In this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Richard and Garrick cover how to say no. Most of us have been in a situation when we would like to say no, but the word "yes" comes out instead. This can cause us to suffer and feel resentful towards ourselves and/or the person who asked the question. We often fear that in saying no, we'll disappoint the other person, cause conflict, or endure rejection. While these may be rational and valid possibilities, they are not the only potential outcomes! Richard and Garrick will cover several reasons it may be difficult to say no and how to politely and assertively say no to people.

In this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Garrick and Richard cover stress and stress management. Stress is a normal part of life, but too much stress can make us sick, mentally and physically. It's important to learn stress management techniques to prevent stress-induced problems. Richard and Garrick describe stress and stress management and provide techniques to manage and reduce stress.

In this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Richard and Garrick are covering minimalism. Minimalism is a wonderful tool that can help you lose the stressful/overwhelming weight of your possessions & give you the freedom you've been longing for. There aren't specific rules that must be followed in minimalism, the rules are different for every person! You can personalize the rules to fit your lifestyle and what you value without feeling constricted and confined by someone else's rules. 

Don't think about all the stuff you're losing! Minimalism isn't about what you're losing, it's about what you're GAINING. You're gaining more time & freedom to do the things you love to do (spending time with family & friends, hobbies, traveling, etc.) In this episode, Richard and Garrick are covering the loose definition of minimalism, misconceptions of minimalism, decluttering methods, and the benefits you can receive by living with less.

In this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Garrick and Richard explore the world of Feng Shui. Have you ever walked into your home and felt a stagnant energy/vibe? This most likely translates to poor Feng Shui, which results in energy not flowing efficiently throughout your home, thus becoming trapped, stagnant and stale. 

So, how can we become more connected to our environment and how can we improve the flow of energy within our environment? With Feng Shui, duh! Feng Shui can drastically improve and balance the flowing energy in your environment. Improving the energy and inviting positive Chi into your home can enhance and balance your life, leaving you calm, with less stress and greater happiness. 

Listen along as Patter Chatter defines Feng Shui, covers some basic terminology & rules, explains the Bagua map and areas, and gives some quick Feng Shui tips. Sit back, relax, and let's talk Feng Shui!

Example of a Western Bagua Map:
http://www.arounddb.com/life-on-lantau-articles/feng-shui/fung-shui-the-bagua-map/

"Change begins at the end of your comfort zone."
 In the week's episode of Patter Chatter, we're plunging into comfort zones! Everyone has a comfort zone, but oftentimes, we stay comfortable for too long and forget that there are so many other amazing experiences and opportunities beyond our realm of comfort. Richard and Garrick discuss the definition of a comfort zone, why comfort zones can be dangerous, how we can step out and expand our comfort zones, and the benefits that can come from getting out of our zone of comfort. Sit back, get uncomfortable, and let's step out of those comfort zones!

In this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Garrick and Richard explore the realm of gratitude! The practice of gratitude can bring some incredible benefits into your life such as, stress relief, enhanced empathy, reduced aggression, and more! We'll discuss what gratitude is, how to practice it, the benefits that may come from gratitude practice, and the relationship between mindfulness and gratitude. Sit back, relax, and let's talk about gratitude!

On this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Richard and Garrick cover emotional eating. Emotional eating is simply defined as using food to make yourself feel better (filling emotional needs as opposed to filling your stomach due to hunger). There is nothing wrong with occasionally finding comfort in food, however, it becomes an issue when it leads to overindulgence, overeating, and avoidance of emotional issues. Your hosts cover the definition of emotional eating, why many of us partake in it, common causes that lead to emotional eating, how to overcome this coping mechanism, and provide alternatives to dealing with our emotions. 

Everyone procrastinates, but chronic procrastination has detrimental effects on mental and physical health and can negatively impact . Putting things off provides short term satisfaction and relief, but stores up the problems you're avoiding for later. In this week's episode, Richard and Garrick discuss procrastination, 4 different types of procrastinators, and how to escape procrastination's grasp. If you want learn more about procrastination and how to beat it, this episode is for you!

Are you mindful of the present moment, or are you fixated on the past and/or the future? On today's episode Richard and Garrick cover mindfulness, the benefits that come from being mindful, and at the end they treat you to a guided mindfulness meditation. 

Many of us struggle with achieving mindfulness, and distractions like TV and social media push mindfulness just beyond our reach. In addition, worrying about the future and the past make it extremely difficult to focus on what is happening in the present moment, which pushes mindfulness even further from our grasp. Putting forth the effort to be mindful can change your life! It can change the way you think about things, how you react to your environment, and bring about other extraordinary benefits (which are covered in this episode). If you are wanting to live your life in the moment and be more mindful, this is the podcast for you! If you aren't even sure what mindfulness is, this is the podcast for you! Check it out and let us know what you think!

In this week's episode of Patter Chatter, Richard and Garrick cover how to overcome shyness. Shyness isn't a bad quality, however, it possesses the power to cripple our social skills and inhibit our ability to successfully perform in social interactions. Don't let shyness take control of your life and prevent you from doing the things you want to do! Eliminating your shyness (whether it's moderate or severe) won't happen overnight, it's a process that will take time and effort. Join us as we walk you through the causes of shyness and provide some steps to help you overcome being shy!