If you’ve ever tried to “push through” distraction or force yourself to focus—only to end up more drained—this episode is for you.

Focus isn’t about gritting your teeth or powering through resistance. In fact, for neurodivergent brains, that approach often backfires. Instead, yoga offers gentle, body-based tools to help you shift your energy, create conditions for focus, and find clarity—without the pressure.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why “just try harder” isn’t an effective focus strategy
• How yoga supports attention through movement, breath, and nervous system regulation
• Small, ND-friendly practices you can try when your energy feels scattered
• The difference between forcing focus and creating conditions where focus can emerge
• How to build compassionate rhythms that support—not sabotage—your attention

Resources & Next Steps

• Explore more ND-friendly yoga practices: simplifyspaceandsoul.com
• Connect with Shannon on Instagram: @simplifyspaceandsoul

If this episode helped you rethink what focus can feel like, share it with a friend—or leave a review to help others find these practices.

If you’ve ever wondered why advice alone doesn’t help—or why you can know what to do but still feel stuck—this episode is for you.

Today, Shannon untangles the difference between coaching and strategy and explores what real, meaningful support actually feels like—especially for neurodivergent brains.

You’ll hear why “just try harder” never tells the full story, how to recognize when support is working, and why the sweet spot happens when coaching and strategy work together.

✨ Whether you’ve felt burned by “bad support” in the past or you’re craving tools that actually stick, this conversation will help you rethink what support should look and feel like.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why coaching is often misunderstood—and what it really means in a neurodivergent-aware context
• The limits of strategy and why tools alone don’t solve everything
• How to know when support is actually working (hint: it feels lighter, not heavier)
• What it looks like when coaching and strategy combine
• A real-life client example that shows why slow, supportive frameworks beat quick fixes
• How to recognize if you’ve been dismissed, rushed, or overwhelmed by the wrong kind of support

Resources & Next Steps

• Connect with Shannon on Instagram: @simplifyspaceandsoul
• Explore coaching + strategy support for neurodivergent brains: simplifyspaceandsoul.com

If this episode helped you feel a little more understood—or reminded you that you don’t have to figure it out alone—please share it with a friend or leave a review.

This short, soothing practice is designed to offer a moment of grounding and self-compassion—whether you’re a neurodivergent student who’s felt out of place in yoga spaces, or a teacher who’s learning how to better support ND students.

You’ll be guided through gentle breathing, reflection, and affirmations that remind you:

✨ You are not too much.

✨ Your needs are valid.

✨ Compassion matters more than perfection.

There’s no “right way” to practice here. You can sit, lie down, fidget, or keep your eyes open. This is a space to show up exactly as you are.

What You’ll Experience

• A grounding breath practice to arrive in the moment
• Gentle affirmations for students and teachers alike
• A reminder that self-compassion is valid and necessary
• Encouragement to create and seek spaces that honor neurodiversity

Resources & Next Steps

• Join my upcoming Yoga for Neurodiversity class — details at simplifyspaceandsoul.com
• Connect on Instagram: @simplifyspaceandsoul

If this meditation helps you feel a little more at home in your body—or more supported in your teaching—please share it with someone who might need it.

If you’ve ever set up the perfect routine, only to find it falling apart days later, this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Shannon explores why traditional routines often don’t work for neurodivergent brains—and what you can do instead to create systems that actually support you.

Whether you're struggling with routines yourself, or you're a coach or teacher wanting to create more accessible systems, this episode will offer practical tips and encouragement.

In this episode:

• Why traditional routines don’t work for ND brains
• The key factors like executive dysfunction, time blindness, and inflexibility
• Simple and flexible alternatives that actually work
• Real-life examples of adaptable routines
• How to give yourself permission to adjust and rebuild routines as needed

💌 Enjoyed this episode?

Share it with someone who needs a new approach to routines and subscribe so you never miss an episode!

If you’ve ever walked into a yoga class and thought, “This just isn’t for me,” you’re not alone—especially if you’re neurodivergent. In this episode of Beyond the Checklist, Shannon explores how yoga can become a powerful tool for nervous system regulation when it’s taught in a way that actually works for ND brains.

Whether you’re a neurodivergent student craving a safe, adaptable practice, or a yoga teacher looking to make your classes more inclusive, this conversation offers both validation and practical guidance.

In this episode:

• Why yoga can be transformative for ND nervous systems
• Common sensory and social barriers in mainstream yoga spaces
• What ND-friendly, choice-based, and sensory-aware yoga actually looks like
• Simple, actionable tips for teachers to better support ND students
• An invitation to join the upcoming Yoga for Neurodiversity class

Mentioned in this episode:

Yoga for Neurodiversity Class – Sign Up Here

Teaching Yoga for Neurodiversity Toolkit

A gentle, sensory-aware experience designed for ND students and a practical resource for teachers who want to deepen their understanding of inclusive yoga.

💌 Loved this episode?

Share it with a friend, student, or fellow teacher who might benefit from a more compassionate, ND-informed approach to movement and stillness.

And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode of Beyond the Checklist.

Feeling scattered before the week even begins? You're not alone—and you don't need a color-coded planner to find your rhythm. In this special mini-episode of Beyond the Checklist, Shannon guides you through a calming, ADHD-friendly planning process designed to help you sketch your week with clarity, care, and self-trust.

This isn't about doing more—it's about making space for what matters. Whether you're planning on paper, on your phone, or just in your mind, this walkthrough meets you where you are.

What You'll Experience:

• A grounding moment to start from your body, not just your brain
• A low-pressure brain dump to clear mental clutter
• Step-by-step weekly review and gentle prioritization
• Simple structure-building based on your real energy patterns
• Permission to soften, cancel, or shift what doesn’t serve you
• A kind, reflective close to center ease—not perfection

Perfect For:

• Sunday or Monday morning resets
• Midweek re-centering
• Times when planning feels overwhelming but necessary
• Neurodivergent folks looking for compassionate structure

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Explore more tools & free resources
• Follow Shannon on Instagram: @simplifyspaceandsoul

Starting something new—whether it’s a creative project, a decluttering session, or just replying to an email—can feel disproportionately hard. And if you’ve ever felt stuck before you even begin, you’re in the right place.

In this episode of Beyond the Checklist, we explore the real reasons starting feels so difficult, especially for neurodivergent folks, people with executive function challenges, or anyone living with chronic stress.

We’ll unpack the nervous system science behind task initiation, bust the myth that you have to “start right,” and share practical, compassionate tools to help you take that first tiny step—without waiting for perfection.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why getting started is a transition—and what makes that so hard
• The brain-based reasons we freeze, delay, or avoid starting tasks
• How fear, perfectionism, and burnout block initiation
• Tiny strategies that make starting feel safer and smaller
• What to do when you're still stuck (hint: it's not failure—it's pacing)

Try These Supportive Tools From This Episode:

• ✨ The 2-Minute Activation
• ⏱ The Countdown Method
• 🧭 Script Your Start
• 🔁 Anchor to an Existing Habit
• 🧘 Permission to Pause

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Coaching, Organizing & Yoga Therapy with Shannon
• Follow on Instagram: @simplifyspaceandsoul

If you’ve ever struggled with time blindness, task initiation, planning, memory, or emotional regulation, you’re not alone. These are all pieces of executive function—and for many of us with ADHD, executive dysfunction, or a frazzled nervous system, they don’t come easily.

But here’s the part most people don’t expect: Yoga can help.

In this episode, we unpack how the tools of yoga—breath, mindful movement, interoception, and stillness practices—can strengthen the systems behind the systems that keep you grounded, organized, and regulated. And no, it’s not about perfecting crow pose or meditating for an hour.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

✅ What executive function really is (and why it feels so slippery for neurodivergent brains)

✅ How breathwork, body awareness, and mindful movement directly support focus, memory, and emotional regulation

✅ Why “just meditate” is the worst advice for someone in executive dysfunction—and what actually works instead

✅ Real-life ways to use yoga tools off the mat—like for transitions, planning, and nervous system resets

✅ Simple, sensory-friendly ways to start without adding another overwhelming “should” to your plate

You’ll leave this episode with mini practices you can use anytime—no yoga mat, special outfit, or complicated routine required.

Welcome back to Beyond the Checklist!

Today’s episode is something a little different—a short, guided yoga practice designed to support focus, especially when your attention feels scattered, stuck, or overloaded.

This isn’t about “fixing” your focus. Instead, it’s about creating the internal conditions—physically and neurologically—that help your brain settle and your body feel safe enough to arrive in the present moment.

🧘‍♀️ No mat needed. You can do this seated, standing, or lying down.

In just a few minutes, we’ll use simple movement, breath, and sensory grounding to:

• Shift out of overwhelm
• Support regulation
• Reconnect to your body and attention gently

Whether you’re preparing for work, transitioning between tasks, or recovering from a spiral, this practice is a reset button you can return to anytime.

If this episode helped you land, consider sharing it with someone who might need the same pause.

Next time, we’re diving into why yoga helps executive function—even off the mat. Don’t miss it.

Until then: be gentle with your attention. It’s trying.

We’ve all heard it before: “You just need better time management.”

But here’s the truth—time isn’t the problem. The system is.

In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on the myth that discipline or the perfect planner will “fix” your time struggles. If you’ve ever felt like you’re always behind, stuck in a cycle of shame, or frustrated that you can’t keep up with traditional time advice, this one’s for you.

We’ll explore:

✅ What we’re taught about time—and why it doesn’t work for every brain

✅ Why planners and productivity hacks fail (and why it’s not your fault)

✅ What “enough time” really means when your life asks too much of you

✅ The internet time tips that make me cringe

✅ Gentle, realistic shifts to make time feel more spacious

This is not about hustling harder. It’s about creating a system that actually fits your energy, your capacity, and your life.

💬 Let’s connect:

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend or take a screenshot and tag me with one thing you’re letting go of when it comes to time pressure.

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.