Grit and Grace with Tracy

If you have struggled with perfectionism, feeling overwhelmed, and you freeze as you face your long to do list.  You waste more time than you would like to admit, and your are craving more order and control over the small moments of your day.   If this resonates, then this episode has been shared for you.  I have found myself freezing and not doing anything because I was raised to believe that if I couldn't do it right, not to bother doing it all.  What if i didn't have the time to do it right?  I found myself leaving things because I didn't have enough time over and over again - in my house, my health, and my business.   This mindset shift has helped me to use the small moments to make them matter and they have helped me to feel the momentum of simply moving the needle.   If you have been a perfectionist, I would love to hear from you if you try this and it helps you feel a little more in control and a little less overwhelmed.    

I believe we are all put into a leadership role at some point in our lives.  We all start into leadreship roles with the intention to do a good jobe and achieve something significatn.  The challenge is that as a leader, there are people you are leading that are unpredictable and dynamic.   I have been studying leadership formally and informally for many years and I have discovered that there are 3 key things all high impact leaders do.   They are humble & courageous (and protect the group),  They can see the strengths of each person/player They have clarity of intention and vision I added in one more because it came to me as I was recording the episode, high impact leaders are also able to lift up any and all members of the team after defeat, challenge or fall.  They are able to ignite that strength within each member to keep moving forward towards the goal.   I think leadership is at the essence of what is wrong in society today, and I also believe that a shift in leadership is the way we come back out.  

Have you ever got yourself into a corner in business or had a deal fall apart, and you found yourself saying 'I knew it!'? Have you stayed too long in an arrangement because your ego wanted you to stay?  When in fact your intuition was whispering for you to leave? We have been conditioned to think that we only rely on our logical brain to navigate in our businesses when in fact the best business men and women use their intuition to help make decisions, big and small.   Do you support your team and organization when they come to the table stating they used intuitive hits or guidance?

When I started in the health and wellness industry 25 years ago, things were very different.  Options and choice was limited and the access to information and resources was much harder to come by.   This episode is a celebration of the options and choices that we have.  I recently started with a company called USANA and I wanted this episode to be about celebrating the the options we have.  Celebrate the opportunities that we have to source high quality items.  We don't have to compete and compare.  We can build eachother up.  The industry is a multi trillion dollar industry.  Most people are looking for solutions to make them healthier, have more energy, and live life to the fullest.  It is a good thing that we have choice and this episode is all about celebrating the opportunities we have.   I hope you all celebrate and support eachother.  Build health & businesses - we are all stronger when we show up as the best versions of ourself.  

In this episode I share a lesson that I learned during some difficult times that made me take a step back and question everything.  This episode share the contrast between your vertical (spiritual) relationships and your horizontal relationships.   In the hardest of times, we are forced to dig deep and seek wisdom.  I hope that this episode serves anyone who is struggling with hope, faith, and navigating the darkness while building their own spiritual relationship.  Your light matters.     

When's the last time you said "I'm not wired that way' as you pushed up against something you just don't do? How do you defire yourself? What thougths do you have about what you do, what you have to do, and how you navigate your day? 95% of your thoughts are the same - day by day - over and over again.  How many of those thoughts are not serving you? Not good for you? Holding you back?  Keeping you the same? In this episode I share my thoughts about what it means to declare 'I'm not wired that way', when in fact we are only a thought away from something different.  We are only a thought away from changing how we define ourselves.   Have a listen, and at the end I invite you to do a thought audit.  Let me know how you make out. 

Are you determined to start your 2023 summer feeling excited about getting into your cute summer clothes that you only get to wear for a few months?  I know I am!  For so many years I look forrward to summer, but dread pulling out my summer clothes.  Many times I don't even wear my summer dresses because I just don't feel confident enough.  I have also reached a stage where hormones are not very cooperative and I want to detox, reset, and find a way to make my skin and hair have more life in them.  If you have goals in 2023 that include getting healthier, leaner, and feel more energized, I invite you to check this program we have pulled together to help you get some momentum on your 2023 health and weight loss goals.  Life is way too short for us to not invest in our health! To learn more about the program join the Get Healthy Team on a FREE zoom webinar Monday, February 13th, 7 pm CST. https://zoom.us/j/3968503878      

For years I have worked with women who have lost their sense of passion for their dreams and desires.  They have silenced the whispers of their soul as they focused on their roles of wife, mother, employee, business owner, volunteer, or whatever role we have assumed.  So what happens when the roles change?   Women over 40 often discover that there is a void that they don't know how to fill.  They feel lost, empty, and not sure what they want anymore.  In this episode I explain the energy behind that void, and a few writing suggestions to help women who are experiencing this to rediscover what creates that excitement again.  Reignite that fire in your belly.  Passion, energy, excitement.   If you have been holding your breath on life and not living into your purpose and passions, have a listen.  I hope it helps move the needle for you on how you see your life, your purpose, and the dreams you move towards. 

2022 was a year filled with life lessons.   Most of the time life lessons are packaged with challenges and hard seasons.  2022 gave me plenty of opportunities to learn about myself, others, and how to stand strong in the storm.  Some listeners won't relate, and that's ok.  We are all here to learn our own lessons, and navigate our own journey.  Regardless of where you are right now, I hope you will pause and think about the lessons learned you gained in 2022.   I hope you enjoy   Tracy  

I love a brand new calendar year.  It has always been the time that I step back and evaluate what I have learned, what went right, what went wrong, and most importantly, what I want for the year ahead.   We all get 8760 hours.  Time is the one thing that we can't trade, sell, buy, or barter.  It's also something that we often squander (hello bad social media habits!).   In this episode I share with you what I do at the start of each year to map out my year, how I take a holistic view on my goals, and then a few ways I create a daily and weekly system.  I really hope that at the very least you take the time to write down your goals and see what happens.   I wish you the very best in 2023, and I hope you will join me in making it a year for the books.  We are all living our future story.  What kind of story do you want your 80 year old self to tell?  You have 12 months to take action.  I hope you make it good.   

If you are a mom with a busy life, you know the pressure that comes at Christmas to do it all.  When I first got married I remember people asking me - are you done your Christmas baking?  I remember thinking,...is that a requirement now that I'm married?   Over the years with 4 kids, business and hockey, I have learned to simplify my list.  That means eliminating the extras and evaluating my to-do list with more honesty.  I ask myself, why is that on the list?  Does it matter?  Will the joy of Christmas be less if I don't get it done.  If the answer is no, it is scratched.   I hope that you find humour in my story, that it gives you permission to simplify, and allows you to experience more joy during your Christmas season.  And let me know - do you do Christmas baking? 

When you are not feeling well, what words do you use?  I learned many years ago that the words that we use when we are not feeling well has a huge impact on how we approach health, wellness, and recovery.  In this episode I share my experience in the holistic world and how people have given away their internal wellness to external perspectives.  I talk about what I have witnessed and how I frame conversations in our home about health and wellness.   I encourage you to become aware and mindful about the words you use to desribe yourself, your body and your experience when you are experience an immune response.   It may not all resonate, but I hope some of it tweeks your awareness and it moves the empowerment needle, even if it's just a little bit.    

The small things that you do on a daily basis, creates habit.  You can either have habits that support your life, or you can have habits that don't.  In this episode I talk about the power of the mind, the preparation we do, and creating a foundation that supports us when times are hard.   In this episode I talk about how to use these foundation pieces in being an athlete and a higher functioning person.   If you are seeking a stronger foundation, and interested in how to take your life and performance to the next level, I hope you enjoy this episode.  

I'm a podcast and audio book junkie.  I always have one or the other playing, and it drives my family crazy.   This means that I have a passion for it, and I'm always talking about the podcasts I'm listenting to.  I get asked a lot, which podcasts I recommend and which are my favorit.   So, I decided to create my top 10 list, and here it is.   I'm sure it will change over time, but right now, these are the people playing in my ear on a weekly basis.     Let me know if you have a favorite.  I would love to give it a try.    

I have met with so many farm families over the years, and when I ask about their background, I find so many educated, ambitious women on the farm.  I ask them about their story, their dreams, what they aspired to do/be.  Many share goals and dreams that they once had, but that had gone silent over the years because the farm and family took up most of her time.  From the tone of her voice and look in her eye, I can sense the sadness and regret she has as she takes herself back to a time when those dreams meant so much to her.   I am here to help her resurect her dreams.  Breath life back into them.  Help her feel excited and awake once again.   Her dreams matter more now than ever before.  The world is craving for grass roots, wholistic, high consciousness products and services.  The entrepreneurial women on the farm and in small towns don't have the limitations they once had.  If you know of a women who you know has that entrepreneurial fire within her.  Please send her this episode.   If you happen to catc this episode before Nov 18th, I am hosting a business summit curated specifically for women entrepreneurs in small town.  Nov 14-18 (with replays avail).  I really hope you will join me.  https://tracyparker.kartra.com/page/Q4Summit   Your dreams matter.  Today is a good day to take action.     

Sometimes in life, the most profound lessons are the simplest.   This week we said goodbye to a young man who never let a good time go to waste and approached all set backs with the philosophy and belief that 'it's just a part'.  I don't know why it has stirred something within me, but it's all I have thought about since the service.  I have not lived my life that way.   I have blamed myself for not mitigating risks, for not knowing better, and I allowed shame and regret to eliminate any joy I could have experienced.   I think as we age, we pay way too much attention on the mishaps, and not enough attention on the fun and adventure that's right in front of us.   I hope that this plants a seed of possibility within you as you live by these simple, yet wise words.  Seek adventure.  Live full out.  Embrace the joy.  Never ever let a good time go to waste.  

This episode is capturing some questions I have been asking over the last few months about when to allow space (a pause - like I talked about last episode), and when to push hard and get it done to stay consistent.     When does an athlete get better results by pushing hard and working through soreness vs when does an athlete jeopardize progress by pushing hard and creating an injury?   There are no formulas or right answers, but rather the answer comes from knowing yourself and holding yourself accountable while also leaving space for self-care.        

If you are an entrepreneur you have likely needed to take a pause.   In this episode I shared the perspective I received while taking a pause and I share some of the awareness pieces I discovered during this reset.   There is a ton of wisdom to be gained when we take away numbing, distractions, and habits that are keeping us from moving forward.   I share what I learned while working on closing the gap from where I am - to where I want to be.   Hope you enjoy!

In this episode I share my wisdom of how to get through crazy busy seasons to avoid overwhelm.  I used to dread May.  With 4 kids playing competitive softball, and also on house league - we would have 8 teams to manage and hundreds of miles per week for travel.   Living on a farm, May and June are very busy months.  I had to create a system that allowed me to get everyone to everything, with hopefully the right equipment and some food.  It really was crazy.  I learned a few strategies along the way that I hope will help you during the crazy busy seasons of your life. 

This episode is about me - winging it - without notes, production worksheets, or my equipment.   Sometimes we get in our own way with overthinking, perfectionism, and 'standards' that nobody really cares about.   I hope it resonates, from wherever you are at. 

If you are an empath, and you know it, this episode will help you with some tools to help you manage when the energy of others weighs you down.   If you don't know it, you will understand yourself a bit more.  The reactions, your body, your response.  Things will click into place for you.   If you or someone in your world is often an outsider, taking on the worlds problems on your shoulders, and pulling away from everyone, please share this episode with them.  I hope it helps everyone find a way to use the simple tools as a way to feel empowered and release the burden of other peoples' energy that you picked up. 

I have always been huge on goal setting, but over the last few years when life was uncertain and nothing felt predictable, I felt myself holding back.  It's time for us to set out goals and map our dreams out once again.  This episode is exploring why writing your goals out is so important and a free resource for you to try and map/plan out your goals and dreams.   https://tracyparker.kartra.com/page/Goalsetting

Over the last few months I have seen the strongest, bravest people struggle.  I noticed common threads that connected them all together that included a mindset that would not allow or accept any struggle, the denial of needing help or support, and an unhealthy focus on trying to fix things outside of their control.   This episode is about stepping back and asking - am I self-sacrificing to appear strong, while feeling totally depleted.   I hope you will enjoy

Do you ever feel angry and then feel bad about it?  In this episode we explore the energy of anger and what it looks like when it's used to create something good.  Anger is an emotion felt in the third chakra and this whole episode weaves how you are feeling and the energy of the solar plexus.  When we use it as information and to heighten our awareness, it can all be used to create something that's powerful.    

Sometimes life is messy and in the middle of the mess we have to find a way to navigate it.  In this episode I talk about self-compassion, being honest with where you are at, acknowledging what's going on, and finding a practice to pull you back to center.  Into alignment.  

In this episode we dive into how an imbalanced root chakra shows up when your money is out of balance.  Learning how to connect the body to the energy of your money and business can be very empowering if you are open to getting curious with all of it.  

an open throat chakra and the ability to communicate clearly is essential to showing up authentically.  In this episode we explore what it means to have an open or balanced throat chakra to speak clearly, feel understood, and express your truth with clarity.    

what happens when you walk into a room impassioned  and someone uses 'be kind' to stop the conversation.  Have you ever had this passive aggressive approach used on you to stop the conversation?   In this episode we explore the difference being authentically nice and kind vs bypassing hard conversations.   

In this episode I share how I decide when to speak up and when to keep my opinions to myself.  Our voices can be our post powerful tool to fight for what's right without the use of violence.  It's also the aspect of us that transcends our physical existence.  In this episode I answer the question - how do you have the courage to speak up for what you believe in.  It's an important discussion - I hope you will join me.  

In this episode I talk about what you can consider when the world feels uncertain.  I provide some journal prompts you can use to uncover and process when your root chakra feels uprooted and you don't feel safe and secure.   I also share some perspectives around white knuckle living, trying to control the outcome (as an illusion), and how to transcend the intensity of it all by taking your perspective to 10,000 feet.   Everyone is exhausted and this episode was created with the intention to help you feel grounded, rooted, and resilient.  

In this episode Tracy explores how the stories that we tell ourselves about our circumstances will often hold us back and limit our dreams.  We tell ourselves that we are too old, too inexperienced, too bold, too (you fill in the blank) to pursue the dream.  Or perhaps we buy into the judgement and discouraging words others share with us.  The truth is, we get to decide the story we tell - what do you choose? 

In this episode Tracy shares why a new year is a great time to plan your year's strategy to help you take the next best step identify your gaps own your now It feels good to be back and I look forward to bringing you consistent episodes to help you on your 2020 journey.   Remember to subscribe to the podcast Join my Grit and Grace with Tracy group for my weekly Live show https://www.facebook.com/groups/2479245605736244/ Download the planning template that I created for you here:      

In this episode I explore what politics mean to me, and I look for meaning in the arena of politics.  What does it mean to you?   I hope that this episode helps to open up the conversation and raise expectations about how to talk about, discuss, and debate political topics.   I believe we can raise the consciousness of politics and our organizations by evolving the conversation beyond political labels and division of positions.  

If you are 'into' energy and mindfulness practices, but you are heading into a meeting where nobody else gets it, it can be frustrating.   In this episode I talk about practical strategies that you can use to be  empowered with mindfulness strategies in any and every meeting you go into, regardless of how intense and hard they are.   Soon even the most skeptical will start to wonder how you have been able to crack through the hardest of clients and situations.      

In this episode, I dig into the challenges of seeing people where they are without judgement.  How we can see people who are making us angry, disappointing us, and failing,...differently.   Is there space for compassion?  Are there ways you can experience a connection to those who just disappointed you?   If you feel surrounded by people who seem to have an agenda to piss you off,....have a listen.  I even have an ah-ha moment mid-conversation as I record this.  I love it when that happens!! 

This episode I dig into a very personal had,...I will admit,...hard conversation about what happens when we shrink to avoid judgement.   Shinning unapologetically sounds great,..but it can feel terrible as you pull away from the shadows that have held you back in the past.   If you have ever experienced anxiety - I dig into what I experienced when I tried to hide and shrink my energy.  It's an important discussion - I hope you dig into this with me.  

In this episode I share with you how I learned to embrace and claim my dreams unapologetically and the amazing experience I had with one of my kids,...that confirmed everything.    

In this episode I break down my process - how I frame each goal I set and what goes into each one regardless of dream size.   It's all about mapping out the process! Are you ready to take Inspired Action?  I take you on a visualization journey to the best version of yourself, I have a feeling you will want to embrace this process! 

I see people all of the time that don't know what their dreams are.  They have invested so much of themselves into their kids or careers, they have become disconnected their own inner desires.  How do you set goals if you have no clue what you really want?  In this episode I help you understand the role the 3rd chakra plays in your goal setting process and in the mindfulness moment I take you through a quick visualization to help you find that spark to light your dreams up!

Having the life you really want requires intention, but it's not about adding on more, it's about getting clear with what you want (your goals) and then free yourself to leave everything else behind (boundaries!).   Living a life with freedom and space to have peace of mind won't likely happen unless you are monitoring your time/money/energy investment regularly.  All of you over-achievers, I know you want to say yes to everything,..you don't want to miss out!  Then you find yourself overwhelmed, and the goals that test you the most get left behind.  Lets dig deep on this,...let's get really clear and intentional with where you are investing YOU in your life.   

For the last 30 years I have started every year with goal setting.  My process has changed a lot over the years, but my passion for goal setting and life mapping has not.   In this episode I tell you a bit about my approach and the first 2 things you need to do when you sit down to work through your 2019 goals.   I also tell you a story about giving someone directions by going towards the sun - I know,...crazy!  I am also prepping for my FREE 5 day goal setting challenge - watch for details - they are coming out soon! 

In this episode I share a bit about how I have never fit in, and some details of my journey on the outside edges of 'normal'.   I also ask you to consider where are you a misfit, and when you feel like you are on the outside edges, what do you do to fit in or own your own unique space?    

In this episode I tell you why political correctness is my biggest pet peeve.  I explain how the content for the podcast will be delivered and why it will be free from political correctness.  

Any good event starts with some basic 'housekeeping' rules, and in this episode I outline the rules of this space.  I hope to never have to refer anyone back to them, but any good platform is built on a solid foundation, and I wanted to make sure we were all standing on a solid foundation before we dig into the fun stuff I plan to in this podcast.   A bit boring I know,...but necessary.  

In this introductory episode I keep it simple with a brief introduction and a short description of what this podcast is going to be about.