Returning to Me

I am embracing this summer as a chance and a reminder to slow down and really be awake to what is around me. Remember when we were young and summer used to last forever? It is not the way anymore.

Today I share a story from years ago that still impacts me today as a reminder to slow down and notice the gifts all around us. This message never gets old for me. I hope you enjoy it too.

Do you have a similar story of your own? I urge you to spend a few minutes today remembering what simple summer pleasures are your favourite?

Thank you for listening and supporting my podcast. Your feedback when you review and share means so much to me and is the fuel that makes me want to keep showing up! Thank you, thank you!

Jen and I dive in for part 2 for a conversation on topics we are deeply passionate about. We discuss mental health and our own individual experiences with psychedelics - the importance of set and setting and the integration process and challenges that can come with psychedelics and cannabis.

We talk about lessons learned and the importance of having a guide to help navigate the complexities of life, ego, and our shadow. The conversation moves into religion and spirituality and where both of our journeys have taken us.

Jen shares details about her Ayahuasca journey on a great episode of the Let’s Not Sugarcoat It Podcast - listen here.

Other resources mentioned in this episode are:

The Shack (book and movie) by William Young

One Day My Soul Just Opened Up - book by Iyanla Vanzant

I Can Fix This: And Other Lies I Told Myself While Parenting My Struggling Child - book by Kristina Kuzmič

Whenever possible, please find these books at your local bookstore.

Find out more about Jen Bishop and Joyful Healing at:

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Website

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. Thank you for listening.

I have had the pleasure of watching Jen Bishop work with my daughter and I have enjoyed her teachings as a Homeopath on becoming more aware of our energy and what our symptoms are trying to tell us.

In this episode, we talk about having sensitive children and how that can sometimes mean struggles in school and manifesting symptoms that have deeper messages for us.

Jen co-authored the book Rainbow of Awareness with her friend and teacher Eve Delisi, which is subtitled: A Guide to Social and Emotional Learning & Awareness in the Classroom.

In discussing the joy of dancing and music, Jen mentions Femme Fatale Dance which has brought huge joy and community to a passion Jen has had for years. 

Make sure to listen to part 2 next week with Jen Bishop as we explore healing, mental health and psychedelics.

Learn more about Jen and the services she offers through Joyful Healing at:

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Website

As a visual storyteller, one of the ways Kristen helps entrepreneurs capture their essence is behind the lens of her camera. Kristen’s business, Storycatcher Photography, helps you create the visual story behind your brand.

We talk about what creating a “brand” is all about and why it is important. We also discuss Kristen’s more recent adventure of coming out from behind the camera to be vulnerable and share her own story and process of reconnecting to who she is at this point in her life.

Kristen mentions the power of dance and the joy she experiences while dancing. She talks about returning to dance @borealislatindance in Kelowna BC for salsa and bachata; as well as @kelownasbk for salsa, bachata and kizomba.

Current favourite books mentioned are the Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas, Accepting What Is by Byron Katie and The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida

We have a great conversation around growth and how that can feel uncomfortable at times, but the gifts within the growth make it all worthwhile.

Make sure to check out Kristen and Storycatcher Photography at:

IG: @storycatcher_photography

Website: www.storycatcherphotography.ca

Do you ever feel the flare up of a trigger where we notice that we are activated by something (in a negative way) but we aren't sure why?

I sure do. All the time. Today I share with you why I think it is so important to pause and reflect on the trigger when it arises so that we can learn something new and move ahead with more self awareness.

I read a passage from Teal Swan's book The Completion Process which really helped me understand triggers better, and the gifts within them to shine a light on a part of ourselves that we now have the opportunity to heal.

Thank you for spending your time here with me, and if you would like to ask a question or learn more about working with me, go to my website or send me a DM on:

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Keep going - the world needs YOU!

There is a reason we cannot see the whole stairway in front of us. We only need to take the one next step.

If we saw the whole staircase, we could easily become overwhelmed, confused, frozen at the immensity of it all.

Today I share a tip that was shared with my when I was navigating the loss of my Dad. I could not imagine a life without him in it. My friend shared a tip, and I am sharing a tip with you here today.

One breath at a time is sometimes all that we can manage. Because having a longer vision of the future can feel crushing and overwhelming at times. Breaking it down to the smallest, tiniest steps is how we walk ourselves through tough times, with intention and awareness of direction.

I hope this technique brings you strength in your darkest hour. Just one step at a time, my friend. One breath at a time.

If you are navigating a difficult time right now, know that you are not alone, and never have been. That is because you have been there for yourself through every difficult moment of your life and you have survived ALL of it. That is gold.

Keep going. One step, one breath at a time. Thank you for listening and reach out if you have questions or would like to book a discovery call to discuss working together.

If you can relate to looking in the mirror and not knowing the person staring back at you then this is the episode for you.

Self-care is personal, it is unique to each individual and there is no one size fits all.

It also requires us to get comfortable in the uncomfortable.

To begin undoing patterns that others have valued and appreciated in us. BUT, being a people-pleaser is problematic. It builds resentment and toxicity inside our cells. It is making us sick, and it has to stop.

It is time to shut out the noise, get honest with ourselves, and put in the time to discover how to show up for ourselves first and how to find our personal alignment. Then we can serve and show up in the world in a much more impactful way.

Cheryl Richardson’s The Art of Extreme Self-Care - 12 Practical and Inspiring Ways to Love Yourself More is the book I am referencing in this episode.

Are you ready? I am. Let’s get started.

If you would like to discuss how to move ahead with this work, book a discovery call here.

Getting to know ourselves at a deeper level is a lifelong process.

Alina Ramazanova brings her multitude of skills together to offer Astrology sessions (online and in person) so that we can get to know ourselves, our patterns, our goals and dreams at an even deeper level. She specifically works with entrepreneurs to help remove blocks and go after your dreams and goals.

We talk about the session that I recently had with Alina and how it illuminated a few areas of my life where I can now move forward with more intention and experimentation. It brings a powerful understanding and a framework we can return to again and again, revealing new layers of growth.

Alina helps me to understand how to tap in to my Venus energy and become more aware of creating separation between work and home energy and life.

Alina's partner Kris has created a beautiful full-length documentary available here which helps us better understand mental health challenges in ourselves, and in the people we love and care for. Please watch it and share the message so that we can continue to remove the stigma around mental health.

Connect and follow Alina Ramazanova on:

IG

Thank you for listening and please share this podcast and the documentary with anyone who would benefit from it. Thank you for your support!

There are inevitably times in life where we will feel like we are stuck in mud. This can feel dark, heavy, confusing.

Once again, we can look to nature to see the beauty that can emerge from being in the mud, as long as we keep going and remember that the lotus flower emerges from mud.

So if you are struggling, or feel hopeless, remember that we are meant to keep going through the mud, and continue to the place where the lotus flower will begin to open up, one petal at a time.

Quote from Thich Nhat Hanh

Excerpt read from Goldie Hawn's book: A Lotus Grows in the Mud

Thank you for being here!

It has been a rough few weeks. For various reasons. Who ever said life would be easy?

I often have to walk myself back to personal alignment, quite often actually. But having gone through the process of knowing what alignment feels like, I now have a flashlight that helps light up the path to "return to me" over and over again. Thus the name of this podcast.

I share the tools that are meaningful and powerful for me. I love helping others on their discovery of personal alignment. It has been a lifesaver for me and I am passionate about sharing it.

Have a listen and see if this resonates for you. I appreciate you showing up here and love that we get to do this work together.

If you are curious about doing this type of work together, book a free discovery call and let's talk about it. Or send me a DM on IG.