Compassionately You

Honey Marie Love is an intuitive coach. Most of her clients are both service professionals and mothers. They are also high performing individuals and perfectionists. She advocates for women finding their authentic voice. Bri met Honey during the Beckwith Weidemann Awareness Day. Honey directed and coordinated the national virtual summit this year on April 6, 2019. She shares her own story of perfectionism, losing her parents, and being a teen mom. She received a corporate job at age 21 and the pressure to provide for her family coupled with perfectionism in both work and family life led to exhaustion/burn out. She explains how it created turmoil and sickness within her body to put that much pressure on herself. She gives all us perfectionists out there some much needed care, encouragement, and advice. Honey has offered a free meditation to all Compassionately You listeners. Free Meditation Here Listen to the full episode below. If you are interested in following Honey, you can do so on her Facebook and Instagram. Or you can plug in right away by attending a virtual workshop she is hosting this July 26.

Laura Judge is on the podcast today! She is a Pure Haven consultant and also an advocate for living not only your best life, but living in a way that is best for your overall health. This is what made her interested in Pure Haven, as their products are free of chemicals and toxins. Skincare products go right on our skin and should be something we really think about purchasing before we put it on our skin.Laura is passionate about educating others that we have a choice about what we decide to put into our bodies. This passion stemmed from losing her mother to cancer. Her mother was her best friend and her rock. She talks about the cycle of grief and how it’s incredibly hard to lose a loved one. Her first emotion during grief was fear. Her next emotion was acceptance.She used to cry a lot over her mother’s death over small things that would trigger her. Once she went through acceptance she realized she had lost the most important person in her life. And if she could get through that, she could get through anything - she was strong. Listen to the full podcast episode below.Follow Laura on Facebook and Instagram.

Kyria is on the podcast this week! Her and Bri knew each other in college and they have connected again via instagram. Kyria is a motivational speaker and blogger. She considers herself someone who is multi-passionate. She has multiple interests and really cares about each one of them as well as each person in her life. She shares on the podcast today about motherhood, grief after losing loved ones, and the continuous healing process of grief. She speaks about how hard it is to take time for ourselves as mothers. We are used to doing everything for everyone else. However, their is such a need to take care of ourselves: mind, body, and soul. She attended a conference and felt inspired to share her voice and be even more genuine and focused on social media. When she stepped even more into openness and vulnerability, her following on instagram started to grow exponentially. Within the process of grief and loss, she lost a pregnancy in 2015. She also lost her Aunt who was like her second mother in November 2018. With her aunt’s passing, she had a realization of how valuable time really was. Her aunt was an organ donor and she was able to save 75 lives with her donations.She emphasizes the fact that setting aside time each day to take care and love ourselves is important as mothers and women overall. Each day may look different in how we self-care or when we self-care and that’s okay, but making sure we take that time is what’s important.You can follow Kyria on instagram for daily inspiration. Listen to the full episode below.

Bree Bode is on the podcast this week! She is a fellow coach and owner of BB MindfulBree lists her 7 dimensions of wellness that she goes through her clients within her coaching. 1) Social – think relationships, volunteering 2) Emotional – think giving and receiving emotions3) Intellectual – building and sustaining curiosity4) Physical – think eating, drinking, movement5) Occupational – finding joy in your work, hobbies, habits6) Spiritual – think the power of connecting mind, body, spirit7) Environmental – think nature and safe spacesShe talks about the important of giving help and receiving help and how we need to experience both within our emotional wellness.Bree and Susan Clark, who has been on the podcast twice in this past, are collaborating to put together a summer wellness workshop. You can learn more here.Follow her on Facebook or Instagram.

Lisa is on the podcast today! She shares why she created Lotus Jos Yoga. She wanted to create a safe place for people to come and grow personally. She talks about the cycle of growth metaphorically to the lotus flower. Some areas of our life we focus on more at times and bloom more there, and then we can concentrate on planting seeds in other areas of our life to focus on in different seasons of life.She relates to how she became a mom first before having a strong sense of self. Then she reached a point in her mid 20’s where she saw that she would have time to travel and such later on. It doesn’t matter the timing. There’s no perfect timing for living life.She talks about processing. We can process our thoughts and see if the thought is more of a fear than a truth and learn how to get through that fear and see the beauty in all we do.We also talk about the up and downs of entrepreneurship and how focusing on growth and numbers are important, but also not to obsess about it and look at the big picture.Follow Lisa on Facebook and Instagram.Listen to the full episode here

Connie is on the podcast a 2nd week in a row. Her and Bri had such a filled conversation, that we decided to make the podcast go 2 episodes. In this episode Connie talks about the connotation of being single. Many times when people find out one is single in conversation, the response is “Oh, you’ll find someone!” “The right one is out there!” She provokes the question of why is it seen this way in our society. There are relationships we have with others outside of romantic ones that provide our lives with value and connection.This is a very compelling episode!Follow Connie on instagram or her website.

Connie Flachs is on the podcast this week! Connie is a body image activist, a ballerina, a co-founder of the non-profit Better Body Image, and a board member of Slow Food West Michigan.Connie focuses on food production and systems within our society and how some food has to look and feel perfect for people to want to consume it. This idea of beauty standard in food parallels with the idea of body image beauty standards in society and the pressure to be symmetrical and look a particular way.Connie and Bri both mention Emily, a BBI board member’s, wisdom of getting out of your mind and into your body comes up. She helps nurture people to do with her business Any Body Yoga.We delve into the idea of thin privilege and what it is. Thin privilege is recognizing that privilege and taking action to make change. Connie then mentions how all women unite in negative body speak, so we do connect over body image, but how can we connect in a more empowering way. And herein was the idea behind creating the Better Body Image - to create a safe and supportive space to learn how to talk about our bodies in a more empowering way. Follow Connie on instagram and check out her website.Listen to the full episode below.

Aubrey Marlette from the group Unleash Your Heart is on the podcast today. Unleash has been mentioned in our podcast before, so Bri thought it was time to invite Aubrey on to chat more about why she created the community. Aubrey comes in vulnerability personally as well to share about when her father went through cancer. She talks about how she struggled with body image. In the past she struggled with anorexia and then binge eating in college. Then when her dad was diagnosed with cancer and she saw how he struggled with his health, she realized how precious life really is. It set her out into a holistic journey and learning how to love herself. Even though it was a painful time in her life, she believes it took a big crisis to set her onto her current path.Self-love is at the root of everything in life.Her tips to loving yourself more:1)Learning to listen to your heart2)Honor what your inner voice is telling you3)Every part of you has positive intentions4)Then you feel that wholeness because you aren’t constantly feeling your “imperfections” are wrong. They are a part of you for a good reason.If you’d like to get to know Aubrey and Unleash more, Bri is actually hosting an open, free self-compassion workshop there this June 6th from 130-3p. You can register for the free event here.Aubrey and Bri are also running a promotion together due how aligned both their businesses are. If you join both Unleash and The Compassion Collective, the total membership to enroll in both groups saves you $10! For only $39.99/mo, you get access to both groups!JOIN NOW.

This Memorial Day, Bri comes in more vulnerability onto the podcast she created. She reflects back on the 10 months of Compassionately You, the mission behind it, how it’s changed her, and how it morphed into adding more services to help others. Next, she opens up about her own body image journey and describes her rare syndrome, Beckwith Weidemann, from birth to 18 years old. She adds some humor in because life needs both that open, vulnerable elements with a bit a humor to keep things light. She wanted to be more vulnerable with her own body image journey because both Compassionately Bri and Better Body Image were formed due to her own struggles with her body and her own self-confidence and self-compassion. She mentions how there are ups and downs of self-confidence, especially when we are in the midst of personal growth and perseverance. She also mentions this summer she is debuting a free 5-day self-confidence challenge. The challenge starts on June 3 and runs through 7. You can participate anywhere you are! It’s completely digital, so you can be involved remotely. Also, it only takes 5 minutes each day. Bri loves making things easy to put into your day.The challenge will focus on reflecting and affirming:Who we are and always have beenWhat are our priorities are in this season of lifeFeeling confident in both the 2 listed above to be more free in who we are and our lifestyleYou can apply to be a part of the challenge here.

Special BONUS podcast episode this week! Bri attended the 3rd annual fundraiser for Sheldon’s house. She was invited by fellow colleague Rhiannon McCalmount, who is also on the Sheldon House board and the photography event sponsor. Bri had the honor of interviewing Tara Vandyke immediately after the event ended, in which over 150 people attended. Tara describes how 1 in 5 people will struggle with mental illness at some point in their lives and this specific fundraiser was helping to fundraise the unmet needs that Medicaid does not help with for funding of Sheldon’s House.What is Sheldon’s House?It’s a clubhouse that treats their members like a family. Through participation in the tasks that it takes to run the Clubhouse and the availability of resources, members find worth and value in themselves. Members are seen as more than someone with a mental health diagnosis but instead someone with potential and worth. It is a resource that isn’t as extreme as going to the ER or a mental health facility. It’s that transitional piece that is needed to be the in between that connects those who are suffering with mental illness into their communities with sustainable support.You can follow Sheldon’s house in Facebook and Instagram. If you are interested in learning more or taking a free tour, feel free to reach out to them via phone (616) 242-6058 or email.

Jen Monroe is the owner of Rising Strong Wellness. She is a trauma yoga instructor and self-compassion educator and advocate. Jen and Bri met in 2018 over coffee at Corridor Coffee. She became a sponsor of Better Body Image Conference and Bri and her connected instantly due to both of them working in the realm of self-compassion.Jen comes on the podcast in vulnerability to share her own personal story with self-compassion as a perfectionist. She uses her own experience and gift in the work she does daily with trauma yoga and self-compassion workshops. If you haven’t heard of trauma yoga, she explains how our bodies can hold emotional stress and trauma yoga helps to release this stress physically and emotionally for all encompassing healing.She mentions the workshop she is debuting later this week called Uprising: Changing Your Mindset About Your Body. It is May 16, 2019 from 9a-11a at Yoga Blue. You can follow Jen on Facebook and Instagram.Full interview below.

Ruth VanHoven is a coach with her company Process 360 and today she is sharing how she got into the field of coaching, through a diagnosis of cancer. Within a 3 week timeline she saw 3 doctors and had surgery and they removed a melon-sized tumor for her ovary. Her cancer took 8 years to get to that size, according to the doctors. She decide to research and found out that the cancer she had is one of the rarest in the world. Only 3 other people were documented to have it and they all passed away.She was in a job that was project management/problem solving. She continued her research to see what would be the best route for her and her body. She decided that she needed not only to physically heal from her surgery, but also emotionally heal to fully repair and rejuvenate her body.She believes that mindset is what it really comes down to when people want to make a change.We then both talk about compassion - what is it? And what exactly is a a coach and what do they do?Listen to the full episode here.

Susan Clark of HT Performance is back on the podcast!Her and I chat individual growth as well as relational growth. Relational growth with family, friends, colleagues or even a romantic one. As we morph and change and go through personal growth, others are also growing individually as well, and in turn so does the relationship. We chat boundaries as well. Boundaries with ourselves, and boundaries with others.Bri focuses on how boundaries with ourselves can included:how much work time,self-care time,family time,friend time,household tasks, etc can happen that day.Susan chats about how boundaries can change or be hard when we are still exploring who we are and want we are striving for. It can be hard to find those boundaries, so finding yourself first. She alludes to how you can be growing and changing alongside others. And making sure that those people close to you are aligning with who you are and where you are headed. She also talks about trust and how we have to trust others that are this close to us in our lives. Together Susan and Bri come up with 3 aspects of both personal and relational growth.3 facets of personal growthTruth-AuthenticityAcceptanceChange-Growth3 facets of relational growthTrust-BoundariesAcceptanceChange-GrowthListen more to their conversation below.Since we have already shown how to connect to Susan in the past virtually, we would love to let you know about how to connect with her in person. Susan has an event coming up this July 2019 called Power Suits You, Toasts on the Town. The event will focus on who you are through actionable education and movement! Susan’s facebook page.Susan’s instagram page.

Katie Jo of Wild Pine Healing is on the podcast this week! Bri and Katie met in the group Unleash. Katie actually introduced the group to Bri via Facebook before the two even met! Katie explains how important nature is for us as humans. She also talks about what plants are popping up in West Michigan and which ones you can eat and other that you should enjoy from afar. She also talks about why she decided to research what medicinal properties herbs provided after being diagnosed with a chronic illness. Bri an Katie chat about nature deficit disorder briefly as well and encourage all of us to take time to unplug within the beautiful surroundings around us.Katie offers courses and community within her field in the plant portal as well! You can check that out more here.Listen to the full episode below and follow Katie on facebook or instagram.

Deb Kalsbeek from Snap Studio is back on the podcast. Her and Bri have an open and honest conversational about the topic: living the life you desire. What does that mean? How do we achieve this? It can mean so many things and each person’s definition is different and unique to the lifestyle that they want and choose.A few key points to the conversation:1)Everyone has an opinion and it’s okay. You don’t always have to take their feedback.2)Saying no to some things are okay. 3)Business time AND time away 4)You are in control of your life5)Go out and ask. It it’s a no. It may just mean a not, yet.Connect with Deb on instagram and facebook.

Amy Klco is an teacher, author, and publisher who focuses on the tender hearted child. Bri met Amy in Veronica Kirin’s Audacious Entrepreneur Sandbox group. According to Amy, a tender heart is “someone who feels a lot and hurts a lot.” She focuses on children because “ if we support them well as they are growing, they will have stronger boundaries and they’ll have better coping skills as an adult.” Her mission and hope in writing her book is to spread information about tender hearts are:1) to help tender hearted kids before they get to that point2) to held tender hearted adults to heal now in better ways3 steps for tender hearted children to get through when they hit the overwhelmed pointDefuse Process feelings get them back to calm.Reframe Once calm, explore why they felt the way they did.Believe They are important. Being sensitive is a good trait.Follow Amy in her private facebook group here.You can also follow her on her facebook page.Listen to the full episode below.

Dicia Horner is on the podcast today. She is an independent representative from Primerica Financial and an person with a kind, loving heart.She shares why she went into the financial realm. Her Father passed away at a young age and her mother was left with 4 kids and a life insurance check. No one helped her mother know what to do with that check. Her passion stems from that event in educating others how to use their money with the system in our society to set yourself up well in the present and feature. She gives some great tips on this! And she also talks about how finances are often tied to our emotions. It’s hard to separate the two.Dicia also shares about a body image journey she has noticed being self-conscious and the need to be skinny since she was 5. She catalogues her journey from age 5 to now. She reflects that exercise shouldn’t be about losing weight that it should be about being strong, empowered. Get a hold of Dicia here: primerica.com/diciahornerEating Disorder Resources and Advocate mentioned:Rachael Steil | Running in Silence

Bri invites her husband, Luke Luginbill, on the podcast this week to talk about failure, compassion, and interpersonal communication. Luke is an English teacher, assistant Dean of Students, and Director of Technology at The Potter’s House High School. He talks about failure, his graduation speech on failure, and his own experience. Bri and him then dive a little deeper and touch on failure in interpersonal communication and how compassion plays a big role in getting through life’s ups and downs in failure and miscommunication. Listen to the full episode below.Luke has no instagram or facebook, but you can connect with him via email, lukeluginbill@gmail.com.

Get ready for a more open conversation about what community over competition means in the West Michigan area! Christina from Zeal Aerial Fitness is back and we are talking openly about our experience with community over competition here. We mention a lot of great organizations or mentors.You may even hear Bri’s dog make a guest appearance. :)Groups we mentioned:#squadbettie#grbossbabesWomen WhoUnleashBri’s former business coach Kim Trathen. She helped push her to the next level, but still be compassionate to herself in work and personal life. Christina mentions her business coach as well. Bri’s former company People Picture Co. and her admiration for how they work as a great husband and wife team. Look for a future collaboration soon between Zeal Aerial Fitness and Compassionately Bri soon! Coming this April 2019.

Lauren from Love Renegades is on the podcast this week! I met her through Veronica Kirin in her Audacious Entrepreneurs Group.Lauren speaks to what she went through in 2009. She went through physical and relational pain. She was rejected from the peace core due to a medical condition she didn’t know she even had. She found out in her rejection letter. Her boyfriend had also broken up with her when she decided to apply to the peace corps.After talking to a friend, she decided to seek help to love herself more through two paths. One of them was reiki and the other was self-love. Her body completely healed after she learned to accept her own love and began making lifestyle changes like yoga and becoming vegetarian.She decided to help others as she helped herself, and Love Renegades was born. Lauren is an unconventional relationship coach who helps clients unapologetically be themselves through radical self-love and breaking the laws of love---which is a Love Renegades expression---for making choices according to their own principles and NOT according to what society or others think they should do.If you’d like to learn more about Lauren, go to her website and take her free quiz HERE.Listen to the full episode below.Follow Lauren on instagram and facebook.

Rachael Kaminski of Confidence beyond hair loss, speaks about her cancer diagnosis on today’s episode. Bri met Rachael in 2018 at a educational and networking day for West Michigan women. Since then, she’s been following Rachael’s business journey and personal story. She was so happy when Rachael accepted her invitation to be featured on Compassionately You.Rachael shares, “The defining moment that started my body image and personal journey was being diagnosed Hodgkin's Lymphoma a form of cancer in June of 2017. As a cancer patient, it often feels like you've lost control. You can't control your diagnosis, your test results or your cancer treatment side effects. But I could control how I took care of myself. I know that I feel better about myself when I get up, get dressed, do my make-up and hair. But since I didn't have hair I made the conscious decision to wear a wig. Wearing a wig wasn't about "covering up" that I had cancer, it was a choice I made because it helped me be in control of my story and helped me feel like my "old" self. I've always loved doing hair, my own and others. I've been a cosmetologist for 9 year now and having cancer taught me so much about another side of the beauty industry… hair loss.”“My cancer journey led me to start Confidence Beyond Hair Loss. A way for women who are experiencing hair loss to be in control of their story, feel empowered and confident. I know the sadness, anger, and frustration that comes from losing your hair, and because of that, I wanted to give women a peace and comfort to know they are not alone and there is someone who can help. “Listen to the full episode below. Follow Rachael on instagram and facebook.

Alicia Shumaker from RetroCo is on the podcast today. Bri met Alicia at a marketing event in 2018 and was inspired by her immediately. Alicia is a serial entrepreneur. A serial entrepreneur is an entrepreneur who continuously comes up with new ideas and starts new businesses. She is also a mother, and says her entrepreneur lifestyle helps her make her passions a reality while also being flexible to have a rich family life.Alicia talks about how working for herself was the best thing for her. She also sheds light on how it’s okay to start something and leave it for the next adventure. Along with being open about this subject and giving us encouragement in our own career paths, she talks about her own body journey as well. She comments about being a curvy woman and growing up felt like her body wasn’t what she was supposed to look like according society. She spent a lot of time trying to make others happy to feel like she measured up and to prove to them she had value. She tried to prove she was worthy to everyone else instead of being satisfied with who she really was. She channels her passion of wanting to make others happen now in serving her clients while embracing her own self and not needing that validation to be who she is.In any business she creates, she wants each person to feel valued and loved. She makes it her mission to give that validation and affirmation to all her clients and colleagues. Follow her on instagram.Listen to the full episode below.

In this episode, Samantha Cutler talks about why she created Inspired Mama Conference on March 23, 2019 in Grand Haven, MI.We also mention Sara Dean of the Shameless Mom Academy and that she will be one of the keynote speakers along with myself. Follow Sara’s podcast. She’s incredible!To learn more about the conference go here.To purchase your Early Bird ticket by Feb. 15 and use my special coupon code for an additional 15% discount CYOU2019 go HERE.

This week we are doing something a little different on the podcast.Instead of a feature, Cori from Beer City Barre and myself have an open conversation about a controversial topic: money. Money is a 5-letter word at some point in our lives. It's something that isn't talked about openly or without emotional ties or awkwardness.As women, we can be givers and helpers. We want to serve and give our gifts to help people live a more happy and carefree life. When we turn out passion into work and need to derive some form of compensation from it to make a living - it can get tricky. Here Cori and I both enter the conversation in honesty and humility to show how we as entrepreneurs as well as consumers experience money and self-worth.I mention Topsie Vandenbosch who has inspired me to think about money is a healthier way. You can follow her instagram here.

Bri comes on the podcast this week just with her own self. She opens up about her anxiety and depression. She shares the pattern her thoughts and behavior go through when her anxiety, depression or both strike. She illustrates how self-compassion helped her to recognize her patterns and helped her to be introspective to stop beating herself up and start living more in kindness and openness. We are given one mind and one body. We have one life to live and why live a life where we constantly are putting ourselves down? We deserve joy. We deserve to enjoy one another’s company. Self-compassion gives ourselves the freedom to make mistakes, fail and know that it’s part of our life journey. It’s also part of our life journey to be kind. If you resonate with what Bri says about anxiety, depression and that cycle - please reach out. She would love to hear your story and what you are going through. She would love to give you a space to be heard and listened to. Email her at briluginbill@gmail.com.

Erin Nowak is on the podcast this week! She and her sister own The Hive Yoga GR, a body acceptance yoga studio on the West side of Grand Rapids. Erin speaks to body acceptance, self-compassion, and giving yourself space daily to meet yourself where you are at. As Erin was talking, I felt my own self going on a journey with her to understand an even deeper understanding to self-compassion.She mentions that everyone has their own capacity for things. This struck me in the most positive way. I had never thought about thing in that way. Sometimes we compare ourselves and go “Wow this person does so much more than me.” If we look at it as my capacity is this today and that person’s capacity is that today - it feels more kind and loving in the overall situation of life. I loved how eloquently, she articulated that. Listen to her full interview below and follow her the The Hive Yoga GR on instagram and facebook.

Bri had the honor of having Lauren Zulli of HOLOS Coaching and Consulting on the podcast this week. Bri met Lauren back in September at a Mod Bettie Event. They both showed up as coaches and led a workshop together. It was friendship at first sight. Since then, Bri and her have gotten together multiple times to talk all things life, specifically internal reflection. Bri was so excited when Lauren agreed to come on the podcast!Lauren illustrates more about her holistic approach fosters personal and professional growth through a collective systems perspective of self, others, and our environment. Whether you are looking to invite more soulful wellness into your life or to develop a conscious culture of well-being in your workplace, HOLOS can help you design a future with intention, lead with passion, and impact with purpose.Lauren and I also talk her program she is offering called Embody Bettie this February 2019. It’s a 4-week group program that is modeled after her values and mission above. Also, she is offering to those who sign up to bring a friend and their friend can receive 50% off!Follow her for inspiration on instagram and facebook.

Susan Clark from Health Training Performance is on the podcast. She reveals openly that she was diagnosed with arthritis when she was 17. She was very into athletics and also helping others, which led her to become an athletic and personal trainer. With her chronic condition, love for athletics and a heart to help others, she approached the idea of fitness and personal training in a whole different way than the mainstream.What set her apart was: communication. She listened to where her clients were at and didn’t push them into a workout that wasn’t for them in that moment. She did what they needed and wanted in that moment.In her interview she touches on many aspects of why she does what she does, how she is unique and different than the traditional fitness industry, and her positivity will put a smile on your face!Listen to the interview below.You can follow her on facebook and instagram.

Bernice Mitchell is on the podcast! Her and I connected earlier this year. She is a light in this world, which is why I love her business name, Guided By Light. Bernice talks about human connection and how we all can relate and understand with one another. The basis we can all relate on is that we are all human. We all have that core to us.She addresses how society makes us have labels and that can divide us. She brings to light the benefits of living in the gray area. Guided by the Internal light and energy that connects us all. Her mission is to help people find out who they are and tell them it’s okay to live in the gray area - the in between.To all our viewers, Bernice offering 50% off any of her services. And like she said, in the interview, she’s only a phone call away. 6162884860.Follow her on facebook and instagram.

Jen DiGennaro is on the podcast this week. She is a psychotherapist that specializes in individual and couples therapy and her practice is called Nourished Energy. Bri has known Jen for several years now. Jen was one of the workshop leaders in Bri’s other business Better Body Image Conference.Jen takes us through a journey in this podcast through two of her instrumental blogs. The first is diet culture trauma and the second is body love. It’s a great episode to listen to to truly learn from a professional in the field who is working to end negative body talk and shame in the field and in the world.She weaves her own personal experiences in throughout the episode and relates in how she went through her own body image journey. We end talking about body justice - which is a new concept to me. Very interesting and thought provoking episode!If you want her free personalized self-care plan, you can click here and scroll to the bottom to get it.Follow Jen on facebook and instagram.

This week Anna Guerink is on the podcast. I met Anna before I started this podcast and I loved how kind her soul was. She loves to connect with others and see them for who they truly are. In her work at Anna Ink Creative, she showcases this gift of hers in how she photographs business owners.We talk about how being photographed doing what your passionate about, is validating and affirming. Anna also opens up about her own body image journey. She alludes to how our bodies are always changing and the journey continues and morphs and changes as time goes on. She used to compare a lot to other bodies. She stopped comparing and became confident in who she was and her body. She then got pregnant and went through another chapter in her body image journey. She had to think about herself and body in a whole new way. She used photography as therapy and took self-portraits to embrace her pregnant body.Anna is offering all our listeners a promo for January 2019. For all our listeners (just mention you are one), 20% off a photography session with her.Follow her on instagram and facebook.

Cori Williams is on the podcast this week. Cori and I talk about how we met one another, how she grew her business in 2 years to the size it is today. She owns a Barre Studio called Beer City Barre and part what pushed her to grow and cultivate her business was a personal journey she went through. She had 7 miscarriages in 2 years and after that she got into attending Barre classes. That Barre class closed down and she lost her community, so she decided to create her own!She also explains how she coped with her miscarriages and what’s best for friends to do when listening to someone who went through this kind of suffering.We touch on together the importance of listening and making people feel heard. Sometimes when we start to listen to others share their suffering with us, we are quick be empathetic by sharing our own story. When really, people need us to not talk and just listen and offer love and comfort. Such a great conversation that made me think about how I relate to people through their suffering.For all listeners Cori is offering $25 off a month package at Beer City Bar. You can use this by going here and clicking “New Client First Month” and use promo Code: COMPASSIONFollow Cori on instagram and facebook.

Chelsea Fox is the owner of Indigo Vibes and Yoga. She also has a private group called Soul Speakers Sisterhood. Chelsea was very into the fitness industry of dieting and working out. She talks about when she was in the best shape of her life she was physically and mentally the worst shape. She was also in the insurance industry which made her stressed and depressed.She then suffered an injury and it changed her world mentally and physically. She delved into the world of yoga and became a teacher. It was the one exercise that she could do that improved her physical health and helped her be able to still be able to move during and after her recovery from her injury.She then talks about how the stress of what we are expected to do in life is not healthy for us. Her story is one we can all relate to with the long to-do lists and our crazy expectations we put on ourselves. She talks about how focusing on what she did vs. what she didn’t do helped her as well as implementing a daily self-care routine.You can follow her on facebook and instagram.

Anna VanAgtmael is featured on the podcast this week. She is an inspiring individual who talks openly about the personal journey she has gone through mentally as an entrepreneur and perfectionist. She is the owner of Your Wandering Roots, here she teaches yoga, plans others vacations so they don’t have to add that onto their to-do list, and hosts her own retreats.I could 100% relate to Anna in the perfectionist realm. Anna discusses how important it is to truly stop and celebrate our accomplishments. Too much of the time as a perfectionists, we skip over them to conquer the next task.She also brings up how comparison is the true thief of joy. Her and I talk candidly about this. We refer to social media, but also in person as well. There is so much knowledge Anna brings to the conversation on this episode, you won’t want to miss it!

This week Kara Hoholik from My Educated Style is on the podcast. Kara has a passion for teaching others how to be more sustainable and ethical in their wardrobe. I’m a huge thirfter, so I loved talking with her about this! She lets people know something they can do that’s small at first is to try more second-hand shopping. She also lists some of her favorite places to shop that are ethical. Some are local to the West Michigan area and others are global.She also opens up about not feeling like she quite fit in. She loves to help others and is a people pleaser (sound familiar?! I know I can be this way too!). She talks about how to be comfortable as you are and finding those people that understand you as you.

I was able to attend the Bloom Awards this afternoon. Women from all professions and walks of life attended. Some accepted awards for being involved in helping support mothers and families West Michigan community during the transition into motherhood.I was able to sit down to interview their board president, Carrie Kolehouse, about the organization immediately following the luncheon this afternoon.Mom’s Bloom is an organization that supports new moms through their post-partum journey. They connect volunteers with moms who have just had newborns. Those volunteers go into the moms’ homes and help them in any way they need: folding laundry, dishes, watching their baby.Carrie talks more about Mom’s Bloom and their mission as well as sharing about her own post partum journey in hopes to encourage all mothers out there.Listen below.

Deb Kalsbeek is a serial entrepreneur and multi-business owner. She is an open, caring individual to all those around her in business and in her personal life. She owns Snap Studio, a full service wedding and portrait company. She also co-owns SnapJoy Studio. It’s a studio that is open for all photographers to come in and utilize their space, backdrops and photo props/lighting.Deb talks about what is was like growing up as an entrepreneur’s daughter. The flexibility and learning that she had access to that made her inspired to start her own business when she was just 17!She opens up about her eating disorders that bounced to and from anorexia and bulimia. Her honesty and candidness is very needed for awareness of this topic. It spreads awareness in a way that people shouldn’t beat themselves up if they have gone through something similar. Recognizing what it going on and that feeling of guilt and shame is so needed to be able to begin the healing process. She also reveals how an eating disorder can be a symptom of more than a unhealthy relationship to food. It usually stems from other things within us that are telling us that “we are not enough.” Through therapy, coping mechanisms, self-love, and confidence, she was able to begin, continue that journey and even apply those same concepts to anything else that life throws her way.

Joey Williamson is on the podcast this week. He is a congenital heart defect survivor, a mentor to many and an all around inspirational person to be around.Joey and Bri actually met in the Mended Little Hearts group back in 2014 because Bri also has a congenital heart defect. Joey talks about his body image in relation to his scar from his surgery. He explains how his 6th grade teacher was the most impactful person in his life and helped him learn not to care what others said about his scar. He also gives people advice to keep persevering through life and to find someone that’s doing what you want to do and ask if they would be your mentor.Joey also has his own blog called Hollywood’s World of Sports and this month is it’s 15th anniversary. He talks about his sports passion, but also about his own personal life journey here as well.Joey is really an inspirational person to follow. You can follow him on instagram and facebook.

Alyssa Ferguson from Fleurology Designs opens up about her entrepreneurial journey, personal growth through the ups and downs and also about her body image journey as a beautiful curvy woman.Her husband was her main encourager to follow her heart and dreams. He could tell she wasn’t 100% satisfied in her workplace before she started her own business. She shares candidly everything that she felt and went through from then to now. She has now scaled so she can do multiple designs per day for multiple weddings. She’s a big community over competition advocate as well.Then, she shares about her experience being a curvy woman and how she has modeled and had a great time doing so!It’s a great episode and her dog Otto makes some special guest appearances here and there throughout the episode to keep it light and fun!Follow her on instagram and facebook.

Amy Schoonover is the owner of Flirt Fitness Studio. She has 3 locations in West Michigan. She started her company when her son was 1 year old and sold over 600 Groupons! Wow! This year she suffered an athletic injury and she opens up about her body acceptance journey as an athlete.

In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month this October, Kimi Baker shares her story. She also weaves in her body image journey through this journey of perseverance, love and strength.

Veronica is a serial entrepreneur, author, speaker and coach to LGBTQ entrepreneurs. She traveled all over the United States interviewing elders on

“It’s only a disability, if you let it be a disability.” -Erin EisingErin’s interview left me speechless and motivated that she will truly change the world for the better. Erin is a social worker and an advocate for those with disabilities. She talks about her work with Trades of Hope as well and I left the interview empowered to feel that we can all truly make a difference in anything we set our minds too! You won’t want to miss her wisdom and encouragement. She helps articulate how to stop those negative thoughts that are holding us back, which will internally change our thoughts of ourselves and then impact our actions. Her body acceptance journey through having cerebral palsy is absolutely inspiring as well!Listen below!You can follow Erin on instagram and facebook.

We had our first International interview! Christina Campbell of Beauty by Christina was interviewed virtually all the way from Ireland. Christina holds of a very dear place in Bri’s heart. Bri worked with Christina when she was in the U.S. particularly, Grand Rapids, for a few years and she also roomed with her too! Her and Christina would collaborate on different photo shoots to help empower other women. Christina is a creative and wise soul. She always speaks from the heart and critically thinks to better the world around her. Her mission is to spread minimalistic beauty to all and also to inspire other women around her to be the person they were meant to be.Christina delves into being in the beauty industry as a blogger and influencer and body image and even self-confidence/comparison. It’s such a real and interesting conversation, you won’t want to miss it! Listen below.You can follow Christina on instagram and facebook.

Lindo Mexico has been a restaraunt I have frequented. It's only a few minutes from my home and I love the food, atmosphere and culture their. I was honored with the owner, Gricelda Mata, asked to be a guest on my Compassionately You Podcast. She is a very determined and inspiring woman! Her business story as well as her personal journey through a double hysterectomy leaves me with the courage and motivation that we can get through anything life throws our way.Another interesting fact about Gricelda is she is bicultural."I consider myself bicultural and i feel that, that is a plus for me since i can take two cultures and make my own, what fits me. I don't let my nationality define who i am. After all, i am a human being just like everyone else, regardless of where i come from or the color of my skin. I have wants, needs and big dreams. I love myself, accept myself and know my "why"." - Gricela MataFollow Lindo Mexico on instagram and facebook. Listen to her story below.

Why I think it's perfect to be sharing an interview about intuitive eating on a holiday is because holidays usually revolve around food and sharing time with your loved ones. Intuitive eating is a new wave of thought for how you enjoy food and your relationship to it. So, when faced with yummy food during the holidays and lots of it, you don't feel guilty about enjoying yourself! No one should! That's why it's called a holiday. I have been following Colleen Kokx of Mitten Dietitian for some time now and she is incredibly inspiring and driven! She made her business because there was no one like her out there when she needed help.

In this episode of Compassionately You, Entrepreneur and Self-Confidence Advocate, Christina VanDem of Zeal Aerial Fitness opens up about her self-confidence journey internally and externally. After having a child, she was invited by her friend to an Aerial Fitness Class and it changed her world. She talks about her self-confidence and body image journey and we both get real about our after-baby bodies.

In this episode of Compassionately You, Entrepreneur and Body Image Advocate, Megan Seeley opens up about her body image journey with having Graves Disease. She was diagnosed with this auto-immune disease after having her child. How do we accept our bodies when we have a chronic medical condition? Megan gives great comfort and advice.