purposeful wilderness's podcast: Recent Episodes
Jennifer Covaleski
I place to come and enjoy some conversation mixed with a little advice about life, parenting, and just being human. Join me weekly as we unwrap ideas, dissect negative self-talk and find action steps to life's little, and big, wins so that you can be the best version of yourself that you can be and live the life you were made to live.
We send ourselves 60,000 messages a day!!!!!! 45,000+ of these are negative and go against all our dreams, goals, and aspirations. Of those 45,000+, many are repeated day after day after day until negative self-talk becomes a habit and we become who are saying we are... forcing us to fall further from our best selves. The crazy thing is... this is our brains answer to not having to work so hard. But it keeps us in a serious rut and starts or aids in all our downward spirals... Not anymore! Today we will take a deep dive into how this quiet destroyer of all things good and great tells us lies and, even better, develop strategies to employ when you hear these false words and how to flip them for good... thus causing positive self-talk to become your habit, leading you closer and closer to your best self... your You 2.0! Thank you for sharing your precious time with me. And remember... You are seen. You are heard. You are loved. Keep Mommin' hard because it really matters!
Taking care of yourself matters. The words we choose to speak to ourselves (and others) matter. Let's dive deep in the language of self-care and come out with a better version of ourselves.. so we can love others well.
Just do the next right thing. Little by little you'll get there! Consistency for the win!
Overview A quiet mind is sometimes a scary place to be, especially when you're -struggling - you may not even know you're avoiding the quiet. This is the most dangerous type of struggle because you may not even know it is going on. It's easier to stay busy because it is justifiable and socially acceptable. Society tells us that being busy means we are more capable and more important. We talk about my scary realization that came when multitasking wasn't a way to try and get multiple things done... rather it was a way to prove my worth.
I was addicted to being busy. I was able to please others but I lose myself. How do you know when being busy is a true season or an excuse?
-actions steps to hold you accountable - available to download in shownotes
Ask yourself these 3 questions:
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Where is my time going all day every day
-make a list of all you do then keep track of your hours during the day
-I made a .pdf to help you with this it will be in the show notes. download it for free and check it out.
-I know that not everyday looks the same, so maybe target 2-3 typical days a week and take the average of the two (definitely one weekday and one week end of one day on and one day off whatever best applies to you) -
Why am I doing what I do (fill in the blank)
-sometimes our desire to stay busy masks itself with keeping our family moving OR your family could just truly love the sports they are in, the plays they audition for, or the instruments they play. But when you shine a light on this, you are able to see it for what it is. A lifestyle or an excuse. Define it and then redefine it because remember this is a journey, not a destination. - Who is this for?
-this is a deep dive.
-are the kids really loving the intramurals or do you want this for them because you love it more?
-do you need to run to the store 3-4 days a week, warranted for fresh foods and random forgetful moments (and when you live in the country there are few neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar from), or are you keeping busy to stay away from something you need to address? the more you go to the store the less your wallet will have - keep these trips to a minimum impulse buying happens to even the strongest among us - especially when we feel disconnected and alone.
-Do you overextend yourself to keep yourself feeling relevant? Overextending yourself is never okay.. boundary work is real yo
-there is a space for busy seasons
-transitions - moving, lifestyle changes, day changes, hobby shifts, uncontrollable commitments - but in time our goal should be to steady these busy times out to allow the white space that only calm brings
-so during these crazier times in life, when it's just not possible to slow down time, say no to things that truly matter, or roll with the punches that starting back up to school/ moving to another home/ practicing driving lessons/ visiting college campuses, etc then those are the times where we seek strategies to find calm in the chaos.
-you won't know that calm until you experience it outside those uncontrollably busy times that life throws at us.
-are these busier times, when we need to shift our focus, wilderness moments? Sometimes. But not every big change in life leads to the unknowns and overwhelm. Some shifts are easier than others.
prioritizing is so important
-make a mission statement for your family
-write down what you love and what no longer serves you
-create space each day to evaluate the above questions until life feels like it has less of a hold on you and your emotions
-sit quietly, even if it is just a few minutes. for me, I pray and then just listen. I realize I'm often a bad listener - especially to my prayers.
My worth is not defined by how busy I am. And neither is yours! Join me as we walk through this difficult time to help me define my purpose. This broken time of my life defines my first few moments in the wilderness... and I would love for you to learn something from my struggles. Thanks for being here!
Quotes Peace is a result of training your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be. -Wayne Dyer
Counter Culture makes more sense.
Out of boredom comes creativity.
Opposite of the saying that an idle mind is the devil's work shot. A quiet mind searches and seeks answers to questions you may not even know you needed to be answered.
Don't confuse activity with productivity. Many people are simply busy being busy.
Who you are and who you decide to help define your worth... BUT YOU ARE WORTHY. So so worthy.
Where there is no vision, the people will perish. Proverbs 28:18
Links Mentioned Being Busy Means I am Busy download
https://www.canva.com/design/DAEm_vZL4oA/bX62N0uMVn8eJej7CHhN8A/view?utm_content=DAEm_vZL4oA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
Overview Hi. I am here today to chat about how retail therapy is wrecking our goals. In a heavily tolerated, if not promoted, society where more is more and enough is never enough - retail therapy is just as cool as wine-thirty. In fact, those who don't subscribe to spending money as a means of satiating some other need, are looked at as boring or drab. I break down my experience with learning how to spend and save money and how retail therapy caused me to go further from my goals. I took a long way around, and thereby gleaned some serious knowledge about what not to do. Join me in walking through this part of my wilderness in hopes of giving you tips and tricks to avoid the pitfalls I ran into. This is real life... this is the wilderness... this is all part of my purpose. Thanks for joining me. What We're Talking About 1. Spending money to save money. 2. Vulnerability is the wilderness. 3. Hard stop to it all! 4. Practicing daily gratitude and keeping track of numbers. 5. Tips and tricks to keeping check of online shopping.
Links Mentioned My Mindful Day download
https://www.canva.com/design/DAEm_16hx4c/dWINWBJZNOULlVqnysBjnQ/view?utm_content=DAEm_16hx4c&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink
Trailer Episode
Introduction to my dreams & goals for this Podcast
my heart is in this for you
sharing my pain points and stories will help you grow
Sharing my journey and the principles that I learned along the way
Finding my purpose amidst the wilderness moments
"Enduring this pain will make us better people."
"Your time in the wilderness will make you stronger."
Your pain will provide you with your purpose.
Mistakes are only mistakes if you don't learn from them, otherwise, they are lessons.
Professional students
Thinking, nutrition, and movement connection?
College major was all that mattered
Masters in Kinesiology in Biomechanics with a minor in Nutrition & Psychology
Doctorate in Physical Therapy
Mentioned to humble me... because my professional student status choices were made because of fear, not following my heart.
I Graduated, got my 1st job, got married, had our 1st baby all in one year
Identity crisis: college student to having a boss who pooped his diapers
Parenting out of fear, the comparison with other Mom's in parenting was robbing me of my happiness.
Found out I am not too good at not knowing what to do
Goal: Manage the mayhem to make less of it.
13 years later I am ready to share our stories to help others:
3 adoptions in 2 years, with only 2 adopted babies. Disrupted adoption led to adopting 2 kids by leaning on one another and leaning in and saying yes.
Move cross country from PA to MT, decided in February, moved in August.
Moved back to PA 8 months later in the height of the pandemic April 2020.
Started homeschooling & decided to start a small family farm when back in PA
I wouldn't feel such a strong urge to do this if I wasn't able to get it done successfully. Fear is a liar.
Living life together has changed us all for the better.
Individualized journey to decided to homeschool.
Everyone is fearful of the wilderness... but understanding how to grow and thrive through brokenness is what I have learned and what I would like to help you with by providing you with the tools to see your vision. I will meet you right where you are and we will start there.
His timing is always perfect. Lean in and say yes to the journey.
Join me as we tackle motherhood together. Help you with the overwhelm so that you have time to focus on what really matters. Say goodbyes to blame, shame and guilt.
Take my hand and say yes and become You 2.0
Come back next Wednesday so we can tackle your own wilderness and find your purpose.
Love and light.