Bright Siders

My husband Ken joins us for this episode with Comedian Richie Byrne talks comedy and life today!! www.faces4autism.org #standupforautism #comedyshow #fundraiser #nonprofits #charity #autism #faces4autism #lifeonthebrightside

Special podcast chat directly from the ocean pier at sunrise. So many possibilities for our days begin with an intention. What have you intended to do with your day? #lifeonthebrightside #livewithintention

Here’s a quick update from last week. We are attempting to give each other encouragement this full moon week, so join the group on Facebook for more! This week, we’re going to talk to Debi Jenkins from NIMS! #lifeonthebrightside

Our Curious and Fabulous Guest Nathy Gaffney has had what can be politely termed a ‘diverse portfolio career’. A professional actor and comedy/cabaret performer for over twenty years, she’s also spent time working behind bars (and drinking in them), waiting on tables (and dancing on them), being a nightclub door bitch, barista and celebrity impersonator.

These days she’s traded treading the boards for the boardroom, working as an executive coach and speaker with Phuel Australia where she still enjoys a captive audience – albeit minus the feathers and sequins.

Her new role sees her working with major senior executives from organisations such as Westpac, Mirvac, Bupa, Lendlease, Ventia, Thales, Facebook, Ogilvy PR amongst others, in areas of leadership development, resilience, communication, innovation and mindset. She is the creator of “Curious Explorer” – a 90 minute interactive keynote which examines the links between curiosity, well-being and longevity. Nathy is a champion for women in the workplace having designed ‘Wayfinder’ – a programme for early career, high potential women to step into their power in their careers.

Her first book ‘The Gap Year(s)’ – a memoir about her the end of her marriage, descent into bankruptcy and finding love in the arms of a mountain climber 20 years her junior, was published in 2019. Her second book ‘The Confidence Maze’ - a personal development book aimed at building confidence for young women is due to be published later this year. She is the host of the ‘Suck It & See’ Podcast – which explores life’s messy mistakes through the lenses of hope, humour and neuroscience.

Nathy lives wedged between the city and the sea in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, with her teenage son and high altitude mountaneering partner.

When I was a kid, my Uncle John used to tell terrible dad jokes. So many of them involved body parts. Things like, are you going to the movies? And then you would ask why? And he would say because you’re picking your seat.😝

One of his favorite jokes actually had my name in it. He would say knock knock.

Who’s there? you would say.

Isabelle

Isabelle who?

Isabelle necessary on a bicycle? 🛎

I’ve only had a few people ask me this question. Then one day, I found the sign in the store that said “be kinder than necessary”. It was almost a challenge. Being kinder than necessary meant —me. My uncle used to call me Necessary. That was his funny name for me. He would leave messages on my voicemail and say “hey necessary? How are you doing?” And then he would laugh. It always made me smile. Now no one calls me necessary anymore that he is gone.

But the challenge each day is to see who is up to the challenge of being kinder than necessary. Here is an example for testing my patience today in this podcast. Enjoy our ride.

Let’s do some errands together and get it all done regardless of the outcome today! #lifeonthebrightside #letitallgo #bekinderthannecessary

Respite and a Scarborough Affair to Remember

“Everyone needs a break from their routine once in a while in order to rest, renew and refresh. A Mother's Rest Charitable Respite Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving the gift of rest to mothers of physically and developmentally challenged loved ones. Thanks to Andrea Lynne, and also Snehal Avichal & Monica Maxwell of Scarborough Inn in Ocean City, NJ for agreeing to host these incredible women.

I spent an exciting, joyful and rejuvenating weekend with 27 moms who walk similar paths.

We bonded in hilarious ways, learned so much about how connected we truly are, and gave each other the chance to merely remember who we are again.

🧶

The gentle unraveling of the tightly-wound ball of yarn we all experience in our lives arrived on Friday, and by the weekend’s end, it was not only loosened but woven into a new purpose for each of us. Now I know why they call an inspirational tale a “Yarn”.

👶👧🏻👦🏻👩👵👴

Each woman spoke their simple truth, giving us all pause to see our own stories interwoven in the family emotions and experiences. We are not alone, and in fact have no time for wasting. Life is now.

😌☮️

It is all happening now, so we vow to make the best of our individual purposes, while still keeping an eye on the importance of mindful moments for mom to be imbedded into each day.

The sunrise each day will be a reminder to begin anew, to come back to the sea refreshed and to believe that by making ourselves better in every way, our families will feel our profound love even stronger.”

www.amothersrest.org www.scarboroughinn.com www.faces4autism.org 🌈💕🥰🌅💦 #lifeonthebrightside #scarboroughinn #specialneedsmom #miracleworkers #amothersrest #faces4autism

How do you start your day? Already running behind? Stop and start? With intention? Or covers over your head? I’ve done them all, and wanted to share my morning chat with you! #lifeonthebrightside #caregivers #selfcare #caregiversupport #specialneeds #specialneedsmom

For me, there is nothing quite like having a pocket of precious time when my son has a back-and-forth conversation with me. It happens rarely, but mostly late at night when he does not want to go to sleep. He is so emotionally and physically present that I forget about his autism for a time. I love laughing with him and seeing the glorious person inside those eyes. He is now 23, and at this age I could imagine that he would be out on the town with a date or enjoying time with friends. Perhaps in the job of his dreams. Perhaps driving a car around town. But instead, he is hanging out with his mom in the den practicing some of his movie phrases that he has learned over the years. I am very thankful for this moment which gives me great joy. I am thankful that he is able to express himself these days. I never gave up on the idea that he could tell me how he was feeling, and now we are reaping the benefits at 1 o’clock in the morning. I did good. #LifeOnTheBrightSide #AutismAwarenessMonth #AutismAcceptanceMonth #FACES4Autism #IDidGood #AutismSpectrumDisorder #Autism #Caregivers #ParentCaregivers #wearealleachother

Joy Break for Me! This mini episode takes place in the car on the way home from a weekend retreat at the Fairville Inn in Chadds Ford Pennsylvania. Let’s talk about the importance of self-care, and what refreshes our moods, our souls, and our bodies.

MEET MIKE

Mike is the founder of The Gratitude Spark, an online community designed to inspire and encourage people everywhere to mindfully live each day filled with gratitude, appreciation and thankfulness. By day, he leads software product design teams, creating awesome experiences for users in a variety of industries, including aviation, medicine, retail and hospitality. But in 2019, after dealing with a variety of personal and work-related challenges, Mike made a conscious choice to be much more intentional about his practice of gratitude. This mindful practice of gratitude quickly became a passion.

With a desire to think about the potential for change on a larger scale through expressions and practices of gratitude, he created “The Gratitude Spark”. By harnessing the power of social media and face-to-face interactions, The Gratitude Spark engages a global community in online and community-based events and programs that empower participants to be a positive force in the world for their families, their work spaces, and their communities, based on the mindful practice of gratitude.

If you’re interested in learning more about the power of gratitude and how it can help to spark a change in your life and in the lives of those around you, feel free to contact Mike via email at [email protected]. You can also check us out on Instagram at @thegratitudespark or join our Facebook community called the “The Gratitude Spark“. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏MEET GINA

Hi, I’m Gina! My journey with Gratitude began in 2016. There was a pivotal moment for me – an Aha about Gratitude – while I was helping to care for my dying father. That very difficult time was such a precious gift to me. Somehow, ironically, I knew I was more grateful than I had ever been, and maybe even more than I’ll ever be again. That experience changed me forever, in so many unexpected ways.

I began writing about this new awareness in a blog, and opened a facebook community soon after. #GratiudeGains was an effort to share my own “thankfuls”, and create momentum for collective Gratitude across the globe (much like TGS). I invited them, and they invited theirs, and this community of grateful souls began to shine their own light…constantly creating and spreading beautiful reflections of positivity.

Since then, I’ve written and published two Gratitude Journals – one for the beginner learning to build a habit, and one for the more seasoned journaler who might wish to infuse Gratitude into their self-awareness and intentional living.

I strongly believe in the power of numbers helping to build a global movement, and I’m so grateful for the invitation to join forces with The Gratitude Spark. When something free, simple, shareable, and renewable is scientifically proven to increase the overall Health and Happiness of the world, I feel a personal responsibility to spread that stuff like confetti! Find more at our website:

www.thegratitudespark.com 💕💕💕“GRATITUDE IS THE HEALTHIEST OF ALL HUMAN EMOTIONS.

THE MORE YOU EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE,

THE MORE LIKELY YOU WILL HAVE EVEN MORE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE FOR.”

~ Zig Ziglar For more on this podcast, or FACES 4 Autism, visit www.faces4autism.org