's in a situation where they're really, really fearing something, I think a huge tip is to remember that you are not the fear. Fear is an energy, emotions are energy, thoughts are energy. We are not emotions, or thoughts or beliefs, or this body, right? Like our core essence, is this soul that we are and we're in a physical form, having a physical experience. So, remembering that fear is part of the human experience, it's safe to feel it.

22:43 Like, we don't push the fear away, because that's trying to bypass it, you welcome it in, but we leave it in its rightful place. We go, okay, you're trying to help us, you're trying to serve us. We love you and appreciate you. But you don't get to drive in this moment. Because this is where our souls going.

38:39 Well, first of all, I always receive a word for the year. So, my word for 2021 was liberation. And spirit gave me two words for this year. And I think it's because it's like the year of the two right 2022. And my two words for this year are mastery and surprise. I love that you just asked the surprise question.

41:47 The best place you can find me is to go to my website. It's allisonfinley.com and on there you can see all of my offers.

You can find Allison Finley at: Website Instagram Energetic Sovereignty If you LOVED this conversation with Allison Finley you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

A Life that Feels Integrated with Ronna Detrick

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“True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” ~ Brené Brown

Guest Introduction: Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan.

This podcast is for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers about beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

As always, I am honored that we’re spending time together today and I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Elizabeth Savage is a leader in embodied mindfulness. Through the lens of yoga, body work, and coaching, she empowers people to heal, live fully, and embrace the power of freedom.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Elizabeth. Thanks so much for joining me today.

1:12 It makes me think of a phrase I used often at the end of my yoga classes in reference to polishing our heart. That in a sense, our heart has a light, and the more time we spend kind of resting into the sensations of our body, the more polished and bright our heart becomes.

2:13 And it wasn't until I really stepped into the world of yoga, that I embraced and understood that it's the process of exploration that really brings everything together.

9:38 When a body is alive and vital, the nervous system communicates and so it's not about the thoughts but more about the sensations and then feeling the sensations and acknowledging them honoring them, which if you think about it, this is one of the things I love to do in my yoga practice is bring my clients bring my practitioners back to the sensations in their body.

11:42 And it's just to be in gratitude, I believe that gratitude might just be the most precious medicine we can give ourselves. You know, it's like love, very, very much the same, to be fully aware, is to be embodied mindfully.

14:35 Education is a wonderful thing but it shouldn't be used to stop us from being the brightest self that we can be. Just because you don't have that certification.

27:50 And then I realized I wasn't doing my job. I wasn't living from my heart. And I took a breath, I turned around, and I had an honest, authentic conversation with my client about what she was going through with her practice in that moment. And that's when I came back to what it is, I truly do. And for me, that's self-care, always being true to myself, honoring my body, honoring the sense of truth within me and with the people around me. And when I'm living in that space, I'm just living, I'm not working.

34:33 And then another great retreat is my annual women's retreats called Finding Your Wild and it's in Asheville, North Carolina and that's going to be October 14 through the 16th at a beautiful location called Prama Institute. Other than that, I'm here in the Tampa Bay area.

You can find Elizabeth Savage at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Elizabeth Savage you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

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“The fears we don’t face become our limits.” –Amy Elizabeth

Guest Introduction: Welcome. I'm Cindy MacMillan, and this is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

I am thrilled that you’re tuning in, because today we are talking about mindset and dreaming big.

Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Before I introduce my guest - would you do me a quick favor? I don’t say this nearly enough but if you want to support the show, the number one thing you can do is share it on your social media and tag me. That will help me get the word out and I'd be forever grateful.

Jessie DaSilva is a mindset coach and business consultant who helps entrepreneurs start and scale businesses, helps CEOs create supportive business cultures that attract top talent and increase profits, and helps unhappy employees find their dream jobs at dream companies for dream pay.

So, please help me welcome my guest, Jessie DaSilva.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Jessie thanks so much for coming on the show. I'm so, so honored you're here.

2:36 Because nobody goes out into a career or a business like a beautiful green pasture and you're just going to graze the rest of your life there. Most people have between 5 to 10 different careers in their lifetime. And I think exploring the seasons of life means being open to making those changes and letting it evolve with you.

4:22 So this is like really close to my heart. Because what I find when people come to talk to me, and when I coach them, I always want to know I always ask them, what is the big dream for your life? And I will say like if everything went exactly according to plan, which of course never happens, but that's okay. That's not the question. What does your dream life look like?

6:45 Your dream should scare other people is that that's how you know that you're dreaming big enough. It's like a way to combat all that life experience that's kind of beaten you down and told you that you have to be realistic, and you have to expect the worst. Really, I want to combat that. I want to give people permission to dream again.

21:13 So I want all employees to know that they never need to stay in a toxic job, because I've stayed in way too many. I've stayed in so many. And it took a toll on my mental health, it took a toll on my ability to dream, it took a toll on what I believed I was capable of it took a toll on how I viewed myself my self-worth. And so, I want all employees to know that they can always find a better job that actually honors them, and respects them with pay, and with benefits and with the right culture.

23:39 So when I say your dream should scare you, what are your big dreams. It's really, we have to combat all of the experiences that we had between childhood and now that have told us we have to turn off this like big vision for our life. We have to play it safe; we have to think about what's realistic, not what's possible.

35:21 Sure, yeah. So, I'll talk about it. Because in both terms, because networking is really important, whether you have a business or whether you're looking for a job or a career, looking to make a change in your career. But either way, networking is not a natural skill. That's the first thing I'm going to say; a lot of people think like, oh, I'm just bad at this.

43:36 When you've got a team of people, either, who like you, and they're keeping their ears open for job opportunities, or business opportunities for you, you have a much better chance of actually connecting with something that's aligned with what you want. The other thing is that this saves you time.

51:06 What would I thank her for? Hmm, I guess I would thank her, I would thank her for being the rebel that she was. She was a rebel in such a small way. Like she was mostly like a goody goody two shoes and did what most people wanted very people pleaser, but she had a rebellious streak. And she wasn't afraid to just like do what she wanted now and then. And I think that and following her instincts.

You can find Jessie DaSilva at:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Jessie DaSilva you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

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“What you see reflects your thinking, and your thinking but reflects the choice of what you want to see.” ~ A Course In Miracles

Today we are chatting about a gluten-free lifestyle, healing and mindset.

Jen Fiore is an author and a wellness coach who specializes in mindset, gluten-free lifestyle, and the importance of our spiritual connection. She is a wife and mother of three adult children. Her books include a children’s book, Heaven Cent and All the Parts of Me; One Woman’s Detour into Fear and Trip Back to Love. Her memoir chronicles her life of love and pain and her ultimate healing.

All right. Let's get into the show with the lovely Jen Fiore.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome, Jen.

4:44 I was very fortunate that I didn't have to seek out love. I had a very loving family. I found a spouse who was very loving. I had children, who were very good children. I mean, and we love them dearly. So, love wasn't a challenge, but self-love really became a challenge for me.

6:14 I was baffled why I felt so horrible, baffled as to why I couldn't rise up from this. And that moment where I couldn't even look myself in the mirror was my turning point. I just said, you've got to get yourself together for yourself, for your family. And to know what it is that limiting you.

9:25 Because we are both and the spirituality of who we are connected to everything actually matters in how we think of ourselves. You know, it becomes a very unloving thought, when you look in the mirror and you see only your flaws or only your ailments or only your pain, or only the things that have happened to you.

15:08 I'm just finishing up this downloadable program for people to do a self-led study. And one of the portions on the modules is your eagerness, and eagerness, meaning you're willing to do something you have to in your own journey, right? Self-love journey, you can go to as many places, as many doctors, as many energy healers but at the end of the day, it's our accountability. So how eager and willing to make those changes.

20:34 My first tip would be if you're trying to adapt a different eating style, just know, it's what you need for your health, is truly to be kind, because you're doing this for a better-quality life.

33:55 I do. I really think that is very important for each of us in our own individual journeys, because we all have something we're trying to make a change in our lives or step into a better life, is that your life was meant to be happy. You're literally supposed to be happy and joyous in this life experience.

34:32 We all deserve to have a life of joy.

You can find Jen Fiore at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Jen Fiore you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

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“I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think.” ~ Rumi

Guest Introduction: Welcome. I'm Cindy MacMillan, and this is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Today we are talking about what to expect in the Year of the Tiger.

All right, friend. Sit back, relax and enjoy my conversation with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar.

Jillian Rothschild-Scholar is a classically trained Feng Shui expert, and her foundational training is in the ancient wisdom of the over-400-year-old Wu Chang Feng Shui Mastery lineage.

Jillian has been working in a private Feng Shui consultancy since 2010. She uses the wisdom of ancient, time-tested methods, systems, and applications, while offering practical solutions for modern lifestyles. One of her strengths is that she simplifies the intricate details so clients can take immediate action to enhance the physical, emotional, and/or spiritual aspects of their lives.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Jillian thanks so much for coming on the show. I'm so, so honored you're here.

You are a return guest; I interviewed you in September 2021. That episode was titled What is Feng Shui with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar. We had so much fun that we decided to do it again. Today is really about the Chinese New Year that will occur on Tuesday the 1st of February 2022. The Year of the Tiger.

2:14 There are something like 40 calendars all over the world that people use. We have a Gregorian calendar, there's different calendars for different faiths. And, in Chinese, there's two different calendars, there's a lunar calendar and a solar calendar. So, when we talk about the Chinese New Year, it can sometimes be represented on the lunar calendar.

3:19 Because the solar calendar only vacillates between a few hours every year is very specific and accurate. And that's what we use for forecasting. So, when I'm talking about the Chinese New Year and I'm talking about the things that I'm predicting, I'm using the solar calendar.

3:39 Using the solar calendar; the Year of the Tiger starts February 4, 2022, at 4:52 in the morning.

4:16 There's a lot of special things about The Year of the Tiger. First of all, the Tiger is represented by an element that is combined with it. So when we talk about The Year of the Tiger we also give it an element that goes with it. It could be a year of the fire Tiger, it could be a wood Tiger, it could be a metal Tiger. This year, it's a water Tiger. So, when we talk about the elements in Chinese metaphysics, we're always talking about what represents it. And so, we talk a lot about imagery.

8:40 In my opinion, we can say 2022 is going to be big with spirituality.

14:09 If your chart does not need wood element, or your chart does not need water element, that it's important to focus on other aspects of your chart and other elements. So that you can take action. I mean, energy favors action. So instead of being at the effect of the energy, you can take action on something else, and then balance that just to your action.

14:55 This year is also super interesting because all the 12 and This year carry energy, right. So we have a year energy and each month carries energy so does every day and every hour. And every month this year is like a little preview for the coming 12 years, because the energy of March, this year is the same energy is 2023. The energy of April this year is the same energy as 2024, the energy of May, the month of May, this month is the energy of 2025, and so on, it goes on for the whole of the 12 months.

23:06 I can promote the book of a couple of my teachers. One person who is a wonderful scholar, his name is Dr. Stephen Skinner.* I don't even know if he uses Doctor. His name is Stephen Skinner, he's a scholar and all his books are really, really interesting. And they're very detailed and they're usually advanced. If somebody is a little newer, and they want a gentler introduction, *my teacher, her name is Denise Liotta Dennis.

27:12 A number of years ago, I started connecting with a gentleman named Mark Silver, who is a Sufi teacher. I'm a nice Jewish girl from Ohio, who does Feng Shui. And then I ran into this guy who's who was raised Jewish and is now a Sufi teacher.

29:33 I love that question. You ask the best questions. I would thank myself for persevering.

You can find Jillian Rothschild-Scholar at: Website Instagram Facebook BaZi Calculator Chinese New Year Essential Guide for 2022 If you LOVED this conversation with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Debbie Shadid Interviews Cindy on Self-care and Giving Yourself Permission

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“What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” ~ Muriel Rukeyser

Guest Introduction: Hey, there, friend. Welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life; a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan.

I hope you are having a wonderful week; today we are talking about how the stories we've been told AND the ones we tell ourselves often keep us playing small.

Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

As always, I am honored that we’re spending time together today and I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Ronna Detrick is a coach and writer - compelled by and committed to the power of women's stories - past, present, and future. She also has decades of experience in corporate leadership, gave a TedX talk and is a Certified Spiritual Director.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Ronna, Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:04 This season of life, for me feels just so expansive, and curious. And with so much more possibility than I think that I expected, and in ways that are very non- traditional.

10:30 I was taking original languages, I was learning both Hebrew and Greek. And in the Hebrew class, there were only seven or eight of us in there. And so six of the students were men, the professor was male. And then there were me and one other woman that were in the class. And we would come in every day to class with the translation that we had done the night before, all of us translating exactly the same Old Testament texts we were working with the book of Ruth, interestingly, and what I noticed after I don't know a few weeks, was that the translation that the other woman and I brought in were was always different than the men's.

16:43 I think we are so hungry for this, give us stories that offer us strength, and capacity and courage, not shame and silence and suffering, we've had enough of that. So I'm trying to tell the stories in ways that invite our strength and our power and our beauty and our wisdom. And it's all right there for us.

26:21 Well, let me go back to Eve again. What we've been told about her is that she was a bad girl. Don't do that. Right. She's an example. And most of the stories of women in Scripture, sadly, have been used as examples of what not to do, as opposed to examples that we need of what does it look like to live an empowered life? So the way I tell each story is much different. I honor the fact that she trusted her own wisdom. I encourage women to name what they desire, which is what Eve does, and to pursue it to follow it.

39:55 The biggest surprise I've had is my move to North Carolina. And I think if I were to drop a bit deeper in that what I've been surprised by is what it feels like to receive generosity. Honestly, I've had to wrack my brain, as to when the last time was that I was a recipient of such generosity as my sister and her family are demonstrating, and what it means for me to accept it.

You can find Ronna Detrick at: Website Instagram Monday Letters If you LOVED this conversation with Ronna Detrick you’ll also love the conversations I had with:

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“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

Guest Introduction: Hey, there, friend. Welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life; a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan.

I hope you are having a wonderful week; today we are talking about self-care and coaching.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Debbie Shadid is an Action-Driven Business Coach who helps other women grow their own successful life coaching businesses. For many women coaching, they didn't realize how much "business stuff" was involved and are feeling incredibly overwhelmed with how much there is to do. Debbie's passion is taking her 23 years of experience and teaching others how to simplify their business and make more money.

All right, friend. Sit back, relax and enjoy my conversation with my business coach, Debbie Shadid.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Debbie, welcome to the podcast.

2:25 Debbie: I don't know how old all the listeners are. But I know for me, when I got to a certain age, and for me, I think it was probably 50 I'm 57 for anybody listening. And I think that when I got to that age, I felt free to explore. I felt like I had freedom that I was kind of more fearless. I was not afraid of failure. I didn't care really so much what anyone thought. How does that resonate with you?

3:51 Cindy: After doing this podcast, for 90 something episodes, I really define Exploring the Seasons of Life as being present where we are, loving where we are, even in those really, really messy bits that we go through. I wrote this in my journal yesterday: When you trust your life and include prayer it is easy to understand the mysterious. There are periods of fears, insecurities and excuses but it’s time to say goodbye to those garbage days and forgive ourselves. I don't know where that came from. But I wrote that down and I'm like, Exploring the Seasons of Life is trusting in our life.

6:43 Cindy: The driving force behind all my interests begin with my mother's death when I was seven years old. Whether that's coaching, whether that's mental health, whether that spirituality, whether that's death and dying, self-love, our inner exploration, whether that's forgiveness, that is kind of like, the backdrop for all the things that interest me.

8:57 Debbie: Since I've worked with you on your business, this word grief comes up and I know when you and I first started was working together. I said you know there could be a misunderstanding about the word grief. So many people identify grief with death. And you have such a broader definition of grief and so much of the work that you do talks about grief, I would love for you to share about that because it resonated so much with me, but it's something that people need to understand better.

9:32 Cindy: Grief work is personal and it’s messy and it’s hard and it’s courageous and I believe every emotion needs a seat at the table. There are no rules for grief, you get to define what grief looks like and how you respond to that.

23:10 Cindy: It's peeling back those layers of an onion, one layer at a time, just really getting deeper into what's really going on. And sometimes it can be something very simple. My husband's not taking out the garbage. And other times, it could be self-care, it could be self-love, it could be worthiness.

55:42 Cindy: Before we finish, I wanted to tell you, I always write an intention before the podcast, or prayer or meditation. I want to read to you what I wrote. I give great thanks that Debbie and I are co-creating a podcast episode that is fun, a little different and that highlights more of who I am. I give great thanks that our conversation is going to be transformational and that I show up real. I show up exactly who I am...a woman who loves connecting with other women, who loves holding space for another woman to take radical responsibility for her life...to witness what starts as a whisper in her heart turn into a roar.

You can find Debbie Shadid at: Website Instagram Podcast If you LOVED this conversation with Debbie Shadid you’ll also love the conversations I had with: Balance and the Benefits of Gratitude with Lisa Zawrotny Lean Into the Seasons with Barbara Friesen Honoring my Today with Telma Sanchez Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

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“Gratitude for the gift of life is the primary wellspring of all religions, the hallmark of the mystic, the source of all true art.” ~ Joanna Macy

Guest Introduction: Welcome. I'm Cindy MacMillan, and this is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Today we are talking about balance and the benefits of gratitude.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

All right, friend. Sit back, relax and enjoy my conversation with Lisa Zawrotny.

Lisa Zawrotny is the founder of Positively Productive Systems, host of the Positively Living Podcast, and a Productivity + Organizing Coach certified in time and stress management.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Lisa thanks so much for coming on the show. I'm so, so honored you're here.

1:54 I love that phrase, because exploring to me means curiosity. And I've talked about this many times with my clients, and even on my podcast that when we are curious, we leave the judgment at the door.

7:36 I think one of the biggest things and I've been interviewed about this, specifically, being a sandwich caregiver is that you are, you're dealing with parents, you know, or a parent or parents, who were your strength, who were your guide who took care of you. And now the roles are reversed. And those are things in life that we can't prepare for and managing those and working our way through those. Oh, my goodness, it’s a challenge.

9:54 I will often use the phrase, you know, work life balance because people recognize it. But then once we start a conversation about it, we talk rather about harmony within our lives and all the things that we love.

14:51 And because, by the way, just from a productivity side, New Year's resolutions are a true struggle for people after a month. There's only 25% of those who have resolution set still hanging on. And ultimately, overall, only 8% of those who set resolutions actually keep them.

21:28 And I think that's so important that you mentioned that number one that we think we know something right and gratitude, things like gratitude, self-care, these have become buzzwords. And so, it is my mission, to address these words and say, do we really know what that is? And not only that, but what it is for us and what it can mean for us?

26:02 Okay, so the place that I start everyone with, is awareness.

You can find Lisa Zawrotny at: Website Instagram If you LOVED this conversation with Lisa Zawrotny you’ll also love the conversations I had with: Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

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“To love deeply is one of life’s most profound gifts, and the loss of a loved one is one of life’s most profound tragedies. That they can happen simultaneously, and that we somehow manage to, one day, find even a morsel of joy in our hearts again, is profoundly and wonderfully mysterious.” ~ Joanne Cacciatore

Guest Introduction: Hey, everyone, welcome to another episode of the podcast. I am so glad that you are here.

Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan I help midlife women navigate the seasons of their life and stop waiting for permission to live the life they want.

Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Victoria Volk of The Unleashed Heart is a creative and strategic intuitive guide who connects hurting hearts with their authentic, soulful selves to release suffering and thrive. Victoria is a self-published author, Adv. Cert. Grief Recovery Specialist®, Creator & Podcast Host of Grieving Voices, Usui and Karuna Reiki Master, YouMap® Cert. Coach and End-of-Life Doula. She aims to use her strengths and skills through a variety of offerings to help those struggling with loss go from surviving to thriving.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Victoria. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:31 I would have addressed my grief much sooner than I did but, you know, I guess that's the journey of life, we all walk a path, that is where choices present themselves. And we can either choose to continue to look for resources and things that may help us or be open, I think, more importantly, to being guided to those things.

4:55 Grief according to the Grief Recovery Institute. We define it as the loss of hopes, dreams and expectations, anything that you wish would have been different or would be different, better, or more. And it's a change in or an end of a familiar pattern of behavior.

11:44 That's actually a very important aspect of being a Grief Recovery Specialist is you can't really help others, unless you've worked through your own stuff. Because you can only truly sit with each other, or sit with other people and their pain, really traumatic, deep, hurtful things that people have experienced, that I've worked with or heard their stories. You can't sit with people if you yourself, haven't worked through your own stuff.

14:55 And you know, you can have a car accident, you can end up losing your physical health or mobility, just disease, chronic illness can be debilitating. And there's a lot of grief that comes with that. So, I mean, if we really think about the stuff that happens to people, and that really challenges the human spirit, there's a lot of loss that falls under that.

17:24 I wholeheartedly believe that it is possible to live a life of fulfillment and alignment, if we can really address what it is that is impacting our lives in a way that we don't necessarily recognize on the surface.

30:16 Exactly. And the interesting thing is, grief impacts every single one of those, you know, and so that's why grief can be so debilitating for people, it can feel like a tsunami has just come through their life, everything in their environment and their physical self and body and spiritual, all of that.

37:38 Oh, it's honestly, it's been the awareness around how quickly we can neglect ourselves. And in challenging times is when we need to double down. Again, I'll say that it's like the third time I've said that. But that has been the greatest lesson for me.

You can find Victoria Volk at:

Website Facebook Instagram If you LOVED this conversation with Victoria Volk you’ll also love the conversations I had with: Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

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“Every great loss demands that we choose life again. We need to grieve in order to do this. The pain we have not grieved over will always stand between us and life… Grieving allows us to heal, to remember with love rather than pain. It is a sorting process. One by one you let go of the things that are gone and you mourn for them. One by one you take hold of the things that have become a part of who you are and build again.” — Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.

Guest Introduction: Hey, everyone, welcome to another episode of the podcast. I am so glad that you are here.

Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Barbara Friesen is a retired nurse with degrees in counselling and leadership coaching and she has several healing designations including Reiki Mastery and Tao Healing Hands but her most important credential is as a person who has experienced profound grief and loss , someone who has learned to transform her grief and sadness to courage and hope. She can now reach out to others who are in despair and offer them hope and a path forward from profound loss.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Barbara. Thanks so much for joining me today.

1:45 I think the seasons of life are part of being human. And we are all going to go through many seasons in our lives. We're going to go through the full cycle of many seasons in our lives. And I think we need to lean into the seasons. They're all important.

3:07 I started doing these cold swims about a year ago. Many of my friends think that I'm a little a little crazy to do this because I live in Vancouver BC it's cold here in the winter. And one of the things about cold swims that I learned from the master of cold swims a fella by the name of Wim Hof.

6:22 As a nurse, I worked in mental health for many years and worked with people that have severe mental illnesses, and sort of cut my teeth on, you know, counseling skills, doing that work. I also, I trained as an executive coach, I had a master's degree in leadership, and I started working with people later in my career, helping leaders become better leaders.

10:33 Yeah, it's a really good question. I think self-care. For me started with, I have to learn to heal myself before I can help anyone else. And that's a really important piece, especially if you're going to reach out to other people, for people who've, you know, been shattered by the loss of someone close to them.

12:21 I also suggest that people have at least one person in their life that they can talk to about their grief, they can talk to about the person they've lost. Someone who really hears them, someone who understands them, and someone who doesn't try and fix it. But is just there; as a witness, I hear you, I see you, I feel your pain and I'm here with you.

16:42 It's very common for people to get stuck. I certainly was. And I think we can do much, much better than just survive. At that point, we really need to learn how to get the wheels of our vehicle out of the ruts of grief, because the longer we're in it, the more entrenched these wheels, get in the ruts. And the harder it is to get out.

22:56 Yes, I think rituals are very important. And it's one of the ways that I try to help people to honor their loved one is develop rituals. And oftentimes, when we've lost someone, one of the barriers to healing is that we feel guilty. I could have done more, I wish I'd done this, instead of that.

You can find Barbara Friesen at:

Website Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Barbara Friesen you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Let’s get Vulnerable with Kayleen Johnson

The Power of Your Emotions with Manisha Tare

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Hannah Fowler

Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

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“Here is another truth about wintering: you’ll find wisdom in your winter, and once it’s over, it’s your responsibility to pass it on.” ~ Katherine May

Guest Introduction: Hey, everyone, welcome to another episode of the podcast. I am so glad that you are here.

Exploring the Seasons of Life, is a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan I help midlife women navigate the seasons of their life and stop waiting for permission to live the life they want.

Before I introduce my guest today, I wanted to let you know I am planning a workshop on December 19, 2021 at 4:00 PM Eastern called Your Next Season Re-Imagined. We will be talking about self-care, crossing the threshold into 2022 and what’s next because in the end the choice is yours.

Go out to my website CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for my newsletter Exploring SoL to get all the details.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Bobbie Rae Boyer, visionary leader of The Centered Ground, understands the daily shifting emotions of grief, having navigated the loss of her 21-year-old son Anthony. It is with deep compassion that she walks beside others as they move through their grief, co-creating space with her clients to create alignment and balance as they journey through their losses. Bobbie Rae uses a variety of holistic modalities in her practice, namely grief companionship/coaching, incorporating guided movement meditation where it is welcomed, along with on the body vibrational sound healing. Clearing paths and lighting the way forward!

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Bobbie Rae. Thanks so much for joining me today.

6:49 But when we allow for time to ourselves to invite a relationship in with stillness, to reflect on our embodied reactions to change, we're making the choice to ride the waves of transformation, as opposed to just sitting back and watching it evolve without our participation.

10:41 When I lost my 21-year-old son, Anthony, to a car crash, is when things completely changed. You know, the path that I had foreseen for myself just completely fell apart.

14:18 It's not a difficult decision to have to make amidst the mixed emotions that we rollercoaster through especially after we experience and loss. But at some point, you do find a point where you can learn to trust what you hear in your body and make a decision to begin to move forward when it feels right for yourself.

17:50 So trusting your decisions of where you need to be and how you need to get through the holidays. If you need to say no to any invitations, it's okay to say no, surrounding yourself with people that you trust.

18:56 So just be graceful with yourself and lots of self-care and self-love.

21:42 I love to cry. To me, it's my body's way of showing that my heart is still working, and that I am still able to release some of the pain and some of the joy that needs to be felt and witnessed.

25:18 You know, loss is a is a part of our life. And each one of our losses has a different reaction. No matter what, you know whether it's the death of a loved one, a divorce, loss of planned financial settings, grief comes in so many forms. And yeah, just appreciate the here and the now and don't set yourself up for too much heartache. Witness what you've got and take all the new perspectives in.

You can find Bobbie Rae Boyer at:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Bobbie Rae Boyer you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Let’s get Vulnerable with Kayleen Johnson

The Power of Your Emotions with Manisha Tare

Grief and Secondary Losses with Nesreen Ahmed

Conversation with End-of-Life Doula, Hannah Fowler

Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

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“This morning the sound of rain woke me, irregular and delicious on the roof. It seems that the seasons are a gift from the year and wrap us around.” ~ John Tarrant

Guest Introduction: Hey, everyone, welcome to another episode of the podcast. I am so glad that you are here.

Before I introduce my guest today, I wanted to let you know I am planning a workshop on December 19, 2021 at 4:00 PM EST called Your Next Season Re-Imagined. We are going to be talking about self-care and crossing the threshold into 2022 and what’s next because in the end the choice is yours.

Go out to my website CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for my newsletter Exploring SoL to get all the details.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Telma Sanchez is a bilingual life coach. She mostly works with busy working parents on maximizing time so they can feel productive, and energized vs defeated and tired. She specializes in time management, self-reflection, and accountability in order to help her clients prioritize self-care so they can unleash their full potential and show up as best version in their lives.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Telma. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:52 Honoring my today means I appreciate the season in which I'm currently living. I try to be fully immersed in it and present. So, I don't miss out on anything by trying to chase the next great thing.

6:05 I feel like there's always like a tipping point in your life in which if you pay close attention, your mind and body are probably begging you for a change.

6:50 I define self-care as the realization, I guess the moment, that I realized that in order to show up as my best self, I need to start with me. I mean, I need to fill up my own cup in order to fill up others. And as a woman, we carry so many hats, and we feel so many other people's cups, that we often don't realize that we can pull out of an empty kettle.

12:38 And I need self-care, which means that you need self-care, which means that our kids need self-care. So, everybody gets to benefit from it.

13:06 Boundaries, the word boundaries has such a negative connotation to it, I don't get it. To me boundaries are like a beautiful thing.

20:51 So you have to go in with a mindset of like, I'm here to learn, I want to try something new, because I want to learn if I like it, if I don't, then the worst thing that can happen is just like never again, never again.

You can find Telma Sanchez at:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Telma Sanchez you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Let’s get Vulnerable with Kayleen Johnson

The Power of Your Emotions with Manisha Tare

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

A Self-love Mindset with Martine Felton

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“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos- the trees, the clouds, everything.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Guest Introduction: Thank you so much for being here, friends.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right place. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love, well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan I help midlife women navigate the seasons of their life and stop waiting for permission to live the life they want.

Before I introduce my guest today, I wanted to let you know I am planning a workshop in December called Your Next Season Re-Imagined. Go out to my website CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for my newsletter Exploring SoL. Be the first to know when it’s announced.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Heather Burnett is a 46-year-old mom, friend, Health Coach, and coffee enthusiast who happens to be the author of Rebel Keto, and the founder of the Word to Your Mother Blog.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Heather. Thanks so much for joining me today.

4:14 My journey to create Word to your Mother Blog, in my research and trying to make it better and myself better. I discovered the world of health coaching.

6:07 I've lost a total of over 150 pounds at last count, the healthy way and kept it off. And I did it slowly and gradually. Whereas back in 2000, I did it way too fast, when it was too much of a shock to my system. This time I did it with a healthy mindset.

11:44 If you go out and you have a meal, and you're enjoying time with your daughter, you're enjoying family at Thanksgiving, there are a lot of indulgences that come with that, strike a balance, don't beat yourself up because you enjoyed a piece of chocolate pie, or cornbread dressing that wasn't specially made to be, quote unquote healthy. Balance it out the next day by eating a healthy amount of vegetables and fruits and hydrating.

20:51 Give yourself grace. Don't beat yourself up. Move on. Do better the next day.

26.43 I would have to say almond flour. It's like a miracle ingredient if you're watching carbohydrates, you can make breads and cookies and things. It substitutes for a lot of that good old fashioned southern food using blanched almond flour. And it was a game changer for me.

30:59 My favorite thing that I did, and you haven't asked me this, but was the Keto Shrimp and Grits. I researched the recipe, I took a bunch of different original recipes that were not healthy, and just played with it until I came up with something that my family asked for. They asked for the healthy version.

You can find Heather Burnett at:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Heather Burnett you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

5 Tips to Better Sleep with Kelly Murray

Women’s Brain Health and Neuro-Nutrition with Tonya Keane

Gut and Hormone Nutritionist, Sheradyn Dekker

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

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“Your loss is not a test, a lesson, something to handle, a gift, or a blessing. Loss is simply what happens to you in life. Meaning is what you make happen.” ~ David Kessler

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey.

I'm your host Cindy MacMillan I help midlife women navigate the seasons of their life and stop waiting for permission to live the life they want.

Thank you so much for being here, friend.

Before I introduce my guest today, I wanted to let you know I am planning a workshop in December called Your Next Season Re-Imagined. Go out to my website CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for my newsletter Exploring SoL. Be the first to know when it’s announced.

I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Nesreen Ahmed is the Founder and CEO, of Harbor Light Coaching and is a Professional Certified Coach, specializing in grief and loss. She's recently completed two major trainings to become certified as a Positive Intelligence Coach and a Grief Educator. Nesreen’s coaching is focused on helping clients address their mindset, overcome the hurdles of grief, and find stability and peace amidst any major life change. She lives in New York City with her husband, her beautiful 1 and a half year old daughter and 10-year-old dog. She loves taking road trips, hiking, going to the beach, boxing and yoga.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Nesreen. Thanks so much for joining me today.

3:43 And we forget that there are ups and downs, there are cycles, there are seasons, and to allow for those within our everyday life.

4:37 But without those seasons, it feels a little jarring, doesn't it?

14:44 We're not taught on how to hold space for people. We're not taught on how to witness and be there for someone without trying to make them feel better or to fix how they're feeling or, you know, talk about ourselves instead, and maybe something we've gone through, which then takes the attention off them you know, So I think it's so important to have these safe containers, the safe spaces to be able to come and have very frank conversations.

18:14 I'll use the loss of a spouse. I think that's a really easy way to kind of demonstrate. So, when you lose your spouse, not only do you lose your person, right, you might also lose your co parent, you might also lose financial stability, if that person was bringing in most of the income or all the income, you might also lose some of your couple friends that were you know, friends with both of you, right? You might also lose your intimate partner. So, there's so many different losses that you go through when you lose one person.

24:15 The first is just to be willing to listen, to be there, you know, to be that safe space without trying to fix her without trying to tell her, you know why she shouldn't feel bad or how you're lost when you lost somebody, it was this and that, right, but just really being there for her and willing to listen.

27:05 You know, I think of the very basic foundation of self-care as getting enough movement or activity, eating well, and sleep, I think those are like the very basic foundational, please try to at least do these, if you're in grief. And sometimes, that's all you can do.

YOU CAN FIND AT:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Nesreen Ahmed you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Let’s get Vulnerable with Kayleen Johnson

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

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"Write something you are passionate about. Your passion will carry you through the ups and downs of the process." ~ Bill Higgs

Guest Introduction: Thank you for being here, friend and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan.

Before I introduce my guest today, I wanted to let you know I am planning a workshop in December to focus on Living an Intentional Life and the Possibility of 2022. Go out to my website CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for my newsletter Exploring SoL. Be the first to know when it’s announced. I am delighted to introduce my guest.

Susan Farris is a Mississippi author with a love for local voices and local stories. She firmly believes that most of life's problems can be solved with a hot cup of tea. When she's not writing, she loves to garden, snuggle up with her furbabies, and enjoy her husbands chef-level cooking.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Susan. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:49 I really liked this question because I have two answers for it. So, in my business, it means I'm all about learning and growing. And right now, it means learning to focus, which I'm not the best at like I'm very good at procrastinating and putting things off. And when you're an author printer, as it's called, it's very easy to focus on the author side of things and let the entrepreneur side of things slide.

4:00 And then the other side is just enjoying the journey and allowing myself to grow and discover new facets of my voice as a writer. I mean, I always thought when I was in college, I thought that I was going to write these huge fantasy and sci fi novels.

5:42 I always knew that I love to write and read, but I didn't know until probably like late high school, early college that I wanted to be an author. And even then, I thought it was gonna be something that I did on the side. So, like, my journey hasn't been anything like I imagined it.

14:40 I was still trying to tell these like fantasy sci fi stories in grad school, but I realized that all the worlds and characters that I was creating in these fantasy environments were very much southern characters, like these big worlds across the galaxy would be filled with like pine trees or mosquitoes, or, mosquito like creatures to me like that's the worst thing. And people loved it.

16:18 But yeah, like people in the south are just natural storytellers. They'll tell you their life story. They'll put in the newspapers, they'll take out, you know, articles, their stories, and it’s the best thing ever. You don't have to go far here to find story ideas.

35:49 Two little bits of advice, find your support system, whether it's friends or family or local writing group. Writing is one of the things that like you have to write by yourself. But having people who support and encourage you is key.

39:50 So, if I was talking to my 18-year-old self I would be like get thee to a doctor. Get those migraines treated and get on some insomnia meds. Sleep meds are not scary, not for you anyway. And then stand up for yourself and what you want to do with your life don't always feel like, don't always feel like you have to be racing after other people. And, you know, trying to do these big bold things, like you're going to do your own big bold things in your own way. And just realize that your plans can change and grow. And that's a good thing. It doesn't mean that you're being untrue to yourself.

YOU CAN FIND SUSAN FARRIS AT:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Susan Farris you’ll also love the conversations we had with: The Power of Your Emotions with Manisha Tare

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

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“All emotions, even those that are suppressed and unexpressed, have physical effects. Unexpressed emotions tend to stay in the body like small ticking time bombs—they are illnesses in incubation.” ~ Marilyn Van M. Derbur, Miss America by Day

This is the last episode in the self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Manisha Tare.

Manisha Tare is a somatic healing practitioner and mentor who works with ambitious women to help them transform their personal relationships by helping them understand how they operate as highly sensitive beings, put the right self-care practices into place and feel more confident setting boundaries through healing past experiences and rewiring their nervous systems.

She has 20+ years of experience working with clients & students as an occupational therapist, yoga & meditation teacher, craniosacral therapist, energy healer & mentor. Combining her formal training and education, life experience & natural intuition, she's created a unique method of processing and letting go of the past through somatic healing practices that she gently guides her clients through - enabling them to find clarity, take courageous action and confidently set boundaries to create balanced, healthy relationships.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Manisha. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:10 My first business name was actually called Falling Leaf Yoga and I was mainly a yoga instructor at the time. And so, I love the idea of the seasons and especially the Fall because it's such a time of shedding.

4:14 In my personal journey, the reason I got into occupational therapy and studied that is because I really wanted to work with children. And I had done some different observations of different like allied medical professionals, and I really loved you know, how the therapist was working with the kids and just bringing so much joy to that.

9:19 I really went on that journey personally of like trying to understand that and then realizing like, oh, this is connected to much more than my body. And you know, although while I did go to physical therapy and acupuncture and all of those like modalities helped, I also started digging more into the emotional and the energetics.

13:41 Yeah, so my number one tip is if you can get out into nature, that is ideal, like connecting with any energy of nature. Even just feeling the air on your skin or watching the trees in a breeze, there's just something in that energetic - the connecting with the natural harmony of the earth that's so clearing and so healing.

24:51 I would invite her to think about what she personally connects with. I think that so many times when we do healing work it's like in some way connected to or brought on by our own personal experience.

31:29 I would just say kind of on the note of the wonderful questions you asked you know really look at this season, like the actual season that we're in of moving into winter. Take the time to check in with your body really ask your body every single morning like what your body needs. And listen and give that and like really develop that relationship that reciprocal relationship and you know things will your you'll connect more to your intuition, you'll feel better, you'll feel lighter because like you're building an internal connection.

YOU CAN FIND MANISHA TARE AT:

Website Instagram If you LOVED this conversation with Manisha Tare you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Let’s get Vulnerable with Kayleen Johnson

What is Feng Shui with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar

Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?” ~ Stephen Levine

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right place. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Hannah Fowler is joining me today, and you are truly in for something magical.

Through her work as a hospice nurse, Hannah found that planning for death and becoming aware of our mortality can actually allow us to experience more meaning, fulfillment and presence. This is what drew her to become an end of life doula and conscious dying educator. She is also faculty for the Conscious Dying Institute and brings end of life doula training to healthcare systems.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hannah, thanks so much for joining me today.

3:28 So in many ways, Exploring the Seasons of Life to me means using what's happening in life as medicine and as a means to appreciating where we are and to sort of trust from that larger vantage point, to see life and change and seasons and death as teachers and as sacred forces.

4:53 But what happened was while I was working as a nurse in a hospital in Vermont before going on to be an NP, I was diving deep into meditation and metaphysics and energy healing, transpersonal and epigenetic studies, and I just found myself becoming more drawn to the healing that occurs at the level of the soul more than anything.

6:34 And most of all, as I mentioned earlier, what's always sort of enlivened me is talking with people about who we really are, beyond these bodies, beyond these roles and these personalities that will inevitably dissolve and getting in touch with our essence as that which is beyond form and beyond the physical and how to be present in life and appreciate it instead of taking it for granted and becoming an end-of-life doula allowed me to integrate all of that.

14:04 And yet, because we live in this death phobic society that we're talking about, that looks away from death and away from discomfort and from grief, we're not really skilled in navigating these natural and sacred parts of life.

16:08 So rituals are really important for maintaining meaning and connection.

23:17 Death can come at any time to anyone anywhere.

26:16 And that's why I love this awareness because it reminds us that as much as we'd like to think of ourselves as Masters of the world and special and separate from nature and from one another, actually, we are very much a part of nature and inextricably connected to everything, and we can't cheat death no matter how much money is in our wallets or how intelligent we are.

YOU CAN FIND HANNAH FOWLER AT:

Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Hannah Fowler you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

What is Feng Shui with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“All you have to do is pay attention: lessons always arrive when you are ready.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Guest Introduction: Thank you for being here, friend, and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan.

Do you ever feel like you're waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you're in the right place. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

It's really a gift to sit down and talk with people who are willing to share their wisdom.

Corbie Mitleid knows the value of the Examined Life. Through divorce, abuse, poverty and life-threatening illness, she found meeting challenges and asking the next question meant facing each situation with strength, courage and humor. Today, she’s an intuitive consultant and teacher, with a career spanning the globe and clients worldwide.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Corbie. Thanks so much for joining me today.

1:37 There's an old saying, “What doesn't change, dies”. I am now 66 and to me, who I have grown to be, because I've experienced the three bouts of breast cancer, the two divorces, the crazy changing career, it means that at this point, I have more to pass on. I'm actually in the middle of writing a book with the person that I consider the most incandescent student I've ever known. She's going to be a brilliant consultant when she's in her 20s. But the book is Elder and Apprentice. She's my apprentice, but I am the elder and it's time for me to pass on my knowledge.

5:00 All right, intuitive consultant is the cocktail dress version of psychic medium.

8:57 But when you sit down with me, the first thing I'm going to say to you is what is the most important thing you want to get out of here knowing today because I have a huge number of talents and you have a massive life. And no matter how fast I go in a half an hour if what you really want is how to handle your youngest child and I didn't get there you're gonna go she was terrible. She didn't know anything. So, you tell me where you want to go, and that's where I direct myself first.

23:17 You have to be ready to hear what we're going to say. Don't ask what you don't want to hear about.

28:25 It's based on clarity. You need to get clear on the most important stuff in your life. That means clarity on your purpose, “What are you doing here”? What are you gonna tell God you got to do when you get back upstairs? Clarity in your relationships, and clarity with spirit. Because that's really life. It's the everyday practicalities; it's the people in our lives and it's the numinous that created all of us.

YOU CAN FIND CORBIE MITLEID AT: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Corbie Mitleid you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“The Sacred Feminine expressed is love, and this love is both active and passive, dynamic and receptive, stillness and movement, and spiritual and material.” ~Miranda Gray, Female Energy Awakening

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan.

Do you ever feel like you are waiting on a permission slip to live the life you want? If you answered yes, then you are in the right spot. Each week I interview coaches and spiritual explorers, from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in between. Self-love well-being and mindset are at the heart of our conversations. Because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today.

Isaya Belle Gabriel is a mixed media spiritual artist and a magico-pragmatic mindset coach, goddess teacher and traveling priestess. She has been working with the Divine Feminine and the Greek Goddesses archetypes for over 20 years, in real life and online, and has facilitated women’s circles, red tents, artist workshops and sacred retreats all over the world, to attune her clients with the Divine Feminine so they feel supported, live their best life and raise the vibration of the planet as a whole!

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Isaya. Thanks so much for joining me today.

4:37 It means connecting with the cycle that is ingrained in my body and feeling it and seeing how magic it is, how much power there is, how much energy and how much I can also rest in it or on it, you know, it can support me, and instead of, maybe while I was ignoring it, which I was. And that meant me going against the flow of life, basically. And so for now, the exploring of the seasons is literally learning how each season, whether it's a weekly one in the monthly cycle, or a bigger one has got so many gifts.

7:56 Absolutely. And it's like, again, if we don't spend some time getting to know this cycle and getting to know these four archetypes that take it’s turn to dance in our life every month, we kind of feel lost.

9:12 But in the Western world, there's a lot of emphasis on youth and on not aging, but that means making two of the of the archetypes kind of disappear, you know, and that obviously cannot be healthy.

9:46 There are four archetypes, and we usually start and these are part the teachings of an admirable woman called Miranda Gray, a British woman, who's wrote and taught about the menstrual cycle for over 40 years now.

14:40 So the next one is the Enchantress. She is sometimes also called the Queen but I prefer the Enchantress. She is connected with the post ovulation phase, with the autumn, so this season, we're now in Enchantress season. She is connected with the waning moon and with the tide, but I don't know how to say that with the ebb, basically, the ebb.

53:55 It's gonna be so much fun you know because I think when I was an 18-year-old I maybe not 18 but 19 or 20 I believe that this was the best face and that after that was all downwards basically. And I've changed my mind really drastically I think that there's so much to be lived at all ages I feel like I've been gifted or I created for myself when I was alive that each episode each energy I've lived fully so I was a mother with so much joy it was a maiden with so much joy. And I am now experiencing an Enchantress with so much joy. So yeah, I think I would have told her. Just get going.

58:22 Don't forget you're creating your life. So do it wisely.

You can find Isaya Belle Gabriel at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Isaya Belle Gabriel you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

What is Feng Shui with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar

Until next time live inspired!

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“In the beginning, people think vulnerability will make you weak, but it does the opposite. It shows you're strong enough to care.” ~ Victoria Pratt

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I'm your host Cindy MacMillan and I'm joined today by Kayleen Johnson.

Hey, beautiful friends welcome back to another episode of Exploring the seasons of life podcast.

I've had the honor and privilege to interview numerous truly amazing women during this self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out.

And I'm thrilled to share today's guest.

Kayleen Johnson has a passion for people. She loves quickly and whole-heartedly. She has a BA in Theatre Arts Studies from Brigham Young University. People and their stories have always been important to her, which is part of the reason she started the podcast, Scars We Share. True connection happens through vulnerability.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Kayleen, welcome to the podcast.

5:52 We don't have to like every season of our life that we go through. But everything that we go through is a part of who we are and makes up who we are. And we wouldn't be who we are now without everything that we've gone through.

11:01 The first question I always ask people is, what physical scars do you have, and this has multiple port presses, you know, it is like connecting physical to internal scars. But it's also to help people get comfortable, because I'm about to ask them very vulnerable things.

14:04 . Everyone has been through different things. Everyone has experienced things differently. And so, I don't know I just think there's such a beauty into really jumping into those internal scars to let other people know that they're not alone.

16:51 I seriously love that you said that, give permission. Because as ridiculous as it is, you sometimes, have this inability to give yourself permission to do something. And it's, this really ridiculous thing that I think we all need to retrain ourselves out of, but, but sometimes hearing someone else, it just gives you that permission. It's like, Oh, you gave me permission to do this. I think I can do this now. Love that.

22:36 So that stood out to me just so much because I just had no I had no clue what he'd been through. And it was just pretty intense. Like we both cried during the episode and had a wonderful, wonderful talk.

30:24 I know that is preached and talked about so many times, but there's a reason it's preached and talked about so many times, when you can train your mind to focus on gratitude, the more you have to be grateful for.

35:00 Oh, yeah, well, and one of the other reasons I think it's really important to know all of those things is it can kind of change. What brought me joy as a teenager, is not the same thing that brings me joy now as a 32 year old.

47:04 I think that all I would really be able to tell my 18-year-old self would be you are strong. And you're going to go through a lot of stuff. And you were always going to come back out on the other side even better than you were before.

YOU CAN FIND KAYLEEN JOHNSON AT: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Kayleen Johnson you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

Thanks for listening! If you want to come along on this journey with me and you are ready and you are brave enough and excited about new possibilities or as I like to call it an Inner Revolution; you are in the right spot. This is your life – Reclaim it.

If you want to know what an Inner Revolution could look like for you, I only have 3 spots available for a Discovery Call. No pressure to work with me at all…let’s chat and get to know each other. E-mail me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com

Are you ready to make a choice, take action, and stand fully in your power? Friend, This is your life – Reclaim it.

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“Clutter is stuck energy. The word "clutter" derives from the Middle English word "clotter," which means to coagulate - and that's about as stuck as you can get.” ~ Karen Kingston

Guest Introduction: I’m Cindy MacMillan, and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life. You’re listening to episode 76.

This is a podcast about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because I believe the way we feel about ourselves on the inside determines what we will create for ourselves on the outside.

If this is your first time joining me, I’m especially glad you’re here. I often say this is a podcast that has followed the breadcrumbs of my own interests and healing journey.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Jillian Rothschild-Scholar.

Jillian is a Feng Shui practitioner and she helps ambitious people who are feeling like there’s something a bit ‘off’ in their life so they are unable to choose which direction to go, get clarity and accelerate their results. She uses Feng Shui and other tools, such as Chinese Astrology and divination, in her practice. These resources can be especially helpful for people who need support with their own self-cultivation, creativity, and personal growth. That is to say, living in an environment where the energy is supportive and nurturing helps us get closer to our heart’s desires.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Jillian. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:22 So from a business perspective, exploring the seasons of life means to me the opportunity to grow and expand. From a Feng Shui perspective, what we're aiming to do with Feng Shui is increase a person's quotient of luck. And when we have luck, we have opportunity.

4:12 Feng Shui is the Chinese art and science of bringing harmony and balance into any environment. And when we're in an environment that is harmonious and balanced, and makes us feel good, then it's just easier to achieve the things that we want in life, like well-being, abundance, good health, and happiness.

9:42 So usually people come to Feng Shui for one of three things: health, wealth, or relationship issues.

11:57 Well, when it's done correctly, it works because it connects to your personal energy. So in my practice of classical Feng Shui, what I'm doing is I'm working with the orientation of the building, I'm working with the energy of the people, and I'm working with the right timing.

16:54 So this is not a classical Feng Shui recommendation. But this is something that's very common that you will hear all the time, we really do need to deal with our clutter. Because Feng Shui addresses, now, not cleanliness, necessarily. But when we talk about dealing with clutter, we're addressing fullness versus emptiness.

41:52 With a Discovery Session, we can really talk about making a recommendation that's a good fit for you. So, it really becomes a tailored experience.

You can find Jillian Rothschild-Scholar at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Jillian Rothschild-Scholar you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Redefining Death with Jessica Wertz

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
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Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“As the heart revives, many people find a new life beneath their sorrow.” ~ Stephen Levine

Guest Introduction: I’m Cindy MacMillan, and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life. You’re listening to episode 75.

If this is your first time joining me, I’m especially glad you’re here. I often say this is a podcast that has followed the breadcrumbs of my own interests and healing journey; it’s for professional and midlife women navigating life transitions, in all of its forms. In our hearts, we all know that death is a part of life, and we are becoming aware that grief is showing up in so many other areas of our lives: from new motherhood to a special need's diagnosis, job loss, divorce, having an empty nest, and even the loss of a pet. And now collectively during COVID-19.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Jessica Wertz.

As an artist, adventurer and visionary Jessica has spent more than a decade as a self-employed ceramic artist living in seven different states. After establishing her career in the San Francisco Bay Area, she moved to the deep woods of Oregon to build a studio where she spent years living in the wilderness. During this time she had deeper conversation and insight around living consciously and creating from that space.

Jessica feels a deep sense of curiosity for the journey of the soul and how we weave our love in this world and into the next.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Jessica. Thanks so much for joining me today.

4:26 And then there's this gentle reminder that comes in and, and you say this to yourself, no, I'm, I'm in a cycle of my life. I'm here for a reason I can trust why I'm here in this cycle. And what I'm going through right now is really important for me to experience the next thing, and I need to learn this, whatever this is.

5:50 Spirit Vessel is a company that my sister and I have formed together. And it is basically helping people create personalized celebration of life ceremonies, to honor those who have passed. And to do that in a way that feels very unique and individualized to the person.

8:13 We live in a culture that doesn't recognize death as a sacred transition as simply a part of life. And because of that, and then this really goes back to living in the cycles of life. Like we don't see ourselves cyclically living we see ourselves linearly living and we're terrified of the end, for what that would mean, you know, but if we were to bring into our lives, a sense of we are nature, we come from, you know, spirit world, but we are of Earth, just as everything else is here, and really a deeper understanding of how important death is.

23:00 Because I'll tell you, it'll just keep coming up and it's gonna come up uglier every time. And then you'll start feeling, you know, experiencing other emotions and taking it out on the people you love and everything else. So, tend to yourself first, attend to your heart. Let yourself be in it. Let yourself cry, find a day find time for yourself.

24:30 So I'm reading a book right now by Stephen Jenkinson called Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul and it is extremely beautiful and his perspective on death in this culture is so helpful, and it's one we've really lost. We've really lost the context. And he just really helps bring in a fuller perspective of death after his years in hospice work and really being with people through the process. So that's a gorgeous book.

You can find Jessica Wertz at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Jessica Wertz you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“Each person’s grief is as unique as their fingerprint. But what everyone has in common is that no matter how they grieve, they share a need for their grief to be witnessed.” ~ David Kessler

Guest Introduction: I’m Cindy MacMillan, and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life. You’re listening to episode 74.

If this is your first time joining me, I’m especially glad you’re here. I often say this podcast that has followed the breadcrumbs of my own interests and healing journey.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Laura Warfel. Laura is the founder and Chief Encouragement Officer of More Than A Widow, a ministry to help widows live beyond the label and find their more. At age 45, she became a widow and finally understood the depth of loss in that experience. She is also a writer and public speaker.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Laura. Thanks so much for joining me today.

1:37 Each season has something new for us to learn and to do and to experience. We need to look for what that is, we need to embrace it. We need to find our more and live our more. And one thing I've learned in my life is that remaining stuck in the past brings only stagnation and aloneness. We must keep moving forward and looking forward.

5:00 In 2016, I launched More than a Widow; website, Facebook, Twitter, and a blog. And I just began putting it out there. And it's just amazing to me, the more that you risk putting yourself out there, the more other people will resonate with you, and the more they will be willing to share with you.

6:50 When people find out that a woman is a widow, they often act or react differently toward her.

9:03 Sometimes women want to hide behind that label of being a widow, they want to use it as an excuse for not going on with their lives. And that's, that's a very easy thing to do. Because I found and I'm sure there would be other widows who would agree with me on this, that isolation and isolating are probably the widow's biggest enemies for going on with life, building new relationships. Finding new things to do, it just gets way too easy to isolate and withdraw.

11:53 So the ideal is people will walk with you and help you and be there for you and stay with you. But often, that really isn't what happens. And that's, that's a difficult blow. Because a lot of times we think that people there are people we can count on, and people who will always be there. But when a loss happens that really tests a lot of relationships.

22:53 Well, and our culture, in general doesn't want to talk about death, doesn't want to talk about dying, doesn't want to plan for that, because that's not going to happen to me, or that's not going to happen to my husband. So that denial also is really powerful in those situations.

You can find Laura Warfel at:

Website Facebook YouTube If you LOVED this conversation with Laura Warfel you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Your Clutter is a Teacher with Star Hansen

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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Guest Introduction: I’m Cindy MacMillan, and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life. You’re listening to episode 73.

If this is your first time joining me, I’m especially glad you’re here. I often say this podcast that has followed the breadcrumbs of my own interests and healing journey.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out and I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Star Hansen. Star Hansen is a Certified Professional Organizer and Clutter Whisperer who helps people use their clutter to overcome blocks in their lives. Her unique approach has been featured on HGTV, OWN, TLC, Style, A&E, and TEDx.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Star. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:00 I'm in the middle of developing a class right now called The Meaning of Stuff that's launching in September. It's so incredible, because my whole career, I've been able to track what the clutter means, like what the symbolism of people's where you have your clutter and what your clutter is, tells me a whole story about your life.

3:33 You know, it's funny because when you think about it, it's disorder, it’s untidy, clutter is it's a crowd, it's a mess. And yet, and yet something can look like a mess to one person and feel like home to someone else. So, it's subjective.

16:56 Or maybe you make a sign that says creative party in place. And you know, create a party in progress and you hang it on the wall. And you say you can come in. But this is a laboratory of creativity, and you don't mess with my creative Juju. Like you just claim that you set that intention. That's like yeah, that's not welcome here because we're in the middle of something.

18:29 So the interesting thing about clutter is that it is rarely one sided. So, the client I was talking to today, her clutter was inviting her to step into her purpose to really choose to step into her purpose. At the same time, that clutter was inviting her to punish herself. So, it was doing both.

37:23 Thank you so much, Cindy, this was such a treat. And thank you to everyone for listening. It's really wonderful to connect energetically with you all.

You can find Star Hansen at:

Website Instagram Facebook YouTube Freebie: 10 Things you Can Organize in 20 Minutes or Less www.starhansen.com/checklist

If you LOVED this conversation with Star Hansen you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.” ~ Rabbi Hyman Schachtel

Guest Introduction: I’m Cindy MacMillan, and welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life. You’re listening to episode 72.

Today’s interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. I am delighted to introduce my guest today, Kate Moody.

As a musician with a sensitive attunement to energy Kate has found that all life experiences - joy, adversity, stress, loss, success - can be powerful inspiration for personal growth. She developed the original Connect & Glow exercise, “Brain Glow,” in a search for healing from a profound depression in the early 2000s; the practice has grown to be a tool for upliftment and vibrant aliveness.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Hi, Kate. Thanks so much for joining me today.

2:30 Acceptance means just saying, this is how it is, and I'm going to work with that to find my joy in this moment. And when I say joy, I don't mean I have to be ecstatic about everything but finding that ground, that our inner peace and our inner love that that makes everything fine, and sometimes even ecstatic and sometimes very contemplative.

4:29 Yes, and finding the beauty, one time I was up in Washington state which gets very dark in the winter. Not as dark as Alaska, but it's quite dark. And I was on a ferry boat in the Eagle Harbor looking at the gray, gray, gray everywhere gray. And I thought okay, I've got to find some beauty in this. And I looked at this island in the trees and you could almost see lavender. Ah, lavender shadows.

6:06 The music is sort of like a spring that's inside of me. It's not something that I ever thought, oh, I want to be a musician. It just came through me. So, I was the girl who was if there was a piano in the room, I was almost magnetically attracted to it.

21:47 Well, part of it is, is understanding that everybody has got stuff, you know, and we don't know what the pain is, what the backstory is that creates this, whatever the behavior is, that's the number one step. So that's compassion.

35:33 But I had a young man I was dating at the time, whose mother had a couple of friends who were existentialists, and I was like, oh, I want to be an existentialist even though I had no idea what that was. But, you know, there was that draw to philosophy. So, I would say, yeah, that's real, you know, follow that. And I would also say that really to anyone, you know, follow whatever the promptings are. Follow that and find people who can show you how to follow it.

You can find Kate Moody at:

Website Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Kate Moody you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Resources: Here is URL for YouTube Channel which has Connect & Glow meditations (Connect the Dots, Being Glow, Guiding Star, Alleviating Loneliness, Releasing Anxiety, Ho'oponopono, All Heart): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxhbhCNCNRNTlapN8xhl-mg

This video of the poem "Thank You" has the beginning of Lavender Shadows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ0BLDt_ctA&t=2s

This is a channel maintained by cdbaby that has music from six of Kate’s albums: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV9mbQtoFkLNHZX2SjVriPg/featured

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
Tap Send.

Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.” ~ Pema Chodron

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Bethany Dotson.

This interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. You may be wondering - wait - what does she mean - Living From the Inside Out. I believe the way we feel about ourselves on the inside determines what we will create for ourselves on the outside. Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am delighted you are here and thanks for hanging out with me. I can’t wait to share today’s guest.

Bethany Dotson is trauma-informed yoga therapist and relationship coach with over a decade of experience helping professional, high-achieving women heal anxiety, C/PTSD, find their power and skyrocket their confidence after divorce or toxic relationships, communicate better, navigate conflict and most importantly, co-create healthy relationships.

She is a domestic violence and childhood trauma survivor who helps women triumph over trauma, break their cycle of emotionally unavailable men and attract the love they deeply desire.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Bethany, welcome to the podcast.

2:08 Exploring the Seasons of Life, to me, means being fully present, even when things are falling apart and not running away from turbulence or emotional pain or not being, you know, I want to say not being too attached to life needing to be a certain way in order for you to be okay. Being fully present with what life is bringing you.

4:55 My focus is complex trauma. So, people who've endured relationship pain, relationship is the area, one of the areas in our life that can be the most flourishing and the most amazing, and unfortunately, I think it's over 80% of trauma that people suffer is in the context of a relationship where they're supposed to feel safe, so I know that very well.

6:44 It can be very easy to ignore the signals that your body is giving you or feel them, and then override them because we're running away from pain.

7:38 So the first way is just becoming emotionally present with themselves. And when someone's stuffed, who they are, or cut off parts of who they are. And we do this, ironically, to make a relationship feel safe.

14:04 I do believe that self-awareness is so key.

20:48 Because when we have trauma, we tend to live in our head a lot, and override the instincts in our body. And we say, I can't trust anybody, what really is happening, you're not trusting yourself.

28:30 I would tell her because my 18-year-old self was in a pretty painful period in my life, it gets better. And everything that you're experiencing is serving you. It's for you. It's not happening to you. It's happening for you, for your evolvement right, bodybuilders go to the gym, and they get under a lot of pressure, and they lift heavy weights so that they can develop a physique. And we have the same we have to go through pressure situations so that we can meet some resistance so that it helps us grow.

You can find Bethany Dotson at: Website Instagram If you LOVED this conversation with Bethany Dotson you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Knowing and Believing you are Worth the Time with Justine Hwang

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
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“Over and over, we begin again.” ~ Banana Yoshimoto

This interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. You may be wondering - wait - what does she mean - Living From the Inside Out. I believe the way you feel about yourself on the inside will ultimately determine what you will create for yourself on the outside. Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am delighted you are here and thanks for hanging with us today.

Justine Hwang is a burnout survivor, social impact calligrapher, and creative workshop facilitator. She is passionate about creating spaces where art and conversation become a bridge to explore self-awareness around topics like mental health and racism, both at a personal and societal level. She crafts experiences that empower compassionate doers to build a sustainable life with intention, so they can impact their world from a full heart. She brings 20 years of experience in leadership and spiritual development, adult education, and communication in the non profit start up world.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Justine, welcome to the podcast.

3:59 If we even think about, literally the seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall, that applies on a daily basis, right, we wake up first thing in the morning, it's spring, we move into a summer energy during the day, we move into a fall energy in the evening. And then in the winter is like sleeping hibernation time, right? It happens on a weekly schedule to like, what's your energy, like at the beginning on a Monday versus on a Saturday, it's going to be different, quarterly, and annually, etc. So for me the seasons of life really means paying attention, listening, acknowledging and not trying to push through the slower seasons, which is easier said than done.

5:46 When we think of self-care, or we think of creativity, we typically think just ourselves, or if we think calligraphy, we think pretty letters, and we think weddings, and, you know, like vow renewals and poems, which can be that for sure. But for me, my life and my message is all about connection to ourselves, to other people, and to the world. So, self-care for me is not just about caring for myself, actually, I don't even like the term because it's so overused. So self-advocacy is a term I've heard somebody use that really resonates with me.

12:46 So the intention behind the workshop, or that space really is to give space to validate the hard things.

16:31 I feel like the biggest first step with this, that’s a constant muscle to exercise is first knowing and believing that you're worth the time.

33:07 I think comparison also gets in the way of our sense of creativity. I think being creative is very vulnerable.

You can find Justine Hwang at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Justine Hwang you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

YOU are an Awesome Mama with Deborah Ann Davis

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
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At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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“All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them.” ~ Erma Bombeck

This interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. You may be wondering - wait - what does she mean - Living From the Inside Out. I believe the way we feel about ourselves on the inside determines what we will create for ourselves on the outside. Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am delighted you are here and thanks for hanging out with me. I can’t wait to share today’s guest.

You're doing better than you think. As a Parenting Life Coach, author, speaker, former science teacher and mother, Deborah’s job is to help you recognize what you’re doing right, and to add supplemental strategies. Her books “How To Keep Your Daughter From Slamming the Door” and “How To Get Your Happy On” are available everywhere.

On July 31, Deborah and two of her colleagues are offering the third of a 4-part series of free seminars called "Talk About Teens" for parents of tweens and teens. This one is on how to rock the return to school after that weird year we just had.

Join her Facebook group, The Mom Meet-Up, or email her at info@DeborahAnnDavis.com for more information. You don’t have to go it alone.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Deborah, welcome to the podcast.

5:15 I taught for many years, and I taught a group of children who happens to be in a huge transition. It's called puberty. And they are very emotional and very insecure. And absolutely, positively convinced that everybody's got it together, except them.

5:46 Parents all think that all the other parents have it together, and they're screwing up their kid's life. And really, they're doing way better than they think they are. If you just look at how great your kid is, you could see the evidence of what you've done right.

8:07 And that's the mistake we all make is we compare ourselves to everybody around us, you know, we compare our clothing and our makeup and our hair, and the behavior of our children and the success of our children and of the relationship we're having with our significant other. And I mean, we never look at ourselves and say, wow, I am in a better place now than I was a year ago.

11:15 I wish somebody had said to me, baby steps, Deborah baby steps, all you have to do is worry about today. So, all you people out there, I’m that voice, I'm saying that to you right now, you are doing better than you think. And all you have to do is take the baby steps to move yourself forward. That's all you have to do.

30:13 That's what an awesome mom is, you think your screwing up. But what you're doing is showing your child you're resilient. You don't have to be perfect, it's not real. And trying for perfection is the exact same thing is trying for anxiety. And if you are modeling an attempt to be perfect, then you're doing a disservice to your children.

32:41 In my book, How To Get Your Happy On, there's a list of 10 things that you can do to increase your happiness. The first one is self-care, if you model self-care, you're increasing your own happiness. And you're modeling that for your kids. So they're learning self-care, and it will raise their happiness level to, plus when you're haggard, and overtired and overwhelmed, and scared, and worried. They cannot be happy and be jubilant in their lives.

41:19 And you know what, for you other empty nesters out there, that conversation about I love you no matter what still is important. Those conversations with your kids, I don't care how old they are. They can be 20, 30, 40, 50 that conversation I love you no matter what, we may squabble, we may get in a fight. I may say, you know what, I don't want to talk to you right now. But I love you no matter what. And I will be back.

You can find Deborah Ann Davis at: Website Instagram Facebook If you LOVED this conversation with Deborah Ann Davis you’ll also love the conversations we had with: Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
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“Racism separates, but it never liberates. Hatred generates fear, and fear once given a foothold; binds, consumes and imprisons. Nothing is gained from prejudice. No one benefits from racism.” ~ Thurgood Marshall

This is interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Dr. Artika R. Tyner is a passionate educator, author, sought after speaker, and advocate for justice. Tyner is the founder of a nonprofit education organization, Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: It is my pleasure to welcome Dr. Tyner to the podcast.

1:27 For me personally, it means being aware of where I am, in each season of life. It's acknowledging that in certain years, certain decades, it's been an opportunity to learn, while other seasons may be about growing and applying what I'm learning, but whatever season that I'm in standing grounded in my faith, and my purpose and mission to make a difference in the world and in the community. So, for me, it's about self-awareness. And it's also about moral responsibility. What will I do with what's in my hands to make a difference and impact?

2:19 I would say it was in my DNA and my makeup. I come from generations of pastors and teachers and everyone that I knew, focused on how they could make an impact. They focused on the betterment of society. And in particular, within the African American community where I was born and raised, my hometown name is Rondo.

4:46 There's a monument in Washington, DC near the National Mall, that gives us a sense that the past is the prologue that it's with us it’s living and breathing. But the opportunity that each of us have is to write a new future to be able to say okay, we can acknowledge the atrocities that happened in the past. But it's our responsibility to bring healing to bring reconciliation to bring atonement and to make things right in some meaningful ways.

9:38 We're more accustomed to being that ally and supporting someone we know or an issue that we're passionate about. But if we're going to evolve to the America that we should be the America that we promised, and whether our preamble of the Constitution or Declaration of Independence it’s going to require deep systemic changes and that piece of being an abolitionist, that we then transform, we uproot and change those systems that lead to the inequities that we see.

10:38 I would be happy to share a book list, a couple of the ones that I'm currently reading, I would highly recommend reading a book called Blind Spot that looks at the science of unconscious bias to help to give us clarity as well. I also love a book, because if we're talking about being those abolitionists, radically transforming systems and reimagining the future, I love the book Groundwork: Charles Hamilton Houston and the Struggle for Civil Rights, which is about the life history of a pioneering civil rights attorney by the name of Charles Hamilton Houston, the average American has never heard of his name.

16:49 Yes, for me, Planting People, Growing Justice™ is a big piece of this season of my life, and creating, reimagining and building.

21:49 You can connect with us wherever you are in the world, you can fill out our contact sheet on our website, which is www.ppgjli.org and you can also email us at plantingpeoplegrowingjustice@gmail.com and there are things that you can do no matter where you are in the world.

22:03 I would tell my 18-year-old, first of all, dream big.

You can find Dr. Artika Tyner at: Website Twitter Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Dr. Artika Tyner you might also enjoy these other episodes of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

The Resilient Family with Amy Saloner

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

A Self-love Mindset with Martine Felton

Living Your Core Values with Paige Mitchell

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
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“When you live each day with intentionality, there’s almost no limit to what you can do. You can transform yourself, your family, your community, and your nation. When enough people do that, they can change the world. When you intentionally use your everyday life to bring about positive change in the lives of others, you begin to live a life that matters.” ~ John C. Maxwell

This is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Amy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Functional Nutritional Therapist. She has worked with children and families for more than 25 years as a therapist, educator, event producer, ceremony facilitator and community builder. She lives in an intentional community in North County San Diego with her husband, two children, dog and ten of her closest friends.

I am so happy you are here and I can’t wait to share today’s guest.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Amy, welcome to the podcast.

3:03 It's a very meaningful discussion point. Because, to me, the seasons of life are those steps we take from childhood all the way through adulthood, that take us through various growth points. And a lot of work that I do, that I've done in my own personal life and now that I do professionally with families, is really support various rites of passage that we go through.

7:05 I really wanted to support families in capacity to be resilient and strong and so I did a lot of research. I put together this course, that allowed for people to explore how to be strong in their bodies, how to be strong in, you know, their mindset, how to fortify their relationships, through this challenging time.

8:30 And following me on social media, I share various themes throughout every month. And we just keep talking about and creating community, because it's one of the things I'm really passionate about is just making sure people have support to continue to grow that capacity for resilience.

11:53 Journaling is one part; I pair journaling with meditation or just quiet, self-reflective time.

15:03 I actually call boundaries one of our most important self-care tools.

22:33 I focus a lot with families and adolescents around life skills in general. I am teaching a course next month, for graduating seniors and their families around this transition.

24:03 It's called Beyond Graduation. And it's a two-part workshop. The first one is really with the parents and the teens together to focus on again, this rite of passage of graduation, that it's more than just walking across the stage and getting a diploma that there is a great transition and shift in in roles and responsibilities between the parents and the children and to really honor that this massive shift that's about to happen that this person is going to go off and be independent for the first time probably in their life, and what that means in their relationship and individually for each other.

You can find Amy Saloner at:

Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Amy Saloner you might also enjoy these other episodes of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

A Self-love Mindset with Martine Felton

Living Your Core Values with Paige Mitchell

Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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“I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime.” —Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

I am delighted you are here today -thanks for hanging out with me. – Let’s get right to it.

Evelien is based in The Netherlands. She studied Business Communication at the Academy for Journalism, and after graduating she also obtained her doctoral degree at the Free University of Amsterdam, majoring in Culture, Organization & Management. Evelien is a single mother of two beautiful teenage girls. Besides her strong interest in people and connecting with others, she loves being outdoors, preferably walking by the sea, doing sports such as running and skiing in wintertime.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:10 Yeah, actually, I love that. Because if you if you reflect on the seasons of life, I think you could do that in different ways. And for me, the seasons of life, of course, you have literally the seasons within a year, but also the different seasons and stages that you have in life. And for me, it is about experiencing life, it is about trying out ways of being. And by doing that, learning about ourselves at a deeper level.

4:19 Be Relentlessly Yourself is a book where I share a lot of stories about what life really is all about. And that starts with you, it starts to really getting to the core of your being to be able to translate that into what your purpose in life is all about.

4:45 And Be Relentlessly Yourself also is a message about daring to show up and to take up your space by being you beyond personality and beyond ego.

9:42 Absolutely, absolutely. How awesome is that? And it's just stepping up and doing it and of course there are always people that you know resonate with your message more than others do. But it doesn't mean that your message or what you have to offer, for example, your podcast, that it's not worthwhile.

11:27 And, you know, staying stuck in that fear only prevents you from living your purpose and being able to serve and really help others. We don't want to waste our time doing that.

24:56 And I think that is also something that is such a huge gift, about being an entrepreneur, there is no one you can hide behind. And there's nothing you can hide behind, you're out there naked. And it's you that needs to, you know, find your way.

35:19 It's by slowing down and really be that observer and understand yourself because by doing that, you will find out that life is way more magic than you can probably imagine right now.

You can find Evelien van Es at: Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Evelien van Es you might also enjoy these other episodes that are part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Finding Your Inner Peace with Lydia Knoor

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

A Self-love Mindset with Martine Felton

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

Living Your Core Values with Paige Mitchell

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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“The spiritual life is about becoming more at home in your own skin.” ~ Parker Palmer, Founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal

This interview is part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Lydia combines her passion for health and wellness to inspire women to lean inward and connect with themselves on a soul level, so they can experience life in an authentic and fulfilling way. She believes a body, mind, soul approach is the healthiest way to live and will set you up for a thriving existence.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the podcast, Lydia.

1:46 I love love love this question, because seasons are so symbolic. So, my answer to you is going to be all about symbolism, and how I feel that seasons represent the transitions that helps us understand the transitions that we go through and how they impact our mindset and our actions throughout our life.

5:08 I'm going to start by telling you that joy for me, comes in the form of finding inner peace. So, for me, there was a missing piece in my life and that missing piece was inner peace. And when I found that I found true happiness, I found my joy.

12:45 The very first night after my husband died, I remember waking up in the middle of the night to a white light, literally a swirling white light, it was coming at me and retreating and coming at me and retreating. And there was no question in my mind that that was his energy.

17:20 I do two types of writing, but I want to talk to you about morning pages first, for sure. Morning pages are something that I learned about through an author called Julia Cameron, she's written a couple of books. One is the Artist’s Way and I happened to read another book of hers called, It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again. But in both, she speaks about morning pages.

27:29 Sometimes it's giving yourself permission to live a life that feels good for you.

29:19 So whether that's love for a child or a partner or for the work you do, there's always more room in your heart. And so, what I would say to women, is you have so much room in your heart, and you know you do because you feel it for your children and for your partner for all of these other you know, I call them external things in your life. They're not they're a part of you, but you know, you have room to give yourself some love too.

You can find Lydia Knorr at: Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Lydia Knorr you might also enjoy these other episodes of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

A Self-love Mindset with Martine Felton

Living Your Core Values with Paige Mitchell

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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“What you tell yourself on a daily basis is more powerful than you know.” ~ Jen Sincero

Guest Introduction: I want to start the conversation today by saying thank you to all the amazing women that are part of a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Paige Mitchell .

Paige specializes in helping individuals who feel stuck within their current career and are READY to transition to a job that is more aligned with their values and purpose. With her Masters in Counseling and 10 years’ experience in the mental health field, she is committed to working with clients on reframing their mindset, exploring their strengths, and getting clear on their vision and setting tangible goals.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Paige, welcome to the podcast.

2:20 I think it's about just being really present within these milestones, just letting it be. I think, also, for me personally, like not really knowing what to expect, has actually helped me get out of my comfort zone.

7:10 Yeah, yeah, I think I think it does get tricky, right. And, I think what's beautiful about like, coaching in general, is having the client define it for themselves.

9:22 So I think if you have that sense of, okay, something is wrong, something doesn't feel right to me. Something is not aligned, depending how you describe it. I mean, the first step is to acknowledge it, identify it, a lot of people are really in denial.

12:30 I also acknowledge that a lot of people hate journaling. So the caveat there is, if you do not like to have a notebook and a pen and paper, can you write it out on a Google document? Can you voice record yourself? Can you make a video like a vlogging?

27:14 Yeah, that's a great question. So, once you've identified, you know, your top three or top four core values, think about values as this is a compass. This is how I want to live my life. It's not a checklist, it's not a goal.

27:46 I think a good way for you after you identified what they are, then I would encourage you to journal sorry, for those that don't like to journal, but it's really helpful to again, get your thoughts out on paper, I would journal.

33:18 I learned that activity from when I worked at the eating disorder hospital for five years, and so working one on one with the patients and in groups, and we would do value activities like that, to get them really thinking of, you know, what else is there to live for?

You can find Paige Mitchell at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Paige Mitchell you might also enjoy these other episodes. Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

A Self-love Mindset with Martine Felton

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
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“The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.” ~Sonya Friedman

This is the fourth interview in a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out. Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am delighted you are here and thanks for hanging out with me. I can’t wait to share today’s guest as we unearth our superpowers from within.

Author, intuitive life coach, and medium, Martine Felton has always had a love for writing. Since she was a teenager, Martine has drawn inspiration from the world around her to write short stories, poetry, and journal. Now, Martine has turned her love for encouraging others to overcome their limiting beliefs, embody self-love, and walk in their purpose into her fiction and non-fiction works.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Martine, welcome to the podcast.

2:02 Just like a book has chapters, we have our seasons of life that we go through that are focused on particular things that we going through in our lives, it could be a season of a spiritual awakening.

3:57 I've always been a writer, as you know. And at first I wanted to document my spiritual journey, my awakening - when I started realizing that I had spiritual gifts and psychic abilities - but then I realized that I'm still going through that right now.

6:07 I do remember the first toxic relationship that I was conscious of, that I'm conscious of right now and I feel like I got into that relationship because I was away from home. I was living in another state outside of my home state. And I didn't have anybody else.

10:03 I journal almost every day, my intention is to journal every day. But you know, life happens. So sometimes it's maybe about four or five times a week as opposed to seven days a week. I personally like to do it in a meditative state because I am so spiritual. I like to meditate first, for about 20 minutes or so and then I grab my journal and my pen, and I call in my guides and my angels and ask them. Are there any messages for me? And I just start writing.

15:30 To me, it's how you hold space for yourself. You know, it's how you make the decisions that you make for yourself. It's being able to say no, without feeling guilty, you know, and all of those, just being able to take decisive action for your personal your physical, your spiritual growth.

23:40 People can feel your vibe and your energy.

33:05 She's on her own journey. Just because she's my daughter doesn't mean that she's going to experience the same things the same way I did.

You can find Martine Felton at: Website Facebook Instagram

If you enjoyed this conversation with Martine Felton you might also enjoy these other episodes. Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

Rediscover Your Brilliance with Jamie Martin

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
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“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” – E.E. Cummings

This is the third interview in a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out.

I am so happy you are here and I can’t wait to share today’s guest as we unearth our superpowers from within.

Jamie Martin is a Life and Leadership Coach who helps women who have been going and going and going for so long that they feel like they've lost themselves. Working with Jamie, her clients end up giving themselves permission to put themselves first, creating a plan and going after their dreams.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Jamie, welcome to the podcast.

1:31 It really means being in the season you're in, right, really owning who you are, where you're at, and enjoying that for what it is instead of looking for the next season. So, a great example of that is being single and being comfortable with being single, you can still date you can still you know, potentially meet the man of your dreams or the woman of your dreams. But enjoying that moment. And being able to say this is this season, I will never get again. I will never have this opportunity again to live in this experience.

6:00 It's about still taking the actions towards what you are dreaming about what you want in life but letting go of how that actually transpires.

10:10 Definitely, definitely. And we don't open ourselves up to the other possibilities of what could show up in our world.

16:06 But I also learned that my passion for other things is contagious. And that I can bring light to something, and I can bring a flourishing that allows that passion to actually be beautiful for somebody else. So, it's really about looking at those uglier qualities that we think we have of ourselves and seeing, hey, this actually is beautiful.

27:35 I would say the biggest step is pause. Just keep pausing. So, you're having a conversation, before you answer, pause, you're in a meeting, you're about to walk into the meeting, pause, get into yourself, just long enough, that you are able to see where you're sitting physically, mentally, emotionally, right before entering the next moment. And it's such a small thing, split second. But just giving yourself that moment, allows you to create more awareness about who you are, and who you are showing up as without doing anything else.

You can find Jamie Martin at: Website Facebook Instagram

If you enjoyed this conversation with Jamie Martin you might also enjoy these other episodes. Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Living Life on Purpose with Stephanie Lora Bearce

Creativity and Asking the Question “What if?” with Heather Kraft

Aromatherapy Involves a Holistic Approach with Virginia Joy

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or

head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Leaving a rating and review helps to improve rankings in iTunes, it shows engagement which may

attract sponsors and is essential for the podcast to be discovered by new listeners + it would mean the world to me.

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to login.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
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Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs.” ~James Allen

This is the second interview in a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out where we talk about Journaling, Self-Awareness, Mindfulness, Forgiveness, Limiting beliefs, Creativity, Boundaries and Joy. We will use these topics as a springboard into a deeper self-care discussion.

I am super excited to dig deep with my guests and start building our self-care foundation brick by brick.

Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am delighted you are here and thanks for hanging out with me. I can’t wait to share today’s guest.

Stephanie Lora Bearce is The Anxiety & Empowerment Coach for entrepreneurs looking to make a big impact on the world. She left her “secure” Education career in 2018 for the adventure and freedom of entrepreneurship, and never looked back. Her mission is to help other entrepreneurs overcome anxiety and fear and step into their power to scale their business beyond their wildest dreams.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Stephanie, welcome to the podcast.

4:20 All of these double standards and ways that it's just really kept us as women from being able to feel free to embrace our fullest potential.

4:58 So your Inner Bad Bitch is that part of you that that's your inner truth, it's who you truly are connecting to that part of yourself that is unapologetic, free, excited about life, you know, pursues the relationships that feel good to her, she sets boundaries, which is so important.

7:14 I think that people when they think about personal growth and things, they imagine that it has to be this like giant realization, one after another and huge earth-shattering movements and things but like, really, the magic with growth and with transforming your life happens in the small moments and the baby steps that you take, just how do I move the needle forward? 1% for myself today, and that's how you build that foundation.

8:51 And becoming a curious observer is literally like bird watching your own life; quietly taking a step back. And just witnessing without that judgment and shame and self-pressure, that's all it is.

15:52 And, you know, the sexy side of self-care is those like pampering days, and all of that, but there's a not so sexy side of self-care, which is, you know, doing the dishes, and making sure that you're paying your bills, and all those things that we don't necessarily want to do, but help us live a more on purpose and in the moment life, because when we avoid that, like not so sexy side of things, it actually takes us out of the present.

You can find Stephanie Lora Bearce at: Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Stephanie Lora Bearce you might also enjoy these other episodes. Spiritual Business Coach and the Founder of The Soul Clean Company, Jessie Chiang

Self-care and Showing up in our Lives with Gina Bell

Gut and Hormone Nutritionist, Sheradyn Dekker

Creativity and Asking the Question “What if?” with Heather Kraft

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
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"Perhaps it is our imperfections that make us so perfect for one another." ~ Jane Austen

This is the first interview in a self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out where we talk about Journaling, Self-Awareness, Mindfulness, Forgiveness, Limiting beliefs, Creativity, Boundaries and Joy. We will use these topics as a springboard into a deeper self-care discussion.

I am super excited to dig deep with my guests and start building our self-care foundation brick by brick.

My intention is that women gain the self-confidence to express their best selves in all aspects of their lives - from the inside out.

Gina Bell is an empowerment guide, author, speaker, workshop host, and creator of The Tears & Tulle Movement. She is the author of a women’s empowerment picture book called Tears & Tulle. Gina uses art, metaphors, and rainbow tulle to help people all over the world remember their color. She loves eating batter straight from the mixing bowl on an old wooden spoon, playing board games with her family, and stealing her husband's comfy socks. She is busy these days writing Tears & Taffeta, the story of a boy and his ever-growing, multicolored cape. Gina lives outside of Chicago with her wonderful husband and is the mother of six amazing kids!

Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am delighted you are here and thanks for hanging out with me. Let’s get right to this amazing interview.

Gina, welcome to the podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:59 I think my biggest thought, like my deepest thought, with your question, is working on defining what the seasons mean to me and sort of respecting and loving those seasons that don't seem as bright or colorful as the others.

5:05 I was on a photo shoot in Orlando, Florida. I was on an abandoned overpass; I was in my bare feet. And someone had just gifted me this giant rainbow tulle fabric skirt. That was as big as I am. I had paired it with a black tank top, and I was standing out there on this overpass and I thought this really represents the dark and the color, the muddy, mucky parts of life and the beautiful colorful parts.

19:25 I know that how busy life can be and I think that the best example we can set for our children and our grandchildren and whoever it might be in our lives or you know an aunt or a mom or whoever we're setting an example for even if it's we had one Tears and Tulle participant that said: “even if it's for the younger self that's looking back at you in the mirror” like even if it's for that person like standing in our own color shows others, their inner color shows them that they can take a look for a moment at that earlier color that connects them to their magic and vulnerability and creativity.

20:32 My first one would be, anytime I speak on stage, or any time that I'm conducting workshops, I ask people what their Tears and Tulle moment is.

26:20 One of the most important things we can do as women is stand in our messes together. And I think that it helps us to love ourselves more when we feel like we're not so alone. Gosh, that was a long answer. But that's how I'm feeling.

You can find Gina Bell at: Website Facebook Connect If you enjoyed this conversation with Gina Bell might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
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“A busy, vibrant, goal-oriented woman is so much more attractive than a woman who waits around for a man to validate her existence.” ~ Mandy Hale

I am super excited to announce, June will begin the new self-care series called Life in Full Bloom: Living From the Inside Out where we talk about Journaling, Self-Awareness, Mindfulness, Forgiveness, Limiting beliefs, Creativity, Boundaries and Joy. We will use these topics as a springboard into a deeper self-care conversation and I hope you will be joining us!

Today, it’s time to roll out the red carpet for our special guest, Karenna Alexander.

Karenna Alexander is a dating coach whose specialty is helping women weed out time-wasters and find Mr. Right. She just released her first book A Women's Guide to Understanding Men: Dating Secrets Most Women Don't Know. She is based on the East Coast.

Welcome to the podcast Karenna.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 5:45 It's funny how when I switched into this career, I didn't think I was going to use my writing as much, but come to come to find out, I'm really connecting with readers through my writing, but it's through dating now, instead of criminal trials and legal trials.

6:41 I have this phrase, I say, men and women are equal, and we're equal in the boardroom, but not in the bedroom.

14:12 When I say courtship, it might not necessarily resonate exactly, they might just think, the 1950s but essentially what I mean are dating strategies, where you essentially are hard to get; you let him chase you. You let him make the move.

15:34 We all know guys drive for hours to go to football games with their friends, go to casinos with their friends, go to ski shares with their friends, go to football games, I might have said football games already. But it's just guys will do the drive for their friends. So, if they think you're special, they will do it for you. And they do.

17:52 And I do have some tips in my book for online dating. Because one of the big complaints is, oh, it's such a waste of time. And yeah, maybe it is in a way. It is like kneading wheat, going through a haystack looking for a needle, right? But when you find that needle Are you thrilled, and that's happened to a lot of my clients, they're on it for years, and then they find them, and then they're like, I'm so glad I stayed on what if I'd gotten off a year ago, I wouldn't have met the guy that is making me so happy right now.

32:28 The first thing that popped in my head, and it sounds almost corny, but just believe in yourself.

You can find Karenna Alexander at: Facebook Website Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Karenna Alexander might also enjoy these other episodes: Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and you’d like to help support the podcast, please share it with others, post about it on social media, or head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.

Creativity and Asking the Question “What if?” with Heather Kraft

Manifest True Love with Tracey-Anne Greenhow

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

Here's How to Leave a Review in iTunes From Your Phone 1. Launch the Apple Podcast app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the Search icon (on the bottom right) and search for “Exploring the Seasons of Life.”
Tap the album art.
Scroll down to Ratings & Reviews.
At the bottom of the page tap on “Write a Review”.
If you’re not already signed into iTunes, you will be asked to enter your iTunes password to log in.
You’ll then have the option to rate us on a scale of 1-5 stars, with 5 being the best. Tap the Stars to leave a rating.
Enter a review title and submit a brief honest review.
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Thanks again, Until next time live inspired!

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“A ruffled mind makes a restless pillow.” ~ Charlotte Brontë

Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Kelly Murray is a certified adult sleep coach and award-winning pediatric sleep consultant. She helps uber busy professionals, just like you, get the one thing that is holding you back from achieving ultimate world domination: consistent, lush, deep, sleep.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Welcome to the podcast Kelly.

4:55 Once I figured that out and addressed it my life completely changed. I was better rested. I had a ton more patience; I was enjoying motherhood again. And I saw the biggest change in my son, he was hitting his developmental milestones more quickly, and was just such a happier child, although he was really happy to begin with. So, I decided after that to become certified as a sleep consultant to help other moms in a similar situation.

7:31 We want to have a sleep sanctuary to sleep in and so many people do all those things, but they're still not seeing results. And to me, that's like a check engine light that's on your car. It's telling you that there's something off with your body physically.

9:33 I think there's always a mind-body component to anyone's insomnia. If they're experiencing chronic sleep issues. You know, it's normal to have a sleepless night here and there. If you're under abnormal stress, you know, say you have a tight deadline at work or you're waiting for some test results. Of course, that's going to impact your sleep. Because whenever we're stressed, our bodies produce cortisol, which is the alert hormone. And so the more cortisol you have in your system, the more alert you're going to be. And that's going to impact your sleep. So stress definitely plays a key role and insomnia.

15:33 So the first thing starts with your morning routine, I always recommend that my clients get out of their house and get outside for two to 10 minutes within an hour of waking up. Because what that does is it sends a signal to your brain that it's daytime.

19:13 And then after you take your bath or shower you do your hygiene. Then do something relaxing that you really enjoy. You know, such as reading a book or listening to a podcast or a book on tape, doing maybe some stretching, praying, meditating, and just find some time to like really unwind before you get into bed. And then don't get into bed until you're you feel like sleep is knocking you on the shoulder. Because you should feel like you're ready to fall asleep before you jump in your bed.

You can find Kelly Murray at: Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Kelly Murray might also enjoy these other episodes in the Stress Awareness series for April. 4 Tips to Handling Stress in a Healthy Way with Alisha Crothers

Spiritual Business Coach and the Founder of The Soul Clean Company, Jessie Chiang

Gut and Hormone Nutritionist, Sheradyn Dekker

Anxiety Coach and Imposter Syndrome Educator, Heather Rider

Women’s Brain Health and Neuro-Nutrition with Tonya Keane

Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, where you can subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify so you’ll never miss a show. While you’re at it, if you found value in this show we’d appreciate a rating on iTunes – or if you’d simply tell a friend about the show, that would help us out too.

Until next time live inspired!

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“If you can’t do a poem, you can do a line. And if you can’t do a line, you can do an image — and that pathway that leads you along, in fragments, becomes astonishingly valuable.” ~ Eavan Boland

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 58. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Tonya Keane.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Tonya Keane is a Nutritionist, Professional Chef and Functional Medicine Practitioner based in Ireland who specializes in Women’s brain health, with a big interest in the menopausal brain.

Tonya suffered severe neurological dysfunction at one time in her life, and so began the journey to reclaim her brain and out of this she founded The Women’s Brain Project a neuro-nutrition approach to preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Tonya, welcome to the podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:38 I think it's a real season, or a time to reflect, to look after yourself for once, to nurture yourself so that you can enter into the winter season, you know, with a lot of strength and a lot of stamina. People kind of look at winter as oh my God, that's a hard time but you know, I think as a season, we need to look at it like -- what can we do to make that winter really good?

7:16 I do think that women's brain health to some degree has been forgotten about, we tend to focus on, you know, from the neck down, we look after our bodies, you know, we go for breast checks, we go for a cervical smear test, but what are we doing about the brain? You know, where are we getting tested? Where are we getting checked as preventative medicine, we, as women tend to forget from the neck up that we have this brain that needs looking after it needs love, and care, and nurturing.

11:53 So what is the plan, and I sat there, and I sat there, and I was like, there's got to be a plan, you know, I've got to put something on paper, I've got to take some sort of control over this. And I wrote down nutrition.

15:15 So basically, neuro-nutrition is about nutrition for your brain. So, our brains require anything up to 45, different macro and micronutrients. And they can be very different from actually what the body requires.

33:53 I would say, enjoy it. Don't race ahead. Just you know, enjoy each and every moment of it. No need to push on. No need to rush into summer or into autumn because, you know, they're your favorites. There are wonderful things to be found in spring and winter, as well.

You can find Tonya Keane at:

Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Tonya Keane might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Leave the Frustrations of the Diet Culture Behind with Samantha Hohenshil

Creativity and Asking the Question “What if?” with Heather Kraft

Until next time live inspired!

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“The only way to stop feeling like an impostor is to stop thinking like an impostor.” ~ Valerie Young

Guest Introduction: I want to start the conversation today by saying thank you to all the amazing women that I have had on the show.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Heather Rider.

I am delighted you are here today -thanks for hanging out with me. Let’s get right to the interview.

Heather Rider is an anxiety coach and Imposter Syndrome educator who personally overcame high-functioning anxiety and Imposter Syndrome while working in a demanding Tech job. She works with clients from all over the world who want to take a nontraditional, holistic approach to healing anxiety.

Heather, Welcome to the podcast. I am so happy to have you today and to talk about anxiety and imposter syndrome.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:23 When I had imposter syndrome, I found myself in a job, completely overwhelmed by what I was doing. I had been out of technology for 10 years; I had been staying home intermittently with my girls and I had actually been living in another city for a while before I moved back to Austin. And so I moved back to Austin to get back into technology.

7:43 It holds people back because especially at work, because if somebody is feeling like, Who am I? Do I belong here? That means that they won't speak up in meetings, right? They won't share their ideas. They won't pursue new projects, because they think, well, who am I to do that? I don't know what I'm doing. And they're gonna figure out that I don't know what I'm doing. People won't seek out career advancements in their companies. So, I mean, it really, really limits people, which is why I had mentioned that I quickly realized that it was holding me back.

12:35 Imposter syndrome is very common among high-achieving people.

13:07 People who are highly accomplished, they tend to be perfectionist a lot of the time. And so what's underneath the imposter syndrome is perfectionism. It's limiting beliefs, right? It's like subconscious programming, about who we think we are and self-judgment statements.

24:50 One thing I would say regardless of whether it's stress or anxiety, a tip is looking at your life and seeing what you can do less of; people do too much. And that's part of why they're stressed out, right? They're taking on too many things.

You can find Heather Rider at: Website Facebook YouTube If you enjoyed this conversation with Heather Rider might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Spiritual Business Coach and the Founder of The Soul Clean Company, Jessie Chiang

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Thanks for joining us this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, where you can subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify so you’ll never miss a show. While you’re at it, if you found value in this show we’d appreciate a rating on iTunes – or if you’d simply tell a friend about the show, that would help us out too.

Until next time live inspired!

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“A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.” ~ Diane Mariechild

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 56. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Sheradyn Dekker.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Gut & Hormone Nutritionist, Sheradyn Dekker has a Sport Science Degree, Masters in Nutrition and Postgraduate studies in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition.

Having spent years battling chronic IBS, bloating, missing periods, adult acne & food intolerances, she now educates women 1:1 and in her group program (The Gut Hormone Solution) on how to address the underlying cause of these symptoms.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Sheradyn, Thank you for being a guest today.

There have been so many articles and studies lately about our gut that I really wanted to interview you as a Gut & Hormone Nutritionist. In the Wall Street Journal just a couple of weeks ago they said “The microbiome, or the collection of microbes that live on and inside the human body, plays a crucial role in physical and mental health. Not only does it protect against pathogens, it also trains the immune system, instructs the metabolism and helps program the brain, among other things.” So I really want us to touch on that today.

2:52 So a bit of my background was when I was chronically sick for six years, which is why I now do what I do. And that real hard season of my life, I was really stressed. I had a lot of constipation and a lot of bloating issues, a lot of stomach pain, I struggled with a lot of stress and anxiety. I had a lot of hormonal imbalances. I didn't have periods for six years.

6:44 And the only solution was the birth control pill. And I just thought, that's not good enough. Like that's, that's not a solution for a 20-year-old who's got missing periods and got severe gut pain, like there's got to be something more. So then when I did Functional Diagnostic nutrition, we actually started looking at stool testing, what was going on with the gut, what was going on with the hormones that comprehensive urine testing. And from that point, I finally for the first time, I started to get some answers.

15:48 Yes, so one of the biggest things I always tell my clients for stress reduction around food, because this is a big one, is that if we're not taking the time to eat, and chew and absorb our food properly, you're causing this internal stress within your gut, because your gut needs to know that, hey, right now, we're sitting, okay, we're sitting, we're eating, we're digesting, you can't eat on the go and expect your body to be able to digest as well.

Resources Mentioned: Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome by Will Bulsiewicz MD

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can find Sheradyn Dekker at: Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Sheradyn Dekker might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Thanks for joining us this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I loved this conversation with Sheradyn about how the gut is the cornerstone to EVERY other interaction in our body. I have included 3 podcast episodes in the show notes from ‎Empowered Hormones with Sheradyn Dekker.

Episode 3 - Why IBS is a BS Diagnosis

https://omny.fm/shows/empowered-hormones-with-sheradyn-dekker/why-ibs-is-a-bs-diagnosis-and-how-to-get-a-real-di

Episode 9 -Stool Testing & Root Cause

https://omny.fm/shows/empowered-hormones-with-sheradyn-dekker/ibs-bloating-part-3-root-cause-stool-testing-wit-1

Episode 12 Bloating & prebiotics:

https://omny.fm/shows/empowered-hormones-with-sheradyn-dekker/bday-special-ibs-bloating-my-personal-struggle-wit

Until next time live inspired!

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"From beginning to end, the rituals of our lives shape each hour, day, and year. . . If you understand them, you may enrich them. In this way the habits of a lifetime become sacred." ~ Robert Fulghum

Guest Introduction: You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is episode 55. I’m Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Jessie Chiang.

Jessie Chiang is a Spiritual Business Coach, known for her inspiring stories and her connection to the Angelic realm, is a certified Empowerment Coach and graduated with a BA in Psychology. She specializes in coaching highly sensitive entrepreneurs to use their innate gifts, align to their soul mission and achieve results fast with intuition and energy work. Jessie is also the Founder of the Soul Clean Co., an online business that sells energetic cleansing bath and body products. When not on Zoom coaching her clients, she loves going outdoors with her son and her high school sweetheart in sunny Southern California where she calls home.

Jessie, Welcome to the podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 1:53 I really think that my business is very highly integrated with my personal life anyway. So with the seasons of life, I feel that we go through this ebb and flow all the time, as always is going inward and outward. There's always the Yin and Yang, there's the time when you stay at home and you know, you're more into thinking about things ruminating about things. And then there are times when you really launch your ideas as you go out and network. So it's recognizing that kind of ebb and flow.

6:45 That’s a great question because I get that a lot. So, here's a few things that help you to find, which is your intuition, which is your ego, your intuition is usually very positive, it is usually a very positive message where it says you're beautiful or go for a walk, you know, something that's more happy, peaceful. And then your ego is a lot, usually more negative.

13:37 Well, there are also many ways to find whether we're in alignment, you will feel like when you're in alignment with your business, it almost like you're in the flow with the river of your mission, you'll start to see that you are connected with the right people at the right time, the right type of clients will come to you. You don't feel like you have to hustle a lot.

You can find Jessie Chiang at: Website Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Jessie Chiang might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Until next time live inspired!

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“You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.”

~ Brene Brown

Guest Introduction: You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is a Bonus episode for Stress Awareness Month. I’m Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Alisha Crothers.

Alisha is a wife, mother of three, and health and wellness entrepreneur with a focus in the connection between gut health and mental health.

She has a passion for teaching about the connection between health and happiness, specifically our ability to optimize our lives and live up to our full potential through optimizing the way our body and mind work together. Alisha strives to free people from their own limiting beliefs and empower them to take control of their life.

Welcome to the podcast Alisha.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:52 There was just this long period of time, where it wasn't really about me. And when it's not about you, you don't notice a lot of what's going on in your body or your habits or really anything, I was very unaware of what was going on with me as a whole as a person.

8:02 One of the first things that I want to say about that, I just kind of came to as we were talking here is that I realized that I've come to a point where when I'm feeling stressed, I try and take a step back and think for a second. Is this really that stressful? Or could I reframe this in my mind and maybe call it excitement; because your body reacts to excitement and stress the same way.

10:55 And I never thought about how that affected me. But every single thing that you take into your body is going to affect the way you deal with stress. So, I personally took TV out of my daily life.

15:55 My opinion is that people really really need to understand that everything is connected and that they can make one decision that is going to influence their ability to make another good decision which will influence their ability to make another good decision.

You can find Alisha Crothers at: Instagram Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Alisha Crothers might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Millie Grenough, Founder of the Oasis in the Overwhelm

Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Thanks for joining us this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thanks for joining us this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I loved everything about this conversation with Alisha and especially her tips to handle stress in a healthy way.

I've been working behind the scenes to make 2021 a year of growth and ease by stepping outside of my comfort zone.

I partnered with a company that is all about targeting mental wellness through the body’s three brains - The Gut-Brain-Heart Axis. I would love for you to come along on this journey with me as I dig deep into learning about the Gut-Brain-Heart Axis. In my journey so far I am brighter and focused, like the fog has lifted. "Brain fog" can make you feel like you're sleepwalking through life and with hypothyroidism it's a very real thing. I felt tired, had difficulty focusing, forgetful, and had a hazy thought process.

I highly recommend you go to CynthiaMacMillan.com to check out the show notes where I will link to the Mental Health Wellness assessment and a $10.00 off coupon to help start reducing your stress, regaining focus and becoming more resilient in your daily life!

Yes, I want the Mental Health Wellness Assessment.

Contact me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com to help you get started.

Until next time live inspired!

Affiliate Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links. This means if you click on the links, including in the show notes, and purchase the item, I will receive a commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

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“The answer to ‘I have no idea how I am going to get through this’ is: you allow yourself to sob, to heave, to feel as if your heart has a boulder crashing through it.” ~ Geneen Roth, Women Food And God: An Unexpected Path To Almost Everything

Guest Introduction: You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is episode 54. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Samantha Hohenshil.

Samantha Hohenshil is a Non-Diet Nutritional Therapist and Master Mindset Coach empowering women to break free from the diet mentality and heal their relationships with food and their bodies.

After spending nearly two decades stuck in the restrict/binge diet cycle, Samantha has dedicated her life to debunking many popular Diet Culture and weight loss myths, while simultaneously promoting body positivity, gentle plant-based nutrition, and holistic lifestyle habits.

Her refreshing non-diet philosophy (which is rooted in evolutionary science, behavioral psychology, and the principles of Health at Every Size®) approaches health and wellness through sustainable acts of self-care, rather than extreme acts of self-control.

Welcome to the podcast Samantha.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:08 I love the whole premise of your podcast because I think that it's really important that we recognize that life does go through seasons and go through changes, right? I talked about this with my clients all the time, the seasons of your body and the changes of your body. We have to understand that as we go through life, and we learn new things, and we have new experiences; it's about being fluid and able to kind of roll with the punches and be your best self throughout each stage in life. So yeah, I'm really excited to dig into this with you.

4:48 You mentioned, Twiggy, we get a lot of pressures from society and the modeling world the fashion world especially, which is ever-evolving but always seems to, you know, showcase one particular body type over another. The influences are so huge, and they do typically happen at a very, very young age.

5:17 Intuitive eating is a way of reconnecting with your body's innate hunger and fullness cues and eating based on intuition versus intellect.

6:55 Intuitive eating is about reconnecting with those signals honoring not only your hunger and fullness but your preferences around taste, texture, types of foods you're eating, you know, we forget a lot of times that food is meant to be enjoyed. And eating is supposed to be a pleasurable experience. The damage of dieting and the repetitiveness of all of the drama that happens with dieting kind of takes that joy away.

11:17 Someone who is constantly self-loathing, constantly comparing constantly, you know, picking at little things about themselves, their body image is going to be terrible compared to someone who is celebrating the things about themselves, they really love and they really appreciate.

35:04 So I talk about all this in my program and for your listeners, I'm going to be offering a very special promotion. If you DM me on social media or email me the word SEASONS, I will give you the first content module of my program completely for free. So you'll get to learn all about diet culture and how it's negatively affecting you. And you'll also get a 30-minute conversation with me to kind of implement those changes as well. All for free. So feel free to reach out, I'd love to talk to you,

35:57 If I could tell my 18-year-old self that I would be here, I would just be like, you know what, sign up for the ride, get ready for the ride. Because this season for me, it's such about regrowth and rebirth. You know, the whole reason that I've just launched this brand-new program is that I lost my job due to COVID last year, my corporate job.

You can find Samantha Hohenshil at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Samantha Hohenshil might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

Until next time live inspired!

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“You may choose to look the other way, but you can never again say you did not know.” ~ William Wilberforce

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 53. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Sariah Hastings.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening today and you are in for a heartfelt conversation.

Sariah Hastings is a survivor of human trafficking in the United States. After twenty years of entrapment in “The Game” running from the constant threat of a dangerous world, Christ snatched her from death’s door and carried her to freedom.

She has been free from prostitution and abuse for almost ten years. Hastings has since earned an Associate degree in Bible and Theology, is a published author of “No More Games,” works in the medical field, and help women who are trapped in human trafficking get freed from it.

Welcome to the podcast Sariah.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: Our conversation today is going to be about your journey with Human Trafficking.

I am going to start off with a definition of What Is Human Trafficking from the Department of Homeland Security.

“Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.”

After 20 years - Is that how you define human trafficking?

2:56 I think the biggest part of the definition that they don't put in there is women, children and men who have low self-esteem, people who are struggling with depression, or struggling with their weight or struggling with how they look, whatever they may be, their low self-esteem is the major key factor in human trafficking.

13:53 There's a scripture that says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” What would you speak over your child? You can either speak life into them, or you could speak death into them. If you're constantly speaking negative over them. Oh, you're stupid. Oh, you're not able to do this. Oh, you're dumb. Why didn't you think about this? Why didn't you do that? When you start speaking, like so negative than they, they didn't think that they are that person and then they become an adult. That's a very negative person.

19:06 My story is completely different from the next survivor. We all have our own stories, we all have our, our own traumatic experiences, you know, for me, you can't pay me enough to get in the bathtub. Because of the trauma that happened to me.

32:38 If I needed clothes, I would have to ask them you know, you know, Daddy, can I get those? Always daddy always starts with Daddy, Daddy can I get?

37:40 Every state is a hot spot. But the prime places would be like California is a prime place. You know, you have all of California you could be down in southern California to central California all the way up to the Sacramento area. So, it's all of California, you have Vegas, as a hotspot. You have Houston, Dallas, is a hotspot Atlanta is a hotspot. You have Tennessee, North Carolina, New York, Boston, New Jersey, Philadelphia are all hotspots.

Resources Mentioned:

No More Games

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can find Sariah Hastings at: Facebook Instagram If you enjoyed this conversation with Sariah Hastings you might also enjoy these other episodes: Paris, Self-love and Mindset with Sharri Harmel

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

Reimagining the Possible with Cancer Coach, Marisa Harris

Until next time live inspired!

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“Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart truly desires must come to you.” ~ Shakti Gawain

Guest Introduction: You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is episode 52. I’m Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Trisha Schmalhofer.

My guest this episode is a return guest; she was in fact my very first guest on the podcast and that episode was released a little over a year ago on February 8, 2020.

Trisha Schmalhofer is a Whisperer of the Body, Alchemist of the Soul, and Channel for Divine Wisdom. She believes the best possible way to heal on all levels and assist you in finding your true path is by blending Science and Spirit with modern and ancient techniques. She is an Integrative Therapist, Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, Retreat & Workshop Teacher, and Inspirational Speaker.

Trisha, welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:08 Yes, the seasons of life. I love that name because that is what it's like we are riding cycles, riding waves of cycles of potentiality and influence and in 2020 there were quite a few waves of change that affected us as individuals, as communities, as a country, and as a planet.

5:22 We have a lot of metaphysical stuff because a lot of us are spiritual people. We are badasses, alchemists, and mystics, that's what BAM stands for. Hope I can say that on your show. But that's in all areas of life. I mean, it could be police officers, it could be people that do adventure stuff, you know, out camping and bicycling it also is people that do spiritual readings. We have therapists, we have coaches, we have yoga teachers, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong teachers.

30:52 But meditation and finding your intuitive center, it's different places on different people. Sometimes it's in the gut, sometimes it's a little lower in like the lower abdomen. Sometimes it's in the heart, it could be somewhere else on your body, and it could move around as you grow and change.

31:28 The second tip is to actually have a list of yes or no questions that once you get to that space, the tip before that would be exploring what yes is like in your body. In your energy. Maybe you see something? Maybe you feel something? And what's No, and just start exploring with that.

34:49 My business is MedHealers and it's about finding your own medicine because we all need different medicines, right? And it's medhealers.com and the Bam community website is bamcommunity11.com and yeah, I really encourage people to go to bamcommunity11.com.

You can find Trisha Schmalhofer at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Trisha Schmalhofer might also enjoy these other episodes: You are Already Good Enough with Dr. Linda Buchanan

Millie Grenough, Founder of the Oasis in the Overwhelm

Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Time is Your Life with Becca Rich

Until next time live inspired!

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You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is episode 51.

I’m your host Cindy MacMillan. I am a Certified Integrative Coach, a Certified Spiritual Divorce Coach, as well as a From Grief to Gratitude Certified Coach. In other words…

I have a passion for understanding what makes people tick, I love meaningful conversations and I support busy women just like you process grief (in all its forms). I have 2 quotes that feel really good to me today as I record.

The first one is: “People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of a thing.” ~ Epictetus

And the second one is: “When a woman finally learns that pleasing the world is impossible, she becomes free to learn how to please herself.” ~ Glennon Doyle

Oh wow that one just put cold chill bumps on me.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and Celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Here’s a glimpse of my conversation: It’s hard to believe that this is episode 51 and my first time going solo. I believe it was in episode 37 that Sharri Harmel encouraged me to do a solo show; so here I am. …Today I am going to talk about the podcast and a slight pivot in the content and why I am making this change. We are going into Spring soon. Can you feel it? I can.

Spring is a time of setting new intentions and for planting new seeds in your life. I’m ready to make a fresh start. In 2021, I am going to focus more on health and wellness and specifically mental wellness. What does that look like to me? I am still going to interview coaches and folks who are on a spiritual journey, but I am also going to delve deeper into mental wellness; seriously 2020 was a difficult year and mental wellness is the key to overall health and happiness.

I had a light bulb moment – it’s my journey with Hashimoto's, including the weight gain, fatigue, feeling blah and the - I can’t remember anything - brain fog PLUS the topics I naturally love to talk about (it all revolved around mental wellness) so I decided those topics needed more emphasis; a lot more emphasis on the podcast.

I will be talking about my mental wellness journey from time to time on the podcast and how I am taking care of my gut, brain and heart. In fact, I will add a link to a couple of products that I am taking right now to combat the foggy brain that I mentioned earlier.

Also, in the show notes, I will add a link to a complimentary $10.00 coupon.

If you want to feel good and function at your best, get help—or at least welcome it when it’s offered.

I invite you to take the Mental Health Wellness quiz and see where you are.

It all starts with that first step. Contact Cindy to help you get started. Come along on this journey with me! Thanks for listening to my first solo episode.

You can find Cindy MacMillan at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Cindy MacMillan you might also enjoy these other episodes: Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

When We Shut Down on Grief We Shut Down on Life With Jasmin Jenkins

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

You’ve been listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life.

If you haven’t already, please give us a quick review and rating on iTunes, and don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or to ask a question simply e-mail me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Affiliate Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links, which means Cindy may receive a percentage of some products or services you purchase using the links in the show notes.

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“Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Guest Introduction: You’re listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is episode 50. I’m Cindy MacMillan and I’m joined today by Debbie Leoni.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Debbie Leoni, owner of Being Fearless Coaching, is an author, trainer and coach. She lives her passion daily by teaching and coaching others to shift their fear into fearlessness. Debbie has been trained by world leaders such as Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford and Marianne Williamson, and she is dedicated to supporting her clients towards letting go of mediocrity and stepping into the highest version of themselves.

Debbie welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:45 Many years ago, when I was in a low point in my life, I knew I needed and wanted something different. I started reading books, particularly the first book that really was a catalyst was Debbie Ford's book, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers. I read that and it just so resonated with me.

5:27 One day it dawned on me that what's in the way of me being where I want to be. It's fear-based, it's thoughts, it's fear, it's in the head, it's all made up.

8:22 I have a son who is now 34 years old. But when he was 12 years old, he started using, you know, he's an addict. He did every drug in the world. There were many nights that I lie awake, wondering if he was alive. It was horrible, traumatic, fearful. What parent wouldn't be? I was so afraid that he was going to die. I was living in my fear, fear-based beliefs, and what else can I do and it so much that I mean, I went into depression and high anxiety and I knew I had to do something different.

11:28 Well, the first step is to be looking too many parents are not willing to look, they don't want to go there because of fear of or they, you know, they have this mindset, oh, not my kid, my kids fine.

15:53 So I teach women to nurture themselves - at least - as much as they nurture everyone else.

You can find Debbie Leoni at: Website LinkedIn If you enjoyed this conversation with Debbie Leoni you might also enjoy these other episodes: Paris, Self-love and Mindset with Sharri Harmel

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

Reimagining the Possible with Cancer Coach, Marisa Harris

Until next time live inspired!

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“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” ~ Viktor E. Frankl

Guest Introduction: You’re listening to the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and this is episode 49. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Dr. Linda Buchanan.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Dr. Linda Buchanan is a psychologist who has practiced psychotherapy for over 30 years. Additionally, she's been practicing as a wife for 37 years and mother of two boys for over 23 years. She says she is practicing because there's always room for growth. Dr. Buchanan published her first book in 2019 and has published three self-help workbooks in 2020 (her pandemic projects).

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:50 So there's been a lot of space, to think about what I want to do with myself going forward and some of that is to be determined. But one part that I have found I really enjoy is writing and I have a couple of blogs, one for therapists and one for just the general population. I've written a book and have found that to be really rewarding and gardening. You know, it's just kind of exciting to be in a time of life where everything's not determined.

5:45 Many, many factors, I do think that some of it goes all the way back to childhood where I would try to be the peacemaker. And so when there are two sides - to anything - to any argument between people, or even when we're torn on the inside, a lot of times the wisdom is somewhere in between

6:33 So my attempts at helping were laced with anxiety because sometimes I would be the one that …they would end up getting mad at me because they thought I was taking the other person's side when I was just trying to pull people together.

7:27 That is when I became fascinated with the reasons why we don't change, which I kind of began to conceptualize through the lens of ambivalence. And ambivalence is just when you have two different feelings about the same thing at the same time, which is normal and healthy. It's because we have complicated brains. And we can, you know, look at things from different angles, but we can also get stuck in it.

10:52 So I asked people to really pay attention to the nature of their thoughts and the tone of their thoughts, believe it or not, we do speak to ourselves with certain tones. It can be kind, or it can be a critical tone, and then and then see if that can shift to a more effective way of talking to ourselves and be in a relationship with ourselves.

22:21 So for instance, it's better to know where the bear lives than where the daffodils grow. If you're walking in the woods, and you see a bear, it's going to light up your brain. And you're going to remember everything about that situation. But if you're walking in the woods, and you see some pretty flowers, you may or may not even remember where they were.

The best way to get in touch with me is through my website. And it's www.lindapaulkbuchanan.com/ and there's a contact form, you can email me through my website. I've got all kinds of free things under the free resources tab. And then I've got other products that I sell my books and my workbooks, and just lots of free webinars. So I sure hope you'll check it out.

Resources Mentioned: The Gap and The Gain Hardcover by Dan Sullivan (Author), Benjamin Dr. Hardy (Author)

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can find Dr. Linda Buchanan at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Heather Kraft you might also enjoy these other episodes: Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Anyone can Create with Karina Hines

Creativity and Asking the Question “What if?” with Heather Kraft

Until next time live inspired!

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“So this, I believe, is the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 47. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Heather Kraft.

Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life.

Heather Kraft is a glass artist turned fine china jewelry designer. In 2009, she started Material and Movement, a practice that takes fine china and repurposes it into jewelry for the conscious world. She hopes she can give relevant purpose to otherwise forgotten, outdated objects. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 1:32 And I think for me, the way I think about seasons is in terms of our energy and the way we spend our days. So for me Spring, kind of means awakening or change, the energy is building, Summer is high energy, movement, full of life, Fall, would be reflection and slowing down, and Winter would be rest.

3:50 I grew up always making art and building things. I'm more of a sculptor and a 3D person rather than a drawer or a painter. I found glassblowing when I was a teenager, and I just fell in love with it. So many people are drawn to it because it's very exotic.

6:24 I didn't have a lot of other things going on in my life and I started scouring Goodwill's for plates and was just hammering away in my apartment. And then I, you know, started refining the shapes more and just growing this new idea.

9:36 That's always kind of like a puzzle to me, that's really intriguing.

11:56 But when I was thinking about this question, I just was coming up with the idea that keeping my creative practice a priority, no matter what my life looks like.

13:46 So people will come to me with china that they've inherited or have somehow ended up with, they're not super excited about using it at their dinner table or even displaying it, but it's that feeling of well, this is you know, been in my family, or this is important to me, I just can't get rid of it.

17:19 My goals this year, well, I guess for my business is really trying to expose my work and the service I offer to more people, I did start this business in 2009. But really, it was a hobby for many years.

26:33 But I think I would tell her to, you know, go a little bit more with the flow and keep a wider perspective on life. I think that would have probably created a little bit more adventure for her too.

You can find Heather Kraft at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Heather Kraft you might also enjoy these other episodes: Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

Anyone can Create with Karina Hines

Millie Grenough, Founder of the Oasis in the Overwhelm

Until next time live inspired!

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“Self-care is not an indulgence. Self-care is a discipline. It requires tough-mindedness, a deep and personal understanding of your priorities, and a respect for both yourself and the people you choose to spend your life with.” ~ Tami Forman

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 46. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Melissa Wright.

I am delighted to introduce my guest to you.

Melissa Wright is a Transformational Coach that helps people with life transitions, stress management and personal development. She helps clients to tap into their own wisdom, essentially guiding them to create their own solutions. By focusing on a way that honors who we are at our core, we create space for us to grow into our authentic self. Melissa holds a degree in psychology and started her coaching business in 2018. Today Melissa offers different packages for individual coaching, creates personal development YouTube videos and runs two Meetup groups. She is also in the process of writing a book on forgiveness, which is expected to be published by March 2021. To contact Melissa, please visit her website at www.yourlifetimecoach.com.

Welcome to the podcast, Melissa.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 1:53 You know, I feel like right now I'm kind of I'm in the season of summer, it's starting to come. But a while back, I went through fall and winter. And I sat in winter for quite some time. It's amazing how sometimes we can get stuck in a season. And I know being stuck in the winter had a lot to do with the fact that I was having a difficult time getting clarity, like kind of figure out my next steps to spring.

3:21 So the first thing I would say is to take baby steps.

6:53 So if we look at self-care, that's how we take care of ourselves mentally, emotionally, and physically. It's the activities we do to keep ourselves healthy and balanced. But if we look at self-love, it's self-acceptance. Meaning that we love ourselves and appreciate what makes us special.

9:38 Because of a lot of times, you know, we want to say yes to everything and help everyone. But then when we keep saying yes, we don't say no, we don't leave that space for us to be able to do what we need to do. We may forego some of our self-care or other things, to be able to do something for someone else.

19:19 Okay, so right now, I feel like I'm more in the summer, and feeling pretty awesome about the things coming into my life. But I would tell my 18-year-old self to be patient with the seasons that come like before this time because when I was in that, I felt like it would last forever.

Resources Mentioned: Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Until next time live inspired!

You can find Melissa Wright at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Melissa Wright you might also enjoy these other episodes: Anxiety and Wholeness with Jennifer Kremer

Millie Grenough, Founder of the Oasis in the Overwhelm

Find Your Voice and Feel Your Best with Sally Bolinger

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We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity. ~ Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 45. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Becca Rich.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening today. You are in for a special treat.

Becca Rich is the Holistic Time Management Coach at theholistictimecoach.com. She helps heart-centered womxn solopreneurs and small business owners leverage their time and energy so they can work less and intentionally reach their business and life goals without exploiting themselves.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 4:22 So really, like the bulk of my business was created in my car at lunch, I would schedule calls with folks, just during the lunch hour. It was just hilarious, like meeting everybody in my car for about a year until I like finally kind of got my wheels turning enough to like, know what I was doing.

10:44 And yet, I stopped myself and went to the beach, I literally basically forced myself because I was like, when I go to the beach, or when I rest or when I do the things that bring me joy. You know, that's when things happen.

13:04 We have 24 hours. And so, one of my, you know, tangible favorite exercises that you can do literally right now is to write down everything. What is everything to you, first and foremost? You know, what would make it..what would finally feel like enough?

17:38 And so the best thing you can do for yourself is to use a calendar.

17:56 So it helps your brain understand time and create meaning to it in your own life. It's not just like appointments and calendars. It is like literally what do you want to spend your time on? And time is your life, right?

18:28 But there is a way to make your calendar intentional, personal, spiritual, like whatever values you're looking for in your calendar, to visually see time - to be intentional with your life.

21:16 You know, as I said, one of the biggest things is to visualize time and create meaning, create your own personal meaning of time. And so I think that that is, has been a huge lesson is allowing time to breathe and to be its own thing and work with it.

Until next time live inspired!

Resources Mentioned: The Alchemist, 25th Anniversary: A Fable About Following Your Dream

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can find Becca Rich at: Website Facebook If you enjoyed this conversation with Becca Rich you might also enjoy these other episodes: Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

From Software Engineer to Clinical Hypnotherapist with Lori Burke

Anxiety and Wholeness with Jennifer Kremer

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“The earth laughs in flowers.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 44. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Virginia Joy.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Virginia Joy is originally from New York. Born in Brooklyn and she knew as a kid she always wanted to help people. Virginia Joy’s interest in Aromatherapy began over 20 years ago…as many who seek alternative therapies. She began using essential oils for common ailments: headaches, colds and flu, and then found herself reaching for essential oils for many other issues in particular - addressing the emotions. This was back in 1983, and there really weren’t many resources to buy essential oils at all.

In 2010 Stillpoint Aromatics was formally birthed. At Stillpoint Aromatics, she sources and imports over 400 essential oils and extracts! All of Stillpoint's oils are either certified organic, wild-harvested, unsprayed, biodynamically farmed with the rhythms of the earth and or vintage.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 4:35 You know, it really was. It was really an organic journey and looking back, I think those journeys, the unplanned ones are the most rewarding and the most expansive.

6:15 It's a great question and there's a lot of confusion because essential oils are not flower essences and vice versa.

11:17 So even if somebody has, let's say, a back issue, there will always be a pain blend, so to speak for the back. But there's always another reason why that back is flaring. And that's where aromatherapy can add such a different dimension working on the psyche and on those patterns that cause the physical issue.

15:24 But for just grief in general, Melissa (Melissa officinalis) it's also lemon balm is one of the premier oils for shock and trauma. I have a psychiatrist friend that uses Melissa - keeps a couple of drops on a cotton ball in a plastic bag in his office - for when his patients either disassociate or are having a lot of trouble - to breathe that.

16:43 But people say what's your favorite oil? I have to tell you, that the aromas that help shift me are Coppertone or Chinese food. And that's because it reminds me of my mother.

23:00 So in the Metaphysics of Essential Oils class, we do a lot of work on applying the essential oils to the chakras, and to the energetic body, and also how the chakras and energetic body ties into the different physical ailments that we could have. And we also go deeply into the folklore and the history of how the ancients use those plants and trees.

27:52 My website is www.stillpointaromatics.com. I have a couple of Facebook pages: Stillpoint Aromatics, and I also admin, the Ethical Aromatherapy, and my metaphysical one is called the Stillpoint Mystery School, and that's on Facebook. I think it's Stillpoint Aroma on Twitter and then you could also just if you want to just text me, you could just text me directly. It's 928-301-8699. And so that way you could bypass the store.

Thanks for joining us this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, where you can subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify so you’ll never miss a show. While you’re at it, if you found value in this show we’d appreciate a rating on iTunes – or if you’d simply tell a friend about the show, that would help us out too.

Until next time live inspired!

Resources Mentioned: Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype

Untie the Strong Woman: Blessed Mother's Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough"

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can find Virginia Joy at: Website If you enjoyed this conversation with Virginia Joy you might also enjoy these other episodes: Crystals 101 with Angie Clark

Human Design with Clare Marie Edgeman

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“We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” ― Jimmy Carter

Guest Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 43. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Karina Hines.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

This is a really special episode and I am delighted to introduce my guest to you.

Creativity has been there to support Karina thru many difficult times and transitions in her life. She was born in El Salvador and brought to the US when she was 15 years old, she didn’t speak English and the US seemed like an entirely different universe than the one she had lived in for the first 15 years of her life.

Karina never takes for granted the opportunity to be here, even though she didn’t have the same opportunities as her fellow Americans she knew she had been given an opportunity and her parents sacrificed everything to allow her to follow her dreams.

Her online art gallery opened its doors to showcase the first Purposeful Dreamers for the Purposeful Dreamer Experience and their artwork. They pushed their creative boundaries with a purpose. For every piece they sell, 10% of profits will be donated to a charity close to each of us. They have also shared their creative experience and inspiration to open the doors to other purposeful dreamers in the near future.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 5:31 I became a citizen two to three years ago now. And, you know, that was a crazy journey of itself; it was such a scary process and there are so many stories through that immigration process itself and to become a citizen in that day, and I felt like, my world is like unstoppable now, because I'm a citizen.

7:27 I should say I think so much back into my life and I think a lot of like this, like, a seven, eight-year-old, Salvadorian kid, you know, that, like I wouldn't have envisioned, being in the United States, you know, you would see the United States in the movies and New York and like, all these things, It just seems like another universe.

11:58 And I remember I was like, listening to JLo, "Jenny from the Block", and like Shakira to help me learn English.

15:26 I had been in the US at that time, probably for six or seven years, maybe, you know, I had learned the language, but I had just graduated high school, and I was not in a healthy relationship, at that point, and it was, I think another big moment where I was trying to find myself, you know, who my friends were because I feel like when your first language is not English for a long time, like, it's hard to fully relate to different cultures.

27:06 For me, creativity is self-exploring and self-expression, it's, like, fulfilling that part of you, you know, like, we all have in us, and creativity can be in so many ways, too.

29:07 Oh, my gosh, that's such a good question. Because like I was telling you, we all are like our own worst critics. So I think the first thing is shifting your mentality about it, you know, to me, it's about having fun.

33:00 And then the next thing would be just set your boundaries. You know, like, that's so important because we are all on our own journeys. And sometimes it's easy to get caught in everybody else's journey.

36:44 And I feel like if I just told myself, you know, when I was graduating high school, it's going to be okay, like, you don't have to have a degree and you're gonna be successful, like, it's gonna be okay.

Thanks for joining us this week on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast.

Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, where you can subscribe to the show in iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify so you’ll never miss a show. While you’re at it, if you found value in this show we’d appreciate a rating on iTunes – or if you’d simply tell a friend about the show, that would help us out too.

Until next time live inspired!

Resources Mentioned: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain: The Definitive, 4th Edition

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

You can find Karina Hines at: Website If you enjoyed this conversation with Karina Hines you might also enjoy these other episodes: Believing I'm Worthy with Deborah LeeAnn

Life Coach & Intercultural Trainer, Yuko Deneuville

Lawyer to Seminary with Julia Baginski

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“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.” — Keith Ferrazzi

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 42. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Kathy Parks.

Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome back to the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and thank you for being here. This is a really special episode and I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today.

Kathy has spent the last 30 years working in Corporate North America for one of the top 10 most admired companies in the world. She has extensive experience in Sales Leadership, Planning & Training as well as developing, mentoring and coaching front line employees into leadership roles.

Since creating her Executive Coaching business, Kathy has worked with small business owners, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, leaders at all levels of an organization, and especially women seeking to expand their career and pay aspirations.

Most recently, Kathy has been doing her best to help as many people as possible who have lost their jobs, to help jumpstart their job and career search.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:04 Yeah, that's a great question, Cindy, because you don't really realize when you're young, that there are so many different seasons in your life.

5:11 I was fortunate to be able to take advantage of some really great sort of cutting-edge leadership experience. And I had a lot of different teams in my career. And we were always very successful and it became more and more obvious to me what helps them be successful. And that was really sort of a good leader, helping them grow and learn and have good mentorship and having helped with their career and the work. So that was really the heart of my job that I loved the most was really to help my employees with their professional development, their career progression, and really be just more successful businesspeople.

7:59 I think the most important place to start with any job search, even if you still have a job that you want to pivot or you're thinking that you're not that happy. And what you're doing is to really take the opportunity and figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. It's kind of that “What do I do when I grow up?” thing that we're I think we're always asking ourselves no matter what season we're in. And so the question of, you know, are you happy with your career path with your profession?

12:45 Yeah, being prepared, practicing, having someone to practice with, practice in a mirror creating some, you know, understanding, again, back to understanding the value you bring to the table and what makes you unique, why are you going to be the best person for the job?

24:25 So first of all, to really try and enjoy each season for what it is and for what it's giving you in what you're learning and what you're experiencing. But also, that as you get older into sort of the later seasons – especially after retiring – it is not the end of your life. You're not so old that you can't enjoy, and you can't still learn, and you can't still be productive and also add value because you've been through all sorts of experiences that are of real value to people. So, it's just like the best is yet to come.

Resources Mentioned: Harvard Business Review

Women at Work

Race at Work

You can find Kathy Parks at: Website Email If you enjoyed this conversation with Kathy Parks, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

Menopause is a New Beginning with Lorraine Miano

From Software Engineer to Clinical Hypnotherapist with Lori Burke

Anxiety and Wholeness with Jennifer Kremer

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“Once upon a time, when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy. The birds still remember what we have forgotten, that the world is meant to be celebrated.” ~ Terry Tempest Williams

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 41. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Millie Grenough.

Millie Grenough is known for her ability to inspire people to do what they thought was impossible. She has taught non-singers to sing, non-swimmers to swim, Type A folks to work smarter, frazzled folks to find calm. Millie walks her talk: an ex-shy Kentuckian turned international trainer, ex-nun turned nightclub singer, she loves to help people shine their unique light and share it with the world.

A wife, stepmom, grandmom, professional coach, and Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine, Millie created Oasis in the Overwhelm™ after a near-death accident forced her to face the frantic pace of her own life.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 5:00 Well, it wasn't an overnight change by any means and each of the decisions along the way kind of leads into something that brings us to the next place. So, when I was growing up in a very Catholic family, I think the question in our family was always, what's the best thing I can be?

6:08 So being an idealist, guess which one I chose, I chose to be a nun and thankfully, the group that I joined was the Maryknoll Sisters and their whole mission is to go to other countries, and learn from them and with them, not convert them, but work with them together. And it brought me to Bolivia and Peru for three years.

14:17 I felt that when I was a nun, I was somehow sitting on the side bank of the river and was not really in the river with the rest of the human beings and that may have been my own perception. I can remember when people asked me, Why did you leave? Again, it wasn't instant, it was a growing, and I got it down to three things.

19:08 I had just married for the first time and inherited three teenage stepsons. I was beginning a new work, writing a new book, I thought I had everything in balance. I didn't. My buddy Joe asked me to go for a bike ride with him one summer day in July. And we took off and long story short. I still don't know what happened. I think I hit a pothole in the road was thrown over the handlebars knocked unconscious.

29:48 I think it's a radical act in the culture of the current world in the USA. It's so fast-paced, everything is dot dot dot. Even when I go to get my car oil change. You can't just go in there and be quiet there's a TV blaring. At the doctor's office waiting there's a TV, it's like to take 60 seconds to just be here, and not do anything. Supposedly. It's a radical act. And to do it takes practice. It's not one of our usual habits.

39:22 I think my 18-year-old self then was so naive, so innocent. What would I say to her? I think I'd say just keep being who you are. And trust that it will lead you somewhere.

You can find Millie Grenough at: Website Facebook Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life! If you enjoyed it as much as I did, please let me know! You can share a screenshot of this episode on Instagram and tag me, @cindy.macmillan, and tell me what your biggest takeaways from the episode were!

Until next time live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Millie Grenough you might also enjoy these other episodes: Paris, Self-love and Mindset with Sharri Harmel

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

What Are Your Money Blocks With Carolynn Bottino

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 40. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Tracey-Anne Greenhow

Tracey-Anne is a fully qualified Life Coach trained in NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) and has been coaching people to manifest the life of their dreams for over 15 years. Having thought she would always be the single one and become a ‘cat lady’ (she doesn’t even like cats), she wanted to change her destiny!

Using her now 5 step formula she managed to manifest her now-husband Daniel in just 8 weeks! She now has a husband (Daniel), 2 sons and multiple successful businesses! She has now made it her life purpose to teach others how they can also totally transform their own lives. Some have even beat her 8-week record!

Oh my goodness Tracey-Anne welcome to the podcast. You and I set up a Zoom call to chat and get to know each other in early December and I honestly felt like I have known you forever. I am so happy you are here.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:52: And now I feel like I am moving into a phase that is about my identity as Tracey-Anne and not just Oscar and Toby's mum or Dan's wife, it's about me, hence why we're having this conversation because I'm at that season, if this was this time last year, I wouldn't be able to do it. So what does it mean to me? Well, in a nutshell, for me, I think the seasons of life are about following your intuition. And more importantly, going with the flow of things.

4:08: I will begin with Clear The Negatives because I think a lot of people jump very quickly to what they do and what they don't want. But they haven't really figured out the things that are blocking them. So I take my clients through that process and it is beautiful. It's kind of like getting out in the garden and getting out all the weeds and pruning the bushes and just tidying things up again.

4:44: Then I take people into step two, which is How Do You Want It To Be which speaks for itself; you need to know what you're working towards with a goal.

15:01 It's not about ever denying feelings ever, you should never deny your feelings, whatever comes up is valid, how you deal with it and how long you dwell on it and which place you put it in, in your mind. That's, that's the important bit. And that's the bit where I think people need a coach to help them through that.

17:06: Are you saying, well, I'm too fat and ugly. So, if I'm saying I'm too fat and ugly, then what's the universe thinking of me, actually, what is going to come my way. So, getting really in touch with your language is a great thing to do. So, the mind-stuff, journaling is a fabulous thing.

18:46: If you were in a position where you were trying to manifest true love, or let's say, let's take it away from true love. I'm going to go a bit rogue here. And let's say you wanted a new house, right? Let's say you were selling where you're currently living, and you want to move to a new house, if you don't do the decluttering process, psychologically, you're carrying the whole weight of every item in your house. So, the lighter it is, the lighter it looks, the more attractive it is, the quicker it sells, the easier it is to move, you see. So, it's very practical.

28:59: It's really important to do this work because if you don't old habits, stories, patterns, the imprinting stage of your years of growing up, they will affect you forever. But it's about not about shutting those out. It's about understanding what those are. So who are you as a person? And how can you get what you truly need and truly want?

You can find Tracey-Ann Greenhow at: Website Facebook Thank you so much for joining me on this episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life! If you enjoyed it as much as I did, please let me know! You can share a screenshot of this episode on Instagram and tag me, @cindy.macmillan, and tell me what your biggest takeaways from the episode were!

Until next time - live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Tracey-Anne you might also enjoy these other episodes: Paris, Self-love and Mindset with Sharri Harmel

Connection and Building Friendships with Christy Pennison

What Are Your Money Blocks With Carolynn Bottino

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Guest Introduction: This is episode 39 of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast with me, your host Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest Teisha Casasanta.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers, and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

I’m so excited about today’s conversation.

Teisha Casasanta has been in the deathcare industry since 1997. She is a Funeral Director and Embalmer and transitioned her career to being a Grief coach for her business, Upward Spiral Grief Coaching. She is also a Teacher of Mindfulness and lives in Atlanta, GA, and is the mom to her 3-year-old Whippet, her first book, An Upward Spiral Grief Journey will be released in February of 2021.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 1:36 Well, to me the seasons of life are the changes that have happened that we didn't plan and how we've adapted to the good and the bad. Seasons happen, whether we like them or not.

2:42 The role of a Funeral Director is a very important one. It all starts with that initial phone call when we're notified that a death has occurred. We make arrangements to retrieve the decedent from where they should be when they pass away, we schedule an appointment with the family, and we sit down and talk. And I know that it’s very intimidating, even to walk through the front doors of a funeral home.

5:26 And one of the questions that we would have to ask is, what type of legacy would you like to leave your loved one? It was intended to be a financial question because I'm trying to sell life insurance. But it always ended up being a very personable story…they would say, well, when my husband died, we did this, and we did that, and being who I am I would say, Well, tell me about your husband.

14:33 But when they focus on their current state, their current moment, it brings a lot of clarity to where they are now and, you know, we always tell people just take it day by day, moment by moment, minute by minute. That really is the way to get through sadness, or loneliness is to just take it in little bite sizes, it reduces anxiety, depression, it improves the clarity of memory. So, you're not missing out on life when you are fully in the now.

24:09 And I really didn't know how to love myself. And I was carrying that into relationships where I thought, well, this person will love me and that's where I'll get my love for myself. Huge misconception. You really do need to know who you are before you could even give love to another individual. It's not fair to them until you have a solid foundation and can honestly 100% with your heart, love that person without needing their love to depend on.

25:00 My website is Upward Spiral Grief Coaching and I'm also under that name on Facebook. I have a mindfulness group, which is called Mindfulness and Inner Peace. And I have a personal profile.

Resources Mentioned: What Doesn't Kill Us: The New Psychology of Posttraumatic Growth by Stephen Joseph PhD

You can find Teisha Casasanta at: Website Facebook You’ve been listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life and thank you for you being here. I need your help, if you enjoy this show and want a free and easy way to help us grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” on iTunes

Or I would be super grateful if you could take a minute and write us a review on iTunes

Or, share this show with one friend right now which I absolutely would love for you to do!

I know it seems so simple, but ratings and reviews can help influence the choice of podcasts people choose to listen to. You’d be amazed to know how much it helps.

Until next time live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Teisha Casasanta, you might also enjoy these other episodes: When We Shut Down on Grief We Shut Down on Life With Jasmin Jenkins

Peruvian Trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Shannon Davis

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 38. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Cathy Cheshire.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers, and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

After dark seasons of great loss, Cathy Cheshire discovered the most helpful information from academic experts. Sharing this healthy grief and healing information in easy to understand terms, she created programs for learning, receiving grief coaching, and becoming a certified grief coach.

Cathy has several free downloadable gifts about healing at www.cathycheshire.com/free-gifts

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (3:00) And then desperate for love, going through three divorces, and then ultimately the worst loss, of my only child and then 10 years later, my husband's only child. Those in the depths of that grief, there is a pain that I didn't even know existed. And I struggled to find healthy information.

(11:00) You know, I am saying what I what I've come to learn is healing is about being whole, our mind, our emotions, our body, and our spirit, which I've gone through periods of time and ignored to my own detriment. So, the thought part is, and one of the free gifts talks about thought, mind, emotion, the body, the most profound lesson for me, is that I am in control of my mind.

(16:44) But what happens is, and what happened to me is, we go along our robotic life until something happens to shake us to look at our beliefs, to listen to the whispers that if we allow ourselves in meditation, or prayer or even just calming the mind, to be guided, and, and in my research, religious people call it God, spiritual people call it collective consciousness. And even scientists call it the quantum field, there are powers to guide us, if we are allowing ourselves to come to a place that we will let that happen.

(34:27) I would tell them, everything's going to be okay. Nobody ever said that to me. And so I never thought it would. But I know that now. If I can get through the death of two children, I can get through anything.

Resources Mentioned: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk M.D.

In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness by Peter A. Levine

You can find Cathy Cheshire at: Website You’ve been listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Cathy Cheshire.

If you enjoy this show and want a free and easy way to help us grow, the most effective way you can help is to:

Subscribe to the show by clicking “subscribe” on iTunes

Write us a review on iTunes

Or, share this show with one friend right now which I absolutely would love for you to do!

I know it seems so simple, but ratings and reviews can help influence the choice of podcasts people choose to listen to. You’d be amazed to know how much it helps.

And don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Until next time live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Cathy Cheshire, you might also enjoy these other episodes: When We Shut Down on Grief We Shut Down on Life With Jasmin Jenkins

From Software Engineer to Clinical Hypnotherapist with Lori Burke

Anxiety and Wholeness with Jennifer Kremer

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  ***Guest Introduction:*** This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 37. I’m your host Cindy MacMillan and **today’s guest is Sharri Harmel**.

After several different career pivots- from stockbroker to executive coach to college career coach, Sharri Harmel is now devoted to helping women step into their REAL selves, identify what they really want so they can create their own Life Reimagined. Sharri has a weekly podcast currently titled Life Reimagined (soon to be rebranded The Real YOU) as well as a new course coming out early 2021 titled Mindset to Joie de Vivre. She still coaches a few women individually and also has a Facebook Group titled Life Reimagined with an exciting new project starting the end of March! Sharri currently splits her time between the USA and the 7th arrondissement (ə-ˈrän-də-smənt) in Paris where she created her very own Life Reimagined.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 4:44 I think mindset is key, absolutely key to every stage of life. Whether you know, you're 16 years old, or you're 60 years old. I think mindset is super important. It's something that we always have to work on.

10:06 Oh, I love it. But that's the whole point, is if we're not worthy, just us all by ourselves worthy of that perfume or that bra. What is the point?

10:36 I think I said in the episode that in the beginning, the very beginning was right after my divorce, I started to go to Paris. And it was first once a year, and then it was twice a year, and then it was for longer time periods. And people would always say, you know, why, Sharri? Why are you going back to Paris, I mean, there's other places in the world? And, definitely, but I said, I like the woman I am when I’m in Paris.

15:40 And I think there's something about being a role model for honoring yourself and your own interests and wants and needs regardless of your age.

21:47 I think the biggest Aha, for me, was really recognizing that I had a voice, that there was a real message there. It sounds kind of strange, but that I could connect with what was important to me that week, that I wanted to share it with whoever is listening to my podcast, and so often, prior to that, maybe some of your listeners can relate. We have thoughts, but we don't really think anyone is interested in them. We sit there in isolation with those thoughts, and then we put it aside or forget about it, or whatever it might be.

41:42 Well, first, I have to share that when I was 18 years old, I was a birth mother, I was a pregnant teenager. So, the first thing I would tell her is that you will find your son, and that you will know and love each other. It’s not a forever loss.

Resources Mentioned: Growing Young: How Friendship, Optimism, and Kindness Can Help You Live to 100 by Marta Zaraska

You can find Sharri Harmel at: Website You’ve been listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Sharri Harmel. I loved when Sharri talked about how its not enough to stretch our bodies but to also stretch our perspectives and mindsets. She has encouraged me to stretch by doing solo podcasts. So stay tuned in for that.

If you haven’t already, please give us a quick review and rating on iTunes, and don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or to ask a question simply e-mail me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

I want to hear from you: How are you going to stretch this week?

If you enjoyed this conversation with Sharri Harmel, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

From Software Engineer to Clinical Hypnotherapist with Lori Burke

Anxiety and Wholeness with Jennifer Kremer

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 36. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Christy Pennison.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and thank you for being here. This is a really special episode and I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today.

Christy Pennison, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Be Inspired Counseling & Consulting grew up in Louisiana and growing up she knew she wanted to help others, she just wasn’t clear on how she would do it. As a young adult, she traveled to different countries with nonprofit organizations. It was through those experiences her passion to help others grew. Then counseling found her and gave her a way to connect and help individuals from all ages, backgrounds and experiences with the struggles they were facing.

Welcome to the podcast, Christy.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:02: I have really realized that, you know, we really do go through seasons. And some seasons are times where we're kind of growing. Sometimes it's we're being still, sometimes we have just different things that we go through or challenges that we're facing.

5:00: As we become adults, we just have different things that we are needing to do, whether it be work or whether it be taking care of kids, or whether it be having family members that you have to take care of whatever that looks like. So I think a lot of times in life, our priorities shift, and then it maybe doesn't always allow for opportunities to form and build new friendships.

7:10: I'll actually use myself if that's okay, as an example because I am in my 30s. And so one of the things that I've found that I've had to be intentional about is and we'll talk about this a little bit, but our friendships do change over seasons, and over our lifetime. So different friends come into our lives, I always say, for different reasons. And sometimes they may be there just for a season, and sometimes they may be there for a lifetime.

15:15: So I think there is varying degrees of friendships. And I think that’s okay. And so when you're entering new friendships, we sometimes may put a lot of pressure on a relationship to be a certain thing. But I think being open and allowing yourself just to see where this friendship goes, will go a long way in helping you feel more confident about just engaging and starting new friendships.

19:45: Yes, friendships definitely have seasons. And Cindy, I'm sure you can attest to this. If you think about some of the friendships that you have in your life. I have had friends that I have been really close to in certain seasons in my life. And then maybe we don't talk for extended periods of time.

26:32: A question that you can ask that I really like asking and I can't tell you where I heard it from to give credit to, but the question is, you can ask someone in your life on a scale from 1 to 10. Where do you feel our relationship is? And 10 be amazing and 1 being terrible? Where do you feel it is? And then this gives the person an opportunity to kind of give you some feedback on where they think the relationship is.

Resources Mentioned: The School of Greatness Podcast

You can find Christy Pennison at: Website | FaceBook | Instagram You’ve been listening to Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Christy Pennison. I loved when Christy said “exploring new friendships requires you to be brave”, I loved her energy and I loved her genuine desire to be of service.

OK…I know I said loved and fabulous a dozen times but I did love this interview and it was fabulous.

If you haven’t already, please give us a quick review and rating on iTunes, and don’t forget you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or to ask a question me a question or leave a comment, email me Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

I want to hear from you: What has been your favorite podcast episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life in 2020?

Until next time live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Christy Pennison, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

From Software Engineer to Clinical Hypnotherapist with Lori Burke

Anxiety and Wholeness with Jennifer Kremer

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 35. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Jasmin Jenkins.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and thank you for being here. This is a really special episode, and I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today.

Jasmin Jenkins is an Integrative Grief Guide and the founder of Fall Up, a community created to support people navigating the spectrum of grief. In her work, she brings her clients into the invitations within their grief journeys. Jasmin believes that healing is a co-creative process, and it is her deepest joy to support each person she works with in welcoming grief as a profound invitation to transformation.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:21: What that signifies is the presence and holding everything with open heart hands, you know, seasons remind us that everything is temporary and I think there's an invitation in the reminding and in the remembering that everything is temporary, to keep the hands of our hearts open and to let everything come and to let everything go.

6:58: The stages were pioneered by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and the stages of grief, you know, disclaimer here, you don't go through them in order. There's nothing about the stages, that is linear, but the stages are in accordance to what Elisabeth wrote in her book, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, you know, you can go in and out of them. Sometimes acceptance takes years, sometimes it never comes.

8:46 And your grief journey with your mother loss is completely uniquely yours in relation to every other woman who's lost her mother or who has a living mother who she has to, for various reasons, be separated from, but my point in mentioning your grief is as unique as your fingerprint is that everyone will navigate the stages in their own unique way.

11:46: So The Four Invitations is a spiritual download that I received; In January of 2019, I'd asked for a simple sacred framework that I could use to support people and understanding how to navigate the inevitable challenges that come with grief. And so, The Four Invitations, my core teaching, is that grief is an invitation for growth and transformation. And The Four Invitations are elaborating upon that and they are how you stay alive to integrating with grief as an invitation.

22:16: In the face of death, living fully in the face of death is living fully in the face of life. You know, that's what it is. And if we're talking about in, you know, in the aftermath of a loved one's death, living fully in that is, from, you know, my experience, it's taking care of our hearts is what is how we live fully in the midst of a deeply painful, agonizing loss.

28:54: Well, I think we've gone pretty deep Cindy, and I think that you know death, it just cuts into the depth of life. And we can't talk about death and not be in a place of depth…And I think, you know, the more that we can have these courageous conversations, the more that we can be alive to this human experience.

Resources Mentioned: LotusWei - To learn more about flower essences.

Al-Anon's Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions by Al-Anon

You can find Jasmin Jenkins at: Website Instagram Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Jasmin. I loved having her on the podcast and I just finished my 4th week in her newest circle series, Fall Up: Motherless Daughters and it has been life-changing.

If you love listening to this podcast, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts. Leaving a rating and 5-star review is the single best way to support the show but what would also be so incredibly special to me is sharing an episode on your social media - that will help me get the word out and I would really appreciate it or share this episode with a friend.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or to ask a question or leave a comment for a future show, email Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

I want to hear from you: What has been your favorite podcast episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life in 2020?

Until next time, live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Jasmin Jenkins, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Hard Conversations + Solace in Nature with Sarah McInerney

Peruvian Trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Shannon Davis

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 34. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Marvis Matarozzo.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and thanks for listening. I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today.

Marvis is a survivor of domestic violence.

Her husband was a police officer and used his contacts to sway the outcome of their divorce, including the judge- who is the sister to the woman he was having an affair with (and married). Despite all that, Marvis turned all the negative around and now helps other women transitioning through life’s challenges to explore their new life, stay away from pity-parties and to cherish their newfound confidence.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 2:18: Well, the seasons of life, when you first say that you picture your life is broken into just four equal parts. And that to me, that is really not true. I picture my life as a book and every adventure is a chapter, every part of your story is another sentence in your chapter. And I just say I keep turning the pages of my book.

5:02 As a coach, we do not tell our clients what to do, we guide them through so that they find their own answer. And because it's her answer, and her story, then she will find a way to pursue what she's looking for.

6:31 Well, the very first thing you want to do is to make sure that this is what you want, it is very hard. And sometimes it's not your choice, sometimes your spouse will come to you and say, I'm getting a divorce. In my case, I am the one that said I want a divorce. And I surprised myself, as much as I surprised my ex by saying that, but once the snake was out of the can, so to speak, there was no going back.

15:26: And that is actually abuse, because they are denying you the rest and sleep you need. So I think a lot of women are not educated enough or aware enough of all the different little things that are true abuse, and we ignore it, we make excuses for our abuser, we say, well, I got a roof over my head, I eat three meals a day. And so we keep allowing it to happen.

26:45: Also, before I go, I want to tell you that I just wrote a book. It's on Amazon. And it is Find Your Strength: Before, During and After Divorce. So that will give you a little bit more of my background story. It's got some helpful hints in there. And just a lot of good reading. So thank you very much.

Resources Mentioned: Find Your Strength: Before, During and After Divorce

You can find Marvis Matarozzo at: Website Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Marvis. I enjoyed our conversation, and she had some good tips navigating a divorce.

Beautiful friends, I have been remiss. Recently, I had someone point out to me that I haven’t been asking for ratings and reviews and how important they are for people to discover the podcast. If you love listening to this podcast, please leave a review in Apple Podcasts. Leaving a rating and 5-star review is the single best way to support the show but what would also be so incredibly special to me is sharing an episode on your social media and tagging me that will help me get the word out and I really appreciate it.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or to ask a question or leave a comment for a future show, email Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

I want to hear from you: what has been your favorite podcast episode of ESoL in 2020?

Until next time, live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Marvis Matarozzo, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Hard Conversations + Solace in Nature with Sarah McInerney

Peruvian Trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Shannon Davis

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

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     ***Guest Introduction:*** **This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 33. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Nada Frazier.**

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers, and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. If you are new to the podcast or are a long-time listener thank you for being here and you are going to love this conversation. I am so excited for my guest today.

Nada Frazier is the Founder of The Sacred Servant where she serves as a non-medical, non-judgmental holistic Life & Death Coach, Certified End-of-Life Doula, Consultant, Community Educator, Inspirational Speaker, and lover of life! Nada served on the Board of Directors of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance 2018-2019 term. Nada founded and facilitates The Death Café of Northeast Florida and has served as a hospice volunteer for over 10 years. She enjoys her family, meditation, nature, and never met a tree or rock she didn’t love.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 3:00: And then in the fall, again, with respect to our minds, it's a time of relationship to the rest of community and it reminds me of when trees start losing their leaves, right and going into fall, their roots go even deeper into the soil. And there are all kinds of studies now that talk about how tree roots have their like nerve centers, and they connect with other trees. And really, it is a community-building experience, not just what you see above the ground.

5:16: I've been around death and life, obviously, since I was a young person, I spent much of my youth on my grandparent’s farm in Texas.

8:50: Well, I can't speak for other people. Because I think every end-of-life doula is unique. For me, it's just so varied. So, you know, I can do anything for example I'll have someone contact me and say, I'm a college student. And I've got a friend that's received a diagnosis, and I really want to know how to best support them.

14:25: A Death Cafe is really where people show up. My job is to facilitate the discussion meaning I create a safe space for people to talk about what they want to talk about. I am not there to, to you know, I do a lot of community education and workshops and different teachings. I'm not there to do that. In this environment, I'm there to just facilitate people having a discussion about whatever they want to talk about in the theme of death. And so, the objective of a Death Cafe is to increase awareness, with the hope of when people do that, they will make the most of their lives.

17:56: If I change my perception about death, meaning, it's this big, scary thing that I'm fearful of, and I'm not going to say the D-word ever, because then it could happen. Well, here's the reality, it's going to happen, the death rate is 100%. At least the last time I checked; I don't think that's changed. And so when we start consciously addressing that elephant in the room, or whatever you want to call it called Death, I believe that we more consciously and fully live because we realize that there is an end date at some point on this particular lifetime that we're living. So I think that we are going to be more conscious about how we choose to live our life.

34:23: So on my bucket list, I want to be really ever-present in my life, meaning taking the time to watch the Osprey that flies in my neighborhood, and even if it's five minutes, but being really tuned into that watching, as I said earlier, the squirrels play and making sure for example, my husband and I, we never go to bed mad at each other. Not that we're mad at each other very often; we don't get sideways very often, but especially in the work that I do, we have come to appreciate that any minute could be our last moment together. So we don't ever want to be sideways with each other. So that's on my bucket list.

Resources Mentioned: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by: Brene Brown

Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief by: David Kessler

You can find Nada Frazier at: Website Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Nada Frazier.

Are you ready for Grief and Loss Coaching? The very first step is scheduling a Discovery Session, which is simply a FREE 30-minute heart to heart conversation, where we will talk about your grief journey and get to know each other a bit and make sure we have the right chemistry to work together. Next, we will explore how coaching can give you the tools and the support you need to help you face your sadness, reconnect with your life, and find a way forward. You don’t have to do it alone.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Until next time. Live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Nada Frazier, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Hard Conversations + Solace in Nature with Sarah McInerney

Peruvian Trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Shannon Davis

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 32. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Angie Clark.

My guest today is Angie Clark, owner of Essential Elements Wellness in downtown Melbourne, Florida. Angie is an Intuitive Healer, Life Coach, and Spiritual Guide. She incorporates multiple healing modalities for a custom session with each client every visit. Just as you are in a different place each day in all aspects of your life - each session alters to meet your needs. Each session is unique and just for you.

Welcome to the podcast, Angie.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: 1:45 - Angie: Exploring the Seasons of Life is pretty much what my entire life path and my business are about. It's about finding the tools and resources that you need to find it through the challenges, to create positive experiences, and to live the best of what we call life.

2:37 - Angie: So I kind of work with my clients wherever they are, some are at the beginning of their journey and trying to figure out just the basics of what they need, who they are, where they want to go, and others are much more experienced.

4:18 – Angie: First steps are to honestly sit back and kind of identify what you're feeling? Why does it matter? None of those outside forces really matter. You need to identify how you're feeling what you want to experience. Just very basic, you know, self-awareness.

6:29 – Angie: We are going to go with just the basics, so we're not going to deal with anything that's situational. One of the main components to starting any of your mornings, we're going to start with clearing and protection. So, some basic crystals that you can use for those for the clearing part, Selenite is a great stone to help with any clearing. So if you're doing meditation practice, or a little bit of prayer work every morning or a little bit of yoga, some people use them for chakra work, then Selenite is a great stone, Clear Quartz is a great stone. Then we'll look at some protection, there's so many that you can use, most people know about Black Tourmaline, I do not like to recommend Black Tourmaline, unless you balance it with either the Selenite or the Clear Quartz, because it can be so overly protective that it actually shuts down positive information also.

8:12 Cindy: If we could just go in a little bit deeper and talk about grief and loss, what crystal would you recommend for grief and loss?

10:15 Angie: Charoite is a healer stone, it is one it's purple and got some dark inclusions, it's a very pretty stone, it is a healer stone. Carnelian can get rid of anxiety. So when we're dealing with that kind of energy Carnelian can help you get rid of the shaky, the unstable, the inability to get grounded, and fear; a lot of grief and loss is based in the energy of fear.

16:43 Angie: When I wear Tanzanite, my thoughts are clear. I jokingly call it the “get yourself together” stone because that's what it does; it helps to streamline thoughts and helps to pull those energies together so that you stay focused.

18:51 Angie: A lot of what we teach is really about the tools and based around the tools that are in the shop. Because if you don't understand how to use them, then it's difficult to know what you need. As I said, we also do readings, personal sessions, all of those individual services myself and my team. If you also look at our Meet Our Staff page on Essential Elements Wellness there's a list of all of us that work out of the shop and also booking links that you can go and check out what we do.

You can find Angie Clark at: Website | Instagram | Facebook Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Angie Clark, owner of Essential Elements Wellness.

I found it fascinating to hear about the different crystals and their properties. What I took away from our conversation was the power of giving ourselves permission to choose the crystal that is right for us and being confident in our intuitive guidance.

I totally resonated with Angie’s comments about being in the energy of deserving. This reminded me of a podcast I had listened to recently and the host said, “despite the pain you may be experiencing, you are enough, you are worthy, and you are loved.”

Are you ready for Grief and Loss Coaching? The very first step is scheduling a Discovery Session, which is simply a FREE 30-minute heart to heart conversation, where we will talk about your grief journey and get to know each other a bit and make sure we have the right chemistry to work together. Next, we will explore how coaching can give you the tools and the support you need to help you face your sadness, reconnect with your life, and find a way forward. You don’t have to do it alone.

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Until next time. Live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Angie Clark, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Hard Conversations + Solace in Nature with Sarah McInerney

Peruvian Trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Shannon Davis

Putting More Love Into The World With Zita Christian

From Software Engineer to Clinical Hypnotherapist with Lori Burke

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 31. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Madison.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening and this is a really special heartfelt episode. I heard Madison on The Tendrils of Grief podcast and the episode was titled My Dad and I Were Best Friends - Coping After Losing Your Dad.

So, Madison is with us today to continue telling her story.

Welcome to the podcast Madison.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (01:24) My dad was probably one of the best people that I ever knew. He was, he was the kind of person who would laugh at his own jokes and he really loved me and my mom a lot.

(02:02) It wasn't really something that kind of hit me until like maybe a month or two later I was very confused and I felt very lost. It was something that really hit me really terribly emotionally.

(02:41) I was 14 and I was kind of ignorant to a lot of the things that were going on in the world. And I always thought that life was like, oh, sunshine and unicorns. But after he died, it just kind of made me realize that life's completely unfair and that I always thought that bad things happen to bad people, but then I kind of realized that bad things happen to good people too.

(05:26) I felt like they were very distant and they just kinda didn't care. I think that's the best way I can describe it. They just didn't care.

(10:28) Good question. I think, there's this movie, it's a Disney movie ONWARD.

(11:23) I know it feels like the end of the world right now, and that you're sad and you don't want to do anything and that you feel angry at everyone for nothing. And you want to just lash out and talk badly about people behind their backs, but you know, that's not the right thing to do.

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Madison.

I enjoyed my conversation with Madison and especially at the end when she was talking about being honest with your friends about how you are feeling. We are coming up to the holidays and it’s really important to remember the emotions of grief are normal and natural and there is no right or wrong way to grieve so be kind to yourself.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter and we'll let you know what we're working on, as well as what we're reading and listening to in regards to beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between.

Until next time, live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Madison, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Hard Conversations + Solace in Nature with Sarah McInerney

Grief During the Holidays with Dora Carpenter

Beauty in Every Season with Debra Healey

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 30. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Dora Carpenter.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and thank you for listening, and being here today. Whether you are a long-time listener or this is your first exposure to the podcast. I really do appreciate you.

Dora Carpenter is a certified professional coach and founder of the Institute of Professional Grief Coaching and program director of the From Grief to Gratitude Coach Certification Program, an International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited program. Working many years in the death care industry birthed her passion for grief coaching. As coach trainer, author, speaker, and mentor, she has appeared on various media outlets.

This is a special episode for me because today’s guest has been my Coach and Mentor as I have been going through the From Grief to Gratitude Coach Certification Program. So I am feeling all warm and fuzzy.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (02:07) That's a wonderful question, actually, Cindy, I love that exploring the seasons of life. And when I think about it, I just have so many perspectives just on the term seasons, because I think I equate it all to the word change, which to me is just the common denominator in life. Whether in business or professionally or personally, it just to me indicates that the natural ebb and flow of life in general, but more importantly, then the change or the seasons is how we respond to them or how we react to them. Do we learn from them? Do we grow from them? Do we look at them? I think every season has goodies. So, what's the experience. What's the message?

(06:46) And it was during those aftercare appointments that families wanted to talk, they wanted to share. They wanted to share with me about their loved ones. They wanted to look at scrapbooks. And when I would return to the office, the following day, I was pretty much always chastised for spending more than the required length of time in the home. And so, what I realized was that the families really needed us more after what we call task mode.

(09:00) That's a great question. And they are extremely heightened and even more so this year, but it's a time when it's supposed to be a happy time, a joyous time, family togetherness, the sights, the sounds, the smell of the holiday, but when one's hope, dreams and expectations have been shattered, then it's not so much of a happy time for them.

(14:48) When that family circle has been broken, you might be low on energy. You may not have any holiday spirit. You may actually be eligible for an Academy Award for just pretending to be okay, let family members and others know that I may not. I may not attend the traditional Thanksgiving. Well, you may not be able to attend due to the pandemic but let them know what you feel comfortable doing, limit again, those number of commitments. And it's important to know that it's okay to say no, even if the tradition is via Zoom, if you don't feel up to it, it's okay to say no.

(23:14) That's my newest passion project because there's little or no grief education in corporate America and is as you know, from class, that medical students don't even have grief education as a part of their required curriculum. So when corporate America gives us three to five days off after losing a loved one, what that means is you're supposed to return to that office space as a fully functioning employee. And for those who have lost loved ones, they know that that's really not possible.

(26:28) You want me to go all the way back? You know what though, honestly, I would share my mantra for life. And my mantra for life is this, please know that everything in life is temporary, including life itself. So decide to say yes to the gift of now, because whether you're 18 or whether you're 98 or whether you're 108, decide to say yes to the gift of now, the present, that's why they call it a gift because that's all we really have.

Resources Mentioned: The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz

In Tune With The Infinite - The Original Classic Edition From 1897 by Ralph Waldo Trine

You can find Dora Carpenter at: Website Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Dora Carpenter.

You heard Dora and I talking about the From Grief to Gratitude Coach Certification Program and I am so happy and so proud to say I have completed all requirements and I am now a From Grief to Gratitude Certified Coach. I am powerfully committed to showing up every day aligned to my mission: to guide and support women as they face their sadness, reconnect with their lives, and find a way forward.

When you’re ready to work through your grief, I’m here to guide you.

Writer, teacher, and psychotherapist Francis Weller said, “I am not suggesting that we live a life preoccupied with sorrow. I am saying that our refusal to welcome the sorrows that come to us, our inability to move through these experiences with true presence and conscious awareness, condemns us to a life shadowed by grief. Welcoming everything that comes to us is the challenge. This is the secret to being fully alive.”

You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Let’s talk about working together!

Until next time, live inspired.

If you enjoyed this conversation with Dora Carpenter, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Hard Conversations + Solace in Nature with Sarah McInerney

Reimagining the Possible with Cancer Coach, Marisa Harris

Beauty in Every Season with Debra Healey

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“You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life.” ~ Mary Oliver, Wild Geese

Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 29. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Clare Marie Edgeman.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening and you're going to enjoy every minute of today's episode. Clare offers a variety of Human Design & tarot services for creative people seeking transformation and ease. She is a total intuition and imagination nerd and the author of Finding Fuck Yes: A Memoir of Orgasms & Insulin. She has too many degrees, too few cats, and often too much or too little blood sugar. Her life is a constant quest for coziness.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (02:04) And then I said, yeah, and they lose their leaves every fall and they're so chill about it. So, I think that that seasonality and the spirálic nature of things, I relate to a lot because I'm not very good at staying on one path for an extended period of time. So, I love the metaphor of seasonality because it helps ground me in the very nature of the changeability of life, which is just the messiness that I like to live in.

(08:08) If you've heard about Human Design, you probably know your energy type, but that is just one layer of the cake, not the entirety of your design. But it's where we start because that's how you energetically interact with the world. And there are five different types; there are Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, Manifestors, and Reflectors.

(09:46) For Generators and Manifesting Generators, the biggest hallmark of your design is that you need to be lit up by what you're doing. So that's where the learning to respond to life thing comes in because you have so much energy as a Generator, chances are, you are probably perfectly capable of wrestling the universe into submission. If you want to go after something, you are going to be able to achieve it. You are going to be able to get it. However, you were probably using more of your energy than you need to, to achieve that.

(18:58) I find that my gift and now we're onto my type Manifestors that one of the things I've learned through my Human Design and just through the trial and error of my life is that I'm not necessarily the person that wants to be the absolute authority on anything. I'm the person that comes in and finds the words that connect with you. That's my greatest gift is being kind of this translator of things.

(28:06) One thing I will say is that one of the things that Human Design has taught me is that my multiplicity and my interest in so many different things, and you know, you and I have talked about this, like we both are these, like multipotentialite, multihyphenate people, that you can be everything and you can't be everything all at the same time.

(33:48) I actually just published today on Medium, an article, called Why I Regret Publishing with “Hybrid Publisher” New Degree Press. So one of the huge things about my social media presence in my life is being super honest about the things that I have done that I wouldn't recommend other people do or that I want to be transparent open about.

Resources mentioned: On Being with Krista Tippett - Jericho Brown Small Truths and Other Surprises

You can find Clare Marie Edgeman at: Website | Medium | Instagram Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Clare Marie Edgeman.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter and we'll let you know what we're working on, as well as what we're reading and listening to in regards to beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between. Until next time, live inspired!

If you enjoyed this conversation with Clare Marie Edgeman, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Challenges Often Inform our Passions With Eden Alex Wine

Experience the Pause with Elizabeth Hess Stamper

Peruvian Trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Shannon Davis

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 28. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Bettina Yiannakurou.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening today. You are in for a special treat.

Bettina was made in Greece, assembled in Australia and is a direct import to the United States and is a proud American citizen. She has traveled extensively and is married to a man from a culture different to her own. She is a mother and understands that all people are unique. Bettina is a Wedding Officiant & Civil Celebrant and has appeared on Good Morning America, in Martha Stewart Weddings and countless blogs and publications. Weddings by Bettina revels in telling your story with humor and dignity.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (02:17) When I got married 17 years ago, in fact, I did think like a lot of other brides who are pronounced Mr. and Mrs. at the end of the ceremony, that I would indeed go down to the Births, Deaths and Marriages and do all those things that are required to change your name and something in me, it was almost, maybe it's my intuition or maybe it was something that is deeply important to me, my identity as a Greek person, given that I was born in Athens told me not to.

(03:49) I moved to the United States on June 21, 2001, just prior to, September 11, 2001. And I was marveling at our four seasons here. I grew to love the bitterly cold winter of New York City because I had not experienced the true differentiation and I love music as well. So, while I'm talking to you, I'm thinking of Vivaldi's “The Four Seasons” and how there those four different demarcations are exquisite.

(14:51) Number one, first of all, after we've gotten all of the details of where the ceremony is taking place, what time, who's going to be there and what do you love about your partner and how has your partner made you a better person? Can you describe for me one of your special memories and maybe send me a photograph of that memory or describe it in your story? And those are the questions that I think are the most important, because why are they deciding to do something? That's one of the greatest risks we take as a, as humanity, don't forget. Marriage is possibly the most ancient ritual we still practice in society.

(25:00) There would also be an option to remember those who are no longer of this earth and that is also something that 99% of couples want to do. They want to remember grandma and I'll use the term of endearment that they used for their grandmother, not in this language like Beryl or Mildred. Let's talk about poppy or Abuela; let's talk about her po po which is the Chinese word for grandmother.

(30:27) If you allow your hands to support our couple, then their love always flows back and returns to you. And this is the part where I feel like the tears start to roll, especially in times of trouble and challenging times. I'll ask there to be peace between a husband and wife or two husbands or two brides. And I will ask there to be peace between the countries.

(38:53) I'm getting myself choked up about how I'm very happy, where I am in my season of life, as you, call it. And I'm hoping for many more happy and brighter days ahead.

You can find Bettina Yiannakourou at: Website | Facebook | Instagram Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Bettina Yiannakourou.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

If you enjoyed this conversation with Bettina Yiannakourou, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Gardening, Handwritten Letters, and Pet Memorials with Rev. Julie Petroski

Reimagining the Possible with Cancer Coach, Marisa Harris

Beauty in Every Season with Debra Healey

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Guest Introduction:

This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 27. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Zita Christian.

Zita Christian writes fiction and nonfiction, hosts the podcast Ritual Recipes, and serves her community as a Life-Cycle Celebrant. She officiates weddings, baby blessings, vow renewals, funerals and memorials. Several times a year, she leads public rituals to celebrate the cycles of nature. She believes in the power of personal story.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation:

(03:32) To me, it means that I am part of nature. It's not merely that I love nature, that I want to protect nature. That it means I am part of it. I vibrate to the same rhythms about waxing and waning about light and day, about growing and about shrinking, about birthing, about dying and those, those concepts.

(08:07) And you get to the end and it's, you know, that the end and there's a happily ever after of some kind. And I thought weddings would be happily ever after come to life. So, I took the foundations course and then I took the weddings course and that opened up a whole new world. And that wheel, I was on went up, up through the mud and up, back up to the top and, and you know, after 150 weddings and vows and baby blessings, more than that, I had that beautiful feeling that I've found what it is that I'm supposed to do.

(10:40) So he was telling me that he had grown up in Ireland at a time when marriage equality was simply unthinkable, for young people today, you know they can't fathom that, but that is how it was. And his mother, his mother would often tell him that she hoped to live to see the day when Michael could marry Steven.

(20:25) So I want to show that, you know, when you care a lot about someone so deeply that you're using the L word, you put forth a whole different effort in order to make things work. And that's what you see in a romance novel. So that's what I want to bring into the love story. And that's why I think the love story is a gift to the guests.

(23:52) The reason I wanted to do the Ritual Recipes Podcast now is that there are changes going on in my life. My husband's not well and I've made the decision not to go out and do any ceremonies. So, the podcast allows me to connect with the world, to offer what I know about weddings and rituals and funerals, and provide that information to people through the podcast, which is free.

Resources Mentioned:

Ritual Recipes Podcast

Celebrant Foundation & Institute

The Book of the Moon: Discovering Astrology's Lost Dimension by Steven Forrest

You can find Zita Christian at:

Website | Facebook

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Zita Christian.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

If you enjoyed this conversation with Zita Christian, you might also enjoy these other episodes:

Gardening, Handwritten Letters, and Pet Memorials with Rev. Julie Petroski

Reimagining the Possible with Cancer Coach, Marisa Harris

Beauty in Every Season with Debra Healey

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This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 26. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Sally Bolinger. Introduction: Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

If you are joining us for the first time, I am so happy you are here and thank you for listening. Sally Bolinger is a Nutritionist, Health Coach and Functional Medicine Expert. She is currently living in Cologne, Germany but spend the last 20 years abroad in Europe, including the UK, Switzerland and Spain. She is passionate about food and its effect on health. In her practice she focuses on Women’s Health and Hormones and how food and lifestyle can influence our wellbeing. Guiding women through perimenopause and helping them age gracefully is her main focus and passion.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (03:03) I love that cycle of seasons because I feel they all kind of flow one into each other. I think we should live all of these seasons fully and with pleasure and we should never feel ashamed or hindered by anything that is going on in these seasons. I think it's quite powerful to be a woman actually, and have a chance to live through all these varieties of seasons as I may call them.

(08:02) It is very individual. I mean, every woman will experience a unique experience of her transition, but, as I said earlier, it usually starts mid to late thirties. A lot of women, when they start referring to themselves as being in a hormonal roller coaster, then one might assume that they have started perimenopause.

(09:41) I like to call it really, to balance your hormones, because they are such an Intricate system of players. I call it the hormone soup. I like to call it like an orchestra. There are so many bodily functions that can only function with the right hormone support. And we're not only talking sex hormones. You know, there is obviously the insulin, which is an important hormone. There is cortisol, which is an important hormone and all these hormones really need to work together in unison to make us feel alive and healthy and vibrant.

(22:10) We need to change the way we live, the way we feed our body. If we don't do that, then, unfortunately, we won't feel well, but we will also gain weight definitely easier and won't be able to lose it. So again, addressing our diet is key.

(26:31) Don't be scared, get ready, but enjoy it. And don't think that because you are 45, your life ends because it doesn't, actually quite the contrary, I find it becomes, you know, turning into a wise woman is a very exciting journey and I love it.

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Sally Bolinger.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 25. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Sarah McInerney. Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Sarah McInerney is 26 years old and lives in Bozeman, MT where she works as a Postpartum Nurse. She loves skiing, hiking, biking, fishing, and playing in the mountains. After losing her brother at an early age, Sarah has been focused on living each day to the fullest, becoming more mindful through meditation and manifestation, and surrounding herself with people that light up her soul.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (01:38) So when I think of Exploring the Seasons of Life, the first thing that comes to mind is change. Change is really the only constant that we have. It's something that we know will happen to everyone.

(03:52) They woke me and they're like, come on and we have something to tell you. They pulled me out of the room, and I was walking out and saw my friend's parents who were sobbing in tears. And my parents brought me into a room, sat me on the bed and told me something happened last night, your brother passed away. I remember my heart dropping into the floor. That moment I lost my shit.

(15:15) Their self-doubt would slowly dissolve. And then pretty soon you turn around and you look how far you've come and it's mind-blowing that your body and your mind could get you in that place. So, I thought that was always really cool, very cool transformation.

(20:17) Self-love is one of the hardest things in our life. I think loving yourself is a challenge. It's not as easy as doing a skincare routine twice a day and being like sweet. Now I love myself. It's something that takes a lot of work.

(26:55) I would tell my 18-year-old self; one, don't be worried about being tall. I'm almost six feet tall. I'm a tall lady. I stand out. And so don't worry about being tall, you know, flaunt it stand tall, shoulders back, chest up. The other thing I would say is to lead with love and kindness.

Resources Mentioned: * Marie Forleo * Tim Ferris * The Skinny Confidential * Call Her Daddy Podcast * You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life By: Jen Sincero * The Third Door: The Wild Quest to Uncover How the World's Most Successful People Launched Their Careers By: Alex Banayan

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Sarah McInerney.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 24. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Carolynn Bottino.

If you are joining us for the first time, I am so happy you are here and thanks for listening. Today’s guest is Carolynn Bottino. After working with more than 100 bookkeeping clients, Carolynn was inspired to empower to people to find joy in their relationship with money. Her approach is practical and holistic, with no judgement, helping clients find abundance and transform the way they think about and interact with money. Carolynn is an author, speaker, and the founder of the Money Empowerment Project. She is passionate about helping women business owners and soulpreneurs become BFFs with their money. Her international best-selling book The Land of Plenty: A Soulpreneur’s Guide to Finding Joy, Possibility and Abundance through Money Empowerment has been featured on the Spirited Woman’s top 12 book pick list for 2020.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (02:12) So I would say for me the seasons of life, it's just the natural flow of what happens for us. So we're always growing and we're always evolving. And by staying aware of where we are in that journey, I feel like it really gives us the power to shift and change and transform in a way that we're able to create what it is that we want in our life most. And so to me, the seasons of life is just a reminder that every moment in our life is important, but it might give us different perspective depending on which side of that season we're on.

(06:27) A lot of the questions I was asking myself, what do I like to do? What are my skill sets? How can I be of service? If I need to make money and fill this financial gap now that I was fired, what should I do to fill that gap? And out of that was born All The Details Consulting, which is my event planning and bookkeeping business. And, yeah, it was this amazing experience of having the rug pulled out from under me and really kind of rising to the occasion. And that's where it all started.

(08:25) And so some common beliefs that people have are, I have to work really hard or I'm not very good with money or a lot of people in the spiritual world are, I just want to help people. I shouldn't accept money for this spiritual work. And, you know, all of those are very limiting beliefs that keep us from our full potential and so much of our ability to receive money and receive everything that the universe wants to send our way can be blocked by those limiting beliefs.

(25:17) Definitely. I would say money is energy. And I also say that money is infinite because as we exchange it, it just regenerates and multiplies just as I was explaining that circle of, you know, the people that I interacted with, it regenerates every time. And so as we spend, it regenerates and it multiplies.

(27:26) I was actually thinking about this question earlier, and there's so many, I have some resources in the back of my book, but the one that really is jumping out at this very moment is The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life by Lynne Twist. It is probably my favorite money book of all time. And it is not just about money. It's really about this exchange between people as well.

You can find Carolynn Bottino at: Website | Facebook Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Carolynn Bottino.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 23. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Joy Alford-Brand.

If you are joining us for the first time, I am so happy you are here and thanks for listening. Today’s guest is Joy Alford-Brand. Joy Alford-Brand is a 1994 graduate of Wright State University and a 1998 graduate of Ohio State University College of Law. She has been a practicing bankruptcy attorney since 1999 with approximately 18 years of bankruptcy experience. In 2015, she decided it was time to start teaching people basic personal finance techniques to help them avoid bankruptcy. She wrote a book on personal finance titled Money Basics and started newcashview.com, where she teaches video-based courses and webinars about basic money management. Welcome to the podcast Joy!

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (04:16) I had a personal connection to it as well because my parents filed for bankruptcy when I was a kid and then proceeded to get divorced. So, I saw how it helped our family and it made me want to help other people in the same way. So really, I became a bankruptcy attorney. I became an attorney in general to help people.

(04:59) I was sitting in that hearing, waiting for my case to be called. And I heard a name called and I watched a couple walk up to the front of the room and have their 341 meeting, their hearing. And I realized that I had filed a chapter seven for that couple, about 10 years prior. And I had a moment where I was kind of devastated because I felt like I hadn't helped them. To be honest, you never know what happens in someone's life. I mean, they could have gone through a devastating illness. He could have lost his job, or she could have lost her job. You know, there is any number of things that could have happened. But I just had a moment where I felt like I didn't help them. And at that point at that moment, I began to think about other ways to help people. And that's ultimately how newcashview.com was born.

(09:33) However, another area that I really focus on a great deal is student loan debt, because I saw over the last few years, how much of an issue that's becoming.

(11:34) Well, a lot of people don't realize that the important factor when it comes to student loan debt is understanding interest. So that's how people who graduate from school with $20,000 in student loan debt end up owing $80,000 in student loan debt.

(32:13) I would tell myself that you're on the right track, that your heart's in the right place, that helping people is what you're born to do. And so keep at it because people are going to need it. And that the path that you're on is going to qualify you uniquely to help people in distress. I would be encouraging, and I would say, you know, stop wearing acid wash jeans and purple eye shadow.

You can find Joy Alford-Brand at: Website | Instagram | Facebook Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Joy Alford-Brand. It sounds as if we had internet connection issues in a couple of spots but I didn’t feel as if the interview needed to be re-recorded.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

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Guest Introduction: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 22. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is EDEN ALEX WINE.

If you are joining us for the first time, I am so happy you are here and thank you for listening. Today I have a very special guest for you. Eden Alex Wine is a lawyer turned mindset consultant. As a mindset consultant, Eden helps reprogram her clients’ mindsets by aiding in the discovery and healing of outdated beliefs, opinions, and attitudes that they subconsciously have about themselves and the world around them.

A self-proclaimed reformed pessimist who has transformed her own mindset, Eden’s mission is to help her clients navigate their past experiences and limitations for the purpose of creating an extraordinary life that they love.

Eden will start her training this Fall with the Gestalt Institute of Toronto to begin the process of becoming a Registered Psychotherapist.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (3:34) But the truth is we are all here by design and we won a lottery to be here, you know, to win the genetic code, to even be in existence and have a human experience is blessing enough. So I challenge all of your listeners to at least surrender to the idea that they are perfectly where they need to be in every moment, as long as they're showing up and allowing those lessons to inform them about how to move forward.

(6:14) But for me, I really wanted to push those boundaries of profession and kind of create something that really acts more of a life purpose than just a career. So I'm really following and creating for myself, something that is an extension of myself and my identity.

(10:51) A challenging season is really the fertile grounds of what it is that you are going to desire to be, or do or have in this life. So anything challenging that you go through actually serves a very integral purpose to your life because it paints the necessary contrast for you to even have the experience, be relatable to people in these specific ways. And I find those challenges often inform our passions.
(13:55) So when we start comparing ourselves to others, we are actually taking ourselves out of our journey that we've committed to. And we are devaluing our worth and ourselves by saying, I'm not as far along as this person, when really it's like comparing apples and oranges, there really is no comparison. All of us are operating in our own lanes. And when you start focusing on your lane, that is when you continue to put one step in front of the other and you grow and you take the action steps and then you take the breaks that you need, and then you keep going.

(20:06) Meeting people where they are instead of like trying to get them to fit into some kind of mold. I think it creates a difference in the kinds of results that they receive, right. I'm not healing people. It's not my job to do that. I'm more so invited to guide them in their own personal healing of themselves.

(22:38) So in my legal proficiency, I am a drafter. And what that means is I am the person responsible for creating agreements to solidify the relationship between two or more people through words. So my deep passion for words really originated out of the process of drafting. And I came to realize how nuanced words are, how nuanced words are, and then when you take it one step further and you realize that the words that you're saying to yourself actually contribute to the beliefs and patterns and mindset that you have. It becomes a really beautiful nesting ground for you to dive there first, to start observing these words.

Resources Mentioned: Layla Martin

Marisa Peer

You can find Eden Alex Wine at: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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Episode Summary: This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 21. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Rev. Lynda Elaine Carré (Pronounced “car RAY”).

Hey friends, Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening and I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today. Lynda Elaine Carré is an ordained interfaith chaplain and compassionate, seasoned end-of-life educator. She provides spiritual care and healing arts expertise. She is called upon as an educator, patient advocate, death planner and midwife, home funeral guide, celebrant, and ritualist. Through her private practice, Wellspring Passages, Carré serves those living––with advanced illness, the dying, and their families––throughout the Hudson Valley of New York state in person, and internationally via video conference.

Here’s a glimpse of our conversation: (02:47) And what's important to you becomes realized during this time, and then just as easily as you merged, you fall back into the cold of the winter. That whole cycle is something that we can kind of grasp because we've seen it externally, but it also happens internally.

(08:04) A chaplain is someone who is not tied to a particular church or temple, but someone who rather serves in the community in places such as private homes, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and other secular organizations for my clinical pastoral education, I served as a Resident Chaplain on the Palliative Care Team at UCLA Hospital in Los Angeles.

(11:24) Most importantly for everybody to know is that death is natural and our body knows how to do it. So how do we work with the body's processes to create a situation where it shortens the labor of dying, just like you shorten or want to not have too long of labor in birth.

(30:27) So many times, you will see somebody where the light is on all the time or bright fluorescent light and that's really agitating and irritating. So, adjusting the light so that it's calm and comfortable.

(32:43) The three that I particularly like myself, and there are many that are very good for this are Rose, Frankincense, and Lavender, the aromatherapy of Rose helps to calm the nervous system. It connects us to a sense of wellbeing.

(50:35) I think the only thing I'd like to say is what makes really a good dying process is to just a few things. If I have a second, just think about your end of life, put your wishes in writing, let others know your preferences, learn to be at peace with the circumstances of your life. Instead of thinking, why is this happening to me? Think, what am I learning from this? Release regrets and resentments and realize you will die no matter how good you have been. And don't rely on the medical system to make choices for you. Educate yourself.

Resources Mentioned: Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home – By: Toko-pa Turner

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants - By: Robin Wall Kimmerer

Contact Information for Rev. Lynda Elaine Carré Phone: 310-570-8365

E-Mail: revcarre@wellspringpassages.com

Website: www.wellspringpassages.com

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Cindy: (00:00)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 20. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Elizabeth Hess Stamper.

Cindy: (00:09)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Cindy: (00:39)
Hey friends, Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening today. I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today. Elizabeth Hess Stamper is a psychotherapist, retreat leader, poet and interfaith minister as well as the grateful member of a large, diverse family and an ever-evolving spiritual community. Her healing practice with individuals, couples and groups, integrates energy work, transformative breathwork, deep insight and the Internal Family Systems approach. She earned a Master's degree in counseling in 1994, and was ordained through the Chaplaincy Institute for Interfaith Studies, Berkeley, California in 2011. She has authored two well-received books on spiritual relationships and two meditation CD’s, and has been leading workshops and retreats around the country for over 25 years.

Cindy: (01:25)
Welcome to the podcast, Elizabeth. I am so happy to have you here.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (01:29)
Thank you, Cynthia. It's great to be here.

Cindy: (01:32)
Thank you. And I want to start off with a question that I do ask everyone, and that is what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally, or in your business?

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (01:44)
The first thing that comes to mind seasons of life. I was reading that question on the email you sent me. The first thing that came to mind was that I work with a lot of young women, women in their twenties, early thirties, and older women as well, but they are in such a different season than I am. And it is so beautiful how I can share who I am or what I've gathered in my life experience and really own that I'm an elder to them. The tradition of being an elder is not as honored in our culture as it has been in many other cultures, but it's one we need to reclaim because every woman, every human who grows is on a spiritual path or a path of self-knowledge and growth becomes something that is potentially really nourishing, really supportive and really helpful to the younger generation. So that was what came to mind about seasons of life.

Cindy: (02:55)
Thank you, Elizabeth, because you're right. I don't think our culture necessarily, I'm not sure if respects is the right word, but they don't honor. Like you said, they don't honor as we're growing older and become the elders. Can you share your story on how you became a psychotherapist? I was reading on your website and, you know, you were talking about the deep meditation practice, yoga, the study of religion, the transpersonal psychology, and all of it just fascinates me. I love it. I would love to hear that story.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (03:29)
It's funny, I sometimes think if I introduced myself as a psychotherapist, I wonder if I said I'm a psycho therapist, how it would come across. In truth, you know, you have to have been a little psycho in the sense that you confronted your own shadow in a way that made you really, really, really want to understand and to do some deeper work, to understand why we're wired up the way we are, why we react to life the way that we do, you know, the sensitivity or the difficulty challenging ways that we, people who are drawn into any kind of healing work are usually drawn there because of their own suffering. And for me, when I was really pretty young, still 18, 19, there were a series of, I had a troubled teenage life and I went through a lot.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (04:29)
And at one point after a few years of getting into all kinds of scrapes and difficulties, there was a two week period, right during my summer between freshman and sophomore year of college. When in this two week period, two close friends died in two separate accidents, tragic accidents. They were very young, wonderful people. And my cat was hit by a train and that was just kind of like, okay, God, okay, I have to figure out something for all of this to make sense. And I think everyone starts on a path of exploration, spiritual work, psychological work because they confront those big questions. The Buddha did. That's what he started him on his path. He saw that there was old age suffering from illness and death. And even though his life was pretty perfect as a Prince and everything was going well for him, he had to go and understand why this happened and how humans could be okay with it, you know, just be at peace.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (05:42)
And it's interesting to be talking right now and the time that we're living in these last few months, and it has felt like for me, that everyone is going through a dark night of the soul. It's like, I know everyone on their path and we'll go through that, those challenging times more than once because we don't change. We don't grow until we really, really, we're very comfortable. We, human beings can get complacent, but when the, you know, what hits the fan and we're in pain, that's when we change. That's when it's like it's too, we just can't stay the way that we are. We have to find that other way to sit back and look at that. This seems to be what's happening on a global scale. All these different crises converging, not just one and not just in my town or my country. So, I think, I don't know that you meant for me to go in this direction, but I look at it as the global opportunity for awakening. Like it's never been before. And those of us who choose to see it that way or have an inkling that it could be that way. We're really called to do some deep spiritual work right now.

Cindy: (07:12)
I agree with that. When I talk about beginnings, endings, and the messy bit, I really find that it's the messy bit. It's where we grow. It's kind of like what you're saying there, and collectively we're in a, in a messy bit that is calling for that growth.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (07:29)
I like that term, a messy bit, it's so much gentler than saying, you know, crises and chaos.

Cindy: (07:40)
You know, one of the things that I wanted to talk to you about, and I am saying psychotherapy, correct. Right. Yeah, that is okay. How do we combine psychotherapy and spiritual practice? And by that, I guess I am referring to, you know, the work that we do on ourselves. As you said, looking at the shadow parts and everything. So how do we combine that to work through different things that are going on in our lives?

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (08:13)
For me, it can't be separated. Because my foundational belief or my worldview is that we are deep in our core what we are, our true self, our essential nature is good, and it is made in the image and likeness of God, it's loving, it's compassionate, it's wise, it's free. It's everything we want to be. And everything that we already are in our best moments, those moments when we're just on top of our game, or we're in love with everything that's who are, and the uncovering of that, so that we can live from that essential nature, that true self more and more and more. I see it as needing both, a spiritual practice, but also the interior, honest, compassionate exam of our, how our psyche has been programmed, how it's been wired up from probably started when we were in the womb, actually.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (09:29)
And then the situations that we're born into the families and the cultures that has an effect on how we think about everything and how we respond and react to everything. So from that conditioning comes the layers of belief, personality, layers, parts of us. However, you want to talk about that, that separates us from that true self or that essential nature. It's like, I love thinking about little babies and when all their needs are met, uh, that infant, or that toddler, that little four or five, six-year-old, when, when they're not troubled by an unmet need, they are in the moment. And they're happy for the most part and curious and spontaneous and full of wonder. I have grandchildren so I have learned so much just observing them a lot from my own kids too. But then it was a lot younger and more distracted, I think.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (10:46)
But you know this sense that this one example I give of my, when my grandson was two and a half; he was all those things that I described. And, he had a way of just responding to people with such an open heart, but he also showed me that, that he responded to their energy. So, most people, when they saw him, whether it was a friend or a stranger, which is kind of light up, because he's an adorable little, you know, two and a half year old kid, and he's very friendly. So he would respond with all this love. And one day someone, our doorbell rang, he was over here and, he wants to go with me to answer the door. So I put him up on my hip and we go running down the hall and I answered the door and it's someone who's calm, but who's in a really troubled state.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (11:49)
It's like he looked at her and he sensed her energy and he just slid right off of my hip and ran back down the hall. And it wasn't like he made a judgment like, oh, she's a bad person. It was just like, oh, this energy is not what I want to be around right now. You know, so that sense of an inner guidance system, even that we're always responding to, and then you get a little bit older and then somebody like that knocks on your door and you open the door, but you don't just respond with, a blank slate of, does this feel right? Can I choose to be here or not? You respond with, I should be this way, or it should be that way. Or there's something wrong with that person. This is bad, you know, all of these filters in layers.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (12:41)
So what I feel like we can do with psychotherapy is we can find those layers and filters, those beliefs that got programmed into us and we can clear them. And when we clear them and we are adults, then we can choose how we want to respond to other people, to ourselves, to life more from that wise compassionate place and more in alignment with also who we want to be. So for me today, if somebody knocks on my door and they're in a negative place, because of my training and because of my commitment to how I want to live, how I want to show up, I want to embody unconditional love. I don't, I can't, all the time, but it's what I want to. So in that moment, my desire can sometimes override the sense of like, Oh, energy, danger, danger to be like, no, here's someone who's hurting.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (13:58)
I can drop into that powerful Buddha-nature, that heart that's in us. It's always connected to love, always connected to source. I can drop into that because I've practiced dropping into that from 45 years of meditating. That's the purpose of the spiritual practice and then respond in a more gracious way to be helpful to that person. So does that make sense how you, you kind of work in your psychotherapy to undo the fear-based conditioning that comes from the world so that then you can live more from your inner nature or your beautiful heart.

Cindy: (14:52)
Elizabeth. Yes. That made perfect sense and that was beautiful, especially given us that imagery of your grandchild and feeling that energy.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (15:00)
Yeah. Yeah.

Cindy: (15:02)
That's perfect. Thank you so much and you mentioned spiritual practice. What is a spiritual practice and how can we have a spiritual practice and be consistent at it?

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (15:17)
Yeah, to me, a spiritual practice for me personally, it's meditation and prayer, and being with a spiritual community and spiritual friends and reading spiritual books, those things that inspire me, but for anybody, it could also be walking. I find that long walks in nature is a really important nurturing spiritual practice for me and for so many people, but basically a practice is whatever you find that when you do it, and you do it on a consistent basis, that you have a commitment to it, a daily practice, whatever you do that helps you make that shift. That helps you retrain your mind because a lot of spiritual practice, you know, is not blissful. It's boring. It's repetitive. In that, you're confronting with the way that the mind is used to. It's been taught to do this by growing up in our culture.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (16:25)
It's been taught to just think, to focus outside of ourselves and just to kind of follow the, whatever thoughts, wherever they're going and respond, you know, outside of us spiritual practices where you notice chattering mind, monkey, mind, whatever you want to call that you notice that ongoing voice in your head, and you choose for this period of time to not give that your attention to not let that own all of your awareness, but to find another point of attention and keep bringing yourself back to that. So of course, most basic point of attention is usually the breath. And so the breath, the breath is great because it's always with you, no matter where you are, what you're doing, your breath is right there. And you can let go of that thought and come back to the focus on the breath. But it's a lot of people think that if I'm coming back to my breath or my mantra or whatever, the light that I'm, whatever is my point of focus for my attention, that unless I can stay with that, it's not a good meditation, but really the idea that my mind will by its very nature.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (17:52)
Here's the, here's the focus, the breath. And here comes the thought, notice the thought, come back to the breath. I'm with the breath I'm with the breath. Here comes a thought. I go with the thought, I might go a few more seconds with it that I noticed that I let go of the thought I come back to the breath. And if you could imagine that when you're doing an exercise and you're doing all these reps, these reps are the muscle, that's going one direction and then back, the direction and then back and the muscle gets stronger because you keep repeating it. So think about that with meditation, your mind goes away, you bring it back. Your mind goes away, you bring it back. And there are a few things that happen. The muscle that you're strengthening is your attentional muscle, but also you're showing your own inner self, the depths of your desire and your commitment to not be ruled by the mind, but instead to be ruled by that deeper self and have that be the primary voice guiding you in your life and not just every ADHD, random thought pattern.

Cindy: (19:16)
You mentioned the breath. And I know that you do breathwork. Is that the same thing as breathing in meditation or are those two separate things?

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (19:30)
The way that I use breathwork and the way that it's used, mostly by people who do transformational breathwork or holotropic breathwork, there's a lot of different forms of it. Conscious connected breathing, rebirthing, it was called rebirthing when I first was training in it back in the mid-eighties, that is different than the breathing that we use in meditation practice. In meditation practice it's usually a deeper, slower breath. And it's one in which we're really consciously wanting to calm our nervous system and bring about more of a sense of calm within the whole body and get the mind quieter. So this other kind of breathwork, transformational breathwork is a psychotherapy tool in which you use an intensified form of breathing. It's called sometimes conscious and connected because again, you are intending to breathe more intensely than you normally would, and to connect it because you leave out the pauses.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (20:50)
That oftentimes when we breathe, you breathe in, you pause, you breathe out and then there's a pause. And actually, back to meditation for a moment, we actually want you to notice the pause, experience the pause, find that space; that's great in a meditation practice. In breathwork, it's the opposite and it does something different to our physiology and our awareness. So, when you do breathwork, you are actually going into a non-ordinary state of consciousness and non-ordinary state of consciousness is something that, again, most other cultures, indigenous cultures, especially, honor, and it's seen as every culture needs, every, every person needs a way to access non-ordinary states of consciousness because then they will connect to spirit. And like we know from, tribal cultures, native cultures, that they had many ways to access non-ordinary states of consciousness in which they would, you know, the Shaman would do a dance or use plant medicine or all night drumming, or go on vision quests three or four days in the wilderness with no food and no water.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (22:24)
Why? To break us out of just ordinary thinking mind and openness to other dimensions. So in breathwork, we discovered, or, some psychotherapists back in the late seventies realized you didn't need to use LSD to create a different state of consciousness and you didn't need the plant medicine or dancing or drumming. You could actually, if you felt safe enough and you felt like the setting was safe and you were supported, you could access some very powerful states of awareness and that accessing those would both be healing for you. You would discover things about yourself and it could have some incredibly deep cathartic experiences and releases. And you could also so access that inner essential nature. In one way, if you think about going on a journey in which, in the very beginning a lot this is how I and a lot of other breathworkers set up, one of these sessions is in the beginning, you think about your intention.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (23:43)
What do you want to get from this? Is there, a part of you or part of your life that you're working on, you want healing, or do you just want to be open and say, spirit, take me on a journey. I don't know where I was supposed to go, but I trust you and you do get relaxed. You might be lying down your facilitator, your counselors sitting next to you, instructing you in the way to breathe. And you start that breathing. Sometimes a lot of times music is used to help facilitate the journey, kind of take you on a roller coaster of these different emotions and something will happen. It doesn't happen for everyone. It's not for everyone, but for a lot of people there, there's a moment that comes after just breathing like this for five or 10 minutes where you realize you're surprised you're not in your ordinary mind, something spiritual, is taking you on a journey and to be able to trust that and let go to that and go on that journey.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (24:55)
I just have to say that I heard about it in 1986 from someone - I'd never heard about it before. She told me briefly about it and I got really curious, I hadn't done any psychotherapy, but I had been already a meditator for about 16 or 17 years by that point. But, I laid down, she told me how to breathe, and I had the most amazing experience. I just have to say that when it was after about an hour 45 minutes, whatever, when I was, I was done, it was like, the journey was obviously done. And I was just resting in this state of bliss and connection to myself and to a higher power, the source of life, whatever you call it, whatever it is, that gives us breath. And my mind was completely peaceful. And as I was lying there breathing and just feeling so much love.
Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (26:04)
I was also aware that each breath to breathe it and be present to it was one of the most intense experiences of pleasure. Now we think of pleasure as getting a massage, you know, or, you know, for those people that surf, I always imagine, wow, the pleasure of just gradually getting that wave and standing up and pleasure making love or eating a really good meal, but this was in this simplicity of just being with no thought in my mind, but very present in my body, in that space, each breath was like, uh, I don't know. It's just amazing to think that you could breathe and be in ecstasy just from a breath.

Cindy: (26:59)
Do you give workshops on that? Because I am very interested in that. Just that what you were saying about just the simple pleasure of just being.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (27:08)
Just being yes. Yeah. Returning to that. That's, that's what we're, that's what we want, isn't it? Yes. Um, everything's a little bit different because we're all social isolation, but I have experience doing breathwork with people over zoom in order when life gets back to normal. And ordinary times I do breathwork with people, one on one in my office and also in groups. And, yeah, I have an email list so people can get on my email list and be also posted on Facebook. So people, if they're interested, can find out when I'm offering those

Cindy: (27:54)
Elizabeth, thank you for sharing all of your, your knowledge. It has been really so fascinating, and I cannot believe the time is just flying by.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (28:04)
I know, I know. I know.

Cindy: (28:07)
Can you tell people how to follow you on your journey and how they can support you and your website?

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (28:14)
Yeah. Thank you. My website is elizabethstamper.com and Stamper is spelled just like you put a stamp on an envelope and then you add an ER, stamper elizabethstamper.com my easiest email address is ehstamper@gmail. So, yeah, and Cynthia, you are such a lovely presence to be with. You're so gentle and I feel very deeply listened to and touched by just being with you this morning.

Cindy: (29:07)
Thank you so much. I do have one last question. If you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life that you're in now? Or what advice would you give her? If you could go back and just say...

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (29:25)
You know, when I was 18, I had so much self-doubt and so much negative self-perception. And so just so little confidence and I would want to say to her is what you have inside of you is beautiful. It's unique to you. You have gifts and you are going to be able to explore them, cultivate them and offer them to the world. And you will have great, great joy in being able to do that as well as to experience all the loving relationships that you will be just graced and privileged to, um, the people that will come in your life and touch you. So I would just want to somehow pull the curtain and let her see all those gifts that were ahead of her.

Cindy: (30:27)
I love that because sometimes we need help, for somebody to pull that curtain back, to help us see what our gifts are and how much that we are loved.

Speaker 2: (30:37)
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah.

Cindy: (30:40)
Thank you so much for being here. I appreciate it.

Elizabeth Hess Stamper: (30:44)
Thank you very much, Cynthia. God bless you and your work. Thank you.

Cindy: (30:51)
Thank you. Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Elizabeth Hess Stamper.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter and we'll let you know what we're working on, as well as what we're reading and listening to in regards to beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between. Until next time, live inspired!

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Cindy: (00:00)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 19. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Reverend Julie Petroski.

Cindy: (00:39)
Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening. I can’t wait for you to meet my guest today. Rev. Julie Petroski is a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant, a specially trained ceremony specialist. Through her organization RiteWords Ceremonies, Rev. Julie honors and celebrates individuals, couples, and families and what they believe through uniquely personal ceremonies. Whether it's a custom-designed wedding, a personalized end-of-life ceremony, a tailored memorial for a companion animal, or a bespoke experience for a personal milestone, Rev. Julie creates and officiates for all. Welcome to the podcast Rev. Julie!

Rev. Julie Petroski: (01:22)
Thank you so much. I'm very excited to be here today with you.

Cindy: (01:26)
I'm really excited to have you.

Cindy: (01:28)
I want to start off with my signature question. I ask everybody this question because I honestly love all the answers and different perspectives. What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (01:45)
Throughout my life I’ve always been the kind of person to push boundaries and try new things. In my 20s I traveled alone to learn about myself and figure out what I was capable of. I chose a career as an advertising creative, I’m a writer. It was a path I picked in hopes that I’d never stop learning. In my 30s and 40s, I pushed myself to be a leader of other creatives as a way to learn and grow. I started learning how to grow my own food. I have a very big garden.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (02:38)
I really wanted to experience it. I'm not a parent, but I wanted to help, nurture something. And I think that was where I went with that. And now that I'm in my fifties, I'm 51 and I'm proactively preparing for this next big phase of my life. I'm hoping to retire at approximately 55 - 65; retire from advertising, if all goes as planned. And, you know, as we all know right now, you know, there's all plans are pretty much out the window these days, but, I feel that my flexibility and creativity and writing they have always been the tools that I've used to deal with, whatever life throws me. That's kind of what exploring the seasons of life has meant to me thus far in my, personal and professional career.

Cindy: (03:26)
Thank you. That was beautiful. When you were talking about growing a garden, my stepmother has this huge garden and when I went to visit her in Arkansas and it was, you know, the watermelons, the beans, the tomatoes, the okra, everything, it was just beautiful. Do you still have your garden?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (03:44)
Oh, yes. I'm the crazy plant lady. I have raised beds, stock tanks. I grow a variety of vegetables year-round. If at all possible, here in Dallas, Texas, it is possible to have a garden, uh, most of the year, unless we have a bad freeze or snow. And we do every couple of years, but not as much as a lot of other places and actually fall in winter. if we don't have a freeze, they are the best times to garden here in Texas, because it's not so hot and we don't have that many bugs.

Cindy: (04:22)
So what I really want to talk to you today about, one of the many, is when life doesn't turn out the way we've planned or expected, what's next? Can we talk about that in terms of COVID and becoming a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (04:40)
Definitely, what's next for me has already started, I became a Certified Life-Cycle Celebrant in 2018 to begin my next phase career journey. That was important to me to have a plan, to start thinking about what I would do next. My husband is five years older than I am, so he does want to retire. He wanted to retire sooner than I thought I would be ready to retire. And I couldn't imagine just being done. So for me, I learned about celebrancy many years ago when I was still living in California and I had read about it or maybe seeing something on television about it. And so I sought that out. And even though I'm currently still employed in advertising full time, I've begun my celebrant work. I've done many kinds of ceremonies already. I've done weddings, retirement ceremonies, celebrations of life, cancer survivor anniversary ceremonies, home blessings, and pet memorials.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (05:43)
That said though COVID-19 has changed the trajectory of my celebrant practice with all these restrictions, you know, local and national due to the pandemic. And also, you know, practical many couples have postponed weddings and I have not done a zoom Memorial myself. I know a lot of other celebrants are spending a fair amount of their time, officiating Memorial ceremony, especially via zoom. So what I've done though, is I've turned to other ways to support people and show them that despite what's going on our planet, there's still a lot of love and light out there for everybody. And so I'm doing my part to share that with them.

Cindy: (06:28)
I know that when we were talking on the phone several days ago, you mentioned you had started a letter-writing ministry, and I would love to hear the story behind that and how it got started. And after you and I had talked, I read an article written by Jay Morris and in it, he said “there’s something about a handwritten note. Both the act of writing one and receiving one are heartfelt expressions of our humanity. Sender and receiver are elevated to a higher plane of interaction and connection that transcends normal communication about where to have lunch or when that big project is due.” And when I read that, I thought, yeah, a handwritten note, how many of us get those these days? So could you talk about that?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (07:17)
I agree with the author, a hundred percent. I read that article also and I received a handwritten note yesterday in my mail, and I know how it made me feel. You know, it really, it boosts your spirits, even if it's a thank you note for something that you've done or it's, you know, a birthday card or whatever. And I've always loved getting mail. And that's, that's one of the reasons that I actually am in the advertising field that I'm in because we do a lot of mail to people. But as a celebrant, I have always done a mail ministry of some kind as part of my practice. To me, it's just one more way to add a bit of ritual and ceremony to the every day I have been in volunteer through an organization called moreloveletters.com for many years.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (08:06)
And I write a handful of letters each month in response to their ask. They usually ask for, you know, four to six letters a month. And I'm that person who sends birthday cards to kids and seniors when, you know, the TV news asks for cards for seniors hitting a big milestone birthday, like 110 or 105. And you know, that's all they want are cards. I'm one of those people. And I do it on people's asks on Facebook, but in May, I decided to amp things up. And I, christened May, my May Mail Ministry. And that came from my desire to spread love and light, during the darkest days for many people, it was it, you know, I think a lot of people at that point had assumed that COVID would be winding down, would be almost over and they could go back to life as they had preferred to experience it. It didn’t happen.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (09:04)
Seniors are lonely. Parents are overwhelmed. Young people are frustrated by being housebound and people are reacting in many ways to the safety restrictions. Some honestly need just a bit of cheering up. So that's why I decided in May to do something, to help. And I put out a call on my personal Facebook page and on my ministry Facebook page and my Instagram page. And I offered to send a letter, a note or card to anybody who wanted one. And so, I was writing, up to 10 letters, cards and notes per day. During, the first week of June, I also have a friend who in Northern California who has an organization that provides food for housebound seniors. So one Saturday I made a hundred notes and these were just very simple notes, very colorful, more art, than writing, but it was important because these seniors missed having even a little bit of time to socialize with the volunteers delivering the food.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (10:08)
And the purpose of the notes was to remind the seniors that they matter because they do. And, you know, they were feeling very isolated and alone, and that was just not that that hurt my heart. And so I wanted to do something to help. And honestly, it was really fun to do. I mean, how many times do you get to get the markers out and have a good time, just, you know, making sunny, happy notes for people. And then one other thing I did during that period, it was like the universe is bringing me all these opportunities, a coffee shop in Atlanta. I don't go there but More Love Letters was connected to them. And they were doing acts of service to celebrate their, I believe the fifth anniversary of being a company. And so one of the things that they asked her, their clientele to do is to help them write notes to people hospitalized with COVID. So another Saturday I did 50 notes to strangers who were hospitalized and they were just going to be distributed as you know, reminders to these people that, you know, even though they're very sick, you know, they matter and somebody out there loves them and somebody knows that they're there. So that was fun. I've enjoyed all the activities that I did. And I have, I continue to, you know, do quite a bit of mail, but May was my big month.

Cindy: (11:30)
I just love that that's coming from your heart. You're doing something to help your fellow human being. And I just love that. But what I want to ask you as a couple of things, one, when you're writing these notes, what are you talking about? I mean, there's, they're strangers and are you, how do you start that? And how does, how would somebody get started to write letters? I will say that occasionally I do see something on Facebook and it's typically been to our soldiers. How does, how does somebody get started in that? Because I can see your passion when you talk about that.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (12:05)
Well, when I was a little girl, you might remember this show. It was a really long time ago go called The Big Blue Marble and you could get, if you wrote into big blue marble, you could get a pen pal from some other country. And so that's where this all started for me. I've been writing letters since I think I could write. My grandparents live very far away from where my family lived. So I would write to my grandmother who was a school teacher, letters and she would write me back. And it's always been something that I enjoy doing. When I write for moreloveletters.com. We do get a little bit of background on the situation. So a lot of times, you know, it could be, we're cheering somebody up because something devastating has happened in their life or they're, you know, they're having personal struggles.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (12:58)
So we get that background and we'll know a little bit about that. And I, what I do is I think about if I was in that situation, what would I need to hear? Um, and then if I've never been in that situation, and I don't know exactly what to say, I just put things out there that tell these people that they are loved. And, um, one of the things that, you know, I might do is explain, you know, you know, give them motivational prompts or words that they can latch onto to know that how special they are based on, based on the description I'm giving. And, you know, sometimes you have to think about, you know, what could you add to it? I often add quotes that I think could be helpful or, you know, a little picture that could be helpful, a meme from the internet that might, that might be nice.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (13:56)
Um, just anything that can help somebody feel connected. And I think it's really important also to realize that these letters aren't just read once for some people, they actually, you know, I have, I have boxes of letters. People have written to me because I might not look at them every day, but there might come a time where I want to go through them and remember, and things like that. So some people will literally put them aside, maybe it's too overwhelming to read, you know, 200 letters from strangers, right. At first, or, and, or maybe, you know, it meant so much to them that they'll keep it for those tough days. And they'll just pull one out and read it and remember, you know, what happened and how they, how they were blessed with such a big box of, of, uh, letters. So that's how I do it. I, I really, I, before sit down to write though, I try to get myself in the right frame of mind. Right. You know, you're, you're spreading love. So you need to be someone who is full of loving-kindness and is thinking, um, you know, those, those kinds of thoughts. Cause that's what you want to have on the paper.

Cindy: (15:10)
Reverend Julie, thank you for those tips, um, of how you start, you know, writing those letters. Because I think that will be very helpful. Cause sometimes, you know, I have seen those calls and I would think, what do I say, how do I get started? So that was very helpful.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (15:27)
I think if you just have it come from your heart, um, you know, and you, you just come from a real place of love. Uh, you don't think about, you know, what's going on in the world necessarily. You're, you're just trying to, you're trying to encourage somebody on an individual level and it's, uh, you know, you can't see them, but you're just trying to think about that connection and how you can, how you can send them the love that they deserve and show them that they matter.

Speaker 1: (15:58)
Yeah. And we, and we all need to hear that from time to time. And it's, we need to hear that from time to time all, you know, throughout our lives. But especially during this time. So you mentioned pets earlier, and I know that in your celebrancy work, you've done several pet memorials. Can, can you talk about that a little bit because you know, 67% of us households, or that's really about 85 million families own a pet pets are very near and dear to our hearts. Can you talk a little bit about pet memorials and how, how that got started for you?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (16:33)
Yes, that’s right. I became a Celebrant to focus on funerals, end of life, celebrations of life. I wanted to help families who want to honor their loved ones but didn’t know what to do or where to start. Maybe they didn’t have a specific religious practice or belief. Or maybe the deceased said they didn’t want a funeral. I knew from my own experiences when loved ones die and you do nothing because they didn’t want it, how very difficult it can be to move on to the next chapter of life, a life without that person in physical form.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (17:31)
And now even during COVID because you know, many times funerals happen rather quickly. Now Celebrations of Life or Memorials are usually held a later date, but that's not always what families want. So that's a place where I found that, you know, I couldn't be as nimble or as helpful or as responsive as I wanted to be. So that's, that's kind of now on the back burner until I fully retire. But one place where I could help is with pet memorials and saying goodbye to an animal companion, a four-legged family member is really very hard. They're only with us a very short time. And until October I had four dogs of my own. I only have two now. And my husband and I also foster dogs. So we've met a lot of dogs, you know, throughout our marriage and also, you know, throughout our life together.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (18:30)
And we know exactly what a dog's love is like, I mean, you are their world. And so when that love is, is no longer with you on a day to day basis, you don't see those tail wags, you know, you aren't greeted, it can be really tough and beyond receiving an urn or a cast of paw prints. I mean, most pet parents don't really have an option for remembering their four-legged family members. You know, like most conventional religions don't have a ceremony for that. And you know that's not a right or wrong thing it is what it is. And so what I've been doing is I've been helping pet parents with either a DIY ceremony that I write and their family does whenever they're ready. Or I also do Celebrant led ceremonies where I say all the words and they say the responses and things like that depends, it's really dependent on what their wishes are and what they would like to do, but a pet Memorial lets them celebrate the life of this special animal companion and let us all rejoice and remember the gift of their unconditional love. How to choose their ceremony and get that flexibility and control, I think helps a lot of people right now because you know, we don't have control over so much at the present time.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (19:56)
And I think that's very tough for many people.

Cindy: (19:59)
Yeah. Absolutely. Do you have a favorite ritual that you do for the pet owners?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (20:07)
Well, I do a lot of different things depending on the individual's needs. I mean, I really tailor it specifically to that family, but I'll tell you about one of the DIY ceremonies that I think really worked out well. And I would, for people who have children, this might be a good opportunity, to really help the child understand what's happened and you know, let them be part of the ceremony. One of the families I've worked with had a very senior dog and unfortunately it passed away while the family was away on a vacation. The family was incredibly sad and they a daughter, I think she was about 11 at the time and the parents really want to help the daughter through this sad time. And it was the first time that the child had ever lost anyone in their life that they loved.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (21:02)
And they didn't really, the parents were like, not sure, like what should we do? We gotta do something. So I spoke with all the family members and found out what this animal is like, her name was Ella and I wrote a ceremony that let the child be the officiant and she led the ceremony. And so she's an only child and the dog was kind of like a sibling to her and the parents provided the responses and they were the congregation for the ceremony and it was held at the beach near their house, which was Ella's favorite place to walk with the family. The mother, after the ceremony said to me that it was truly a relief because, you know, they didn't really know what to do, but everything by combining all the information that the family had provided, I came up with something that was very natural for the daughter to say, it was appropriate for the child's age. And it also moved the parents in a way that they didn't think was possible. And the little girl also said that she felt like this was what her dog needed.

Cindy: (22:18)
Reverend Julie, thank you for talking about that. It seriously touched my heart. You know, having written it for the 11-year-old to, to read. We are nearing our time. So I want to know, is there anything that I should have asked you that I didn't?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (22:34)
Well, one thing I was going to say that you probably do want to know is I don't get any letters back from the letter mail ministry, I don't put a return address on them. And the reason I don't do that is for More Love Letters.Com we're not allowed to share our address. It's supposed to be a very pure expression of the heart. Someone out there that you don't know is sending you a love you deserve. And you know, it's supposed to remind you that even though you might feel like everyone's a stranger, that we're all connected and that you matter. And I think that I carried on with that. I mean, obviously, if people are signing up with my ministry for mail, they, they know that it's coming from me.

Rev. Julie Petroski: (23:22)
I do sign it Reverend Julie. I mean, they know it's me. So if they really want to get back in touch with me, those people know how to, but for the other ways I send mail, I do not give a return address because I, I do think it's, it's pretty neat that, you know, to be reminded that you're actually surrounded by kindness and love. And it's, it's not always what the news is portraying, you know, kindness and love doesn't sell, uh, newspapers. And it doesn't, you know, it's not a hot story. Um, but it's out there and people need to know that that love and light is available to them.

Cindy: (24:01)
You know, thank you for clarifying, because I was going to ask you that if you received letters back. So, Reverend Julie, if you could turn back time and talk to your 18 year old self, what would you tell her about the season of life you're in now?

Rev. Julie Petroski: (24:18)
Girl, you have no idea how much power you have. And I'm serious about that because in my fifties, the filter is off. I am less worried about pleasing people and more worried and focused on speaking the truth. There's no time for games. There's no time for confusion. Honest talk is not only important. It's critical. And I think I finally have gotten to the place where I just do what I need to do. And I'd also like to tell her that that finally, in your fifties, the world's your oyster, everything you've learned up until this point has prepared you for this moment. And it's prepared you to be the very best you, you can be at this moment. So seize that moment and seize the day and seize your life. Don't let anybody hold you back and take what's yours. I mean, you've earned it. You've done all the things to get yourself to where you are.

Cindy: (25:17)
Thank you. This is a perfect place to end right now. I appreciate you so much for being on the podcast and everything you're doing with your letter writing ministry and sending kindness out to the world. So thank you. Thank you

Rev. Julie Petroski: (25:33)
I really appreciate being a guest.

Speaker 1: (25:36)
Thank you, for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Reverend Julie Petroski, you can visit Reverend Julie's website@rightwordceremonies.com to learn about the services she offers and contact her.

If you're interested in ceremony of your own, if you're in Texas or Ontario and want to have a small socially distance wedding in accordance with local restrictions, she would love to help.

And of course, if you'd like mail through her mail ministry, you can email her your name and address to julie@rightwordceremonies.com. And she'll write to you.

I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback. And I truly love hearing from you. You can reach me via the website, Cynthia macmillan.com or email me at cindy@cynthiamacmillan.com. Sign up for our biweekly newsletter. And we'll let you know what we're working on as well as what we're reading and listening to regarding beginnings endings and the messy bits in between.

View Details

Cindy: (00:10)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 18. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Lorraine Miano.

Cindy: (00:50)
Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. My guest today is Lorraine Miano. Lorraine is an Integrative Holistic Health Coach certified in hormone health, and author of the bestselling book “The Magic of Menopause: A Holistic Guide to Get Your Happy Back!”, She is especially passionate about working with women in all phases of menopause who have weight, metabolism and aging concerns, so that they can have more energy, less stress and feel comfortable in their own skin. .

Cindy: (01:14)
Lorraine, welcome to the podcast I'm so excited to have you here and talk about menopause.

Lorraine Miano: (01:15)
Thank you so much, Cindy. I'm so happy to be here.

Cindy: (01:19)
So I want to start off with, what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Lorraine Miano: (01:27)
This is a very good question, and I know you probably will be surprised by my answer. So when I talk to women during this phase of their life, my mantra is let's make this a new beginning; it is not an ending. Menopause is not an ending. It is a new beginning. So I actually look at each phase of life as springtime. There's always a new birth for every phase, whether it's puberty, your reproductive years, empty nest, menopause and beyond, I think it's time to embrace each and every one of those seasons and look at them as a new beginning with new passions, new purpose, and to live life fully.

Cindy: (02:08)
I love that. Thank you so much. So what led you to become a menopause coach? Can you walk us through your story?

Lorraine Miano: (02:16)
Yeah, I've always been very interested in health. From the time I first had my children and there were two major things that happened in my life that led me on this journey to become a health coach. The first was my husband was diagnosed with a very aggressive tonsil cancer. He is a survivor, 18-year survivor, but it was a very stressful time. And we realized that we probably had to make some changes in our diets, in our lifestyles. Soon after that, both of my daughters were diagnosed with celiac disease, which is, when you have gluten intolerance. So that was an introduction into how, what we put in our body or what we eliminate from our body can actually heal our body and when I was taking some Pilates classes, I would talk quite frequently about health and different things and supplements I was doing.

Lorraine Miano: (03:07)
And my Pilates instructor said, you need to go to this school that my sister attended, this would be perfect for you. So, she sent me the link to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the largest nutrition school in the world. They invented the term health coach. So I saw that program and I said, this is for me. So I went through the program. I started my health coaching business and I realized, you know, I'm a menopausal woman. I hear from so many women that they are not getting the support they need from their healthcare provider, from family members that they just weren't getting the help that they needed in the world of menopause from perimenopause to post-menopause. So I felt this could be a woman that I could help. I had been through it. I was on the other side of it and I knew all the challenges. So I figured I would spend my focus on that particular group of women.

Cindy: (03:59)
When you have gone through something yourself. That is a great opportunity for your lessons and your seasons to come through.

Lorraine Miano: (04:07)
Yes, I totally agree. And there are so many misconceptions and myths that surround menopause, and there's still a taboo about talking about it. So I feel it's such a great time with so many baby boomers entering that phase of life to open up the conversation and really put it out front.

Cindy: (04:26)
Absolutely. I saw that you had surveyed 100 perimenopausal and menopausal women and you asked them 10 questions and I was hoping you could talk a little bit about the survey and in particular, the question and the answers to where did you learn about menopause? I found that a really fascinating question when I read that, I'm sure it's not where I learned it from. So I'm eager to hear what kind of answers you got.

Lorraine Miano: (04:57)
When I did the survey, I really wasn't surprised at the answers that I received, mainly because there are so many, like we said, myths and misconceptions and this taboo and everything. So I really wasn't surprised by the answers, but I just really wanted to get the scientific aspect of it. So when I asked women, where did they learn about menopause 64% of them said from no one or from themselves. And basically, they did a search in Google, you know, read some books, but basically I think only 16% of them said they learned it from their mom and only 6% from their gynecologists. So I really wasn't surprised. I have learned through menopause coaching that the medical world, unfortunately, does not get the education in menopause that they should be. I think things are changing slowly, but I think somewhere I read that they have like three hours in residency of menopause training. So many of these doctors don't even understand what's going on.

Cindy: (06:00)
And you made a good point about all the baby boomers that are going into menopause. And if they only have three hours, a lot more information needs to come out from people like yourself.

Lorraine Miano: (06:13)
Yes. And because of the answers, I received some of the other statistics were 86% of women said that they did not have a solid understanding of menopause upon entering that phase. 81% said that their gynecologist was not helpful at all in guiding them. And so I wasn't surprised when one of the questions I asked was how would you describe menopause? And these were just some of the answers: annoying, horrible, a hot mess, a nightmare, uncomfortable, confusing, a roller coaster, a struggle, hellish, horrendous, scary, hell on earth. So when I heard all of this, I said, could you imagine if these women had the education, had the support prior to entering perimenopause or menopause, they may not have had these experiences. They may actually have had a positive experience with menopause. And that's where my mission is. I really want to show women that this really is a new beginning and there's so many positive aspects of it.

Cindy: (07:20)
Well, thank you, Lorraine, for having this as your mission, because I guess I would say I'm one of those people who did the Google search, you know, I just read books and taught myself what I should be looking for if that's the right, right way to say that. So, yeah. That's why I found it so interesting when I read that question. I know there's a difference between perimenopause and menopause. I've heard through my little Google searches, there's like a 10-year buildup to menopause. Can you talk about that and correct me if I'm wrong?

Lorraine Miano: (07:58)
Yes, you're right. So perimenopause is the years that are leading up to menopause, which is actually just one day. It is the 12-month anniversary of when your menses cease, prior to that your peri-menopausal and after that you are post-menopausal and women will be post-menopausal for the rest of their lives. Perimenopause can start as early as your late thirties, although that is considered very early, and it could be because of some underlying health conditions and it can last anywhere from two to 15 years. Some women go through it with absolutely no symptoms, other than maybe irregular periods, some have what they call horrific symptoms. And much of that is because of their lifestyle habits, genetics plays a small part. But it could be diet, exercise, their lifestyle leading up to the perimenopausal years.

Cindy: (08:51)
Yeah. I know that there are a lot of symptoms. I think a lot of times people think when they think of menopause as hot flashes, and I know it's so much more than that. Can you just go into that a little bit?

Lorraine Miano: (09:07)
Sure. Especially during the perimenopausal years, sometimes the first symptoms that women will experience are anxiety and depression, insomnia, irregular periods, they will have things become dry: eyes, mouth, vagina. I mean, estrogen is responsible for fluid levels, partly responsible for the fluid levels in our body. So as estrogen declines, you might experience those. You may also experience other symptoms such as weight gain mood swings. So there are many symptoms that lead up to actual menopause, and there are so many things that can be done to support you through that process.

Cindy: (09:50)
What are some natural remedies that you talk to some of your clients about for menopause or perimenopause?

Lorraine Miano: (09:57)
Firstly, I'd just like to say that I am not against hormone therapy, you know, hormone replacement therapy. I just choose to take the more holistic route for those women who may not be able to do hormone replacement because of female cancers or just a personal choice. So I know for some women, hormone therapy will be very beneficial, but from a holistic aspect, I would prefer to get to the root of what's going on. So in that regard a lot, what I just described about women's diets. So many of the things that we are eating such as processed foods, refined sugars, all of this will have an effect on our hormone balance or insulin levels, and cortisol levels. Stress is a big thing to reduce stress in our lives is so important. Stress and sugar are probably the two biggest things that will affect our hormone balance; exercise and women don't have to do extensive exercise.

Lorraine Miano: (10:53)
As a matter of fact, when you're in your perimenopausal and menopausal years, more moderate exercises are better because exercise does raise your cortisol levels. And if you're doing really extensive exercise, such as, long distance running, some of this CrossFit and that kind of thing, you may actually cause hormone imbalances. So things like yoga and Tai Chi, going for massages, just different things that will reduce stress in your body. Pilates is a great exercise to do. So I mentioned massage; that's really just a relaxation technique, not an exercise, but so yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, those are like great ones for menopause.

Cindy: (11:32)
Speaking of Pilates, last year now I'm not doing it right now, but I had started plots and I was going about three times a week. Now it didn't help weight loss per se, but, Oh my goodness, I felt so flexible and tall and actually less stressed.

Lorraine Miano: (11:52)
And all of those things will lead to weight loss. Eventually.

Lorraine Miano: (11:54)
Stress relief does help because those cortisol levels are keeping the weight on too. So some of the other things that we can do, there are supplements and two of my absolute favorite are their adaptogen herbs. So an adaptogen herb is something that helps our body cope with stress. And like I said, stress is one of those big things that can cause hormone imbalances. So two of my favorite are maca root and ashwagandha. And on my website, I have a menopause market and I've done the research. I've researched like the best products and I have them listed there, there are different supplements. And actually, one of them actually is rated as the number one clinically proven hormone-free menopause supplement to help with symptoms. So maca root is absolutely fantastic. So other things are herbal teas like red clover and raspberry leaf is another great one. So different things like that, that we can do to reduce the stress in our lives, eat healthy, eliminate processed and refined sugars boost up the hormone balancing foods. And I also have that on my website. There's a free download of Eat Your Way to Hormone Health. So things like avocados, pomegranate seed, cold-water fish, all the good, healthy fats to all of these will help the hormone balance in our lives.

Cindy: (13:13)
All right. Thank you. And you have a fantastic website and I did go out on the marketplace and looked at through your resources and there's a lot of good information out there.

Lorraine Miano: (13:25)
Thank you. I know I'm constantly on the lookout for the perfect holistic options for women that they can use throughout these years.

Cindy: (13:31)
And out of curiosity, does menopause have an effect on the adrenal glands?

Lorraine Miano: (13:36)
As a matter of fact? Yes. And we talked about stress. The adrenals are mainly for our stress hormones. So low adrenal function is one of the most important underlying causes of menopausal symptoms during the menopausal transition, the ovaries stop ovulating and decrease their production of progesterone and estrogen. And this decline in hormones can occur abruptly or slowly over time. And to make up for this lack of sex hormones, a woman's adrenal glands also known as the stress glands at this stage of their life are designed to pick up the slack for the ovaries. So what happens is until menopause, the adrenal role is to produce female sex hormones throughout our lives. The adrenal glands are also responsible for the production of cortisol and adrenaline and among other hormones, the adrenals allow humans to respond to changing situations by regulating sugar levels, adjusting our metabolism, moving blood to where it needs to be in the body controlling electrolyte concentrations and regulating blood volume and in doing so this has an effect on our energy levels, our sleep our wake cycle our blood pressure, and our ability to do the things we need to from day to day.

Lorraine Miano: (14:44)
But for many women who have had a life full of stress, whether they're raising children, have a challenging career, the stress builds up, builds up, builds up. And by the time they reached the menopausal transition, the adrenal glands are so depleted that they are unable to produce healthy levels of hormones. So in whatever capacity they can, the adrenal glands focused on the production of baseline levels of cortisol rather than the production of progesterone and other sex precursors. So increased menopausal symptoms and related to adrenals deficiency symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, and cravings will happen. So it's very important for women to realize and acknowledge the stress that they're having watch for those symptoms of stress and really take control of it. So they will not have depleted adrenals.

Cindy: (15:30)
What can we do to, because it sounds like the adrenals are like super important. I mean, I know they're important, but as far as menopause, it sounds like they are really, really important to stay healthy. And most women that I know anyway with their careers are under a lot of stress. What can we do to keep our adrenals healthy?

Lorraine Miano: (15:50)
It is very important for women to accept that self-love and self-care are not selfish and that we really need to pay attention to ourselves; taking care of ourselves, from our daily routines, to being able to say no. And I know as women, that's a really hard one throughout our lives. Being able to say no and taking more off our own shoulders. So a lot of the things that we can do to reduce stress are meditation and mindfulness, gratitude journaling, deep breathing exercises, the Pilates, yoga, and Tai Chi that I talked about. A wonderful thing. One of the most beneficial things is what I mentioned before massage. And if you can't afford to go for massages, because sometimes they can be quite costly. If you have a significant other or even a child that you can swap back rubs with. It's just so beneficial to be able to get the blood flowing, get that tension released in your body.

Lorraine Miano: (16:45)
It's a really great stress reducer. There's something called the the 4-7-8 breath when we talked about breathing, which is absolutely wonderful. If you Google Dr. Weil, Dr. Andrew Weil, he kind of came up with it. And it's kind of based on a yoga breathing technique, it's called 4-7-8 breath. And it's basically something you can do on a daily basis that will, the benefits will be cumulative. So if you keep doing it, getting that oxygen and we tend to be shallow breathers and we don't breathe enough deep, deeply into our bodies. So to do these breaths like once or twice a day, it'll actually benefit your body and keep those stress levels low. It's very simple to do you breathe in for four, hold it for seven and breathe out for eight for a series of four breaths. And you could do it any time that you're stressed before bedtime. When you get up in the morning. And I have women who do it and fall asleep before they even finish it. So it is so beneficial.

Cindy: (17:41)
Yeah. I realized when you started talking about being shallow breathers, that I was actually holding my breath.

Lorraine Miano: (17:47)
I know it is amazing and where mindfulness and meditation can come into because especially when you do a guided meditation, it reminds you, okay, take a deep breath in, hold it, you know, let it go. And it really makes you concentrate on being in that moment. That also takes away worry because we tend to think of things that happened in the past things that are happening in the future. And that brings a lot of stress to our lives. So if you can just be in that moment and be mindful, that is such a great stress reducer.

Cindy: (18:17)
Well, thank you for all those tips. I appreciate that. You've already talked a lot about the health of our hormones. Is there anything else around our hormones that is beneficial to women in perimenopause or menopause?

Lorraine Miano: (18:34)
Yeah, I mean, we talked about diet. That's really a big one and women tend to think that they may be able to just take a magic pill. And although there are great supplements, I totally support using supplements, really getting to putting what's in our body, putting what's good into our body. That's I would start there if you're not doing anything else, eat more plants, eat more greens. They're so beneficial to our hormone balance and reduce the more that you add in the good stuff you'll be pushing out or we call it crowding out the bad stuff. So instead of thinking of eliminating things, just add better things in and eventually, you will want the other things.

Cindy: (19:14)
I like that "crowding out". That's a different way of looking at it.

Lorraine Miano: (19:19)
Yeah. I want people and women to realize that a diet, you know because we always hear this term diet and I'm not about dieting at all. A diet is what you do eat, not what you don't eat. So if we eat the good stuff and concentrate on the good stuff, we'll get the good benefit.

Cindy: (19:35)
That sounds like good advice. Menopause is different than what a lot of women imagine. What is different with menopause for today, as opposed to menopause in the past, I'm gonna let you answer. I was going to say, is it education or what is it?

Lorraine Miano: (19:50)
Okay, well, I have, I have my own theories. Some, some of them through research. So as we've talked about baby boomers, unfortunately, baby boomer women grew up during the years when they started spraying crops with pesticides where fast food was introduced. So, unfortunately, we were introduced to many toxins in our lives. So I actually believe that our menopause experience is a lot worse than our grandmothers and mothers who ate more organic foods. They also had less chronic stress because they didn't have this bombardment of everything coming at you all day long between news cycles and everything else. I don't even remember my grandmother ever having a hot flash. I never saw her fanning herself. I mean, not that it didn't happen. I'm sure that it did happen, but I think it, I feel it was less frequent and less intense than what many of the women today are experiencing. I don't think they had any more knowledge about it going into it then than the women today because the medical community was still the same. And there was a lot of medical misogyny that still goes on today. But I do feel that their symptoms may have been different than what we were experiencing. And unfortunately, women today don't realize that many of the symptoms are related to perimenopause and menopause.

Cindy: (21:06)
When you were talking about era that we grew up in. I remember being a little girl in a really tiny town here in the South and the mosquito trucks going around, spraying the mosquitoes. We didn't know, nobody said anything, and we were just out there playing in all those toxins.

Lorraine Miano: (21:24)
We did the same. I grew up on Long Island. It was a farming community when I grew up and the exact same thing, they would come through our little suburban neighborhood, spraying the trucks. And we did exactly the same thing. Nobody knew any better our parents didn't know how horrible it was. And we did run behind those trucks with all of those toxins that are endocrine disruptors and cancer-causing. There are so many things in our environment now. And that's the other thing that I like to teach women about - how they can eliminate toxins from their lives.
Cindy: (21:51)
Well, you have been so informative. How can people follow you on your journey? And can you tell us about your website, any workshops that you may have coming up?

Lorraine Miano: (22:02)
My website is themagicofmenopause.com and I have some freebies there that women can download that could help them in their life. I have the Menopause Market on there and some other programs. They can find me on Facebook, Making Menopause Magical. And I also on Facebook have a, have a private support group called Making Menopause Magical Group. So if you search that, you'll find that, and that's a safe and private place where women can share their concerns and their symptoms and get a whole lot of love. And from not just me, but other women who may be experiencing the same things that they are. And we have a lot of fun right now, I'm doing several challenges for the month of July. One of them is a Managing Menopause Challenge. So we have a lot of fun in there. I'm on Instagram and it's @themagicofmenopause. And then I also, you can find my book on Amazon and it's The Magic of Menopause: A Holistic Guide to Get Your Happy Back on Amazon.

Cindy: (22:57)
Speaking of your book, I did download that and I started reading it very informative. So if you could go back and talk to 18 year old, Lorraine, what would you tell her about the season of life that you're in?

Lorraine Miano: (23:13)
I would tell her not to look at each stage of life as aging. I know I tend to think when we're younger, we fear, you know, our later years in life and what's coming, I would tell her that to embrace each and every stage of life as living with purpose and passion and just make the best of every day of your life.

Cindy: (23:35)
Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you for being here. I have loved every minute of this. Is there anything else that you would like to leave with any parting words?

Lorraine Miano: (23:46)
No. I just appreciate so much that you having me on here, Cindy, I love your mission and the spirituality behind it. And I look forward to hearing more of your podcasts. Thank you so much for having me.

Cindy: (23:58)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life and my conversation with Lorraine Miano. I continue to be so grateful for your support and feedback, and I truly love hearing from you! You can reach me via the website CynthiaMacMillan.com or email me at Cindy@CynthiaMacMillan.com.

Cindy: (23:58)
Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter and we'll let you know what we're working on, as well as what we're reading and listening to in regards to beginnings, endings + the messy bits in-between. Until next time, live inspired!

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Cindy MacMillan: (00:00)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 17. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Lynn Principe Golden.

Cindy MacMillan: (00:00)
Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for listening and get ready...it's time to hear some words of wisdom from today's guest.

Cindy MacMillan: (00:00)
Lynn Principe Golden is an End of Life Doula, Hospice volunteer and Life-Cycle Celebrant. She is the owner of Dearly Beloved Life LLC and is passionate about rites of passage, and believes that like birth, death should be held as a sacred event. She is certified through the Conscious Dying Institute where she is currently working towards being a Conscious Dying Educator. She lives in Dunedin, Florida with her 2 teenagers.

Lynn Principe Golden: (01:23)
Thank you so much, Cindy. I'm very excited to be here.

Cindy MacMillan: (01:27)
This is a really interesting subject to me, so yes, I'm excited to have you here, but I do want to start off with my signature question and that is what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Lynn Principe Golden: (01:43)
That's a great question, where I stand now, I'm entering a new phase in my life and I'm nearing 50. I'm newly divorced, and I have children that are mostly grown. And what I realized is I'm becoming more clear about who I am and what matters most to me. And what I know is that I no longer have an end game. I don't have a place where I feel like, you know, when I think as young women, when we're in our twenties, we think, well, by 30, I want to be married or we have all of these to-do lists and I feel free because I no longer have those. So I'm in this space where I'm becoming more present and I'm living a life for myself rather than the one that I perceived was meant for me. So that's been very freeing. And as far as being an end of life doula exploring the seasons of life is really vital to our work.

Lynn Principe Golden: (02:31)
And I feel strongly that our dying is a rite of passage. Like you said, like birth, and it's a sacred event. It's a time to ask yourself different questions like what's given my life meaning or who do I need to forgive in order to feel more at peace? How do I want to be remembered? And these are conversations that are important to have simply because we're not guaranteed to live a long life into old age. So it's a great question. And believe me, I am a lot of fun to have at dinner parties because I love to get deep into these, these questions that you're asking.

Cindy MacMillan: (03:04)
That was a beautiful way of explaining the seasons. So thank you. And I really do want to hear about your journey of becoming an end of life doula. But first, can you just tell us what is an end of life doula?

Lynn Principe Golden: (03:18)
I would love to, it's not a simple answer because it does encompass a few things. So an end of life doula provides non-medical support and comfort to a dying person and their families; so much like a birth doula provides at the time leading up to birth and during the birth process. We advocate for the needs and wishes of our dying patients. An end of life doula provides education and guidance as well as spiritual, emotional and practical care from as early as initial terminal diagnosis through bereavement. So within the diagnosis through bereavement, there are many steps that we'll walk alongside you with. And the three main aspects of the doulas role are before death planning, bedside vigil and after death care. And the planning phase I'll work with my clients to identify their vision for what they want their last months, weeks, and days to be like we take into account their current reality.

Lynn Principe Golden: (04:15)
And then together we create action steps. So that practical, emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental directives are in place. So it's not just the advanced directives that we're used to, you know, going to the lawyer and who gets what; it goes a lot deeper than that. And the second aspect of my work, and to me, the most sacred part is sitting bedside during active and imminent death. This can be done alongside family members and friends, or to give them a rest. And these visits can include prayerful companionship, touch, the easing of breath, relaxation, forgiveness. And lastly, an end of life doula can help with after-death body care and rituals according to their care plan and their values, many wish to die at home. And all over the country, people are starting to change that conversation and become more interested in green burials, home funerals, and a lot of alternatives out there, and we can help provide information and support so that those things are possible.

Cindy MacMillan: (05:14)
Thank you, Lynn, when you were talking about talking with your clients about the last few months of their life, you're not necessarily talking about what their ideas for a funeral per se, but it's really about what those last few months are going to look like in terms of that holistic look. Right?

Lynn Principe Golden: (05:34)
Exactly. And that can include the funeral planning and that's something that I'm also a Life-Cycle Celebrant, so I can have those conversations, but that may, under the realm of the spiritual, that may be something that they want to make sure it's included. Maybe there are certain prayers or songs that are really meaningful to them. And those are the times we'd have those conversations. And that way the people that need to know the information we'll have that before the time comes.

Cindy MacMillan: (06:01)
Yeah, I was going to ask you a little bit later, but maybe right now is a good time. I had read, a survey, that said that 92% of Americans say it's important to discuss their wishes for end of life care. And only 32% have had that conversation. So how do you start that conversation? And I'm assuming you start that conversation, not necessarily with the client, but their family, or would it be with a client?

Lynn Principe Golden: (06:30)
Well that's actually a really hard question. I want to back up a little bit. I think that we live in a death-denying culture and I hear people say things like if I die one day, rather than when I die. and part of the issue is, Stephen Jenkinson wrote a book called Die Wise, which I love, he talks about death as being treated as a failure of medicine rather than of a sacred rite of passage. And so we've turned over, what's been innate in all of us and knowing how to care for our dying and respecting the cycle of life. We've turned it over to science. And so the medical model is greatly built to treat and save and cure, which is wonderful. And they do amazing things. But sometimes at the expense of providing curative treatments that can greatly decrease a patient's quality of life and the time that they have left.

Lynn Principe Golden: (07:19)
And so back to your question, it should be happening more often in the medical training that doctors and nurses receive. That's first of all, another piece of this is examining our language around illness. You know, often we refer to people who have a terminal illness and are being treated, especially with cancer patients, we use the words fighting. So these patients are fighting cancer as if only the brave and the best fighters can win. So we set them up to either succeed or fail. I mean, you know, that cancer does not fight fair. And so we put judgment on someone who's dying and expecting them to fight harder or not give up. When we set them up, we feel, they feel they've disappointed us somehow, if they lose the battle, quote, unquote, Stephen Jenkinson also talks about the idea that at the end of life, people are willing to do a lot of treatment that may be harmful because they want "More Time".

Lynn Principe Golden: (08:13)
And he uses the words that are "More Time is now". And I think about that a lot, you know, he asks the question, what are you going to do with your More Time? And so back to what you asked me, I think that those conversations can start really simply you can be asking, you know, where would you like to be buried? Or who do you want there at your bedside? Or where, where do you see yourself dying are simple questions that can start the conversation. And another thing that I think is really important, especially if we have elders that are still in our lives is to ask them a lot of questions, have them tell and retell their stories, ask them what do they regret? And what's given their life meaning so that we do have those deeper conversations and the doors opened. So they feel like the conversations are possible.

Cindy MacMillan: (09:02)
Thank you for going through that I really and truly feel those conversations are needed. Maybe even before we get to the end of our lives.

Lynn Principe Golden: (09:13)
I think we should talk about them with our children. Yes.

Cindy MacMillan: (09:18)
Can you share your story on how you became an end of life doula?

Lynn Principe Golden: (09:23)
I'd be glad to, it's a winding road, as most of our stories are. So I come from a large close-knit family and I grew up in the Maryland DC area. And to us family was everything. Our gatherings were large and multi-generational often including great aunts and uncles, cousins, all of our grandparents. So it wasn't until, so it wasn't unusual, I should say that when I moved to Florida 16 years ago, I had a great aunt and uncle that lived here. I moved here with my then-husband and my two young children. My Aunt Mary and Uncle Frank never had children so I started visiting with them. They lived in a condo in St. Pete; it was a tidy and perfectly preserved 1960s condo. Mary, she was a sweet Italian woman, she doted on my children, filled them with sweets.

Lynn Principe Golden: (10:16)
And then there was her husband, Uncle Frank, and he barely concealed his irritation with my rambunctious children. And they had been married for many years and I can say that Mary was truly a Saint. Mary's health began to fade she was admitted to a hospital, then rehab center. I started visiting more often with the purpose of reporting back to my family up North, about how she was doing. And we became really close in those last weeks. It was really the first time I'd been close to the dying process and she let me in and she let me accompany her on that path. She shared with me the mysteries that she was experiencing, the relief of never having to cook for Frank again, the pain that she was experiencing. And it was a really beautiful and profound experience to be there with her.

Lynn Principe Golden: (11:09)
I was inspired to become a hospice volunteer and a Reiki practitioner. And after Aunt Mary died, I inherited Uncle Frank. So, sharing all of the stories and challenges of being the caretaker to my Uncle Frank would be a whole nother podcast.

Cindy MacMillan: (11:24)
Okay. We'll have you back for that.

Lynn Principe Golden: (11:27)
Some good stories for sure. I will give you my short version. I cared for him for the next seven years until his death at the age of 94. And he was an intense and complicated man. He was sharp-minded, sharp-tongued, and he demanded that he make his own decisions. At one point, I had convinced him to move into assisted living because he had fallen a few times. He hated every minute of it and he said to me the words, I'll never forget, Lynn, I'm being treated like a potted plant.

Cindy MacMillan: (12:02)
Hmm.

Lynn Principe Golden: (12:04)
So caring for him, it asked a lot of me, but he taught me what dying with dignity meant. He loved me deeply, which I know then, and I know now, and I credit him for showing me what I'm capable of doing. That I'm capable of doing hard things. And he often said to me, Lynn, you've got grit kid. And ultimately this work found me. I believe I had the opportunity to plan a few funerals for family members and was deeply interested in the power of words and rituals. And a few years after Frank's death, I came across the work of Alua Arthur. She's an end of life doula. And I remember thinking, is this really a thing? It was like I made it up. It was so perfect. And I found the Conscious Dying Institute out of Boulder, Colorado. And I became a Certified End of Life Doula. I founded Dearly Beloved Life and became a Life-Cycle Celebrant.

Cindy MacMillan: (12:58)
Your words of what you said, he said to you I'm being treated like a potted plant. That's that went right to my, to my heart. Yeah.

Lynn Principe Golden: (13:08)
Yes. I mean, if you've ever been into nursing homes and assisted living facilities, you understand what I mean?

Cindy MacMillan: (13:15)
You mentioned being a hospice volunteer. What is the difference between an end of life doula and a hospice volunteer? And I know that you can really just speak to this from your experience, but could you talk about that?

Lynn Principe Golden: (13:27)
I love that. Yes, absolutely. So, I'm a hospice volunteer. I started about 13 years ago. I'm what you call a transitions volunteer and transitions are volunteers that come in at the very end of life as they're transitioning into, into the dying process. And sometimes they have only days or hours left to live and oftentimes they are alone or their family's not in town. So when I come into the space as a hospice volunteer, I don't know anything about them. I may know just their name, their diagnosis, and their age. I sit with them for two hours at a time. And I try to make those two hours as calming and meaningful as I can. I'll often read to them or play music. And again, I don't know anything about them. Sometimes I can get some clues as to what I see hanging in their rooms.

Lynn Principe Golden: (14:20)
Maybe if there's a crucifix, I'll pray or I'll play certain music that I think they may like. And I feel like we provide a very needed service as hospice volunteers. And I've learned so much during those visits, but what I feel like I can, what I can offer as an end of life doula, it goes a bit deeper. I want to give you an example of a doula patient I had recently, he was a 44-year-old man. He was dying of a brain tumor. His wife contacted me and she had never heard of what an end of life doula was but what she felt was missing from his hospice care was the emotional and spiritual support that they both needed during his dying process. So the first visit, when I went to see him, I talked to her for a long time about who he was and what mattered to him.

Lynn Principe Golden: (15:06)
We played music that he loved. I read to him his favorite stories. We saged the room. We lit candles. And I got to know who he was and what mattered to them. And then when I was there, when he passed his two young children were home, they were five and eight years old. And together we did some rituals that I think were very comforting and that's not even a good enough word, but I'll say comforting. We were able to anoint his body together with the children. They surrounded him with flowers and there was an ease that they had. They were able to come in and out of the room and love on him. And I became really close with the family. And in fact, I provided his funeral services the week later. And what I want to speak to about the difference to me, it's one word it's intimacy.

Lynn Principe Golden: (15:55)
I was able to connect on a deeper level in the way that his wife especially what she really needed and what she felt was missing. And I do want to say he got great care from hospice; they were there and they made sure he had everything he needed. But what he needed, what they all needed from me was something different. And that was the bridge that I feel like a doula can provide. And as of right now, at least here, hospices are not hiring end of life doulas. And I really hope that that will change. And I want to be a part of that change because I can see having doulas on every hospice team, how we can provide a bridge from the physical, to the spiritual and emotional and more of the comfort care that I feel like is missing.

Cindy MacMillan: (16:37)
Since you do both. I can see as you're talking and you're talking about that intimacy, how that would be a great addition to that hospice team. I read this quote and I want to read it to you. And it's from psychotherapist and author Francis Weller and he wrote; “Bringing grief and death out of the shadow is our spiritual responsibility, our sacred duty.” That almost sounds like what a doula does.

Lynn Principe Golden: (17:09)
Absolutely. I love his work, especially his work and his writings around grief. They're so inspiring to me and beautiful. And he talks about the different kinds of grief; we are grieving things that we, I don't think we ever named as grief, but he describes it perfectly and he is so profound.

Cindy MacMillan: (17:27)
Yeah, and I had not read any of his work. And when I was researching for this podcast episode, I found that quote and I felt like it was just perfect for me to read right now.

Lynn Principe Golden: (17:39)
Right. And what I tell people is that grief is a winding road and there's no one way that grief is supposed to look; it's different for all of us and some days are than others. I don't think that grief ends. I do think that we're forever changed by it because we do love deeply. And that's our birthright. If you love someone and care about them deeply, why would you want to forget them? So I think that it's just a matter of incorporating that into our lives and allowing the wisdom that that person had to continue to inform us even long after they're gone. And Francis Weller has some great talks and you can find him on YouTube. And he has one, I think it's called the Five Gates of Grief (2013). I don't know if I have that right, but it's definitely worth listening to.

Cindy MacMillan: (18:22)
I will go out and look for that and put it in the show notes. So what is the most rewarding part of your job other than everything?

Lynn Principe Golden: (18:30)
That's a great question because these are hard conversations to have. And like I said, you know, the dinner party people say, well, what do you do? And I think, hmm, like how much do I really want to say right now? Because you know, I get the blank stare. They, you know, the blinking eyes, but one of the things that most people say is, wow, that must be really depressing and that couldn't be further from the truth. I mean, there are moments of sadness, of course, and I do allow myself to feel those. To be selfish for a moment I feel that having death as my teacher has taught me so much about life. I've recently experienced my own heartbreak and a huge life change. And being with death reminds me of what really matters. It's given me so many gifts. I feel that I've witnessed so much magic being with those walking between the worlds I get to see through their eyes.

Lynn Principe Golden: (19:19)
And the first time was with Aunt Mary and when the last thing she said to me was Lynn everything's going to work out for you. And that was such a beautiful gift. And I laugh about it now, because I think I should have asked her to be more specific, but I've witnessed the healing of relationships and such deep love and forgiveness. And of course, there is suffering too, as I said, but that's taught me to be humble. And sometimes all I can offer is a hand to hold and a blessing on their journey. So those are the gifts that I receive from being a doula.

Cindy MacMillan: (19:53)
You talked about rituals a little earlier, and I just want to talk about that a little bit deeper. What is the role of rituals at the end of life? And can you give us an example maybe of one of your favorite rituals?

Lynn Principe Golden: (20:07)
I love to, I love to talk about this. My favorite ritual that I do and I do this one very often is the anointing ritual. The anointing ritual that I use was developed by my friend and mentor End of Life Doula, Trish Rux. I will do this anointing sometimes before death and sometimes after, depending, and depending on what the patient or the family wants. And I found that when I include the family members in the ritual, that it gives a sense of healing and calm to everyone that's present. I want to give a couple of examples; I had a doula patient last year who had two daughters by two different women and these women, they were grown, but they'd always lived their lives in competition with one another. And there was a lot of resentment and his dying wish was to have them both there by his side.

Lynn Principe Golden: (20:58)
And you can imagine that there was a lot of tension. And especially when the emotions are so high, the death of their father, who they both adored. When I did the anointing ritual, I gave them each a handful of essential oils and they stood on each side of his bed. And as I read through the ritual, they together anointed their father's body and the room was silent. And there was such a peaceful presence at that time. And when I left that day, after I said, my goodbyes, the two of the sisters were in the kitchen, sobbing in each other's arms. And I felt that the healing that was provided through that ritual was more than I could have ever expected. And I know that he felt that too. I've also used this ritual, as I mentioned with the gentleman who was 44, who died recently, his five and eight-year-old children anointed his body.

Lynn Principe Golden: (21:49)
And they loved being able to be part of that. It's a way of honoring the body and thanking it for carrying us through and sank goodbye. And if you don't mind, I would love to read you this ritual that my friend Trish wrote.

Cindy MacMillan: (22:02)
I would love that.

Lynn Principe Golden: (22:03)
Okay. Perfect. Is this a good time?

Cindy MacMillan: (22:05)
Yes.

Lynn Principe Golden: (22:06)
As your body is outwardly anointed with this oil. So may you be filled with love, may you be held in a state of grace, affirmed in all your goodness and may you have eternal peace of mind, body, and spirit. We start with the forehead: We anoint this body, that his journey through this life on earth. May you rest in peace. We anoint these eyes that have seen so much. May you rest in peace. We anoint this mouth that has spoken truth and love. May you rest in peace? We anoint these shoulders that have borne many burdens. May you rest in peace. We anoint this heart that has loved so well. May you rest in peace? We anoint these hands that have worked so hard. May you rest in peace? We anoint these feet that have travelled so far. May you rest in peace?

Cindy MacMillan: (22:53)
I can see where that would be so healing, just to have those words read with the family, there doing the anointing.

Lynn Principe Golden: (23:02)
Right, and I think that when we talk about the word healing; healing, doesn't always mean that the person is going to be cured and live. It's a different type of healing and it's available for all who are present at the time of death.

Cindy MacMillan: (23:14)
Thank you, for kind of clarifying that because yes, the healing and I almost want to use the word as you used earlier the intimacy of that ritual is, is more what I was talking about with that healing. Just feeling just a sense of peace. That was beautiful.

Lynn Principe Golden: (23:35)
It is profound.

Cindy MacMillan: (23:38)
End of life doulas can provide several services and you've really gone through a lot of those and Lynn the time has just absolutely flown by. Can you talk a little bit about your services and how people can follow you on your journey? And is there anything that I should have asked you that I didn't?

Lynn Principe Golden: (24:02)
No, I feel like you gave me the opportunity to talk about what really drives me and what I'm passionate about. And in terms of the services I provide, I talked a little bit about the planning, the bedside vigil and the after death care. I want to go into a little bit of detail if I can, about the planning phase and the services that I learned through Conscious Dying Institute. They were created by our founder, Tarron Estes; we call them the Best Three Months. It's a planning tool that she developed that goes way beyond advanced directives and includes the five domains of life that I mentioned, spiritual, practical, physical, emotional, and mental. And so with each domain, I'll ask questions that about what feels unfinished or not yet put in place or communicated. And together, we create a vision of what we could provide for them, how we could provide the best outcome and create action steps so that their vision becomes a reality.

Lynn Principe Golden: (24:57)
And a few quick examples: spiritually you could ask if they're interested in having a last confession or they want to go deeper into the study of a spiritual practice, that's always interested them? Practically ask, do they want to die at home? And what would you need to do in order to make that possible? Or perhaps you want your ashes to become part of a coral reef? Who do we need to talk to, to make that happen? In the mental domain asking what their legacy is and what projects feel incomplete? Physically, how much pain are you okay with tolerating in order to stay present with your loved ones? Are there alternative techniques that interest you? Emotionally - and this is a big one for most of us is what's been unsaid? And who do you need to ask forgiveness of? And who do you want to forgive?

Lynn Principe Golden: (25:46)
And who would you want by your bedside? And who do you want to say goodbye to? I offer the Best Three Months I can come together with groups or I'm offering a free online six week, Best Three Months course. And you don't have to be actively dying in order to create your vision of your Best Three Months. I've created my own and done so with some family members and it really is eye-opening, and it helps us understand what feels unfinished for us, what we can do to have those conversations so that our family knows exactly what our wishes are. And if anyone's interested in getting more information about practicing the Best Three Months with me, or have a group that they want me to address this with them, they can email me at lynngoldenlife@gmail.com or they can check out my website dearlybelovedlife.com for more information. And the most important part of this I want to say is after you make these decisions and really get clear about what your vision is, is share the information.

Lynn Principe Golden: (26:44)
Because it doesn't do any good if no one knows exactly what you want.

Cindy MacMillan: (26:47)
Absolutely. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation 60% report that their loved one has a document describing their wishes for medical care. But what surprised me out of that 60%, only 48% knew where it was. So that's kind of like a little bit what you're talking about. Thank you. Thank you, for being here and going over everything. It just is, sounds so rewarding to me and I really appreciate you being here. But the last question I have for you is if you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life that you're in right now?

Lynn Principe Golden: (27:30)
That's a great question. And I'm not one that lives with alot of regret because I can see in hindsight when each the challenge has taught me, but I think that as an 18-year-old young woman, I would remind myself to not be afraid to use my voice.

Lynn Principe Golden: (27:48)
And I think that's a big one for me.

Cindy MacMillan: (27:50)
Perfect. That is a perfect place for us to end. Thank you so much for being here.

(27:55)
Thank you so much, Cindy. I had a blast.

Cindy MacMillan: (27:57)
Thank you for listening to this week’s episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I really enjoyed talking to Lynn Principe Golden about her journey to becoming an end of life doula and I would love for you to share this episode with your friends and family. Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

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Cindy: (00:00)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 15. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today I am being interviewed by my friend Debra Healey.

Cindy: (00:10)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey. Each week join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers, and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings, and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Cindy: (00:40)
Hey friends, Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you and I appreciate you for listening today as my friend Debra Healey turns the table on me and asks me questions.

Cindy: (00:52)
Debra is a nurse leader with a background in Home Health, Hospice and Hospital administration. She has a special interest in Patient safety and helping healthcare professionals handle stress. She holds several certifications in safety and stress management and currently works as a Nurse Consultant providing education that helps healthcare organization achieve a safe environment for patients while helping the healthcare staff handle the stress of patient care.

Cindy: (01:23)
Deb, thank you for interviewing me today. This is going to be a lot of fun.

Debra Healey: (01:28)
Yes, it sure is going to be fun, Cindy, turning the tables on you. So, Cindy, what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you in regard to your podcast?

Cindy: (01:40)
Deb, thank you for asking me that because I love that question. “What does Exploring the Seasons of Life mean to you” because I get a vast array of answers that are personal to my guests. Some of my guests have mentioned the Maiden/Mother/Crone. The Maiden is all about enchantment and new beginnings, youthful ideas and enthusiasm. The Mother is the next phase in a woman's life. She is fertility, abundance and growth, the gaining of knowledge. She is fulfillment—sexual, social, and emotional—and she is represented by the full moon. The Crone aspect is the final stage. She is the hag and the wise woman, the darkness of night, and eventually death.

Cindy: (02:28)
Some of my guests have talked about the seasons themselves: Spring is the season of new beginnings and a time when we feel energized to experience life in so many ways. In summer, we needn’t hide, hibernate, or bundle up. Life is an open book, with adventures waiting around every corner. Autumn is a time to be thankful for what we have experienced throughout the year and begin to wind down and prepare for next year. Winter is a time to analyze your actions. Think of the year that has passed. Understand what you have achieved and what you need to think about in the coming New Year.

Cindy: (03:58)
I was thinking of all those different aspects but for me Exploring the Seasons of Life means…let’s explore where you are right now because there is a cycle to everything and there are many seasons within the course of a lifetime. Deb, it has taken me a lifetime to really understand that. Maybe we are graduating college or getting married and having babies, maybe we are grieving and trying to make meaning after loss, maybe we have been cheated on or maybe we are the cheater, maybe we are an empty nester, maybe we are in the throes of a devastating illness, maybe we are lonely, maybe we are in the messy bits of divorce, maybe we are retired and wondering what’s next, maybe we and honestly the list can go on.

Cindy: (04:24)
No season is perfect, but when we embrace every season of our lives fully, and stop resisting, we become more alive. Henry David Thoreau said, “Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” And I love that because it reminds me that there is beauty and learning in every season regardless of which one we are in.

Debra Healey: (04:25)
Cindy, that was a beautiful answer. And I have listened to every single one of your podcasts. And what I love most about them is how authentic you are and the authenticity that you bring out in each one of your guests. And I think you've just beautifully explained to us the seasons of life and those messy bits in between that, you know, each and every one of us, in this human experience, uh, have experienced all those happy times and sad times. And I think exploring those seasons and really living within each season is what your podcasts bring and what they mean to me.

Cindy: (05:10)
Oh, thank you, Deb. Thanks so much.

Debra Healey: (05:12)
So should we move on to inspiration? Cindy, what inspired you to make this podcast in the first place?

Cindy: (05:22)
This is a really interesting question for me. So, Deb, it was somewhere around the 2008/2009 time frame I was in a Training Program and at the end we were to visualize our future and what we wanted to create. For me it was a center of learning where people came together for personal growth + social change. It would feature leaders and teachers from around the world. The economy crashed and that is another season of my life for another time but in a nutshell, I was laid off and started commuting 1.5 hours each way to the only job I could find. I stumbled on this thing called podcasts. I thought well instead of a physical location I can do a podcast…let me learn how to do that. So it has been a journey of learning how to do a podcast and now having my first 15 out. So that was what inspired me to start the show as well as obviously going through all the different seasons in my own life.

Debra Healey: (06:39)
Right. And I know we've sure had some great talks about that.

Cindy: (06:43)
Yes we have.

Debra Healey: (06:45)
So, you know, now that you have started your podcast, can you give us a quick overview of what you expect your listeners will get out of the podcast that you're putting out there?

Cindy: (06:57)
Yes, absolutely. I really narrowed this down and I've kind of struggled because when you listen to all the experts out there, they tell you to niche down. So I have had a problem niching down, loving all kinds of different learning, but I, I have gotten to the point where I really feel like the show is for women with a big heart on a spiritual journey because I'm interviewing coaches and spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings endings and the messy bits. I really want the show to focus on self-love, well-being, and mindset, because I really and truly do feel that once we change the inside and the way we perceive life, that's when the outside changes as well.

Debra Healey: (07:47)
Right. And you've shared a lot of that with me, you know, as we've become friends over the years of how, you know, you changed the inside and your outside changed and also your whole, your whole life really changed. So, you know, from my perspective, you bring that to your listeners and that part about niching down. You know, I think those seasons of life, like we say, Oh, we want to work with 40 year olds or 50 year olds, but we're all in those seasons of life, no matter what our ages and all those messy bits oh boy they're in every season.

Cindy: (08:25)
Yes they are.

Debra Healey: (08:28)
So I'm moving on to another question. Let's see. What have you learned from starting these podcasts?

Cindy: (08:36)
Deb, I have learned so many things. The podcast is truly a labor of love for me.

Cindy: (08:43)
1. That I really enjoy the creative process of producing a podcast and that when people who were already podcasting said it is more work than you think, believe them. You will need to be dedicated to continually be putting out new episodes. 2. The power of yes: Deb, the women who said yes to me, who raised their hand, in the very beginning of my podcasting journey showed me that saying yes is truly a leap of faith. The majority of the first 15 women I interviewed did not know me at all. It reminds of the book Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person - by Shonda Rhimes. Have you read that one?

Debra Healey: (09:36)
No, I haven't.

Cindy: (09:37)
I recommend that.

Debra Healey: (09:39)
Oh, I will read it.

Cindy: (09:41)
So, yes, the power of, yes.

Cindy: (09:44)
The third thing I've learned is: The power of no: I have asked women to be a guest on the show who said no. I learned not to take it personally because that was a perfect example of self-love. If it wasn’t the right time for them it wasn’t the right time for them. Period.

Debra Healey: (10:02)
Yes. And I know you talk a lot about self-love and acceptance, so that's a really important feature. And I think in every one of your podcasts that I have listened to, there's a common thread of a message of how important it is for us to look at ourselves and see ourselves as others see us. I remember one time we talked about how, um, we can be our own best friend talked a lot about that one time. And I think that that is a common thread that comes through in every one of your guests that you bring out in that guest is, is the power of self-love and how it is okay to put yourself first and maybe sometimes say, no.

Cindy: (10:44)
So that's number three. Was that power of no, four, okay, Deb, I get to talk to amazing women. They, you know, I'm learning from them. I stay in this positive place, you know, after talking to them and listening to their stories. And sometimes, you know, the things that they say to me might be something that I've never heard of, or I've never thought of. So I'm looking at things in a total different way. That's one of the things I am enjoying so much is getting to talk to amazing women like you.

Debra Healey: (11:19)
Well, thanks, Cindy.

Debra Healey: (11:23)
This has been a lot of fun. I've learned a lot more that I thought I knew everything about you developing these podcasts, but I certainly have learned a lot more of why this is your heart's desire. And you know, I'm really proud of you because I've, um, really watched you grow from something that was an idea while you were driving to a new job to, you know, having really 16 podcasts already completed and put out for people to listen to. I put them all on my Facebook page. Um, you know, every, every time I listen and, you know, for any of your listeners, I would, I would encourage them to do the same because the messages are so important to especially women right now in the times that we're in.

Cindy: (12:11)
Thank you, Deb. I appreciate that so much now. And I do want to mention one other thing that I've learned because it was it was actually; it was a tough one and I had to sit with it for quite a while. And that is, you mentioned that you've listened to the podcast. And I so appreciate that. I have friends that I would send the podcast to who just dismissed it. They didn't even listen. It was nothing to them. And I was really feeling hurt because I thought, Oh, that's my friends. They know how important this to me. Why wouldn't they support me by just listening and giving me feedback? I love that feedback that you give me whenever you listen to a podcast. And what I really had to learn was that it's okay. My podcast and my friendships are separate. They do not have to commingle and that it's not for me to judge what they listen to. And that was a really big learning piece for me. But once I got that piece it set me free.

Debra Healey: (13:21)
Right. Well, what you're just mentioning to me is all of that about self-acceptance. And I think you and I have talked about the book, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book), which, you know, The Second Agreement: Don’t Take Anything Personally is one of them, you know, because it's usually not about you, it's about them. And you know, also sometimes there's a lot of, I guess I would use the word fear that they, you know, the, you don't, you're not ready for that information. Right. And also accepting where another person is coming from. Because, you know, in these times that we're in where we're so divisive in the world right now, I think where we can be kind and more gentle and accepting that not everyone has the same, opinions or, you know, the same, life or interest. And that's okay. That's what makes us great as human beings.

Cindy: (14:20)
Absolutely. So those are the, really the five things that I can say that I've learned that like really made such an, an impact on me. And I want to bring those through in future podcast, because I think those were great learning experiences.

Debra Healey: (14:36)
Yes. And I know you have some future podcasts plan that are going to be exciting.

Cindy: (14:42)
Yes I do. Thank you. Oh, all right, Deb. Well, I think this has been fun. Have you thought this been fun?

Debra Healey: (14:52)
Yes. I think this has been a lot of fun. And I do have a last question for you because it's the question that you ask all of your guests. So I think it'd be fun to hear what your answer is. And maybe I could give a little bit of an answer too. So Cindy, if you could turn back time and tell your 18 year old self, what would you tell her about you in this season of life that you're currently in.

Cindy: (15:21)
Now, I know how my guests feel when I ask that. Okay, If I could go back and talk to 18-year-old, Cindy, I would tell her everything's going to be okay. You think that the season you're going in right now is going to last forever, but it's not. You are going to have so many experiences. You're going to do things that right now at 18 you cannot even imagine that you will do; at 18 you cannot imagine what you will do. I would tell her, keep your love of learning that's going to serve you well in your years to come. Be kind and keep loving your family. Yeah, that's what I would tell her.

Debra Healey: (16:08)
Well, I think that's a beautiful answer. And I did think about a little bit about that myself. Do you mind if tell you a little bit about that?

Cindy: (16:16)
I would love to hear it.

Debra Healey: (16:17)
My 18 year old self, because you know, when you talk about the seasons of life, I am in my mid-sixties. So I don't even like that word crone, but I love the season. I love the season of life that I'm in right now. And it's one of my happiest seasons ever in my life. So looking back, I would say I've gained wisdom about all my life events. I look back on them and I would tell even my 20, 30, and 40-year-old self, not to worry so much. Don't worry because the happy parts and the sad parts, it's all going to be part of what we'll look back on what I look back on now that has brought me to my present moment.

Debra Healey: (17:08)
And so in the season that I'm of life that I'm in now, I look towards a grateful mindset. I'm grateful for everything that I've experienced in my life and the wisdom that I've gained to just be, and to take each day as they come and be grateful. I know that sounds a little bit corny, but it is, you know, that when you look back on everything that happened to you looking back on it, I mean, when you're in the middle of the messy bits, you don't know, you don't know how things are going to turn out, but when you look back is when you can say, Oh yeah, I understand that now. So that's what I would tell my 18, 20, 30, and 40-year-old self is don't worry. It's going to be okay.

Cindy: (17:57)
Deb, I love that because yes, when we're 18, like you said, 20, 30, 40, whatever that worrying about what's going to happen is in hindsight, you know, it's not worth it.

Debra Healey: (18:11)
That's right. And you know, we've talked about, I'm very interested in finding balance in life and stress and especially helping people to, deal with the everyday bumps that, you know, we all experience. And if you can just, take that deep breath and say everything is happening exactly the way it's supposed to unfold and for my greatest good, which is pretty hard to do in a lot of, you know, intense moments. But if you can achieve that, it does help you get through those messy bits to see the sunshine that's on the other side.

Cindy: (18:49)
Oh, thanks, Deb. I think this is a perfect place to end. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart, coming on the podcast and interviewing me

Debra Healey: (18:58)
And I appreciate giving me the opportunity to interview you. It's been an honor.

Cindy: (19:03)
All right. Thank you.

Cindy: (19:05)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I had fun being on the other side of the microphone so to speak and hope you enjoyed this episode of finding out what was behind my desire to start a podcast. I loved the questions Deb asked me and really appreciate her being on the podcast. I do plan on having different friends interview me from time to time…it’s just a fun way for me to tell my story. .

Cindy: (19:05)
I would love for you to share your favorite episode with your friends and family. .

(19:05)
Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

View Details

“You would be surprised at the healing power of a simple “I love you” from a dying parent to a child or vice versa. This is not always easy, of course, yet a lifetime of mistakes can be undone through forgiveness even at the end of a life.” ~ Alberto Villoldo

Cindy (00:00):

This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode 16. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Shannon Davis.

Cindy (00:08):

Cindy (00:38):

Hey friends, Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you and I appreciate you for listening. I can't wait for you to meet my guest today. Shannon Davis is a Peruvian trained Shaman and Medicine Woman, Hospice nurse and owner of the Chacana Spiritual Center. Shannon provides healing to her community with classes, counseling, private sessions, group events and speaking engagements.

Cindy (01:05):

Welcome to the podcast. Shannon. I'm so excited. You're here.

Shannon Davis (01:09):

Thank you so much, Cindy. I'm really excited to be here. Thank you for inviting me.

Cindy (01:15):

Well, let's go ahead and we'll start off with my signature question. What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Shannon Davis (01:24):

That is such a beautiful question.

Shannon Davis (01:27):

As you mentioned, I'm a Peruvian trained shaman. So I look at this from a medicine woman perspective and the seasons of life. I can't help to think of the triple goddess phases, the maiden, the mother, and the crone. Now I'm 44 years old; so I'm somewhere between the mother and the crone. As I step forward into this journey, uh, the maiden is the beauty, the new life, the youth, the self-confidence, the self-expression and the self-discovery, such a beautiful part as the feminine energy steps into this world. The mother is the nurturer. Has responsibility, adulthood, and fullness of life, and I've got one, one foot in this door and one foot walking into the crone. And the crone. It's a beautiful place. Really. They're all beautiful. And I really look forward as I'm stepping into the crone energy, stepping into her power becoming the wise elder governing over, aging and endings, helping with death rebirth and prophecy. And I can absolutely apply this to The Chacana Spiritual Center as I'm a Peruvian trained shaman. And one of my greatest joys is to help people overcome death because death concepts, as we're spiritual beings, having a physical existence. So I opened up a Center to help people not be haunted by death and to lead a life of joy. That's my answer.

Cindy (03:07):

Thank you. Thank you very much. And I do want to talk about the Center, but can you talk a little bit first about your journey to becoming a Shamanic Practitioner and just kind of tell us what is a shaman?

Shannon Davis (03:24):

Absolutely. When I was growing up, I saw movies about shamans and we don't know what everybody else knows. And as I have stepped into this healing path, I learned that actually only a small part of the population has ever heard of what a shaman is. So yes, a shaman is so many things. It's actually hard to put into words, but I'll give it my best try. One who commutes with God. One who commutes with universal energy. One who could pick up a rock and listen to the energy that rock is speaking to them; to speak to a tree and ask the tree what does it need from me? How can I help you heal? And to apply that same fundamental, universal knowledge to the human body, where I am listening to my client's human body and asking it, what do you need to step into your healing?

Shannon Davis (04:24):

A shaman makes order out of chaos. They are one who empowers people and gives them their power back. It's always my goal when I have students who step into shamanic training is to, you know, they'll come to me and they'll want me to heal them. And I tell them right away, I can't heal you, but I can give you the tools to heal yourself because you are the greatest healer for yourself. So a shaman helps people step into their joy and I think you also asked how did I step into my shamanic path?

Cindy (05:05):

Yes, absolutely. And I, and I love, I love how you described what a shaman is. That is so beautiful.

Shannon Davis (05:11):

Thank you. That's, you know, that's just spirit developed as I'm experiencing, because if you look at, you know, you look at Webster, it talks about a shaman and it, again, I'm sure what the people who were writing this in Webster said, well, where do we start? And it says one who goes into trance work and talks to the cosmos and the heavens and the earth. And it's all of the above. Thank you. My journey.

Cindy (05:37):

Yeah. I was going to say and your journey and what led you on that path?

Shannon Davis (05:43):

Let's see, in 2000, I don't always remember dates Cindy, right? But in 2000 I was very pregnant with my second daughter. So that was a, this is stuck in my head forever. I was very pregnant and there was this brand new called the internet. Right. And right. And we were all we're seekers, right? We're all seekers of knowledge. We are the, if we, if we are not knowing that we are spiritual beings, having a physical existence, where the oldest scholars in the universe, we come here over and over to seek knowledge. So here I am eight months pregnant. And there was a new show called Crossing Over with John Edward and he is a medium. It was very entertaining but really got me questioning everything I ever thought I knew. I did not grow up with a structured religious practice. So the things I had heard I did not resonate with. I thought there's no way that if there's all-loving God, that he would punish me or anyone else and send them to damnation of somewhere that is so scary. So for some many years, I said, I was an atheist because I just didn't know what to believe. And here I am pregnant and I'm watching Crossing Over with John Edward and I go to the internet and I go into those things. Do you remember chat rooms?

Cindy (07:06):

Oh yeah.

Shannon Davis (07:09):

That was really popular then. So I go in a chat room, a spiritual chat room, and I asked, what do you think of, you know, what do you think is after, after we die? This was very fascinating to me because this meant if what John Edwards was saying that there was no reason to fear death, right? There's no reason if, if, if people were coming through from the afterlife, why was everyone on the world fearing death? And I wanted to know more. So I started asking questions and somebody led me to Sylvia Browne's website. Now Sylvia Browne is a similar medium. You know, the same line of work as John Edwards. And I absolutely loved everything she said it absolutely resonated with me. And now I know why - because it's called remembering - when you start reading things or hearing things that you know is true. It's like, I've heard this before, but you haven't heard it in this human life.

Shannon Davis (08:04):

You're remembering it. That's called awakening. Your spiritual awakening, you remember. So this is when in 2000 I had my spiritual awakening. My best friend came over because she actually, well, I'm sure we align this on for a reason. She came over and said, I just learned how to do angel writing. Do you want to learn? And I'm when you have your spiritual waking, you're like, yes, I want to learn everything. And she sits down and it seems like 30 seconds, but I'm sure it was 10 minutes or 20 minutes, angel writing. And I'm, I'm having conversations and divinity answers through this, this beautiful technique. And I just remember her being amazed and saying, you know, we, it took us hours to learn this. And that's when I started realizing that I had innate gifts that were being awakened. And I always had these gifts and I just always thought everybody else had these gifts too.

Shannon Davis (08:57):

I didn't identify them. I didn't title them. But that's when I started becoming aware that - now I would put the word empath. Okay, so 2000 I had my spiritual awakening and I start several paths becoming a white light healer, a Reiki healer, a hospice nurse. I went to college, I became a hospice nurse, and becoming a hospice nurse was a vital part of my awakening of my path to becoming a medicine woman. I'm getting chills, remembering it's coming through. I remember being in the room the first time I was with the patient who passed away. And that is very sacred, Cindy, for a family to invite you in while someone they love is leaving this earth is as sacred is when someone invites you into experience birth. It's a gateway either coming in or going out.

Shannon Davis (09:52):

And I remember as a nurse you were trained to put your hand on someone's chest and feel their respirations. You know, that can tell you a lot about where they're at with their journey and maybe how close they are to their passing. But my hand seemed to be right above their chest this one day, it wasn't touching their chest. And that's when I felt energy for the first time it was breathtaking. I didn't know what I was feeling. It felt like current. So it felt like static electricity as this beautiful spiritual being, having a physical existence was trying to leave their body. But they were stuck at the moment. They were, you know, they were because their whole life, as humans, we're told don't die, you know, do everything you can to fight, even, even when it would be the kind thing, you know, to, um, stop treating a particular condition because it's, it's harming us.

Shannon Davis (10:45):

We are taught from birth by our society to fight death. That day I learned a lot about energy, about people transcending. I could feel spirits leaving the body, um, after more experience, because I was gifted that opportunity. I don't know, you know, dozens or maybe a hundred times to be in the room when someone was passing. During my hospice experience, I met a woman who I was training. I was a hospice nurse. And you know, you in this room, spiritual world, we have code words like essential oil and meditation and prayer. And here I am, the white lightworker and I'm just kind of stumbling my way through this thinking, you know what? I'm going to one of my favorite spiritual centers over and over taking the same classes because I don't know what else to do. And I get in the car with this woman who I just adore.

Shannon Davis (11:38):

And she says, hey, I know you said something about meditation. Would you be interested in coming to a moon ceremony? And I'm like, that sounds kind of cool. What is that? You know what, tell me more, I know enough to not be scared, but not enough to know anything about what I'm walking into. And so I go, and this experience is this, this ends up being my master, my teacher, Debra Willow Fire Woman who studied from Alberto Villoldo, who is founder of the world-renowned The Four Winds Society who brought Inca Peruvian shamanism to America. So I go to Debra's center that I'm at the time, it's not here in Melbourne, Florida anymore, The Center for Healing Arts. And so I remember going, and there was a lot of people and there was a fire pit and there were people waiting in line and they were waiting for this woman.

Shannon Davis (12:30):

She was dressed in all black and she had this long white hair and she looked very, um, intimidating. Okay. She looked very intimidating and she had something and everybody wanted it. So everyone's in line. And my friend knew that I was interested and she said, go, go, go, go, go up there. You know, it's free of charge. Moon Ceremonies are always free to the community. And I said, well, what is she doing? And she said, okay, it's like a psychic reading. And every, you know, most people know what a psychic reading is, so I said, okay. So I wait my turn and it's very private. And now I'm looking in this woman's eyes and she is as if she looked right into my soul and ooh, getting chills, she's got some kind of tobacco she's smoking. It looks like a cigarette. And she says come here.

Shannon Davis (13:20):

And she blows it on me. And so now I know she's clearing my energy field. Like we use sage. So she clears my energy field and then she says the most amazing thing to me that has meant something different about every five years in my life, since. And that was, and she looks me right in the eye, almost a point, but with love. And she says you are going to step away from the masculine and into the feminine. And that, you know, she said some other things, I don't remember what they were, but that was the most, um, monumental thing that someone has said to me that develop the rest of my life. Because I thought at first, when I got a divorce, this must be what she's talking about, masculine, feminine. And I'm thinking, man, and woman, and then I'm still a nurse.

Shannon Davis (14:09):

And I think, oh no, a year later, I think she, she must be talking about me and this doctor that, you know, he's very intimidating. Then several years later, as I stepped into the medicine way, the path of the medicine woman, I realized what she was talking about are there's two, there are two universal truths about masculine, feminine energy. The masculine energy is your analytical. It's your task-oriented. It's your science mind. It has nothing to do with men. I have masculine energy in me and I have feminine. And so do men, we should have give or take about an equal amount. And then the feminine is where your power is, men and women, your power to get things done, to step into the ethers or spirit to create just like a woman creates in her womb. The womb is the darkness. The man's seed is the light.

Shannon Davis (15:02):

You need both. We have to have the masculine-feminine, but the power was in the masculine. And that is the story of how I became a medicine woman. Because next thing you know, I don't know why, but I'm circling the Center and I can't seem to leave. And she finally says to me, I think you need to come to something I'm teaching soon and that's Munay Ki. I don't even ask what it is I just came. I just felt so. I did. And my friends were saying, why are you going to this? You know, we were all white light healers. I, I just, I keep asking spirit. And they said, I'm supposed to go to this. Well, Munay Ki means love in action. It's a Quechua word, which is a Peruvian Inca, shaman word for love and action. And I received nine angelic downloads through my training in Munay Ki and those nine angelic downloads upgraded my DNA. It healed the past karmic wounds of all my ancestors before me, seven generations. And after opened up all my healing abilities. And most importantly as a healer gave me protection, that led to Mesa; after Munay Ki, then you are invited if you have your shamanic calling. And I was receiving my shamanic calling. I remember sitting by my phone thinking I have to wait for my shaman to call me. And that was another spiritual lesson; is why are you waiting? All I had to do was call her.

Cindy (16:20):

I love that.

Shannon Davis (16:22):

Yeah.

Shannon Davis (16:23):

Oh my goodness. When someone is getting ready to have a, and this just came to me kind of, as we were, as you were talking, when someone comes to you to prepare for a shamanic session, what is it that they should be doing? Or they should be asking themselves? I mean, I'm kind of stumbling here, but you know what I'm saying? What should they be thinking and then asking?

Shannon Davis (16:52):

I feel like I'm tracking you. You know, I understand the energy of what you're asking. I, um, when I first talk to someone and they, and I don't know them yet, I'll ask them, have you ever received any kind of energy healing before? So for this particular person who's not received a shamanic session, I'll say, have you received a white light healing before? And I do get a lot of yeses from that. So we'll go with that scenario. I'll say, okay, it's the same beautiful angelic love, you know, the Reiki, the white light, it's that love that I use, but just so you know, to prepare you, it is hands-on healing, modality. I will be, I will be shifting into your energetic and helping you release the emotional wounds that you have pushed into your subconscious and you push them there because that's how society taught you to deal with things that come up when things are tough for you, you push them down.

Shannon Davis (17:52):

So I prepare them and I, and I let them know. So that way, when they come in they're okay, this is going to be a little different than my previous experiences. I also advise them, please drink plenty of water, because all energy healing, you need to be able to release and water will help you release any toxins that any kind of energy work brings up. I ask them to wear comfortable clothing and most importantly, come with an open mind. It is a, it is a very different, yet beautiful experience to have a shamanic healing session. It's my energy and your energy connecting. The shaman uses that trance work to go within this, within the space of the person within the DNA, within the cells. And we're looking for whether it's physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing. We're not looking for anything, but the energetic we're looking for the reason, the energetic reason why something has happened in your body or spiritually between you and a friend or a loved one. And I just look for the energetic reason and I heal that or bring it out and then fill that space with love. And these are things I tell any client.

Cindy (19:06):

Thank you, I think that listeners would be interested in, you know, how to prepare for a session. So now I want to talk about the Center that you recently opened, The Chacana Spiritual Center. What does Chacana mean?

Shannon Davis (19:24):

That is a good question. We like to have fun with it because it is an interesting word and it's fun.

Shannon Davis (19:28):

So Chacana is a very sacred symbol that the Inca Peruvian shamans use to explain the universe. Okay. And they got this ancient symbol or the secret symbol from a constellation. Okay. So as we have the North Star to follow home; in the Southern hemisphere, which is where Peru would be, they have the Chacana constellation. So imagine, you know, thousands of years ago, the angels are giving downloads to these Inca shamans and you've got all this energy, but humans, we've got to put energy into words so people can understand. And a lot of times we like to use symbols so people can understand. So they look at the stars and they see this symbol and they say, yes, this guides us home. So that's appropriate that this will guide people home to their joy because joy is where we really should be living. So I used, I thought, and prayed and journeyed on what do I call my beautiful shamanic healing center. And I've always felt called, you know, very close to the Chacana. So we called our center, The Chacana Spiritual Center.

Cindy (20:46):

Perfect.

Cindy (20:47):

The perfect name for your Center. I know that you have got to have learned so many lessons about opening up your Center during a pandemic.

Shannon Davis (20:57):

I'll try to keep this short, but it's a very interesting story is right before the pandemic happens, Cindy, my sweetheart, my boyfriend got very sick and we had to go to Miami and we didn't come back for 30 days. Now he's doing much better today. But during that time, the pandemic happened. During that time, I was walking away from my full-time job and trying to open up the Center. When we got back, a day later, my mom passed away.

Cindy (21:31):

I'm so, sorry.

Shannon Davis (21:32):

Thank you very much. Thank you. And it was a lot obviously, I mean, we are having a human experience and at the moment it was a lot. And first of all, I have such a beautiful community and they supported me as if angelic hands lifted me and my sweetheart up and held space for us to create The Chacana Spiritual Center. So the first thing I did was gave time to myself and my sweetheart to heal. And I took several weeks because spirit kept telling me Shannon, the Center will open. Don't you worry about that? You just take care of you and your sweetheart and heal. So we gave ourselves time to work through our emotions and it was beautiful. Cindy, one of us would cry and hold each other and then the other one would cry and hold each other. And then we'd look at each other and say, are you okay?

Shannon Davis (22:29):

I'm okay. You're okay. And the beauty in that of finding a life partner, that we could experience this all at the same time and come out and still open The Chacana Spiritual Center. It was such a lesson, so many spiritual lessons in everything, especially the pandemic. So what I learned about the pandemic is, or from the pandemic was to slow down. I learned that, we are all in this storm, you know, a nice little metaphor of the pandemic is it's a storm and we're all in it, but we're all on our individual little boats, our own little lifeboats. And Shannon's lifeboat had her sweetheart and her mom and the Center trying to open. And she had to each time something came up, I had to say, am I going to react in love, or am I going to react in fear? And if I react in fear, I'm not going to punish myself.

Shannon Davis (23:26):

I'm going to learn from that. And the opportunity to react from love will then circle back around and I'll have that choice again. I feel very lucky that Curtis and I reacted in love most of the time and was able to step forward. And the biggest lesson I learned, I like I started to say was, take your time. And spirit kept showing me a red rose and spirit said, Shannon, the rose doesn't come out of the plant fully bloomed. The rose comes out as a bud, and you enjoy that, bud and you look at that and you think about it. And if I could refer to it, as it's maiden phase, it's just starting life. It's starting to express itself. It's young and youthful, and it has so much beauty and so much potential. And that's where we're at right now. And then one day we'll move into the mother phase of the Center and the adulthood and the fullness of life.

Shannon Davis (24:27):

And that will be beautiful. And I will not sit in the future. I'll sit in the now and then one day we'll enter the crone phase, the full bloom of the flower of the Center, but what comes with the full bloom of the Center or whatever we're going through in life is the end. Right? And so I'm not looking to start in the end. I'm looking to start in the bud because the end, and I don't want to fear the end because the end does not; death does not mean, something bad. Death is a doorway to the next chapter in life. And if that next chapter happens to be going home to heaven, that's just a chapter. So, that was my lesson. Cindy is slow down and enjoy the process.

Cindy (25:12):

That is the lesson for us all, isn't it? Because we all have these really busy lives and we're kind of being forced to slow down.

Shannon Davis (25:21):

Yes. And we see it on, I see it on my Facebook. I have so many beautiful people sharing. You know, here they are spending time with their children and life. You know, life literally took that schedule that had every day of their life scheduled out. They had to be at work. They had to be at all. The, a lot of people were saying, I kind of feel guilty, but like, you know, all my children's sporting events are canceled, but yet we're spending all this time together as a family. And I'm learning who my children are and my husband is. And they're grateful for this time. That's the, yeah. That's the blessing in COVID.

Cindy (25:54):

I want to talk about your workshop, A Healing Journey Through Grief, which I highly recommend. I attended that and I just found it so rewarding for myself. And I was going to ask you, and I don't know if I should be asking you this right now.

Shannon Davis (26:11):

Feel free. I am tracking you. It's okay. I can do it. Yeah.

Cindy (26:15):

Can you give one or two tips to help someone dealing from the stress of grief from a loss?

Shannon Davis (26:22):

Absolutely. Sister. Absolutely. It's my greatest honor to help people and just to share a few about my own, is I on a physical level? Of course, I miss my mother, but on a spiritual level, I'm so honored that she felt that I was ready to take on that role in our family's life. I get my chills again, you know, that she knew that the grandmother was gone and now the mother is gone. And that makes me the grandmother and the mother. I am a grandmother. And, it's my pleasure to answer that question. That is one of my first, my very first, workshops. One of my other teachers, I mentioned Debra Willow Fire Woman earlier, but Cheri Hart, the owner of a Aquarian Dreams is one of my spirit mamas. And she saw something in me and she said to me, one day, Shannon, I really want you to teach at my center with you being a hospice nurse and a shaman. I know you can put together a grief class. And of course, like, what does a child do for their mom? They go, Ohhhh, I don't think I can do that.

Shannon Davis (27:29):

What my mama, Cheri Hart wants Cheri Hart gets. So, I put something together. So it was a mix between some counseling, but mostly a hands-on activity to give you, a coping mechanism and a lot of talk about the spiritual. But what I'm really feeling called to tell you about is that we are all right now on this earth, especially with COVID, especially, but there's a lot of tragedies in the world. We are all having loss; we are all experiencing some kind of loss. You know, people of course experienced loss to the loss of a loved one and a friend, but financial loss, stability, relationships, the loss of your freedom, the loss of your business closing. So first of all, everyone listening, I learned this as a hospice nurse. I would like to give you permission to grieve.

Shannon Davis (28:23):

If no one has said that to you yet, you don't need my permission. But if you needed to hear that, I give you permission to grieve because that's something that I haven't heard yet. People are healing at such a rapid level. You know, we all have our own words to describe something. And Shannon's words to describe the whole entire world going through the COVID experience is it's like a shamanic awakening for the whole entire world. And it is not without its difficulties and its lessons and people are and have had much loss of something. So your tears, you are a spiritual being, having a physical experience and someone in your life may have told you, you know, Cindy, I always ask if I can use someone in the crowd. So may I use Cindy. Someone might've said to you, Cindy, Cindy, don't cry. Don't cry.

Shannon Davis (29:18):

Don't be sad when you were sad. And what they were really saying was Cindy, I really uncomfortable with you crying. I'm uncomfortable with my own emotions. So I can't possibly be comfortable with your emotions. So please forgive the person who said that, because please know that they are just doing what they've been told to do. You know, we've, we've trained each other. Um, how, you know, society through TV, through how our parents talked to us or our friends talk to us. And I would give you permission if you need to hear this too weak to have that physical experience because your tears are healing, okay? Your tears are healing and allow yourself to feel your emotions because that's another myth that society tells us is to push our emotions down deep and don't look at them. When we don't do that we actually allow ourselves to process what's going on in our life.

Shannon Davis (30:14):

So we allow whatever it is that's burdening you, whatever. If you have guilt, if you have sadness, if you have anxiety, allow that to look you in the eye. I use a lot of metaphors because you know, serpent an archetype. So like a serpent comes up and looks you in the eyes and kind of stares at you. Allow your emotional wounds. Emotional wound means trauma, stress things you worry about, allow it to come up, look at you. You look at it and say, why are you bothering me? What is it about you that's triggering me because I'm ready to heal and allow the tears to come out and try to work through it. And of course, there's always professional people in this world, um, there are psychologists, there are counselors, there are shamanic practitioners. There are so many levels of help that if you are, you are feeling like you cannot get through this alone, ask for help, ask for help.

Cindy (31:13):

Shannon, All my life. I was told that you know, don't cry. You're the strong one don't cry. And so just you saying that actually makes me want to start crying right now.

Shannon Davis (31:26):

I'll cry with you if you need to cry, cry.

Cindy (31:31):

Gosh, that was wonderful.

Shannon Davis (31:33):

Good. Thank you.

Cindy (31:34):

If you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self. What would you tell her about the season of life you're in right now?

Shannon Davis (31:42):

Oh boy. Okay. If I could turn back time and talk to my 18-year-old Shannon, I'd be awfully attempted to explain to 18-year-old Shannon, how to live a more conscious life. That way it would prevent the suffering that she had to go through and prevent the suffering that she felt like she caused other people, but I wouldn't do any of that because I choose to, um, I don't want to choose to influence anything that might have brought me to the life that I'm living now. And now I'm on my healing path and I may never have been the healer, healing others, if I had not gone through my suffering.

Shannon Davis (32:24):

I would have been tempted. But, it's like a butterfly.

Shannon Davis (32:30):

I think I'll stay in the now because I'll tell you, Cindy, my life is beautiful and I love, I love, I love the, I love the me now.

Cindy (32:38):

Thank You. Thank you.

Cindy (32:40):

I want to know and tell all of our listeners all about your Center, about your workshops and your services, your website, how can people find you?

Shannon Davis (32:50):

Thank you.

Shannon Davis (32:51):

So kind, I'd be happy to give you some information. We are in the heart of Melbourne, Florida, we are on Sarno Road and that's 2299-B Sarno Rd Melbourne, FL 32935. And we have a website https://www.chacanacenter.com. You can find us on Facebook; we're the only one.

Shannon Davis (33:29):

And, we are on YouTube

Shannon Davis (33:32):

Chacana Center. We're on all the social media I'm losing which ones in my mind and our store phone number is 321-610-1698. Now, uh, let's see, what do we do? What don't we do? We say we love doing so much fun stuff. We a see personally, I do healing sessions as you asked earlier. So I do private shamanic healing sessions and I've never seen two shamanic healing sessions ever look alike. They go from what is something similar to a Reiki experience with illumination to soul retrievals court cuttings past life healings, um, death experiences. So death will not haunt you and more. I do life and business coaching. My favorite motto, if I can share with everyone, give you some free advice for your businesses is: "Always do what is right for yourself,

Shannon Davis (34:30):

do what is right for your clients and do what is right for everyone involved" and you will have a beautiful business, you know, whatever kind of energy you're looking for, whether that's money, travel, it will come to you. If you always do what is right for everybody involved. We also provide classes. That's what the bulk of what I do is I'm a teacher. I teach shamanic training, which is the Munay Ki, which means love in action. I teach the Mesa, which is to be a shaman, journey classes and medicine wheel, and, um, all kinds of divination. We have tarot readings, psychic readings, and sound crystal bowls. And we have about 30 teachers give or take who also circle through the center and teach their own beautiful techniques. So yeah,

Shannon Davis (35:18):

Come on down and visit us. We'd love to have you. And I guess on top of all that, we have a beautiful

Shannon Davis (35:23):

crystal store and smudge store. So anything that we are teaching, we try to sell what you need. You know, if you're a shaman and we sell everything to shaman needs and Reiki, healers need and so forth.

Cindy (35:33):

I was going to ask you if you had had a retail piece to that and people can just stop in. Okay. Thank you so much. And I will make sure all of that in the show notes so people can easily get to you. Is there anything, any parting words that you want to leave us with?

Shannon Davis (35:51):

Absolutely. Could we close in a prayer?

Cindy (35:53):

Absolutely. Thank you.

Shannon Davis (35:56):

Sweet, sweet God, energy and angels, spirit guides and allies. I ask you to come forward and be present in the lives of everyone who can hear these words and everyone they can share with, to circle them with love and raise her vibration and give, have them be aware of the potential that they can step into that life is filled with challenges and every challenge has two choices, love or fear, and to not, to not punish ourselves when we choose something we deem as the wrong choice, but to learn from it and just move forward blessings to all. Oh, thank you, sister. Thank you.

Cindy (36:38):

Thank you. That was beautiful.

Shannon Davis (36:41):

Have a wonderful day, Cindy.

Cindy (36:44):

You too.

Cindy (36:46):

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. The audio was a little scratchy but the conversation was so good and I wanted to keep it real. I enjoyed my conversation with Shannon and I especially liked it when she was said, "You are going to step away from the masculine into the feminine.”

Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

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This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode # 14. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Ellen Stewart.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for professional women over 40 who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I seriously appreciate that you are here because I am so excited to share my conversation with Ellen with you.

Ellen Stewart is the Pushy Broad from the Bronx. She is a Certified Empowerment Coach and a Recovery Coach as well as a proud member of the International Coaching Federation. Her unique Pushy Broad, Bronx born, coaching style is part drill sergeant and part cheerleader, always in your corner, helping to push your success forward.

Ellen Stewart has two shows airing on Transformation Talk Radio and podcast stations everywhere. One is called Recovery Recharged with Ellen Stewart and the other is called Pushy Broad from the Bronx: Everybody Need a Little Push.

Welcome to the podcast. Ellen, thank you so much for being here.

Ellen Stewart 1:35

Cindy. It's my pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. Delighted.

Cindy MacMillan 1:40

What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Ellen Stewart 1:47

I love that term, Exploring the Seasons of Life. It means a couple of things. First of all, it reminds me, and I don't know if I'm dating myself but you said your podcast is 40 and above so I fit into their category. It reminds me of a book that came out in the 70s. Gail Sheehy's book Passages.

Cindy MacMillan 2:06

Yes, I remember that.

Ellen Stewart 2:08

Because it was really the first intuitive look at how people and especially women, go through different stages in their life, go through different circumstances, and most importantly, different mindsets. We seem to be thinking about different things at different stages of our lives. And we go through that process. And I really do think that certainly has happened to me. So it's a personal thing. I mean, I'm certainly not the same girl I was in high school, or in college, or in, you know, as a young adult, and I'm grateful for that. I think it's an evolving process in our seasons.

Cindy MacMillan 2:51

Absolutely. And Ellen when you and I first made contact I was thinking about going down the empowerment road - down that path with you. And then you mentioned something to me about recovery, and how that would be something unusual and different for my podcast. And I really think that's the way that I want to go today because I think that is so important. What led you to become a Certified Empowerment Coach and a Recovery Coach? Can you walk us through your story?

Ellen Stewart 3:26

I'd be delighted. I think my first encounter was to decide to be a recovery coach in this way. I am a recovering alcoholic, an addict. I have 34 and a half years clean and sober. And I'm very proud of that.

Cindy MacMillan 3:42

Congratulations.

Ellen Stewart 3:43

Thank you. It started back in 1985. And I was married to a musician at the time and maybe even way back before then in the 70s. I was married to a musician and that was kind of like sex, drugs and rock and roll okay in the 70s. So, drugs were there all the time, and that's just me, you know, the hippie and all of that stuff. And then when I finally decided to get clean and sober, I found that even though I stopped drinking and drugging, my mindset did not change. I found that I was still thinking like an addict and an alcoholic. I was rushing into things. I was impulsive. I was not listening, not following a program, I had no sense of spirituality. I was still making bad decisions. I was still doing dumb things. That's the truth.

So then I'm 20 years in recovery, and then all of a sudden I switched careers because I was in the travel industry and I switched careers to the mental health industry and started working for treatment centers. And after I started working for alcoholic and drug treatment centers, I realized that by helping to bring clients to treatment. That was one thing. But when they came out of treatment, they were like me, they didn't understand what to do. So just not picking up a drink or a drug is not enough. It's understanding that we have to change the way we think, feel and act. And because of that, I decided that this was a way for me to help someone. So when people come out of treatment, I decided that I would be a recovery coach, and that's how it started 16 years ago.

Cindy MacMillan 5:29

Addiction is not just drugs and alcohol. Addiction can be sex, it can be shopping, it can be a lot of different things. It can be eating. So when you were talking, I immediately was thinking about the mindset around all those and recovery.

Ellen Stewart 5:49

Exactly. And that is exactly what a recovery coach does. My philosophy is very simple. You need to put a new idea into your head when you want to change negative thoughts. It's called changing your cognition, putting a new idea into your brain by putting a new idea into your brain, then you begin to feel something differently. So cognitive change breeds emotional change. So when you begin to feel something differently, then as a consequence, you act on it differently. So cognitive change breeds emotional change breeds behavioral change. You know, I lived a long time you know, thinking I can't change the way I feel I can't change the way I feel. If I feel this way, then there's nothing I can do about it. I'm the Pushy Broad from the Bronx and I can tell you right now, that's a bunch of BS. It is that is so not true. You can change the way you feel about anything at any time. And the way you do that is to get some more information into your brain change the way you think about something. Your thoughts control your feelings, not the other way around. If you let your feelings control your thoughts, then your emotional intelligence is zero.

Cindy MacMillan 7:06

What is just one tiny way that we can take that first step to change our thoughts?

Ellen Stewart 7:14

There you go. Well, the one thing that we can do to change your thoughts when it comes to changing a negative habit, whether it's thinking that we're drinking too much, or we're eating too much, or we're involved in a habit that we would like to change is to be aware of the fact that something is not the way you want it to be. Awareness is the key. If you're not aware of the fact that you're drinking too much, or you're eating too much or you're doing something negative to you, you will never change. So the first step is awareness. And the second step is to verbalize it. If you don't start talking about it, if you don't start reading up on it, if you don't start getting a coach or a therapist around it, someone like the Pushy Broad you can't get it...you've got to share it, you've got to get it out there. And the third thing is you have to process it and move forward. Which means that it takes work, understanding how it goes. So those are the big things. That's where we start.

Cindy MacMillan 8:11

You know, when you were talking about awareness, this is something that just popped into my mind. How before we went into quarantine was how often when talking to a girlfriend the conversation would lead to let's go out for a glass of wine and when you do that two or three times a week, well something to be aware of.

Ellen Stewart 8:32

Yes, it really is and you really have to, to watch it because things can get away from us. Look, one of the things I do on my Recovery Recharge podcast on Transformation Talk Radio is to provide us with some statistics; take-home alcohol sales, alcohol sales now in quarantine. I know Cindy this is staggering; have risen 500%.

Cindy MacMillan 8:56

That is staggering.

Ellen Stewart 9:00

500% my god, so it doesn't matter where you're when you're doing it, it matters how often and how much about everything, right? We all have to eat to live. But what matters is how often and how much you are. We all have to spend money on something, right? We have to spend money on clothes and on food. That's fine. We all do that. But it matters how often and how much.

Cindy MacMillan 9:28

Ellen, you're, you're hitting all my buttons because I've been working at home for eight weeks now (at the time we recorded). And that refrigerator is just a little too close.

Ellen Stewart 9:41

Oh, God, I so understand. But we're so human. I get it. Okay, I get it. I mean, I have a thing with food as well. The first two weeks I'm in quarantine I decided for some reason that I had to stock up on everything. Not only the normal stuff, everybody, right like the toilet paper and the paper towels and the tissues for some reason. I mean God Almighty I wish I had stock in like Charmin or Scott or something. I mean, who knew that toilet paper would be the thing. But, but here I am thinking to myself that for some reason I am a single woman I live by myself, but for some reason now when I ordered my food because I'm here in New Jersey now and you know, New York and New Jersey were hit the hardest. And we couldn't go to the supermarket and everything is on order, and I'm still ordering my groceries. All of a sudden, I decided that this one single woman who is a size six should all of a sudden now buy the family pack of everything.

Since when do I need a family pack of a box of cereal, right? I mean, I couldn't have enough cereal for the next four months, the way I bought food, but we feel like we must nurture ourselves and when we're feeling this kind of stress and anxiety, this is when our nurturing kicks up, but sometimes in a very destructive way.

Cindy MacMillan 11:01

Yeah, when you said that about nurturing Yeah, I'm getting that. I want to ask you, is there a culture of silence around addictions?

Ellen Stewart 11:12

Oh my god. Yes.

And that's one of the reasons why I'm constantly bringing this to everybody's attention, as the Pushy Broad from the Bronx, it's time to speak out about it and not to live in this in this secretive situation. People that are in the rooms are in recovery. It's not a cult. It's not something that nobody knows about. Everybody knows about it. And the more you get it out there, and the more you talk about it, and the more you tell people like I tell people, I am proud to be in recovery. If I don't have guidelines and rules in front of me to manage my entire life, then I would be a wreck.

And I'll tell you something, most of the people that I know that are in long term recovery are telling me like I am that I am going through COVID-19 a little bit more stable because I understand what it's like to live in the moment, I understand what it's like to live just for today, I understand what it's like to let go, let God I understand what it's like to take one day at a time and manage my stuff. So some of the practices and principles that we have learned in recovery are extremely poignant for exactly what's happening today. So I'm grateful for that program.

Cindy MacMillan 12:30

I was just going to say because most of us do not have those, did you call them rules or guidelines?

Ellen Stewart 12:39

Guidelines. Yes, we call them steps, but they are guidelines for living and they're not just subject to not picking up a drink or a drug. Because there's so much more to life just because you decide that you are going to go on a diet or you're going to stop eating cake candy and ice cream, doesn't mean that you still don't want it in Your brain that the brain feeling doesn't go away. You have just decided behaviorally to abstain. That's what happens. But the behavior will go back to the habit. If you don't change the habit in your head.

Cindy MacMillan 13:17

You know, I'm thinking about my ex-husband, he stopped smoking when our daughter was probably five years old. And we went through a divorce not long ago, and he got remarried and started smoking. And I'm thinking to myself, Oh, wait a minute, I was taking care of you. You quit smoking for almost 30 years, what's going on?

Ellen Stewart 13:45

Well, you know, people do things for so many different reasons, but you know, the fact that you said I was taking care of you is something that I would I would consider strongly and reconsider in your next relationship.

The one thing that I found, especially being an empowerment coach is talking to women about taking care of themselves. And that's also something that we learn in guidelines in recovery, the focus of attention is on ourselves. I had two husbands that I was taking care of, until I just said, you know what, I'm tired of this. Alright, I went through one marriage and then had many years being single, and then went through another marriage. And I said You know what, marriage is just not what I want to do. Alright, because I was too busy taking care of everybody else and not, and not learning how to take care of myself. But even in a committed relationship, we have to understand what it's like to take care of ourselves. So and that's what happens when we're in recovery. And when we stay in recovery, and whatever it is, whatever you're going through, you must change the way you think about something in order to change how you feel about it, and then change how you act on it.

Cindy MacMillan 15:04

Thank you, Ellen, thank you. Can we talk about what addiction looks like at the various seasons of a woman's life? You know, the 20s is so different from the 30s, which is so different from the 50s. Is there something going on at each decade of our life that makes recovery different?

Ellen Stewart 15:30

I think so in a lot of ways. I think that I think sometimes the older we get, the more mature we are and understanding that it's true recovery. Again, just emphasizing the fact that it's not just about not picking up a drink or a drug. And believe it or not, people do have a propensity for addiction, which means there is a brain pattern that is different for somebody that has addiction that doesn't or has the propensity to have an addictive brain and that happens early in life. So my propensity for addiction came at me at 14 years old and I started smoking pot. It's the truth. So people start younger and younger and younger. And parents understand this and they realize it. So at that point in time when the brain is so new and not even developed yet, we're looking at this for different things. We're looking for instant gratification. We're looking for fun for adventure for escape, which is, which is a major component of this and in many, many ways that carry on no matter what decade of life we are in. There's no question that the whole format is the same. But the reasons for doing things sometimes they're slightly different, right? Our stressors, the older we get in our 20s and 30s and 40s. We may be worried about our, our careers, we may be worried about who we are as women, we may be worried about how we're gonna keep our husbands Happy New or whether or not we're going to get married whether or not we're going to have children. So there are different circumstances that lead to that kind of escape. I think that's most of it. How we do it seems to be the same, but the reasons why we do it are different.

Cindy MacMillan 17:21

Yeah, I of course, I've gone out and partied with my friends at 18 and 19 years old. And when I got pregnant with my daughter at 22 or 23, I didn't drink but occasionally until I was about 40. And I had a very stressful job. So I understand what you're saying those the stressors change in those different decades.

Ellen Stewart 17:54

They do change and then you know later in life, the 50s and 60s, you maybe become an empty nester, so now you don't have something to focus on anymore, the kids are gone and you're like, what am I going to do with myself? And who am I if I'm not a mother, you know so so we begin to do that sense of introspection, and then maybe we become bored or we become retired and we don't know how to reinvent ourselves. So, now we're drinking just to pass the time and to stave the boredom. So there are many different reasons depending upon where we are in life. But the way addiction hits us, is the same.

Cindy MacMillan 18:37

What do you say to someone in the midst of recovery, to help them develop now I'm going to use the term self-compassion and forgiveness? You might choose other words.

Ellen Stewart 18:50

I like your words, Cindy, I like your words. And it's a very interesting question.

When because people in recovery their first instinct is to try to apologize to the world. Okay, yeah, the first instinct is to say I'm sorry, I was such a screw-up. I'm sorry, I did what I did. I'm sorry that when I drank, I was not a good person, or I wasn't a responsible person. And the whole world is asking for an apology all the time. And part of what we learn is that we do have to make amends for our behavior because actions have consequences. There's no question, but the way we change is to realize that forgiveness is the kind of forgiveness that we give ourselves, self-care, and self-compassion. Addiction is a disease.

There is not one addict or alcoholic on the planet that would have chosen to have this. It's something that we that's in our brains, it's something that shows up on a brain scan for whatever reason, because of the environment because of circumstances because of genetics because of its hereditary of a myriad of things. And you can read about all of them on the American Society of Addiction Medicine page or journals, which is a division of the American Medical Association. It's all documented. It's all science but understanding that we did not choose to give ourselves this disease. And because of that, we have to give ourselves a break. It doesn't mean that we should be irresponsible around it. But it means that we need to forgive ourselves.

Because it starts with how we forgive ourselves. And I always tell people, especially in early recovery, to treat yourself like you're a little puppy. Just be patient with yourself. Little puppies are all over the place, okay? And they're peeing and pooping everywhere and they're running around and they're just saying hi to everybody, and they're wrestling and they're biting and they're licking and they're doing all these things and that's what you're going to be doing in the beginning because you're like, Oh my god, what's happening here? Just be calm and easy with yourself and telling yourself It's okay. Love yourself today.

Cindy MacMillan 21:16

Love yourself today. That's for all of us. Yes. What new belief behavior or habit would most change a woman's life on her road to recovery?

Ellen Stewart 21:31

Well, that's a good question.

Cindy MacMillan 21:33

I was gonna say, and you've gone over so many. But is there is there one that just kind of like, this is this belief, this behavior would just help help someone so much?

Ellen Stewart 21:47

Yes, I really do believe so. And that's one big mantra that we know we learn, always. One. Day. At. A. Time. There is no way that you could do anything without projecting into the future. Okay? The one mantra I talk to my clients about is we cannot regret our past and we cannot predict a future that has not come yet. One day at a time, live in the present, my constant mantra is, wherever your feet are, that's where your brain has to be. Right here right now I'm having a wonderful conversation with you. If I turn around and think I'll never be able to stop smoking, or I'll never be able to lose those 10 pounds or it's going to take me so long to do this or, or there's no way that I could think that I'll never have a glass of wine again for the rest of my life that is doomed to failure in every sense of the word. What gets you through is to focus on the next minute. And then after the next minute, focus on the next five minutes. After the next five minutes focus on the next hour. Today, what can I do today? To keep myself healthy, to live the way I want to live? To find myself the most productive and loving and caring human being that I possibly can?

Cindy MacMillan 23:20

Ellen, I am just taking notes after notes after notes. Everything you say I'm like, Oh, yeah, that's it. That's it.

Ellen Stewart 23:29

Well, it's all it that's, that's for sure. I wanted to say something, Cindy, because especially through COVID-19 right now, there's so many stressors going on, and people are going through so much stuff and it's something that you know, you and I have talked about too. We're going through a lot of stuff. This is not normal stuff. This is abnormal. So we are learning to struggle with things and we're learning to put things in perspective and we're becoming much more introspective in our lives, and because people are struggling about a myriad of things, including maybe trying to get help for someone that is struggling or if you're struggling yourself if you go to my website Pushy Broad from the Bronx, I'm doing a free 30 minute session with me Pushy Broad from the Bronx, you get a free 30 minutes to talk about what's on your mind. If you're struggling or you're stressed out or you want to find help for someone that's in the throes of addiction, or you need just some good guidelines to stay in recovery. Either one of those things Pushy Broad from the Bronx, take advantage of the stress free, free 30-minute session with Pushy Broad from the Bronx.

Cindy MacMillan 24:44

Now is that on your homepage?

Ellen Stewart 24:47

It's on my website homepage.

All you have to do is find pushy broad from the Bronx, and there's a whole big link right in the middle of that says COVID-19 free 30-minute session. Click on that and make a call or book a call with me, I also have a toll-free number that is available to you at any time. And that is 800-889-1757 leave a message. So if you don't have access to the to the web or you know, you know, you know, do those things, whatever 800-889-1757 and leave a number for me to call you back. And we'll do the 30-minute session over the phone. So that's available to

Cindy MacMillan 25:27

Ellen, thank you for giving us your number and, and telling us what that link was. I have a couple more questions that I'm wanting to dive in a little bit with you. And you're talking about COVID-19. How does isolation and sheltering at home affect someone's mental and emotional health? One I want to talk about that in general and then the other when they're actually going, trying to overcome an addiction.

Ellen Stewart 26:00

Well, first of all, I want everybody to look at it positively, there is no better time than the present to do the stuff that you really want to do. There's no excuse. You don't have to be distracted by a whole bunch of things, right? We have to be distracted with ourselves, we have to be a little bit more self-absorbed, and try to do the things that we never thought we had the time to do. I don't care if it's something as small as now I'm going to clean out the shoe closet that I've been thinking about for the last two years, but I found myself too busy to do whenever, whenever it is making an accomplishment that you didn't have time to do before. And when it comes to something that is a compulsion or an addiction, we understand that whatever that is, it's not a positive thing. It is a negative thing. If you're exercising too much if you're eating too much, if you're drinking too much, if you're sleeping too much it whatever it is, if it whatever it is to excess is too much. And whatever that is, you understand that it doesn't fill you with joy. It doesn't fill you with happiness. It provides you with negativity it promotes escape, it doesn't promote moving forward. It promotes stagnation, depression, anxiety, stress, all of those things are never negative emotions. And you have a chance to either heighten and nurture that feeling now and COVID-19 or you have a chance to turn it on its head and dispel it. So decide, most of my clients say to me now there's no better time to get clean and sober than right now. So make that your positive mantra. You have a great chance to work on yourself. And there are so many different tools. The Pushy Broad can give you some tools if you want to work with me one on one. If you want to call me and I can get you started. There are many things to look for online. The web but understand that what everybody's feeling right now is normal and natural. But it doesn't mean that you have to stay in negativity. There are lots of things you can do to affect positive change.

Cindy MacMillan 28:13

One of the things I'm doing each evening because I am in the house all day I only go out once a week to the grocery store is that each evening I'm going for a walk just to get that fresh air to get out of the house.

Ellen Stewart 28:28

Exactly. Get outside of your comfort zone Do whatever you want to do. I'm not exactly a big I've as a kid I was a big outdoors person and right now, believe it or not, I'm learning to plant things I never liked to planting before but I'm learning to plant things and I'm like I never thought I would be doing this.

Cindy MacMillan 28:47

So you're turning into a gardener?

Ellen Stewart 28:49

I guess which was you know it was hard in the Bronx living in you know, a tenement building five stories up and I you know, I moved from there to New Jersey which I where I have a house and a backyard Now and still, you know very close to New York because Bronx girls can't be too far away from New York City you know, we start to hyperventilate if we're too far away. So I'm really really close at this moment. In fact, my town can see New York from the river so I could still feel you know, feel my peeps in the Bronx. But now I'm trying to do something that's a little bit different. Something new learn a new skill.

Cindy MacMillan 29:29

That's what I'm doing here with this podcast.

Ellen Stewart 29:33

And it's working Cindy, it's really working.

Cindy MacMillan 29:36

Is there anything that I should have asked you but I didn't? Around recovery or just in general, anything that you would like our listeners to know.

Ellen Stewart 29:49

I just think in general, I think you've covered everything. I just want to remind you that there is help available there and you should remember Pushy Broad from the Bronx because you can find me on the web or you can, you know, make arrangements to do that and understand that recovery is not only about not picking up a drink or a drug, it's about changing the way you think, feel and act. And one more thing, that if you know somebody that you're trying to get help for, or you don't know how to manage this, if you're a parent that doesn't know how to talk to your child, or if you're a husband that doesn't know how to talk to your wife about this problem, or vice versa, the families of the recovery of the people that are struggling, need a lot of help, and I'm here for you. I understand the other side. So please, please, please turn to me for some help.

Cindy MacMillan 30:41

Ellen, well, but you tell your 18-year-old self about the season of life you're in right now.

Ellen Stewart 30:49

Wow. That the season of life I'm in right now. I would say a couple of things.

Education is really really, really important. Never stop learning. That's number one. And number two, money is much more important than you think. Doesn't mean that you have to have a whole bunch of it. But you have to know how money works.

Cindy MacMillan 31:12

Hmm. Okay.

Ellen Stewart 31:14

And, and I would also say that, like I said before living one day at a time, stop worrying about what you're going to grow into what you're going to be how it's going to happen. what your plan is, for the next 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. That's, that's not going to get you anywhere. Wake up in the morning and say to yourself, what's my plan for today? And then the rest of your life is going to be wonderful.

Cindy MacMillan 31:43

It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. How can people follow you? Now we've given out your 800 number, but can you just tell us all the other ways that people can follow you?

Ellen Stewart 31:56

All the other ways? Yeah, okay.

All you have to remember is Pushy Broad from the Bronx okay you put in the web Pushy Broad from the Bronx my website will come up you can follow me on Facebook Pushy Broad from the Bronx I'm very lucky then I have about 42,000 Facebook fans so please please be one of them. I also have a wonderful group called the Letting Go Tribe. So we talked about that and that you can find from pushy abroad from the Bronx you can be invited free to join that. And you can also follow me if you don't have if you don't go on the net. You can go on your phone to https://www.transformationtalkradio.com/ I'm listed as Pushy Broad from the Bronx with Ellen Stewart. And you can find my podcasts online as well.

Cindy MacMillan 32:48

Thank you so much for being here with us and I'm going to tell you, I love Pushy Broad from the Bronx. That is great branding all the way around.

Ellen Stewart 33:00

It’s something that I own I'm a born and raised Bronx girl and I was always considered the Pushy Broad from the Bronx. Because Bronx girls are Bronx tough. And I was outspoken. I would always say what I meant in a very direct manner, straightforward, no BS. And that's why, you know, my approach to coaching is part cheerleader and parent drill sergeant, because I think you need both and that's what Bronx girls bring. We bring it. So I own that.

Cindy MacMillan 33:27

You know, when you're talking, I was just thinking, Oh my gosh, yes, because I'm a southern woman. And I can sometimes tend to sugarcoat, and I don't think that's healthy in any way for the person you're talking to. or yourself.

Ellen Stewart 33:43

Well, it depends. Okay, I worked for a Nashville company for eight years and I love I love the south and I love southern hospitality. I don't think there's any better hospitality in the world. But I have certainly learned the meaning behind bless her heart.

Cindy MacMillan 34:05

Ah, all right. Well, thank you so much.

Ellen Stewart 34:08

My pleasure, Cindy.

Cindy MacMillan 34:12

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with the Pushy Broad from the Bronx, Ellen Stewart, and I especially liked it when she said, "We cannot regret our past and we cannot predict the future that has not come yet."

Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, Live Inspired!

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Cindy MacMillan 0:00

This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode # 13. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Lindsay Kimmel.

Lindsay is a women’s advocate, a nurse, a cancer survivor, a daughter, wife, and sister. She is the culmination of all the experiences in her life and she will never let her cancer diagnosis define her and her goal in sharing her story is to create a lifeline for young people diagnosed with a disease that changes their life.

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women over 40 who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Lindsay, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited. You're here today.

Lindsay Kimmel 1:09

Thank you so much for having me. Cindy. I'm honored to be a part of this project.

Cindy MacMillan 1:13

Yeah, I'm really happy to have you. And I know that we've changed our date for the interview a few times. That's what makes it even more exciting.

Lindsay Kimmel 1:22

Exactly. We're finally here.

Cindy MacMillan 1:25

We are here. I want to start off reading a line from the book Sacred Circles written by Robin Deen Carnes and Sally Craig.

“Telling stories is a way of gaining access to the truth. When women start telling their stories, they begin to hear themselves echoed in the stories of others. They start to feel less weird and less isolated, and they begin trusting themselves.”

Lindsay Kimmel 1:58

Yeah, that definitely rings true for me. I love. Love that.

Cindy MacMillan 2:03

So Lindsay, what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally?

Lindsay Kimmel 2:08

Well, from a general perspective, we know developmentally that human beings go through different stages of their life depending on age, some expected and some unexpected. But I thought about that question. And I think for me and exploring the seasons of life are important. What stage you're in is, obviously whatever you are working through, but for me, the hardest part I think of stages is the in-between the transition between maybe more of a messy bit and more of a stable bit. But I've noticed that I am able to have a lot more peace, internally, if I'm more accepting of change and just aware of the fact that impermanence is part of life and going through those stages is just basically more palatable when you are able to come from that place. And I think that's the important part for me is how I deal with the kind of recalibration of change.

Cindy MacMillan 3:15

Thank you, Lindsay. Can you just tell us a little bit about what your life was like before cancer?

Lindsay Kimmel 3:22

Yeah, so life before cancer was definitely better.

There's no denying that I don't want to put a bow on top of everything that I've experienced, but there has been a lot of good that has come out of it as well. I think you know, when you go through a tragedy, you kind of put rose-colored glasses on when you think back on the future, or on the past, you really kind of you forget how much suffering and how much pain you endured prior to that. And, and I do think that suffering is suffering and your threshold of what you know is kind of your marker for how much you're able to endure. And humans are very adaptive. I've been very adaptive through this process and I'm able to my spectrum for pain and anxiety and uncertainty is obviously exponentially grown. But that is not to say that I didn't experience hardships prior.

And basically, when I was a teenager, I started to really struggle in school. And I grew up in a family with two intellectuals, PhDs, the expectation was very high. I grew up in a community of, you know, high achieving peers, and I really was not able to perform at that level and I kind of became a chronic underachiever, you know, instead of doing the work to figure out how I learned and how to make myself a better student, I kind of rebelled against everything that my parents wanted and the community that I was in wanting. And at that same time, I also really was going through puberty and grew, boobs very quickly developed a female body basically before I was ready, and I didn't know how to be in my body and I got a lot of messages in society and in my home about what it meant to be beautiful. And to be a woman, I kind of felt like I had to make myself smaller in order to fit in somehow. So I did develop an eating disorder kind of as a way of controlling all the things that I feel like I couldn't control in school and in my life, and I really struggled with that through my late teens and early 20s. And it wasn't until I started working with an incredible therapist that I started to really mend a lot of those broken parts inside of me.

It was through college and then later nursing school that I realized academically I'm actually very capable. And I just had to learn how to learn and accept that maybe it wasn't going to fit into the mold of what you know, standard education was expecting. I really healed a lot of those pieces inside of me both, you know, with my, with how I felt intellectually but also how I felt in myself and my self-worth.

So yeah, I mended a lot of that. I was set up to marry the person that I had been with for eight years and we were living in San Francisco, I had gotten my dream job in labor and delivery as a nurse. I, you know, was set to get married to him in a 200 person wedding in wine country a month before I was diagnosed. And, you know, we were planning on having children and having a pretty conventional life. I wanted more, a house in the suburbs, more kids kind of the American dream was what I was setting myself up for. And it was really also the first time that I felt like not that I do believe at this point that there is a metric for where we should be as human beings, but in terms of my community and peers, I was in the same place as them for the first time. That's kind of how it felt as I was right where a lot of my friends were. Yeah.

And then I was diagnosed. So I have done a lot of looking back through this process. And I do realize that there was a lot that I had to live through in order to set myself up to deal with something like this. I think it is a result of how much I went through that made me way more resilient and way more adaptable through cancer.

Cindy MacMillan 7:41

Can you just tell us what kind of cancer you've got?

Lindsay Kimmel 7:44

Yeah, so I have a salivary gland cancer, which is very rare, less than 2% of cancers, men over the age of 65, who smoke. I've never been a smoker and I'm not a man. So you know, they really know missed it for the first six months, I went in to the doctor about five times, I would just walk over to the clinic and they kept telling me it was TMJ. I was experiencing some pain on the right side of my face by my jaw. And it wasn't until the sixth time that I went in and really basically yelled at my doctor and said, I need to see an ENT something is wrong.

From there, I got diagnosed pretty quickly, but at that point, it had already infiltrated my facial nerve; in the surgery to remove the cancer they had to have my facial nerve cut. So I have right-sided paralysis on my face and only partial movement, so I'm unable to smile and it definitely made this whole process even more intense because I was left with a permanent deformity that I could see in the mirror. Not only was my life internally changed, but externally to the world. I also looked different and that was just a whole nother piece of this, especially with my history and with, you know, the way that I've dealt with putting myself together in a way that looked good for the world for the first time, I couldn't really hide behind that it was like all the broken parts of me or somehow now exposed. So that was another really intense part of this diagnosis. And since then, you know, it is a Stage IV diagnosis and it has spread to two different places in my body.

At this point, I've had two further surgeries and I'm currently on two medications and a clinical trial that has kept the cancer away. So you know, what I'm hoping for now is just more time and you know, as long as I can get with these medications, it's pretty incredible honestly, that I am alive now based on where it's spread and the surgeries that I've been through. They've been pretty intense.

Cindy MacMillan 9:56

So Lindsay, you were diagnosed at 31; is that correct? And you're 33 now. So when you talk about not being able to smile and everything, how has that further impacted body love and your image?

Lindsay Kimmel 10:14

Yeah, that's something that I'm currently actually really exploring right now. I really got to a place I actually recently heard Glennon Doyle; she's an author and a speaker that I really love. She shared a video and she was basically talking about what she felt like body love was and that really resonated with me.

She said, you know, I don't feel like you can love something if you don't trust it. I think that I know, I really felt like that was something I had worked through, you know, I had really felt like I could eat what I wanted to eat, I could move how I wanted to move and I could kind of intuitively let my body fall where it was going to fall and that required not buying into diet culture, or feeling like I had to fit again what society had expected of me. But I really did trust my body, I trusted it to want to get up and move to have days where it didn't and to find that balance.

And I think with any kind of health diagnosis, all of a sudden that is brought up in really different ways because your body on some level does feel like it's failed you like this thing was able to come in and infiltrate your body and it didn't do what it was supposed to do to take care of it. And so I think that is something that I am working through now.

You know, in the cancer world, there's a huge emphasis on diet and what you should and shouldn't eat and cancer causes or you know, sugar can further you know, that it can cause the cancer it lives in eats on sugar, so processed foods aren't good and you want to obviously feed your body in the best way you can.

I also really do believe more in intuitive eating. And I think a good analogy is if you're a drug addict and you're diagnosed with cancer, even if cannabis, and you know, marijuana products could help with nausea and pain, because of your history, you can't do that. That just is not something you can explore. And I think the thing that I've accepted is I can't start to tell myself what I can and can't eat because it kind of retriggers all of those neural networks in my brain that you know, start saying, Okay, well then it's just it is a kind of a compulsive way of thinking and it's really seductive because it would be nice to control things to feel like oh, I could keep myself alive if I just ate cruciferous vegetables and no carbs. That would be a quick fix, but I also truly don't believe that that's fully true for all people.

And I know that it just creates more disarray and havoc in my brain than it does peace and that in and of itself is not healthy for your body. So I'm really trying to learn to love what my body has been capable of which is go through these incredible surgeries. I mean, my first surgery was 18 hours. And I had a part of my lung removed and I had a craniotomy, where they actually opened my skull. And my ability to kind of bounce back from that and heal and to respond from these medications is a new way and a new version of trusting my body, just kind of knowing like, wow, it can get through incredible, incredible hardships, I mean things that a body shouldn't have to go through and it's continuing to not only be able to move and you know allow me to do all the things in my life that I need to do, but it has, it's continuing to help me heal and stay healthy.

So I think that shift is really big. And I think the way that I see myself in the world and what is beautiful at this point has changed for me. I'm really more cognizant, you know, even though I believe that I was an empathetic person before and I was a nurse and I was aware of sickness and disability, but I, I really do see beauty as something different, that it doesn't need to be symmetrical or to fit into a mold that it can actually be how you carry yourself and who you are in the world. And you know, how deeply you love and how you connect with people, people that are aesthetically very beautiful from the outside can start talking to you and become very ugly very quickly. So I think my whole idea of what is beautiful has changed too.

Cindy MacMillan 14:08

I think that's, I want to use the word beautiful, but I think that is a beautiful way of looking at life that we don't have to fit in that mold. Absolutely. Yeah. So after you were diagnosed, and you did kind of go through the story, a little bit of what happened after your diagnosis, but what was some of the lessons that you've learned from cancer, especially in your relationships?

Lindsay Kimmel 15:32

Well, lessons learned from cancer. There's a long list there, but I will say that what I'm getting more comfortable with now is, like I said before, not putting a bow on it or not having to have a happy ending. And I think allowing myself to acknowledge the pain and the suffering that I had been through without ending it with and I'm grateful for x y&z. I think, you know, human beings really do want tragedy to end in a better way. I think it's just a natural inclination that we see other people suffering and we say, oh, but you know, she still ended up having a child and she's married. And this happened. And I think the truth is, it's been really dark and really hard. And I have been challenged in ways that I never saw happening or couldn't have dreamed up. And I have learned so much about myself and how resilient I am and the depth of what it means to love. And I think being a really, you know, competent, independent woman prior to this, I didn't have to ask for help or rely on other people and you start to really learn what true vulnerability is; you know, being on the bathroom floor covered in sweat throwing up from chemo like who would you just text and say, there's a key under the mat come inside, I need you to just rub my back. And that is really different than even saying, you know, it's a kind of, there's a depth to how much you're showing people and that is really raw. And it's really where love is. It's really where you kind of realize what it means to be in connection and how much we need that as human beings.

And so, I have learned a lot about how much we need to ask for help and how important it is to have a group of people that you feel safe enough to show all of those messy bits to. And I'm really lucky that I have an incredible family and an incredible group of girlfriends and a husband who's been there and an amazing sister. So I have been able to really be held in those darker places, but it made me realize how much I don't expose and hadn't exposed in my life prior to this diagnosis, even though I had really deep connections, there were still parts that you leave, you know, covered up. And you just can't do that after something like this. And that's really a beautiful part.

Cindy MacMillan 18:27

Just knowing that you had someone, Lindsay, that you could text and say come in and help rub my back you are a lucky woman to be able to have that in your life.

Lindsay Kimmel 18:42

Definitely. Definitely.

Cindy MacMillan 18:44

So cancer shakes everyone up. And talking about death takes courage. What do you wish people knew?

Lindsay Kimmel 18:55

I think, this is an incredible question and it's something I spent a lot of time thinking about. I think end of life and conversations about death are things that as a society we are really scared of, and it's pretty uncomfortable. And it's usually not until someone is, you know, get sick or a tragic thing happens in a family that you realize, okay, we need, to talk about this and I have realized that it's actually better to go in prepared and to know exactly what you would want or what a loved one would want. And because it does create a sense of control.

And I think people feel so helpless when someone is in that place. I remember when my grandma was dying and I wanted to play her music and I wanted to use the essential oils that I have to, you know, I just wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. And I realized like, I don't know what kind of music she'd want to listen to, or does she like lavender? Or would that be too intense for her? And she couldn't answer me. And I was just thinking it'd be it would have been so nice to have had really a specific conversation about what exactly you want and that is so individual and some people really say, you know, I'm okay with dying in a hospital and some people feel like I absolutely want to die at home surrounded by the people that I love.

But I think that those conversations are really important to have and I have realized that as a cancer patient, I think especially being young doctors are going to fall back on continuing to offer treatment and continuing to come up with options and I have heard stories of people you know, being in treatment or having a you know, going through really intense chemo regimens up until 2 days before they die, and I think those quality of life conversations are important to what do you want in that last period of your life? And how much time do I have so that I can make decisions about how I want to spend that time and they are very uncomfortable and you do have to be ready.

You have to know who's ready to have those conversations. And again, only you will intuitively know who in your family or when they're ready to sit and listen to that, that I do think they do offer a sense of peace and some form of certainty even though death is obviously an organic process, about the way that you'd want it to be in what you'd want it to look like. And, yeah, I think that they're really important conversations to have and they're not things that we usually talk about.

Cindy MacMillan 21:53

You know, you mentioned music, and I remember a few months ago, I went to visit my dad, he lives Arkansas, and I started asking those types of questions. You know, because I said, you know, Dad, what kind of music do you like?

Lindsay Kimmel 22:09

I love it.

Cindy MacMillan 22:09

What's your favorite song?

You know, when you live so far apart from each other, you do lose something being so far apart from your family and he sat there and he thought for a minute and then he gave me a Charley Pride song that he liked and it was so interesting because it wasn't one that I would even have ever in my wildest dreams thought he you would like. Those conversations, yeah, they are important and you do have to know when to have them as you said, and it's really sometimes intuitively knowing that.

Lindsay Kimmel 22:45

Well and also on how and when to have them with your doctors, you know, and being able to trust you know, I really have a relationship with my oncologist where I see him as a consultant. And you know, ultimately, at the end of the day, I am, you know, the leader of my health and my life and I'm using these people as resources. They can prescribe medication, and they have done an incredible amount of research. But, you know, I think at the end of the day, if you're really tapped into what you need intuitively, they're just going to be there to offer support.

And so I've had really real conversations with him about and it's an open dialogue, you know, you tell me, and we'll continue to talk about prognosis and a timeline and what my options are and what I want so that I can make those choices and currently I'm on a clinical trial, and there is no way of being able to tell me how long I have because it's a clinical trial. And so I've really appreciated that he said, you know, we'll continue to see and we'll continue to explore this as things unfold. But I can't give you a timeline right now. And I appreciate that because I also think it can be harmful if you don't know. And again, it's all predictions, but if you don't know, and then you tell someone they have a month, and really, they could have six months or a year, but people end up kind of digesting that in a certain way. So it's really a dance that you have to do and you have to have really open communication with your doctors. And I think that's something that not a lot of people know, or they just take their word for it and that's a danger for sure.

Cindy MacMillan 24:45

Thank you so much for saying that because I am one, whatever doctor I go to, I also use them as a resource, but I also do my own research. And I come in with ideas and sometimes they tell me no, you know, we're not going to go down that path. And sometimes they'll say, you know, you've got a good point there. And mine is not cancer, I have thyroid issues. So I'm always researching thyroid and different ways to, I don't know, heal it, work with it. And, I do know that some people, it's whatever the doctor says, that is what they go with. I just, I just really feel strongly that people need to be their own health advocates.

Lindsay Kimmel 25:32

Absolutely. And really trust what's going on in their body. I think even as a nurse and as a health care provider. I trusted my doctors. When I started going to the doctors with that jaw pain. I knew something more was going on. I kind of innately felt that but I didn't trust myself enough to say, to argue with them. It wasn't until it got so bad that I really had to fight for it. But yeah, I think all the time about how different it would have been, had I said, you know, no, this feels wrong. And I want to look at it further. So yeah, I think it is such a powerful lesson.

And, you know, I think you have to really trust your own intuition with your body and go with that, especially as a woman in our medical system. I think, unfortunately, I think they fall by the wayside and they lose their voice a lot. And there's real pain going on there. And it gets lost.

Cindy MacMillan 26:32

Right, absolutely. Lindsay, how have you rediscovered life in the midst of being in this really messy bit?

Lindsay Kimmel 26:41

Rediscovered, I think I hit on this earlier that when you go through a tragedy or a crisis or a diagnosis like I have, there's a whole reorientation of your life. And I think I'm really working with right now kind of going from the crisis to more of a chronic issue, I, I really have had to ask myself because I get scans every two to three months. How much life can I live between each scan? And it's really, instead of being a long frame, I'm looking at the short term right now. And you have to kind of keep it there. I realized, you know, late at night when you're lying awake, you can start to jump to well, what about next month or what about in September and it's kind of like a constant reframing and bringing it back to right now. So it's really just holding myself and being really compassionate about what I need and learning how to take it back to the present over and over and over again. Yeah, I mean, I think that's exactly where I am right now is just being here now.

Cindy MacMillan 27:58

That's a good lesson. For all of us to be here now, and to have that self-compassion. If you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life you're in right now.

Lindsay Kimmel 28:14

I mean, it's I think it's pretty simple. It's probably the same thing I'd say to myself now, which is, you are enough just because you are here and you are alive. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with you. You are flawed and you're human and you are deserving of all of the love.

Cindy MacMillan 28:16

Thank you, Lindsay. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. How can people follow you on your journey and support you?

Lindsay Kimmel 28:42

And so I have a blog that I've just set up, it's called Not a Blessing.

Cindy MacMillan 28:49

Okay, Not A Blessing.

Lindsay Kimmel 28:52

And I do have an Instagram and a Facebook account. I am not currently very active on those. But I think the blog is the best way to find me. Or if you want to directly reach out, I am open to conversations. And I am here to hold space for all of the messy bits of life. And it's one of my favorite things is conversations like this. So you can also email me at linds.kimmel@gmail.com or call me directly.

Cindy MacMillan 29:22

All right? Not A Blessing; is that NotABlessing.com?

Lindsay Kimmel 29:27

NotABlessing. It's on Squarespace. I will send you the actual link so you can put it on the podcast, too.

Cindy MacMillan 29:35

Absolutely. I'll put that in the show notes because I know there were people that are following your story. Thank you so much for being here. It has been a pleasure.

Lindsay Kimmel 29:47

Thank you so much, Cindy.

Cindy MacMillan 29:49

Thank you. Okay.

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Lindsay Kimmel. I loved our whole conversation but especially liked it when she said, “How much life can I live between each scan.” That’s a great question to ask ourselves; how much life can I live?

Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

Update, Lindsay is still working on her website for the blog so keep checking back.

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Cindy: (00:00)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode # 12. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Lori Burke.

Cindy: (00:08)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women over 40 who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Cindy: (00:16)
Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you for being with us today and I am so delighted to share my conversation with Lori Burke with you. Lori Burke is a certified Clinical and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She offers a variety of advanced hypnotherapy protocols and services to help her clients with overcoming fears, anger, and resentment; breaking undesirable habits and developing new, healthier ones; resolving self-limiting beliefs; programming for professional success; getting to the root cause of anxiousness; stress management; raising self-esteem and self-confidence; spiritual exploration, and more. .

Cindy: (00:39)
Lori, welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I'm so excited to have you.

Lori: (01:31)
Oh, well thank you so much. I'm happy to be here.

Cindy: (01:34)
I'm really interested in hypnotherapy. So before we start, can you go ahead and just tell us what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Lori: (01:47)
Well, the seasons of life to me are the phases that we go through that highlight those times of change in our lives, times that make an impact on who we are. And I think we hit those pivotal points in life, those points where we start another season and head down another path and we maybe move towards a new way of thinking or of being. And I think every season has its opportunities and lessons. And depending on how we handle those lessons, we can either look at them as opportunities to grow or we can struggle with them.

Cindy: (02:26)
Thank you. And you're so right about those seasons of life being those opportunities to grow if we just change our mindset around those. So I'm really fascinated by your story. Can you walk us through how you went from being a software engineer to a clinical hypnotherapist?

Lori: (02:46)
Yes. I actually get a lot of shocked looks from people when I tell them that I was a software engineer before becoming a hypnotherapist. It all really began about 10 years ago; I was a software engineer at the Kennedy Space Center and my life was pretty much running on autopilot at that point. Everyday kind of looked like the day before and one day my husband and I decided that we wanted to try yoga. So here we were, a couple of left-brain people, neither of us had ever stepped foot in a yoga studio before and neither of us was really sure what yoga was. And we had seen pictures of people in all these bendy positions and decided that we needed something maybe a little more on the beginner level and preferably something private. So we contacted a local yoga teacher, took some private yoga lessons, and she would talk about things that we had never heard of before.

Lori: (03:52)
And it was then that we had realized that there was this whole other side to life that we hadn't been aware of. I was pretty left-brain and I love the science behind a lot of the mind, body, spirit, metaphysical stuff. And I found Dr. Joe Dispenza's work and Dr. Bruce Lipton's work absolutely fascinating. And if you're into any of Dr. Joe's work or any of Bruce Lipton's work, you know that they talk a lot about reprogramming the mind. And I love that description, reprogramming the mind and they provide a lot of scientific background on it and their books and workshops. So I just ate that stuff up. I mean, I absolutely loved it. Well, roundabout 2012, I went through some of my own personal turmoil; some of those messy bits you talk about. And I ended up seeing a therapist and then I saw another one and then another one.

Lori: (04:51)
And I just couldn't quite get to the point of feeling better by talking about my issues over and over. And I knew there had to be something deeper going on, but I just, I didn't know what. So someone had suggested to me that I try EFT, which is Emotional Freedom Technique, and some people also refer to that as Tapping. And they gave me the name of a wonderful practitioner in Pennsylvania. So I worked with this practitioner for a while and we did some really good work and I learned a lot about being able to clear out old emotions about healing, old emotional wounds. After that experience, I became so open to all these alternative modalities out there. Well, one day, totally by accident, I landed on a website about either hypnosis or hypnotherapy. And it really caught my attention because it was right in line with that whole reprogramming of the mind that Dr. Joe Dispenza and Bruce Lipton talk about.

Lori: (05:58)
So from there I decided to enroll in a hypnotherapy program and learn more about it. Not really from the intent of changing careers. I was just really interested in it. Well, I got about halfway through the program and I realized at that point just how powerful this work can be. So at the end of the program I found myself at a major crossroads in my life. I was working at the Kennedy Space Center, which is arguably one of the most exciting places to work and I worked with a really talented team of software people. They were just really good people and I got paid really well to do what I did and yet I was beginning to feel at that point like I had a deeper purpose. Like there was something else that I needed to be doing and when I put together my life experiences, the things that I've been through in life together with my hypnotherapy training and then the training from Joe Dispenza and Bruce Lipton's work, I knew that I had a lot to offer people and I also knew that if I didn't pursue this, it would be like having a tool that can help people, but like I was withholding it because I was afraid to leave my own comfortable situation.

Lori: (07:20)
I also felt somewhat of an obligation to pay it forward because others had helped me through my rough times and now I felt like it was my turn to do the same to pay it forward. So I was at that point of making a huge step. Now I have to tell you, I was in my mid fifties at the time and you know, some felt that it was just a little too late in life to be making such a drastic change. True to my adventurous nature. I did it anyway and I've really never looked back. It's just been incredibly fulfilling to be able to participate in life transformations of my clients and I just, I just feel so honored that they allow me into their personal lives and into their pasts to do this work. It's just really fulfilling.

Speaker 1: (08:11)
Lori, what I like about that story so much is one you making that leap in your fifties but two you saying that you, are very left-brained and yet you were open to all these different possibilities.

Lori: (08:28)
Absolutely. I mean, I still love the science of just about everything, but I think that yoga experience really showed me that there is another side to life. And in some things, I feel like science hasn't quite caught up to it. But it doesn't mean it's not there. It's, it's just one of those things that you need to, you know, take a leap of faith and have some belief.

Cindy: (08:53)
Yeah. I love that. Can you tell us exactly what a hypnotherapist is and why that works?

Lori: (09:01)
Sure, sure. Um, it's probably helpful, to begin with, a good definition of what hypnosis is. A lot of times clients come in for their first session and even at that point, they're just not quite sure what hypnosis is or what hypnotherapy is. And they usually associate it with what they've seen on TV or what they've seen in the movies or on a YouTube video. And that's not what I do. So what's hypnosis? Well, hypnosis is a naturally occurring altered state and we all go in and out of a hypnotic state on a daily basis when we wake up in the morning and when we fall asleep at night. It's that sweet spot between being fully awake and being asleep. It's, it's like being in the zone, so to speak. And it's that state where if you're doing something creative that takes all of your focus, like painting or sculpting or knitting, something like that, you may be so hyper-focused that you don't even notice if someone walks into the room and starts talking to you.

Lori: (10:10)
So that's an example of a hypnotic state. If you're driving up the highway and you kind of zone out and then you realize that you missed your exit five miles back, that's a form of hypnosis. And when you're in that state, your subconscious mind becomes open and accessible, which is where the reprogramming occurs. And that brings us to hypnotherapy. Now, hypnotherapy uses the hypnotic state, that state of the opening up of the subconscious mind to apply tools and techniques to communicate directly with the subconscious mind. Where that reprogramming takes place. So in my practice, I generally use a light to medium state unless a deeper state is required to apply these tools and techniques. Now, while someone is in hypnosis, they're fully aware and they're fully in control and they would never do or say anything that they would not normally do or say or anything that goes against their moral code.

Lori: (11:14)
I know a lot of people have questions or concerns about that in the beginning. The only time that they're not fully aware is if they become so relaxed that they do fall asleep and that does happen occasionally. And when that does happen, I have to kind of nudge them and bring them back to a lighter state so we can continue with our work. But the client does hear everything that's said. And the reason that hypnotherapy works so well is that it can uncover and access the root cause of most issues. That being the memories, the emotions, and beliefs that reside the subconscious mind. See normally during a conversation, the conscious mind is on full alert and it doesn't allow access to the subconscious mind, at least not from a reprogramming standpoint. It's like having a read only file on a computer and there's a little guard at the gate of the subconscious mind that prevents that. But in hypnosis, the conscious mind and that little guard at the gate are relaxed and that allows me access to the subconscious mind and that allows the reprogramming to take place, which is why it works. So well.

Cindy: (12:30)
Lori when you're working with someone and you ask them a question is it because they're so relaxed, they're able to answer and answers are able to come forth easily. Is that it?

Lori: (12:45)
Yeah, and sometimes when you relax the conscious mind, the analytical mind, the stuff starts to come up from the subconscious mind a little more readily. I know I've worked with several clients who initially they don't even remember a memory that's causing their problem. But as we start to work through it and all this stuff starts to come up and then they're able to make that connection, I usually tell them when we start working together, it's like having a champagne glass where the bubbles initially stick to the side of the glass. But as we go in there and we start to stir things, some of those bubbles are going to start to come up. And those are things that come up out of the subconscious mind as we do our work.

Cindy: (13:30)
I liked the way you described that those bubbles come up. Yeah. So how often do you hear, I don't know who I am?

Lori: (13:41)
Actually. I hear that a lot from women who have been in the role of a mom or wife or daughter, and suddenly that role in the way that they knew it goes away. Um, children become more independent or they leave home to start their own lives. So my client's role as a wife may go away due to divorce or death. So you know, you can have the empty nesters that create a void. You can have a divorce or death and that creates a void and suddenly they're standing there in a bit of an identity crisis. Really. And I've also seen this happen with women who have had the same career for many years. Suddenly their job goes away or they decide that they're going to retire and it creates a void because they confused who they were with what they did. You know, somebody may say, um, you know, who are you? And they'll say, Oh, I'm a software engineer. Well, a software engineer isn't who you are. It's what you do. And if you ask people who are you, many times people will have a response that includes a job title and or role. So when they get to these points in their lives, they may feel stuck. They don't know how to move forward. A role that they've fulfilled for many years is no longer there. And they come in and they say, I, I just don't know what the problem is. I just don't know who I am.

Cindy: (15:11)
Yeah, I absolutely understand where they're coming from when they say that because I've been there myself going, well, who am I? You know? Yeah, but you're right. Most times when you talk to people it is their roles that come up. Absolutely. How do you work through that with them; through hypnotherapy?

Lori: (15:37)
Yeah. A lot of times they'll come into midlife and they'll have a lot of emotional baggage and if they've been distracting themselves with fulfilling a role, they may not even know that that baggage is there. Although I've had quite a few women come in and they have things like chronic fatigue syndrome, which means they're tired all the time. But with no real cause and emotional baggage can be pretty heavy. So one of the major things that we do is to help them to unload that emotional baggage and to go back and take a look at things like their self-limiting beliefs and figure out where that came from so that we're able to get in there and resolve it. And then we go ahead and we, you know, build up their self-esteem and their self-confidence. And get some goals in place. So they unload what they had from their, you know, from their past, from their childhood. We get them on stable ground, we turn around those self-limiting beliefs and, and we offer them some new beliefs. And when you have healthier beliefs in place, that causes some pretty healthy and uplifting emotions to go with that. And somebody who feels good and believes good things about themselves can move forward with confidence.

Cindy: (17:03)
Well thank you, for explaining that to us. What are some obstacles that you help women with in your practice? I know we talked a little bit about self-limiting beliefs. What are some other things that you help women with?

Lori: (17:19)
Yeah. Most of the common issues they come in with are anxiety, depression, insomnia and weight issues. They're feeling stuck. They're feeling like they're unable to move forward in their lives. And the overwhelming majority of those issues began long before they showed up in my office. In fact, most of them are the result of those emotional wounds that we just talked about from childhood. And when I explain this to clients for the first time, I usually get the, Oh, you know, it can't be that I've only had this issue for the past five or 10 years, but a lot of times it's hard to identify the root cause of a problem just by looking at it from the surface or from the conscious and analytical viewpoint. So many times the client just can't believe that their issue is coming from something that occurred in childhood.

Lori: (18:13)
But as we start to clear things out and we start to get some of these things resolved, they see and feel the difference and they're able to start making that connection. So it's, it's really a learning and self discovery process, as far as those feeling stuck or not being able to move forward, that has a lot to do with fear in one form or another. And for the most part, we tend to live our lives in our comfort zone. And this is the zone where life is pretty predictable and the likelihood of any surprises is pretty minimal. And as long as we live every day, like the day before, we feel relatively safe. But unfortunately it can also result in that feeling of stuckness. You know, maybe my client wants to write a book or start a business or change careers or get out of or into a significant relationship but just can't seem to move past the fear of, of doing that. So with hypnotherapy we uncover and resolve the root cause of that fear. You know, sometimes it's low self-esteem or low self-confidence that we need to look at or maybe there's something in her early childhood that led her to form beliefs about herself or about her circumstances. And then we get back into those self-limiting beliefs and resolve them. And once those limiting beliefs are etched into the subconscious mind, they pretty much stay there until they're reprogrammed or transformed.

Cindy: (19:52)
It almost sounds like you are helping your clients connect the dots.

Speaker 3: (19:56)
That's exactly it and it's really about learning and a self-discovery process. Yeah.

Cindy: (20:03)
In the last three to five years. Speaking of beliefs in the last three to five years, what new belief, behavior or habit has most changed your life?

Lori: (20:17)
I think the number one thing, the number one thing that really changed the course of my life was realizing that you are never too old to change course. And I tell my clients, if you're still breathing, it's not too late. It can take, you know, some preparation or some extra training or some extra planning of some sort to make these huge changes in your life depending on what it is, but it's not impossible. I had done some research on people who either switched careers or had become famous or successful even after they were 50 years old. And what I found was really, it was interesting that it was really encouraging too, the first person that always comes to mind is Louise Hay and she did, she didn't publish her first book until she was 50 years old and in fact, she didn't start Hay House Publishing until she was in her sixties so that was really encouraging. You know, we don't have to work and work and work and then hit that retirement age and then, you know, it, everything goes on autopilot from there. I mean, we can continue our lives, you know, the excitement goes on. It's not too late.

Cindy: (21:39)
I consider myself a lifelong learner. And so I feel like when you stop learning, it's almost like you stop living or you become on autopilot as you're saying.

Lori: (21:51)
You certainly stop growing. You know? And sometimes the fear keeps us from putting ourselves into potential situations where, you know, what if this happens, what if that happens? And you know, the thoughts about it can be worse than actually going through it. So allow yourself to grow. You know, you, you may make some mistakes along the way. That's okay. We're all human. But without those mistakes, you don't have the learning and the growing and, you know, I think we should keep life exciting. Yeah.

Cindy: (22:24)
What you just said, allow yourself to grow. I love that. So Lori, if you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life that you're in right now?

Lori: (22:40)
I would tell her she's got a lot of seasons to get through until she reaches the one I'm in now. So I guess I would, first of all, I would encourage her to always follow her heart, to stay adventurous and to enjoy and appreciate the seasons along the way. Even those challenges, those, what you refer to as messy bits, especially those messy bits actually, because that's where the greatest lessons are learned and that's where the most growth occurs. Um, so it's, it's hard to see that sometimes when you're young, but yeah, of course, I would tell her all of this and then she would roll her eyes and smile because being in the season she was in at 18. It's hard to imagine being in the season I'm in, in my late fifties.

Cindy: (23:31)
Right. So is there anything that I should have asked you, but I just didn't know to ask you anything that you want to tell us?

Lori: (23:40)
No, no, you're pretty thorough. Pretty thorough.

Cindy: (23:44)
Well, I really appreciate you being on the podcast. That means a lot to me. So how can people follow you on your journey and support you?

Lori: (23:52)
They can check out my website, LoriBurkeHypnosis.com and I'm also on Facebook. I'm on two places, Lori.BurkeCHT or LoriBurkeHypnosis, and I've begun to post some just some very short clips on subjects that are associated with hypnotherapy or hypnosis in some way or associated with the work that I do. I occasionally have workshops and I'm hoping to do some webinars in the future, you know, and I would certainly post those on my website as well.

Cindy: (24:30)
All right, well thank you very much. I appreciate you being here.

Lori: (24:34)
Thank you so much, Cindy. It was such a pleasure.

Cindy: (24:37)
Thank you.

Speaker 2: (24:38)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Lori Burke and I especially liked it when she said, " It creates a void, because they confused, who they were with what they did.” .

(24:54)
How many times have we confused who we are with what we do? I listen to the Karen Kinney Show and get her newsletter. She said, “peacocks are the perfect representation of embodied authenticity and confidence - which is way different than arrogance. Peacocks don’t think they’re special. They simply go around looking and being exactly how the Divine made them.” So isn’t that what we should do…simply be who we are. Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com, and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

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Cindy MacMillan 0:00

This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode # 11. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Connie Viveros.

Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I appreciate that you are spending time with me today and I am so happy to share my conversation with Connie Viveros with you.

Connie Viveros is a professionally trained and Certified transformational life coach. She is an inspiring public speaker on transformation and a published co-author of two books. Connie is a longtime advocate for women’s rights and social-change philanthropy and leads personal development seminars and life-changing workshops in California and now online! Connie‘s personal passion is connecting with women who also believe they can and must make a difference in this world – starting with themselves. She is dedicated to creating inspiring content and programs that empower all women to transform self-doubt into self-love.

Oh, Connie, I love that so much. Thank you for being here on the podcast today. I really appreciate it.

Connie Viveros 1:35

Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here.

Cindy MacMillan 1:37

So what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally, or in your business?

Connie Viveros 1:43

Well, Cindy, I think this is a great question. It is a wonderful metaphor for life as a whole, but also for honoring the seasons not only of life in general as we go from our infancy all the way to adulthood and then into our geriatric years, you might say I'm actually in my 60s. So I'm in that phase of my life right now, where I definitely feel is a cycle that is ended and both beginning. And sometimes I feel very strongly that this generation and this period of time on our planet is one of the first where we haven't really honored those cycles, those cycles of nature, those cycles of the moon, and I for one, what this means to me, is to honor that that is a cycle. It means we're not always in constant flow, that we actually honor that time where sometimes we retreat. We go into darkness, we go into the gestation period, and we grow something new, we plant something new instead of always being addicted to this concept of being go go go do do do and flow. Sometimes we need to retreat. And I love that that is really what your topic seasons of life means to me both in my life as a whole, as well as the cycles that I'm going through. And I feel very strongly that right now, I'm in a new cycle of my life, like birthing almost a reinvention of who I'm going to be in my for the next 30 years, so to speak.

Cindy MacMillan 3:30

Thank you. So what are you birthing right now?

Connie Viveros 3:34

Well, what I'm birthing right now, I believe is, and I really dislike this, this word, but I will say many of you might understand the triple goddess, which is the Maiden, Mother, Crone, and I'm choosing to call the grandmother stage. So what I'm feeling very called to birth right now is that wise woman, that wisdom, that keeper of the wisdom, I've gone through my maiden voyage I've been a mother I have raised three grown children, they're all adult children now. And I'm entering into that phase where that level of responsibility no longer I hold it as tightly and I get to in a sense; what do I want to do next? And that I'm choosing to call the grandmother, the wise woman, the keeper of the ancient secrets. And that's kind of flowing in now as I sit in my own gestation my own new birth and cycle of life of saying, what does that look like? How will my classes be this virus clearly has brought about a whole new paradigm in the way we deliver our work. They used to be commonly in-person workshops, and all of that has been reimagined to online. So it's shifting and changing and I'm seeing Oh, new possibility, new ways of growing new ways of working with women from afar from us. From much further distances.

Cindy MacMillan 5:01

That's right. When you and I first connected about you coming on the podcast, it was right as the virus was becoming, I'm going to say well known and everything was changing. And we just had to, you know, reschedule the date because you had a lot of commitments and workshops at the time that you had to take care of.

Connie Viveros 5:22

I did and I had to quickly you know, reimagine them and redirect them to an online format. And with that, Cindy, unbelievably, they have doubled in size and capacity. We would typically do workshops where I would attract 20 or 30, which is a good number to have in your workshop. So and online, they're bursting with 60 - 70 women attending in attendance, men and women but predominantly women been the energy of everyone is putting their work out there and people are looking and seeking and hungry for, you know, give me some content something to do while I'm in this situation. And as luck would have it, we were able to reimagine it and re approach with online to offer them

Cindy MacMillan 6:12

You're right about people looking for things to do. You know, as I'm going, as I look on Facebook and things like that, I can see that people are starting to get I am going to use the word antsy, you know, because we have been at home now for about six weeks. So they're looking for those things to enrich their lives.

Connie Viveros 6:36

Absolutely right. They've gone through sort of the existential crisis of the situation and now they're moving into some like to call it cabin fever. And it's kind of hard to sit on your hands any longer. You know, they've watched enough Netflix they've eaten enough food, they're really looking to create a, I would say routine and I know for myself, that's been really positive thing that I've been able to create a new routine inside this capsule. I can't go to the gym I don't have my girlfriend's to walk with. And so I've created my own.

Cindy MacMillan 7:11

What intrigued me Connie was all your work around your nonprofit leadership and social justice work. How did you become interested in working for underserved women?

Connie Viveros 7:23

Well, the story is long and winding. And it actually began Cindy, back in the day when we were both in community with Debbie Ford. And at the time, I was so enthralled by Debbie's work. So Debbie's work and the coaching really was first; that was the horse before the cart. We were invited during one of our workshops to help Debbie and her son Beau, who was 13 at the time to build a school in Uganda. And my hand,it was one of those spiritual impulses like my hand flew up in the air and it's like, wait, wait, wait, who whose hand is that up there? And it was okay, I'm in. And upon participating in that, Debbie, as you know, fell ill shortly after around 2009 2010, she was invited to go see the school that she had and her community had built. And she was not well enough to really travel to a third world country for so many reasons. And she looked around the room and said, Connie, why don't you go and I kind of looked over my shoulder like me, like,

Why? Why? Why are you picking on me? You know? Anyway, I thought to myself, I remember going home and getting in my car and driving home and saying, why not? You know, I could that would be a it would be a real act of service. And I love Debbie, as you know, and the work we did with her was just so, so deep and incredibly transformational. So I said yes, and upon that trip going to Africa and seeing the school that her organization, The Collective Heart was called at the time changed my life. It changed my life. I didn't know what to expect going to Africa. And there's a little bit of a story there. But I it's kind of long, but I won't tell you the details of that. But in the end, as I stood there in front of the school that we had helped build, there was a vision that I had seen previously in a meditation that was realized in that moment, and I didn't, hadn't connected those dots. And I went, Oh, my goodness, I'm meant to be here. I mean, this was a seed that was called into my life. And here it is. And it's remarkable. So I got on the plane, I came home from Africa from that trip and had a hard time reconciling that children by virtue of being born, you know, 6000, 7000, 8000 miles away their life circumstance, so entirely different and it wasn't okay with me. So I went on a quest, and I spent the next seven, eight years immersing myself in what more can we do? We are wealthy, wealthy, you know, society regardless of what country you come from, there's enough wealth there are enough resources that we have to be able to fix this. And first, it was children be educated, clean water clearly and girl, the empowerment of girls Cindy, became in my understanding through all my years of working in that and research almost, I think it's not, if not the number one of the top three biggest differences we can make to empower our world to move it forward where we create an equal and just society for all just by empowering girls giving girls a voice.

Cindy MacMillan 10:43

You know, when you're telling your story, that's actually putting cold chill bumps on me because I love it so much. So is The Inspired Heart Foundation a culmination of The Collective Heart?

Connie Viveros 10:59

Well through circumstances with Debbie's passing and her transitioning and leaving the earth plane, lots of stuff happened and changed. And yes, I came back to the States, I was spending years working in the realm of Africa and women here in the United States through building my own coaching practice began to say, well, that's great, Connie, that you work with girls in Africa and women in Africa. But what about here? We have so many problems right here domestically in the United States. And I said, I couldn't agree more. And that was the impetus. The seed again, that gestation piece that I said, All right, I'll take that on. And you're right, so we created a sort of a bifurcated empowerment program where it was half 50% domestic 50% International. And what I chose to do is take the work I was currently doing with women to help build their personal empowerment, self-love, self-confidence, value, and worth. And we transitioned that into a program for women who didn't have access. We women could pull out our checkbooks and pay $900 $1000, sometimes multiple thousands of dollars for a weekend retreat with a spiritual luminary. And yet there's this whole segment of our society who are living, they can't afford that. They can't afford a weekend off to sit in a women's circle and, you know, talk and feel uplifted and encouraged and, you know, nurtured by other women. And so that became the program here. Didn't think I had much to offer the low income at risk segment of my population. And yet, when we brought our first cohort of women together for a weekend, I asked how many of you have been to a woman's retreat, not a single hand was raised, and Cindy I just took for granted that you know this time in life, most women are participating and circles have some community of support. Not so not so.

Cindy MacMillan 13:08

Maybe it's what you're doing online now. How are you bringing the women together? Because I'm getting excited listening to you. I'm thinking, man, how can I do this in Florida?

Connie Viveros 13:19

Well, my goodness, we can absolutely collaborate offline after this call, let's let's definitely stay in touch. But it was in person. So if you know this segment of our population, the low income as at risk, they don't have as much access, access to transportation, access to technology, etc. And I knew intuitively that we needed to hold them in a very tight container. I mean, there were some women who came in the door on a Friday night. It was much like the work we did with Debbie it was a weekend and if I had let them go Friday night, they would never come back. And so we held them for the entire weekend. So Friday night, Saturday, and then we would release on Sunday. In that time, we create trust and intimacy and community. And by Sunday, crying hugging you are my sister, oh my god falling in love with and in truth, you know creating that environment where women feel they're not alone in their struggle, and it was huge and I was blown away I let spirit lead the way. And he put me she put me to work in a very, very big way and it's part of what I do, but it's one of the most rewarding.

Cindy MacMillan 14:33

I can see where that would be rewarding. Having your heart filled with so much love.

Connie Viveros 14:39

Absolutely. It was already what I was doing. And and the impetus came in a workshop when one of my paying participants and I charge hundreds if thousands of dollars for my work said Connie, every woman needs that how can we make this accessible? And I said All right, I'll take on that challenge and most people who know me know, my middle name is you know, get it done. So you give me a challenge and boom, we get it done. So it's been very rewarding. We've had three cycles of cohorts go through the program. It's a nine-month long mentorship, as well as deep retreat, personal retreat, or transformation where we hold them, we do three retreats a year.

Cindy MacMillan 15:22

For it to be nine months, that is some really deep work that you're doing.

Connie Viveros 15:27

And we knew it had to be that model, only because they didn't get this way overnight. You know, many of them were coming in, in their from their late 20s all the way through their 60s. And you know that transformation does not happen overnight. And so we knew that the unfolding and unraveling was going to take place and the transformation was in their commitment and showing up for themselves. And at the end of these programs, the testimonials are just this. It's this you know, it'll bring tears to eyes to hear how they've changed and shifted their own lives and who they're becoming just by being given support and encouragement and someone to believe in them.

Cindy MacMillan 16:10

And somebody just to listen to them as well?

Connie Viveros 16:12

Oh, I mean, it's remarkable, someone to open their heart, another sister and to sit and hear their vulnerability and hear their challenges. I'll just tell you one little anecdote. One woman came to us a survivor of domestic violence, abuse, she had been in a long-term abusive relationship. And she always viewed herself through the lens of an abused woman as a negative as something that made her very weak. And she stood up in front of the group one weekend and told her story to a standing ovation and responses of you're so strong, you're so amazing. You're so resilient, and she said, I never thought my story was insensitive. In that moment, Cindy, she shifted her perception of what she had been through. And today you wouldn't recognize her from the woman that walked in the door.

Cindy MacMillan 17:10

I love hearing those stories, because I think a lot of us also felt that way when we would go out to our weekend workshops with Debbie as well.

Connie Viveros 17:18

Exactly. And you asked the question to me earlier in your email of you know, was coaching that led me to The Inspired Heart or vice versa? Well, it was the coaching that changed me that allowed me to see more women need to have receive this work, then the other way around, and if we can get this work out to more and more women and men, our world would be a very different, different place to grow up and live in.

Cindy MacMillan 17:49

Well, I'm definitely going to be in touch with you though. What I can do here.

Connie Viveros 17:53

Thank you. Thank you. I look forward to that.

Cindy MacMillan 17:55

You work with self-love, transforming self-doubt to self-love. Can you give us maybe three ways that you do that transformation, to self-love, quite frankly, that we all need and that we all forget.

Connie Viveros 18:10

Absolutely. And my pleasure and I would say it starts with the foundation. And I remember starting as a coach and I didn't necessarily step into the coaching arena and life coaching, thinking it was necessarily a spiritual practice. But over the years and I've been doing this now for well over 10 years and this was really Debbie's influence upon me way back then, is how deeply spiritual Shadow Work and transformation is, and it can change your life. Once we remove these layers of shame and guilt and fear. And so my first tip is developing a spiritual self-care practice and that can mean something unique for each and every person. And not necessarily just women. But what is self-care, it's meditation, its nature, it could be a walk in nature, it could be listening to deeply meditative music, dancing art, but find some way that you connect to something that is greater than yourself, that pushes you, you walk toward it until it begins to pull you in a way that inspires something within you. So that would be my first tip. And then a second-deep practice is to connect and find a community of likeminded advocates, people who are your champions. We all surround ourselves with so many different types of community. And I even know for me, I spent years trying to fit in, fit into my birth, family fit into my school environments, my college environments, I have friends that I met through my raising three children. And I never felt like I quite fit. And so for me when I finally acknowledged that, you know, I was a spiritual person, and I was going to go meditate and found people that were also pursuing that greater idea. I took this big deep breath and relaxed into likeminded people, people that encouraged me and motivated me and said, yay, you're doing great. And Debbie's community was a big part of that.

Cindy MacMillan 20:31

Yes, you could just feel at home

Connie Viveros 20:33

Absolutely. You can just feel your you don't know more pretenses. You're holding your breath trying to be someone or something that you just weren't authentically and I like Debbie's community because we could show up as our brilliant selves, or a hot mess, and we cynically and we were completely accepted. It always shapes it and, and we were celebrated in that way. And the third thing that I think is a very doable thing right now and it sort of is dovetails hand in hand in fist with the first thing is to unplug from technology. I know we believe that this is really our friend and in times like this, Cindy it's actually kept us connected to those communities we've needed. But I believe strongly that there are times and opportunities where we need to go off the grid, we need to completely disengage, put your cell phone away, I like to call it you know, technology fast where I will spend two sometimes an entire weekend where I won't turn on my phone, I won't engage because the inspiration and that is you know, the impulses that come to you from Spirit are in the silence and if we're constantly filling up our time with you know, social media and that syndrome of you know, comparing ourselves and FOMO and all I like to call it JOMO, the joy of missing out, so go for JOMO instead of FOMO. But really, it allows you to get tethered to that spiritual sense. And that's all part of you know, the underlying umbrella of creating a spiritual practice in your life that fulfills you and nurtures you.

Cindy MacMillan 22:20

Connie, I do agree with you. Ever since I've been on Facebook, I don't know exactly how long that's been, let's say 10 years. At least twice a year. I can't remember what Facebook calls it's now I don't delete it. But I temporarily deactivate it a week at a time because I can find myself getting caught up in comparison. And I just don't want to do that. So I like what you call it a technology fast.

Connie Viveros 22:51

Detox or whatever you want to call it. Yeah. So we do juice cleanses and food cleanses and exercise cleanses is really we have to do a tech a tech detox and they're finding scientific evidence that you know, we didn't know this when technology and the way in which Facebook came into our lives we didn't know it then because I think it surprised even the people you know, Zuckerberg and his team and all those that have come after him it's surprised them the level of engagement but it's turning into you know, manipulation at its finest in a way that we can't even fully understand and I think for all for us that are awakening and ascending in our spiritual work, we have to be aware and not let us pull us down the rabbit hole and that's really really important that it's become something other than what it once was. What Yeah, and it is getting kind of scary.

Cindy MacMillan 23:49

We are this time has flown by, Oh, well. I want to get I want to respect your time but I want to get just a couple more things in. What do you wish you had known when you started out as a coach?

Connie Viveros 24:02

Well, I think I would have liked to know that I was going to become a coach. I went into the work for personal reasons because I knew something deeper and something needed to shift in me internally. You said at the top of your show that you know when you change the insides external change, then Debbie was famous for saying that your outside circumstances are a direct reflection of your inner thought-forms. And my outsides looked really great. But I came to Debbie's work as kind of twisted up angry bitch, and I wanted to get to the source of that because I knew that wasn't who I wanted to be. And it was not allowing me to enjoy everything I had, and had I gone into the training, knowing I was looking to become a coach, I think it would have helped me understand the bigger picture of what I was doing at that time. And at the time I just said, I just want my own transformation. And then it turned into, oh my gosh, everybody needs this and how can I be of service?

Cindy MacMillan 25:18

You know, I'm reminded, as you're saying that Connie when I went out to San Diego for the Shadow Process when I went out for that, I remember when I got on the plane to come back, that I would never be the same again.

Connie Viveros 25:32

And we weren't what happened in those rooms. And I and I, again, this phrase, I think is overused and misunderstood. But that spiritual bypass, you know, so many of us are doing the spiritual bypass. And I think that Debbie created a container that allowed us to work our stuff out in a safe, holy container, where we didn't have to blather all over the world and our family and our loved ones anymore. We went in one way, and we came out another and we went home more loving and more peaceful. And over time, I know for me, it changed my life. And now my family didn't change my husband anything but my external circumstances didn't change. It was how I viewed them, and how I was at peace with the life that I had created for the first time ever.

Cindy MacMillan 26:27

That's right. If you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season that you're in right now?

Connie Viveros 26:37

Oh, I would tell her she's loved and she's she matters and that she's doing just fine. And everything's gonna be okay. You're doing your absolute best and we appreciate and love you beyond measure.

Cindy MacMillan 26:54

This is the perfect place to end because that is beautiful. But before we do finish up completely. How can people follow you on your journey? And how can they support you?

Connie Viveros 27:13

Oh, thank you for that question. Well through my classes and my workshops, my website is angelemerging.com and I offer spiritual mentoring and Oracle readings. I have a relationship with sort of channeled information and inspiration. And then my workshops. I have a meetup group as well called Angel Emerging meetup and it's on the West Coast and but like you said, we have online classes now. And then they can contact me by email, which is connie@connieviveros.com.

Cindy MacMillan 27:52

And I will make sure to put all of this into the show notes so everybody can have your information.

Connie Viveros 27:58

Thank you, Cindy, so much. And you asked how people can help it is just continuing to be the best version of themselves. And whatever they're bumping up against, get some help, get some mentoring, get some, you know, support for whatever it is you're going through. Very few of us can do it alone. Thank you.

Cindy MacMillan 28:19

Thank you very much.

Connie Viveros 28:20

What a pleasure to be with you.

Cindy MacMillan 28:24

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Connie Viveros and I especially liked it when she said, " I had a hard time reconciling that children by virtue of being born 6,000, 7,000 8,000 miles away their circumstances were so entirely different and it wasn’t ok with me.”

Right now, we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s our turn to say, it is not ok and how can I help? How can I contribute and make a difference? What feels right to me at this moment?

Here are just a few things to consider:

Donate to your local food bank
Support local nonprofits
Check on your neighbors
Be kind
Take care of yourself

If you live in Brevard County Florida consider United Way of Brevard, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, The Children's Hunger Project, or The Salvation Army of South Brevard County. There are so many wonderful organizations to consider. Just take action.

Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com. While you're at it, if you found value in this show we'd appreciate you simply telling a friend about the show, that will help us out. Until next time, live inspired!

View Details

Cindy: (00:00)
This is Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast episode # 10. I’m Cindy MacMillan and today’s guest is Deborah LeeAnn.

(00:08)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for women over 40 who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

(00:40)
Welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I appreciate that you are spending time with me today and I am so happy to share my conversation with Deborah LeeAnn with you. As a teacher, mentor and dynamic example of feminine empowerment, Deborah has spent 25 years bringing positive change to organizations through Leadership and Staff Development Training, in corporate HR and as a small business and nonprofit consultant. Now she brings that deep experience to a wider range of women through the Authentic Leadership Academy, marrying the Art & Science of Women’s Leadership in programs that—Illuminate, Ignite and Inspire.

(01:23)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast Deborah LeeAnn! I'm so happy you're here.

Deborah LeeAnn: (01:28)
Oh, I am delighted and honored. Thank you for inviting me.

Cindy: (01:32)
I want to tell you, thank you for the centering exercise that we did before we hit record because I feel awesome and ready for this conversation.

Deborah LeeAnn: (01:43)
Oh, I'm glad I couldn't live in this these days without that practice.

Cindy: (01:47)
It was wonderful. So you know, you and I met eight years ago at a training in Colorado and a lot has changed since our first meeting. So I'm really excited that we're being able to do this on the podcast. So thank you.

Cindy: (02:03)
What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Deborah LeeAnn: (02:08)
Oh, I have a draft of a book actually about the different quadrants of my life and how I explored each one and I, interestingly, I didn't really dabble. I went straight on into intellect for the longest time as my first early days and my business career. And then I feel like I hit this other season when I got married at the ripe young age of 37 and had my children at 38 and 40 and that opened my heart and it was a whole new place of being. It was a very different way of living. And then after that, when after going through a divorce, I went into a deep dive spiritually and explored out there I think on every single world religion and a lot of different teachers. The last piece that came to me, and it was around the same time I met you, Cindy, was around the embodiment.

Deborah LeeAnn: (03:11)
And that was the key for me. It was just the final piece that allowed me to integrate all of the others. So I feel like my seasons have been in those kinds of quadrants, but I'm a big believer in seasons. I use it as my editorial calendar on how I send my teachings out. I'm like, it's all about April and growth right now for me. You know, all the spring things happening. Believe also with a woman, you know, going from the girl and the maiden to the woman to the crone. I think I'm also entering that last phase of the crone. I don't like the name crone, but you know that teacher, right? That elder, that wise woman that feels comfortable to me and that feels like it is the role I'm playing. So I use that analogy kind of a shamanic close to mother earth kind of talk in various ways in my life. So I really love the name of your show.

Cindy: (04:08)
Oh, thank you. As I mentioned to you when we were talking earlier, I asked that question on every podcast and I love all the answers that I get. There's a common thread that runs through them, but yet they are different in some way. So thank you for sharing. And what does it mean to be an empowered feminine woman?

Deborah LeeAnn: (04:31)
Oh, I think I'm redefining that whole thing of empowerment that we heard about back in the nineties it was very much about appearing strong and being masculine and really, you know, going for it. And that even the terms lean-in kind of rubbed me the wrong way because it was very much about, I already was the workaholic. I already gave up my life for someone else's income. Right? And now I feel that redefining is coming back into the center where our power source is within, and it's not about the external validation any longer. So once we own who we are, warts and all shadows and light, then we can actually express ourselves in that way, which models it for everyone. And it also gives an invitation to, it's okay for you to be you because I'm being me. Those are just a couple of ways of how I describe what it means to be a feminine and empowered leader.

Cindy: (05:34)
You know, when you talked earlier about embodying, I'm really, I feel like I'm starting to embody that empowered feminine woman that I am. Absolutely. And it takes a while Deborah for that to happen, you know, for just women in general. But once you start there, it really feels good.

Deborah LeeAnn: (06:02)
Yeah. Yeah. And, and you can't go back. It's like once you've opened that Pandora's box, you can't close it.

Cindy: (06:08)
Exactly. So I'd like to ask you, in the last three to five years, what new belief, behavior or habit has most changed your life? Now I know we talked a little bit about the centering, and you said you couldn't live without that. Is there something else that you're doing that you can share that would help another woman as she's moving forward?

Deborah LeeAnn: (06:38)
Yes. I believe I finally realized that the work that I'm doing isn't necessarily for others. It's for me. And I feel that it allowed me to start expressing myself more fully and stop hiding. And I think that many women we've been programmed to stay small, quiet, invisible. I was anyway. And our culture does that a lot. So how do we overcome that and start being seen and start speaking our truth and start showing up as our full amazing selves. It took a lot of me believing that I could. And then somehow, just by continuing, I did these weekly things years ago, 2014 through 2020. I mean like four or five years in a row of doing a weekly five-minute weekly wisdom video blog. And I did that for years to no one. I mean I rarely had one or two people ever listen or watch it.

Deborah LeeAnn: (07:47)
It didn't matter because I was doing it for me, but now that is what has allowed some of my clients to find me. Some people to come and say would speak at a conference, you know, all of a sudden all of those things that I put out there are feeding me. But at the time I felt like I was talking to like like you know how you talked to the green light on your computer? Like nobody there so that there is, but I was doing it for me. So that's what I finally switched it. So it doesn't have to be that I have an audience, you know? And that's what all of a sudden I went, Oh, all the work I'm doing in the world. It's not necessarily for the world. It's for me to be expressed. And then that's what actually makes it in service to the world. So.

Cindy: (08:35)
And it's also with you taking that action every week for years, that has also allowed you to become the woman that you are in your business. And like you said, how you're being found. Because I will say that I sometimes wonder, well, is anybody listening to this podcast and when I told my daughter that she's going to be 35 next month, she's like, mom, it doesn't matter if anybody listens. It's what you are putting out. So it's the same thing that you're basically saying.

Deborah LeeAnn: (09:10)
Yeah. Yes. Absolutely.

Cindy: (09:12)
So what is one characteristic that you believe every female leader should possess?

Deborah LeeAnn: (09:18)
Grounded confidence and who they are is more than enough. I mean they need to own that. It's one thing to say it, which is what I did for a number of years. And when it switched to actually being in my cells that I believed I am valuable, that it's totally everything in my life, my love life, my money life, my career, life, my relationships with my daughters, everything, my relationships with girlfriends. It's so amazing to me. How that little, and it was just a little thing, and I can't even tell you when that little chink fell into place and it went, ah, but I know, I know that it's, it's part of it was believing that I am worthy.

Cindy: (10:08)
Deborah, can you talk just a little bit more about grounded confidence? I mean, what, what does that mean? How, how do we even go about finding that?

Deborah LeeAnn: (10:18)
I think it's, this is where I feel it's extremely important to work with someone else, a girlfriend, a trusted confidant, a mentor, you know, if you have a boss or someone in the field that can support you. I had a number of coaches and spiritual teachers and eventually then girlfriends and support groups that had supported me that would say, you know, I see you working with global women leaders and I'm like, I know I want that. But the fact that I had that external validation, I needed to hear that. So it also is a reminder when you forget, which we all do, how fabulous you are to call that sister or that friend or that boss and go, okay, I know I did that. When I, after my divorce, I called my old boyfriend. I said, tell me how good I am. Tell me how amazing I am.

Deborah LeeAnn: (11:11)
He said, Oh my gosh. And he was great. He took me out for a whole day. We went out and had a ball running around visiting the sites in St. Louis and he just reminded me of who I am. And you need, we need people because we forget. So to have those folks that can help be reminders or tethers back to who we really are that allow us to be fully ourselves is really important. The grounded confidence is so different than pretending that you're confident. And that's the difference. And I think a lot of this fake it till you make it thing, it comes off as inauthentic, which is, that's another story for another day about why I named my business Authentic Leadership Academy and but part of it is because people couldn't know. They didn't know who the real me was, and once I found that piece and realized, Oh, this is me, and then owning it, and you take that ownership of how amazing you are all the way down into that space between your hips, below your belly button, your dantian, your power center, it's the center of your gravity and when you can breathe into that and let that fill you, that's how you will transmit in a way that sounds like grounded confidence because it is.

Deborah LeeAnn: (12:35)
It is actually based in your belief in you.

Cindy: (12:39)
So that's also embodying, right?

Deborah LeeAnn: (12:42)
Absolutely. It's the same thing, right? It's embodiment in a way that's beyond your knowing, your knowing is deep into your cells and into your full body.

Cindy: (12:54)
What do you think about meditation to get you there? Would that be considered the same thing as a centering exercise? Okay.

Deborah LeeAnn: (13:05)
My daughter goes for runs. That's her way of centering. It also helps her get in her body, right? You have to breathe fully. Your open chested so that you can so that your mind, heart, body, and soul are in sync. Yoga can get there, but everybody has to find their own way. And meditation scares people because they're like, I can't sit still, you know? So what is it that you can do to allow your mind to kind of take a back seat? And I had just written a blog about this, about my grandmother used to call it putzing. So for me, it's to go putz in the garden or to just futz around in the house. Kind of moving things around, shaking up the energy a little bit. My brain isn't on tap for that and it is, it's rejuvenating, it's renewing for me. So everybody needs to find their way. Meditation, I believe works. I believe even if you're sitting and looking out at a tree out the window, you don't have to have your eyes closed and all that stuff. But I mean just being still slowing down.

Cindy: (14:12)
I liked that you mentioned it's, it's really finding our own way because you hear so many the podcasts and the books that I read, you know, it's always about really one way, you know, sitting still in meditation and you're right, not everybody can sit still like that. So it's finding our own way

Deborah LeeAnn: (14:34)
It's definitely a pause. It's putting your life on pause, which is I think this pandemic is allowing us to tap into that. Right? We are slowing down and we are looking at our inner landscape. It's not about reading the New York Times. I mean slowing down is one thing but I can get lost on reading the news on my phone. That's not supportive. So what is a way that allows you to quiet your mind, quiet yourself and whatever that is? Sometimes for me, it's doing dishes, you know?

Cindy: (15:05)
Yeah. Love it. Thank you.

Deborah LeeAnn: (15:07)
Sure.

Cindy: (15:08)
What is one mistake you witness female leaders making more frequently than others? And Deborah, one of the reasons I keep referencing women is because the podcast is geared to and going out to women. And because you've been in that leadership role for so many years, I would like to speak to the women.

Deborah LeeAnn: (15:31)
Actually 100% of my clients right now are women. So I believe that women leaders are the ones that are going to change the world, right? So I'm so happy to have this audience. It's my favorite place. I think that the one mistake that very many women leaders do is they forget to be feminine. They try to play the game like the guys, they forget that they bring just as much, if not more wisdom by owning all of their feminine traits. And again, that's that integration and it's the being our whole selves. So if we're closing off some of our natural wisdom and abilities by shutting down and being so intellectual, then we're not able to really tap into our relational as much or our spiritual or what's our body is telling us. And each of those wisdoms is what, when you integrate all of those, that's what makes a feminine leader so powerful. Yeah. I think what happens is we trade off our very powerful brains. We'd rather have that because that's what gets us recognized and we trade off the relational piece. We trade off the connecting, the collaborative, the wanting to take care of others and bring others along just as much and that mentoring and developing is crucial for women right now, whether we're mentoring and developing or we're being mentored and developed, we need that from other women.

Cindy: (17:02)
Speaking of mentoring, do you think in the workplace that if you, let's say for example, work for someone that is very powerful in their field, that they can be a mentor from a distance or do you think mentoring needs to be one on one conversations, and I'm asking this personally for myself.

Deborah LeeAnn: (17:24)
I think it could be either, Cindy, I have found mentoring through like reading, like you talked about the Marianne Williamson book earlier. Right. I think of her as a personal mentor. It's like, are you writing this book for me? I think you are. And Danielle LaPorte and I've got a few others that I just so adore and I love their words and they speak to me on a deep cellular level and then there's that I may only see once every three years, but their wisdom is so important to my continued development that I appreciate that there's others that I see on a regular basis that I serve on boards with and so I have a more regular conversation with them. So it just depends. It depends on what they're mentoring you for. You know, if there's someone who might be teaching you how to run a meeting or if there's another whose their communication style is intriguing to you or their writing style, or if there's another who's like, how does she balance it all?

Deborah LeeAnn: (18:25)
She looks amazing. She takes care of herself and you know, she has this, you know, so that would be something I would sit with at the, at her feet and go, how do you do your calendar like that? But having someone who knows you on a day to day basis is really helpful because they can help say, you know what, this is an area that I'm seeing that you're sticking yourself in the foot. If you could stop putting the handbrake on this, this way that you're holding yourself back, you'll grow even faster.

Cindy: (18:58)
You know, I'm thinking about a woman that I worked with, it has to be at least 20 years ago. She looked fabulous. She was a fantastic leader and I remember saying to her one time, how do you do it all? And she said, I put me first in the calendar. That was the first time I had ever heard that. When she said, I put me first in the calendar.

Deborah LeeAnn: (19:23)
Yeah. And that's why she looked like that. Right. She probably took care of herself and ate well and exercised and still got it all done.

Cindy: (19:34)
And still got it all done. She sure did. Thanks.

Deborah LeeAnn: (19:39)
Sure.

Cindy: (19:39)
What woman inspires you and why do they inspire you?

Deborah LeeAnn: (19:43)
Oh man. I knew you were going to ask me this. Um, I have so many. There are people that, because they have an audience like Michelle Obama, when the fact that she's going on, you know, public television and reading books to children every day, there's, there's people who are doing good, just because they can. But there's also, like I said earlier, there's those authors, you know, Elizabeth Gilbert and they're so inspirational. I mean, when I read her book about lying on the floor in the bathroom, crying, thinking I'll never get up in Eat Pray Love

Deborah LeeAnn: (20:19)
I remember thinking, Oh my God, has she been, did she have a camera in my house when I was going through my, you know, it's like, so there are, and then to see where she has come, you know. J.K. Rowling, the way she wrote those Harry Potter books, which I read each one out loud to my children. So I got the download on that one. They were so spiritual and so well woven together and I'm thinking if I ever write a book, you know, so there's, I have thousands of women that I think are amazing. I think each woman has amazing gifts and once they tap in and start expressing them, I'm like, Oh, look at that. So, you know, I get excited about each one.

Deborah LeeAnn: (21:06)
Well, you know, and I think it's like w like we've just talked about, you know, it's just women in general. I think you said it earlier, they're just amazing. And as they, as they get older, they become more beautiful and more amazing in totally different ways. I, you know, there's days I remember being in my fifties and looking in the mirror going, who are you? I don't even recognize you. And I was starting to get gray and you know, all of these things were happening to my face and these new lines would show up. And now I'm 63 I'll be 64 this year. And I look in the mirror and I'm like, dang, you are cute. I'm like, I look so much better than my grandmother and my mother did it. My, I'm just like, I'm like, I have this love affair with myself, which is, it is true that we are when we come into our own, it's like that Rose that just keeps blooming and even if it gets a little tinge on the edges, it's still beautiful and has an amazing scent. That's, I believe that's so true. Cindy,

Cindy: (22:13)
You know what? Speaking of the Marianne Williamson book, it's called The Age of Miracles. I just want to read this line to you because I love it. "Midlife is our second chance. If you want to spend the years you have left simply reenacting the same dramas of your past, you can. The same script will indeed becoming around again for your review. It always does. But if you choose, you can take the script and give it an awesome rewrite, totally get on top of your material, and take a bow at the end that blows everyone away."

Deborah LeeAnn: (22:48)
Beautiful. I got chills. That was perfect. And I can't say it any better. It's exactly where we're at too. And so for you to connect with me at this time, you know, almost a decade after we first met, it's and so much has changed for us, both talk about seasons. I still don't think that I'm in my winter though, I'm in my fall, I'm in the abundance time, like where I'm gathering all of the fruits where all of the pieces are starting to come together and it's like, I, you know, I'm not quite at that big feast yet, but um, I know I've got a ways to go before I'm going to just be the wise woman and sit back and let you know and be in my winter. I'm not there yet.

Cindy: (23:32)
Episode 15 I am going to talk all about why I've started this podcast and about my journey. I'm gonna put myself out there.

Deborah LeeAnn: (23:45)
Yay. It's a big journey for you and for us.

Cindy: (23:46)
Yes. For all of us. What book has most influenced your life and why? And I'm thinking now that might not be a good question because I think you're like me, you love lots of books. But is there one in particular that is just or two that just really has spoken to you over the years?

Deborah LeeAnn: (24:08)
I think one of the ones that started turning me into me was A Return To Love. It was the first one by Marianne Williamson that I read. Oh, 20 something years ago. The very, very, very first book that I read for self-improvement back in 1980 or so was called What You Think of Me is None of My Business. And I refer to that phrase over and over and over again in my training. So I would say those two the basis. Now obviously I've got eight bookshelves just in the living room. I've got plenty to draw from.

Cindy: (24:51)
And you know, those two books I've heard of the Marianne Williamson book and I have plenty of others of hers, but I don't think I've read that one. I'll have to go back and have a look at it.

Deborah LeeAnn: (25:05)
A Return To Love.

Cindy: (25:06)
Yeah. Is there anything I should have asked you that I didn't?

Deborah LeeAnn: (25:11)
I think it's important to let everyone know that a lot of times we have to go through some dark nights of the soul or dark months of the soul or dark years of the soul. And I want, it's kind of like being in this time right now. It's what actually forges the strength of who we are. It actually squeezes out the becoming. There's something, it's like the birth right when we were all born or if you had the opportunity to birth a child, there's something really that pain delivers this most amazing, something new that the world has never seen. And I, I feel that that is important that everybody knows that that's a part of the process. It's a part of the seasons, you know, and I've, and I've had many, but now I'm learning to recognize, Oh this just means something new is coming. So it's hard because I judge it and I'm like, what is this? Is it depression? I want to analyze it, name it. And sometimes I just have to just slow down, be with it and allow and be curious. What's, what's coming forth. And this is another transformation; because they all are.

Cindy: (26:33)
Yeah, those dark nights of the soul, I was probably still in one when you and I first met and I have since come out of that is the way we learn. Yeah. I think you said it the other day when we were talking, I believe you said "nobody gets to skip day one". Maybe it wasn't you. I don't know. But somebody said that to me. I thought it was you. And I felt that is so true. Nobody gets to skip day one.

Deborah LeeAnn: (27:13)
Right. We all get to be freshmen again, again and again and again. Or in kindergarten. Sometimes I say.

Cindy: (27:21)
So our time is almost up and I want to be very respectful of your time, but if you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life you're in right

Deborah LeeAnn: (27:35)
Oh, I would say we need to reprogram what great-grandma and grandma and mom have said to you about aging because this is a whole nother chapter of beauty and love and expansion and growth and excitement and fullness that we weren't ever shared. You know, all the old women in my family modeled that it was a time of pain and grief and sorrow and blah, blah, blah, and you know how much they fought it fought the aging. And I just, I want to be one of those people that's known as aging with grace and I, and I want every age to have its own significance. But this one has a huge significance. So yeah. So to look forward to it, it's a fun time.

Cindy: (28:28)
Thank you. Thank you for being on the podcast. I really appreciate it. This was a fun conversation.

Deborah LeeAnn: (28:34)
It was, thank you.

Cindy: (28:35)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Deborah LeeAnn. I loved our whole conversation but especially liked it when she said, “It’s OK for you to be you because I’m being me.” You can find more about Deborah at DeborahLeeAnn.com.

(28:56)
Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

View Details

Cindy: [00:00:00] This is Episode 9 with Integrative Life and Cancer Coach Marisa Harris.

Cindy: [00:00:06] Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for everyday women who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

[00:00:35] Welcome back, everyone, to Exploring the Seasons of Life. I am excited about our guest today. Her name is Marisa Harris. Marisa has spoken and led workshops all over the world. Her cancer experience has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Spirituality & Health, For Women First, Healthy Living, Weill Cornell Medicine Magazine, and The Outpost Exchange. She has also made television appearances on such networks as NBC, CNN, and Fox News, and on Discovering Health with Mehmet Oz.

Marisa: [00:01:16] Cindy, I am so excited and pleased to be here.

Cindy: [00:01:19] This is now my signature question. What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Marisa: [00:01:27] So Cindy, when I think of the seasons of life, I think of a change that has taken place, a change that is, you know, bracketed between a beginning and an ending.

Marisa: [00:01:42] And each season, whether it's the season such as spring or a season of a new aspect of life that we enter into invites us or indeed commands us into to live in a new reality. And I cannot help but, you know, speak to today in the context of what is happening right now, because we are all experiencing a new season of life, a new reality that has been set upon us. And with this, we are all going through uncertainty and disruptions and turmoil and even the threat of death. And this new season has, in fact, a beginning date.

Marisa: [00:02:32] It's hard for me to believe that December 1, 2019 was the first case in this COVID-19 crisis. And the question that I keep asking, I think many of us are asking is when will this end and what will this end look like?

Marisa: [00:02:52] And then comes the question, you know, within this start date and within this end date, how do we deal with and I love what you call it; those messy bits in-between?

Marisa: [00:03:05] Just another thing comes up for me. I like going into cemeteries. I love looking at the tombstones. And I look, I look at the date somebody was born, the date someone, you know, died.

Marisa: [00:03:26] And I guess I glance a little bit at that dash in between, but I don't really pay attention to that. And when you spoke about those messy bits in-between, I think where our attention should really be is that dash. So right now, I think the invitation for us is how do we want how to live in these messy bits in-between right now? How do we keep the faith?

Marisa: [00:03:57] How do we keep a sense of well-being? A sense of inner power as well when we don't know where this road is going to take us.

Cindy: [00:04:10] Marisa, thank you very much, because that has been on everybody's minds. Right before we got on the podcast, I happened to turn on the news, which I'm trying very hard not to. And when it starts going through everything, you're right, we're in a messy bit and we're having to get through it. And I'm finding that we're all getting through this together. Little by little.

Cindy: [00:04:38] How did you first become interested in becoming a cancer coach? What's the story?

Marisa: [00:04:45] Ok, well, I'm not sure I really became interested in becoming a Cancer Coach. In fact, if someone had told me twenty-one years ago that Marisa, you are going to become a Cancer Coach, I would not have understood what they were even talking about. So twenty-one years ago, a new season was thrust upon me and it was April 21, 1998. You know, it had a beginning date, and everything changed on that day. I was told, Cindy, I have stage four pancreatic cancer. And I was told by these leading doctors that there was absolutely nothing that could be done for me, that I was medically untreatable, medically incurable, and that I would absolutely die in six months. I guess I had a very short dash, according to these doctors. After a couple of weeks when I was able to move out of that shock and feeling like I was already dead already, I asked an important question. I asked myself, does every single person with stage four pancreatic cancer or stage 4 cancer, do they all die in this very limited time? Does anyone ever get better? Does anyone ever live longer? And that just opened all kinds of possibilities for me. And it led me to go, it was 1998, the Internet was not as we know it. It led me to the New York City Public Library. And I with the help of this wonderful librarian, I read hundreds and hundreds of stories and studies about people who are living longer than the arts with Stage 4 cancer. And some of them were even getting better. And yes, some of them were dying, but they all seem to be finding more happiness in their lives.

Marisa: [00:06:52] And they had a different way of thinking and believing about their life. And they were doing so many different things that seemed to improve both the quality and the quantity of their lives. So I wrote down every single thing that they were doing, whether it was diet or exercising or prayer or acupuncture or journaling. I mean, that was just some of the things. And I decided at that moment that I was going to create what I called, in fact, it's still on my website, the Cancer Defense Program. I was going to build my defense resources so that I could hopefully live longer. You know, I had this vision. I wanted to see my three daughters grow up. I had this vision that I wanted that I could see myself dancing with my husband at each of their weddings. But I also made the decision that if I did have, let's say, less than a year to live, that I was going to use this diagnosis of cancer to make this the happiest time of my life, the most authentic time of my life. And I love what you are talking about in terms of, you know, what your podcasts are about because it is so much about our thinking and our believing and bringing our inner resources to the worst of circumstances. And when we do that and when we connect with fellow travelers and loving souls, life gets much better. So I started using all these tools and practices and I started feeling better.

Marisa: [00:08:41] And even before medically things changed, I realize that I have never felt happier in my life. I have never felt more authentically me.

Marisa: [00:08:54] And people were seeing that people who had cancer, people who were with me in the chemotherapy room, people who knew people who had cancer, and they were coming to me and saying, can you share with me?

Marisa: [00:09:09] Can you can you share with me what you are doing? I want what you're experiencing.

Marisa: [00:09:15] And I realized at that time that life was inviting me into a new season, not just my own personal experience, but how could I help people who were told that there's no hope for them. How can I help people live a life that was healthier and happier, regardless of what the experts and the statistics say?

Cindy: [00:09:42] I love that. And, you know, today as we're recording, it's April the 7th. So that date, April 21st is coming up. And here you are.

Marisa: [00:09:52] And here I am. Yes. And I thought back then, you know, that was it, that I was never going to have another birthday and never see another spring. So I've had many springs and many birthdays. And I've had wonderful moments like those messy bits in-between, which in many ways, I mean, I don't want to paint this, that it was just, you know, all lilies and roses. There were some really tough challenges along the way, as they are for the thousands of people that I have coached who have had a diagnosis of cancer. But there is also there's always that silver lining. We just have to look for it. We have to make it welcome.

Cindy: [00:10:37] Well, I love when you started off, you were saying you asked yourself that powerful question because it's asking those questions that we can sometimes get to the heart of what's really going on?

Cindy: [00:10:52] Yes. So what were your personal and professional challenges when you started becoming a Cancer Coach?

Marisa: [00:11:03] Well, it's sort of the same challenges that I was going through because when I started coaching; it wasn't a career at that time, it was more of just what I was offering. But I was coaching 6 - 7 months, you know, into this. And so I think my challenges were, how do we deal with the pain, the suffering that does come, how do we move from that place? I mean, I had a great life before. Many of the people that I got to know in the cancer world, they had great lives before. And there was a part of the subset that we want to go back to that life. Why can't we go back to that life? And I'm going to relate that to today, similar to cancer, a diagnosis of cancer affects so many different parts of your life. What do you do from an economically, financially? Well, the work that you're doing, I mean, it just your family, your children, you know, everything. And so says this virus. And we'll never go back to what it was like before December 1, 2019. And for all of us, for my challenge and for also for the people that I was coaching is not only that we can't go back, but what are some things that may have contributed to our getting cancer? And I say this not in a way of blaming ourselves or I did this wrong or whatever, but there may be some things that we have done that actually made the environment within ourselves more open to getting this.

Marisa: [00:12:56] So what are those things that we have to give up? And so the challenge for some of us is giving up foods that we still love and that we grew up with. And the challenge for me, and for so many of my clients, is losing all our hair. The challenge of cancer of losing part of your body. And they're dealing with all the other things that are still going on in their life. So those were a number of challenges. And then I think together and through coaching, we come up with strategies and problem-solving tools that enable us not only to work through most of the challenges but actually make us stronger. That actually makes us more resilient. I can maybe talk a little bit about that. And then I think the other challenge, which is for myself and with my cancer clients, is the challenge of allowing us to really step into that place of what if I were to die in a shorter period of time? We live in such a culture that we don't want to talk about it. We want to make believe it's not going to happen. We only want miracles. And we don't want to even think of the possibility of not a miracle. And yet an essential part of how to live a good life - is the ability to say what a good death looks like - if I were to die 6 months from now or even 60 years from now.

Cindy: [00:14:47] Marisa, I love what you just said also about not talking about death and what would a good death look like. That is so important. That just really touched my heart when you brought that up. What are the benefits of Cancer Coaching?

Marisa: [00:15:04] I will talk about it more from what I've seen in the now 17 years that I've been coaching. I don't know a lot of cancer coaches; I know lots and lots of coaches. So many things I'm going to say, Cindy, apply to all good coaching experiences and I think number one is the foundational benefit of being in a good coaching situation is that it offers us a safe place, a place where we can bring anything and everything we're feeling and experiencing. I know for me and this has been true for so many of my clients that we're afraid to really express all our fears and fantasies and I think especially the fears of the people we love because we don't want to make them more upset or afraid. If we keep on talking about how afraid we are, we're afraid people are going to run away from us or whatever. So this is a place where everything is welcome, that nothing is off-limits. It's a way of also really becoming more accepting and compassionate with yourself. You're going through a really, really hard time. And it's so important that we validate people's experiences. So I do both individual coachings as well as I do group coaching. And I think my group coaching is more about how do we create this safe and open place? But also within this, how did we bring in joy? So we dance together, we sing together, we pray together. We love each other. The other benefit of again it's coaching is that we have the opportunity to really explore what would we love our life to look like in whatever time we have left. You know, no one knows exactly how much time, but if we were living a life that really was a reflection of our highest priorities, what would that look like?

Marisa: [00:17:25] So with the coaching I do, we call the diagnosis of cancer, our permission slip to live the life that we would love rather than what someone else thinks we should love than, you know, and things like that. And then we ask the question, and this can be the challenging part. So what are the things that I'm currently doing that I need to let go of or alter or change because they're really not supporting my desire to get well again? And what are those things that I need to bring in more of; that broccoli or that cruciferous vegetables and more of the grassy kind of drinks that we drink and much and much, much more. So that's a big part of it. And then, as I mentioned before, is which I consider such an important part, not just during this journey of cancer, but for our whole life, is how do we develop and how do we actually nurture because we already have them those resilience skills so that when major challenges come our way, that we're able to get back up, get back on that road, that we're able to maintain or at least reach or regain our sense of well-being, our sense of effectiveness, our sense of faith in light of these major, major challenges. And there are. I mean, I work with twelve different resilience capabilities that everyone has. But for some people, some of that may be a little small and we just grow them.

Marisa: [00:19:14] And that makes us that's probably in some ways what's most needed today. So people really understand and what resilience is. And all the things that contribute to it. So there are two resilience, two of the many resilience tools. That are the ones that give us the energy to deal with the challenge when we're facing a major challenge. It requires much more energy from us when we're doing the same thing over. It doesn't require them much, but change and challenge requires much more. So the two basic resilience skills that all that fuel our positivity that we can see within the darkness, we can see some light within the challenge, we can see some opportunities. And the other one is. So one is looking out there and recognizing or making those opportunities and the other one is looking within ourselves and that's building our confidence. And particularly when a challenge is overwhelming, we tend to forget we have amnesia that we have over a lifetime. We have dealt with so many challenges and we have so much experience and skills and abilities and connections and resources and to pull them out and then see how we can use them.

Marisa: [00:20:41] And facing these challenges with sensitivity and there are many more. I talked a little bit about connection, and connections, reaching out to others, asking for help. This is so difficult for people, you know, that we want people to offer to guess what we need. And we have to be able to have the courage and strength. It takes a lot of strength to ask for help. But most of the time, people are very willing to help. And the more specific we can be, the easier it actually is for the other person. So there's that's another resilience skill. And so is priorities. That's what I said at the beginning. We work with that. There's so many things coming at us. And so to get very clear on those things that are most important or else we're going to get pulled in so many different directions. So those are just some of those resilience skills that we work on.

Cindy: [00:21:47] And you know what was coming up for me Marisa as you were talking; was when you were talking about asking for help. And I'm going back to what's happening now with the COVID-19, people being able to ask for help. And you're right. People are so willing to do whatever they need to do.

Marisa: [00:22:07] We see that. I mean, we see it. People are coming over, especially to people they see are having difficulties and saying, can I help you? Can I go shopping for you? You know, people are reaching out and calling people and leaving little, you know, sending messages to people. How are you doing? There's so much kindness and loving connection that's going on. That's particularly now, as you say, Cindy. It's even more important that we pick up the phone or send a text or message and say, I need help in this area. Can you help me? And then, of course, this is also a resilience tool, is being a source of help that goes both ways.

Cindy: [00:22:59] Absolutely. I just wanted to ask you this. What are just a couple of ways that we can help somebody that has cancer to be of service to them?

Marisa: [00:23:13] So it depends upon your relationship with the person. There was a huge study, Cindy, that was sent to thousands of people. How do you feel most loved? And they tallied up everything and the overwhelming number one reason and 10000 people participated and that is being listened to. So the most helpful thing you can do is listen to the person and don't offer advice. I mean, I just saw that last week on the group that I was doing, someone was saying, well, you should be doing this and you should be doing that. And that's not if the person wants that advice and wants help, let them ask for it. So that's some of us can just be a soft place, feel welcome place for that person to talk about what's going on. Then the other way that you can help people is, I mean, you know, again, it depends upon the situation. So if a person has young children and many, many of my clients do, and I also work a lot with spouses who are they're taking they're always women, the spouses who want to work with me because they're directing their husband's whole treatment.

[00:24:31] But if you know, they have young children, can I pick them up to school or take them to school in the morning? My little Johnny is on the same soccer team. You know, I'll take him and bring him back and forth. You know, I cook every night. I'd love to, bring some food over or cook some food. So you just you know, if you know the person, you'll have a sense of what might be helpful. It's what's very hard for a person who has cancer is when you say, well, tell me what I can do to help you. It puts them on the spot. They feel like they're going to ask so much. So it makes. Can I go shopping for you? Can I think for you? Can I pick up your children? Can I pick up medicines? Can I? I'm a great driver. I can drive you anyplace. You know what I think of practical things?

Cindy: [00:25:32] Yeah. So it's offering practical things that can help where somebody would be, not afraid to ask, but feel like they're imposing. And so if you make that offer that makes it makes it kinder.

Marisa: [00:25:48] Yes, and Cindy, when you asked me about challenges this is another one for so many people is asking for help.

Cindy: [00:26:01] In your coaching, how do you work with people around their limiting beliefs?

Marisa: [00:26:04] Well, first, everybody has limiting beliefs. It's worldwide. We see it, you know, with our politicians. So I think that's one of the things that which is just knowing that all of us believe in some ways that we're not enough, that we're not deserving, that we've done something in the past that somehow, you know, either cause. I mean, I. OK. Well, like I caused this because I was you know, I wasn't resting enough. It's such a stressful job. And, you know, the way I was. I mean, just this sense of blaming and everything. So how we work with this is, first of all, bringing it to the surface. I mean, these are wounds. And you know, it's similar to a real wound. You have to bring it to the surface, see what's going on. And the way to clean it out is first recognizing and being in a safe place of admitting. I don't really feel like I deserve to get well. I don't think I have enough to do these things, to change my diet.

Marisa: [00:27:16] So, you know, just all these other things and then really to shine the light of truth on it. Do you really think it's so? If you were your own best friend in this, your best friend, would you really think they don't deserve to get well? Do you really believe that they don't have any resources to make their life better and to identify some ways where? That's why I love the thing on confidence where they can recognize all the things that they have done, you know, that that makes them so deserving and so important in this life. You know, that so many people, even in the past, I mean, if we hadn't done some little things, people would not be as happy. Some people wouldn't even be alive. There were little things that we've done. So we absolutely deserve to get well again. But one thing that's related to it is that all our limiting beliefs under it there's a fear.

Marisa: [00:28:22] There's just fear that we're not good enough or the fear that even if we are deserving, the worst is going to happen. So a lot of my work is how do we befriend our fears and how do we give them space and time so that they don't permeate and take over our whole life, but we give it some space that we listen to and we put a name on it and the work we do. So like mine is fearful Fanny, because I had a very fearful grandmother. And let that fearful part of us just say I'm afraid I'm going to die. I'm afraid I'm never going to get well. I'm afraid. But that we give it a specific time, because otherwise that fearful part of ourselves is going to come to bed with us and it's going to be going to the doctor's office with us and it's going to go to the soccer games I take my kids to. So in a sense, it sounds like we're quarantining it. But then in that time, we give it a lot of attention.

Cindy: [00:29:28] Thank you for going over that and I want to be respectful of your time because this time is just flying by. So let me just jump to this.

Cindy: [00:29:39] If you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self. What would you tell her about the season of life you are in now?

Marisa: [00:29:49] Oh, the season of life I'm in now and not the season that she was in as an 18-year-old. OK.

[00:29:58] The season of life that I'm in now. I would just tell that 18-year-old, you know, just trust in life and depending upon people's beliefs, trust in God, and trust in yourself. There is a wonderful, wonderful life ahead of you with a lot of messy bits but she'll get stronger, you know, through it. And there are wonderful, wonderful people along the way. And I'd also say to her, sweetie, get some help right now, someone who sees your greatness and your potential and will help you open your eyes to see all the gifts and opportunities that are in front of you.

Cindy: [00:30:47] Oh, I love that. Thank you, Marisa, so much. And how can people follow you on your journey and how can they support you?

Marisa: [00:30:57] Well, they can follow me by going on my website to learn so much more about me. And there is just a number of free programs, particularly on resilience, but also on how to deal with fair and how do you use tapping to really work through with the fear. That is all on my website. It's MarisaHarris.com.

Marisa: [00:31:18] And Marisa is spelled M A R I S A H A R R I S.

Marisa: [00:31:25] Marisa has one R and one S. So it's MarisaHarris.com. My Facebook sites are Marisa Harris and then the one that is more specific to this is Reimagining The Possible. If we reimagine the path of the possible, what would that wonderful dash look like? Oh, and then you can e-mail me at CancerCoach@MarisaHarris.com. And Cindy, I would love to offer people a gift. Is that OK? Anyone who has a particular question or challenge they want to discuss or they just want some deeper understanding. I would love to gift you with a 30-minute conversation. And so just either email me or you can find a place to contact me on my website. But probably the best thing is just to e-mail me CancerCoach@MarisaHarris.com.

Marisa: [00:32:39] And I work a lot with the spouses and family members and also with people who are more interested in prevention as well.

Cindy: [00:32:48] Thank you so much. That's very kind of you. Well, again, thank you for being here. And I appreciate it. And I want to have you back on.

Marisa: [00:32:58] I'd love to be on. Yeah, I'd love to. I'd love to. Maybe come on with one of my clients and we can have a three-way conversation.

Cindy: [00:33:09] Yeah, that would be really interesting. You have a good evening and I will talk to you later.

[00:33:15] Thank you. And love to everybody and just blessings to everyone at this point. Thank you.

Cindy: [00:33:25] Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Marisa. I especially liked it when she said, “How do we nurture our resiliency skills so that when major challenges come our way, we are able to get back up?” Visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com and sign up for our weekly newsletter. Until next time, live inspired!

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Cindy: (00:00)
This is episode 8 with Mooniek Seebregts who is a Mom, Certified Master Coach, International Best-selling Author and Speaker.

(00:08)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for everyday women who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

(00:42)
Welcome back, friend. I really appreciate that you are spending time with me today and I am so happy to share my conversation with Mooniek Seebregts with you. Mooniek is passionate about her mission to empower parents so they, in turn, can empower their kids. Through her highly acclaimed Great Parents Empower program, Mooniek gives overwhelmed parents the keys to feel confident, capable, loving and patient.

(01:10)
Welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited to have you.

Mooniek: (01:14)
I'm so excited to be here. Thank you.

Cindy: (01:17)
Well, thank you so much. My signature question is what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in your business?

Mooniek: (01:26)
If I talk about the parents' stuff, we have this idea that before the age of 40 we need to get some things going, get the job, get kids, hopefully, have a great partner and then it turns out that it is way more difficult. It's almost as if there is this big secret in society that says you have to do it, but as soon as you do it you're like, what did I do? How did I get here and what am I going to do?

Mooniek: (02:01)
I don't know what to do. That's basically what people think.

Cindy: (02:05)
Right. Well, thank you. So what season of life are you in?

Mooniek: (02:09)
I'm in the season of life that I am giving back. I went through a few stages in my life, try to try to figure all that out. You know, the partner, the kids, what do I want in my life, what profession do I want? I went through all that. Then I realized I now have some experience. I wish I had had this experience. And so my route, my path is to help the people that are in the middle of trying to figure it out.

Cindy: (02:41)
Thank you Mooniek. I loved that. One of the things that stood out to me when I was reading your website, and I loved this, there is a distinctive difference between being a parent and doing the parent. Being and doing what is the difference?

Mooniek: (02:57)
So this is one of the things that is a, I would say is a trap. Before you have your kids, you're thinking, oh this is going to be so fantastic. I'm going to be everything my parents weren't for me. I know exactly what to do. And then you have your child and then you're like, okay, so how does it work? And oh I don't know anything; I maybe know a little bit. And then we get so busy doing because we want to do all these things and we need to have the right foods in the beginning and we need to make sure that the kid sleeps. And then we need to run around and then we need to do our job and we need to be professional. We need to find the right babysitter or the right whatever, and then we need to find the right school and continue and continue, and then we need to do playdates and we need to find the right books because we want to be perfect.

Mooniek: (03:46)
We want to do it all right, and then we forget that actually maybe the most important thing to raise a human being, which is one of the most beautiful and almost sacred professions, I think in this world, we forget that it is the being that is the most powerful for our kids because they get us, it's almost like they soak us up and it's through us osmosis, that they get so much information. It's not really through osmosis, but that's what I always say. They get us, they get who we really are and what we're really saying, even if we're not saying it.

Cindy: (04:23)
Yeah. When you were describing that doing, that's exhausting actually, isn't it?

Mooniek: (04:28)
Oh, it's totally exhausting. People are overwhelmed and so stressed.

Cindy: (04:34)
Yeah, My children are grown so when I'm listening to different friends talk about all the clubs their children are in and all the different sports and everything, it's just, it really is exhausting.

Mooniek: (04:48)
It really is and for the parents it is exhausting and for the kids it is exhausting. And on top of that, I think that we forget, we parents, we forget that it is our task to help these little beings develop into the people that they are meant to be. And we have no idea what that is. We don't know who they are going to become. The smarter we are about pulling back a little bit and being the person you really want to be so that you can support your kid becoming who they are meant to be or can be, even if it's completely opposite of what you wanted - had in mind or what your ideal is.

Cindy: (05:33)
It really is being present with our kids. So what inspired you to start Great Parents Empower?

Mooniek: (05:40)
It's a lovely story. And it's a story of persistence. You know, Debbie Ford?

Cindy: (05:46)
Yes, I do.

Mooniek: (05:47)
A great leader in the self-development business. I was lucky enough to be educated, coached and trained by her and I knew that she had this course for parents. So when I was invited to do the course for parents, my first reaction was, no, I don't need that because I mean, who needs education when they are raising their children? I said, is it about development? And the answer was no, it's not about the development of the kids. So I'm kind of begrudgingly doing the first hour. And then I suddenly realized that these were the missing pieces because this was all about who I needed to be so I could raise my child. So it put me completely upside down, put, put, put the onus on me, who am I being so I can do to doing so I can raise this person in front of me. This little being this little girl. And basically I have raised my child this way, the way that the course teaches. When Debbie died the course was inherited by me and Martina, Martina and me and we updated it. We made it more 2020, the seven keys have all the tips and tools that you can use for the rest of your life. So we put it all together in only seven classes.

Cindy: (07:23)
That is a beautiful story about how that came to be. I do want to get to your seven-class course in a few minutes. When people ask you, or let me change that around when you started asking people two questions, what is a great parent and what is your greatest challenge as a parent? What were some of the most common answers that you received?

Mooniek: (07:52)
They would immediately just steer away from the word great. Because we do realize, and this is true, that the more we're trying to be perfect, the more we cannot be perfect because perfection feels like a straightjacket. So most often people say, well, I want to be a good parent. But basically I am not a good parent because after seven o'clock I start yelling, because of my moods, I'm sure I damaged my kids because this kid is so different. I don't understand anything about this kid or because my marriage is so bad and I'm sure that has influenced. So parents on top of trying to do all these things for kids are also stressed about how much impact negatively they have on their children.

Cindy: (08:40)
And that makes sense because we do want to be, these great parents or good parents and when we're all stressed out we do worry about what that impacts going to be.

Mooniek: (08:52)
Yes. And so what I understood and what I'm constantly working on is that the more we can come from taking care of ourselves, the more we can come from the glass is full instead of half empty, the more we can come from. We are taking care of our own drama or our own shadow, our own imperfections. We don't lay it all on the kids because if we put it on the kids, they are so busy trying to take care of us that they cannot take care of their own development.

Cindy: (09:25)
Right. Yeah, absolutely. So what is the greatest challenge in being a parent? What do you consider to be the greatest challenge in being a parent? Is it our emotional health and the way it impacts our children?

Mooniek: (09:41)
I think that first of all, the myth that we have to have kids we should not buy into that. The second part is we should not buy into this myth that everything is going to be fantastic and we're going to picnic all the time and run through the fields and love each other so much because life is messy. But we do need to take care of ourselves. We do need to take care of ourselves, development of our hearts. If our heart is at war, we cannot be present. We cannot be the person, the rock, the banks. You know that the river can flow in. Our kids need to have the space to become.

Cindy: (10:23)
You described it so beautifully what you just said.

Mooniek: (10:32)
And so it is constantly taking a step back while being present, constantly being aware of your intention, constantly inviting yourself. Listen to yourself, to your wisdom. Ask yourself how are you doing? What do you need so that you can be the glass half-full instead of half-empty? I think one of the things that happen when we take care of people, whether it is our children or whether it is elderly people, is that we become so entangled with the care that we become so much part of the activities that there is very little left for us.

Cindy: (11:12)
I absolutely agree with you on that. And that is why one of the things that I want to talk about on the podcast each episode is that self-care that we need to do for ourselves.

Mooniek: (11:25)
Yeah. And for a lot of people, self-care sounds egotistical and you shouldn't do that. But it is how can you support yourself so you can support others? That's really what it is about.

Cindy: (11:38)
Absolutely. So I know you have a 7-class GreatParentsEmpower course that will help us discover a new way of parenting. Can we talk about that a little bit? Because that really sounded very intriguing. So what is that all about? Can you just talk about maybe a couple of the steps?

Mooniek: (11:56)
Every development starts I think with asking ourselves the right questions so we can get to the right answers so we can make our choices. So our course starts with an assessment and from the assessment comes some very interesting insights, with a lot of parents, we see over and over again that because they've been running so fast trying to do it all right. They are so entangled in the activities that taking the step back in the assessment already opens so many doors and then we pay attention to the common obstacles that we have when we think we want to go somewhere. So we help people to build a vision of who they really would like to be and how they would really like to have their family develop and then all the obstacles that happen. We pay attention to that in the course. There are a few, like for example one is that a lot of us parents are stuck in fantasy land. I was too, it's like you know what, this year I'm going to be this or that mom by February and then it's May and then it's June and I still haven't been able to get "there" because we are so wrapped up in the habits, in the bad habits or in the obstacles that we just repeat over and over again and one of them is that we repeat what our parents, how our parents raised us.

Cindy: (13:22)
And that's one of the things that we always say as we become parents, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to do it totally different.

Mooniek: (13:31)
But the thing is that parents get tired. There are a few instances, like a few years, for example around the year 10 or 12 or 15 that you see the parents check out because they're so done. They are tired from 15 years' time 24 hours being there for the child. So it's a long journey and if you don't have the tools and the tips, it is really hard to get yourself back up and take care of yourself so that you can take care of your kids.

Cindy: (14:04)
You said something just then and it just reminded me of what we're going through right now with the COVID19 when you said taking a step back and that's almost what we're doing right now. Taking a step back and reevaluating everything that's going on. And maybe part of that will be how we interact with our children.

Mooniek: (14:28)
I have to say that in my industry it's in my neighborhood. I have never seen as many fathers, especially on the bike with our kids. Fantastic.

Cindy: (14:38)
That's nice. Yes it is. I know my significant other and I went for a walk a couple of them nights ago and it was like the street, I'm not going to say it was full, but there was a lot of people we had not ever out walking. There was one other thing that I saw on your website that I wanted to ask you about. What does bullying, not listening, fighting, talking nonstop, not paying attention. What does that have in common and what can parents do about it?

Mooniek: (15:13)
So when we are wrapped up in our own emotional needs and we are wrapped up in the expectations of what we think society or culture or family of origin have for our kids it is very hard to sit down with our kids and look for the causes or the origin of what is really going on that this kid needs to have or is engaged in this behavior. And so where we come from is that the more we can take care of ourselves, the more we can actually love the person that we are. Despite all the things we don't like about ourselves, but the more we can be that glass half full kind of person, the more we can be instead of do the more we can just sit there and really connect with this kid from heart to heart.

Mooniek: (16:09)
Really just not talk all the time but just ask the right questions and be curious. So the more we've taken care of ourselves, the more we can give this to the children, the more we can follow who they are, what is going on with this kid, how do they need me to be so I can help him or her? Because there's a lot of loneliness in kids. There's a lot of sadness. There is a lot of stress in kids, but we don't know if we're too busy on our phones or in our professional life or in our, you know, whatever. We can be so distracted. They need us.

Cindy: (16:51)
I agree with you Monique on that. And thank you for saying that about a phone because one of the things that I have been doing since I have been working from home is at night when I am finished working; I am not being on my phone at all. Like I said, my children are grown but I am being present with my significant other. And again, I think that's one of the things that, that we're finding out right now about stepping back.

Mooniek: (17:19)
Yeah. You know, the other day I came across somebody who said, you know, he is a father, he said, you know, when I come home I'm tired from working and I'm glad that all my kids have a phone so I don't need to talk to them during dinner. And I was like, oh, what a missed opportunity. And this person had no idea that he said something so profoundly sad to me.

Cindy: (17:44)
He probably didn't even think anything about what he was saying, but that makes an impact, not even knowing what you're necessarily saying as well.

Mooniek: (17:52)
Yeah. And you know, if you think about it, our kids' brains are not grown until 29. There is so much that we don't know about ourselves that and we stay so complicated and so layered. There's so much to discover about ourselves. Who's going to help you discover yourself when you are a kid, if it's not your mom or dad, nobody has that much space for you to help you understand yourself. So I think it's a missed opportunity more than anything. It's a missed opportunity for the parents and for the kid. At the same time, we have these high expectations of our kids. We want them to be, you know, the next president or the next, this or that. So we have to help them get there.

Cindy: (18:40)
Absolutely. How can we make good decisions with our children? I'm thinking about the homework. I'm thinking about that and then I'm jumping over to thinking about them starting to date. Is there a way that we can help them make good decisions or is it, I mean it's all really coming back to us as parents about being there with them.

Mooniek: (19:06)
So the more interested I am in myself, the more I can use my heart, my head, my whole being. The more curious I am about the person that I am had I had the opportunity to make myself, it would have been a little bit more of this and a little bit more of that or a little less of that. Right. But we are who we are and so the more I can appreciate that the more I can do the same thing for other people. The more you know. So the inside so the outside, the more curious I am; I think it's the word, the keyword. The more curious I can be about myself. The more I can be about that little person in front of me. And so if I continuously show up as a curious person who is also a great role model, the more I can ask the question.

Mooniek: (19:55)
So what's up with this homework? What do you not like or how do you think you could deal with this? Yeah, it's, a lot six pages of the same math. Do you have an idea? You know, give them, help them to find their responsibility, their accountability, their solutions instead of us, you will do it at seven o'clock already and you're not done yet. How do you think you will, you know, what do you think the teacher will say that's old. That's old ways. We don't need to do that anymore.

Cindy: (20:29)
The more we are giving and loving to ourselves because we can't really give that if we don't have it within ourselves.

Mooniek: (20:37)
And I think curious, you know, stay curious.

Cindy: (20:40)
That's a great word and I'm hearing that a lot. So I think that's one of my words that I need to be working on. If you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life you're in now? Or what would you tell her about your business now?

Mooniek: (21:02)
It's probably what I'm telling myself every day. Just do it. Be fearless. Be shameless. Shameless is my word. You know, it's so easy to say, Oh, I'm not going to do that because, and then my best self says, you know what, just do it. Be shameless. I mean, you never know who is waiting for the question or for the solution or the answer.

Cindy: (21:33)
Is there anything that I should have asked you? I know parenting is a huge, huge field. Is there anything that you'd like to leave us with I cannot believe at the time has absolutely flown by.

Mooniek: (21:51)
Yes, I think it is a beautiful thing to be a parent. It's such an opportunity for growth, for development and not to become perfect. That's not it. It's to enjoy, you know, to enjoy life. Who can I be, who can they be? How can we be together?

Cindy: (22:11)
Very nice. Thank you so much for being on Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and I'm definitely going to have to have you back on. Thank you.

Mooniek: (22:22)
Thank you so much.

Cindy: (22:24)
You can follow Mooniek at Great Parents Empower and on her Facebook page Great Parents Empower. Mooniek has a fantastic 3-step tool for moms of school-age kids that will create the best connection with your children! 3 Powerful Questions to Ask Your Children that Spark Deeper Conversations and Transform Your Relationship with Your Kids! Here is the link: https://tinyurl.com/t2f5tm8

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Mooniek. I especially liked it when she said, “You never know who is waiting for the question.”

After the interview ended and we were saying goodbye; Mooniek said Cindy – what does exploring the seasons of life mean to you? That was a great question Mooniek. I have decided episode 15 will be all about me telling you why I created Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast and what that question means to me.

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“The world mirrors yourself back to you. If you love, nourish, and appreciate yourself internally it will show up in your external life. If you want more love, give more love to yourself. If you want acceptance, accept yourself.” ~ Debbie Ford

Cindy: (00:00)
This is episode 7 with Life Coach, Mental Health Counselor and Social Services Advocate Jessica Nixon.

(00:09)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for everyday women who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week, join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

(00:09)
Hello friends and welcome back to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am thrilled to share my conversation with Jessica Nixon. Welcome to the show, Jessica.

Jessica: (00:52)
Thank you so much for having me, Cindy. I'm really excited about today.

Cindy: (00:55)
Yeah, I've been looking forward to this. I am starting off all the podcasts with the same question. What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you personally or in business?

Jessica: (01:10)
To me, the seasons of life are addressing the various developmental stages that we go through in life and how we continuously progress through that process. Each developmental stage has its own lessons and struggles that challenge us to become wiser, stronger, more resilient. I feel it is necessary to have the relationship, responsibility, work ethic, learning, sharing and suffering experiences in each stage in order to better prepare us for the next stages in life.

Cindy: (01:40)
Thank you. I've mentioned this before; I love hearing the answers to this because everybody has a different viewpoint on that, so thank you. I love the name of your business, Finding Your Inner Compass. Is there a significant meaning or story behind that name?

Jessica: (02:01)
Yes, actually there is, as I was going through what would be a good name to define what kinds of needs that we have in life is we're constantly searching as humans, we are emotional creatures. We're, you know, cyclical. We, we try really hard to be in a linear pathway of life in order to find and see our progress. But I think that we get lost along the way and that we have so many different external variables that are constantly influencing us and drawing us one direction or another that we forget who it is that we are in long our path in our developmental stages and all the things that we are planning and then how we stumble in and fall or get distracted. So I feel like we have to re Intune within our self and center within ourselves and finding your inner compass is really what that's all about is coming back into who you are, not what you do or how, you know, the other definitions of what society puts on us to define us. But finding our own inner compass.

Cindy: (03:18)
I absolutely believe everything starts on the inside.

Jessica: (03:21)
Yes.

Cindy: (03:23)
How did you first become interested in becoming a life coach and what were your professional or personal challenges along the way?

Jessica: (03:34)
So I started out as a guidance counselor because I wanted a job that was going to compliment my life and the schedule of being a mother. And so I am still, you know, integrated in that field as well that I can continue to reach out and help people. I also worked with families as mental health professional and became a counselor that I work individually with people or couples. But I realized that life coaching gives you the actual tools that you need in order to be able to make changes in your life. Counseling is a lot more talking about your feelings and processing things in your past, whereas life coaching is about where you are now. Your past does influence and impact you into who you are now, but it doesn't define you now. And life coaching will address what your pain points are, your limiting beliefs and be able to help you work through what it is that you're dealing with so that you can continue to be successful from this point forward.

Cindy: (04:51)
And in the coaching certification that I had done in the past, we talked a lot about those self-limiting beliefs and those, those can stop us in our tracks, that's for sure.

Jessica: (05:04)
Yes, yes. So, it's good to be able to identify those and get help along the way. Because I think that even for myself, I still reach out to coaches and mentors to be able to help guide me. Because I get wrapped up in my emotions and then I forget logically where it is, I need to do in order to move forward from those pain points or limitations.

Cindy: (05:32)
Yes. Can you give our listeners three actionable tips to finding their inner compass?

Jessica: (05:42)
Yes. I think that one of the things that is really important, we get wrapped up in how we can't control situations. And I think that if we're able to identify whether it's their problem or whether it's our problem, so if somebody is coming to us and maybe being upset or angry, it's natural for us to just react to that situation, to that person instead of asking is that something that they're dealing with and I need to give them time and space to do that or if it's something that I did wrong and what it is I can do to fix it. So that's one thing I always tell my clients is to ask is it their problem and I don't need to take a personal or is it my problem and I need to do things in order to make things right.

Jessica: (06:32)
So that's one point that I really recommend. The other one is that emotions, like I said, have a very strong influence over us. And even though we know the right thing to do, sometimes we'll react with our emotions. So it's really important that, that when we're faced with the situation that we step back from that and we ask the motivation behind it so that we can better understand why we want to react in that certain way or why somebody else's versus just getting wrapped up into it. So asking yourself why is really important. The last one is when dealing with people and relationships whether it's a spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, kids, coworkers, et cetera. There's a certain amount that we need to be productive. We need to work and show our progress and our value and be successful in whatever arena that we're working with and whomever we're working with.

Jessica: (07:43)
But at the same time, it's important to understand that if we're doing so much, then sometimes it doesn't allow that other person that we're working with to be able to have that space to step up and work with us instead of us being overpowering or if maybe we're sitting back too much that somebody else is now having too much influence over us. So having that balance, I mean I always tell people, imagine yourself in a boat in that you're rowing together, it's gotta be an equal balance between the two and knowing when is the time to pick up the oars and start rowing. You know, finding that motivation between the two of you versus when it's time to lean back and allow somebody else to have some time and space to figure that out and realign that balance between the two of you is important.

Cindy: (08:39)
So Coach Jessica, I have a question on your last point. How do we know when to step back and when to move forward? Are we just receiving those cues from the other person? How do we know when to step back?

Jessica: (08:57)
So I think that the cues are there. When we start to get upset about something then using one of the earlier points that I said, asking yourself why? Why am I getting upset with my husband? Why am I getting upset with my kids? Is it because they're not doing what my expectations are or is it because maybe they're doing something more in being able to understand the difference between what your expectations are of a situation versus what it is that person is actually bringing to the table. Sometimes we get upset about that and our anxieties will rise, and it becomes a necessity. But in all reality, we may be creating a stressful situation because it has nothing to do with the actual situation, but it has to do with their anxieties of maybe feeling like we need to be within a timeline.

Jessica: (10:03)
We need to have certain things done. We need to have things look a certain way. Those expectations sometimes will inhibit our ability to, to grow through that situation. And that's when we had to stop and say, why is it I'm getting upset and I need to lean back? And I knew, let some other people step up. You know, letting your kids do the chores. That is perfectly okay. You don't have to be a superwoman and clean your house and work a full-time job and run the kids everywhere. It's okay to let the kids clean the house. It's okay for your husband to be able to help out with certain things and maybe load the dishwasher or I know everybody has their preferences of how they like things done, but when other people have an opportunity to be able to step in and help and alleviate some of that extra stress and burden from us, then maybe they don't do it your way, the way that you prefer that you like.

Jessica: (11:02)
But it's still a very helpful thing that they can do that and then we can lean back. We can take a breath and just calm and relax. So it doesn't become an overshadowing on that relationship because it does become a habit sometimes that we get emotional, we have anxiety, there's stress and tension and there are some situations that maybe we don't need to. So other times we may need to lean forward because you know, say your husband is sick or your boyfriends, your kids are sick. And so we had to step up that plate in order to compensate for what it is that they need at that time. So the leaning forward and the leaning back do have a delicate balance and that's more things that I work on with my clients in order to understand and better implement that based on the situation that each individual person is coming to us with.

Cindy: (12:00)
Thank you for explaining that. I appreciate it. What do you wish you had known when you were starting out as a coach?

Jessica: (12:11)
Coming from the mental health professional field, I felt like I had a really good foundation and base to transfer in and kind of grow and evolve into the coaching realm. They are two different entities. Yes, we're dealing with human beings. We're dealing with emotions, we're dealing with logic, all the basic human behaviors and needs. But coaching is a different approach than counseling. And I realized that after I got into it, I thought it was going to be a very easy transition and there are things that I use from both aspects that are very helpful in order to best serve my clients. I think that for myself as a business owner, it would have been nice to have more background in the business aspect, just for myself personally. And then that, you know, it alleviates a lot of the hiccups along the way, but coaching itself has been a very smooth transition and I've been able to embrace that and be very successful in helping my clients to overcome their challenges and find that level of success and feeling reconnected with themselves.

Cindy: (13:40)
So Jessica how do you define success?

Jessica: (13:44)
That's a tough question because there are so many different variations of it and I think that it does depend on the individual. What are your goals? What kinds of things are you striving for? And also based on the season of life that you're in is also what you need you're fulfilling. So we have various needs in life that we're fulfilling in different stages of our life. So for example, as a child is obviously very different needs of wanting to fulfill yourself with fun and freedom and exploring versus as an adult with children or as a professional or in a relationship, our success is going to vary based on what we're dealing with and what our expectations are. And expectations are a little bit tricky because sometimes those expectations aren't necessarily what is our reality.

Jessica: (14:42)
You know, it's our reality for ourselves, but it's not necessarily practical for our lives. So I think that success is for me personally, I define success as the ability to find a sense of balance, find a sense of peace, find a sense of happiness. And I really focus a lot on being grateful because if we put the focus on what we've lost or what we've messed up on or what we didn't do right, then we never have an opportunity to appreciate what we've gained through it. And all of our mistakes give us the opportunity to learn and grow. So success is kind of an evolution of all of those things. But at the end of the day, I can look myself in the mirror and say, yeah, I may not have liked today, but it was an okay day or I did this well, and every day if we're able to do that, I think that we'll realize how successful we are. We're extremely critical of ourselves. Which is okay, it does challenge us to continue growing, but we also need to be able to be content and satisfied with who we are as a person in everything that we did accomplish and celebrate that.

Cindy: (15:59)
I absolutely agree with that, Jessica and especially about celebrating who we are.

Jessica: (16:05)
Yes, I love it.

Cindy: (16:09)
So now, what is your biggest failure and what did you learn from it?

Jessica: (16:15)
Well. That's so hard because my last answer was all about if we make mistakes, we learn from it and then, you know, we can't regret them if we learn from things. So I've really had to adapt that mantra because I have to say that, you know, perfection is not on my resume. So, I think that my biggest focus is a lot on relationships, and I didn't start out life coaching with that intention. I really wanted to be able to help everybody because along the lines of counseling. That's what we do was that okay, you have a problem but to identify the problem that solve it, it's a very generalized focus. Whereas life coaching is, is more specific to your actual pain point. So when I started life coaching, I wanted to help everyone help.

Jessica: (17:07)
I'll help everybody. It's fine. And I was told I needed to be more specific. I needed to be more intentional. And I understand why now that I'm more involved in it. But I think that relationships ended up becoming more of my specialty because I realized that relationships are in every person that we encounter. It's not just who you're married to or who you know, your children or your family or your coworkers. You legit have a relationship with every person. So as I have grown in my personal life, I have experienced divorce and I have experienced a shift for myself in my life due to that. But also, I have two boys. And raising those boys their developmental stages, I realize I have to also shift for them. And that's not something they tell you in the parenting books is how as a parent, you know, I was really great caring for them as a child.

Jessica: (18:15)
You know, when they were children, I was great at taking care of them. I knew exactly what to do. They get to be a teenager and it's a different type of parent altogether, like 180 degrees. So my failures per se, I don't define them that way. I define them as it was very painful to go through a divorce. It was very painful to raise teenagers. It was very painful. My boys are now moved out and grown, and now it was very painful for me to let go, being a mom to them in that caring role and redefining myself, and as I've developed finding your inner compass, I've realized that all of those stages, as a woman, personal and professional, they have their own set of pain points. So I've had to grow through my quote-unquote failures.

Jessica: (19:11)
But I don't like I said, I don't define them that way. It's just I've had to grow for myself and I realized, wow, there, I don't want to talk about that with people. You know, sometimes that's, that's kind of a personal thing, but I do need somebody to guide me through them because I think I'm going crazy and we're not, I swear to you ladies, we're not going crazy. It's perfectly normal to react that way to an abnormal situation based on what is part of our norm in our reality. So yeah, my failures have every day I take something and go, Oh well that was really not good. I don't want to do that again. I don't want to say that again. And then, you know, be able to apply that kinda to my little toolbox. But I love being able to help people when they're at that point. They, they, we need to go through that in order to grow. Like all of our struggles help to give us that wisdom and give us that resiliency and give us that ability to find that inner courage and strength and say, man, I got this. Okay, I totally messed that up, but it's okay. I got it.

Cindy: (20:19)
You know, as I'm listening to you talk about your children and then teenagers and now they're out of the house. My children are grown, and I will say to them, oh, I miss being a mom. And they'll look at me like, you are still a mom. But it’s different now. It's totally different.

Jessica: (20:40)
It is. It is. And I granted like you said, like you, I mean, I loved being a mom. I'd love to have all the kids in the neighborhood over was great. But every stage that they went through, I learned how to just be grateful for that stage and now that they're grown, I can enjoy them in a different way. And you know, having that just gratitude every day is something really important.

Cindy: (21:04)
Yeah. Thank you. So this is a different question. What are you reading now? What kind of books do you enjoy?

Jessica: (21:15)
I feel like it's really important to constantly be filling your own cup. We as women give and give and give and give from the minute that we wake up to the minute that we lay down. We are a fluid vessel of giving and I love being a woman because of that, but it's completely exhausting. So I sleep well at night. Let me tell you. So I feel like I need to fill my cup and I have to re-energize myself and to replenish my positivity because even if it's a really great day, I still gave a lot away to for everybody else energy-wise. So I like to read things that help me to feel good, things that are uplifting, things that are enlightening and that I can also take an apply to help my clients as they're going through different things because it's how we're able to become better and versatile is by having that knowledge base.

Jessica: (22:17)
So right now I just started a book, it's called The Yoga of Relationships by Yogi Amrit Desai. And it's a practical guide for loving yourself and others. And I'm a certified yoga instructor as well. So I do have an attunement with yoga and how we give ourselves time and attention. We honor ourselves we are finding that inner balance and peace and compass. So I really enjoy reading those kinds of things that help to rejuvenate ourselves and to refocus on. Oh wow, that's really important that I'm relating to me because as women we relate to everybody else all the time. So that's what I'm, I just started reading that and it's a, it's a small book and I'm very full of some good information and good reminders.

Cindy: (23:12)
Yeah. Sometimes those reminders are what we need as we're, as we're going through our day or going through our life. So, Jessica, how can people follow you on your journey? I mean, do you do workshops? I know that you've got a website. Can you just talk about the Finding Your Inner Compass, your actual business?

Jessica: (23:33)
Sure, sure. Finding Your Inner Compass is where I work predominantly with women, but again, as women, we have a multitude of relationships. So it ends up whatever your need is, whether you're a mom, whether you're a working professional, it might be you're a working mom, your, your inner relationship with somebody that you'd like to have better communication or better understanding of interaction either even professionals that are dealing with coworkers and those kinds of conflicts or struggles, how to evolve yourself professionally to the next level. So I, any stage of life that you're kind of going through empty nesters, retirement, that I'm a very emotional shift as far as our identity is concerned as well. So re-identifying yourself finding a sense of balance and peace. So my website is https://fyicnow.com/ for Finding Your Inner Compass Now because we've got to find it right now.

Jessica: (24:39)
So I really liked that and I am on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter as FYICnow. So if you search for me there, then you can find me. I have published and co-authored a book of Light at the End of the Funnel with Danielle Fitzpatrick Clark and the information is there on my website so that you can order books and we can have it personalized autographed for you. And that does talk a lot about my professional journey and some of the things I've talked about here, you know, but how that's evolved in what kind of things I've learned about my business itself as I've grown through this new profession.

Cindy: (25:27)
All right, well thank you so much for being on Exploring the Seasons of Life. This has been a really good conversation and I really appreciate it.

Jessica: (25:35)
Yes, I've really enjoyed myself. I do appreciate it, Cindy, and I hope that, uh, if you guys need anything, you feel free to reach out.

Cindy: (25:42)
All right. I will. Thank you and I will put all your information in the show notes as well.

Jessica: (25:47)
Oh, perfect. That's great. Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day. You too. Bye. Bye.

Cindy: (25:53)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Jessica. I especially liked it when she said, "All of our mistakes gives us an opportunity to learn and grow." Let’s face it; sometimes mistakes can be embarrassing but they can also be a stepping stone to future success. The question really is…Do we have the courage to get back up again after a failure and use it as fuel to move forward?

Journal on these five questions after a setback:

What mistake did I make?
What can I learn from it?
What could I have done differently?
What good is here that I’m currently not seeing?
What am I grateful for?

Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacmillan.com while you're at it, if you found value in this show, we'd appreciate you simply telling a friend that will help us out. Until next time. Live inspired.

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“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” ~ William James

Cindy: (00:00)
This is episode 6 with Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Life Coach, Dr. Neeley Hughey

Cindy: (00:07)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for everyday women who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Cindy: (00:39)
Hello friend and welcome back to the Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. I am thrilled to share my conversation with Dr. Hughey with you. Dr. Hughey Specializes in PTSD, Trauma, Depression, Anxiety, and Relationship issues. Dr. Hughey welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life podcast. Thank you so much for being here today.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (01:02)
Well, thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.

Cindy: (01:05)
We were just talking beforehand and you said this is your first podcast. So, I am honored. I have started off all the podcasts with the same question. What does Exploring the Seasons of Life mean to you?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (01:26)
Well, I think that there are many stages in life that we all kind of go through and you know, there is no particular order necessarily that we go through those stages. And you know, for me, for instance, I would say I'm definitely smack dab in the middle of all those messy bits that you were talking about. Um, being in my mid-forties, I would say that's definitely, you know, you start to, to, you know, explore your own mortality. You have parents that are getting older and you may have to take care of them. Um, you know, I'm 20 years into my career, so I'm thinking about, okay, what's the next level? Where am I going next? Am I retiring? What am I doing? So, you know, I mean, I'd say I'm in that messy part in between.

Cindy: (02:15)
What are the lessons you've learned about being in that messy bit?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (02:20)
Well, honestly, it's to take each day at a time and you know, not focus so much on all the negative things that are happening to us. I think its human nature that we tend to gravitate towards the negative things that happened to us. And even when we think about the past, sometimes we think about the negative things that have happened. And so it's really trying to change that mindset and rewire our brain to think more positively about all of the gifts and all the things that we really should be grateful for at this time in my life. And so my husband and I actually started a gratitude jar because we kind of both felt like we would come home from work and just dump on, on one another about all of the horrible things that happened during the day. We talk about the three positive things that happened to us each day. And when we first started this, it was kind of tough. There were some days that it, it was a reach to try to find something positive that had happened during the day. But as time has gone on, it's become easier and easier. And you know, I think it's important to focus on those positive things even if they're small. Even if it's just, you know what, I got out of bed and I took a shower today.

Cindy: (03:38)
That's right because everything we should be grateful for and it's so easy as you said Dr. Huey to just get caught up in those, in the negatives. Just something personal, I was going to a birthday party on Saturday and I was stressing over what to wear because at the last minute I was told it was a dressy event, which I only had like three hours to go out and find something and I was really starting to stress about it. I was fussing at my significant other for not telling me earlier. And then I got a text and then a phone call that an aunt that I love very much, is not doing well and she's in hospice. And so it really brought home to me exactly what you're saying, not to let those negative things, not to get caught up in those negative things, because the dress really didn't matter at the end of the day.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (04:39)
Right. But we do, we focus on those little, those little negative bits instead of looking at, you know, some of the really great things that have happened to us in the course of our life and even in the course of a week or even a day. And you know, sometimes just being able to take it day by day and focus on those positive things, you know, when we're not feeling so great or we're maybe a little depressed, that allows us to keep going and to wake up the next day if we're able to really focus on some of the positive things that we do have in our lives.

Cindy: (05:13)
Yeah, I agree with that wholeheartedly. And I was going to ask you, what is the difference between stress and anxiety and depression? Those all are three separate things. Is that right?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (05:29)
They are, we all have stress in this day and age, I don't know a single person that doesn't have stressors that happen to them on a regular basis. Um, when I think about anxiety, anxiety is really that bottled up emotion, that stuff that maybe we don't feel comfortable letting out or maybe we don't know how to express. And so, we tend to bottle it up inside and sooner or later it has to find an outlet. So sometimes we see that with explosive anger, or we'll actually see people just break down and cry because they're just so overwhelmed with emotion. They just don't know how to express it or how to even put words to it. I see anxiety as bottled up emotion and then depression is, you know, there can be some anxiety and depression, but depression in itself is really losing that, I guess, vigor for life. And, you know, even everyday tasks become a chore and it just feels like you're alone and sad all the time and that it's just really, really hard to concentrate and you just feel overwhelmed. Um, so I think that, you know, we all kind of start out with stress and if we don't find those healthy outlets, it becomes anxiety. And when again, that anxiety is bottled up, it has to find outlet as well. And if it doesn't over a long period of time, it kind of turns into depression.

Cindy: (07:13)
What are the things that we can do? Maybe just like three tips that we can give the people listening to help with that stress?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (07:24)
Well, I would say most definitely you want to find some healthy outlets for it. We all have our maladaptive ways, you know, going home from work and you know, drinking a glass of wine or whatever and you know, that's okay to relax. But in the big scheme of things, again, if we don't find an outlet for whatever stress is, you know, really bothering us or that emotion that's behind that stress. If we don't find a healthy outlet like I said, it continues to accumulate in a bottle, that bottled emotion, it's kind of like a pressure cooker. What happens to a pressure cooker if you don't release any of the steam.

Cindy: (07:59)
Yeah, it explodes.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (08:01)
Right, exactly. And that's what happens. So finding healthy outlets, you know, whether it's going to work out after work or sitting down and you know, maybe journaling, is another great outlet and resource for people to really kind of express their emotion and purge it so it's not rolling around in your head anymore. Another thing too is music. Music for a lot of people is a huge mood enhancer. So taking the time and listening to maybe some of your favorite songs after work or you know, heck even, you know, on your commute home, jamming to your favorite tunes and singing as loud as you can and who cares what the next person in the car next to you is thinking as you're singing at the top of your lungs. You know, it's all about release. It's all about being able to purge whatever is, you know, kind of on your chest.

Cindy: (08:53)
When you were saying that, I was thinking about, this is such an old song, but I love it. The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA. And when I've mentioned that sometimes to people, they're like, what are you talking about? But it's like one of my favorite songs to sing out loud when I'm just wanting to release something.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (09:09)
Exactly. And that's what it takes, you know, I mean make a playlist of your favorite songs and you know, at the end of your day, just take that time between your, your drive from work to home to just kind of purge, whatever, whatever's on your mind, whatever's on your shoulders for that day. Take some time to decompress before you walk in that door because you know, we all have a tendency that, you know, we have a not so great day at work and then maybe we have a stressful commute home and then we park in the garage and we get in and you know, our family is there to greet us and sometimes we have a tendency to take it out on them. Why? Because they're safe. Because we know that they love us and no matter what we do, they're always going to forgive us. And so sometimes we make the mistake of actually taking it out on them and you know, this, you know, taking that 20 minutes to decompress, to just purge whatever stress is, you know, on your mind before you walk in that door allows you to be present with your family instead of thinking about all the stuff that happened at work that day.

Cindy: (10:23)
One of the things that I do on my commute is, and I don't know if this is stress relief or not, but you know, I call different girlfriends on my drive home and just kind of talk about the day or what we're doing over the weekend. Is that, is that something like what you were talking about?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (10:39)
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, with our girlfriends we tend to always kind of, you know, a purge, a little bit of frustration or whatever is going on. So it's a great outlet. Um, you know, uh, there are just so many different things that we can really do. And unfortunately, I think that we, we kind of get set in patterns and we forget about taking care of ourselves and how important it is, especially for trying to do it all. We're trying to be a mom; we're trying to be a career woman. We're trying to, you know, take care of our husband or our significant other. Um, you know, we, we, we think we're superwoman and our Cape is at the at the dry cleaners. So, we have to take care of ourselves. And this is a good way of just kind of getting in the habit of decompressing and purging, you know, whatever stress, whatever negativity that happened during that day.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (11:33)
Just purge it before you walk in the door. And that way, you know, you don't have that tendency to take it out on them because they really don't know. I mean, they have no idea what happened during your day. I'm sure that your significant other also doesn't want to hear about all the negative things that happened during your day because they probably didn't have a very good day at work either. And so, you know, after a while it does get, it does, you know, that energy, that negative energy is just kind of, I don't know, alive and well in your home. And I don't think anyone really wants that when they walk in the doors to feel that negative energy.

Cindy: (12:10)
That's right. I know when I come home, I do, I get essential oils going and I just really try to make the house so relaxing as we're starting to get ready for, for dinner. This is going to sound totally random and I don't know if it's because I was researching anxiety and stress but all of a sudden I started getting all these weighted blanket ads in my feed and I was like, what is going on with this? So I did click on one of them to read what it was about. What do you think about that for sleep, stress or anxiety?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (12:55)
I do actually think that they're very beneficial for people. You know, usually anxiety doesn't just manifest emotionally. It also manifests physically. So it can look like many different things and in different people, you know, for some people anxiety is chest tightness or you know, their, their pulses racing or they start to shake or you know, their neck gets really, really tense. Everybody's a little different as far as how it manifests. But even some people they'll have similar to restless leg syndrome at night where they tend to toss and turn because of that anxiety or you know, their legs will be, um, you know, going back and forth under the covers and a weighted blanket actually kind of makes you feel like you're in a big human burrito so that you can't, you can't move. But it has a comforting and safe effect on people. It allows our body that, you know, anxiety in our body to kind of calm down, um, doesn't help with the mind. And sometimes, you know, anxiety at night is really difficult to turn off your brain and to be able to go to sleep, but at least it will help quiet the body at night so that you're not tossing and turning all night long.

Cindy: (14:21)
Okay. Well I'm glad to know that as they were popping up there is something too that.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (14:27)
Don't you love Facebook and how, you know, they like, they know exactly what you're looking at and what you're searching for all the time.

Cindy: (14:33)
Exactly. Exactly. So if you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her? Not only about the season of life you're in right now, but about your career?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (14:53)
Well, I actually, when I was 18 and going to college for my bachelor's degree, I was going to school for sportscasting, radio, television journalism. And my junior year, that trajectory completely changed when one of my friends was sexually assaulted on campus. And through the process and how horribly she was treated, I became her advocate before I even knew what the word meant. And so what I would tell my 18-year-old self is don't be afraid of following that passion because, you know, at the time I was so afraid to change my major, my in my junior year. But I knew that some, some sort of spark was inside of me. That psychology was where I needed to be after that incident happened. So I would tell myself not to, not to be afraid of following that passion, that it's okay even if it takes you a little longer to graduate, it's okay.

Cindy: (16:11)
Thank you for that. And so that, was that the beginning of your foray when you changed it to psychology into PTSD and stress and anxiety?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (16:23)
It really was. I really, I had no idea this is where I was going to end up. but I'm so glad I did. Um, and I tried to fight it. Like I said, you know, I was 18 and I was fearful of changing my major and, but it kept following me and, um, I just, I just knew that this is where I was supposed to be. It kind of found me. Watching my friend, unfortunately, endure some of the things that she did throughout the trial and even after the trial ended and the person was incarcerated in her own personal life and her relationships because of the sexual assault, I just knew that this is who I'm supposed to help.

Cindy: (17:13)
And more women need, need that help.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (17:18)
It's been a calling. And then I got a great opportunity to work for the Department of Defense and I worked specifically with sexual assault and domestic violence survivors at first and then I expanded into active duty service members with combat-related PTSD. Um, and just kind of went from there. But I'm so thankful that I was given that opportunity because it allowed me to not only see the world because I've lived all over the place but to meet some really incredible people and to help them move forward with their lives.

Cindy: (18:04)
Can you just explain that a little bit more?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (18:11)
Post-traumatic stress disorder is definitely it doesn't have to be combat-related. Um, I think that's important to kind of put out there. A lot of people don't realize that post-traumatic stress disorder isn't just what we call the big T traumas where combat-related or you know, an accident or a death of a loved one or you know, something that we consider incredibly traumatic. You know, it also is the little T traumas and those accumulate over time and those can be PTSD as well. PTSD itself is, you know, yes, it starts out as acute stress disorder. So you're having problems kind of simulating after a significant event in your life. You become kind of hypervigilant to walking on eggshells. Sometimes unable to sleep without intrusive thoughts or nightmares.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (19:19)
You know, high anxiety, not being able to turn off your brain, um, depression. So it is kind of a combination of many different mental health issues that we see, um, that can happen in childhood that you carry throughout the course of your life. If you were abused as a child or you know, one specific traumatic event that has happened in your life or multiple little T traumas that have happened over the course of your life, all of those can become PTSD. But it's important to note that what is traumatic to one person may not be traumatic to another because we all are unique individuals. So just because someone may minimize how you're feeling and you may feel like you're stuck or that this is incredibly stressful and this is causing a lot of issues within your personal life or your professional life, it's okay to seek help and realize that you are unique and your experiences are unique to you no matter what someone else may think as that's not a big deal.

Cindy: (20:34)
Thank you. Thank you so much for explaining that.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (20:48)
Big T trauma and little T trauma.

Cindy: (20:51)
I think a lot of people think that if it's not that big T that it's, it's not worth talking about. And sometimes those little T's over, like you said, over the course of time really add up.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (21:05)
They do.

Cindy: (21:07)
And they can add up to a big T. Is that right?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (21:10)
Yeah, absolutely. Anytime that we feel like we're, you know, I'm in survival mode where we're just kind of checking the box or in autopilot, um, and we feel like we're walking on eggshells in our own life. Um, that's a huge indicator that something, something isn't quite right and that's the time to seek help. Um, you know, you may not be able to put your finger on it, but you know, with the right professional, they'll be able to say, okay, we can kind of look back at your timeline and say, okay, this is, this is when you started to feel kind of different kind of off. You started to withdraw or you know, you started to feel hypervigilant. Okay. Now we can kind of look at that and then look at your history and say, okay, well you've had multiple little T traumas that have happened to you over the course of your life and this is where you're at. Because just like with anxiety, it accumulates in our body and we continue to carry it. It's kind of like carrying a backpack and throwing more and more weight on it over the course of your life. And sooner or later that backpack just gets too heavy

Cindy: (22:25)
And when the backpack becomes too heavy, what do we do?

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (22:31)
You know, that's really, and I know it's hard, um, there's such a stigma with mental health, um, and, and seeking help, you know, um, even with my generation, we were told to suck it up and keep on going, but you know, I really see being able to pick up the phone and say, Hey, you know, I'm struggling here and I need some help. That's a sign of strength. It's a sign of self-awareness. It's being able to say, you know what? Maybe I can't do this all on my own. And that's okay. You know, it doesn't have to be, you know, those horrible movies that you see people laying on a couch for years and years and years talking to a psychologist. It doesn't have to be that way. Um, you know, at most I, I practice EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. And it, most, I see most of my clients for maybe three to six months depending on what's going on with them. Complex PTSD it is a little longer because that's something that they've kind of carried with them since childhood. But therapy doesn't have to be years and years. It doesn't have to be, you know, something to be embarrassed about. I think that being able to say I need help is okay.

Cindy: (24:02)
It goes back to what you were saying a little bit earlier about we think we're superwomen and sometimes we do have to ask for that help.

Cindy: (24:14)
So how can people follow you on your journey and how can they support you? I mean, do you have workshops? I know you have a website, so if you can just tell, talk to us about that. I would, I would love to hear, especially if you have workshops.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (24:29)
I don't have workshops at this moment. I've been too busy actively seeing clients to be able to have time to do workshops. I do have a website and a Facebook page for Coastal Wellness that you can follow. I post articles all the time about little tidbits about how, you know, to help yourself as far as self-care goes, what anxiety can look like in certain individuals, what depression looks like. Um, you know, I think I'm relevant topics to kind of give you a few little tidbits on, you know, how you can kind of help yourself. I also discuss a lot about what EMDR is. because most people, unless they've been in or know of someone that has had PTSD or some sort of trauma in their life, they probably never heard of it before. I do post a lot of information about what EMDR is and how it can be helpful.

Cindy: (25:30)
All right. And I will definitely post your website and Facebook and all that in the show notes. Is there anything I should have asked you that I didn't? And I know this is a huge, huge topic, but just in general.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (25:45)
Gosh, I don't know. I guess the only thing that I would say is that you know, although we want to try to do it all as women and yes, we're very good at multitasking. Let's, let's be honest here more so than maybe the men in our lives, but it's okay to take care of yourself and you don't have to feel guilty. It's not selfish to take care of yourself because all of the people that depend on you, all of the people that you are helping if you don't have anything left to give and you're pouring from an empty cup, what are they really going to receive from you? So take the time for yourself.

Cindy: (26:33)
Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. From the bottom of my heart, you being on the podcast. I really do appreciate it.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (26:42)
Absolutely. Thank you.

Dr. Neeley Hughey: (26:44)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I enjoyed my conversation with Dr. Hughey about Stress, Anxiety and Depression and I especially liked it when she said, " You are unique, and your experiences are unique.”. Make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com. While you're at it, if you found value in this show we'd appreciate you simply telling a friend about the show, that will help us out. Until next time, live inspired!

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Life Coach & Intercultural Trainer, Yuko Deneuville

“Differences simply act as a yarn of curiosity unraveling until we get to the other side” — Ciore Taylor

Cindy: (00:01)
This is episode 5 with Life Coach & Intercultural Trainer, Yuko Deneuville.

Cindy: (00:01)
Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life, a podcast for everyday women who are trying to be everything to everyone and forgetting themselves in the process. Each week join Cindy MacMillan as she interviews coaches, spiritual explorers and celebrants from all walks of life about beginnings, endings and the messy bits in-between. Self-love, well-being, and mindset are at the heart of our conversations because once you change the inside, the outside will begin to change as well.

Yuko: (01:22)
Thank you very much, Cindy, for having me today.

Cindy: (01:25)
Oh, I'm really excited about this. I have started off all the podcasts with a question. What does exploring the seasons of life mean to you?

Yuko: (01:37)
Yes, I love this question. So, exploring seasons of life. For me it's about living different transitions in our life because I think, I truly believe that we live different transition. For example, personally I, first of all, I lived in different countries. As was mentioned. I lived in Japan, I lived in France as a child and I also moved as an adult to different countries in China, in England. And five years ago, I moved to the U.S. with my two children. They were one and three years old at the time. So, I live different transition I think for me that the seasons of life, we live different episodes, different stages as a mom, as a spouse and now I am as a business owner.

Cindy: (02:33)
Thank you. So what season are you in right now? A beginning, ending or messy bit. And what have been the lessons?

Yuko: (02:40)
Yes. I would say I am maybe in the middle, so I don't know if I can call it messy bits, but I am definitely in the middle of a season right now. I, yes, I moved five years ago to the U.S. and I created my business at the time and now it's going pretty well. So, I think my business is expanding and you know, we have our balance. I think I have my balance right now as a mom, as a spouse and as a business owner. So, I would say the lessons that I have learned is that nothing is permanent. Nothing is permanent. Everything changes in life. So, five years ago when I moved to the U.S. I suddenly I became a stay at home mom from being a sales manager in France. I became a stay at home mom and at the time.

Yuko: (03:38)
I can say it was really, really challenging. Really challenging because you know, you, you lose your status, you lose your status as an employee. And so, I was excited at the beginning taking care of my two children. But after two months I, it was very hard, and I decided to do something and find my own passion. So right now, yes, I am not anymore is in this path, but it has been challenging. And so, I learned that it's really important to, to trust that nothing is permanent and just listen to what you really want to do in your life.

Cindy: (04:16)
And that is so true about nothing being permanent. Everything is always changing.

Yuko: (04:22)
Yes.

Cindy: (04:23)
I know that you've got your business, so how did you get started as an Intercultural Consultant and Life Transition Coach? Can you walk us through that? What's the story behind that?

Yuko: (04:34)
Yes, definitely. So yes, because I lived in different countries and you know, as a child I also followed my parents in a new country in Japan, which was totally different from France. It was very difficult even as a child, you know, we say that children get used very quickly to a new environment that children are like a sponge. But in fact, it was very, very difficult to get used to a new language, a new culture. I mean I'm Japanese and French or totally different in the way of thinking and communicating. And then I moved to other countries in England, in China, different cultures again and five years ago when I moved to the U S it was totally different. You know, the way of making friends, the way of working, communicating is so different between Americans and French and Japanese.

Yuko: (05:34)
So that's when I decided to help others to go through the same transitions as I've been through. So initially I helped French people who moved to the U.S. and then I expanded my business to other cultures as well because I lived in different countries. So that's when I created my business five years ago and I had a coach as a time. She helped me to dream one year. She helped me to, to really understand what my strengths were, what was my personal and professional and experience, how it could benefit to others. So, my coach helped me through all these steps, through all these questions, through all the fears that I had at the time. Because being an entrepreneur is something that we don't learn at school. So, I had to relearn everything.

Cindy: (06:31)
That's right. It's one day at a time learning to be an entrepreneur, that's for sure.

Yuko: (06:36)
Yes, definitely.

Cindy: (06:39)
So when you and I talked the other day I had mentioned to you that my stepmother is from Indonesia, my sister-in-law is from Peru and my partner is from Trinidad and I love that diversity and sometimes it's a lot of fun and then sometimes you have to learn how to work through those cultural differences.

Yuko: (07:06)
Yes, definitely. Yes, it's a big challenge actually to understand the other, but also I would say to be humble and to understand yourself also because I think the first step is really to know who you are, what are your values and how others see yourself. And recently I wrote an article in a French magazine about the French cliché because as a French people, we have a lot of cliché. Americans see us as maybe lazy or arrogant or there are many cliché, even flirty. I heard about that one. So it's really important to see our self-first

Cindy: (07:51)
I talked to a few people that I was going to have you on and I asked what questions they would like to hear. What would they like for me to ask? And the one that came up most was when you move to a new place, how do you make friends, you know, if you're coming from another country and for example you're here in the USA now, is it making friends as an adult different here than making friends in other countries?

Yuko: (08:25)
Yes, yes. I like this question and especially because I get that question a lot from my clients as well. Because a lot of times they say, especially my French clients, they would say, I don't understand how to make friends with other Americans because it seems like friendship is so different. And so personally what I always encourage and what I did myself also five years ago is really to be involved in communities. Like, for example, my children helped me a lot because by being involved in their school and helping the teacher and organizing play dates, it really helped me to create bonds with other parents. Also, I encourage being part of a volunteering organization, for example, helping out the community. For example, for me, helping children as there is here on project called Children Hunger Project, which helps children who don't have enough food to eat during the weekend. So for example, being part of an organization like that or even doing things that you love, like for example, I do, I take acting classes, dancing classes. Just have fun and meet people. That's what I would say.

Cindy: (09:48)
What I had said as even being an American that moved into Brevard County as an adult it's hard to make friends. I do find it a little bit harder when you've got no little children to help you with that transition, you know, making friends at school and everything. So I liked the volunteering idea. That's a very good way to meet people.

Yuko: (10:19)
Yes, definitely. There is. There is always a way to meet people and I would say it's true that the way to make friends, it might be different from a country to another, but in the end it's always possible to make friends. I made a great friend in the U.S. So it's always possible that as long as we are all open minded and we have the same center of interests.

Cindy: (10:41)
Yeah, absolutely. Because even if it's, even if you're not able to volunteer, but if you join, I don't know, clubs or networking events that has the same interest or your church, you know, that's a great way to make friends no matter where you move.

Yuko: (11:00)
Exactly. Yes.

Cindy: (11:01)
When I was reading through your website and it's very interesting and I really loved it, but what is an intercultural mindset?

Yuko: (11:11)
Yes, intercultural mindset, just to make it simple, I would say two words is really to be humble. First step. I talked about that earlier, but it's really about being humble and knowing who you are, but also understand that we are each other, we are all different and there is always something to learn from other cultures, other people. So to be humble I would say. And the second one would be to be curious and to ask questions. For example, when I am in the U.S. I always in Florida I ask question about, for example, what is Thanksgiving? What do you do? What do you eat and why? Why do you, why it's such a big event, you know? Because for example, in France we don't have Thanksgiving. So I've always ask questions about the ritual, the traditions. I'm not afraid of maybe sometimes asking stupid question because everybody's so friendly. Everybody likes to answer this question.

Cindy: (12:18)
Well, you know, I think sometimes, what has stopped me because I am curious about all these different cultures and their history and everything. And I think maybe sometimes what has stopped me is feeling like I was being rude, asking, you know, well what does that mean? How do you do that? Why do you do that? But I guess it's not it's just really being curious and open about that culture.

Yuko: (12:43)
Exactly. Exactly. I think that when we ask question, it shows to the other person that we are interested and we want to learn from about the other persons, country and it's makes you as a person happy about, I think.

Cindy: (12:57)
Yeah, absolutely. So when we're trying to be more self culturally aware, are there any tips around that or is it just, is that kind of on the same line as being in an intercultural mindset?

Yuko: (13:13)
Yes, I would say an intercultural mindset. Yes. It's a pretty similar, so my answer would be the same, it's really the self-awareness would be about knowing who you are and your values that basically that and being curious. I would say the same. Yes.

Cindy: (13:33)
Okay. So I'm going to be curious and ask you about you, your background because it is so interesting, you know, with all the moves and everything that you've done, what was it like growing up? Did you grow up in France?

Yuko: (13:48)
Yes. So I grew up in France and in Japan. So I was born in France and that's six years old, moved to Japan and stayed in Tokyo during nine years. And at 15 I went back to France. So I experienced what we call the culture shock, but also the reverse culture shock. And you talked about that too. I mean, when we come back to our country it is hard because we are changed. We are different. So I think, and then, but I think I also got the, what we can call the intercultural virus is just the passion for, you know, always traveling and moving and discovering a new culture. I think I, I think I have traveled in about 40 countries and uh, I lived in five or six different countries. So I think it's in really my vein now. I, I want to always, I want to discover new countries and I think the U.S. won't be the last country I will visit. I would probably with my husband, he is a French Vietnamese. So even in my household, it is very, very multicultural because I'm half French and Japanese and he's Vietnamese. So we have the project to live in another country in the future. We don't know where, but that doesn't matter. Just one.

Cindy: (15:13)
Yeah. I was just going to ask you if Melbourne was going to be the last stop for you, but it sounds like you'll be looking for something else down the line.

Yuko: (15:19)
Yes, probably. Probably with foreign we are looking for something totally different next time. Yes. So we would see where it would be.

Cindy: (15:28)
That's exciting.

Yuko: (15:29)
Yes it is.

Cindy: (15:31)
Well I was going to ask you, what kind of women do you look up to as mentors?

Yuko: (15:44)

Yuko: (15:46)
So yes, I have many mentors around me, so I have, mentoring in different categories I would say because I'm interested in so many different areas. For example, I'm interested in improving my public speaking and leadership skills. So I joined an organization called Toastmasters and I have my mentor in Toastmasters. For example, I have another mentor in my intercultural field. She has over thirty years of experiences in the intercultural fields. So I like to be surrounded by mentors in different areas where I want to grow and I can reach out to them because they are, I know them, you know, personally I have a personal connection with them and I think that's key for me. That's really key too for happiness and success is to be surrounded by a positive and encouraging environment

Cindy: (16:40)
I like that about having different mentors in different areas of your life because it's, I think it would be hard, I don't know this, but I think it would be hard to have one mentor for everything, but to have them in different areas of your life. Like you said, where you're growing, I'm going to do that myself. I like that.

Yuko: (17:00)
Yes, it's been very, very helpful. I mean I keep growing every day for sure. Thanks to my mentors.

Cindy: (17:08)
With organizations, do you do workshops for them? Do you go in and do public speaking and is it always around the intercultural field?

Yuko: (17:19)
I do both. For both fields. I would say I do training's and also, I give conferences in both intercultural awareness and also it can be around diversity and inclusions and I also give speeches are on self-care and self-confidence, so that's more the wellness area. So I would say it's really 50 50 I give trainings and conferences, both these topics which are very close to my heart.

Cindy: (17:52)
Right. Can you give us three practical and actionable tips to reconnect with our inner passions? I know during our conversation you've mentioned you know your, your passion and being passionate. Are there any tips that you give to your, to your customers to help them, one, regain it or to even uncover it?

Yuko: (18:14)
Yes. I really like this question and especially because it goes along with your podcast, your helping women, you know, in, in their transition or their steps in their life. Because I really realize that especially women, we have a challenge to focus on ourselves because most of the time we are busy with family. We are busy taking care of others. We are busy taking care of our spouse or our children or our house and we tend to forget ourselves. So for me, the really this three steps, it starts with the first one. It's about taking the time for yourself. Don't wait to have the time because you will never have it. I mean if you take care of others if you're busy all the time. So the first step is really to take care of, to take the time for yourself. For example, personally I wake up earlier in the morning because my kids, I know my kids wake up at 6:45 AM so I put my alarm at 6:00 AM so I make sure I have 45 minutes just for myself to do yoga, to do meditation, to do a bit of exercising or journaling.

Yuko: (19:29)
So at least I have this 45 minutes for me. And I realized that when you're, you are more centered, then you have more ideas. Also you're more ideas for your business. So the first step for me, really to to create a time for yourself. I would say the second step is to to take time or so for your vision, take time to think about what you really want to do in your life, what you really want to achieve, what is your vision, so there are different tools that can help you with that vision board. You know, reading books about self-development or even having a coach. There are different ways to find your vision and to find out what are your values. And I would say the third step is to be surrounded by a positive environment. What I talked earlier about, but it's really to surround yourself with people that maybe have been through the same steps, like mentors or friends that really believe in you and know that you can do it. And just maybe sometimes we have friends that are not encouraging. So if you have some friends that tell you things like, Oh nice, we'd be too difficult or I try myself, but Oh no, it was too hard. If you have friends like this or even family members, which is often the case, maybe stay away. I would say for these people when you, especially when you talk about your project.

Cindy: (20:59)
I really liked when you said don't wait for the time, you know, you, you make the time. Don't wait for the time because that is so true. We want to, are we going to wait for the perfect time? And then the next thing you know, months, years has passed by because we didn't, didn't make the time. We were just waiting for it to, I don't know, magically happen. So if you could turn back time and talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you tell her about the season of life you're in now?

Yuko: (21:35)
Yes. I would tell the Yuko 18-year-old that life is and can be challenging. Life can be difficult, but I would tell her that every experience that she's going to have, it's an opportunity for growth. And that even when there is a difficult time, it's okay. It's okay because it's, as long as you learn. And we always learn something from our experience, from our difficult time and even more from a difficult time. I would say when everything is easy, you don't really learn anything. So I would tell her that yes. Um, life left can be exciting, very exciting and you can be, you can have, you can be a happy spouse, you can be a happy mom and you can be a happy entrepreneur. I would tell her because I hear that so many times that yes, but I am going to take care of my children so I can't be an entrepreneur. So and always encourage my clients to get rid of that limited belief, you know, and trust that you can do it or you can do it all. Even if it takes time. You can, you can trust yourself.

Cindy: (22:50)
Thank you, Yuko for saying that about trusting ourselves. Now, how can people follow you on your journey? How can they support you? What is your website?

Yuko: (22:59)
Yes, so my website is YukoDeneuville.com and they can follow me on FaceBook. I have a Facebook page Yuko Deneuville Coaching; I am on Instagram and I also have a YouTube channel.

Cindy: (23:20)
All right. And I will put those in the, in the show notes so people can click on those and get to you. Well, is there anything else that I should have asked you or that you would like to tell us?

Yuko: (23:32)
I think you asked a very good question. Maybe just something, uh, to just to tell everybody just yes, ma'am. My takeaway I think from this, podcast is really in yourself. Everyone's journey is as special as everyone else joining. So your journey is special. So yes.

Cindy: (23:54)
Your journey is special. Yes it is. Thank you.

Yuko: (23:58)
Thank you very much indeed. Thank you.

Cindy: (24:02)
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I really enjoyed my conversation with Yuko and I especially liked it when she said; “I like to be surrounded by mentors in different areas where I want to grow.” Zig Ziglar said, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” My question for you is, “In what area of your life do you want to grow? And do you have a mentor that can help you? Please make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com while you're at it, if you found value in this show, I would appreciate you simply telling a friend about the show that will help us out until next time. Live inspired.

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Cindy (00:00):

Welcome to Exploring the Seasons of Life a podcast for women that explores life's beginnings, endings and messy bits in-between. I'm your host, Cindy MacMillan and today we're talking about wholeness and anxiety with Jennifer Kremer. Jennifer is a wife, mom to four (twin boys – Ellis and Jack, Stella and Carter), NASA Engineer and a life and mommy coach focusing on empowering you to be your most alive self. Jennifer is the CEO of AliveCoachingLLC.com. Jennifer, welcome to the podcast. Thank you so much for being here today.

Jennifer (00:32):

Thanks for having me. I'm super excited. It's my first podcast ever.

Cindy (00:36):

Well thank you. You wrote something on Facebook and it really stuck with me and I just want to read it and I want to get your thoughts on this. You wrote this on January 16th - "Over the past few months I’ve been working on holding myself more dearly and giving myself grace. Us over achievers tend to take on the world. We strive to accomplish and finish. As I work in raising my awareness about myself I’ve encountered so many other people who share the same journey. Men and women. Moms and non-moms. We are all human. We are all normal. We are all doing our best. And if you need to hear this today, you are enough. Exactly as is. You are exactly where you are supposed to be. You are loved. If you are having worries, anxiety and fears, share it with someone you hold dear. Release and evolve to open the your world to more positive energy and enable yourself to release. And if you’re like me, a good yell or crying session is always amazing at releasing and moving toward greatness." When I read that, it really, it really struck home for me, especially about being where you are and that we're all on the same journey. Is there something that was going on when you wrote that or is that just like a message to other people?

Jennifer (01:57):

No, I mean honestly the things that I post and the things that I write are usually inspired because of either something I'm going through or something somebody close to me or a client or something. And at that point, actually, so I'm being coached as well. So I'm a coach and I feel like the number one thing that people should have in their life is a coach themselves. I had a coach and we had a session together. We've been working together now for about a year and we had a session and I was just like, it was, it was a lot, a lot of it is around, at that time was around me feeling like, you know, I want all these things. And I think there's so many people that feel the same thing. They want to do their job, they want to have their kids, they want to be the best mom, the best dad, the best, you know, person at work.

Jennifer (02:41):

They want to have, start their own business. They want to have investments. There's all these things that a lot of highly ambitious people want to do. At times I started feeling like, and I was telling my coach, here's all the things I did and then I started going into, but I didn't do this, this and this. And, and she said, why? Why are you enough? You just told me 15 things that were amazing that you did, but because your kids got sick and you weren't able to do another 15 or whatever that number was it, then you're a failure now. And I started, I got so upset and I started crying and I was just like, she's like, where in your life are you? Why do you feel like you're not enough? Where does that show up for you?

Jennifer (03:19):

Where did that, where's that coming from? And we really started to explore that. And at that post I was just like, you know, enough is enough. Like I, everything I'm doing is good enough. And every one of my clients have some, or people in our life have some amount of, they don't feel good enough, I think as Americans and you know, we have all these opportunities but, but sometimes all those opportunities get overwhelming if you're trying to accomplish so much. And you know, just being happy that yeah, I had to take a week off work and I didn't do a whole lot, but I took care of my kids and they are healthy now is okay. Or the weeks that I do do a lot of celebrate that and be happy with that. And there's so many people I feel like that just get bummed out and burdened that they had a hundred things on their to do list. So they didn't do all a hundred but they did 99 and why is that? Why are you not good enough? Just the way you are.

Cindy (04:11):

And that's one of the reasons that it hit me is because I think about overachievers and I consider myself one of those as well that you know, we can go through that exactly what you're talking about. We do so much and we don't hit that hundred things so to speak and we do feel like we're not enough. So we're just going through this almost like the cycle of go, go, go burnout, exhaustion, go, go, go. Burnout. Exhaustion.

Jennifer (04:37):

Yeah. And then, and for me, and I think for so many people, it's not, it's not your present that tells you that you're not good enough. It's not your present that tells you, Oh well you're just not good enough. Because you didn't do all these things. It's usually something in your past. It's usually the way you grew up or something that happened in your life at some point that is telling you if you don't do all these things. Like for me it's, it's, I grew up in a very strict household and I grew up, that A's were the only thing acceptable that I had to be in every club and everything because my mom wanted the best for me. And while that seems good, that gave me some, some fears of if I'm not getting praise or I'm not doing well enough that I'm not good enough.

Jennifer (05:19):

And I know that that was not her intent at all. But you know, having achieved so much, I just feel like there's more, there's more, there's more. And it's usually something in your past that's, that's kind of holding you back and you really need to let go of or explore it or, or just be okay to scream about it or yell about it and get those, that energy out. Because so much of it is just the energy that we carry around. And as soon as you just, it's like a instant pot. As soon as you let the little valve release just a little, little bit, it opens you up to then do more.

Cindy (05:52):

I love that analogy. One of the questions that I'm going to ask everybody on this podcast is What does "Exploring the Seasons of Life" mean to you and what season of life are you in right now?

Jennifer (05:58):

So I was thinking about that question because I thought since this is called Seasons of Life, you're going to ask me that when I was like, what season am I in? I don't know. And I was talking to some men actually yesterday about this. I met with some guys that do social media and I was talking to them about this and, and in my mind I was like, Oh, they're not going to understand what I'm saying. But they really did. And this season of my life that I'm in is that I'm not just a mom and I'm not sure if that makes sense to anybody.

Cindy (06:32):

It makes perfect sense.

Jennifer (06:33):

But we were talking and I was saying how I read, you know, Facebook knows your mom because if you post anything about your kids or whatever, suddenly like knows you and who you are and it starts giving you all these articles.

Jennifer (06:45):

And there was this article that I read about a mom who was kind of saying like, she's doing it all and you know, moms tend to think, Oh, I know every single thing that has to get done and I'm responsible for doing it. I told them that I was just like, I'm not accepting that. I think that's bullshit. Like the fact that we take it all on and then get pigeonholed into I'm just a mom and then feel comfortable enough to put out all these articles saying how I do it all and I have to do it all and I don't, the season of my life that I'm in is that I'm whole being myself. And so doing the things that fill me up energy-wise, whether it be my business that I'm passionate about, or working out or spending time with my husband or doing my job or being with teams are the things that give me energy is the season of my life that I'm in is that I'm just whole being me and I'm better to everyone else for that.

Jennifer (07:39):

And so I think so many times moms are like, Oh, I'm in. I like my first thought obviously it was like, Oh, I'm in the season in my life that I have little kids and you know, trying to just balance it all. And I don't think that's true at all. I don't think there's such thing as balance. If you're trying to balance stuff, you're failing at something and then you get bummed about failing about it and it sucks and you feel crappy if you're not like just going out and doing the things that make you feel whole as an individual, as a person, you're no good to anyone else. So trying to be everybody's end all be all is just gonna make you drained and yeah, you can do it for awhile and I think a lot of moms do and, and then you wake up 5 or 10 years, you're like, what am I doing?

Jennifer (08:19):

Who am I? Who am I in my marriage? Who's my husband; you know, what do I want for my life? And I don't, the season in my life is, I don't want to lose myself. I want to be whole for where I'm at.

Cindy (08:30):

Thank you. I have gotten, every person I've asked has got a different view and a different way of looking at that. So that's why I'm asking that question is to really put that out there for people to think about. You know, a season may not be, like you said, just a mom, an employee, or having your own business. It's being who you are.

Jennifer (08:51):

And I think sometimes people don't know who that is and sometimes that takes some work to figure out what does that even mean? The number one thing I hear from so many clients and so many people is I don't know what I'm passionate about.

Jennifer (09:03):

Then you need to spend some time figuring that out because, and it might, it's not going to take a day. I think everybody's looking for a quick like, what job am I going to have? What career am I going to have? Oh, I love doing this. And they think it's just a quick thing and it took me about a year to really get to this point of with coaching of, you know what? Who am I? What? What is good enough? What, who do I want to be? Who do I want to show up as in being good with that and knowing what, what does make me whole? And it's not something that you just figure out overnight. I think everybody's looking for that quick answer and it's work.

Cindy (09:33):

Jennifer how did you, um, get your clients to start thinking about that? I mean, do you have certain questions that you ask them? Do you have, are there certain exercises? Because I agree with you, I mean everyone seems to be looking at what is their purpose, what are they put here to do? What are they passionate about? And as I'm saying that, I'm also thinking that can be different things at different seasons in your life.

Jennifer (09:59):

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I mean coaching is definitely an experience and it's a journey. And I think even when I started coaching or started having a coach, I've had three coaches so far in my life. And every time I expect one thing and where it takes us is a total nother thing. And because it's just a powerful conversation about and asking questions and really digging deep and also opening up that side of your brain that's more creative, right? Like I could ask you what's season of your life you're in. Any might be more objective and think more logically. But until I ask you some questions like, you know, why do you, you know, Jen and why do you feel like you're not good enough? Where is that coming from? Until you really explore that side of your brain that makes you go, huh. And I think a lot of my clients, when we, when we talk, they're like, man, that's a good question.

Jennifer (10:41):

I've never thought about that. I've never like where does that come from? I had a good childhood. Why? And then, and then I, after a while or whatever the thing is, or they're just trying to achieve a goal and something's holding them back or whatever. But I think until you open that side of your brain that makes you go, huh, what? What is, what? Where is that coming? Or why can't I seem to finish this book? Why can't I seem to get a new job? Why can't I seem to make my marriage work? Why can't I make my relationships work with family members? Like there's, there's so much that needs to be talked about in them in the more you share, the less pain you feel. And it doesn't have to be like a recent pain or an actual pain. The more you share, the more you're able to get that out and move on and think through it.

Jennifer (11:23):

I had this coach and we had this coaching session one time and it was only for 10 minutes and the girl was asking me questions and I was just like talking and babbling and babbling and babbling. But I was in this zone of thinking and she just let me talk and talk and talk. And then I solved my own problem and I've had this problem for a year and she was just asking me a couple of powerful questions. And then I was just like, you know, and I think it's this, but you know what, no, I don't. I think it's this or this, this and then this. And then I was like, Oh my gosh, this is exactly what I need to do. And it opened that side of your brain that you to really tap into that inner energy and that inner, you know, creativity and, and emotional side of, of where stuff's coming from.

Cindy (12:01):

I mean, whenever you talk to a coach, and I also have my own coaches, I do the same thing. I'm talking and I'm going on and on with myself and then it comes to me, Oh, I know the answer. I just figured it out.

Jennifer (12:14):

Because everybody already has the power. Like that's, that's the beautiful thing about coaching is that if someone needs a coach, they usually think, you know, I should be able to figure this out. But everybody already has the power within themselves is just unlocking that. And what does that look like and how do you, you know, move on from, from things or how do you open up your mind to really be able to do that thing hand to be held a little bit accountable for, for doing the things that you say you want to do.

Cindy (12:38):

Do you think being held accountable is one of the biggest pieces of coaching, other than the powerful questions just happen that having someone else other than a friend or family member, be able to say, you told me you were going to do X, Y, Z, but not beat you up over it necessarily.

Jennifer (12:58):

Yeah, I mean, accountability is definitely a part, but I always ask people, how would they like to be held accountable? Because maybe it's not me, you know, maybe it's their husband, maybe it's themselves. You know, some people are good about being, you know, holding themselves accountable. Maybe it's just, you know, I'm gonna do this when I accomplish this, and then we check in and they did it right. You know, like it doesn't always have to be me. And honestly, I don't hold people accountable. I'm not doing the work for you. You know, that this isn't a powerful experience to be coached if someone's just going to do it for you. So if the client is like, Oh, well, text me, when are you texting me? Tuesday asked me if I did it. No, you can say if you would like to text me because that is easy for you.

Jennifer (13:37):

A lot of people will be like, Oh, I want to work out. So they'll text me when they finished their workout and I'll, you know, we'll celebrate together and that's cool, but I'm not doing the work for you because if I did the work for you, this wouldn't be an experience that you're really truly going to benefit from.

Cindy (13:48):

That's very true, Jennifer, and I just want to kind of move over into another subject right now and that's anxiety. I know when you and I first talked, we were talking a little bit about anxiety and how that shows up. Can you just talk a little bit about anxiety?

Cindy (14:07):

I think myself and anyone who has anxiety feels like they're an expert on it because if you have it, you feel like you're the only one that knows about it and you're the only one that knows what yours feels like.

Jennifer (14:15):

And I, and that's true, but I've had, I had anxiety, I'm pretty sure my whole life and didn't even know it. I was when I was 24 I had a coach through a leadership program from work and I remember sitting in this room, I remember exactly where I was and she said to me after we, after we'd already had some sessions, she said, do you know you have anxiety? And I was like, I don't, I don't even know what that is. I didn't grow up in an environment that anyone ever talked, like use that word. And I guess maybe it was my age. They didn't we, it wasn't just a word that I grew up hearing. Nowadays we grow up hearing that word and I was like, what are you talking about? She's like, you hold your breath. And I was like, I do hold my, when I get nervous and I'm anxious, I hold my breath and I don't breathe.

Jennifer (14:58):

And breathing is so important to releasing energy and emotion from your body. And I was just like, she blew my mind. I couldn't undo the fact that she said I had anxiety. And then I started putting a word to the feeling that I had felt for 20 years and didn't know. And that started me breaking down to the point where I went to a counselor to a therapist and started working with her. And why do I have this? Because you know, the obvious solution is, okay, well there's medicines out there and if you need that, like absolutely, you know, work with your doctor and your counselor to do that. But I didn't want that to be the answer or I didn't want that to be the end all be all. I didn't want it to be, well some medicine will just fix me because obviously there was some deeper stuff going on.

Jennifer (15:46):

And so after doing that, it definitely gave me tools and things to help me. But I still experience it and I know that. And as soon as I told other friends I have anxiety and I'm thinking like I have this disease that nobody else has, every single friend was like, Oh my gosh, I'm on medicine for anxiety. Or, Oh my gosh, I have anxiety too and it's so bad and it keeps me from functioning and or keeps me from doing these things I want to do. And I was just like, wow, it's amazing how many people experience it and I've learned over time that I, I really just don't want to take medicine. I think some people have to, but it's something that is a constant thing that I think I have to work at. And I recently had a coach, my counselor has said to me, you were wired like that when you were less than five through the experiences that you went through as a child.

Jennifer (16:30):

You were wired that way. And my coach was like, that is total BS. I don't buy it. She's like, there's so much research out there that shows that psychologically we can break those, those, you know, neurons and we can break that pattern in our brain. And she's like, if you don't believe that and you need to start there because you need to change the pattern of the way you feel so that you get a different result. And even as simple as wearing a hair tie on one arm and when I'm feeling anxious, moving it to the other arm breaks that pattern, that thought process instantly. Like something is so simple and I know that people are probably like, Oh my gosh, move your hair tie is not going to help me. I have so much anxiety for all these reasons. But it's one tiny step in getting educated and doing the things to try to create a different result than what you're experiencing.

Cindy (17:17):

And sometimes it is just those very simple steps, like you said, to kind of bring awareness and break those patterns.

Jennifer (17:25):

Yeah, and it doesn't mean you're going to get it. It doesn't mean you're not going to get triggered. It does not mean that you're not going to feel anxious. But my goal is to be anxious less. And so if I, you know, my normal go to is something triggers me. I start feeling anxious, I start spiraling, I start thinking of everything I should have said could have done, they should have said, and now I'm making stories in my own head of exactly how something happened. That's not even real. And then a week goes by and I'm still reeling over this anxious feeling. So my goal is if I can have an experience, it is anxious or scary or whatever, that I'm at least I jump out of it faster, you know, I don't want to be anxious for a week. If I'm anxious for a day or a couple hours, I can, you know, that's just one step in me being better as a whole.

Cindy (18:10):

Are there any other things that you do yourself for anxiety. I know the hair ties, moving, that breathing talked about breathing.

Jennifer (18:20):

So there's a bunch of things that I try because I think that it doesn't hurt to try them all. I do meditation, I listen to Sarah Blondin, her podcasts and just taking 10 minutes. And I've realized that the whole model of getting up early and taking a half an hour to, you know, read or be mindful isn't what serves me because when I get anxious it's usually at work or it's usually like when the kids are screaming or it's usually you know, an issue with someone or whatever. So when I'm feeling that way, I try to find a 10 minute block to just say, I'm going to go in my office and shut the door. I'm going to go, you know, at home at the end of the night and shut the door and listen to that for 10 minutes and break that pattern.

Jennifer (19:01):

Because for me it's about breaking the pattern. It's not about, it's not so much about being mindful at a certain time in the morning just for my overall benefit. It's, it's kind of just breaking that pattern and saying, Nope, stopping. I'm not going to go talk, not going to go talk to somebody and get them on my side. You know, how you like talk to your girlfriends or talk to someone at work and they're totally co-signing everything you're saying. And it just makes you more amped up. It's like no, break that pattern, do something different that puts you in a different headspace to hopefully get out of it just a little bit quicker; is my personal goal to, you know, move out of that energy level cause it's easy to go down and the next thing you know you're a victim and you feel like stuff's being done to you and you're sad and it's easy to stay there if you don't do something different to jump out of it.

Cindy (19:43):

Yeah. And it's easy in that once you're in that place of being a victim and when I say easy, I mean, you know, when you're in that place of being a victim, you almost can't see what's happening. That is this truth. Do you know what I'm saying? It's like everything is kind of, it's spiraled so much that it's no longer that little nugget of what really happened.

Jennifer (20:03):

It's human nature. I mean that's normal to start making up stories and, and, or to their thinking about what you wish you in said and that situation or how you wish it would play out. That's normal. But to feel that way. I think we all do that at some point, but, and it makes all the sense in the world. But I don't want to live there, you know? And, and I don't think, I think being a victim sometimes serves you. Yes, you got upset. It felt crappy. Go ahead. You want to cry about it or feel sad or you'll feel a victim for, but yeah, maybe your soul needs that for a minute, but you don't want to live there. You know, nobody wants to live there forever. Feeling like things are being done to them or you know, I can't end even deeper things, you know, their families or things that happened to them that were super traumatic.

Jennifer (20:43):

I mean, that stuff does cause anxiety and depression and, and until can either, you know, work with someone to heal from it or figure out tools to not live there. You know, energetically if you live in that level one place of I'm a victim or things are being done to me and I know I felt that way sometimes about you know, things in my past that it just is what it is. Then you kind of go back there more often because you think that's just is what it is, was create a new story, create a new story that instead of making up the stories that are horrible that are like, Oh well this is what I should've said. How about making up a story that actually is good? You know, maybe that person was just, you know, having a bad day or maybe my family did the best they could with what they were able to do and it's really freeing when you can create a new story that serves you in a better way.

Cindy (21:32):

Thank you. Yes. If you could turn back time and talk to your 18 year old self, what would you tell her about the season of life you're in now? Or even if it isn't about the season of life you're in now, what advice would you give your 18 year old self?

Jennifer (21:47):

Oh my gosh, that's a crazy question. Wow. Now you're opening up my, my brain to think about that. I think where I'm at now, I would tell her that you're going to do great things. You're going to be great, you're going to be great. You know, mom and wife and just go with the flow and enjoy and you know, being ambitious is great, but to really take the time to learn yourself and learn who you want to be and create that and not let it be, you know, created for you because of, you know, what we think we need to do. You know, when you're 18 you're like, all right, now I need to go to college. Now I need to graduate. Now I need to find love in my life. Cause that happens instantly apparently. And then I need to get married and then I need to have kids.

Jennifer (22:32):

And then, and life just doesn't work out the way you think that there's this, I remember having this little timeline for when I was going to be an astronaut on it, so I had a whole timeline and I don't even want to be an astronaut anymore. You know, it's like I want to be different things now. So it's like, it's okay to, you know, learn and grow and mess up and have horrible experiences because there's going to be really good ones too. And just to really, you know, stop and enjoy that and, and you know, kind of let life take you wherever without fear of, Oh my gosh, I met, I failed this one class in college and now I'm never going to graduate. And you know, it didn't work out with this guy. And so now I'm not gonna, you know, there's this, all these things, it's like, you know, it all happened for a reason and I'll happen to be exactly where I am right now

Cindy (23:16):

At the perfect spot right now. So Jennifer how can people follow you on your journey?

Jennifer (23:24):

I have a website and it's called AliveCoachingLLC.com. But I'm also on Instagram, Alive Coaching, LLC on Facebook. I'm starting on TikTok. Um, this is everybody. Sounds like time, but, um, yeah, follow me. I'm going to start giving tips, on social media and I do lot of videos just with the things that I'm thinking about that I feel like would be helpful, to other people. co-parenting and you know, just everything under the sun and it's usually stuff that's affecting me because I'm human, like everyone else. So I'm hoping that it serves other people and, and giving them a different perspective and a different outlook on, on kind of what they're going through now.

Cindy (24:07):

And are you still doing Facebook lives?

Cindy (24:10):

Uh, so yeah, I'm going to start doing more videos and then doing some live sessions on Facebook and Instagram so that people can ask questions or comment in on, you know, what their thoughts or questions are and around coaching. And I also do, um, complimentary sessions for people as well. So if anyone's interested in that, I offer a complimentary session, um, for you to experience what coaches like and really have that powerful conversation experience to see if that would help you kind of unlock and evolve into your next self and your heart, achieve your goals. Thank you so much, Jennifer, for being here. I really appreciate it. You're welcome. Thank you. This was great. It's my first one. Yay.

Cindy (24:51):

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Exploring the Seasons of Life. I really enjoyed my conversation with Jennifer and I especially liked it when she said; “I am whole being myself.” .

Cindy (25:02):

To be honest, it’s been a messy week for me, and I have felt out of alignment so when I sat down to edit the podcast, I found some comfort around our talk about wholeness. For me wholeness is loving the parts of ourselves that we would rather not; accepting our perfectly imperfect self; and gratitude for simply being. Please make sure to visit our website, CynthiaMacMillan.com while you're at it, if you found value in this show, I would appreciate you simply telling a friend about the show that will help us out until next time. Live inspired.

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