In this episode Mare and Tara engage in a thought-provoking and heartfelt Conscious Conversation with guest Peter J. Hughes. The discussion centers around the importance of mindfulness and being present in daily life, using the metaphor of making complete stops at stop signs as a way to cultivate awareness of both obvious and subtle signs in our environment.

Tara shares a personal story about an incident where she was visited by a police officer for rolling through a stop sign, highlighting how easy it is to go through the motions without being fully present. This experience becomes a metaphor for how we often move through life on autopilot, missing significant cues along the way.

The conversation deepens as Tara recounts a dream visit from her grandmother, which reassured her that everything would be okay. She reflects on how this experience, and her connection to her grandmother through the act of cross-stitching, helps her stay grounded and mindful.

Peter J. Hughes adds his insights, emphasizing the importance of being present and paying attention as a means to navigate life's challenges and opportunities. He shares personal anecdotes, including a humorous story about misreading an airplane ticket, to illustrate how easily we can overlook essential details.

The episode wraps up with a discussion on the broader implications of mindfulness, likening it to themes from Star Wars and the concept of "The Force." The hosts and guests explore how these pop culture references reflect deeper spiritual truths and the importance of staying connected to the present moment.

Overall, this Conscious Conversation is a blend of personal stories, practical advice, and philosophical insights, encouraging listeners to slow down, pay attention, and be mindful in their everyday lives.

They conclude by inviting the audience to join them in these practices through the Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

Building Resilience: Staying Grounded in Turbulent Times with the Power of Connection and Conscious Conversations

In this episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation, discussing how they navigate and manage their emotions and lives during turbulent times. They emphasize the importance of finding grounding practices such as meditation, engaging in creative hobbies, and maintaining meaningful human connections. They reflect on personal experiences, like Tara’s daughter’s challenges in a male-dominated field and Mare’s preparations for her husband's surgery, to highlight the significance of being prepared both emotionally and practically.

Key points include:

1. Grounding Practices: They talk about finding activities that bring joy and lightness, such as meditation, crafting, and connecting with others.
2. Managing Fear: They discuss how fear can be overwhelming but suggest ways to manage it by focusing on what they can control and staying informed without getting overwhelmed.
3. Conscious Conversations: They stress the importance of having deep, meaningful conversations that help process emotions and prepare for challenges.
4. Personal Experiences: They share personal anecdotes to underscore their points, like Mare's daughter's fears about career discrimination and Mare's own experiences with caregiving.
5. Preparation and Hope: They highlight the need to be prepared for life’s uncertainties, both practically with things like go bags and financially, and emotionally by building strong support systems and maintaining hope.

They conclude by inviting the audience to join them in these practices through the Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation that revolves around love, joy, and how to navigate through current socio-political challenges. They start by discussing the history of Valentine’s Day and their personal experiences and perceptions about the holiday. Mare shares a recollection of the holiday's origins related to war and defiance, while Tara connects it more with childhood memories of Cupid and school valentine exchanges.

Mare emphasizes the importance of consciously choosing joy and love amidst chaos, using the metaphor of the phoenix rising from the ashes. Tara discusses her lack of enthusiasm for Valentine’s Day and the inauthenticity she sometimes perceives, but agrees it's a reminder to live in love daily.

They delve into broader themes of fear and love, touching on how news and socio-political unrest trigger fear. Tara shares a personal story about a loved one affected by government decisions, highlighting the challenge of redirecting fear into positive, loving actions.

Both women discuss how they cope with fear and frustration by focusing on love and gratitude, including interactions with loved ones, small joys like gardening, or making creative expressions of love like heart-shaped pancakes. They stress the importance of Conscious Conversations to recalibrate and maintain a balance between acknowledging harsh realities and fostering love and joy. They both reflect on how intentionality in love and joy can contribute to better personal and communal well-being. How much love can you stand?

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Book: Permission to Feel by Dr. Marc Brackett

In this episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation regarding their experiences and progress with their January Living Intentions and planning their Living Intetion focus for February. Tara starts by reflecting on her January intention, which was to finish things she started if they were worth finishing and to let go without strings attached if they weren't. Although she didn't finish many tasks, she made significant progress in starting and pursuing various projects, such as learning to use a new sewing machine. Her word for the year, "brave," helped her to tackle challenges she had previously avoided, enhancing her sense of accomplishment and momentum.

Mare, on the other hand, focused her January Living Intention on nurturing connections and friendships with conscious presence. Through tracking and setting a challenge of making five connections daily, Mare discovered that she was naturally exceeding this goal. Her activities, including attending a 21-day accountability challenge, confirmed that she was effectively showing up for others and contributing positively to her community. She is now contemplating how to expand this connection in February in alignment with her annual goal of "rising."

For February, Tara intends to practice mindful connection with herself, others, her activities, the planet, and pets. This aim is to help her stay present and avoid disconnecting when overwhelmed. Mare chooses to read at least one book a month and plans to unplug from electronics to savor moments of stillness, participating in the "25 in 25" reading challenge. Both women find that focusing on these specific Living Intentions not only advances their personal goals but also enhances other areas of their lives, contributing to their overall well-being and the joy they spread to their surroundings.

They both express gratitude for their personal progress, acknowledging the challenging current events but choosing to focus on positive, constructive activities for personal growth and connection. They highlight the positive impact of accountability circles and intentional living on enhancing multiple aspects of their life. They invite others to join their Living Intention challenges.

1.  What is a Living Intention?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

In this episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation with international best selling author Peter J. Hughes.  The discussion delves into Peter's inspiration drawn from observing the loss of humanity in society, which led him to write articles and eventually books to help people align with their true potential. The conversation highlights the importance of using thoughts, words, and actions to create a thriving life. Peter details how his books and card decks are structured to support these transformations.

The group moves on to discuss the broader context of social media's role in today's world. Peter emphasizes the importance of using social media responsibly and being an advocate for humanity's best aspects rather than contributing to its downfall. They discuss the need for accountability and the practice of projecting positive energy online.

The conversation wraps up with reflections on significant events like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the presidential inauguration, stressing the relevance of dreams and divine guidance in social change. The group concludes by reinforcing their commitment to nurturing humanity and leveraging social media as a tool for positive impact.

They also encourage the audience to participate in Conscious Conversations with family, friends, and community members. What is a Conscious Conversation? Learn more at Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Living Intention?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation, discussing the theme of authenticity and belief in others' true selves as conveyed by the card "Shifting the Paradigm, Action Point 13" from the At-One-Ment: Reclaiming Our Humanity deck. The card advises, "When someone tells you who they are, believe them."

They both delve into exploring the idea that people often present themselves through words, actions, and energy that do not always align. They discuss how this misalignment can be confusing and emphasize the importance of being cautious rather than fearful when interpreting these energetic cues.

The  conversation touches on various topics, including political figures, religion, and personal anecdotes involving work and family relationships, illustrating how people can show different aspects of themselves in different contexts. They discuss the importance of being open to changes in others while maintaining boundaries based on observed behavior.

They encourage the audience to participate in Conscious Conversations with family, friends, and community members. What is a Conscious Conversation? Learn more at Connection Project 360.

1.  What is a Living Intention?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this episode Mare and Tara have a Conscious Conversation that underscores the importance of self-love, authenticity, and bravery in the face of societal judgments. They start by pulling a card from the At-One-Ment: Reclaiming Our Humainty deck titled "Dress Your Spirit," which encourages dressing in a way that is true to one's spirit. Mare shares a personal story about her sister confidently wearing a burlap sack, highlighting the importance of authenticity over outward appearances. Tara reflects on her own struggles with self-judgment and appearance, particularly recounting a moment from a recent weekend with friends where she felt self-conscious about a photo posted on social media. Through this experience, Tara explores her chosen theme of bravery for the year, ultimately realizing the importance of showing up authentically despite social judgments.

The dialogue moves through themes of self-acceptance, societal judgments, and personal growth. Mare and Tara acknowledge how societal norms and internal Judgment Dragon's impact self-esteem and personal expression. Tara challenges herself to be brave, recognizing the discomfort but also the necessity of embracing her authentic self. Mare discusses her own theme of 'rising' for the year, noting that both hosts will have ample opportunities to practice courage and authenticity in the coming year. They invite the audience to also consider how they can dress their spirits authentically, suggesting that love and personal empowerment lie in the details of how we choose to present and carry ourselves.

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/ReplyForwardAdd reaction

In this episode Mare and Tara discuss their intentions and words for the year 2025. Tara's word is "Brave," symbolizing her desire to confront fears and push herself out of her comfort zone. She explains how using the concepts of "stretch," "risk," and "die" from Rhonda Britton's teachings helps her navigate fear and make braver choices. Mare chose the word "Rise" to signify her aim to elevate her successes and personal growth, envisioning it as the sun's rays extending in many directions.

Both women share their specific goals for January. Tara focuses on finishing projects she's started, cultivating habits around health, crafting, and personal growth, and letting go of unworthy projects. Mare intends to nurture her connections with friends and family, leveraging regular, intentional activities to deepen these ties.

They reflect on their past year's intentions and accomplishments, discussing the concept of "Kylego" — a future-casting technique where they speak about their goals as if they have already achieved them. This method helps them visualize their growth and reinforces their Living Intentions.

They highlight the importance of Conscious Connections, ongoing support for each other's goals, and maintaining accountability to move their Living Intentions from dreams into reality. 

Living Intentionally impacts living a life that you absolutely love: They encourage their audience to join their community at Connection Project 360 and to reflect, plan, and set intentions for their own personal growth. How open are you to living a better life in 2025?
1.  What is a Living Intention?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this episode Mare and Tara have an in-depth Conscious Conversation about their experiences in 2024 and plans for 2025. They discuss their personal growth, the impact of living intentionally, and the importance of community support.
Tara's Reflection: Focused on "release" for the year, successfully letting go of physical, emotional, and mental clutter. Achievements include decluttering, addressing weight and emotional burdens, and practicing presence.
Emphasized the benefits of changing intentions monthly while holding herself accountable.
Mare's Reflection: Her word was "success", fostering personal and professional growth. Highlighted the progress of their podcast, maintaining habits, and navigating grief from losing her parents. Emphasized the importance of following through on awareness.
Both women shared how having focused intentions helped them navigate the year with greater purpose and accomplishment.
Next they will be talking about setting Intentions for 2025 and that the new year will include Community and Accountability. They emphasized the value of a supportive community for achieving personal goals. The discussion highlights the role of their Conscious Connection Circle and how it has aided their progress.
Living Intentionally impacts living a life that you absolutely love: They encourage their audience to join their community at Connection Project 360 and to reflect, plan, and set intentions for their own personal growth. How open are you to living a better life in 2025?
1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here:
https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J
Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

In this episode Mare and Tara discuss addressing new beginnings. They start their Conscious Conversation by pulling a card from the "At-One-Ment: Reclaiming Our Humanity" deck, which leads into a theme of "back to basics."

Tara shares her thoughts on personal responsibility and how taking 100% responsibility for one's actions contributes to personal and collective growth. She reflects on the importance of balancing personal needs with obligations to others and contemplates her plans for the upcoming year, focusing on activities that bring her joy, such as gardening and crafting.

Mare supports Tara's reflections, sharing her own experiences of loss and the importance of creating art and community to enhance joy and connection. She discusses the significance of self-care and aligning one's actions with personal values to contribute positively to the world.

They conclude the episode with an invitation for the audience to join their community through ConnectionProject360.com and a preview of their next Conscious Conversation, emphasizing the positive impact of their practices over the past year. How are you showing up in the world?

1.  What is a Conscious Conversation?: Learn more here: https://www.connectionproject360.com/
2. Learn more about  Reclaiming Our Humanity with Author Peter J Hughes: https://peterjhughes.com/books/

3. Jane Fonda on Aging and Importance of Art Communities

https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/7VO1fT9JWybMdxAjpCdEBmZjYXuDTEHL/