Becoming Aligned

In this episode I explore how I began to cultivate and develop a growth mindset in certain areas of my life. Through therapy I began to discover and become aware of some of my limiting beliefs and the behaviors that reinforced those beliefs.

I would never have described myself as a perfectionist because I was sooooo far from being perfect, But the truth is, a fear of rejection and disapproval was driving my choices and impacting how I was showing up in the world.

In this episode, I dive into perfectionism and explore why it can be so harmful even though it seems that many of us wear it as a badge of honor.

Then I talk about how we can begin to shift our mindset. And truly create change in our lives.

It's so valuable to know that all have the power to develop a growth mindset! And to know that we can all evolve and grow if we want to!

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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This is the second solo episode of a series in which I'm sharing a bit more about my story and my journey to Becoming Aligned. If you missed the last episode, please check it out before listening to this one. It will help things make more sense:-)

In this episode, I begin to share some of the inner work that I did to help me create some positive shifts in my life.

I was at a point in my life where I was putting more weight on the external expectations, the "shoulds" in my life and neglecting and dismissing my internal needs and desires.

I talk you through how I began to become aware of the "SHOULDS". And outline a few that are in my copy of the Good Girl Handbook.

I also talk about Self-Compassion. And describe how it's like Wonder Woman's Golden Lasso of Truth in my life. Ok...I was stretching it with my metaphors, but I hope the examples I share help you think about self-compassion in a new way.

It's such an important piece of the puzzle for anyone who is looking to create positive change in their life.

I hope you'll give this episode a listen. And if resonates with you, I would so appreciate it if you share with friends:-)

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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I have something different planned for the next 5 episodes. I'm planning to release a series of short solo episodes where I'll share more of my story and my journey to becoming aligned.

It's definitely been a process, but a worthwhile one. It's a process I want to share with you in the hopes that it will help you along your journey and also give you a sense of what has informed my perspective and approach.

In this episode, I'll share a little more about my background. And I'll tell you about a challenging season in my life. It was a period where I was working so hard to create "change" in my life. This concept of change was based on what I thought my life should look like in terms of my career, relationships, etc.

It was like I was trying to fit a square peg into a space meant for a circle. Things weren't clicking. My inner critic was doing a lot of talking and I thought if I only worked harder, I could make it all work out the way I wanted.

Has anyone else been there??

You can hear how this season of my life became a blessing in disguise…. Not because I went through a challenging period...BUT because I chose to reach out for support and do some serious inner work.

I would love to share what I've learned, so please check out this short episode and subscribe to the podcast so you can hear the rest of the story:-)

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Máire P. Walsh. Máire is one of my wonderful cousins. She's originally from Ireland but has been living and working in San Francisco for over 15 years. She now considers both home. And is fortunate to work in a capacity that allows her to support Irish companies in Travel Technology while being based in SF.

Máire was quick to point out that she's at the beginning of her Becoming Aligned Journey. I might argue with her a bit... I am family after all;-) Because I can see the process of becoming more aligned in how she approached her move to SF and how she became involved in the community there.

It's undeniable that she's currently experiencing a new level of personal growth and of becoming aligned. Some of this is based on choices she's been able to make for herself in terms of her career. And some of this is based on situations she has no control over.

I really appreciated her sharing about both of those experiences. She has so many wonderful nuggets of wisdom to offer.

In particular, I appreciate that she was willing to share and be open about her experiences managing grief and her feelings around that. We talk about how this experience has drastically shifted her perspective and learn how she's staying focused on what's truly important and taking care of herself in the process.

I'm grateful for this conversation and hope you enjoy it as well!

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Theresa VanderMeer. She is the founder of Work+Shelter. An ethical factory in India that employs women in need. While this is now her full-time job, she started Work+Shelter as her passion project / side hustle 7 ½ years ago. They now employ almost 40 women!

I was so impressed with Theresa for her vision and persistence. She believes business can be a vehicle for good and is actively working to make that true within her company. She is truly an Activist Entrepreneur.

But as you can imagine, she has faced challenges along the way. It was so interesting to hear her journey and how she handled the ups and downs.

She shares some helpful thoughts on how to be a conscious consumer, which I found really useful.

And we talk about how she takes care of herself in order to prevent burnout and the pull to be a work-a-holic. She has some great resources to share!

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Amelia Hruby. She is a writer, podcaster and a PhD candidate in Philosophy with an emphasis in Art and Feminist Theory.

I just loved this conversation and wanted to soak in as much of Amelia's knowledge as possible. She's an academic who has this beautiful way of using language to distill and explain topics that can be so challenging for many of us to discuss.

We talk about the value or really the necessity of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable for those of us with white privilege. And she shares how she views her role in this process in terms of the work she does.

We also discuss her process of becoming aligned as a journey of unlearning, learning, integrating with self care and taking action.

So many thoughtful, insightful moments in this episode!

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Rebecca Hamilton. She is a mom who homeschooled her child. A successful Real Estate Agent in FL and an Entrepreneur who is making a positive difference in the lives of her clients.

But she has also experienced her share of life's challenges.

She grew up with a painful rash that covered her body from head to toe until high school. She was surrounded by drama and dropped out of High School. And her husband was sent to jail when her son was only 1 for a crime they say he did not commit and now can provide evidence to prove that to be true.

We chat about the story of her personal growth and how the Law of Attraction played into that. She also helps to demystify the Law of Attraction and some of the myths that prevent people from accessing the full benefits. I hope you enjoy my episode with Rebecca Hamilton!

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Sue DeSanto. She's a therapist and a relationship coach based in Chicago...AT LEAST FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS.

She is preparing for a big move, a big change in her life. And we talk about what that looks like for her. And how she's taking care of herself in the process.

I know change is something we can all relate to, so it was fun to dive into this with her and learn more about what's she's discovering through this process.

Something else we can all relate to is relationships.

I talk to Sue about what drew her to start Relationship Coaching for Singles. While she works with couples in her private therapy practice, She focuses on working with Singles in the coaching aspect of her business.

She helps Singles work through their blocks and build their foundation to being a happy single. You can learn more at her website which I link to below.

She shares what she sees people struggling with and provides some insight that I think we can all benefit from.

There's so much goodness in this episode! I hope you enjoy it!

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Jason Brammer. Jason is a visual artist, painter and muralist based in Chicago. For those of you in Chicago you have probably seen his work! He has many street murals throughout the city and installations inside businesses like Dark Matter Coffee Shop.

His art work has a way of drawing you in...And to me it feels like he has a true sense of who he is as an artist. So it was so interesting to learn more about his personal journey and get a better sense of what shapes him and inspires him as an artist and as a person.

It was fun to learn that he is also a musician. We talk about his time playing bass and touring with the band, Old Pike.

And he shares how meditation and yoga helped create a new sense of awareness in his life and learn how that impacts his life and his art.

I really appreciate Jason's honesty. And I loved hearing him talk about doing the work of an artist. And what that's actually like. For anyone feeling "stuck" or dealing with resistance, I think you'll appreciate this episode.

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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In this episode I talk to Cliff Lyles. He is such an example of what you can accomplish when you accept that failure is a part of life, learning and ultimately growth. He is someone who has built his sense of resilience because he's not afraid to put himself out there and try new things.

In this episode he shares more about his personal story, his experience as a chef and about an amazing adventure he's preparing for that will take place in September. It's something called the Eco-Challenge.

The event is making a comeback this year and so is Cliff! And this time around, he's organized the first African-American Team to take part in this event. He tells us more about his motivation for doing so.

He has so many insights to share. It's really inspiring to hear him talk about his mindset, self talk and how he's dealt with failure in his life. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Clifton Lyles.

To learn more about this episode and any resources mentioned, please see the show notes.

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