The term mindfulness is everywhere these days. What is mindfulness, anyway? From MayoClinic.org, mindfulness is a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation or judgment. So mindfulness practice includes breathing exercises, guided imagery, and practices to calm the body. 

Everyone is talking about mindfulness. It's in magazines, podcasts, and all over social media. Friends and clients, alike, are becoming stressed about creating a mindfulness practice. There are so many options and so much chatter about it that it all becomes overwhelming. Instead of reducing stress, it is causing anxiety and judgment; all the things that we are trying to avoid (basically the antithesis of what mindfulness is supposed to be). 

Today, I am going to take some time to bring awareness to the five mistakes that I've seen women make as they have strived to create a lasting mindfulness practice.  It is my hope that through this episode, you'll be able to learn from their experiences and create your own mindfulness practice that is unique and tailored exactly to what you need right now. It is time to reap the benefits of meditation, movement, and all of the great things that help us to put down some of the stress in our lives. You deserve it. 

• The “official” definition of mindfulness practice and my personal definition of mindfulness practice
• FOMO on mindfulness practices
• Understanding why a mindfulness practice is important to you 
• Experiencing mindfulness overload
• Too much talking and no action and how it is hurting your mindfulness practice
• What happens when your mindfulness practice is dependent on technology

“Know that all these gurus, podcasts, and apps are tools for your mindful practice, but you're the one who's the expert. You are the one with the answers. It's all inside you. You are perfect. You are not lacking. You've just got to give yourself this space to get there.“

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

Episode Resources:  

Stick with It: A Scientifically Proven Process for Changing Your Life-for Good—Sean Young, Ph.D.

Download 5-Steps to Create a Lasting Mindfulness Practice worksheet 

This week I welcome Julie Tassy, founder of family-run business Ella B. Candles.  Ella B. Candles are all hand-poured, 100% soy, and make great gifts. They've got inspirational messaging which can be customized to show off where you're from as well. Julie and Ella B. are committed to empowering small businesses and they're also doing their best to keep it local. I was so touched by the heart Julie has and the way she communicates about her brand.  I was honored when she agreed to come on the show. In this episode, we explore passion and how it helps transcend our business and products. Putting your heart into your work is hugely important, but having a passion for people, making an impact, is equally, if not more important.  We talk about purpose, and what the driving factor, her family, was for starting Ella B. Candles. And we look at failing and how it doesn’t have to mean you quit. Instead, you just start something new and keep going. 

One of the key takeaways from our talk was that by surrounding yourself with community or those who you feel comfortable with, things are not quite as scary as they seem. This is especially true for a family run business like Ella B. Candles. Your tree of life can be complete with ups and downs, like Julie’s, but you can still be really open if those around you provide the ability to be a safe place for you. If you're willing to be this open, then others will be open with you too. 

• Having passion for your business, product, or people and how passion can be transcendent 
• If a project, venture, or business fails, it’s okay. Start another and keep going
• Gaining perspective and having a connection to people who have perspective 
• Understanding that a business does not define you, you define you
• Learning to receive someone's kindness, generosity, or compliments
• Surrounding yourself with community, if the people around you are holding you up, then it's not quite as scary. 

“A business doesn't define you. If you start a business, then you sell the business, or you closed the business, either way, it doesn't define you. Who you are defines you. Hopefully who I am, who I'm continuing to grow to become is exemplified in the business. But whether the business fails or succeeds, sells or closes, I have to have a deeper confidence.”  - Julie Tassy

Contact Julie Tassy:  [email protected]

https://ellabcandles.com/

Tree of Life Worksheet

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

This week we have Katelyn Parsons joining us. Katelyn is a certified Holistic Health Coach and a Yoga Teacher in San Diego. She helps career-driven women release weight and restore energy so they have the confidence to pursue their dreams. Katelyn’s passion lies within creating a supportive environment for each of her clients and helping make food easy for them to understand. She delivers transformational results to her clients through her three-phase program. She enjoys traveling around the world with her husband. 

In this episode, we explore freeing ourselves through mindset, setting intentions, and listening to your intuition. We talk about starting our day with purpose, setting intentions, and getting off to a good start. We look at how living in the moment can take our life to a new place free from struggle. Sometimes we can achieve what we think we want but intuitively find ourselves completely disconnected. 

One of the key takeaways from our talk was to not be afraid of change and finding what you are truly in alignment with. It’s okay to pivot to really come into your own greatness. We can learn a lot about ourselves by paying attention to what we are feeling, even if we think that we are where we are supposed to be. It could be that the greatness we were pursuing isn’t meant for us. 

• Constructive feedback is one of the most amazing tools that we have
• The importance of living in the moment as often as possible
• Breaking moments in my life where you know something has to change
• Knowing when you are on someone else's path and someone else’s greatness; not yours
• Paying attention and taking action because it could change the course of your life
• Taking a look when you're living in the moment to see how far you’ve truly come

“Never stop learning. Never stop exploring. Never stop asking questions. I think that that is one of the biggest tools that we have as professionals, as entrepreneurs, as creative beings.” - Katelyn Parsons

Contact Katelyn:  [email protected]

https://katelynparsons.com/

IG: @katelyn.parsons

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/groups/moderngirlholistics

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

Are you feeling stuck in your life or your career? If so, know you are not alone. The feeling of being stuck is coming up everywhere. Clients, friends, in the news and in magazines, all we hear about lately is feeling stuck. I think it’s a little bit of an epidemic. 

Taking care of family, taking care of parents, managing your life and your career, what was working 15 years ago may no longer be working today. And that’s okay. But of course, it leaves you feeling stuck. The idea that you feel stuck starts with your body and the awareness that you are not feeling as well as you could be. So what can you do? 

In today’s episode, I will be sharing three mindset strategies to help you get yourself out of a rut so that you can move forward in life with grace and confidence. I’ll cover making peace with fear and why it’s so important, as well as understanding your strengths and how they can sometimes counteract fear. Plus, I’ll focus on making goals and shifting your mindset from where you currently are to where you want to be. This is a really fun and interactive episode. So I hope you enjoy it. Now, buckle up and let’s jump in!

• Recognizing the feeling in your gut that you are not where you want to be and coming out of that “stuckness” is progress
• How and why feeling stuck is closely related to fear and why fear can be good 
• The importance of moving forward from past hurts that are keeping you stuck in fear and how to make peace with fear
• Mental rewiring to accept feedback and knowing where you are able to flourish
• Some methods to help you focus on your strengths
• Writing a toast for yourself! including a goal, a result, and a headline

“If you are feeling stuck, it’s time to make a change. You are feeling it, you are ready, you are aware. Take the first step.” Renee Manning

Resources:

Jack Kornfield on fear and anger: https://youtu.be/FdhiS6DNGzg

Ekhart Tolle on fear: https://youtu.be/_LqA9hOpCPk

Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life

by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans: https://amzn.to/31GSTAu 

→ Download the Getting Unstuck worksheet

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

On this week’s episode, we have Emily Cassel, a leadership and business coach for ambitious and high achieving women entrepreneurs across the globe. Emily helps women leaders shift out of hustle mode and into a state of freedom, flow, and fulfillment so they can grow and scale their businesses to make a powerful impact. Emily is also the host of the podcast, Sexy Soulful Success, where she facilitates visionary conversation with women entrepreneurs and leaders to redefine success and womanhood. 

Today we are talking about times in our life when we go through conflicting emotions and how to navigate through them. We look at how avoidance behavior can manifest and how to recognize it. We also discussed how to recognize when the path we set out for ourselves is no longer the right path for us to follow. Emily was gracious to share how a conversation halted the plan she had set out for herself and how she had to come up with a new plan instead. She also shared how she handled the fear of judgment when she pivoted.

One of the biggest takeaways from my talk with Emily is this: It is important to reflect back on our emotions around different times in our life, especially when they are conflicting with each other. I have found that those conflicting moments are the most defining moments in our lives. 

Show Highlights

• The moments of greatness are not always fireworks moments
• At a certain point, being completely stuck to a plan with no room or allowance to pivot can actually get in the way of pursuing your true calling
• Knowing what you want to do, but having no idea what that looks like or how to get there
• Trusting yourself in the moment
• Remembering the importance of honoring your calling. Your calling is trustable and divine. 

“When we surrender to that identity shift and we allow ourselves to become who we are meant to become, then the other stuff doesn’t really matter.” - Emily Cassel

Contact Emily:  Website: www.emilycassel.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilycasselofficial/

Podcast: https://www.emilycassel.com/podcast

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

Today on the show, I welcome Enid Brenize, a published author, journalist, and former PR pro. She has ghostwritten books, developed apps, covered breaking news from the newsrooms to boardrooms, and worked from coffee shops as a freelance writer. One of the many questions, she will be answering today is, ‘What can we do with an English degree?’ 

We also talk about one of the common traps in freelancing: over-preparation and how to overcome it. We discuss being a type-A spreadsheet lover and yoga instructor; and what that looks like. We examine her intent on being uncomfortable in life. Because let’s face it, building an empire isn’t easy.  Sometimes it’s the small moments or even the uncomfortable ones, that really put everything into place.

Show Highlights

• The three biggest takeaways for those starting their empire (aka business)
• Living uncomfortably and why it’s Important
• Reflecting on over-preparation 
• How do you decide between right and wrong?
• How we need to say no to what makes us comfortable and grow into our discomfort 
• It’s the little details that can make up your story

“Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, which I think has a negative connotation in our world now. To afflict the comfortable is not necessarily to cause pain actively, but it is to almost cause discomfort in a growing way. That's the goal.” Enid Brenize

Contact Enid:  https://www.verb-mgmt.com/about

Blog - https://www.verb-mgmt.com/blog

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/verbmgmt/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/verb_mgmt

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/verbmgmt/

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

This week I welcome guest, Monica Barnett, personal stylist, and Chief Image Curator at Blueprint for Style. Monica has over 12 years of styling and branding experience and has been featured on many stages around the world. Her focus is always on the power of the first impression. Monica has styled heads of major corporations, athletes, politicians, and more. She aims to develop a more intentional approach of curating one’s outward appearance to align with one’s lifestyle and aspirations. 

Today we talk about creating confidence in developing a brand and how you want people to see you. We also dive into the mindset of storytelling, what story we are projecting, and that there are no wrong stories. Plus, Monica shared openly about her experience getting fired, how it made her feel (lost), and how it ultimately shaped her path, leading her to where she is now. 

One of the biggest takeaways from my time with Monica is this: when in business, you have to be willing and able to walk away. As someone who likes to compromise and likes to make everyone happy, that settled hard with me. I’d like to explore that idea more. In fact, it’s important to explore takeaways such as this. And, I'm doing just that in my e-magazine, Biggest Small Things. As a subscriber you’ll enjoy insightful and inspiring takeaways from the podcast.  Plus, there are spaces to journal, workshops to attend, and tips to help grow your business and start thinking about your biggest small things. Hop on the list right here. 

Show Highlights

• There are no wrong stories
• We can always learn in life and business - especially from our biggest disappointments
• Knowing your ideal avatar and why it’s important
• Be true to yourself even when the going gets tough
• Walking away in business is sometimes your best move forward
• All money is not good money

Contact Monica:  https://blueprintforstyle.com/

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/Blueprint4Style

Instagram - http://instagram.com/Blueprint4Style

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/monicalb1

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/blueprint4style/

Contact Renee:  

[email protected]

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things 

Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/939b8210f2f2/bst

Communication is the bridge that connects us not only to others but ourselves. Today’s guest, Laura Camacho, executive coach, corporation trainer, and international speaker, is the founder of the Mixonian Institute. Laura teaches how to have effective and successful conversations with others and how to clearly articulate what you need to say. 

In this episode, she shares how our self-image and perception can impact our communication skills and how to use that knowledge to reflect on our conversations. Join Renee Manning and Laura Camacho in this miraculous conversation to learn how you can have more successful conversations with less work. 

Show Highlights: 

• Methods to start a conversation 
• Good experiences that Renee and Laura have had recently 
• Defining moments in Laura’s life 
• How insecurity can influence your perception and interpretation of situations 
• Not letting your expectations control your emotions 
• Learning to operate and communicate without using an extensive vocabulary 
• The connection between communication and expectations 
• Overcoming disappointment
• How to connect with others and sell the importance of communication 

Links: 

To sign up for the E-magazine go to https://biggestsmallthings.com

Contact Laura: 

https://mixonian.com

With all the chaos life throws at us, the first thing that tends to get neglected is our self-care. When we’re busy trying to juggle work and life, we tend to ignore our own needs, but that’s where we all go wrong. Today, Renee Manning shares how to stop this cycle with her top strategies to incorporate wellness and self-care practices into your daily life. This episode of Biggest Small Things is packed full of tricks to utilize your resources and live your best life. 

Show Highlights: 

• Saying yes to yourself first 
• Finding the capacity to slow down and make our own decisions 
• Taking time to reconnect to yourself 
• Using your resources and community to tap into your most authentic self 
• Giving yourself permission to explore yourself 
• Being yourself and realizing your sphere of genius 
• Stepping out and taking hold of your genius 
• Creating the life you really want to live 
• Acknowledging the potential to achieve your goals 
• Taking hold of opportunities 

Links: 

https://biggestsmallthings.com

Often times, it takes someone else telling us what we’re missing in order to get in touch with ourselves and to fuel our motivation. We have to use discernment to identify what advice to take and what advice doesn’t align with our path. 

Today Eli Dent, founder of Sidekik, shares experiences that impacted his life and how he used them to drive him. Eli and Renee Manning discuss not only how to receive advice but how to give advice that also motivates others without the pressure of expectations. Tune into this episode of Biggest Small Things to hear enlightening perspectives on the act of giving and receiving effective advice. 

Show Highlights: 

• Experiences that fuel Eli now 
• Finding drive and motivation in proving people wrong
• Identifying what advice to take or ignore from people you respect 
• Why “should” can be toxic to relationships 
• Letting go of your ego and letting others fulfill their path 
• Getting in touch with what you’re missing and finding motivation 
• How we use advice as a contribution to others success and to feed our ego 
• The downfalls of giving advice 
• The 3-step process to giving good advice 
• Being an active listener to give a beneficial response 
• Sharing personal experiences versus opinions 
• Giving advice that people can respond to with excitement and action 

Links: 

Contact Eli: 

https://thesidekik.com/pages/about-us

Contact Renee: 

https://biggestsmallthings.com/about

Instagram: @Biggest_small_things