Some Kind Of Magic

Sarah Williams, the adventurer and podcaster behind Tough Girl Challenges, shares more about the greatest adventures of her life; from the physical challenges she embarked like climbing Mt. Kilaminjaro, running in Marathon Des Sables, and hiking the Appalachain Trail in 100 days to the mental challenges of pushing herself to her limits and remaining intact. Sarah shares so many truth bombs during our conversation that I know I'll be coming back to listen to it over and over again. So get out your notebook and pen and settle in for a conversation that is sure to leave you wondering how you can challenge yourself — both physically and emotionally.

I'd love to hear from you!

What stood out most from Sarah's interview? What's one thing you can do today to challenge yourself and experience something new?

Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Sarah Williams and Tough Girl Challenges
• Where the idea for Tough Girl Challenges came from
• When something that challenges you becomes your new normal
• Sarah's experience running the Marathon Des Sables
• Stretching outside of your comfort zone and making it bigger
• Breaking down the images of how other people see you
• The masks Sarah was wearing and how her adventures/challenges helped her to shed them
• Imposter syndrome and the difficulty of transitioning from a secure job to a life of adventure
• Value and success versus money and how those have all become intertwined in our society
• How pushing your body to the limits really takes down your mental walls and start to get a truer understanding of who you are
• The power of doing something new and uncomfortable
• The building blocks of mental resilience
• What it takes to overcome sabotages
• Why Sarah believes that change happening from the inside out
• The cumulative impact of change and stretching yourself
• Sarah's journey on the Appalachian Trail
• The purpose of Tough Girl Challenges and what will be coming in the future
• Starting your own Tough Girl Challenge
• What everyday magic looks and feels like to Sarah

Resource Links:

• Where to find Sarah Williams online: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | toughgirlchallenges.com
• The Tough Girl Podcast
• Marathon Des Sables
• Creating on Purpose* by Anodea Judith and Lion Goodman
• The Slight Edge* by Jeff Olson
• Sarah's time on the Appalachian Trail
• Tough Girl Tribe (Sarah's Facebook Group)

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

When I first came up with the idea for Some Kind of Magic, menstrual health wasn't a conversation I ever thought I'd be having. But, truth be told, I'm glad it is. I'm sitting down with Amanda Laird, a holistic nutritionist with a clinical focus on menstrual health. And together we talk about menstrual and hormonal health and what stands in the way of those two things. We also dive into the myths around menstruation and why big corporations have a lot to gain by promoting a culture of shame and confusion. This conversation stretched me out of my comfort zone and gave me a whole lot to think about in my own life, as well as my daughters. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Amanda's interview? How literate do you feel when it comes to your body and your cycle? The Episode: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Amanda and the work she does with women around menstruation and reproductive health
• Period 101 and the myths that we're all told about our periods and how they impact us
• Books and resources for understanding our menstrual cycles, bodies, and hormones
• Taboo topics and how that impacts our experience of our cycles and our health
• Looking at who is profiting from the shame and stigma around menstrual health
• The messages our children are taking in about women's bodies and health
• Period myths, big and small
• Warning signs to pay attention to when it comes to our hormones and overall menstrual health
• The role estrogen, prostaglandins, and inflammation play in menstrual health
• What to do when diet and lifestyle changes aren't enough to regulate your period
• Our periods as a monthly report card for our health
• Knowing what's normal for your body and paying attention when things change
• Body literacy and tools for understanding your signs and symptoms
• Period trackers Amanda recommends most
• The role mindset plays in our experience of our periods
• What everyday magic looks and feels like to Amanda

Resource Links:

• Connect with Amanda online: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | amandalaird.ca
• Heavy Flow on Apple Podcasts
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility* by Toni Weschler
• Cycle Savvy (for teens)* by Toni Weschler
• The Period Repair Manual* by Dr. Lara Briden
• Woman Code* by Alisa Vitti
• Kindara Period Tracker
• Clue Period and Ovulation Tracker

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

 

I had the pleasure the sitting down with Jenn Hand, food and body image coach and creator of the Normal Eaters Club, to talk about food and health. Jenn is a firm believer that we already know what we want and need, we just forget how to listen to that deepest part of our selves. During this hour-long conversation, Jenn talks about the power of the 3 really's, why it's important to know whether your life is a true reflection of who you are and what you value at your core, and how both of those things relate to food and dieting. So settle in and take a listen because this. is. a good one. (And if you're feeling frisky, feel free to head on over to iTunes and leave me a review.) I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Jenn's interview? What do you really really really want from your own life? The Episode: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Jenn and the work she does with women around food and health
• Jenn's early years with depression and anxiety
• The seductive focus of dieting and external validation
• Learning how to cope with life without food
• How Jenn figured out what brings her joy and who she is at her core
• The 3 really's and how that helps you tune into your heart and what it wants
• Learning how to listen to our inner voice and what it opens up in our lives as a result
• Why SHOULD is a big old red flag
• The damaging nature of the diet industry
• Being intentional about social media
• How do we find happiness, acceptance, and love?
• Taking the time to evaluate whether your life is working for you and how to course correct
• The quality of the questions you ask yourself and how they can make an impact
• Training your mind to seek out the positive and find what's right
• How the Normal Eaters Club came about
• Food as the doorway into transformation and healing
• What everyday magic looks and feels like to Jenn

Resource Links:

• • Connect with Jenn online
  • The Normal Eaters Club

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

This week's episode is all about exploring the magic of self-confidence. Which, let's be honest, is something that a lot of women (myself included) struggle with. The good news is, you can absolutely change that and build your self-confidence one small action at a time. Sheena Yap Chan, the podcaster and blogger behind The Tao of Self-Confidence, was kind enough to sit down with me and dive deep around what self-confidence is and how to cultivate more of it in our own lives. Spoiler alert: it has everything to do with being authentic, taking action, and taking good care of ourselves. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Sheena's interview? What steps can you take today to embrace your story and love up on yourself? The Episode: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Sheena and her podcast, The Tao of Self-Confidence
• How Sheena became interested in the topic of self-confidence
• Authenticity and how that directly impacts the way we feel about ourselves
• How the markers of success are meaningless without knowing how someone got there
• What Sheena has learned about confidence from interviewing close to 500 women
• The power of making mistakes and coloring outside the lines
• Embracing the idea that if you can see it, it's possible
• The role of community in Sheena's transformation
• How Sheena cultivates confidence in her own life
• Simplifying things — whether that's clothing, the decisions we make each day, or the food we eat
• Learning to let go and how that transformed Sheena's life
• Creating our own definition of success
• The logical, rational approach versus the intuitive, feeling approach
• What everyday magic looks and feels like to Sheena

Resource Links:

• • The Tao of Self-Confidence Podcast
  • Sheena online: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | thetaoofselfconfidence.com
  • The SKOM interview with Kelly J. Covert

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

Back in September, before I took my month-long sabbatical, I thought I had a fairly good idea of what a regular gratitude practice looked like. In fact, I had spent the better part of 4 years keeping a gratitude journal based on the book Make Miracles In Forty Days* by Melody Beattie. I made daily lists, worked hard to find the good in situations that truly challenged me, and even ran several group programs called Project: Miracles to help others do the same. Suffice it to say, I saw how helpful gratitude had been in my life and was a believer in the process. I'm sure I could have lived happily enough with that knowledge for the rest of my days on this earth. But something happened during my sabbatical that completely cracked me open and took me to a deeper and more profound understanding of gratitude and how it works. Perhaps it was the extreme lows of that first week off or the way in which Pam Grout captured my attention in Thank & Grow Rich*. Whatever the case may be, it was as if gratitude went from a simple thought exercise to a full-body experience that I felt in every inch of my body.

My gratitude practice shifted from a mind-centered experience to a full-body experience.

Like most people, when I first started practicing gratitude it was in list form in a journal. I would sit and think about my day and then write down everything I was grateful for. It was powerful in the sense that it gave me a new way to process my experiences and helped to shift my worldview into a more positive one. But it was a passive experience; a thought exercise that took place in my head. As much as I love writing, journaling, and thinking through things, that approach only gets me so far. So while I saw good results with the gratitude journaling, it never really felt life-changing (or life-affirming) the way some people talk about the practice of gratitude. That second week, though, after reading several books on the topic of gratitude I began to see the process in a whole new way. I had a thought pop into my head at some point that week about truly living the expression, thanks a million. What would it take to create a list of 1,000,000 things that I was grateful for? Could I even do it? And if I could, how many years would it take and how many thank you's did that equate to each day? The answer: it would take a little over 27 years if I wrote down 100 things a day. Totally doable. (I mean, I did complete two different 100 day projects. How much harder could something like this really be?!) So I grabbed a notebook and began my quest to practice what Pam Grout calls shameless gratitude.

I had expected it to be a challenge, one that I was willingly stepping into. What I hadn't expected was how dramatic the impact would be on my life.

The enjoyment I found in the day-to-day experiences of my life became almost too much. I was brought to tears several times at the sheer joy of reading a book outside and finding feathers on my walks. The synchronicities that unfolded were more beautiful than I could have imagined. I sent gifts to people for the exact thing they had been wanting to do, at a place where they already went. I sent seemingly small gifts and handwritten notes to friends and strangers alike, only to receive feedback that they were exactly what that person needed at that very moment. I laughed more than I had in months. My meditation deepened. I felt more connected to the people around me. I found pure joy in being outside. I took better care of myself. I was more present to the world (and people) around me. I was happier. And for the first time in a very long time, I was at peace with my life and my journey. So what changed in that week of practicing shameless gratitude and how can you take what I learned and implement it in your own life? What changed that week:

• I read up on gratitude. I read 4-5 books on the topic of gratitude, familiarizing myself with what it is and how it can transform our lives. The first book I read was Thank & Grow Rich by Pam Grout, and then moved on to Gratitude Works! by Robert A. Emmons, The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler, and 365 Thank Yous by John Kralik. I also read The Gratitude Diaries* by Janice Kaplan. Each book was different enough to keep it interesting while touching on different facets of gratitude and what a gratitude practice looked like in the real world.
• I took what I read and put it into practice. Once I was armed with knowledge and ideas about gratitude, it was time to think about how I wanted to implement it in my own life. I tried on a few different approaches, including extreme gratitude journaling, gratitude meditations, and intention setting.
• I practiced extreme gratitude. It wasn't enough for me to list 3-5 things I was grateful for. I had been doing gratitude journaling long enough that I could come up with those things in a minute or two. No, I needed to stretch myself out of my comfort zone and really dig deep. So I challenged myself to write down 100 things a day that I was grateful for. The first day I did it, it took me 3 hours. The second day, around 2 hours. By the third and fourth day, I had begun to take that approach to the entirety of my day. I'd even try to come up with 25 reasons I was grateful for my husband and/or my daughter at night before drifting off to sleep. I immersed myself in gratitude morning, noon, and night. And it was nothing short of magical.
• I got as specific as possible. It wasn't enough to just say that I was grateful for my family. I got really specific about all of the reasons WHY I was grateful for my family. I would even pick a family member and try to list at least 25 reasons why I was grateful for that person — from the things they did to how they made me feel, everything was fair game when it came to creating my lists. A funny thing happened when I got specific — it got easier to list things I was grateful for. The more I remembered and expressed gratitude for, the more I was able to find to be grateful for in the first place.
• I shared what I discovered through journaling with others. A few times throughout my extreme gratitude journaling, I would write about a specific person or incident in my life and how grateful I felt as a result. Instead of just letting that feeling sit in the pages of my gratitude journal, I put that expression of gratitude into a card and sent it to that person. Not only did it feel amazing to think about the kindnesses others had bestowed up me, it made the other person feel loved and respected.
• It gave me new eyes to view the world. Because I was constantly on the lookout for things to add to my gratitude list each day, I began to seek out the good in all situations. I would also put myself in situations where I was more likely to notice the beauty around me — I went for more walks, I was more playful with my daughter, I was more willing to say yes to new experiences. It also helped me look at potentially negative experiences in a different light. Instead of being a passive victim, I was able to see that lessons abounded everywhere and that each situation had a powerful nugget to teach me if I was willing to find it.
• I began to notice how gratitude felt in my body. When I was in the flow of gratitude, I could feel my body responding in some really powerful ways. My chest constantly felt like it was expanding. I was brought to tears several times because I was feeling such a deep joy and happiness. The anxiety and general angst I had been feeling the week prior simply melted away, leaving me feeling at peace with the world. I felt deeply connected to nature and to other people — strangers and friends alike. When I would get angry or feel out of sorts, it was much easier to get back into my body and feel grounded.
• Everything became easier. My relationships — particularly with my husband and daughter — were easier and more playful. It was easier to prioritize myself and my needs; self-care was no longer something I dreamed about. I simply did things to take care of myself. I also noticed that I felt more creative and inspired than I had in years. The sheer quantity of ideas that came about that week was mind-blowing.

How to get the most out of your gratitude practice:

1. Stretch yourself. If the idea of writing down 5 things you're grateful for each day stresses you out, start there. If you've been a regular gratitude journaler, try 100. The point here is to make coming up with items to add to your list a struggle.
2. Try a gratitude meditation. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Get into a comfortable position (seated or laying down) and close your eyes. Think about every single thing you're grateful for — from people to events to the way the wind caresses your skin. Notice how that feels in your body. Does it make your chest expand? Does it make you feel lighter in your body? Do you notice pain shifting, tingling, or any other physical symptoms? Do you feel calmer, more at peace, happier? Prefer a guided meditation to get you started? Here's one from Deepak Chopra.
3. Bookend your days in gratitude. Start and end your day with 5 things that you're grateful for. This can be a written exercise (I recommend keeping a notebook by your bed), a walking meditation (with every step or brush of your teeth, think of something you're grateful for), or even a family activity that you do at breakfast and dinner each day.
4. Share your gratitude with someone else. Send a note to a friend or loved one telling them how grateful you are for their love and support. It doesn't have to be a long letter, but it does need to be heartfelt and specific.
5. Be as specific as possible. Instead of keeping your gratitude at the surface level of being grateful for family, for your home, and for food on your table, try to get as specific as possible. A great template for diving into the specifics: I am grateful for ______ because ________.

I'd love to hear from you!

Do you have a regular gratitude practice? If so, what are you already doing to infuse more gratitude in your day-to-day life?

Take a listen!

Prefer to listen to this post? Check out this week's quick tip over on Some Kind of Magic.

I sat down with Kelly J. Covert — inner voice coach, podcaster, and professional musician — to talk about the journey of finding our voice, owning our worth, and embracing our role as visionary women. We dive into what it really means to do all of those things and what often gets in the way, from perfectionism to lack of confidence and love for ourselves. This is seriously one of my favorite conversations to date and I am SO excited for you to take a listen. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Kelly's interview? How do you connect with your inner voice? And what does owning your worth truly mean to you? THE EPISODE: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Kelly and the work she does with visionary women
• What it means to be a visionary woman
• Tuning into your inner voice and know what it's saying to you
• Daily practices to help strengthen the connection with your inner voice
• How perfectionism gets in the way of finding your voice
• The power of being versus doing
• Why losing our confidence and struggling along the way is actually a good thing
• The stories we carry and how we can re-see those circumstances from where we are now
• Forgiveness as a healing and empowering practice
• Inner child work and how that can facilitate healing
• Why practice is Kelly's favorite word
• What it means to be a world-changing woman
• Being aligned with our soul's true purpose while being human
• Why self-love is a game-changer
• Knowing your cues for when you're living out of alignment
• How our inner voice speaks to us on a physical level
• The ripple effect of awareness and how everything benefits as a result
• What everyday magic looks and feels like to Kelly

Resource Links:

• • Connect with Kelly J. Covert online: Podcast | Facebook |  Instagram | kellycovert.com
  • Eating as soul medicine (Episode #25 of In Her Voice)

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

Have you ever wondered how to improve the relationships in your life? First, good on you! That's truthfully the first step to making positive (and empowered) changes in your life and the way you show up in the world. Second, you're really going to enjoy this conversation with women's empowerment and leadership coach, speaker, author, and podcaster, Sage B. Hobbs. Sage dishes on all things authenticity, trust, and the quality of our relationships. The knowledge she drops in this episode is immense and deeply transformative. So grab a cuppa and settle in for a beautifully inspiring episode on the power of relationships to enhance our lives and bring us joy. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Sage's interview? What relationships are you wanting to work on improving or bringing into your lives? THE EPISODE: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Sage B. Hobbs and what she does
• Why our relationship with ourselves and not the other way around
• The power of authenticity and truth in our relationships
• Being in community and experiencing soul connection with other people
• The power of female friendships and girlfriends
• How to cultivate female friendships and deepening the connections we already have
• Vulnerability in our relationships
• How vulnerability is the antidote to shame according to Brene Brown
• The give and take in relationships
• The power of an apology when you have something to be sorry for
• Making sure that the people we love know that we feel that way
• How our attachment to being right impacts our relationships
• Questioning our assumptions as a way to change our relationships
• Training our brains to look for where the light is
• The commitment to being an optimist
• Habituating yourself to things like joy, pleasure, and gratitude
• Curiosity as a doorway into changing your life
• The power of asking yourself, where can we bring some levity here?
• Spiritual practices as a way to connect to something bigger than yourself
• Sage's definition of everyday magic and how it shows up in her life
• Finding and acknowledging the 4-year-old inside of us all

Resource Links:

• • Connect with Sage B. Hobbs online: Book | Podcast | iTunes | Facebook |  Instagram | www.sagebhobbs.com
  • The N+F episode on female friendships
  • The Gifts of Imperfection* by Brene Brown
  • Braving the Wilderness* by Brene Brown

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

I sat down with Annabelle Needles — a video editor for creative adventurers, fellow podcaster, and travel aficionado — to talk about the life-changing magic of traveling. Annabelle was bitten by the travel bug early in life, having traveled around the world with her parents as a child. She has officially been to 23 different countries and 7 continents and is currently touring the United States in a 36 foot RV named Gulliver. Annabelle shares what she's learned throughout her life of traveling — both abroad and right here in the United States — and how it has shaped her worldview. She also dishes on making it to her 7th continent (Antartica), what she really thinks about touring the country in an RV, and what has been her favorite place on her travels. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Annabelle's interview? How can you push yourself to explore new places — even if you don't leave the city you live in? THE EPISODE: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Annabelle Needles and what she does
• Annabelle's early adventures
• How traveling as a young child shaped Annabelle's worldview
• Study abroad and how that was a no-brainer for Annabelle
• Travel as a transformative experience, especially for an introvert
• The decision to visit all 7 continents before turning 30
• The Antartica trip and what that really meant for Annabelle
• Balancing the need to plan with flexibility while traveling
• Some of the drawbacks of always being on the road
• Traveling when you're an introvert
• The pros and cons of long-term traveling
• Tips for anyone looking to travel more — know your travel style, planning while remaining flexible, and the mindset that you can always go back
• Bringing a sense of adventure to your life and bringing a travel attitude to your life at home
• The power of connecting with nature and getting outside
• Annabelle's favorite place she's been to ... while on her RV trip

Resource Links:

• Swept Together — Annabelle's podcast
• Evergreen Lane Productions — Annabelle's video production company
• Annabelle's free 5-day video course

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

This week on the podcast, I have the pleasure of sitting down with Registered Dietician, Exercise Physiologist, and Author Rebecca Scritchfield for a juicy conversation about dieting and diet culture, true health and wellness, and how to be kinder to your body. Spoiler alert: Rebecca says that health grows from love and kindness, and not the judgmental, negative chatter or the rigid rules around food and exercise. So grab a hot cup of something and settle in for an inspiring conversation around health, happiness, and becoming a caregiver for your own body. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Rebecca's interview? How can you start to curate your environment so that your inner caregiver can flourish? THE EPISODE: Topics Discussed:

• An introduction to Rebecca Scritchfield and the work she does
• Rebecca's feelings around diet culture and what that has done to our health and happiness
• Thin privilege and the importance of seeing body and health diversity
• What tipped the scale for Rebecca around diet culture
• Mindfulness, intuitive eating, and health at every size
• How blame and shame are good for marketing and bad for health
• Your inner caregiver and how she plays a role in health
• Taking a look at our own judgments and how they shape our behavior
• "It's okay" and how to use that as a tool for creating change
• The power of connection when it comes to health and happiness
• Why representation matters when it comes to health
• Seeing diet culture and body bashing for what it is
• Allyship and killing the diet industry
• What everyday magic looks and feels like to Rebecca
• The power of the asking, What's the next kind and loving choice I could make for myself?

Resource Links:

• • Body Kindness: Website, Podcast, eCourse
  • Body Kindness* by Rebecca Scritchfield
  • FAT!SO?* by Marilyn Wann
  • The Beauty Myth* by Naomi Wolf

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson

I'm kicking off the Some Kind Of Magic podcast with an interview of one of my favorite people in Pittsburgh, Kyshira S. Moffett of Hustle Her Way and Life of a Bombshell Cosmetics. Kyshira shares about what originally brought her to Pittsburgh, the power of trusting the process, and how a simple question like "who are you trying to impress" ended up changing her life. And since Kyshira is a real-life Wonder Woman, we also talk about finding balance in her life and work. I'd love to hear from you! What stood out most from Kyshira's interview? How can you take what she said and apply it to your own life? The Episode: Topics Discussed:

• How Kyshira S. Moffett got her start in Pittsburgh
• The fortuitous connections that helped to shape Kyshira's path
• The power of trusting the process
• The difference between anxiety and nervousness
• Who are you really trying to impress?
• The art of finding balance when you have a lot on your plate
• Saying no, boundaries, and being really intentional about who you spend time with
• Physical versus energetic boundaries
• Time wasters and how we really prioritize our time
• Learning how to value yourself and what you bring to the table
• What has felt the most magical in Kyshira's life
• Going from idea to reality
• Why tracking your goals and dreams is so important

Resource Links:

• • Kyshira S. Moffett online: Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
  • Life of a Bombshell Cosmetics: Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
  • Women in Leadership | CORO Pittsburgh
  • Levo League
  • National Black MBA Association
  • Deepak and Oprah Meditations
  • #HERmovement Network on Facebook
  • The Stiletto Network* by Pamela Ryckman
  • The Chalkboard Method from Being Boss

Hit me up:

• Twitter: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• Instagram: @emilylevenson and #somekindofmagic
• FB Page: Emily Levenson