Plan Simple with Mia Moran

As you may have heard, May was my birthday month, and I have a habit of celebrating my birthday month. On this minisode, I talk through what happened, what did not, and what I learned along the way. May was nothing like what I planned, and it far exceeded my expectations!

“I get to be the creatrix, the creator, of my own life and my own experience.”

–Sil Read

Being human is a hero’s journey. Are you ready for yours? I’m so excited for this conversation with my mentor Sil Read in this special birthday episode about stepping into the next part of your life.

What is it about midlife? Life is a constant cycle of death and rebirth, and midlife is more intense because you've got the time element. You realize it isn’t infinite. Other parts of your life may be changing.

For you to rebirth yourself — and you get to be the creatrix of your life — some part of you has to die. You can choose to slow down time and honor the transitions and the change.

We talk about: 

• The power of retreats
• Showing up with crone wisdom and beginner’s mind
• Holding opposites
• Stages of maiden, mother, crone, and being with the wisdom of the crone even if we aren’t there yet
• Trusting the process and that a new life will welcome you outside of the chrysalis
• What we can discover from symbols and archetypes

ABOUT SIL

Sil Read is a mother, author, teacher, and a coach for women. She is proud to call herself an elder. Sil brings 40-years of experience working with women to her coaching and teaching: experience as a nurse practitioner, psychotherapist, and workshop leader. 

Sil graduated from Brown University where she majored in Women's Studies. She studied with the renowned Jungian author and analyst Marion Woodman for two decades and graduated from Woodman's BodySoul Rhythms training in dreamwork, archetypal psychology, and the art and science of listening to the wisdom of the body. Sil loves guiding women in reclaiming rejected parts of themselves, so that they can experience their wholeness and, therefore, a more conscious and authentically lived life.

LINKS

• Sil’s Site: https://www.silread.com/

On the PlanSimple Podcast: 

• From the Inside Out with Sil Reynolds
• Mothering with Sil Reynolds
• The Heroine’s Journey with Kristin Hanggi

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Action is where change happens. 

But here's the thing: when we have a goal, a wish, a desire bubbling up in us, it can feel really huge. Sometimes we stop ourselves in our tracks based on how huge our desire feels. Change needs action, but it doesn't need huge action. When we focus on the next step, the next Doable Change that we can integrate into our lives, we don’t get stuck and we create momentum. 

Choose one Doable Change that resonates with you today and really play with it. Fit it into your life, your days, make it work for you — then move on to your next Doable Change. 

Here are Three Doable Changes from this conversation: 

• HOLD OPPOSITES. You can hold an inner or outer conflict quietly instead of trying to resolve it quickly. Start by asking yourself: What opposites am I holding today? Holding that conflict can help birth the new. Start with identifying your opposites and holding both.
• SLOW DOWN. The secret to having the space to do what you want is to slow down. It can be super helpful for somebody else to hold and guide space for you in this process. Your doable change today could be saying yes to a retreat that’s been intriguing you. It could be blocking time to disconnect from your devices and spend time in nature.
• ENGAGE WITH CRONE ENERGY. What can you learn from crones or elders? If you are in or entering that stage, can you tap more into the freedom of not carrying what others think? If you are not there or just entering, can you find a crone mentor or circle to learn from and support you in your change?

“Part of my mission is to teach women business owners that it's so empowering to be able to look at and know your numbers.” –Sara Fins

Not a numbers person? Uncomfortable with money? Let’s make it easier and something you actually do. I'm really excited to talk with Sara Fins, a financial coach and retired CPA. She has experience as an accountant in corporate and gets the needs of entrepreneurs from a decade of running her own health coaching practice. 

So many of us are triggered by financial things because of money stories we picked up when we were younger. Sara explains how to use triggers to help us actually take action around our financial lives.

We talk about how to really keep it simple while getting more comfortable with money. If you’d like less of a panic and scramble at tax time, if you’d like more confidence about your financial situation, and to actually start attracting more money, this conversation is for you.

We talk about: 

• Having a financial accountability buddy
• Starting by paying attention and actually looking at what’s coming in and out of your business
• Why having separate accounts for business saves you time and headache
• Creating a good-better-best money plan 
• Making a habit of paying yourself — even in the beginning
• Creating your own financial checklist — where to check when you track revenue or expenses

ABOUT SARA

Sara Fins is an expert Financial and Certified Health Coach and retired CPA who spent over a decade as an accountant in the corporate world and a decade running her own health coaching practice. Now she blends her accounting background and entrepreneurial experience to help other solopreneurs manage and master their business finances with ease.

Through her private coaching programs, workshops, and her signature course, “Easy Business Bookkeeping,” Sara helps small business owners feel confident managing their business finances so they can save time, stress less and keep more of the money that they earn.

When Sara isn’t working with clients, you’ll find her hanging out with friends and family or curling up with a good book in her Long Island, New York home. She loves to travel and see the world and her favorite place to relax and recharge is at the beach.

LINKS

• www.sarafins.com
• https://www.facebook.com/easybusinessbookkeeping
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarafins/

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Change comes from action. 

Doable changes are things that you can add into your life, one at a time to make micro shifts and really create a ripple effect that will create a big change over time. Choose one that really piques your interest and roll with it. 

Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• PLAN A MONEY DATE. Pick a regular time to look at your accounts. See how much money is coming in, when, and now. Notice where money is flowing out and how much. Any tracking you do will flow out of starting to pay attention. Paying attention will help you make better decisions and scramble less at tax time.
• SEPARATE ACCOUNTS. In addition to being a good business practice for tax purposes, you make your own life easier when you keep your business accounts separate. You know that expenses from your business bank account or on your business credit card are for business. If you don’t have separate accounts, set them up. If you have separate accounts, take the doable step of making sure you are working with the right account each time.
• MAKE A GOOD BETTER BEST REVENUE PLAN. Think of this as what you need to cover expenses, what you need to be making a little money, what your aspirational goal is. Then really look at the numbers. What are your offers? How many do you need to sell to hit good, better, or best? Is that possible? Do you need a different offer or different rates?

“Motivation is great, but habits begin with taking action.”

–Patricia van Essche

You deserve to be fully present. Yes, even if you are parenting or caretaking for aging parents. I asked Patricia van Essche, pilates instructor and artist, about why we might want to check out pilates during perimenopause. Her response is about more than exercise.

Let’s start with exercise. If you are looking for a 10-minute workout, pilates is not it — but it still might be for you. We have so many things promised to us in short bursts of time, but some things (most things) take longer. Pilates can help your back and your posture. The breathwork is powerful and beneficial for the body.

Patricia also talks about community and connection with pilates — and the power of showing up for yourself. We look at how to start a habit, how Patricia’s clients managed to start a habit with pilates — even juggling a lot and needing 50 minutes for a class.

We talk about: 

• How parenting shifts but doesn’t end as you kids get older even into adulthood
• Writing down the thing you want to do and your plan
• How habits start with action and how we start slow and build
• Having somebody hold space for your commitment 
• Reinventing yourself at any age
• Setting aside time each week for the things you want in your life

ABOUT PATRICIA

PVE is a bon vivant as well as an accomplished artist and illustrator. Whether it be a portrait, house or lively scene, her colorful, effervescent images are always fresh and whimsical. PVE perfectly captures "Artful Living" a well lived and celebrated lifestyle.

From her hilltop studio aerie, Patricia van Essche, better known to her clients, fans and followers as PVE, creates illustrations and art pieces which depict a celebrated lifestyle of colorful and chic homes, pets, events and more. Whimsical, lively illustrations are the centerpiece of PVE’s artistry; which includes capturing favorite moments and images; design collaborations; creative commissions; enthusiastic consulting with entrepreneurs… and blogging about it all. Call on PVE to add art, color, beauty to your life and turn an image of what you love into a commissioned work of art to be cherished always.

PVE was born in Louisville, Kentucky into a talented, entrepreneurial family which led her to attend the University of Cincinnati’s renowned College of Design, Architecture and Art where she studied Fashion Design. PVE was drawn to live in Manhattan and traveled the world as a designer and design director for fashion’s elite Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Liz Claiborne brands. 

PVE debuted PVE Design, a showplace for her own art, inspiration, and creativity. As an accomplished artist and illustrator, she has worked for numerous private commissions as well as with exclusive clients including J. McLaughlin, Secrets Gourmet, The Park Avenue Fund, The Princess Grace Foundation and Lava Barre. PVE lives in Westchester County, New York.  PVE is devoted to living artfully.  PVE is currently teaching Pilates at Club Pilates in Ardsley and Scarsdale. Patricia inspires others to find the joy of art and wellness.

LINKS

• Pvedesign.com
• Instagram @PVEDesign

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Action is where change happens.

Even though we want big change, it’s really little things done over and over that make the difference. So pick a doable thing. Put it in your calendar. Weave it through your days for a week and then move on to the next one. It will have a snowball effect.

Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• DECIDE WHEN TO WORK OUT. If you want to build an exercise habit, start by deciding when you like to work out. Do you want to get it done first thing in the morning? Would your lunch break work best? Once you choose the time, block it off in your calendar. If you are going to take a class, book the class.
• WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU WANT. Get really clear about what you want. Write it down. That came up more than once in this conversation. Whatever challenge you want to tackle — lose weight, read a book, become a Pilates instructor, create more art — make a list. Write it down.
• SET THE TIME FOR WHAT YOU WANT FIRST. I asked Patricia how she juggles it all. She sets aside a certain number of hours for pilates and a certain number for her artwork. What things do you want time for in your life? How much time do you want to give them? Choose. Block of the time. Show up for yourself.

“We can't go through menopause correctly if we have too much stress. This is a natural process, but a lot of our current societal stuff interferes with this natural process.”

–Ana Stauch

What does it really mean to get healthy? I’m not talking about scheduling your mammogram and colonoscopy (though that too). What can you really DO and who can help us through that? I’m so excited to talk with Ana Stauch, a nurse practitioner who helps women navigate perimenopause and midlife health.

Ana talks about four pillars we need to tend to for health: nutrition, sleep, movement, and connection. Some of those look different as we age. We need more protein. We need to prioritize sleep. We need movement that helps build muscle.

We don’t need to overcomplicate it. There is a lot in our lives that may seem to make it hard, but you can give yourself permission to prioritize the things you need to do for your health.

We talk about: 

• The deep toll stress takes and why we need to get serious about it
• Finding a healthcare provider you like and trust (and a tip for finding one)
• Experiencing a similar symptoms to puberty — but not being able to just slam the door and retreat to our room
• Transitions and stepping into our purpose at this stage of life
• The four pillars of health — one is connection
• What labs can tell you if you dig deeper than the norm

ABOUT ANA

Ana Stauch is a nurse practitioner from Jacksonville, Fl. She has helped thousands of women navigate hormonal changes and improve their health over the past 24 years. 

She opened her primary care practice — A New Way Healthcare — in 2018 and more recently developed a program called New You which guides women through midlife addressing hormones, holistic health and self development. She is also the medical advisor for Radiate Wellness Products. Ana is Level-1 certified in Functional Medicine and a member of the National Association of Menopause Society.

She lives in Atlantic Beach, Fl with her husband and three sons, two of which are away at college. She enjoys practicing yoga regularly, walking on the beach, reading, traveling and is currently in her own perimenopause journey!

LINKS

• anewwayhealthcare.com/newyou
• radiatewellnessproducts.com

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Change comes from action. 

We tend to overcomplicate things. Doable changes are small actions that you can add into your life, one at a time to make micro shifts and really create a ripple effect that will create a big change over time. Keep it simple. Keep building. 

Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• KEEP IT SIMPLE. Get quiet for a minute and your gut and your intuition know exactly what you need to work on first. You know that maybe six cups of coffee or drinking two liters of soda isn't a great idea. You know if  don't do any movement most of the day. You know if you go to bed too late every night. Write down whatever comes up. You know what you should work on. Then keep it simple. Park further away from the door. Cut your coffee in half. Once you’ve made an adjustment you can take stock again and make another shift.
• FIND A PROVIDER YOU TRUST. This is huge, and it can be hard. You can ask friends for recommendations. You could ask a compounding pharmacy for provider recommendations if you want providers who might think outside the box a little more. You can look for people who specialize in perimenopause/menopause. If you don’t feel heard or are told “it’s just age,” keep looking. This one may take a while, but it will pay off when you find one.
• PRIORITIZE SLEEP. Of the four pillars, this is a particularly important place to start. Unwind a little before, but don’t use devices with bluelight right before bed. Set yourself up in a cool, dark room. Go to bed with enough time to sleep for seven to nine hours. If getting to bed on time is the issue, what gets in the way? Do you need to eat later? Leave a chore for the morning? Turn off your phone sooner? Your doable change might involve changing your environment or routines.

May is my birthday month. For the past few years, I’ve been making a plan for the month that gives me lots of little wins, so by the time my birthday rolls around, I feel super celebrated… by me! In this episode, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my plan, and give you some questions you could ask yourself. If you want a birthday planning sheet, send us a DM on Instagram that says “birthday plan”, and we’ll get it to you.

“When you take the focus off of the weight and focus on the habits, it's amazing how your body changes.”

–Krystal Taylor

Exercise is not a chore. So many of us look at exercise as a thing we have to do to transform our body or maybe to improve our health. But what if we switch that up? Krystal Taylor is a certified personal trainer who realized that the real transformations were about changes in energy and confidence.

That isn’t to say that you won’t see changes in your body, but things shift when you change your focus. And for people who are exercise-phobic, think about movement. There are lots of ways to move your body.

What do we do so that we can keep being active in our 70s and 80s (and beyond)? How can we really build an exercise habit?

We talk about: 

• Focusing on habits like water, sleep — but one at a time
• Creating a realistic plan that you can be consistent with instead of burning yourself out
• Not restricting yourself when it comes to food—especially carbs—and accepting foods are part of your plan (not a cheat food or cheat day)
• What an accountability partner can do for you
• Simple ways to add more movement to your day
• Being kind to yourself and focusing on the why not the how

ABOUT KRYSTAL

As a Certified Personal Trainer, Krystal Taylor has helped hundreds of people who are on their journey to a healthier lifestyle. She doesn’t believe in fad diets, but instead in adopting a healthier lifestyle. The change happens with your mindset first so that’s her focus.

As a former Adjunct Professor and Corporate Trainer, Krystal has always had the desire to educate people. While she enjoyed those jobs, she realized her passion was to help people get healthier and look better. So she decided to merge her training skills and love for fitness to be able to provide the best programs she could for her clients and gain specializations in Fitness Nutrition and Weight Management.

She offers virtual training programs (meal and exercise), unique fitness products (playing cards), and consultations.

LINKS

• www.fitnessisnotagame.com
• F* The Scale: Don't Let A Number Weigh You Down
• YouTube @FitnessIsNotaGame 
• Facebook  @FitnessIsNotaGame 

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Action is how change happens.

Often we feel like our actions have to be huge to match the bigness of our desires, but we have seen over and over and over again that the little things add up. By stacking up a series of Doable Changes, you will create that big change that you crave. Choose the one that really resonates with you this week and really make it part of your life. 

Here are Three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• MAKE A REALISTIC PLAN. When you get overly enthusiastic and decide to work out every day … you’re likely to burn out and quit. When you are realistic about how much you are ready to add in for your body and what you can fit into your schedule, you are more likely to succeed. Two times a week that you do consistently is better than five times a week you don’t do. Once you make the doable amount happen consistently, you may find ways to build in more if you want to.
• ADD A FEW MINUTES OF MOVEMENT. Start adding more movement to your day in micro increments. You could dance it out to your favorite song. Add push ups off the counter when you fill your water bottle. Walk the dog or work in your garden. You could pick one thing that you tie to something else, like the water bottle example, as a way to build the habit, or pick something new each day … dancing one day, a dog walk the next.
• FOCUS ON YOUR WHY. Knowing your why helps in two ways. First it can help motivate you when you don’t feel like following through on your plan. In addition, you can shift your mindset with your why. “I can’t eat pizza” is a lot different from “I feel bloated when I eat pizza too often.” “I’m going to exercise because want more energy” is different from “I have to work out to lose weight.”

Feminine Productivity is a new way to navigate time. Most of the stuff in the time management world was created by men. I’ve got nothing against men. I’ve got nothing against great time management books. And very often the people who are writing this information have dinner waiting for them when they get home. 

As women, we hold so much —  kids of all ages (cause they don't stop needing us as young adults), careers, the changing landscape of our bodies, aging parents, homes that need attention, vacations, breakfast, lunch and dinner, often for not just us.

Listen in to learn how Feminine Productivity is a way forward.

“I've learned to really just start to give myself permission to live a really good life.”

–Linda Perry

Are you stuck in the shoulds? So often even when we have a vision, it isn’t ours — it comes from the outside. When Linda Perry started asking “Is this the life I want to be living?” and pushing back against beliefs that had come from outside it led to enormous change.

Linda is a mindset coach, and I’m excited to talk to her about making a vision a reality. The first step is to give yourself permission to put something on paper … and allow it to change. Linda recommends putting on your experimentation hat.

Don’t worry about the how. Linda calls “the how” the killer of dreams. We need more clarity about the what and the why.

We talk about: 

• Releasing beliefs that keep us from what we want, like I don’t deserve a vision, I can’t reach a vision, if I try I’m going to lose everything
• Creating a list of wants
• Choosing to act now, not someday, how to claim time, and what happens when you do
• Being in integrity with ourselves
• Letting go of gold stars and owning your self-worth
• Shadow work and how it helps us

ABOUT LINDA

Linda Perry is a mindset coach & business strategist who works with individuals, business owners and their teams become more self-driven and move toward 7-figure success. So many people get stuck on a plateau and don’t know how to move forward, Linda uses a mindset first approach to support  individuals and teams to tap into their core motivations, strengths and frees them from their blocks so they can soar past 7 figures. 

She is also a recovering attorney & copywriter and uses her skills of persuasion to show business owners how to make the impact they desire. Linda works with clients through her private coaching, group courses and workshops. She is also the lead business instructor at Levin Life Coach Academy where she teaches new coaches how to build a thriving coaching practice.

LINKS

• lindamperry.com
• The Top Three Blocks Keeping You from Getting to Six Figures and Beyond
• Instagram @Linda.m.perry 
• LinkedIn @lindamperry

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Action is where change happens.

Even though we want big change, it’s really little things done over and over that make the difference. So pick a doable thing. Put it in your calendar. Weave it through your days for a week and then move on to the next one. It will have a snowball effect.

Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• FIND YOUR VISION. Go ahead and write your vision on paper. You don’t have to figure out how to do it. You don’t even have to stick with it for the next 5 years, but write down what you want. Then ask: Is this really what I want — or is what I think I’m supposed to want? Keep experimenting until your vision feels clearer and more from the inside.
• CLAIM 5 MINUTES. Choose something you want to do and put 5 minutes on the calendar for that thing. Do the thing for 5 minutes. Do it every day for a week. Do you want to keep going? Do you want more time? Notice what happens to time and your ideas.
• HOLD YOURSELF IN INTEGRITY. We’re often good at being in integrity with others, but not with ourselves.Identify one thing you’ve said that you want to or would do for yourself — it could be related to health or business or something you love doing. Do the thing as if you were doing it for someone else. Remind yourself that you deserve to be in integrity with yourself.

“You can actually speak up for yourself with poise and grace and kindness.”

–Amy Green Smith

Can you be compassionate and assertive at the same time? I’m really excited to talk with Amy Green Smith about self-empowerment and how she stopped being a people pleaser.

Don’t think you are a people pleaser? We go beyond the idea of people pleasing being something a timid wallflower does. Any time we alter who we are in order to gain favor from another person or party at a cost to us is people pleasing. Sometimes we people please to stay safe. It’s important to see where people pleasing is keeping us safe and where it is stealing our joy.

We don’t always have to be disrupters. Sometimes we just want to be ourselves. The middle path can be messy, but it’s possible to stand up for ourselves without anger. We can communicate without yelling and screaming or biting our tongue all the time. 

We talk about: 

• Taking up equal space with people with different ideas
• Setting and holding boundaries around challenging areas in relationships
• How to live life according to what you want, not other’s demands 
• Recognizing and feeling dichotomous feelings and not falling prey to guilt
• Going back to your internal compass and checking your intention
• Questions to ask to find your truth

ABOUT AMY

Amy Green Smith is a certified and credentialed life coach and hypnotherapist, masterful speaker, and personal empowerment expert. Amy uses her roles as coach, writer, podcaster, and speaker to move individuals to a place of radical personal empowerment and self-worth. 

With acute focus on helping people “find their voice”, she is highly sought after for her uncommon style of irreverence, wisdom, and humor and has been a featured expert in Inspired Coach Magazine and on Fox 5 San Diego.

LINKS

• Website: https://amygreensmith.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyamygreensmith/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heyamygreensmith/

DOABLE CHANGES

At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Action is how change happens.

Often we feel like our actions have to be huge to match the bigness of our desires, but we have seen over and over and over again that the little things add up. By stacking up a series of Doable Changes, you will create that big change that you crave. Choose the one that really resonates with you this week and really make it part of your life. 

Here are Three Doable Changes from this conversation:

• CHECK YOUR INNER COMPASS. You will get a lot of feedback from other people, and it’s not helpful. When you are feeling bad about how people react to something you say or do, return to your inner compass and check your intention.
• FIND YOUR TRUTH. Use this three prong question to find your truth in any situation. Ask: What are the facts of the situation? What am I making up? What else could be true?
• SET A BOUNDARY. Boundary setting is not easy. It takes time and energy, but it is an important step to living the life you want to live and giving up harmful people pleasing. Start by getting really clear about what you will and will not tolerate. Then communicate that firmly and with compassion.