Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Jaime begins by sharing a recent conversation with a friend which centered around the idea that some people may be driven by hope while others may be driven by faith. Jaime asks Scott his perspective on the idea and the two then delve into the meaning of both terms and the roles these entities may have in life. The duo arrives at the idea that perhaps these concepts allow us to make sense of, and even find comfort in, the uncertainties and unknowns of life.

ACTion Event of the Week: Take some time to explore the concepts of hope and faith. What roles do they play in your life - particularly in more challenging situations. How might you focus on strengthening either of these skill sets?

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we delve into the multifaceted topic of change!

References:

Unknown (2023). The psychology behind faith. PsychoLogs Magazine.

https://www.psychologs.com/the-psychology-behind-faith/

Preston, C. (2021). The Psychology of Hope: Rebuilding in the face of ongoing adversity. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-health-in-the-workplace/202110/the-psychology-of-hope

Quote:

"Never help a child with a task that he feels he can succeed." – Maria Montesorri

"Development is a series of rebirths." –Maria Montesorri

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by Kirsten Nichter. Kirsten is a special education teacher and parent coach. Through her experiences working with young children, Kirsten realized her passion for helping parents. Kirsten shares her story of becoming a parent coach, as well as guiding Scott and Jaime in exploring topics like self-compassion (as a parent), building resilience within oneself and their children, and more!

ACTion Event of the Week: Each day, take a few minutes to answer the following two questions - What was your parenting win today? What is something that you are grateful for?

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH!

https://www.connectionsparentcoaching.com/

https://www.instagram.com/connectionsparentcoaching/

https://www.facebook.com/ConnectionsParentCoaching

Chow, K. (2017). Building Resilience Through Play Based Learning. Housman Institute.

Li W, Tan F, Zhou Z, Xue Y, Gu C, Xu X. Parents' Response to Children's Performance and Children's Self-Esteem: Parent-Child Relationship and Friendship Quality as Mediators. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 15;19(10):6012.

Neff, K. (2015). Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself.

Siegel, D. and Bryson, T. P. (2019). The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child.

Siegel, D and Bryson, T.P. (2020). The power of showingup: How Parental Presence shapes who our kids become how their brains get wired.

Clinton, J. (2013). The Power of Positive Adult Child Relationships: Connection Is the Key. Harvard University.

Quote: Trust is "the most effective way of relating to and working with others" and "one of the most powerful forms of motivation and inspiration." -Stephen Covey

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by Dr. James Panico. James guides a thought-provoking discussion about trust. How is it defined? What role can it play in one's life? What happens when trust is harmed? And more!

ACTion Event of the Week: Think about those people in your life who you deeply trust. Take some time to reach out to them - in any way that you'd like - and let them know how much you value them and the trust you share!

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH!

References:

Trust. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/trust

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime take some time to share pieces of their unique stories. They then delve into the idea of stories - the ways stories differ depending on who's living or viewing them, the ways stories can change (often unexpectedly) over time, and the impact time and space can have on one's ability to tell a story.

ACTion Event of the Week: Write YOUR story! Take some time to ponder and reflect. Then, sit down and start writing. Perhaps from the beginning…or maybe you choose to focus on a time or event that stands out most in your mind.

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore HOPE and FAITH!

References:

Dibdin, E. (2022, March). The Mental Health Benefits of Journaling. Psychology Central. https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling

Dingfelder, S. (2011, January). Our stories, ourselves. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/stories

McAdams, D.P. (2006). The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live by. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sutton, J. (2018, May). 5 Benefits of Journaling for Mental health. Positive Psychology. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-journaling/

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime introduce the theme of Season Six - exploration! Each episode will feature a single word meant for listeners to explore right along with the duo. Jaime and Scott begin the episode by defining exploration and the role it plays in their lives currently. They then discuss some ways that we can engage in self-exploration and a few of the benefits.

ACTion Event of the Week: Take some time to think about an area of your life in which you'd like to explore. Then, dive in…in any way that feels right to you…write, meditate, talk with family and friends, etc.

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore FAITH and HOPE!

References:

Bench, S. W., Schlegel, R. J., Davis, W. E., & Vess, M. (2015). Thinking about change in the self and others: The role of self-discovery metaphors and the true self. Social Cognition, 33(3), 169–185.

Epstein, S. (2010). Demystifying intuition: What it is, what it does, and how it does it. Psychological Inquiry, 21(4), 295–312.

Explore. (Retrieved 2024). Dictionary.com https://www.dictionary.com/browse/explore

Hovde, M., & Wade, D. (2022). What Is The Purpose of Self-Exploration? Psychology Central.com https://psychcentral.com/blog/self-exploration-getting-to-know-thyself

Sutton, J. (2023). 30 Best Self-Exploration Questions, Journal Prompts, & Tools. Positive Psychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/self-exploration/

Thomas, V. (2016). Using mental imagery in counseling and psychotherapy: A guide to more inclusive theory and practice. Routledge.

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime are joined by the amazing Kaludia Burian! Klaudia shares some of her journey to becoming an integrative nutritional health coach. She helps us to understand what a health coach is, what they do, and how they may be able to guide us in becoming the best and healthiest version of ourselves. Klaudia also provides some wonderful resources, so that we can all learn even more.

ACTion Event of the Week: If you found yourself thinking, "I want to learn more about health coaching," check out the resources below.

To find a Nationally Board-Certified Health and Wellness coach in your area https://members.nbhwc.org/search/custom.asp?id=6956

Quick read from Forbes Health on 'What is a Health Coach'? Do I need one? (includes links to additional resources)

https://www.forbes.com/health/body/what-is-a-health-coach/

To connect with Klaudia personally or request The Weekly Nibble https://mytulsinutrition.com

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore our Zones…of regulation!

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime discuss a question they've been pondering for a while. Is it possible to love someone unconditionally? The duo talks about what unconditional love entails and contrasts it with conditional love. Jaime and Scott also talk about ways in which we might be able to cultivate unconditional love, which not so surprisingly, starts with learning to love ourselves unconditionally. In the end, Scott and Jaime decide that perhaps the best way to encompass the true spirit of unconditional love is being able to - not so simply - say "I love you" to another person without feeling the need to add to the statement.

ACTion Event of the Week: Think about those in your life who you love unconditionally. What is it about those people and relationships that allow you to offer and share this love? Then, think about yourself - do you love yourself unconditionally? It can be difficult, and yet so important, to do so. After pondering these questions for a while, think about one way in which you can practice and strengthen your ability to unconditionally love yourself and others.

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act to Live as we explore loving kindness!

References:

Cuncic, A. (2022). What is Unconditional Love? Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/does-unconditional-love-make-for-healthy-relationships-4165457

Psychologs Magazine (2023). True Meanings of Unconditional Love. https://www.psychologs.com/true-meanings-of-unconditional-love/

Raab, D. (2020). The Secret of Unconditional Love. Psychology Today.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-empowerment-diary/202002/the-secret-unconditional-love

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime talk about the concept of 'holding space.' The duo shares their thoughts about what it means to hold space for oneself and others. Scott talks about the ways in which mindful and intentional daily practice of holding space for himself helps him to be better able to hold space for others. Jaime talks a bit about how, at the moment in her life, holding space for herself seems much more difficult and more daunting than holding space for others. The two explore ways that we might be able to begin holding more space for ourselves especially in moments when it might feel difficult to do so.

ACTion Event of the Week:

Part 1: How would you define 'holding space' for yourself? How would you define 'holding space' for others?

Part 2: Which one is more difficult for you? Why? Can you identify at least one thing that you find difficult?

Part 3: What is the first step that you could take to begin 'holding space' for yourself?

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act To Live as we explore trust.

References:

Wilson, S. 5 Ways to Create Mental Space. Simplify Magazine. https://nosidebar.com/mental-space/

Summary:

On this episode of Act To Live, Scott, Jaime, and Courtney explore the terms authenticity and vulnerability. What do they mean? What role can they play in one's life? How do they interact? And, can you be one without the other? The three then talk about the benefits, challenges, and motivations behind being authentic and/or vulnerable.

ACTion Event of the Week:

Part 1: When you are being authentic and vulnerable, what does that look like?

Part 2: Choose any situation/person and think about what might motivate you to be authentic and vulnerable?

Part 3: What is the first step in this situation/with this person you can take to be authentic and vulnerable?

Where do we walk next?

Join us on the next episode of Act To Live as we explore empathy.

Summary: On this episode of Act To Live, Scott and Jaime explore the power of friendship. They discuss what it means to be a friend, the qualities of friends, the varying roles that friends may play in one's life, and those extra special friends that truly become 'our people.'

ACTion Event of the Week: Think about those people in your life who you call your best friends/your close friends/your people. Reach out to them and let them know just how much they mean to you!

Where do we walk next? Join us on the next episode of Act To Live as we discuss authenticity with a very special guest!