Plan Simple with Mia Moran

Once you realize that something is not serving you in any way that's joyful or helpful …, then you can start to release it. But until you're ready, this practice won't call to you.  

– Vanessa Gobes

On this episode of the Plan Simple Meals Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Vanessa Gobes, co-founder of The Chrysalis Center, about transformation. We talk about the huge transformations she made in her own life and why she started the Chrysalis Center.

We talk about meditation as a tool that can change your brain (and your life), but only if you are ready. If you aren’t ready to give up the stories that aren’t serving you, if you can’t let go of your own bullshit, then this practice won’t help. But if you ready to change, it’s a powerful tool.

Another strategy Vanessa offers is being with what is. She talks about being in the mud, and how if we get curious and explore that feeling of not wanting to be in the mud, we can come to a greater understanding. We tend to want to fight against being in the mud, but we can learn so much and change in good ways if we can be in those tough situations.

We talk about:

• Stripping out what doesn’t serve you and following joy
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• Different ways to practice meditation and why 10 minutes a day can change you
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• How chakras fit in with meditation
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• Trusting that things will work out and that we will have what we need when times are hard
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• Cultivating relationships with people we can turn to when we need them
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• Setting yourself up for success with the right transitions—in meditation and life
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BIO

Vanessa Gobes coaches women and men through the darkest parts of parenthood (and life) with humor and humility, demonstrating that even the worst challenges can be viable paths to healing, insight and joy when approached with curiosity. Since co-founding Chrysalis in 2015, her teachings have stretched beyond mindfulness, exploring how spirit can be more readily accessed through insight practices. Vanessa is a happily unmarried mother of several and author of the upcoming perscriptive memoir “Metta Mom: A Mindful Guide to Managing Your Mood & Your Brood,” represented by Corvisiero Agency NYC.

LINKS

• www.facebook.com/vanessa.gobes
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• Soulopreneur
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• Chrysalis Center
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• Insight Timer meditation app
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• Podcast: Dance to Dinner with Denise Costello
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• Podast: Living in Your Box with Sarah Jenks
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Doable Changes from this episode:

• PLAN TIME FOR TRANSITIONS. Whether you are meditating, getting dinner on the table, or trying to get your kids out the door, leaving...

A brief summary of this episode

The first realization you have to have is nobody is going to make time for you in your schedule to work on your passions.   – Kerry Connelly

On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Kerry Connelly who calls herself “writer, speaker, coach, Jesus freak (of the progressive sort).” She’s hard to put into a box, but she is somebody who gets the idea of FLOW. You’re going to love hearing what she has to share about all areas of FLOW, but especially the Om, or spirituality part.

Kerry is passionate about helping women take those leaps into the unknown—or said better reconnecting with the voice inside that is our gift to the world. She helps women identify their gift, what they do that is going to help other people.

We talk about her book Pause and how we—all of us, busy moms, hard-working entrepreneurs, those still in corporate—can pause to make time for the things that really matter to us.

We talk about:

• Time, and how even if it doesn’t feel like it, it is the only resource that is completely and 100% in your control.
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• Learning to budget your time the way you budget your money
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• Working in 90-day sprints
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• Choosing the 3 most important things and putting those into our planner first
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• How allow ourselves to dream and then take action, even if we aren’t exactly sure what our goal or dream is gives us more clarity that helps us keep moving
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• Simple things anybody can do to set yourself up for a win
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BIO

Kerry Connelly is an emerging voice in the world of progressive Christianity, a sought-after speaker and coach, and an author. Kerry has over twenty-five years of business experience in corporate, non-profit, and direct sales arenas, and she brings that experience to her coaching clients, her writing, and her speaking.

LINKS

• Kerry’s website
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• Kerry’s blog JerseyGirlJesus
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• Kerry’s most popular post: Excuse Me, Your Idols Are Showing
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• Kerry’s podcast
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• Joy Revolt!
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• Kerry’s book PAUSE: Making Time To Walk With God
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Doable Changes from this episode:

• CHOOSE YOUR PRIORITIES. The first step to making time for your priorities is knowing what they are. While it can feel like everything is important, choose 3 priorities to focus on and put first for the next 90 days. Try to choose 2 that are related to wellness or a passion project, something other than work/business.
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• SCHEDULE YOUR PRIORITIES FIRST. If eating healthy is a priority, mark off time to make a salad for lunch. Literally put it in your planner before anything else. You might need to schedule time for grocery shopping or to go to the farmers market. If...

The more we experience places of timelessness, the more time we have in our day. – Julie Hannon

On this episode of the Plan Simple Podcast, I’m so excited to talk with my friend, and shaman, Julie Hannon about how to bring more OM into your life.

If you’ve followed my FLOW planner process, you know that the OM refers to the quiet spaces between the busyness—downtime, meditation, unstructured afternoons, walks in nature, a yoga class, journaling, reading, bedtime routines, healing rituals, self-care, and planning. We often put these things on our list, but not on our schedule. Julie and I talk about how and why it is so important to make them part of our daily life.

We dive into seasons, contracting, and how things show up just as they are meant to be. Julie talks about intention and trusting that things are going to unfold perfectly.There’s so much good stuff here.

We talk about:

• A simple breathing practice that can change your day
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• How a gratitude practice counteracts the fear that surrounds us
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• Listening to what your soul needs (even when it isn’t logical)
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• Knowing where your nectar is in the day (how do you connect to your spirit?)
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• Creating ceremonies to feed a deep craving for ceremonial space that we all have
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• Reconnecting with your intuition
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• Julie leads a brief mediation
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BIO

Julie Hannon is a shamanic healer and teacher. She is committed to helping people discover their self, their joy, and the beauty in life. She is passionate about connecting with people and helping each and every one discover their own special strengths and gifts. She works with people to remove barriers to possibilities. She bring diverse training and multiple certifications in energy work and yoga to her work, along with more than twenty years professional experience as a human resources director, where she worked with executives, teams, organizations, and individuals, leading them on a journey of discovery and successful transformations. Throughout her work, she has been a professional facilitator and teacher, moderating, leading groups and creating programs and retreats.  

LINKS

https://www.innerpeaceandwellness.com/

bit.ly/soulopreneur-spring2018

Doable Changes from this episode:

• BREATHE. Lay your hands on your heart and breathe into that space and then breathe out. Start to follow your breath and observe your breath in and out of your heart space. Really see in your heart for a little bit. Give yourself the gift of six slow inhales and slow exhales every day in and out of your heart.
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• FIND YOUR NECTAR. When you set up your planner or to do list for the day, ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I’m gonna do for myself?” Make sure there is something sweet, something just for you on there, every single day.
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• CREATE A SIMPLE CEREMONY. Julie offers the example of having a book of earth prayers on the table and having somebody choose one blessing to read before dinner. It could be lighting a candle and breathing before you start your work for the day. It can be simple, but intentional to create a special space.
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REALLY getting healthy as a family can be a big lifestyle change. But no matter how insurmountable...

You don’t have to be June Cleaver preparing every little thing from scratch. You don’t have to be perfect. – Denise Costello

On this episode of the Plan Simple Meals Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Denise Costello, the founder of The Energized Body and co-founder of Chrysalis Center for Meditation and Wellness. Denise’s journey started with food, but moved into movement. We’re going to talk about both, plus an amazing experience she’s offering this spring.

Denise lived a very healthy lifestyle. She integrated exercise, movement, cooked and ate healthy. But when her twins were babies, she heard radio report on cancer, saying that by the time her children turned 18, one of six people would have cancer. She got really serious about protecting her family and trying to lower their risks. So she dug into integrated medicine and tried recipes and meditation—and she gathered other moms to share what she knew. Then she turned helping moms and families into a business.

Two important things about Denise were that she realized a healthy lifestyle was doable—even with twins and an adopted daughter. Even when her husband was in the Navy Reserves and gone for long stretches. Even while running a business. She approached situations like making dinner with joy — and without a need to do it perfectly. We’ll talk about specific tips for make it easier.

We talk about:

• Getting your kids involved with food prep and cooking
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• Setting your own standards of normal instead of worrying about what other people think
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• Using a Crock Pot (I think I’m finally convinced to try)
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• Kitchen hacks to make  prepping dinner easier
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• Making cooking more enjoyable—Denise describes her kitchen “sitch” and why music matters
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• Fitting in movement, being forgiving of yourself, and Denises 80% rule
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BIO

Denise Costello is the sometimes called the Fit Foodie. She’s the founder of The Energized Body and co-founder of Chrysalis Center Meditation and Wellness. She started out as a nurse and got excited about empowering individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle, thereby keeping them out of the hospital. Her interest in health and wellness increased and got personal with the birth of her twins. Her mission is to help you eat your way happy & healthy so you can feel your best, be your best & give your best.

LINKS

• The Energized Body
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• Chrysalis Center for Meditation & Wellness
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• Soulopreneur Spring Pop-up
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MENTIONED LINK

• Vanilla Bean Cake from The Spunky Coconut
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• The Journey Dance
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Doable Changes from this episode:

• TAKE SHORTCUTS IN THE KITCHEN. Chop and freeze onions so you have them ready when you need them—or buy them pre-chopped. Look for basil, garlic, and ginger pre-chopped and frozen. What other prep could be done for you? How else could you set yourself up for...