BRAIN BASEMENT

We are so real we're fake. Sometimes. Or, we used to be. Because sometimes it's tempting to fake being better than you are. Has anyone ever read a description of one of our episodes? I doubt it. Typing episode descriptions feels like something I'm impostering at right now.

We moved. We're exhausted, grateful and complainy. In summary...nothing new.

This episode is better than whiskers on kittens. Join in to for some lighter side talk- things about Annalee that may surprise you. And insights on Angi that probably don't....

Let's talk about labels in all directions.  Lots of questions.  Join us for weekly pondering on the path to emotional confusion.

Where does your brain take you when it's left unattended?  To the swatch store and to explore all the details of re-creating the 90s experience?  Or to fear and gut-wrenching worry?   50 episodes got us like Whaaaa???!

Feeling all wound up and what to do about it. 

After a lot of upheaval for 6 weeks...or two months? We are back on track.  Let's talk about all the things and solve none of them.  How much do we have the ability to hold off a meltdown, over-ride sadness or ignore guilt?  

With evacuations top of mind, we invited Sina Jones, our friend and fellow expat spouse on the show to talk about her experience. So thankful for the stories and insights Sina shares around two separate and very different evacuations their family went through while living abroad. You won't want to miss this heartfelt convo featuring a lot of wisdom and compassion from someone who knows what it feels like to unexpectedly leave a place you call Home.  If something in this convo resonates with you or you benefit from the conversations at Brain Basement, please take a moment to leave us a review! 

Let's discuss a finding mentioned in the book Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer. This episode begins with a sneak peek of one of our Members Only Inner Circle Friendship Talks...if you want to hear what we won't just tell EVERYONE, come join us over there.  Connect with Annalee at      HereNowCollective.com Connect with Angi here at       Teenlines.com

What's the deal with primary and secondary emotions? And do we even need to pay attention to them? Is Anger a clean emotion or a dirty emotion? Let's talk about this stuff and make our emotional lives BETTER in small ways.

Homesick...an accepted piece of our mobile lifestyle. How does it happen for us when we don't really know how to define "home" much of the time?? More thoughts and musings on all things emotion.   We may not have answers but we are experts at having all the questions. - Show Notes:  @bad_days_abroad

We are really starting a community. Join us in 2022!

Let's really consider how much of our daily life we spend in the STRESSED part of the stress response cycle. Why/when/how did rest become uncomfortable??? Plus cockroaches! - Show Notes: Burnout, the Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Amelia & Emily Nagoski

Who do you want to talk to most when you're sad? Your mom? Your sister? Your partner? Who is your PERSON?

Friendships and having to make new connections every time we move is not without challenges. 

The realities of small frustrations and sadness in daily life. This happens to most of us...should we ignore it or pay more attention to it.   These are small talks about big ideas, as friends- Annalee brings in the wise words of leaders and Angi just throws out random reactions. With you joining us...we start to feel like a circle of friends, (the non-complainy but genuine ones). Thanks for being a part of this circle--all are welcome!  - Show Notes "The Wild Edge of Sorrow" by Francis Weller 

Angi & Annalee wonder if there's anything good about envy. Why do most of us humans constantly compare ourselves with someone else? Why do we focus on finding our own "lack?"  More emotional exploration from two non-experts. - Show Notes: Three routes to working with difficult emotions - https://www.intentionalexpat.com/resume/  

This is real life- it's not glamorous, this is what motherhood looks like sometimes. 

We're not always losers...it's just that we FEEL like we are if we forget to notice the wins. Proud, accomplished, satisfied, comfortable- let's soak up the good vibes when they're around. Settle in for a semi-positive episode.   

Angi & Annalee chat over the trusty go-tos they pull out after moving to a new place that help make those first few days/weeks/months a bit more bearable & doable. Annalee promotes showering... sometimes.. & Angi shares her worst tip yet. We are not an advice podcast...we are your friends. Call us sometime. #realness

We could all use a good cry sometimes...so why do we resist it?  Annalee and Angi explore the mind/body connection of water seeping from our eyes.  -- Show Notes:  Full Catestrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn Is Crying Good for You? by Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School 

Seeing your new "home," and those first weeks. We're arriving and wondering and trying to be positive but honestly...we all have some doubts here. Gulp!

Angi talking to herself about how much (or little) mindfulness she is capable of bringing to her 6th overseas move. If you know then you know.

Angi & Annalee get really REAL here! And in the middle of all the summer crazy. We've got pack out, home leave, spouse in another location, trying to find time to see the family before heading back overseas. How can something called "Home Leave" or "Summer Holiday" be the hardest job of all? Get ready for a rather choppy episode...and choose to find something good here. Our number one tip is foregoing your own dental care when you're just THAT tired.

Angi & Annalee talk about the cast of characters in their minds. The voice of anxiety: puh-puh-p-Piglet from the Hundred Acre Wood and the voice of equanimity we would love to be able to be our guide in life: Pooh, that quiet genius of calm acceptance.  

"I don't have to want to do this to just get it done" -- ideas for inspirational cross-stitch design quotes when moving. Annalee and Angi get real about how stress seeps in, especially in times of transition. This is a perfect chat to put on in the background while prepping your piles or rubbing marks off the walls. Two friends out there get it. Check out the book Breath by James Nestor, The New Science of a Lost Art  *Spoiler....you need to use your nose, not your mouth. Also, check out Simply on Purpose's instagram page to read more about behavioral momentum. 

BBP invites Gabriela Encina, fellow expat and licensed psychologist, on the show to discuss the difference between an expat funk and depression. Even if you've never experienced chemical depression, you may be surprised at how relatable this message is in validating some of the challenges unique to expats. As an expat herself, Gabriela gets it and brings her research and experience to address this important topic. Swipe right to get a sample!  We join Gabriela as she expresses to listeners that even if parts of this episode are relatable, "We don't want to label anyone, or for anyone to self diagnose themselves. We want [listeners] to understand when they need help and to ask a mental health professional if you have a suspicion that you have depression or are going through an expat funk. Don't diagnose it, please. It is very important that you seek help. You don't have to go through this alone."  If you are struggling and want to talk to someone, here are some places to turn to for help:  Resources for general expat community:  Location Independent Therapists (LIT) Gabriela's website and instagram page Resources for the U.S. Diplomatic Community: Contact your local healthcare providers at post through the embassy medical unit and/or your Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist (RMOP).  Employee Consultation Services (ECS) provides free, confidential counseling with professional social workers for State Department employees and their families.  Work Life 4 You (or 'Staff Care' for USAID employees) is largely known for emergency back-up child care, but also offers a wide variety of assistance.  Check your health insurance plan. For example, Foreign Service Benefit Plan (FSBP) offers tele-therapy visits for mental health. Family Liaison Office (FLO) offers helpful resources HERE.  American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) offers resources HERE. Non-State Department EFMs may have different resources offered through their partners' agencies (i.e. DEA, DOD, etc.)    

Resentment, Grief, Loneliness. Join Angi and Annalee as they head to the basement for a light chat on the heavier emotions of expat living. The wifi has something to say too, so hang on as it butts in from time to time. 

Brain Basement welcomes Angie Collins, fellow expat & Parent Coach.  Angie knows how to help parents find calm by sorting through their routines, their stress and finding the specific systems that work for each individual. Enjoy this convo where Angi & Angie discuss how "being organized" can look different from person to person, but the benefits are rather similar.  Connect with Angie by visiting her website at www.parentcoachangie.com. 

Brain Basement welcomes Resilience on the show. Annalee's been judging her & Angi's more accepting. She seems so popular & a bit trendy right now, but like so many things, the more we get to know her & her redeeming qualities, she seems like a valuable companion, especially within the transitions of expat life. Bring whatever notions you have of Resilience to this convo & see how they fit in.  - What We Get Wrong About Resilience 

Grab some tea & put your feet up while Angi shares how she's found purpose as she's moved around the world. Her story is inspiring from driving a 15-passenger van to making grilled cheese sandwiches to helping people take a closer look at their brains. Also, catch a couple mini-stories of ladies that let their passions lead out, like the lady that makes videos with rocks. Enjoy episode 23, 'Finding Purpose as an EFM: How it Happened for Me.' -  Rocks Tell Stories @pattirokus

Expat life can feel like a practice in recreation. Recreating home, school, friends, and sometimes even ourselves. Tune in as Angi interviews Annalee on her journey to create purpose in the various countries she's lived, and how her passions have helped light the way. The last bit gets really exciting when they lose internet & the episode ends mid-sentence ha. Enjoy! 

Annalee & Angi invite Grief on the show today to get to know her a bit, explore what makes her unique, and even check out what she's wearing. Seriously though, everyone experiences loss. How can we give those losses the honor and attention they deserve? And how does grief show up in expat life? 

Angi & Annalee chat about reacting to their kids' meltdowns. Taking a closer look reveals that their own meltdowns might not look that different. Can integrating a bit of mindfulness help? 

Angi & Annalee get into the science around the impact meditation has on the brain & if it's becoming more widely accepted as a method for improving well-being. Also, do our husbands think we're nuts? - Meditators Have Younger Brains How Meditation Protects the Aging Brain from Decline Your Brain on Meditation

Angi & Annalee explore how writing can improve mental wellness. Making lists of junior high crushes in journals to scribbling on a Vogue magazine to using any old pen and paper to observe thoughts & emotions. What does writing do for you & your brain?  - How to Start a Mindful Journaling Practice  Ashley Mae Hoiland 

Part 2 of a discussion with Integrative Health Coach and expat mom, Meredith Wiedemer, where she explains some specific ideas on how to understand and improve your gut/brain health.  - Contact Meredith at meredith.weidemer@gmail.com

Guest, Meredith Wiedemer, Integrative Health Coach and expat mom, explains a bit about how what we eat affects our brain function. Listen closely for some bonus material on guts and poop. This is part 1 of a 2-part series.  - Books mentioned: Crazy, Sexy Diet by Kris Carr

Angi & Annalee discuss Third Culture Kids and Parachute Kids: the challenges they face as they move to different countries and into different cultures. There's a balance between appreciating the benefits of this lifestyle and acknowledging the difficulties we face. Maybe we can use those difficulties to build resilience.  ---- Families in Global Transition: Raising Third Culture Kids and Parachute Kids Webinar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNudwL9_jsM  

Angi and Annalee share random bits that have been on their minds from choosing the stories we tell ourselves to leaning into our emotions to expanding our vocabulary around the way we feel. 

This 16-minute meditation is designed to bring in abundance and appreciation while the cartoons are on, tea kettle is whistling, kids are clamoring and life is happening. We can still bring focus to these moments of busy daily life.  

Today we consider what gratitude means, how it feels, how we get there and who 'she' is at her core.

This episode includes an interview with the brilliant Transition Coach, Amber Folkman. She discusses the book, "This is Where You Belong" as her inspiration for diving into the research and science behind loving where you live, and gives practical tips for creating a home anywhere you are.  - Reach out to Amber via email at amommabroad@gmail.com and learn more about her on instagram @amommabroad. 

Considering all the ways we define 'home' for ourselves and for our kiddos as we move to different places as Foreign Service families.

This episode is an introduction to Mom Meditations, a series of meditations you can do in the car, in a chair, on a walk or anywhere! ...and also with your kids around. No need to wait for a perfect moment of silence. In this Mom Meditation, embrace the noise and activity around, while finding the strength of your own mountaintop view. Here, you will find a 5-minute introduction followed by a 15-minute guided meditation.

As moms, friends and striving to be mindful humans, Annalee and Angi talk about things we've gleaned during quarantine. We haven't had the most difficult struggles, but it hasn't been an easy time either. Taking a zoomed-out look at this season of life has helped us see what we've learned along the way. 

Annalee took a 3-day course on a specific breath technique. Here is what she learned and how she did it.  - Notes & Resources Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) Breath Meditation, Art of Living  Research on SKY Breath Meditation 'A Scientist Backs the SKY Breath Meditation for Anxiety and Depression' by Ronnie Newman

As parents, do we talk to our kids about emotional awareness? Are we teaching them to avoid emotions or understand them? Listen in for a conversation on how Angi & Annalee have experimented with teaching emotional awareness to their kids. 

Is self-care just a good excuse for a pedicure? Or can it look a little different or go a little deeper? In this episode, Angi and Annalee chat about what self-care means to them, types of self-care they've tried and how it's helped them. 

Is belonging possible in total isolation? Can one person feel that they belong if they don't share their truth? Annalee and Angi stay up past 9pm for deep thought discussion in their PJs. Also, do we fall into 'fitting in' more than 'belonging?'  

When you can talk to someone and be SO REAL that it becomes part of your healing. Can a good talk with a friend really make your life better? Angi and Annalee discuss their first encounters with meditation and how one step leads down an unexpected road. One mention to a neighbor, leads to a yoga class, leads to meditation and more.  One prenatal wellness routine, leads to a lifelong practice of yoga and interest in meditation, connecting with friends and twenty years of learning.