Joyful-Souls with Tracey Benson

The holidays can be a tricky time. 

For some of us, navigating these months can add a lot of unnecessary stress, particularly when it comes to choosing those perfect presents that will wow your loved ones. In today’s episode, I’ll be sharing a few tips that have helped me stay organized this year, as well as how the concept of love languages has personally aided me in regards to gift-giving.  

To hear more, tune in to Episode 29 of Joyful-Souls!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• An introduction to today’s topic on gift-giving during the holidays (1:20)
• Why understanding someone’s love language can help you when deciding what to get them (2:43)
• Why giving your loved ones presents they genuinely want creates a deeper connection between you and them (6:02)
• Ideas for those who enjoy giving gifts rather than receiving them (8:07)

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Today’s episode is a bit of a heavy one. 

I recently lost two friends of mine within the personal development circle and have taken some time to collect my thoughts on all of it. Reflection has been rampant in mourning and the one thing that’s been pressing on my mind lately is how grateful I am for the people around me.

On the show today, I want to share why I’m so passionate about practicing gratitude, particularly through adversity, why learning to live in the moment is beneficial for us in the long run, as well as some ways to ensure we never live with regrets. 

To hear more, tune in to Episode 28 of Joyful-Souls! 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• How grieving the loss of my friends made me realize what I was taking for granted (1:28)
• Why dedicating more time to our loved ones can alleviate our regrets (4:03)
• The effect it leaves on the people closest to us to show them we care (6:36)
• What I’ve been reflecting on after losing these individuals (7:39)
• The responsibility we have during conflict in our relationships (9:16)
• Why it’s so important to stay connected with the people in our lives (12:24)

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These past couple of weeks have been a little tough. 

I’ve unfortunately had to put my dog of eleven years down and have been taking some time to say goodbye to him. Caring for a pet, particularly a dog, is one of the most fulfilling, educational, and loving ventures you can embark on and there is so much we can stand to learn from animals. 

In this episode, I’ll be sharing a few of the things I’m grateful for in regards to the dogs I’ve owned over the years, why this holiday season has been an especially emotional time for me personally, and why bringing a pet into your home is an overall blessing. 

To hear more, tune in to Episode 27 of Joyful-Souls!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• What I’m grateful for in regards to my dog who recently passed away (3:32)
• What made me reminisce on my first pet during my gratitude meditation (6:09)
• Why owning a dog, in particular, is such a blessing (8:00)
• A question for my listeners — What in our lives are we taking for granted? (9:44)
• Why I get particularly emotional about this topic during the holidays (12:35)
• The benefits of adopting a furry family member this season (14:52)

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This year has been one of the most challenging yet, and with our lives shifting so dramatically over the past several months, it’s been all the more difficult to slow down and truly take inventory of the world around us. One thing I’m so grateful to have learned this year is the beauty behind slowing down. As someone who has always lived a relatively ‘fast’ life, this was such a necessary skill I needed to work on and has helped me to improve the quality of every aspect of my life.    

I’ve had the energy to dedicate space to my career and my close relationships, and have used this time as a way to reflect on how far I’ve come within my own personal growth. In this episode, I’m going to share how stopping to smell the roses has really benefited me over the last year, why it’s important to incorporate levity and play into our lives, and why developing the right mindset is a key component to achieving personal success. 

To learn more, tune in to Episode 26 of Joyful-Souls!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• The pros and cons of living a fast life & How my view has shifted on doing this (2:16)
• How slowing down helped me cultivate stronger and more meaningful relationships (5:56)
• Why we need to ‘take inventory’ in our own lives (8:28)
• Why we need to incorporate play into our work lives (10:21)
• How focusing on my coaching career has benefited me over the last ten years (12:21)
• Why slowing down has reframed my perspective towards my clients (15:19) 

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As the year is slowly drawing to a close, many out there have taken this time in isolation to reflect and refocus on what is truly important to us. In today’s episode, I’m going to be sharing my take on how we can bring in the New Year with a sense of pride and excitement and how we can focus on our goals in spite of all the upcoming holiday stress! 

I’ll be talking about how I’ve seen the restrictions of Covid-19 affect those around me, how we can harness our courage in the face of adversity, and why next year is one we should be bringing in with curiosity rather than dread. 

To hear more, tune in to Episode 25 of Joyful-Souls!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• Why the holidays tend to take precedence over our goals at the end of the year (1:54)
• Advice for how we can meet our holiday expectations and still finish the year on a strong note (3:49)
• Why planning is so important when working under time constraints (4:02)
• How I’ve seen the loss of commute time affect people within my life (5:46)
• Why some couples have chosen to work on their relationship during isolation (6:53)
• Why I’ve neglected to prioritize the ‘musts’ in my life (8:38)
• How I’m going to make my health and fitness a priority (9:55)
• What I challenge my listeners to ask themselves in preparation for the New Year (11:45)

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Last week, I had a bit of a personal breakthrough. After attending a weekend retreat with a friend of mine, my eyes were opened to so many personal insights that I wasn’t aware of or even conscious of before attending. I learned lessons about my own creativity, the limitations I place on my own abilities, and the importance of taking risks. 

In this episode, I’ll be sharing how this epiphany impacted me personally, what I discovered about myself, as well as why I want my listeners to look inwards and really ask yourselves the questions that matter. 

To hear more, have a listen to Episode 24 of Joyful Souls! 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• An introduction to today’s topic (1:40)
• What I’ve gained as a result of relaxing my own rules (8:30)
• How fear has a tendency to rule our emotions and intentions when it comes to taking risks (9:38)
• How the lessons I learned at my previous retreat related to what happened over the weekend (11:31)
• Why ‘what would love do?’ has been my mantra this year & My philosophy behind giving to others (14:56)
• What I discovered about my own restrictions through painting & Why letting go led me towards a greater outcome (17:51)
• How I felt leading a guided meditation on the retreat & The breakthrough I made during that session (26:16)
• What I’m imploring my listeners to ask themselves today (31:45)

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Coming up on our eighth month of lockdown, things have shifted monumentally in many aspects of our lives. Both economically and emotionally, we are feeling taxed by the weight of everything going on right now and many tenants in the Real Estate sector have fallen victim to evictions on top of the already stressful restrictions that Covid-19 has put on all of us.   

It’s been a logistically difficult time for both tenants and landlords respectfully. Today, I’m going to be sharing my perspective on how lockdown has affected myself as a Property Manager, my side of the ongoing tenancy agreements I have with my clients, why I value consistency, and why empathy is so important for us to practice right now. 

If you’re interested to hear more, tune in to Episode 23 of Joyful-Souls! 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• How lockdown has shifted my business model (2:20)
• My perspective towards tenants I feel have been misinformed during Covid-19 (4:43)
• Why healthcare should be affordable and accessible to all (7:52)
• A story from one of my clients who’d received the wrong information regarding their payments (9:21)
• Why I feel the burden has fallen on Property Managers, Owners, and Landlords (10:37)
• The grievances I have with the public response in regards to tenancy laws (15:53)
• Why I feel some people have taken advantage of kindness during lockdown (21:45)
• The importance of ‘preparing for winter’ (23:17)

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Something that’s repeatedly been brought to my attention lately is the complacent behaviors I’ve noticed from those within negative and sometimes, even toxic relationships. It’s a conversation I’ve had many times within my own circle of friends and so often, it’s disheartening to see their willingness to stay in partnerships that aren’t conducive to their own mental health.    

In this episode, I’m going to be sharing my perspective on this topic and give some advice to any listeners out there who may stand to benefit from these much-needed home truths. With compassion, understanding, and a genuine belief in our own self-worth, we are bound to attract the right people into our lives, but we must be willing to take those steps and practice honesty when it comes to our intimate relationships.   

Join me on Episode 22 to hear more! 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• An introduction to today’s topic on intimate relationships (1:43)
• My perspective on ‘unfixable’ issues within a partnership & Why we can’t expect people to change when they’ve repeatedly made the same mistake (2:16)
• Why it’s important to place responsibility on a spouse for their own toxic trait or behavior (5:00)
• How low self-esteem and self-worth can lead to tolerating negative relationships for prolonged periods of time (6:15)
• Why we need to take ownership of our actions when we willingly stay in a toxic relationship (9:54)
• Why people in extremely physically abusive situations are an exception to this (11:53) 
• The concept of being addicted to a bad relationship (15:20)
• My advice on self-love, tolerance, and seeing your own value (18:04)

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Have you checked in with yourself today? 

If you’re in the mood for some much-needed relaxation, then join me in today’s episode where I’ll be talking you through a guided meditation! Moving away from my usual episodes, this one will be a little less conversation heavy and focus more on how we can ground ourselves and bring awareness to our mind through this practice. 

Meditation has been proven to produce optimal results for decades now and has even helped those with issues such as insomnia, anxiety, and generalized stress. I ask that you keep an open mind for today and participate in whatever way you feel comfortable. This could even be a great resource to revisit for future moments of decompression.  

I’ll see you there! 

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• An introduction to today’s guided meditation (1:02)
• A brief moment for my listeners to get comfortable in preparation for this session (2:46)
• Calming deep breathing exercises (3:13)
• Guided ‘body scan’ on each area of the body (4:49)
• Bringing awareness to our breath and hearts (6:36)
• Gratitude practice (7:38)
• Grounding physical exercises to center yourself (15:21)
• Conclusion for today’s meditation (16:57)

Let’s Connect!

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As election season looms, tensions will naturally start to rise. This year especially has brought with it new challenges and obstacles in the form of the current Coronavirus pandemic, which has only amplified our need for strong and compassionate leadership.  

What I feel we’ve lost in the face of disagreements that are politically charged, is the ability to communicate respectfully. It feels so much of the time, we approach confrontation with a need to be right, rather than a desire to listen. In this episode, I’m going to be discussing how social media has played a role in the exacerbation of strong emotions, why I believe we should abolish the ‘partisan’ system in US politics, and why we should be more open to each other’s viewpoints.    

I also share some of my experiences within the Real Estate field, touching on how Covid-19 has affected both tenants and landlords, as well as my personal opinion on these disputes. It’s going to be one you’ll definitely want to engage with, so join me on Episode 20 of Joyful Souls to hear more!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• Why tensions run higher around this time of year (2:25)
• Why I don’t align with the traditional ‘partisan’ system (3:14)
• How social media has fed politically driven arguments & Why Covid-19 and the Election are creating tension (5:06)
• My response to the hate and misinformation that is spread on social media (7:19)
• Why we need to engage in respectful political discourse, even if we disagree (9:22)
• The responsibility we have over our online interactions & Why we shouldn’t judge others solely off of their profiles (11:47)
• A political conversation I recently had with my neighbor in the grocery store (15:19)
• How I’ve seen Covid-19 affect landlords under new tenancy orders (16:59)
• The misconceptions I’ve noticed around landlords (20:22)
• My opinion on the financial elements to halting evictions (23:00)

Let’s Connect!

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