"Many of us feel like we can deal with a healthy amount of stress, but the reality is that it is still taking a toll on us in one way or another."

Today, I spoke with the stress management guru, Marina Kay. She is a certified health coach, yoga & meditation teacher that focuses on wellness-made easy to mindfulness program, and corporate wellness program. Marina's passion is to minimize burnout, find more joy, productivity, and presence every day with everyone she works with.

 

Let's dive right into this episode and learn more about stress management.

[00:01 – 07:40] Opening Segment

• I introduce our guest, Marina Kay.
• I talk about how we met.
• Marina talks about her current work and career.
• • She is a stress-buster and joy-finder
  • Wellness and mindset coach
• Marina talks about her focus on stress management and how it was started. 
• • She quit her 9-5 job to do coaching full time during the quarantine.
  • Stress management is the tool that so many people are craving right now.

[07:41 – 15:50] The Journey into Health and Wellness

• Marina shares the story of her journey with wellness, health, and stress management.
• • Her journey with wellness and stress started in 2015 in Chicago.
  • Her background is in HR technology.

• Marina shares the story about her past relationship with alcohol and some unhealthy habits.
• • She shares about how she overcomes it and starts some changes in her life.
• Have the courage and foresight to start taking the small step towards a different future.
• Marina talks about finding out our source of happiness and what we should be doing with our lives.
• • Ask yourself, what do you love doing outside of work.
• Marina talks about her journey in building her business and taking the leap of faith to start executing.
• • She knew that it was the right time for her.
  • Seeing the need in the world

[15:51 – 27:00] The Impact of Stress in Our Body and Mind

• Marina shares her personal stress story.
• • She talks about her first initial experience with anxiety.
  • Stress sensitive 
• Marina shares about the physical impact of stress that she experienced.
• • Heart palpitations
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Muscle sores all over the body.
• The awareness to change
• • Changes start with awareness because we can't change something that we are not aware of.
• Marina talks about layers of stress experience.
• The acute stress response symptoms 
• • The sympathetic system flares up (the fight or flight mode of our body).
  • The response we get when something happens in our environment that immediately triggering.
• Prolonged stress response
• • The symptoms that could come up when stress goes unmanaged for a long time.
• Parasympathetic response system.
• • It is the rest and digest mode of our body.
  • Allows us to undo the stressful effect of acute and prolonged stress responses.

[27:01 – 37:59] Stress Management

• Yoga, meditation, journaling, etc., can be versatile in the way that we undo stress.
• Marina shares her favorite way of relieving stress.
• • Daily breath works.
• There is so much variety that we can find with self-love because we are so unique and individual.
• • Go on the journey of experimenting to find what works for you.
• Marina talks about the benefits of breathwork.
• • Breathwork is the single simplest, most accessible, and inexpensive way to deal with stress. 
  • You can use the breathwork for so many different outcomes.
• Marina shares some simple breathwork exercises for beginners.
• • Three deep rounds of breath.
  • Take deep, simple long breaths to start unwinding stress responses throughout the day.
• The box breath exercise.
• • It helps you start resetting to a more normal breathing pattern and heartbeat.

[38:00 – 48:19] Being Realistic and Honest to Challenges 

• Marina talks about what it's like living in Tulum, Mexico.
• • She shares why she decided to move there.
  • Guidance and grace led her there.
• Being realistic and honest about challenges in life.
• • Even though we might escaping the stress of the corporate world, we are still going to experience stress and challenges in our lives.
• Marina shares about the challenges and journey of living in Tulum.
• • It's really important to honor your intuition when it's telling you yes or no.
• This year we are being called to reevaluate what we want out of life, who we are, and who we are evolving to.
• Take that courage and say yes to yourself, 
• • whatever that feels most align, most intuitive to you.
  • Think of what you want to create, what you want in your life, and who you want to be going forward.

[48:20 – 58:50] Closing Segment

• The role of healing and stress management will play in the new year.
• • Stress will always be there no matter how much you optimize your life, but our job is to adopt any habits that are serving us and nourish ourselves.
• Eustress
• • Recognize the stress as growth to ourselves.
  • Transmute the bad stress into something that helps us grow.
• The closer we are to the light, the longer the shadow we cast.

• Knowing what you know now, what is one piece of advice for starting out?
• • It's all about trust, trust in our path, trust in non-comparison, trust that we are on the right journey, and trust in ourselves. 
• Connect with Marina online. 
• • See the links below.

[58:51 – 01:09:56]  Off The Clock and Review of the Week

• Today's topic is going to be about the favorite books that I read in 2020.
• • Essentialism by Greg McKeown.
  • Everything is figureoutable by Marie Forleo.
  • Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins.
  • Over The Top by Jonathan Van Ness.
• I thank Streamlined Podcasts, the team behind the scene that makes this podcast possible.
• • Handling all of the post-production for your podcasts
  • Allows me to stay focus on being creative and making the best content possible
  • Get 10% off for your first month on Streamlined Podcast with code: CNSLOAN

• During this time frame, instead of having a review of the week, I will be introducing the QnA segment starting up from the next interview:
• •  Follow me on Instagram @CNSloan_  
  • I will periodically post my stories regarding the QnA session, where you can ask me anything at all.
• Final words from me

 

Tweetable Quotes:

"Many of us feel like we can deal with a healthy amount of stress, but the reality is that it is still taking a toll on us in one way or another." – Marina Kay.

"Changes start with awareness because we can't change something that we are not aware of." – Marina Kay.

"Breathwork is the single simplest, most accessible, and inexpensive way to deal with stress." – Marina Kay.

 

Resources Mentioned:

• Essentialism by Greg McKeown
• Everything is figureoutable by Marie Forleo.
• Unlimited Power by Tony Robbins
• Over The Top by Jonathan Van Ness

You can connect with Marina on Instagram, or you can check out her website at www.sumofallpositive.com/. 

LEAVE A REVIEW + Help people spread the message of motivation and chasing your dreams by sharing this episode or click here to listen to our previous episodes.

Keep Up with the Podcast on Instagram @workingotpodcast. Follow my personal page on Instagram @cnsloan_  

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review!