Inner Peace to Go: Recent Episodes
Sandy Cohen
A podcast about how to find more peace and ease in your life without meditating on a mountaintop for years. Learn from science, from sages and from self-help about how to bring more balance and joy to your everyday life through small, actionable steps. Featuring interviews with experts and other amazing people who share their paths to peace, insights from scientific studies and actionable tips you can put into practice today. Hosted by journalist Sandy Cohen (on Instagram & Twitter @YouKnowSandy) with new episodes weekly.
You do a lot. You juggle tons of responsibilities and relationships at home and at work, and nobody gives you any awards or praise for most of it. Well, that ends now, because today we're talking about celebrating yourself and how acknowledging your wins supports inner peace.
In this episode, we talk about the psychological benefits of celebrating ourselves, why we don't generally do it and how to start.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Whether you've been to dozens of sound baths or have no idea what a sound bath is, you're bound to learn something from guests Julie Afsahi and Jessica Cross, both sound healers and yoga teachers and the authors of the new book, "Seasons of Sound."
In this conversation, Julie and Jessica explain what sound healing is and why it works and how anyone can access the benefits of sound healing at home without any equipment other than their voice.
And if you want to experience a sound bath at home, you're in luck! Jessica is offering a free audio download of one of her sound baths. Just click here (hear!) for the peaceful vibes.
Also, be sure to connect with Julie at soulstrongyoga.com and Jessica at soundforstress.com. My thanks again to these brilliant sound healers!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Uncertainty is part of life, so when I heard a commercial for a psychic company recently whose tagline was "Discover the joy of certainty," I had to laugh.
Humans prefer certainty -- it was key to our ancient ancestors' survival -- but uncertainty is the way of reality. Besides gravity on Earth, few things are reliably certain. Who could have imagined a global pandemic would shut down the world in March of 2020?!
So in this episode, we talk about practical strategies for making peace with uncertainty, and dialing down the anxiety that accompanies facing the unknown.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Loving ourselves might not feel easy, but it's a practice we can cultivate -- and it's totally worth it! Self-love increases resilience, helps reduce stress, boosts confidence and inspires us to go after our goals.
In this episode, we talk about what self-love is and why it matters, some signs you might need more self-love in your life, myths about self-love, and eight strategies for cultivating self-love that you can start today.
Cheers to amazing you!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
As the owner of a human brain, you possess one of the most complex and sophisticated pieces of machinery on the planet. And you're in charge of it!
We're talking this week about your brilliant brain and how to use it to generate greater inner peace.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Want a better brain? Of course you do! This week, brain health expert Mary Lou Tierney is on the podcast, sharing tips for turning down the stress response and keeping our brain healthy throughout our lives.
In this episode, we discuss negative self-talk, limiting beliefs and how to bring your higher thinking back online when your nervous system has been "hijacked" by the amygdala and the stress response.
Mary Lou offers tons of resources on her website, so be sure to check her out at www.simplybetterbrain.com.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Have you ever eaten something so delicious that you spontaneously close your eyes so you can more fully immerse yourself in its scrumptiousness, so you can truly savor it?
Savoring isn't just for food. Research shows that allowing ourselves to savor the delightful but ordinary moments in our lives boosts our mood, increases well-being and can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. It only takes a few seconds and we can do it right in the midst of our busy lives -- all we have to do is slow down and pay attention.
This episode is about the practice of savoring, what it is, how to do it and why it increases a sense of ease and inner peace.
Let me know if you try it and what you savored!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Life can feel like an endless to-do list, with lots of "stuff" but not a lot of meaning, to the point where we look around and go, "Is this it?! Is this really what life's about?"
One way to shift out of this view and bring more richness and pleasure to our lives is by practicing gratitude. I know it sounds corny! But reams of research studies confirm that intentionally looking for things to be grateful for makes us happier and less stressed -- not just in the moment, but over time.
So in this episode, we're talking about how to find the good in our lives, how being grateful changes our brain and what the science says about the power of gratitude.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Learn a quick and easy technique to ground yourself, get out of your head and change your mental energy in about a minute. I hope you love this "find your feet" exercise as much as I do!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
No matter how old you are, no matter what you've done or not done, it is not too late to go after your dreams or create a life you love.
The biggest obstacle standing between you and your dreams is the mistaken belief that it's too late.
Ava DuVernay, Julia Child, Stan Lee and Susan Boyle are just a few of the people who started building the life they desired in middle age.
The inspiration for this episode is my own realization of not-too-lateness... I recorded it the week I'll be graduating with my master's degree in public health -- 25 years after earning my bachelor's.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Multitasking may be the norm, but monotasking is where it's at when it comes to making meaningful progress while maintaining inner peace.
This week, I share my favorite technique for time management and mental focus -- the Pomodoro Technique -- and how breaking big tasks into bite-size chunks is a powerful antidote to overwhelm.
I use this timer-based technique to make progress on writing projects, housecleaning, and school stuff. I know teachers use it to get through piles of papers that need grading. Spending a chunk of time on a single task not only allows for focus and progress, it helps you learn how much time things really take, and lets you look back at your day with a sense of accomplishment because you know you spent dedicated, focused time on the task at hand.
Let me know how the Pomodoro Technique works for you and if it supports a sense of inner peace!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Nothing interferes with our inner peace like having too much to do and not enough time to do it.
This week, we're talking about what contributes to that feeling of overwhelm and how to shift how we think about the things on our to-do list in a way that allows for more breathing room.
We talk about the "four burner theory" framework for our lives and how paying attention to which burners are on high can prevent us from burning out.
We also discuss boundaries as self-care -- a loving way to make room for the things that matter most to us.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
The 1981 movie "Stripes," starring Bill Murray and John Candy as enlistees in the Army, features a scene with a tough-guy character who says his name is Francis but everyone calls him "Psycho." And if you call him Francis, he'll kill you. And if you touch his stuff, he'll kill you. And if you touch him, he'll kill you.
He gives this whole speech about how he's going to kill everyone, and when he's done, the drill sergeant says, "Lighten up, Francis."
And that's some advice we all could use!
It's easy to take ourselves super seriously, but that generally takes us away from the inner peace we crave.
This episode is about how we can lighten up, Francis, and the many benefits for doing so.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
We often think of inner peace as a state of mind, but it's actually a physical part of the brain, according to Harvard neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor.
Dr. Taylor is the author of the fascinating book, "My Stroke of Insight," in which she shares her experience of having a stroke at age 37 and what she learned about her brain in the process.
The human brain has two hemispheres that have different jobs but work together, and it turns out that the right hemisphere of the brain is where inner peace lives, and it's there all the time. This means inner peace is possible for any of us -- it's literally a part of the brain we already have!
This episode is all about Dr. Taylor's insights and how we can experience the peaceful side of our brain more often.
We read this book in our book club, and if you like books about well-being and personal growth, you should come join us! It's free, it's once a month on Zoom, and we read nonfiction, memoir and self-help and talk about how to incorporate their lessons into our lives. It's super fun! Here's the link if you want to join us!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
What if a 20-second "micropractice" is all it takes to feel less stress and more self-compassion?
That's what researchers at U.C. Berkeley found in a study being published this month.
They taught students a 20-second self-compassion practice and asked them to do it daily. After a month, the students who did the practice most often experienced less stress, more self-compassion and fewer mental health troubles. Twenty seconds!!
In this episode, we discuss what the researchers found and learn the practice that brought more peace of mind to student volunteers.
Please let me know if you try the practice and what you think!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
If your inner critic is working overtime to help you reach your goals -- and reminding you what a loser you are any time you fall short -- you're not alone.
But there's a better way, and not only does it feel WAY better than constant berating and belittling, it actually makes you more likely to reach your goals and to feel good doing it.
It's self-compassion, and it's scientifically proven to boost optimism, resilience, life satisfaction and purpose. It also boosts inner peace -- knowing you have your own back and won't kick yourself when you're down.
Citing the work of psychologist Kristen Neff, this episode explains the benefits of self-compassion and how to practice it.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
What did you have to do to earn the ability to circulate your blood, digest your food, grow your hair and heal your broken bones? Not a damn thing!
This week, we're talking about how our body's capacity to heal itself is evidence of your inherent worthiness. You don't have to do anything to earn it.
You don't have to prove that you deserve your broken bones to mend or a cut on your hand to heal. It just happens, because you are alive. You are already as worthy as you could ever be of goodness and healing -- the goodness of being alive in a self-healing body as the unique you that you are.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Most of us have been raised to believe that our value comes from what we do -- whether we're successful at work, get good grades, make a lot of money, etc.
But when you were a baby, you did none of those things, and yet nobody around you doubted your worth. Even you believed you were 100% worthy. You cried for what you wanted and expected it to be provided, never considering whether you deserved it.
This week, let's remember our inherent worth, the value that comes with just being alive, a living creature on this planet, a piece of the divinity that inhabits every living thing.
It's hard to shift from earning our worth to just knowing our worth, but thinking about how worthy babies -- or kittens, or a little basil plant on your windowsill that you're trying to grow -- can hopefully remind you of your inherent worth.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
When we think about who we are, we generally go to our name, maybe age or gender, and the roles we play in our life: a mom, a sister, a lawyer, etc.
But there's bountiful peace to be had when we expand our notion of who we are to the consciousness that perceives our name, age, gender and life roles. When we identify more as the observer, the witness of our experiences, rather than the experiencer.
The practice of connecting with awareness has been practiced for millennia in wisdom traditions and has been the subject of much research in recent decades. While neuroscientists are still searching for the origins of consciousness in the brain, psychologists have found that actively tuning into this consciousness makes us feel less stressed, more capacious and more resilient.
This week, when you feel overwhelmed or stressed out, see if you can widen your mental and emotional aperture and observe yourself experiencing these feelings. You'll find that this "witness" part of yourself is a step removed from that overwhelm and stress. This awareness is always there, always available. I hope this brings some peace to your week and your life!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Our thoughts are a key way we make sense of the world, so it's easy to default into thinking our thoughts are true. It must be true because I thought it!
Of course, our thoughts are just as fallible as any other human endeavor. Our thoughts aren't always true, and they definitely aren't always helpful. Our thoughts can stress us out and make us feel stuck. They can make us feel bad about ourselves and the circumstances of our lives.
One simple way to know if your thoughts are painting a biased picture of reality is to notice if there are any cognitive distortions at play. These are common thought habits that result in us feeling bad, limited and stressed. But once you know what they are, they're easier to spot. And when you spot them, you know those thoughts are incomplete. They're flawed because they're filtered through a negative lens.
This episode covers some of the most common cognitive distortions so you can learn to spot them and start thinking more accurate, helpful thoughts this week.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Years ago I saw a bumper sticker that said "Don't believe everything you think" and I thought it was so funny -- like that's even possible!?!
But now, more than a decade into my journey into developing more inner peace, I know that deciding which thoughts to invest in and which to ignore is essential to living with less stress and more happiness.
In this episode, I talk about the concept of not believing everything you think, why you might want to be more discerning about which thoughts to give credence to and how to unhook from unhelpful thoughts.
I mention the incredibly insightful and helpful work of Bryon Katie, who suggests asking four questions to investigate our thoughts:
• Is it true?
• Can I absolutely know it's true?
• How do I react when I believe this thought?
• Who would I be without this thought?
In the heat of the moment, if you can't remember these questions or don't have time to go through them, simply ask yourself: Is this thought helpful?
I hope you find this strategy useful. Please let me know if you try it and what you think!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
How do you know when it's time to take a break and if you really need one?
Breaks are part of the rhythm of life -- and they're essential to success.
We all need them. That's why football games have halftime and bears hibernate all winter!
I will be taking a break from producing weekly episodes of "Inner Peace to Go" until I finish the internship required for my Master's of Public Health degree (almost there- woohooo!)
I'll still be hosting my monthly book club, so if you'd like to connect in person on Zoom once a month, please join me there. It's free and super fun. We talk self-help!
Thank you so much for supporting this podcast and please keep an ear out for the occasional episodes I'll be dropping during my break.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
In the hustle culture we live in, it's always about GO GO GO! What's next, whatcha doing, whatcha getting? We look out at the horizon at all the things we want and goals we hope to achieve.
There is great value in taking a moment to look back and appreciate how far we've come. Yes, there are things we're working on, dreams we're in the process of making come true. But we couldn't even consider these dreams if it weren't for everything we've done so far.
Looking back at how far we've come can give us the grit and faith that our future goals will be realized, too. We've got what it takes.
P.S. Come join our book club! Click here to join the free club of big-hearted self-help fans.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Because it's Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to share my own mental health and medication journey with you.
It can be so scary to confront our own mental health issues (it certainly was for me), and it's often complicated by whatever stigma and hangups we have about medication, therapy and all of that (true for me).
So I am sharing my warts-and-all journey through diagnosis and treatment for generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder and my experiences with Zoloft and attempts to get off of it.
I am not a licensed mental health professional, just a human being sharing her experience. If you need medical help, please connect with a doctor. But if you want to talk to someone else walking on the path to mental wellness, feel free to reach out!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Sharing gems of wisdom from Mel Robbins' newest book, "The High 5 Habit."
The Self-Help Circle book club (join us!) dug into this title this month and we all gleaned some practical tools and eye-opening insights from it, so I wanted to pass our discoveries along!
My favorite takeaway, which I've been doing daily, is "high-fiving my heart" and telling myself, "I am safe. I am loved. I am held."
If you like reading personal development books and are looking for some loving folks to discuss them with, please join our book club! We meet once a month on Zoom and we'd love to have you.
Have a peaceful week!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
If only reading self-help, psychology and spirituality books were enough to bring about inner peace. I'd be a levitating deity by now!
But as a beloved therapist told me, "You can't think your way into well-being. You can only act your way into well-being."
This episode offers ideas on the kinds of actions that lead us to feeling more grounded and at ease with ourselves, like we have our own backs and the storms of life won't blow us away with the smallest breeze.
In this episode, I mention a previous pod episode with one of my professors. You can check that one out here.
Thank you for tuning in and talk to you soon!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Let's get some guidance from the Goddesses!
Our oracle card for May comes from the Goddess Guidance oracle deck by Doreen Virtue.
We are in for a healing month, yay!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Stress is a part of life, but chronic stress is another thing entirely. Staying stressed all the time harms our health and happiness.
Let's talk about what we get wrong about stress and what actually works to dial back stress and calm our nervous system.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
We hear a lot about breathwork in the healing & personal development spaces, but what is it exactly? Same with trauma -- do we all have it? And what do we do about it?
Dominiece Clifton has answers on all of the above. A trauma-informed breathwork, yoga and meditation teacher, author, speaker, podcaster and self-proclaimed "stress-pert," Dominiece has been inspired by her own healing journey to share the tools that helped her release her old identity as a stressed-out perfectionist to become her real, authentic self.
Try breathwork for yourself! Dominiece offers a free practice here: https://tinyurl.com/breathewithDom
Also, be sure to check out "The School of Healing" podcast for more good vibes!
Learn more about Dom and her work here.
And don't forget to please send me your questions! What do you want to know about healing, stress management, inner peace and how to feel like your life isn't a total dumpster fire? Let's chat and find the answers together.
DM me @YouKnowSandy or drop me an email at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Wishing you a peaceful week!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
The Storied Human
Thestoriedhuman@gmail.com
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
It's going to be an abundant April!
Card chosen from "Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards" by Doreen Virtue
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
It's easy to feel like the ordinary challenges of life are Important Emergencies, but the truth is that we mostly create this idea in our heads.
Of course, there are legitimate emergencies, like if you think someone is having a stroke or if your baby is about to tip a pot of hot soup off the stove onto themselves.
But most things in life are not emergencies. Convincing ourselves that they are only serves to stress us out.
This is one of the most important lessons I've ever learned from the vast amount of self-help reading I've done, so I wanted to share it with you.
In this episode, I mention the excellent book "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" by Richard Carlson, which I wholeheartedly recommend.
I also invite you to join our book club, where we read and discuss self-help and nonfiction. It's free and super fun. We meet once a month. Here's the link.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Before the stress of the day grabs you by the throat, can you take a minute or two to enjoy your waking moments -- that fleeting time between sleep and fully awakening -- to just appreciate that you have another chance at life today?
Starting with a moment to yourself -- whether you spend it just appreciating the warmth of your cozy bed, look out the window and contemplate the day or take a few deep breaths in gratitude -- sets you up for a much calmer morning and more peaceful disposition than immediately allowing in the stimuli of social media and your email and to-do list.
Try taking a minute to yourself in the morning this week and see how it affects your mood. It could be the beginning of a peaceful morning routine!
Also, if you'd like to join the free Self-Help Circle book club, we'd love to have you!
Here's the link to join.
Have a peaceful week!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
When you're stuck in a thought prison, life can be like "a living death," says Richard Harris, a transformational life coach and personal development devotee.
For Richard (and for me) wellness goes beyond the physical. Once we get our physical health in order through sleep, exercise and nutrition, it's time to dig into the deeper realms of psychology and spirituality.
In this conversation, we talk about the obstacles to inner peace, how to escape the thought prisons we're brought up in and how to look toward the light and the masters we admire (whether that's the Dalai Lama or Michael Jordan) for guidance and inspiration.
Learn more about Richard at richardharriscoaching.com and check out his weekly livestreams at odysee.com.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
When we're stressed, overwhelmed and feeling disconnected from ourselves, it can seem like we need a major life overhaul to get us back on track.
But today's guest, mental health counselor and coach Heather McMahon, shares how simple strategies can actually help us reset our outlook and reconnect to our inner wisdom.
For more of Heather's insights, connect with her on Instagram @creating__you and be sure to check out her podcast, Creating You.
Wishing you a peaceful week!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Arise!!
That's the message from the Rumi Oracle for us for March.
I'm reading from this gorgeous deck, and love this reminder that we are blazing angels made of divinity.
What does this card and its message mean to you? Please let me know!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
What's the connection between manifestation, self-love and feeling our feelings?
Author, coach and self-love expert Kelsey Aida is here to explain.
Plus she leads me to an unexpected exploration of my own feelings, where I notice grief in my body and feel it morph and move. It was a trip!
Check out more of Kelsey's wisdom on her website, KelseyAida.com, and her podcast, High Vibin' It. You can also find her on Instagram @kelseyaida.
She mentions her book "The Mini-Book of Self-Love for the Modern Woman" in this episode, which you can find here.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Working without purpose can seriously detract from our personal peace, but finding that purpose can feel so elusive.
Maybe we've raised the stakes too much?
I'm sharing lessons I learned from experts about how lowering the pressure, expanding our perspective and getting clear on our personal definition of success can help us find more meaning in our work.
This episode is based on an article I wrote for Shondaland.com that you can read here.
If you'd like some support as you find your purpose and cultivate more inner peace in your life, I am available for one-on-one coaching. Please drop me a line if you're interested at sandycohencoaching@gmail.com.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) at innerpeacetogo.com and my NEW website (whoop whoop) sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
On this day of love, here's a reminder to tend to the most important relationship in your life: the one you have with incredible, amazing YOU!
I've got three quick, easy strategies to help cultivate or boost self-love that you can do today or anytime -- one each for mind, body and spirit.
You are the one beautiful soul who will be by your side your whole life, and you deserve at least as much loving care as the other beloveds in your life.
Here's to you! Happy Valentine's Day.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) or drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
When your days feel like drudgery, how do you begin to create a life you love? How do you find the confidence and faith to make big changes?
Organizational psychologist, coach and artist Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey has answers. Not only has she done this in her own life, she now helps clients paint their own path to a life that feels fulfilling, delicious and joyful.
In this conversation, we discuss:
• The importance of making decisions about your future
• How to feel more empowered by reviewing your wins regularly
• The significance of taking baby steps, because action breeds clarity
• Strategies for dealing with the dreaded-but-ever-present inner critic, including making a "hype file," verbally canceling your critic and moving your body
• Psychologist and researcher Carol Dweck's work on fixed mindset and growth mindset
• And so much more!
Connect with Clarissa on Instagram @ccr_sunshine or through her Facebook group and be sure to check out her podcast, Painting Your Path.
Please let me know what you think of this episode -- or anything else on your mind! DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy, visit innerpeacetogo.com or check out my BRAND SPANKIN' NEW website at sandycohen.net.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook here!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) or drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Some of the most popular New Year's resolutions have to do with losing weight and getting fit, yet research shows that most of us have likely abandoned our resolutions by now, six weeks into the new year.
But what if we could love our bodies no matter what they look like?
Actually, we can.
I'm sharing my own experience with body hate and body love and expert recommendations for how we can feel better in our own bodies.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) or drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Let's start of the month with some Rumi!
I got a beautiful new oracle card deck, Rumi Oracle by Alana Fairchild, and I've been so taken with its inspiring messages, so I wanted to share them with you!
I'll pick a new card for us each month.
Love to hear your thoughts on this card, "A New Gown." Message me on IG @YouKnowSandy or drop me an email at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
This is the deck I'm reading from.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) or drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
About 80% of people abandon their New Year's resolutions by February, but that doesn't have to be you!
I've got six science-backed and life-tested tips for you to help you nail your New Year's resolutions this year -- and to actually HAVE FUN and FEEL GOOD doing it.
These are the tips I'll be incorporating as I take on my BIG GOAL for 2023: to complete my book proposal.
Please let me know if you find these tips helpful! DM me on IG @YouKnowSandy or drop me an email here.
And you are invited to join the Self-Help Circle book club!! It's free and so much fun. We meet once a month on Zoom. We're reading Michelle Obama's new book for January. Join here.
Thank you for listening!!
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) or drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
I decided to do a gratitude challenge during the month of November to notice something different each day that I was grateful for and share it online.
In this episode, I share what the experience was like. (Spoiler alert: It was great. Totally recommend.)
Studies show that keeping a gratitude journal for a period of time has lasting benefits, even once the journaling practice is done, so I'm expecting lasting benefits!
Let me know if you try your own gratitude challenge and how it goes! DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or email me here.
Please keep in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (also @YouKnowSandy on Twitter) or drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Get your free Stress Busters ebook, packed with actionable tips to bring on the chill!
Grateful people enjoy better mental and physical health and a stronger immune system.
Free to practice and available to all, gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to boost well-being and inner peace.
In this final episode of season 1, my friend Branimir Kvartuc and I discuss the science of gratitude and why being thankful is so good for us.
Here's my Shondaland.com article about the benefits of gratitude.
And please know how grateful I am to YOU for listening to this podcast. I deeply treasure this chance to connect with you about the subjects I find most interesting and challenging as we all grow into greater inner peace.
Thank you, thank you. Please stay in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or you can email me at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Talk to you in 2023!! Wishing you boundless peace and joy this holiday season and always!!
Limiting your news consumption leads to greater inner peace.
Most of the news we're exposed to is bad news -- nobody reports on the plane that lands safely -- and seeing all these terrible happenings triggers a stress response, which tells our nervous system we're in danger, even if we're safely at home on the couch.
I have worked in the news business for more than two decades, and I got happier when I consumed less news. I don't look at any news until I log in for work and don't read news on weekends at all.
I think it's important to be informed, but it's equally important to be the gatekeeper of our minds and not expose ourselves to a constant stream of bad news.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Email me at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com or DM me on IG @youknowsandy.
Have a peaceful week!
We know our thoughts influence how we feel, but what exactly ARE thoughts? What impacts them and how can we choose thoughts that make us feel supported and capable rather than criticized and inept?
I'm sharing wisdom from psychiatrist Mark Levine, meditation teacher Tuere Sala and what psychology tells us about cognitive distortions.
When we better understand the nature of our thoughts and learn to observe our thoughts, we're well positioned to change our thoughts and focus on ones that make us feel good.
Please let me know what you think of this episode! DM me @YouKnowSandy.
Inspired by my conversation with meditation teacher and student Masako Kozawa in episode 38, and by the latest book discussed in the Self-Help Circle book club, I am offering a short meditation in this episode.
This meditation comes from "Abundance: The Inner Path to Wealth," by Deepak Chopra. You can find it on page 232-233.
Please let me know if you'd like to hear more meditations on this podcast! DM me @YouKnowSandy or email me at innerpeacetogo.com.
And if you'd like to join the free book club, send me a note here.
Anyone on a quest for more inner peace has no doubt heard about the benefits of meditation. But even though the practice is simple -- just sit and breathe -- it can be so hard to do. Our thoughts race. We feel restless. Sometimes looking inside our minds can be uncomfortable and even scary.
Masako Kozawa, a photographer and writer who describes herself as "a teacher and student of meditation," has been there. She came to meditation at one of her lowest points in life, desperate for anything to make her feel better.
For her, the practice has been an unprecedented game changer, reshaping the way she feels about herself, her thoughts and her life.
If you've ever wondered if meditation is worth the effort, Masako's story will convince you!
Masako's podcast is all about the life-changing effects of meditation. Check out "Why Not Meditate?" anywhere you get your podcasts. And connect with Masako on Instagram @masakozawa_photography.
The excellent app we mention in this episode is Insight Timer. The poem I mention is Derek Walcott's Love After Love.
Have a peaceful week!
Habits are the scaffolding of our lives. They are the thoughts and behaviors we repeat regularly, shaping who and how we are in the world.
No matter what habit you're trying to build or break, there are ways to make the process easier. I share eight expert strategies in this episode, many of which I've used myself to both break bad habits (like smoking) and build good ones (I finally meditate daily!).
The books I mention in this episode are:
"Badass Habits" by Jen Sincero
"Tiny Habits" by B.J. Fogg
"Atomic Habits" by James Clear
"Better than Before" by Gretchen Rubin
If you want to get in on my $5 coaching offer -- a power hour to work on one habit -- or join my free self-help book club please DM me on IG @YouKnowSandy or email me here.
Have a peaceful week!
One of the great myths of Western culture is that success equals happiness. You study hard, get a good job and BOOM, happiness forever.
Um, no.
So many of us get caught in this trap, striving striving striving for success so we can be happy while foregoing the things that would actually make us happy as we're wrapped up in that pursuit.
I have experienced this personally and ended up burnt out and diagnosed with depression.
Since then, I've learned what science shows actually makes us happy and how easy it is to postpone them in favor of professional pursuits, only to end up feeling spent and empty.
Has this happened to you? Do you check your work emails during dinner with friends or family? Do you sacrifice sleep to get a jump on tomorrow's work?
I would love to hear how this myth that success = happiness has shown up in your life and how you're dealing with it. Please DM me on IG @youknowsandy or email me through innerpeacetogo.com. And know that I won't be checking your message during dinner!!
Also, here's the legend from Paulo Coelho that I mention in the episode.
Have a peaceful week!
Welcome to Thursday thoughts -- brief thought prompts to consider as a way to bring more peace to your mind and more ease to your life.
Today I'm talking about "social friction," a concept described by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee in his latest book, "Happy Mind, Happy Life."
The idea is to explore the social interactions that cause friction in our days with a warm, gentle perspective: Why does this trigger me? What does it tell me about myself, my current energy and my state of mind? How can I give the person who triggered me the benefit of the doubt in my mind, so the experience is less painful and less personal to me?
I found this concept so compelling (and challenging!) that I wanted to share it with you.
What do you think about "social friction"? Let me know if you try it and what the experience is like! DM me on IG @YouKnowSandy.
How can we find meaning and success at work without giving our whole selves to the job?
Dorie Clark has some ideas. It comes down to making smart decisions about what we agree to and keeping long-term goals in sight, even when we don't have evidence of the results.
Dorie is a professor at Columbia University and Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and the author of several books, most recently, "The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World."
In this conversation, we discuss:
• Why now is the optimal time to negotiate for what you want at work
• The origins of the myth that professional success naturally leads to happiness
• How limiting herself to one meaningful goal at a time has led to more ease and accomplishment in Dorie's professional and personal life
• How to summon the courage to stick with long-term goals when the results aren't immediately obvious
Dig into Dorie's TED talks and tons of free resources at dorieclark.com.
Book a solution-packed power-hour to work on making or breaking a habit! I have a few spots left and they're only five bucks. Five bucks! DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or email me through innerpeacetogo.com if you're interested.
Have a peaceful week!
What is my purpose? Isn't that the billion-dollar question. And is it something I find at work, or outside of work? And how do I find it?
Dharma coach Heather Love has some answers for us. In this second installment of our series about inner peace at work, Heather shares the strategies she uses to help her clients reconnect with what matters most to them to bring deeper meaning to their lives -- whether on the job or not.
(Hint: It requires making room for -- even prioritizing -- joy.)
The book Heather mentions in this episode is "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" by Bronnie Ware.
Connect with Heather on Instagram @iamheatherlove. And be sure to check out her podcast "For the Love of Dharma."
And please let me know what you're taking away from this episode! I am super excited to hear from you. DM me @YouKnowSandy or drop me an email through innerpeacetogo.com.
Have a peaceful week!
How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. So if you're spending your days at an unfulfilling job, it's important to cultivate joy where you can.
Jamie Riene, host of "Breaking Up with Corporate" podcast, has learned to find purpose beyond her day job -- and sometimes within it.
Listen as she shares how following a path of self-inquiry and self-development has allowed her to make a feeling of inner peace more constant in her life, no matter what's going on at work.
We also discuss our fascination with Abraham Hicks in this episode and I mention the book "Ask and It Is Given."
Check out Jamie's podcast, "Breaking Up with Corporate," and follow her on Instagram at @jamieriene.
I'd love to hear what you thought of this episode! DM me at @YouKnowSandy.
Have a peaceful week!
Your brain is not a static organ. It's malleable and remains so throughout our lifespan. This is neuroplasticity, and it's great news for anyone with a brain!
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to create new synaptic connections and build new pathways.
This principle is why our brains can adapt after injury and make room for new skills, like learning a language or how to play guitar. It's also something we can intentionally influence to make more helpful, peaceful thoughts our go-to status quo.
I'd love to know what you think of this concept! Please drop me a line on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or email me at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com.
Have a peaceful week!
Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama are two of the world's great spiritual leaders and they were also great friends.
Filmmaker and activist Peggy Callahan spent a week filming these two luminaries for "Mission: Joy," a new documentary about the importance of joy and how we can create more of it in our lives.
Peggy shares what she learned from these two holy men about gratitude, the solution to self-imposed suffering and how joy is a choice we can intentionally make.
She also discusses the Big Joy Project, the largest citizen science project ever undertaken. It's free to participate, takes seven minutes a day for seven days, and you'll receive a personalized blueprint at the end about how to maximize joy in your own life. Find out more at missionjoy.org/bigjoy. And learn more about the film at missionjoy.org.
Thank you so much for listening to this episode and supporting this podcast, which is nothing without you, the listener! I am still new at this and would love to hear what you're enjoying about the show, what's not so good and what you'd like to hear about in future episodes.
If you'd be so kind, please drop me a line at innerpeacetogo@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy.
Thank you again, and have a peaceful week!
There's so much more to well-being than physical appearance.
Kelsey Bryant discovered this firsthand when, despite a healthy diet and rigorous exercise routine that gave her an enviable physique, she still felt like something was missing.
That's when she began integrating spirituality with exercise science.
In this conversation, we discuss how connecting to a larger purpose makes it easier to make healthier choices and how true wellness incorporates body, mind and spirit.
Kelsey is an exercise physiologist who blends physical and spiritual training in her fitness practice for herself and her clients. She hosts the Fit Christian Woman podcast and offers personal training and nutrition guidance for busy Christian moms. Find Kelsey at her website, Kelsey-Bryant.com, and on Instagram @Kelseyb.bryant.
Does your fitness have a spiritual aspect? Please let me know! Or let me know what you want to hear about on the pod. I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or innerpeacetogo.com.
Have a peaceful week!
Did you know our bodies have a built-in mechanism for activating a sense of calm?
It's called the vagus nerve and it's directly connected to our parasympathetic nervous system, the rest-and-digest, tend-and-befriend condition that's opposite of fight or flight.
I recently wrote about expert-recommended strategies for activating the vagus nerve for Shondaland.com.
My friend Branimir Kvartuc joins me for this episode to talk about the science of the vagus nerve.
You'll also hear in this conversation that we clearly do not know what we're talking about when it comes to "The Hulk."
Here's a recent scientific study about the functions of the vagus nerve.
You can find Branimir on Instagram @Branimir.
And please let me know what you think of this episode or any others! What would you like to hear on the podcast? I am all ears! Reach me @YouKnowSandy or innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Usually, when we feel stressed, it's not because we're being chased by a bear or find our lives in immediate danger. Most often, we're stressed because of traffic, work stuff, relationship stuff, ordinary inconveniences and other things we face on the daily.
That's when these two simple calming techniques can provide a quick dose of peace.
In this episode, I share two science-backed techniques that leverage our physiology to calm the stress response within minutes. I use both of them often. They're free, easy and don't require anything other than a body and a brain.
One is the long exhale and the other is the simple foot meditation.
I hope you find them helpful and would love to hear if you try them and how they work for you.
Please reach out anytime: I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or at innerpeacetogo.com.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
What if we could live by our intuitive wisdom?
Georgiana Alexander lets that inner voice guide her life and career. In this episode, she shares how to hear your intuition, live from the heart and honor your unique gifts.
This episode is a re-run because it's one of the most popular to date!
Find Georgie at chaoscalm.com and on Instagram @heyhellogeorgie and @thechaoscalm. Her podcast is called In the Calm.
As always, I'm on Instagram @YouKnow Sandy.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
It can often feel like our thoughts are thinking us and we're just the audience for this endless stream of chatter in our minds.
But we have a choice in which thoughts we pay attention to and which we ignore, and psychologist Brian Krolczyk explains a simple strategy for how to identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with thoughts that support our mental and emotional well-being.
Brian is a psychologist, a health & wellness coach and director of the Health & Wellness Coaching program at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.
You can find Brian online at LinkedIn and I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Have a peaceful week.
Clutter isn't just an eyesore and a reason to not have guests over. It actually takes a toll on our mental health. People who spend time in cluttered spaces are more distracted and less calm.
I am someone who personally struggles with clutter (of the books, clothes and cosmetics kind), so the tips presented in this episode are all ones I can use.
This is the fourth installment in my Shondaland.com series, based on articles I've been writing for that website.
You can read the original article here.
Also, I mentioned in the episode that I read a book on decluttering to write this story. It was "Breathing Room" by Lauren Rosenfeld and Dr. Melva Green. Another great one I read recently is "Heal Your Living" by Youheum Son.
I will be taking a break over the next several weeks to catch my breath and prep some new episodes. Thank you for your patience as I get more good stuff ready.
Please reach out to me @YouKnowSandy! I would love to hear about your decluttering journey. And the book club will continue during my break, so please come join me there if you like reading self-help!
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Summer is peak FOMO season. School is out, bikinis are on, vacations are happening and our social media feeds are full of enviable images that make us feel like we're the only ones who aren't out being fabulous.
This third installment of the Shondaland series, based on articles about well-being that I've been writing for Shondaland.com, is about how to try a summertime digital detox. These expert tips will make it easy to take baby steps away from your phone and back into your life.
You can read the original story here.
Also, I wrote an e-book!! It's a collection of science-backed tips to reduce stress instantly and build resilience over time -- and it's FREE! Download your copy here.
Have you ever wanted to start a podcast? My friend John Chao is launching a podcasting course next week! Here are the details: https://www.thejohncollective.com/course.
What did you think of this episode? How are you doing with embracing the basics of well-being? Please let me know!! DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or drop me a note at innerpeacetogo.com.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!!
Strong social ties are the number one predictor of happiness. Yet we are living in a time of epidemic loneliness, which was only made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this second installment of the Shondaland series, based on articles about well-being that I've been writing for Shondaland.com, we focus on the importance of fostering good relationships and staying connected.
Learn about the science that shows that good relationships and good health are inextricably linked and discover ways to bring more social richness into your life.
You can read the original story here.
Also, I wrote an e-book!! It's a collection of science-backed tips to reduce stress instantly and build resilience over time -- and it's FREE! Download your copy here.
What did you think of this episode? How are you doing with embracing the basics of well-being? Please let me know!! DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or drop me a note at innerpeacetogo.com.
And it's not too late to join the free Self-Help Circle book club! Part book club, part support group, we meet once a month on Zoom. Get in on it here.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Since January, I've been writing about mental health and well-being for Shondaland.com, and I've learned so many healthy, helpful, inspiring things that I want to share them with you here!
As you probably know, Shondaland.com is the lifestyle website from Shonda Rhimes, the creative visionary behind "Bridgerton," "Scandal," "How to Get Away With Murder" and other amazing shows. I've loved this site since it debuted in 2017 and I am beyond honored to be a contributor.
Each of these stories focus on a different aspect of well-being, the science behind it and strategies you can use to bring more health and happiness into your life. For the next few weeks, I'll spotlight one topic each week and share some of the implementable takeaways.
This week is about embracing the basics of sleep, nutrition and exercise and why these things matter so much to our mental health.
You can read the original story here.
Also, I wrote an e-book!! It's a collection of science-backed tips to reduce stress instantly and over time -- and it's FREE! Download your copy here.
What did you think of this episode? How are you doing with embracing the basics of well-being? Please let me know!! DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or drop me a note at innerpeacetogo.com.
And it's not too late to join the free Self-Help Circle book club! Part book club, part support group, we meet once a month on Zoom. Get in on it here.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Striving toward the life we dream about is scary.
What if we stumble? (We will.)
What if things aren't perfect? (They won't be.)
The key is to give ourselves permission to try and to cultivate confidence along the way, according to musician, producer and chaplain Nick Phelps, founder of Music & Life Mindset.
Nick shares how intentionally shaping his mindset helped him forge a path from a life of limited options to one of love, creativity and entrepreneurship as a music mentor, husband and father.
Nick is the host of the "Who Told You That?" podcast. Connect with him on Instagram @musicandlifemindset.
And please let me know what you think of this episode! What was your most valuable takeaway? I LOVE hearing from you, so please DM me @YouKnowSandy or drop me an email at innerpeacetogo.com.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
It's hard to imagine something more traumatic than losing a child, but Mesha McKittrick transformed this shattering experience in her teens into a lifelong commitment to hone and shape her mindset to empower her growth.
Mesha shares her story in this moving conversation, along with some of the strategies that have helped her seize control of her thoughts and the life narrative they create.
Mesha is a mindset coach and host of the Mindset Check podcast, where she shares elements of her story every week through readings of the journals she kept as a teen.
Find Mesha at her website and on Instagram @myfriendmesha.
What do you think of this episode? Please drop me a line at innerpeacetogo.com or on IG @YouKnowSandy.
And it's not too late to join my free monthly virtual book club! We just picked a new title for our June meeting. Shoot me your email and I'll send you the details!
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Jocey Wiitanen traveled across the globe to find herself, and she's sharing her happiness and well-being secrets here!
(Spoiler alert: Dancing and deep breaths are part of her approach.)
An emotional-healing coach and host of the "Make Life Fun" podcast, Jocey is full of warm wisdom and practical advice for feeling more at ease in our mind and body.
Get more of her contagious joy by following her on Instagram @JoceyWiitnanen!
Which of Jocey's tips will you try? Please let me know at innerpeacetogo.com or on IG @YouKnowSandy.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Does creativity require suffering?
Rachel Moore, a therapist who specializes in working with creative people, has an illuminating answer to this question. She also talks about the connection between therapy and spirituality and why she compares Julia Cameron's book "The Artist's Way" to the Bible.
Rachel mentions a couple of her psychology heroes in this episode: Irvin Yalom and Gabor Mate'.
Learn more about Rachel's work at rachelmoorecounseling.com and connect with her on Instagram @rachelmoorecounseling.
Rachel is also the cohost of a great new podcast, Therapists at Play.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! I'm @YouKnowSandy on Instagram and Twitter.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Feeling grateful doesn't just boost mood and psychological well-being, it improves overall health and leads to a better quality of life, according to Robert Emmons, PhD, the leading scientific expert on gratitude and a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis.
This week, my friend Branimir Kvartuc and I discuss the science of gratitude and what thankfulness looks like in our own lives.
Here are a few links to Dr. Emmons' work, if you'd like to learn more:
The Psychology of Gratitude
Gratitude and Well-Being
Why Gratitude is Good
Branimir shares photos from his grateful life on Instagram @Branimir.
I'd love to hear what you are grateful for! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (and same handle on Twitter).
Love reading self-help? Join my free virtual book club!
Thanks, as always, to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Albert Einstein once said, "There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
What happens when we live as though everything is a miracle? We feel immense wonder, delight and gratitude. We become aware of the incredible abundance around us. We remember that we can choose what we focus on and what meaning we assign to the circumstances of our lives.
I'd love to hear what miracles you've noticed! Please let me know on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or email me through innerpeacetogo.com.
Thanks, as always, to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Do you have to believe in manifesting for it to work?
Coach, hypnotherapist and author Daniel Olexa says no. In fact, he wrote the book on it: "The Pessimist's Guide to Manifesting: A Practical Approach to Making the Law of Attraction and 20 Other Universal Laws Work for You."
It's all about mindset, he says, and understanding how this operating system affects what we see on the screen of our life.
Find out more about Dan's work at DanielOlexa.com. You can follow him on Instagram @danielolexa_ctht_pcc and find his books here.
I'm on Instagram and Twitter @YouKnowSandy.
It's not too late to join the free Self-Help Circle book club!! Next meeting is May 4. Click here to join.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
In our booze-loving culture, alcohol is part of celebrations and occasions of all kinds. Having a drink can take the edge off a stressful day, so it seems like a useful jumpstart to create inner peace. But does it really help? What if life actually feels better with less booze?
My friend and colleague Christy Lemire and I are sharing our journeys with alcohol in this episode: the role it played in our lives and how things have changed in recent years. Spoiler alert: Neither of us drinks like we once did.
What helped Christy change her patterns with alcohol was the Dry January app, which is free. I changed my relationship with wine with the Alcohol Experiment, a free 30-day program. I also found the book "The 30-day Sobriety Solution" very helpful.
I hope this conversation helps you feel less alone if you are questioning your relationship with alcohol. It's not easy to talk about.
You can connect with Christy at christylemire.com and on Twitter @ChristyLemire. Check out her podcast at Breakfast All Day movie reviews.
I'm @YouKnowSandy on both Instagram and Twitter.
It's not too late to join the free Self-Help Circle book club!! Click here to join.
As always, thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
A close call in the Grand Canyon led Haley Peel to explore the role of adventure in her life and tap into a deep well of inner strength, which inspired her to help others discover how outdoor adventures can unleash their own grit and growth.
In this fourth and final installment of the spring series, we discuss how adventures on the edge of our comfort zone -- particularly in nature -- open a portal to greater strength and equanimity, as well as the role gratitude and self-compassion play in this growth.
We mention a LOT of books in this episode. Here are the titles and authors:
"The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy Self," by Michael Easter
"Atomic Habits," by James Clear
"Happy Not Perfect," by Poppy Jaime
"You Are a Badass," by Jen Sincero
"The High 5 Habit," by Mel Robbins
We also mention Cathy Heller and her podcast, "The Cathy Heller Show."
Connect with Haley on Instagram @Haleyscomments310 and check out her podcast "The Empowered Adventurer."
Please get in touch with me anytime! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (same handle on Twitter) and at innerpeacetogo.com.
And please come join the free book club! Sign up here.
Thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Our culture values productivity over rest, so it's easy to put off sleep in favor of more work, more socializing, more Netflix, more scrolling. Yet sufficient sleep is key to our energy, mood and overall well-being. It keeps our brains sharp, our bodies strong, our skin supple and our systems running smoothly -- and it's free!
In this episode, sleep evangelist and "Inner Peace to Go" host Sandy Cohen discusses why sleep is critical to inner peace and how to structure our days so we can log more shut-eye.
Also, it's not too late to join the free Self-Help Circle book club! Click here to sign up.
What helps you wind down and rest? Let me know on Instagram or Twitter @YouKnowSandy.
Thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
Clutter in your physical space can manifest as tension in the body and hangups in the mind.
Kira Rodenbush, a professional organizer and licensed massage therapist, has seen how too much stuff affects not just the home, but the people who live there.
In this second part of our special spring series, Kira offers some fun-making decluttering tips and powerful insights about how our stuff affects how we feel.
Check out Kira's podcast, "What's Up With Your Stuff? Conversations on the Consequences of Clutter," anywhere you get your podcasts. And follow her on Instagram @KiraRodenbush.
You can find me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
To sign up for my new book club -- it's free!-- click here.
Thanks to Michael Kobrin for the music.
Have a peaceful week!
When Heather Webster hit a personal low, she turned to nature. Now a mindful outdoor guide, Heather helps other women -- and all of us -- tap into the restorative power of nature to find calm, connect with our intuition and live a more joyful life.
In this first episode in our special spring series, Heather talks about how being outside helped her find peace inside and how anyone can draw on the magnificence of nature to enliven their spirit, feel more deeply into their intuition and experience the majesty of the present moment.
Heather is the host of the "Saved By Mother Earth" podcast. You can connect with her at HeatherWebsterWellness.com and on Instagram @HeatherWebsterWellness.
As always, you can find me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
If you want to join my free book club, please click here!
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Have a peaceful week!
A roundup of the insights from February's episodes!
Learn about how stimulating the vagus nerve can bring about instant inner peace, the power of consciousness, powerful strategies for pointing our thoughts in a helpful and healthy direction and how to recognize our inner light.
Plus a sneak peek at what to expect from the spring series coming up in March!
If you've ever taken a yoga class, you've heard the word namaste, but what does it really mean to know your inner light and honor it in others?
Former intensive care nurse Rachael Blair was inspired to discover and celebrate her inner light when job burnout caused her to question her purpose and reexamine her identity.
We discuss that journey in this conversation, along with the importance of self-care and play and how Rachael is teaching her young children these valuable lessons.
We also mention the book "Ask and It Is Given," by Esther and Jerry Hicks.
Our affirmation this week is: I am open to seeing the light in myself and others.
Find Rachael on Instagram @rachaeldblair and I'm @YouKnowSandy. Rachael is launching her podcast, "Raising Vibrant Kids," in March, so be sure to look for it! Meanwhile, you can join her Raising Vibrant Kids Facebook group here.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Have a peaceful week!
A near-death experience inspired Brian Krolczyk, PhD, to shift his professional priorities. He not only became a health & wellness coach, he teaches others to become coaches and is on a mission to help people harness one of our most important health behaviors: our thinking.
Brian Krolczyk, PhD, NBC-HWC, is the director of the Health & Wellness Coaching program at University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point (which I completed in 2020).
In this episode, he shares some incredibly powerful strategies for recognizing unhelpful thought patterns and replacing them with healthy thoughts that inspire greater peace, ease and vitality. I love his tips and am putting them to use already!!
One of the most important things I learned from Brian in the health coaching program is that thinking is a health behavior -- it's something we DO and it has a significant impact on our life and well-being.
In this conversation, he mentions taking a values inventory. Here's a sample to consider. We also did this Character Strengths Survey as part of the coaching program.
Our affirmation this week is: I pause and choose healthy thinking.
You can find Brian online at LinkedIn or at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.
Please get in touch with me anytime! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy or visit innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Have a peaceful week.
Being diagnosed with MS changed Linda Burke's life. She left behind her corporate career and began exploring consciousness, that awareness of existence that unifies all sentient beings. Linda ultimately became a certified conscious parenting coach -- which she's since expanded to include conscious adulting and conscious coupling -- and create A Conscious Moment podcast.
In this episode, we talk about the power of consciousness, how being still allows us to become aware of the reality of the present moment, which enables us to move into the next moment with more clarity and calmness.
We mention a few books during this conversation, including "Happy Not Perfect," by Poppy Jaime, "The Body Keeps the Score," by Bessel van der Kolk, MD, and "The Energy Codes," by Dr. Sue Morter.
Find Linda at becomingmoreconscious.com.
Please let me know what you think of the episode and the show! I will be so excited to hear from you! I'm on Instagram @youknowsandy (same handle on Twitter) and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Have a peaceful week!
Happy Valentine's Day!
On this day of celebrating love, I want to remind us to love the MOST IMPORTANT person in our lives: US!
It's so easy to be critical and downright mean to our precious selves. I know I do it. But we can choose to recognize that we are just human, fallible and flawed, and as worthy of love as any other living creature on Earth.
In this little episode, I'm sharing some of the things I try to remember when my vibe is less than loving to the living being that is me.
Please share your self-love ideas, too!! I am always looking for more strategies and tips to cultivate inner kindness. You can DM me on Instagram @YouKnowSandy, find me on Twitter @YouKnowSandy or email me through the link on innerpeacetogo.com.
Happy self-loving!!
(Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!)
Inner peace can sound so nebulous, which is one reason I love learning about the workings of the brain and the science of the mind. So I'll be bringing you periodic science breaks, where we dig into some of the science behind why we are how we are.
To help with these science breaks, I'm joined by my friend and fellow journalist Branimir Kvartuc. He's not as much of a science nerd as I am, but he's curious and enthusiastic, so he's a wonderful sounding board for these concepts.
In this episode, we talk about the vagus nerve, a cranial nerve that links the brain with the gut and is a channel to the parasympathetic nervous system -- the rest-and-digest system -- which is the opposite of the stress-induced fight-or-flight response.
Also, we clearly do not know what we're talking about when it comes to "The Hulk."
Here's a recent scientific study about the functions of the vagus nerve.
You can find Branimir on Instagram @Branimir.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
What do you think about the vagus nerve? Please let me know, or just pop by to say hi! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy (same handle on Twitter) or at innerpeacetogo.com.
There were so many great takeaways from my guests in January that I wanted to collect them in one handy little bonus episode!
This month, we learned about the restorative power of solo dates (episode 2) and were reminded that wearing something nice can give our mood a boost; we talked about the significance of the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves (episode 3) and the role journaling can play in self discovery and self empowerment; we discussed the importance of honoring our unique makeup and tuning into intuition (episode 4); and we learned about trauma, depression and the essential elements for good physical and mental health: sleep, nutrition, movement and fresh air (episode 5).
Thank you to all my January guests!
Lena Porter: @lenaporter
Krystal Carruthers: @krystalcarruthers
Georgiana Alexander: @_georgianaalexander
Regina Randle: @reginarandle610
And please get in touch! I would love to hear from you. Find me on social @youknowsandy (or @youknowsandy) or at innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you @michaelkobrin for the music!
Get ready for a hootenanny in podcast form!
This special hybrid-interview episode features therapist and minister Regina Randle, host of the Faith & Theory podcast. Regina and I are students in the same podcasting class. We'd planned on interviewing each other in separate episodes for our individual podcasts, but ended up spontaneously interviewing one another during this conversation.
Regina draws on her professional expertise to talk about trauma, resiliency, identifying symptoms of depression and the basic self-care steps that shore up mental health. We also dive into our own insecurities and discoveries as we've reshaped our work lives based on knowing ourselves better in our forties. There's also a lot of laughter in this episode.
When discussing trauma and rumination, Regina mentions a book called "The Body Keeps the Score." It's by Bessel van der Kolk, MD.
Check out Regina's podcast, Faith & Theory, which explores the intersection between spirituality and mental health, wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find Regina at warroomcounseling.com and on Instagram @faithandtheory or @reginarandle610.
You can always find me on Instagram @youknowsandy (same handle on Twitter) and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Georgiana Alexander has been on a seeker's path since her earliest days -- as a kid, her parents would punish her by making her go to Tony Robbins' seminars! Now a multi-passionate entrepreneur, wellness coach and host of the In the Calm podcast, Georgie relies on intuition and self-knowledge to chart a soulful way forward for herself and her clients.
In this episode, she talks about the power of intention and how recognizing our unique makeup and the gifts in our life can lead us to discover more purpose and fulfillment. She also offers practical tips to bring more happiness into our lives and the feel-good practices she regularly turns to.
Find Georgie at chaoscalm.com and on Instagram @heyhellogeorgie and @thechaoscalm. Her podcast is called In the Calm.
Please let me know what you think of the episode and the show! I will be so excited to hear from you! I'm on Instagram @youknowsandy (same handle on Twitter) and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you Michael Kobrin for the music!
Have a peaceful week!
Krystal Carruthers has come to see health and wellness as an interlocking 3D puzzle, where all the pieces are interdependent. This holistic approach has allowed her to reach new levels of physical fitness, mental health and general contentment. She also replaced her inner critic with an inner badass and is now proud to let her fangirl flag fly. We also talk about what "Star Wars" and the Marvel universe can tell us about our own futures.
Krystal is the host of the "Fierce, Fun and Free" podcast, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Krystal on Instagram @krystalcarruthers.
Please get in touch! I'm on Instagram (and Twitter) @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you to Michael Kobrin for the music!
Looking for a New Year's resolution you'll be eager to keep? Consider regular solo dates!
After reading Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way," Lena Porter started taking herself on weekly solo dates to recharge from her busy life as an entrepreneur, stylist and mom. These dates have taken her to a Russian bathhouse, tae kwon do lessons and kundalini yoga classes, among many other experiences, and inspired her to start her "Dating Lena" podcast.
In this episode, she shares how these dates have made her happier, more confident, more creative at work, more patient with her kids and more grounded overall.
Find Lena on Instagram @LenaPorter and visit her style website at lenaporter.com. Be sure to take her superfun style quiz!
Read more about Julia Cameron and "The Artist's Way" here.
And please stay in touch! I'm on Instagram @YouKnowSandy and at innerpeacetogo.com.
Hello, happy new year and welcome to the Very First Episode of Inner Peace to Go! I'm your host, Sandy Cohen, and I am new at this.
In this intro episode, I share how my career as a Hollywood entertainment reporter led to a decade-long quest for inner peace. I also explain what I mean by "inner peace" by discussing the six dimensions of wellness I learned about while studying to become a health & wellness coach.
Here's a link outlining these six dimensions from the National Wellness Institute.
Please contact me and let me know what inner peace means to you and what you'd like to hear on the podcast! Find me on Instagram or Twitter or at innerpeacetogo.com.
Thank you for being here!
Welcome to Inner Peace to Go, a podcast about how to bring more peace and ease to your everyday life, starting right now.
Enjoy the trailer! The first full episode drops Jan. 3, 2022.
What would you like to hear on the show? Please share your thoughts at www.innerpeacetogo.com or hit up host Sandy Cohen on Instagram @YouKnowSandy.