Athena Wellness Podcast - Reclaiming Our Warrior Spirit

#038  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.  I bet many of you, like me, are sensing a bit of a shift.  Last year at this time, the pandemic was taking hold and the future felt fearful and uncertain.  Today, there’s hope of a return to some sense of normalcy.

Today I wanted to share some thoughts on post-pandemic life.  A recent American Psychological Association survey found that 49 percent of adults feel uncomfortable about returning to in-person interaction when the pandemic ends.  And 46% don’t feel comfortable returning to pre-pandemic life.

Many of us have experienced some sense of trauma – losing someone we love, being on the front lines as an essential worker or being separated and isolated, to name a few.  As a result, our next steps can feel tentative.

I’ll be sharing three themes and three suggestions to make your journey back into the world a little easier.  If you’re looking for community as you find your way in the post-pandemic world and journaling about these topics is of interest to you, consider joining the Deepening the Conversation Writing Practice.

Links:

Deepening the Conversation Writing Practice – A virtual circle focused on mindfully re-emerging post pandemic

Contact Kathy

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While listening on your app, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:https://athenawellness.com/podcast.

#037.  Minimalist Joshua Becker defines minimalism as “The intentional promotion of the things that bring you joy and the removal of those that do not.”  It seems simple enough, doesn’t it?  Determine which possessions, people and activities are important to you and let go of what doesn’t add value.  So, what trips us up?

It’s estimated that the average American home has tripled in size over the past 50 years and contains 300,000 items.  And the Environmental Protection Agency has reported that Americans throw away more than 25 billion pounds of reusable textiles each year – that’s 70 pounds per American adult.

We don’t have to be minimalists to learn from minimalism.  I believe we’re all longing for a bit of space and simplicity.  Today we’ll explore what makes us mindlessly consume and how we can increase our awareness to be more mindful of how we spend our time and money and move toward a simple lifestyle of essential elements.

Links:

George Carlin – Stuff

Joshua Becker – 21 Surprising Stats that Reveal How Much We Really Own

EPA – Don’t Trash Your Old Clothes

The Minimalists

Colin Wright

Leo Babauta

Courtney Carver

Erin Boyle

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While listening on your app, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:https://athenawellness.com/podcast.

#036  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

Today, I’m joined, once again, by Laurie Wagner, writer, teacher and creator, who shares her thoughts on inviting sensuality into your life and how to keep your creative tank filled.

If you find the Wild Writing process intriguing and would like to write with Laurie or with me, I’m including links to our websites where you can check out Laurie’s Wild Writing Family and my Deepening the Conversation Writing Circle.

Links:

27powers.org (Laurie’s website)

Deepening the Conversation Writing Circle (Kathy’s website)

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit: https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#035  I’m joined today by writer, teacher and creator Laurie Wagner, who helps her students explore their deepest creative stirrings through a process she calls Wild Writing.

Laurie has been publishing books and essays and teaching writing for the last 25 years.  She has a gift for holding space in a way that supports her students as they dive into their inner worlds.  Along with her Wild Writing classes, Laurie also hosts The Wild Family, a group of writers from all over the world who she works with weekly.

As you’ll soon hear, Laurie has a unique view of storytelling and how to mine those stories to access your inner truth.

We cover a range of topics including:

• What it means to live a creative life
• How to invite and work with creative ideas
• A reflection on the year 2020 including the lessons of letting go
• And how to take the soulfulness of these times as we re-emerge into the world

We end this episode with our Dose of Inspiration segment, where Laurie shares some of the things that are lighting her up these days.

I came away from this conversation feeling inspired – that the depth of emotion and experience of the past year will be transformed and will inform what we create and how we choose to re-engage with the world.

Links:

Tara Brach (author and meditation teacher)

Waking Up App (Sam Harris)

Shtisel (NYT article)

Nomadland (NYT article)

27powers.org (Laurie’s website)

Deepening the Conversation Writing Circle (Kathy’s website) 

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

 For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit: https://athenawellness.com/podcast.

#034  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

In Episode 33, I gave an overview of Dr. Martha Beck's new book, The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self. In that book, she explores what happens when we disconnect from our true selves in order to fit in with the expectations of others.

It reminded me of the research I did when I wrote The Athena Principles on the impact of hiding what psychologist Carl Jung called the Personal Shadow or the Disowned Self. I'd like to share an exercise from that book that I developed to welcome and embrace our hidden aspects back into our lives.

A critical part of self-compassion is fully accepting ourselves, including our light and dark aspects.  In doing so, we can experience enhanced wellness, increased authenticity and a deeper relationship with yourself and others.

At the end of the episode, I share a journaling exercise I developed when I wrote The Athena Principles to welcome and embrace our hidden aspects back into our lives.

Links Mentioned:

Martha Beck’s Website

The Athena Principles

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#033  Dr. Martha Beck is a best-selling author, life coach and speaker.  Last month, Martha's latest book, The Way of Integrity - Finding the Path to Your True Self, was published.  I took long walks and listened to the almost nine-hour audio book over a few days, while reviewing certain passages and exercises in the hardcover version in the evening.

Dr. Beck uses the Hero's Journey framework from Dante’s Divine Comedy to create a four-stage process for self-realization:  1. Recognizing the Dark Wood, where we get lost; 2. Exploring and understanding the Inferno of self-betrayal; 3. Using integrity as a way through Purgatory; and 4. Arriving in Paradise to live the life we were meant to live in service, alignment, and happiness.

I'm still absorbing it all, but I can tell you this – Martha has a gift for naming the things others are feeling.  And most importantly, she provides strategies to help us move forward.

I found The Way of Integrity to be a useful roadmap as we wind our way through pandemic and post pandemic life. So much so that I'd like to share some of the main concepts because I think you'd enjoy it as well.

Links Mentioned:

Martha Beck’s Website

Spiral of Experience – Christina Baldwin

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#032  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

Work/life balance was always a focus, but it has become critical with many experiencing stress and burnout from “hours bleed” - no separation between work and home life.  Today, I’m joined once again by Karen Delk, Fortune 500 executive coach, who shares her thoughts on keeping well in the workplace.

We begin with the first trend highlighted in the 2021 Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends Report, which is designing work for well-being.  This proactive approach keeps the employee well instead of treating the negative impact of stress and burnout.  Karen shares her thoughts on best practices she’s seeing in the field as well as some thoughts on how employees can keep themselves well. 

Link Mentioned:

Deloitte’s Workforce Trends

KarenDelk.com

[email protected]

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For a downloadable transcript, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#031  Our guest today, Karen Delk, an executive coach who helps her clients navigate through one of the biggest life transitions – our careers.

Karen had a long, successful career in human resources before striking out on her own to spend her time doing what she’s passionate about – coaching and creating change.  She now works with leaders at Fortune 500 companies, providing individual and group coaching.  As you’ll soon hear, Karen has a warm, inviting style and a broad range of knowledge and insight.

We cover a range of topics including:

• The impact 2020 has had on the business world and corporate culture;
• How employees have coped and thrived in these times;
• New ways of working together apart; and
• Career advice for the novices and those more seasoned. 

I came away from this conversation feeling hopeful.  I agree with Karen in the belief that Corporate America has a momentous opportunity and responsibility to lead the way in some of the essential matters of these times:  diversity, inclusion, equality and social justice.  To create a welcoming and level playing field for all to contribute and thrive – together.

We end this episode with our Dose of Inspiration segment, where Karen shares some of the things that are lighting her up these days.

Links mentioned:

Pat Metheny

Isabel Wilkerson - Caste

KarenDelk.com

[email protected]

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#030  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

So many of us want to make healthier choices – we want to turn our wellness challenges into wins – but don’t know where to start or feel we don’t have the time.  As a result of taking the smallest of actions, we can experience a boost in vibrance, confidence and alignment with our deepest selves.  This creates momentum that paves the way for bigger changes over time.

Our conversation today is about how to create a simple wellness plan using The Athena Principles framework.  The episode ends with a final check-in with Dr. Robyn McIntyre on the progress made during Week 4 of the Gentle Spring Reset that was introduced in Episode 22.

Link Mentioned in the Podcast:
The Athena Wellness Framework and Action Plan

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#029.  Think back to the last time you arrived at a new place in mind, body or spirit.  Perhaps you started a new job or project, achieved a wellness milestone or made it through a life transition of some sort.  Think about how good that felt.  Were you proud?  Relieved?  Happy?

Now think back further.  What prompted you to make the change?  Most likely it was some sort of challenge, either an internal realization, like dissatisfaction, stagnation or a new desire, or there was an external event that prompted the action.

In this episode, Kathy shares:

• Three wellness turning points where she felt like she was at a crossroads – scared and uncertain but knowing she had to make some changes
• Lessons learned, along with some recent, impactful advice
• A simple way to define a current challenge, reframe it as an opportunity and then create a path forward.

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast