Self Care Spotlight

As I approached our 1 year podcast anniversary, I realized that there were a lot of BIG life lessons that I learned along the way. I launched the podcast on April 4, 2017 and we only have had one week without an episode, which was the week I want to Madeira, Portugal. Despite the face that I had no intention of this being a continuing weekly podcast, I fell in love with the art of podcasting and connecting with all of you, and it's one of the best parts of my week! I'm sharing my thoughts on beginning without all the answers, honoring your strengths and choosing a life of ease and joy over the easy way out, even if the road to ease challenges you. I also answer my own Rapid Fire Questions and read some of your fan reviews! THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -How and why I started the podcast unintentionally -Starting without all the answers -The beauty of being a beginner -The art of listening -Honoring your strengths -Learning from compliments -Choosing ease and joy over "easy" and what's the difference -Hell yes living -How goals are like relationships -The importance of sustainable self care -People want people, not perfect -A deep thank you from me to YOU! -What I want for this podcast's future- -I read your reviews live! -My responses to our "Rapid Fire Questions!" **Full show notes at thejournaldeck.com/episode52 instagram.com/thejournaldeck facebook.com/groups/journaldecktribe 

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I launched the podcast on April 4, 2017 and we only have had one week without an episode, which was the week I want to Madeira, Portugal and practiced self care by totally signing off social media and work for 8 blissful days. That means that next week, on April 10th, we will have our 1 year podcast anniversary!! In honor of that, this week we are doing Part 1 of 2 podcast reflection episodes. First up, this week I sit down with my friend and first Spotlight guest, Vanessa Checcio: a fitness gypsy and award winning personal trainer from Hoboken, NJ. In this episode, I ask Vanessa some of the same questions that I asked her nearly 1 year ago to the day and we chat about how self care has evolved over the past year for her and how she remains unabashedly herself.. Vanessa is a dynamite woman who embodies confidence, hustling with heart, and not giving a f*ck while still giving a f*ck! THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -What does "self-care" mean to her a year later? -The evolution of "hustle" -The joy and art of "Nothingness" -Finding the confidence to be YOU: The Aquarius woman -Being your own hype woman and loving yourself -The most important relationship you have -Social media struggles, detoxing and curfews -Her 3 fav self care tips right now **Full show notes at thejournaldeck.com/episode51 Instagram.com/thejournaldeck facebook.com/groups/journaldecktribe thejournaldeck.com 

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Enlightening and fresh, yet practical and wise. Andrea has been teaching yoga for nearly 20 years, which is more like a rare gem in this day-an-age of rapid yoga teacher trainings. Andrea's new book, "Close To Om: Stretching yoga from your mat to your life," with it's unique layout and thought out message speaks as both a yoga manual and a memoir. It breaks down poses and even esoteric yogic texts and relates them to real life. In the same manner, Andrea does this effortlessly on this week's podcast. Whether you're a newbie or seasoned yogi, you're sure to get a new perspective for stepping on to your mat and into your best life! -On being a yoga teacher in pre-social media days and what we can learn from these teachers -Her take on the Instagram yoga world -Her inspiration for writing the book -The book's unique layout AND your yoga journey: Awaken, transform, unite -How you do your yoga is how you do your life -The story of teaching her first yoga class (it's a good one!) -Yoga as Metaphors for patience, forgiveness, presence, and much more -Yoga as physical, psychological, and philosophical and how that impacts us differently than other forms of exercise -Dharma (highest path) and Santosha (contentment) and how to find them -How to see obstacles as stepping stones -Her early days as a signer/songwriter and what that taught her -Creating Space is Creative Space -Her daily mindfulness recommendations: S.T.O.P., S.T.A.R.T., the ABC's and "little savasanas" -Her "On the Mat" Challenge for YOU! Full Show Notes at thejournaldeck.com/episode50 instagram.com/thejournaldeck facebook.com/journaldecktribe 

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What does it mean to "be the light?" We whip that phrase around so much these days that I feel like Yogi Bhajan's words "travel light, live light, spread light, be the light" has perhaps gotten lost in its meaning. I'm not saying that I know exactly what he meant, but if I had to guess, he means something similar to what Rebecca Campbell pointed to in her book, "Light Is the New Black," which stopped me in my tracks. You cannot be someone else's light. You can only be your own and inspire others to find theirs. Being the Light, isn't giving up your Light. Have you ever met someone who seemed like they were turned on to something that you weren't? That's their Light, and you have your own too. It's your soul purpose to be that Light. So I ask you, are you being the Light or an outlet? And if you're being an outlet and getting drained, what do you do about it? And why do you need to be the Light more than ever? BONUS: Journal Prompt takeaway and Affirmation THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -Being the light, doesn't mean giving away your Light -Your Life's Purpose (yup!) -Social Media, walking away, and why you need to be the Light more than ever -The difference between being a Light or an Outlet -Light Leechers -Inspiring others to find their Light -Living a turned-on life -What you're really seeing in the people you admire thejournaldeck.com/episode49

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I have been wanting to have this conversation on the podcast for a while now, and I was waiting for the right person to have it with. When I saw Steph Birch aka @stephynow post about her hamstring yoga injury, I knew that I HAD to reach out and see if she would be interested in having a candid conversation about the taboo topic of yoga injuries, the shadow side of yoga on Instagram, having a healthy practice, and just overall keeping it real and authentic in an online world. She was game, and I'm stoked to share this episode on being more mindful on and off the mat. THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -Yoga on Instagram and why she's over it -How her Instagram has changed and losing 10k + followers -Comparison and Picture Perfect yoga poses on Social Media -Staying authentic and being mindful on and off the mat -The Yoga Injuries that changed her practice and mindset -Why yoga injury is so taboo -Yoga props and self care techniques for a mindful practice and healthy body -Tailoring YOUR yoga practice and being a life-long student of your body -No longer being neutral on some topics -Boundaries SHOW NOTES including Steph's book suggestions @ thejournaldeck.com/episode48

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We are all told that meditation is good for us, but yet many of us feel intimidated, don't know where to start, think we are doing it wrong, or can't stay committed. So why IS meditation really so good for us both mystically and scientifically? How does it impact our relationship with time? And what does it have to do with self worth? Hear more on this week's episode from guest expert, Dr. Nikki Starr who comes from a medical background and yet has also taken not one but two silence meditation retreats that's helped her teach people around the world how to embrace meditation and live from their Alpha brain waves! THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -2 meditation benefits you HAVEN'T thought of -How does meditation bend time? -What's happening scientifically to the brain in meditation? -Living from your Alpha brain waves, what that means, and how to get there -Keeping calm in the chaos -The top reasons people hesitate or stop meditating -Tips to stick with your meditation -Her go-to meditation for beginners -What self care means to Nikki SHOW NOTES @ thejournaldeck.com/episode47 

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We are our own biggest critic, and we can't deny that we judge others on the daily. I just finished reading the book Judgement Detox by Gabby Bernstein, so this week I am talking about just that: judgment and how to release it + my personal struggles with comparison and self doubt. THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -Your inner critic and the Virgo Full Moon on March 1st/2nd -Being our own BIGGEST critic and block and my personal struggles  -Judging yourself as an entrepreneur -Ways we judge: comparison, judgment of others, play victim -5 ways to loosen and release judgements -Growing up with "Survival of the Fittest" mindset and its effects  -Choosing love, abundance, and oneness + JOURNALING EXERCISE AND PRAYER to release judgement and embrace oneness! thejournaldeck.com/episode46

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Have you ever noticed that I wear a tiny crescent moon necklace in all of my Instagram stories? Well, that's because I NEVER take off this Zenned Out Jewelry necklace! And since I not only love her products, but I also admire her as a business owner and spiritual seeker, I decided to invite the Owner and head Creatrix, Cassie, to the podcast! THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -How she started Zenned Out Jewelry and made it full time -The paradox of infusing spirituality + business -How to make money without feeling gross -Her creative process -How she uses altars -Her favorite moon phase, jewelry piece, tarot deck, & goddess -Why she made her new book, The Goddess Discovery Book SHOW NOTES: thejournaldeck.com/episode45 

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On this Valentine's Day themed episode, I sat down to record for the first time with my fiancé, Brad, for a hysterical, yet honest episode all about relationships! Having been together for 12 years, and gotten engaged not once, but twice to one another, Brad and I break down some of our biggest love lessons learned and answer your burning questions with this relationship focused episode. It's part humor and part truth-talking, and we hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording together! THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -Our steps on how to deal when things just aren't vibing -The relationship questions you need to ask -Honoring your partner's differences -Our favorite things to do together to strengthen our bond -Growing together spiritually and as a couple thejournaldeck.com/episode44

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Today I am jamming with you on the notion that "self care is not selfish." I'm sure many of us have heard this clever phrase before, but today I felt the need to really investigate this quotation and go deeper behind the reason we feel the need to say it in the first place and why it's so relevant right now.  I have three major reasons for why I believe this quote went viral, and I talk about something I call, "light shaming." This is where we shame others for looking to the light and accuse them of being naive or even self-centered. But today I'm here to remind you why it's so vital to practice self care. THIS WEEK'S GIRL TALK: -The 3 reasons why we need to know that self care isn't selfish -"The Self Care Tea Cup" analogy- -What is "Light Shaming-" -Martyrdom and suffering  -An on-air group Affirmation "permission slip" to live your light thejournaldeck.com/episode43

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