Somatic Wisdom

This episode is about my favorite coaching tool, the CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment and Report. I explain how I use it and then walk you through my Top 10 as a sample of what you might discover if you are interested in fully embracing your strenghts with this tool.

My Top 10:

Relator

Input

Intellection

Learner

Empathy

Strategic

Developer

Arranger

Maximizer

Ideation

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Links:

Embrace Your Strengths Session

Special Discount for Somatic Wisdom Listeners; Use Coupon Code "SWPOD30" for 30% off for first time orders.

CliftonStrengths34 Report directly from Gallup

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If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

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Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

Happy 2023, Somatic Wisdom listeners!

After allowing myself some generous time off after the holidays for rest and reflection I am back again and looking forward to the next season of Somatic Wisdom.

This is a reflection on the past year, along with some review of the five interviews I did and some of the lessons I most enjoyed. If you haven't heard them yet, I think you'll enjoy the content.

EP24 - Dr. Ashley White, MD, on Responsive Eating

EP27 - Beth Giles, My NIA Teacher on Joyful Movement

EP31 - Val Martin on Bodyfulness, Therapy, Cat Yoga, and Vegan LIving

EP34 - Viki Stith, Therapist on Managing Anxiety and IBS

EP36 - Izzy Iwen on Being Well at Work in the post/interim-COVID world

For 2023 I am inviting Patrick Geary, an Astrologer and Coach for my first interview. He did a wonderful 2-hour birth chart reading for me and I've already listened to it about 6 times, it was so chockful of wisdom.

Kathy Oneto of the Sustainable Ambition podcast will be joining me. She has some great resources on her site, especially if you're planning a more sustainable and/or more ambitious year ahead. Here's a link to my favorite book of prompts that are a great way to clarity where you want to go next.

Michelle Perdue is an actor and speaker, and has written the book: Rise and Shine. She's a member of my NSA-Minnesota cohort, and I am excited to learn more about her.

I'm also hoping Stephanie Lindloff of Our Natural Wisdom will agree to speak with me in February or March. She's the coach I worked with during the process of writing my book, and I really loved her course on Soulful Gardening last year.

Happy 2023!

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

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Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

Hello listeners.

Izzy was one of the first answering my "call" when I asked for leaders who are seeing different ways of being well at work.

I really enjoyed her perspective, since she's in the I.T. recruiting space, and also has a passion for wellbeing.

We cover topics like the growth mindset, and the notion of work-life flow. We talk about how COVID-19 working at home opened people's eyes to how hard they want to work and the benefits of a hybrid workplace. We also cover how onboarding and how newer staff members can sometimes feel less connected if they don't have an in person place to learn from other employees.

We talk about Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and other resources that companies like hers are providing to employees.

Toward the end of the interview, she turns the interview tables and asks me how self-employment has influenced my wellbeing. We speak about full time versus part-time opportunities with an eye to what future employers may have to do, given the tight labor market.

Overall, I think you'll gather some optimism about the job market and about how employers are changing their norms to respond to increased calls for a focus on wellbeing by the employees themselves.

To get in touch or connect with Izzy, here's her Linked In profile.

As a recruiter she hangs out quite a lot on Linked In!

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

This episode is about releasing what no longer serves us. I talk about something I did with my old journals, and I explain how having a physical ritual can be so cleansing.

What cleansing rituals can you use as you look back through the year and consider what you want to leave behind, versus what you want to carry forward?

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Coach Brooke Castillo of the Lifecoach School Podcast

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

I am excited to bring you this conversation with my new friend, therapist and Zen practitioner Victoria (Viki) Stith.

Viki and I cover topics around anxiety, body-based wisdom, the courage to take risks, and the refusal to harbor thought.

We talk about her journey to this work, and some adventures she's had along the way, like the 7-month stint living in France, fulfilling a lifelong dream. We are both "scanners," people with a lot of interests, and I'm always interested to hear about people's career paths, especially when they make large pivots.

I really appreciated Viki's approach to incorporating mindfulness, meditation, and cognitive and behavioral therapy to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and anxiety treatment, along with her open-hearted approach to her clients.

To find out more about her work, check out her website here.

For the free resource Viki mentioned on understanding how your mind might be affecting your IBS, check it out here.

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

Let's dive into how to improve your stability, and strength. I'm going to help you break down more of this functional education work from soma yoga methodology to give you a place to start. And while you may apply these to movements in your body, you can apply them to your emotional wellbeing as well. This is where the magic often happens for me.

The main principles of this work are:

1. Learn to pay attention.
2. Build better habits.
3. Progress Responsibly and Progress Well.
4. Stay current with yourself.

I personally am going to focus on building strength, at least for the next 90 days or so, to gain some traction.

To do this, I am going to use a plank pose because this builds core strength and that is fundamental to our overall physical and emotional health.

The episode covers the wall plank and then works up to other forms of the plank that can be done depending on our overall strength and individual needs.

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

This episode will air on Thanksgiving Day. It's a perfect time to thank you so much for listening! I'm grateful for you and for your interest in this material.

Today we cover aspects of our body which can translate into aspects of our being, as I let you in on a recent discovery I had while in a 3-day intensive yoga training.

We use an infinity symbol with three different aspects I ask you to imagine: on the left is MOBILITY. On the right is STABILITY. Right in the middle where they cross is STABILITY.

As I was practicing and learning more about therapeutic approaches to classic asana, my body was hit with the realization that I had been so busy working on my mobility that I was completely neglecting the strength side of the equation. Thus, there is a lack of stability in what I'm doing now because I haven't spent much time on strengthening myself, which ultimately leads to greater resilience in my being.

The body can serve as a metaphor often for what we are doing in our lives, and this one really made the lightbulb go on. I've been running away from challenges that might bring me face to face with rejection, because I wanted to hang out in my safe zone (which is mobility for me, and my busy mind).

I use the metaphor of distance running and my experience with that to demonstrate the slow process of working up to more and more challenging goals (and we all have personal preferences about what is meaningful to us). As a long distance runner, I started with 5ks, then upleveled to 5-milers, 10ks, and 10-milers. I didn't start off wanting to run a half marathon or even a marathon. I have completed one marathon and over 20 half-marathons. It really didn't seem that hard after a while.

At the end of the episode, I ask the following questions for you to consider in your own life. Maybe you think about these on a walk, or maybe you take the time to journal them out:

• In what areas in your life do you lack mobility?
• In what areas, is mobility a little greater than you might want?
• Are there areas in life where you may be shying away from things that build your strength and resilience?
• Are you hanging out in your safety zone rather than your growth zone?
• Avoiding some risks that feel scary?
• What about your stability?
• For those of you who like experimentation and creativity, do you have a source of income that helps you achieve these goals?
• Or is the opposite true? Do you have a job that feels stable, but you are veering on stagnation, because it's not challenging you in the right ways?

Next episode will address some different approaches to these issues, and some thoughts about I like to approach the different aspects.

Resources Mentioned:

Yoga North

Tula Yoga & Wellness

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

I'm bringing you a conversation with Valerie K. Martin, someone who has inspired me with her work.

Valerie has a passion for working with trauma survivors and folks who are seeking a deeper relationship with self, community, and the earth. She also works with couples, and is currently engaged in training to become a certified sex therapist. In addition to founding the Gaia Center for Embodied Healing, Valerie teaches yoga in Nashville, and hosts 2 podcasts: Bodyful and Creatures of Change, and facilitates workshops rooted in the Work That Reconnects. She is a Ravenclaw, Enneagram 7, activist for human and animal liberation, and literal tree hugger.

We explore topics like life paths, therapy training, the enneagram, yoga culture, creative entrepreneurship, and vegan living. Val has so many common interests, and we just explored the tip of the iceberg here. Check out her podcasts for more great content and conversations.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

More about Valerie K Martin: Now

The Bodyful and Creatures of Change podcast are being folded into a brand new podcast called Bad Bitch Therapist podcast.

Bodyfulness by Christine Caldwell

Guardians of Being: Spiritual Teachings from Our Dogs and Cats by Eckhart Tolle and Patrick McDonnell

Susanna Barkataki's book - Embrace Yoga's Roots: Courageous Ways to Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Veganuary - has a 31 day challenge and support to go vegan

Challenge 22

Food, Inc.

Cowspiracy

Dominion

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

I reflect on being relieved that political season has come to an end (mostly).

Then I dive into the benefits of community and how I was reminded how important this is, especially as I had the privlege of talking with Moira Maybin and Valerie Martin.

Community and connection are valuable to our wellbeing, even if we are introverts. We are wired for connection and we need to reach out when we are lonely. I talk about one response to stress as the "tend and befriend" impulse, rather than the usual ones: flee, fight, or freeze.

Interoception is how we detect our internal signals in the body, and this is how we can tell if we are hungry, thirsty, lonely, etc. But many of us have not been taught to pay attention to these signals and we have a limited emotional vocabulary. Wanting can be mixed up with physical hunger, a need for dopamine or oxytocin. We may desire connection rather than food at times.

Conversations help us realize we are not alone. This "humaning" is difficult, so connections are important. Collaborating with others can save us and impact the lives of others also. Maybe we need to start organizing for a 30 hour standard work week. Or maybe older adults still want to work, but not full time.

At the risk of going on a rant, I explain that healthy relationships are the cornerstones of a well-lived life.

References mentioned:

Jenny Blake's Free Time community

Moira Maybin, ADHD Friendly Lifestyle podcast and coaching

Gaia Center podcasts: Bodyful and Creatures of Change

And if you're a leader in an organization and you want to talk about challenges with being "Well at Work" and how your department or company is addressing this need in a mostly hybrid or remote, workplace, I'd love to hear from you.

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/

This episode is on the energetic cycles we experience in a day. I recorded in the evening, at a time I'm much less focused. I want to keep it real in letting you peak behind the curtain in terms of a less energetic time for me.

My focus med has worn off, and even reading a script and sticking to the plan feels harder. A recent medicine shortage put me into a bit of a tailspin. Thankfully, I didn't have to use caffeine as a substitute for too long, since that's hard on my adrenal system.

We all have energetic cycles that fluctuate throughout a day, week, month, or a year. It helps when we are able to honor those cycles, and to complete our work at times where we are at our peak focus, rather than to push through when our bodies are asking for something different.

I'm grateful that in my medical device days, I had access to an onsite gym so that for about 2/3 of my days, I could escape for a workout, then bring lunch back to my desk. Maybe that's why I was able to stay in that job for 11+ years.

I have skepticism about the traditional workday and I am reflecting on both my own patterns of energy and also proposing the idea that it might be possible to work a shorter work week and still get the important things done.

I keep asking questions, like, in what ways might we design better workflows for people that don't require so much time in front of a computer?

Is it possible to work a shorter work week 24 to 30 hours and still get all the important things done?

What kinds of mindset shifts and policy shifts might it take for us to standardize a shorter week so that we have more leisure time?

Wherever you are in your work or energetic cycles, I hope you are able to align in a way that honors your somatic wisdom.

References mentioned in the episode:

Dan Pink's book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

Moira Maybin, ADHD-Friendly Lifestyle podcast

Tim Ferriss, The Four-Hour Workweek

***

If you want to leave us a voice message, Somatic Wisdom is now on Speakpipe! We would love to hear your thoughts or questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/SomaticWisdomLoveNotes

For more resources, subscribe to my the Somatic Wisdom Substack newsletter, where additional content can be found in essay format.

For potential guests: we love it when you listen to at least 2-3 episodes and leave a positive review. It lets us know you've done your homework to see if you are a fit for the show. Many thanks! ;-)

Support for this podcast comes from readers of Unleash, Unlearn, and Enliven, from clients, and from listeners like you. To support my work, you can purchase the audio version of my book here.

***

Music credit: https://www.melodyloops.com/composers/ihsandincer/

Cover art credit: https://www.natalyakolosowsky.com/