here we are today

What is in the brown bag? The question that has been nagging us for the last two years! We finally found out and it is not what you expected!

Practicing listening with fresh ears and being willing to change… exploring flexibility and playfulness… could be a blessing in the skies. Sending love to you!

Do you ever see someone that looks familiar from your past? How do you handle it? Do you hide and regret it? Are you relieved? Do you approach? What is made possible when we step in to connection? Who are they now? Who are you now?

Ooh daylights savings starting the week feeling a little off:( sending love! And reflecting on the types of social connection and experience we yearn for and being intentional about investing in those relationships. Sending you a big hug today!

So many factors influence our experience. When it comes to burnout often we thing that we are wrong, or doing something wrong to feel overwhelmed and run down. Let's take a step back and look at it from some different perspectives. Sending you so much love today!

The reassurance and delight of getting invited to play at the “playground,” as the new person, never gets old. How are you welcoming others into your communities? Where do you want to explore your vulnerability and curiosity as the new person? Let's get together and play.

Sometimes the first time is a charm, sometimes it is the 100th. To me the charm and the magic is the truth, the raw, real, authentic version, the one with zest. What about you?

Eliminating the word complaining shows us what we are really saying and feeling. Are you practicing? What have you discovered?

After two episodes on complaining I'm not sure the value of keeping the word or concept of complaining in my language or life repertoire. It invalidates and gaslights true dissatisfaction. When is it beneficial to call someone a complainer or to criticize complaining? If we can think of situations then let's use other words to describe the attitude or behavior we are referring to. Otherwise we perpetuate the oppression our own and others' feelings and experience.

How do you define complaining? How do you feel about it? The concept of complaining and how we define could be supporting or hindering authentic intimacy.. say more!! This may be more than one episode. What can we learn from how we relate to this concept and one another? Hopefully a heightened awareness and setting intentions about what it means to you.

I don't know better than you! However it is tempting and common in this culture to judge one another's behavior. Our lives are complex, and we would do well to acknowledge that complexity and give each other some compassion and understanding.

Here we are today! How are you feeling? What can you do to care for yourself today? Something simple… a couple deep breaths? A glass of water? Sending love to you!

Follow up on the intention I set in episode 5, and the importance of compassion to moving in the direction of your values.

What is the pace of your day? How is it working for you? I learned something about myself.. very slowly over the last 8 years, that although I can relax, I don't often do so easily at home (surprise emoji). What about you? What I learned is helping me practice living in alignment with my values. One small practice at a time.

How is your weather? How is it effecting you? What is it reflecting within you? Our environment effects us and we are apart of nature... and we are all experiencing different weather and experiencing weather differently (wide eye emoji). Sending love to you!

The darkness of winter may be a cause for feeling low and it might be a window, an invitation to look at and process our grief. Some grief is based on a specific or acute loss, and sometimes it is a bit more generalized. What is your experience of grief? How might we tether ourselves to one another in our grief? Sending love to you!!

Feeling what is instead of racing to meaning making, action, or avoidance. When we feel what is, we change. Who are you then?

Kicking off the year with a collective vision board, and one of my intentions is to cultivate connection and community. One thing I know I need to do is challenge social norms. Are you with me? We need each other!

Do you procrastinate? In what area? Or, do you judge procrastinators? Let's rewind and see where you can give yourself (and others) some compassion and curiosity around your own unique process.

Let's have curiosity and compassion around the seedlings of our desires. What is obvious to others is not always obvious to us. Even when it is clear what we desire, the idea of creating or asking for what we desire may feel like a foreign concept. Be gentle with yourself.

Recently I realized just how often I use visualization as a tool to build my confidence and calm anxiety. I learned about visualization as an athlete many years ago, and have applied it to several areas of life. What situations, environments, relationships bring up anxiety? Walk through in your minds eye what a positive or successful experience looks like. Replay this in your mind to build confidence. Sending love to you!

Do you ever stress yourself out to do something fast or by a certain time and it makes the experience harder or less enjoyable? Maybe something that you have control over? I.e. not a deadline imposed by others… maybe let's experiment to allow thing to take the time it takes.. consequences or benefits, and all. What could we learn?

I am on the cusp of solving the mystery!! And reflecting on my social style, which vascilates between awkwardness and smooth comfort.. what is your style? Let's validate our feelings about social experiences. They can be tough and awkward, and with the right people and community the vulnerability is so worth it. We are meant to be together! When it comes to solving this mystery I wonder what will emerge from my social style, and how I will ask... "what's in the bag?"

Well here we are today, one year after the first day I decided to do this show. My intention was to do a daily podcast and I allowed that intention to evolve as I experimented and did it! So it is an “almost” daily podcast that I did 46% of the days of the year! Some would say this is a bad grade (hehe!) and I say this practice has been in alignment with my values and purpose. What do you want to start doing today? Take it one step at a time!

How might the way we simplify and label things / people be limiting? Let's see and celebrate the magic and complexity of who we are. And have you ever seen a magnified image of your eye / iris? Wow! You are magical and complex!!

Sometimes we are ready to be honest with ourselves and sometimes we aren't. Here are some thoughts on gentleness with wherever we are, and the value of connecting with how we truly feel, whether or not we are ready to make a decision.

Questioning everything feels overwhelming, let's do that though, just not all at once! There are some things we don't see as a choice and what if we did? We might be able to recommit and reconnect with our deepest values and essence and rekindle great meaning. Or we might realize that we yearn for a change and then give ourselves permission to explore the possibilities. Your life is precious, let's practice making choices with our “today” selves to bring our greatest presence, truth, and power. Sending love to you!

In what areas of life are you decisive? When you know how you feel about something decisiveness can feel effortless, the challenge is often knowing how you feel. Here are some thoughts on decisiveness! Challenge the assumption that decisiveness is the best! My challenge to you is to practice a decision-making process that supports bringing your life into alignment with your values, and finding the timing of making decisions that is most appropriate for you and the relationships and agreements you are committed to.

When you are not able to make a decision, or "not yet" make a decision, do you label it "indecision"? Indecision has such a negative connotation and when we label ourselves or others that way it can serve to demean, invalidate and harm. There are many understandable reasons to not be ready to make a decision, I wonder what would happen if you gave yourself some compassion and curiosity around your process. There is so much magic that can emerge when we are curious. What if the people listed as "indecisive" are some of the most important people to honor their process and their information? What is made possible when we change our perspective about indecisiveness?

What decisions of other people do you judge? There is a lot we can learn about ourselves in this question. Also, I think it is important to acknowledge that we make a lot of assumptions about the decisions other people make, or that they are decisions at all. Finally, when someone expresses their essential self to you, even in a glimmer, that is our invitation to encourage, acknowledge, get curious, and love. Let's be a gardener for one another's seedlings of life force energy.

The values we prioritize in one area of life can often be vastly different in other areas of life. Maybe you like thrill-seeking adventures in your personal life and at work you want something calm and steady, for example! Knowing what factors and values are important to us is incredibly grounding and confidence building in the decision making process. Send me an email for the exercise I discuss in this episode, betsy@sizzleconsultingllc.com

How many decisions do we make in a day? Phew! In this episode I explore a few common daily areas of decisions (and stress!). What daily decisions cause you the most stress? How might you plan, prepare or make blanket decisions to minimize that stress?

Part 3 of "good or bad decision" series on decision-making! Sometimes the impetus to making a decision is internal.. going after your dream job/home location etc., or leaving a dissatisfying relationship or job. In this episode I share a way of thinking about these states that miiiight provide you with greater ease and space around making (or not making!) a decision. Sending so much love to you.. life is complex, please go easy on yourself. 

Part 2 of "good or bad decision" on decision-making! Sometimes the impetus to making a decision is external (fired, or offered a job) and sometimes the impetus is internal (dissatisfied with job or choose to go after dream job). Then there is timing, do you need to make a decision in a certain time-frame or are you the one that needs to decide that too?? In this episode I give an example of how one might think about or navigate an externally influenced decision with set longer term timing. Even if you aren't facing something like this.. you might learn something about yourself! Be gentle, life is full of decisions and there are so many factors involved. 

Are you a good at decision-making? There are many external factors effecting our decisions, and there are many choices under our control. We are constantly making decisions. What is the story you tell about your decisions / choices in life? Join me in exploring decision-making in an effort to help you build confidence as a decision-maker and to bring your life into greater alignment with your values. 

I realized that I wasn't doing episodes when I was traveling and I wanted to! How do you relate to yourself when you realize you aren't making choices in alignment with your values? How might you give yourself more compassion and curiosity to make incremental changes in the direction of your values/yearnings?

When we say "yes" to going for it, it may work out how we expected and it may be totally different. Let's listen to the invitation from nature to be with what is, and what is yearning to emerge. Be gentle with yourself. Sending you lots of love!

Ever feel like you are reliving your first day of school through young people you love? Ahhh! I'm feeling it all. Let's have compassion for ourselves and acknowledge our experience, to create space, love, and distinction from for our loved ones' experiences. Exhale!:)

Today I am appreciating my enthusiasm and questioning our assumption that interruptions are bad.. sometimes they are wonderful and inspiring and connect us to all. When do you notice your enthusiasm emerging? How might we celebrate our enthusiasms and allow them to weave through our lives? And.. more peanut sauce content! hehehe!

We have a question from Kevin about how to give a memorable presentation, and I get to share some of my experience teaching and working with hundreds of executives and teams in silicon valley. Hear my top questions for Kevin (and for you if you have a presentation) and what I love about building relationship with an audience. Wishing you well on your next presentation! Do you have a question? submit to www.anchor.fm/betsy-crouch/messages

I did this episode while streaming to Instagram live.. the experiment continues. How might we create expansion and openness when we engage with clients and customers instead of trying to “capture” them? Plus more reflections on “festooning”!

Sharing insights and reflections on the experiment of this podcast and my encouragement to us moving forward. In addition to “what have I learned?” I share the curiosity and wonder I have for where this is going. Saying yes to the mystery and taking one step at a time, together, each in our own ways. Sending you love!

What is your relationship with anger? I got mad today and it made me think about my relationship with anger and how we might find a path forward that integrates feeling anger as a natural emotion and allowing righteous anger to fuel positive action in alignment with our values. Sending you lots of love!

I recently articulated a mental/emotional tool I have used in my life, to support myself through the lows of life and to celebrate the high points. There are many versions of you throughout this life, we will have ups and downs and we will experience a lot of change. I believe that there are many benevolent, loving and generous versions of you throughout your life. Allow them (you) to love and support you, and to remind you to savor the beautiful moments and to hold love and a healing vision for you at your lowest. Sending you so much love!

How do we want to be in the "space in between"? Have you ever given 2 weeks notice? How did those two weeks feel? Or broken up with someone and still lived with them for a bit? Other "space in between" times in life last longer. How might you give yourself permission to feel how you feel? Listen to what you want and need? Finally, how are these times beautiful or even rejuvenating? Sending you lots of love!

Do you walk away from a meeting or conversations saying “why did I say that”? Why didn't I say this? I reflect a lot and at times it becomes rumination. Practicing living into your values is vulnerable. Mistakes and missteps are part of the learning. Thank you for your courage to take risks and serve your purpose.

in the spirit of coming into present time I updated all my names on social media today. What are the parts of your essential self that you love? What have you resisted? How can you make more space to be fully you? What needs to be brought into present time? Head to @hibetsybeez on IG to see photos for this episode, as well as an opportunity to send questions or comments about the podcast! I would love to hear from you!

Have you lived with roommates/housemates? What was the most valuable and formative part of that experience? I reflect on the many roommates I have lived with in my life and the special opportunity that type of relationship provides. An increasing number of adults in the US live with roommates. Let's celebrate and honor what is made possible in these arrangements and challenge the expectations we have around how we live.

how might we practice treating one another with greater empathy and humanity? how might we create opportunities for repair, healing and education with our friends, family and communities? I recently watched the documentary "15 minutes of shame" and it really got me thinking and my heart stirring. So much to think about and reflect on. Sending so much love to you!

This morning didn't go as planned.. often this is the case. When and where in your life does it feel appropriate to try to influence or control an unexpected situation? When might it be helpful to “ride it out” and be with what is?

My mind races much of the time, and I practice earnestly to be present. When I am captivated I am able to fully immerse in the moment, and I am grateful for those experiences! What captivates you?