My Favorite apps and Youtube Channels to help kids with anxiety and BIG emotions

My Favorite apps and Youtube Channels to help kids with anxiety and BIG emotions
What apps and youtube do you recommend for yoga and mindfulness?

I get asked this question quite a bit so I put my favorites in one list!  

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Was YOUR Parent Emotionally Unavailable?

Was YOUR Parent Emotionally Unavailable?
There were many really hard times in my childhood that left my parents unavailable to really help me navigate my emotional needs.  

First of all, my dad was an alcoholic.  He would have some really bad spells when he would not come home until really late at night or he would be just plain angry and belligerent.

This was very scary to me.  Many nights I was awakened by him being really loud and arguing with my mom.  I started to learn to tip toe around him or avoid him all together.  

I learned that my needs were less important than keeping the peace in the family.

My mom dealt with her own anxiety and depression, which sometimes left her unable to cope with any of her children's struggles.  She had to work full time and then on the weekends often needed some time away from it all.  

Understandable.

My parents were extremely loving and they cared beyond words.  They had endearing memories and nicknames for each one of my siblings.  They would do anything to protect us from harm.

But, they both had emotionally unavailable parents far worse than any of my experiences.

For a child with big emotions and a giant caring heart, I didn't want to be another stress and burden so I kept a lot of my struggles to myself.  I didn't ask for help.  I became very self reliant and independent. I developed these strategies to survive in my family.

But, I really wanted parents that could hear me, understand me, and give me space to be vulnerable.  I didn't know that at the time because I was busy being 'strong.'

Watch this video about the 3 Ways YOUR Parent was Emotionally Unavailable.




I've had to reparent myself.  

My parent coaching program empowers you to feel it all.  

We reparent ourselves so we can show up for our kids with our adult capacities.

Read more about Group Parent Coaching here.

Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here

I just miss my LITTLE boy! OK!

I just miss my LITTLE boy! OK!
I teared up today when I watched my son walk into school.  He looked back at me and waved and then proceeded confidently into the building.  

In that moment, I was flooded with emotion.  It was so unexpected.
After a year being with him as a homeschooled mom, I was more than ready for him to go to school.  I had a lot of projects that I was excited to work on.  I was moving into my own purpose as a work at home mom and playing and enriching his day was no longer high up on my list of priorities.  

He was so motivated to see friends and play with new toys.  He was proud of his school projects and it didn't take me much effort to get him ready and out the door to school.  I had been pleasantly surprised and honestly had prepared myself for hard mornings.  He wasn't having any hard mornings!

So, why am I having these strong feelings as I watch him independently leave ME?! I mean, I was a teacher for years and watched countless parents in this same struggle.

Suddenly, I'm watching my almost 5 year old just nonchalantly walking away.  All the internal dialogue begins.

"He doesn't need me anymore."

"He shouldn't have to grow up so soon."

"I'm doing the wrong thing going back to work."

"Should I change his schedule so he's not gone so much."

The thing is...when I tapped into my heart, it really was that I just missed my baby!!  I want this time to slow down and I want to enjoy time with him.  

It was OK to miss him AND it's OK to be sad.
Now, here's what I can do in this moment of emotion to shift this internal dialogue.  I still want him to go to school and I still want to work on my passion and purpose.  We will spend some special time together.  We love to hike and bike together. 

It was time to plan a Mother/Son outing!!
None of this scenario was about my son. It was all about what I can do to tap into my heart and lead motherhood from a place of internal wisdom.  I have to feel the longing to rise above it and find the joy in it.

It's that simple.  Feel it all.


If you are needing someone to talk to you about conflicting emotions in motherhood, please book a free tea talk with me.  In this chat, we can discuss if any of my coaching programs can help you navigate life's changes. You don't have to feel alone in any of it.

Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here

5 Ways to Reclaim your Body and Transform your Mind

5 Ways to Reclaim your Body and Transform your Mind
Embodiment practices have been shown to be effective in promoting lasting transformation in the brain and mind. These practices involve using the body as a tool for creating change in the mind, and can include activities such as yoga, meditation, dance, and other forms of movement.


Here are 5 practices that can support you in reclaiming your body and transforming your mind:

1. Awareness practice
A few minutes a day to experience joy, appreciation, unity, consciousness, forgiveness and BREATH.  What a world we would live in if only everyone had this priority!

We are not taught to breathe appropriately and effectively. But, as we get anxious, stressed, or frustrated, we often either hold our breath or shorten the length of our breath. This keeps our brains and bodies from oxygenating properly.

Studies have shown that breathing practices can help reduce symptoms associated with anxiety, insomnia, depression, PTSD, and attention deficit disorder. It elevates the mood and promotes calm and relaxation.

Deep Breathing

Deep breath work is a great way to quickly pull your body out of a stressed state. This is because, done correctly, it can activate the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system which is responsible for inducing a state of relaxation.

One common and effective way of doing this is to perform what is called the box breathing technique. This is a simple technique where you breath in, hold, breath out, hold, and repeat in increments of 5 seconds each. So breath in for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, etc.

Many people will notice that this technique is great for grounding during a time of stress and quickly reduces any anxiety they are feeling. You can also employ an active form of this technique when you are walking somewhere. Following the same pattern, breath in, hold, breath out, and hold in increments of every 5 steps. This can be a great mindfulness strategy when you don’t have time to sit and meditate.


Excerpt From Dr. Mercola, Click here

Grounding

Also called “earthing” or “grounding,” the simple act of walking barefoot offers so many benefits that often get overlooked by mainstream society pushing the importance of wearing shoes at all times. According to Dr. Mercola, walking with your feet directly touching the soil allows your body to absorb negative electrons through the Earth, which helps to stabilize daily cortisol rhythm and create a balanced internal bioelectrical environment.

We have lost much of our connection with Mother Earth due to modern living. But making an effort to spend more time barefoot in nature can provide more benefits than you would think.



2. Self Love and Forgiveness 
It's key part of our mental health and directly affects our stress levels.

We can all be incredibly self-critical and caught in the cycle of looking for what’s wrong (or expecting things to go wrong). And in that negative spiral we lose connection to the truth of who we are.  Little, positive things really do add up over time and they gradually shift us into more resilient and happier ways of being. A minute here, a breath there, really does make a difference. Authentic self-care looks different for all of us, and it should look a little different every day for each of us - since we are constantly shifting and evolving.   Making mistakes is an inevitable part of life.  There’s no shame in making genuine mistakes and admitting our fault. What’s most important is how we choose to learn from our mistakes, how we make them right and the actions we choose to take afterwards to ensure we do better next time.

In studies, forgiveness has been shown to improve anxiety, sleep, depression, and stress. It also enhances your mood, vitality, and levels of positivity.


3. SLEEP!!!!!  
We all want it and we all need it.  It's one of the most important things we can give our bodies.  It's when reparation and healing occurs.  But, why can it be so elusive!!  Let me just ask you one question.  Do you make it a priority? 

Well, let me help you get back on track.  The last hour before bed is very important.  Make yourself a routine and stick to it, even when you don't have to be up the next day.  Your body will soon respond to a new pattern.  The cortisol levels in your body will soon respond and everything else will follow.  Just read some of the articles about stress, cortisol, and sleep.

It's time to make it a priority!  Your health depends on it.

When your body is experiencing chronic stress, it thinks it’s in a state of perpetual danger and that it shouldn’t be sleeping! You might be able to fall asleep but not stay asleep and you might wake up frequently in the night.


You might find it hard to calm your thoughts and lay awake at night, worrying about your finances, relationship, work or whatever else is bothering you.




4. Unlocking Creativity
Allowing our passions to emerge leads us to our purpose!

Sometimes we need to let go to be able to flow.  We often hold back thoughts and ideas because of fear of failure or that our ideas aren't good enough.  Or, we are so busy with day to day stress and business that we never truly give ourselves enough time to relax and feel inspired.

There really are endless possibilities in this world to express ourselves and to find authentic purpose.  The practices that I share with you here are meant to provide opportunities to open up any blockages that you may have in your mind and body.  When we shift our focus to feelings of inspiration and openness, we can break down any perceived obstacles that stand in our way.

Mindful eating is important because it helps individuals appreciate food more and make better food choices. It involves using all of your physical and emotional senses to experience and enjoy the food choices you make. Practicing mindful eating can help rebuild your relationship with food, making eating less restrictive and judgmental, ultimately leading to more feelings of satisfaction and less guilt. Additionally, mindful eating can lead to smaller portions and still achieve satisfaction, which can be beneficial for weight loss goals. Mindfulness meditation used in mindful eating has also been shown to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which contributes to obesity, and lower blood pressure.

These things allow you to replace automatic thoughts and reactions with more conscious, healthier responses.

These changes can lead to improvements in a variety of cognitive and emotional functions, including increased attention and focus, decreased stress and anxiety, improved mood, and greater overall well-being. By engaging in embodiment practices on a regular basis, you can promote lasting transformation in your brain and mind, leading to greater health and happiness.

Ready for lasting transformation in these 5 areas?
Read more about my course Reclaim your Body, Transform your Mind by clicking here.

I would love to have you in the community because Om begins with Mom!!!



Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here

How to build a better relationship with your Mom when she's not there for you

How to build a better relationship with your Mom when she's not there for you
For years, I wanted nothing to do with being my mom.  I was determined to not be my mom.  I was going to be a more balanced and gentle mom.  A mom that saw her children for all of their weaknesses and not just their strengths.

Then, I suddenly recognized her voice and behaviors in me.  People started telling me all of the time that I look like her too.  I was being critical of my children and nagging.  I was flying off the handle when I didn't get what I wanted.  I was taking it personally when my kids didn't like something that I liked.  

I had organized my life around not doing those things.  Why was I doing just the things that I didn't want to do?

I knew there was something more than just practicing yoga, eating healthy, and reading positive discipline books.  Even my husband was telling me, 'why can't you practice what you preach.'

The question I asked myself was: 

How do we break through unconscious limiting beliefs when we don't even know what they are?


Trying to define yourself is like biting your own teeth --Alan Watts

Sometimes we need a self awareness practice and a coach!  Join me in this Mother's Day awareness practice.


Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/SuEXMcqUC2A

I have a weekly coaching call to connect with some of our deepest vulnerabilities.  

Are you ready to face them?

Jump into my FB group and join us in this sacred community to feel seen, heard, and understood in all of your limitations.  





Grab the Free PDF 15 Ways to Build Self compassion here
 
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