The Simplifiers Podcast

Q: Are you feeling run-down, exhausted, stressed, and wish you could boost your immune system? I don't blame ya! Life is wacky right now and you might be feeling the effects of it all, physically and mentally.

My special guest today is Dr. Uma Naidoo and she's simplifying how to boost your immune system. And surprisingly enough, it's simpler than you think… Bottomline, when you understand how the foods you eat directly affects your brain, (which then affects every other aspect of your body), it's a total game changer.

Here's how.

We tackle all aspects of it, including:

• Why it's so important to focus on boosting your immune system, especially now through a pandemic and through big, big change

• What she believes are the 5 key areas to better brain health, broken down in simple, easy-to-understand terms:

• neuro-oxidative stress

• neuro-inflammation

• neuro-plasticity

• emotional immunity

• the gut-brain connection

• The very best foods to embrace and which ones to avoid to build a stronger immune system

• How to adopt ACTUAL habit change - what does it take to make healthy changes stick?

• …and ultimately, what foods you should stock in your pantry to help cut brain fog, fatigue and stress.

I'm willing to bet you'll learn at least a couple of new, simple things to try out after listening to this one. It's just simple, small shifts that'll stack up and help you get back to thriving over time. Enjoy!

It's time to #DoTheThing!

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Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/372-how-to-boost-your-immune-system---with-dr-uma-naidoo-all-star

Let's talk about cooking, more specifically, let's simplify how to cook lighter with your Instant Pot! It's happened, I too have jumped on the bandwagon of cooking with an Instant Pot… and can I say, I LOVE IT. It makes batch cooking a cinch and the versatility of what you can make, my goodness, I feel like I'm just scratching the surface!

My all-star special guest today is celebrity cookbook author, Jeffrey Eisner and he's simplifying how to cook lighter with an Instant Pot. While yes, you could make super gooey, creamy and decadent meals like mac-n-cheese in your Instant Pot, Jeffrey is also going to show us a way to lighten it all up, cooking to your specific eating lifestyle. Whether it's Keto, Paleo, Gluten-free, or vegetarian and vegan, it's all about eating wholesome, real food that raises your vibration rather than ones that sink you into a food coma and total brain fog… but here's the caveat: he promises we won't lose any of the flavor along the way.

Here's how.

My all-star special guest today is Jeffrey Eisner and he's simplifying how to cook lighter with an Instant Pot.

We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:

• For those just getting started using their Instant Pot, the 2-3 tips that would help you feel less intimidated, so you can get going with experimenting, playing and cooking food with it this week

• What "cooking lighter" looks like for him these days and which recipes he's enjoying making right now, which might give you a few ideas on what to cook tonight

• Which must-have staples you need stocked in your pantry, specifically for pressure cooking

• Lawry's seasoned salt

• beef, chicken, vegetable stock, specifically Better than Bouillon concentrated stock base

• dried beans (black, pinto, white beans)

• quinoa, rice (white, brown, wild), and farro

• herbs & spices - TIP: buy one new spice each week to build your pantry and experiment with new flavors!

• How to cook for kids or picky eaters with an Instant Pot - he shares his best advice for parents without much time to cook, but want happy bellies around the dinner table

• …and ultimately, he shared a little bit about his own wellness journey - what he wished he knew earlier on when it comes to eating lighter and maintaining his weight.

It's time to #DoTheThing!

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Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/371-how-to-cook-lighter-with-an-instant-pot---with-jeffrey-eisner-all-star

Let's do a guided visualization exercise together: here's how to visualize a new path for your life. Something that I love doing with my coaching clients is to lead them through guided visualization exercises and the thought occurred to me, "why not do these on the podcast, as well?!" So in today's mini episode, I'm going to lead you through a guided meditation and visualization that's going to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers.

This year, consider the simple idea that your Intuition knows. Your body knows. Your brain and your heart know. And it's all waiting for you to simply ask, trust, and then decide to take daily, imperfect action by making Bold Asks.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY. Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b150-how-to-visualize-a-new-path-for-your-life-all-star

Do you wish you could sleep better at night? Insomnia, anyone?! Welp, relief is on the way because we're talking all about sleep on today's episode!

My all-star special guest today is health coach Shae Leonard and she's simplifying how to sleep better at night. Whether it's stress or something else that's keeping you up at night, Shae leads us through seven simple steps to course correct that'll have you sleep like a baby in no time at all.

Here's how.

We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:

• How she defines "sleep hygiene" and why it's so important to focus on this right now

• What the first step is to improve your sleep hygiene to help you sleep better tonight

• What the 7 fundamentals for great sleep hygiene are and how these simple shifts can make a positive impact in the long run

• Everything we need to know about "full-spectrum light" - what it is and why we need to avoid it 1-2 hours before bedtime, plus she shares a few healthy alternatives

• Why we need to avoid amping up our brains at night and those sneaky ways we do it without even knowing it

• …and ultimately, why it is important to "quiet your digestion" at night - how to do it, starting tonight.

  Q: Are you ready to sleep better tonight? If yes, this one is for you.

  It's time to #DoTheThing!

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  Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/370-how-to-sleep-better-at-night---with-shae-leonard-all-star

Happy New Year, friends - to kick things off on the right foot, here's how to create a vision board to help guide you in the year ahead. This has been a tool I've used for at least the last four years and let me tell you, it works! I create mine right at the beginning of the new year and it serves as a visual guide to help me remember what is most important in my life.

Let me explain… It's a visual representation of my core values, my desires, and my goals. Every single element I put on my vision board has been carefully picked to ensure it feels right… and it's actually what I want to create in the year ahead.

Every artist goes through a "this sucks, this sucks, this is the worst, this is horrible, oh look it's pretty cool" cycle when creating art. Even if you don't identify as an artist yourself, you're still going to (likely) go through that cycle too when creating your vision board. It's a given… but it doesn't define you. Rise above.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It's time to SIMPLIFY.

Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b149-how-to-create-a-vision-board-all-star

Are you finding it harder and harder these days to stick to your boundaries? Whether it's a lack of physical space at your house (hello, homeschooling)… or a lack of breathing room and space in your calendar, causing you to overwork, strive, and feel flustered with it all. Or maybe it's a Boundary Destroyer in your life, which is a whole other ball of wax.

My all-star special guest today is psychotherapist Terri Cole and she's simplifying how to stick to your boundaries. In her book, Boundary Boss: The Essential Guide to Talk True, Be Seen, and (Finally) Live Free is a must-read for me and so many girlfriends of mine as we are looking to break free from the nonsense. And more importantly, live a more authentic, fulfilled life by mastering how we create and maintain healthy boundaries.

Here's how.

My all-star special guest today is Terri Cole and she's simplifying how to stick to your boundaries.

We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:

• Through her research, what she found are some common myths that women believe when setting boundaries

• What the psychological aspect is behind why we DON'T set boundaries for ourselves? What's happening, really?

• How to understand what your internal 'Boundary Blueprint' is and how to communicate our desired (more positive) boundaries are to other people

• In a work setting, what to do if you're afraid you'll be seen as a "bitch" or if you fear being fired by your client after you state your boundaries

• And ultimately, at home… what you must do when it's a family member (a parent, spouse or child) who you cannot remove from your life entirely and you're having to constantly state and restate your boundaries all the time?

Terri is a brilliant bright light in this field of study and she's going to show us a better way of sticking to our boundaries. In our conversation today, you'll gain a glimmer into her work, teaching each of us how to stop abandoning ourselves for the sake of others without guilt or drama. But rather, she shows us a way that healthy boundaries can help us gain better communication and better relationships… more satisfaction, abundance, and success. All of it is a result of doing the work, gaining clarity on our subconscious beliefs, and sticking to our boundaries.

It's time to #DoTheThing!

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Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/369-how-to-stick-to-your-boundaries---with-terri-cole-all-star

Do you want to have a clutter-free Christmas this year? Let's face it… Christmas and the holiday season is here and there's no stopping it now. For some, just the thought of all the to-do's and hanging with the in-laws gives you the hives. For others, the frenzy is exhilarating but by December 27th, you always seem to come down with flu-like symptoms that (totally) flatten you for days. Raise your hand if any of this resonates. But what if this year was simpler? What if this year could be different? And to that, I say YES!

My all-star special guest today is author Kathi Lipp and she's simplifying how to have a clutter-free Christmas. With a bit of humor and a little sass, she's written the book on almost every aspect of the holiday season, helping us decide what to keep, what to scrap, and how to not totally lose your mind along the way. Here's how.

We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:

• How she defines what a "clutter-free" Christmas could look like, not only talking about the physical stuff but your schedule and your mental wellness

• Why we tend to get caught up in the holiday frenzy in the first place

• What a "Holiday Mission Statement" is and how to create one with your household

• How to apply 3 of the 21 projects from her book, 'The Christmas Project Planner' in to your life over the coming weeks in simple, practical ways, including:

• How to create your Christmas prep space with a "Magic Christmas Box"

• How to schedule your time for the holidays

• How to refresh yourself and carve out some YOU time

As with most all topics we simplify on the podcast, one core principle certainly rings true here:

When we release the white knuckle grip of control and perfectionism on our lives and learn to say "no, thank you" to the obligations, tasks and unnecessary to-do's, we ultimately will find peace, joy and a heck of lot less anxiety. I encourage you to think about what you might let go of this year as you're listening to our conversation ahead. Kathi is funny, irreverent, and my kind of girlfriend who's saying "enough!" to the insanity and helping us all get back to the real reason for the season.

---- Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/368-how-to-have-a-clutter-free-christmas---with-kathi-lipp-all-star

We are continuing our all-star season, bringing back some of my favorite conversations from the vaults of The Simplifiers Podcast and sharing them once again. I think that this one (which originally aired in June 2020) with author Nancy Levin fits so well inside the theme of "self-discipline" that we are exploring this month.

So, how do you set healthy boundaries in life, especially if you feel like yours get trampled on over and over again? In my mind, boundaries are in fact, one of the very best ways to cultivate self-discipline, helping you keep your eye on the prize of what you want most in life.

Therefore, it's a delight to feature this all-episode once again. Through her books, Nancy helps overachieving people-pleasers learn to live life on their own terms. Here's how.

We tackle and simplify all aspects of it, including:

• Why some women struggle to define and uphold their boundaries, personally or professionally

• How to begin the process of defining your boundaries by writing a "boundary script"

• What to do if you're attempting to conquer codependent behaviors

• The steps to creating your own "boundary pyramid," a simple tool to help you set healthy boundaries

• How to say 'no' effectively and stick with it

…and ultimately, understanding what your "bottom-line boundary" is and how to set it and communicate it with others, confidently.

You can do it, I believe in you… it's time to simplify!

It's time to #DoTheThing

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Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/367-how-to-set-healthy-boundaries---with-nancy-levin-all-star

Time for a guided visualization exercise: I want to simplify how to keep calm during the holidays. It's so easy to get caught up in the frenzy at this time of year. It feels like things are cranked to 11 no matter where you go, that it's certainly counter-cultural to buck the system and to do something different. Remain calm, do less, stay present in the moment and choose a better way.

Therefore, I've chosen the theme of CALM for the month ahead. That will be our focus for all episodes on the podcast this month. By tuning in, let's intentionally slow down this month and focus inward

So to kick off the month, today is another guided visualization episode, which we've decided to release on the first Tuesday of every month this season. How does it work? Simple! Let my voice be a guide for you as you focus inward to help you tap into your inner wisdom and Intuition for answers.

Show notes available with all links mentioned here:https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/b148-how-to-keep-calm-during-the-holidays-guided-visualization---all-star

I'm willing to bet you've either heard someone mention "The 5 Love Languages" recently, or you've read the book, or you've given the book as a wedding gift to a beloved friend. This book has taken the world by storm, remaining on the New York Times bestseller list consistently since 2009!

Dr Gary Chapman is the author of The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts® and many other books.

• More about the 5 Love Languages:

• Words of Affirmation

• Quality Time

• Receiving Gifts

• Acts of Service

• Physical Touch

• How you can tell which your primary love language is

• Why it's important to 'keep our love tank full'

• What couples can do when they are drifting apart

• What some couples believe about marriage and relationships that simply isn't true

• How you can share the love languages with a partner who has a different belief system

• How you can apply these principles at work and in your family

Dr. Chapman is an absolute delight. He's funny, down-to-earth and shares so much wisdom in this all-star episode recorded back in 2018. I hope it brings a smile to your face, and offers you a compass to help navigate tricky relationships this season.

I can only hope that I'll be this bright, warm and full of sparkle at age 81 like he is.

Show notes available with all links mentioned here: https://www.thesimplifiers.com/posts/366-how-to-simplify-the-5-love-languages---with-dr-gary-chapman-all-star