Less Stress Family Podcast

Today, we look at your next step of improvement in life. We talk about the 5 -2 -1- 0 and 10 measure for your health and the 5 second a day way to evaluate change and transformation in your day. We want to say thank you for all the fantastic feedback about the podcast. January was very hectic for us and we enjoyed the month off. Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Here is the full Sing A Long CD. We made it to be a blessing to anyone who is feeling lonely and isolated. Like Shawna said in the intro of this episode, imagine 16 of us with half a dozen instruments coming into your living room, drinking coffee and singing songs. It is fun chaos!This is free so please share it freely with anyone who might need some encouragement!Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Traditions can bring stability and purpose to your life. Today we talk through how Christmas traditions like St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucy Day, Christmas Caroling and Finding Baby Jesus bring meaning to our family. Movies like = The Nativity, The Man who Invented Christmas, A Christmas Carol all build a rich tradition in our family. But we have to communicate to our kids and to ourselves why we are going through the traditions that we have. Expressing the "why" can make space for such awesome memory making. Christmas is just 1 day. We can build meaningful traditions into every aspect of our life. Merry Christmas!Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

We have learned that if we don't learn a lesson in life, then we often have to re-take the test. We don't want to re-take the tests from 2020. So here are ten things we have learned or had reconfirmed in 2020:1. Do the new thing = launch a podcast. 2. Your environment is your cookie cutter. 3. Routines are essential. 4. Life is very short. 5. Build redundancy in every area of life that you can.6. Self learning is always best.7. Slow down and reconnect with what is important. 8. Who are the real heroes?9. We need a lot more dialogue to combat the polarization.10. Don't waste a good crisis.Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

In November 2020, our dear Grandma June passed away. This episode is dedicated to her memory and life. What you do matters! Living an ordinary life is more than ok. https://www.facebook.com/100766271391212/videos/3548322861927487Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Today, we are coaching ourselves through transition and changed. We all have seasons of transition and change. It is okay to feel a bit nervous about the unknown. However, you don't have to feel completely out of control during a time of change in your life. Focus on what you can control. Today we talk about:staying positive and thankfulputting a time line on the changesee it as a challenge not a problemthink about benefitsplan out the simple things more during transitionreflect and journal (don't be surprised if bigger issues come up)visual the processmaintain some simple, basic routines. Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

We are both super EXCITED about Thanksgiving and Christmas this year!! Why? Because we have decided to get back to the basics.We discuss how to de-stress your holidays with some very simple adjustments that we have learned over the years. We talk about:Too Much of everythingSchedulingSugar IntakeUnrealistic expectationsand Being UnpreparedEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - Ephraim

Politics stress got you down? Some people said that this 2020 election was the most stressful day in their life. Good grief people!! Get a grip!!In 1796, George Washington gave a farewell address and talked about the dangers of political parties and how they divide people - ultimately causing us great stress. "They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels and modified by mutual interests." - George Washington"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty." - George Washingtonhttps://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=15&page=transcript

Hope all of you are doing fantastic! We just have a full week this week of living life so we are going to shut down the podcast for this week. If you really want to hear our voice this week, there are over 150 episodes archived. Enjoy this awesome week. Remember that What You Do Matters!!!!

Self Sabotage is when you block yourself from reaching your own goals. Things like: chronic lateness, procrastination, perfectionism, negative self talk, etc.Shawna is going through some professional development where she realized that there is some self sabotage going on. So we have been talking about the story or stories that go with that self sabotage behavior. Why?We also talk about Fixed vs Growth Mindset and how we need to develop the habits of a life long learner to overcome self sabotage.https://daringtolivefully.com/ability-to-learnhttps://jamesclear.com/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindsetEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, EzraEpisode is LivePublished: Oct. 23, 2020 @12AM EditUnpublishAdd a TranscriptGet episode better indexed by search engines.Add Chapter MarkersListeners can tap through & see what’s coming up.Create a Visual SoundbiteBest way to share to social media for engagement.Share Episode OnFacebookTwitterLinkedInMore OptionsEmail Link to EpisodeDirect Link to MP3Embed this ONE Episode

Today we talk about how we choose to be stressed in life. Sure, there are hard times but how we handle the situation is the key.I (Justin) cut out most news and stressful media for over a week. Instead, I listened to encouraging podcasts and youtube videos. Shawna noticed a big difference in that week of time. We refuse to allow stressed out to be the new normal in our life. We are replacing the words "busy and stressed" with "full and at peace".Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

We are NOT talking about another virus you should be concerned about. We talk about Irlen Syndrome (Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome) and some things you might need to know. We discuss how our discovery that 1 of our kids had it has opened us up to all of us getting tested for it. We got our son glasses and he is on pace to advance 2.5 grade levels in reading this year!! No joke. Our glasses have been ordered and we should get them in a couple of weeks. Dyslexia, reading problems, headaches from light, light sensitivity, autism spectrum, ADHD, concussion syndrome, brain trauma => These can all have links into Irlen Syndrome.This is not an eye problem but rather a brain processing issue that an estimated 14% of people have. https://irlen.com/what-is-irlen-syndrome/Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

You are the leader of yourself.You are the leader of others (whether you like it or accept it).We discuss chapter 2 of the book Extreme Ownership.We also talk about:How face to face communication is so important in good leadership. How you have to have your team's best in mind as you lead.How there are 2 parts to the equation: the goal/mission and the team dynamics (you will probably spend half your time on each)https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

I (Justin) have fought routine and structure most of my life. I don't like to be told what to do with my time. But I keep finding that routines make my life and my family's life so much better. Just a couple of small changes in your life can really create a better flow for your entire day. We talk about how helpful routines allow you to go into auto-pilot and get so much stuff done in your day. Start your routine building with simple things that help you, help your spouse, and help your kids. Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Our goal in this episode is to talk through some of the complexity with needing but also being over dependent on technology. There is never a good time to unplug from technology. Well, we went on this camping trip and we didn't use our screens and technology. Wow. We actually had to deal with our own feelings and our own thoughts a little bit. We all get sucked into our screens and technology. We talk about the complexity of our need for technology in 2020.We talk about the addiction for technology in 2020."I Forgot My Phone"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OINa46HeWg8Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Overcoming Fear. You probably have this mastered. Right?"Fear is a liar with a smooth and velvet tongue."Perfect love casts at fear.Focusing on your fear will steal your peace and weaken your immune system. We talk in this episode about some practical steps to overcome fear. We talk about our journey and dealing with fear. https://reallifecounseling.us/overcome-fear-and-anxiety/Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Journaling is a great tool to have in your toolbox.Neuroscience is showing us that writing things down makes a greater impact on your brain (and ultimately your whole self).Shawna and I have been greatly impacted by the journaling of Anne Franke, George Mueller, Thomas Merton and Mark Virkler. We cover some helpful tips for journaling well. https://www.cwgministries.org/Four-Keys-to-Hearing-Gods-VoiceEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Today, we flip the script and talk about what to do to stay stressed, negative and miserable. Sometimes it is helpful to look at life from a different perspective. These negative habits are very small, but holding onto them for long periods of time will exhaust you:Don't be thankful.Stay default pessimistic.Focus on perfection.Maintain a negative physical atmosphere.Neglect your body.Confuse what you can and cannot control.Then worry about what you cannot control.Don't rest. Only think Binary.Keep your body, mind, emotions all separate.Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

If your purpose and "why" are clear, then you will win if you don't quit. Sure, your activities and tactics may change over time, but if you keep the goal in mind, then you will succeed. Our society teaches us that the easy path is the best path. We falsely think that if it hurts or is difficult then we must be doing something wrong.That is simply not the case. Embrace the grind now so that you will reap the benefits later. Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Be proactive and write your own headlines: Husband loves his Wife! Parents have an Awesome Day with Their Kids! Neighbors Show Great Kindness to Each Other!Multiple people this past week have told Shawna that the news headlines have raised their blood pressure or caused them great stress. Stop it!!!Shawna's new mission in life is to have people write their own headlines for their day, week, month, year and life. Of course, we need to know what's happening, but do not give up your control of your own life. The headlines in the news are toxic places to live. Don't live there.You have the power every day and every hour of each day to write your own headlines. Live in that story. Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

This year 2020, is forcing us to ask a lot of questions about "why" and the "purpose" of many things.Finding your purpose is a journey that we keep refining on a continual basis. Shawna reads a story about finding purpose:https://betterlifecoachingblog.com/2013/07/19/panning-for-gold-a-story-about-finding-your-purpose-in-life/We visit 10 questions that Jack Spirko asked about finding your why:http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/why-and-your-passionEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Part 2 We continue with our look at wisdom from Robin Sharma. We need more and more wisdom in our society because we are becoming more and more foolish. We have said numerous times that information does not equal transformation. A famous quote (that I have now seen attributed to multiple people) says, "Knowledge is learning something every day. Wisdom is letting go of something every day."We look at some wisdom from Robin Sharma. https://www.robinsharma.com/article/25-life-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-at-25Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Part 1 Make a place for wisdom in your life!!Where is wisdom in our society today? One could argue that we are the smartest people ever to exist, yet we lack wisdom in our relationships, dealing with people we disagree with and the way we live our life. We have said numerous times that information does not equal transformation. A famous quote (that I have now seen attributed to multiple people) says, "Knowledge is learning something every day. Wisdom is letting go of something every day."We look at some wisdom from Robin Sharma. https://www.robinsharma.com/article/25-life-lessons-i-wish-i-knew-at-25Email = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

I (Justin) had a friend keep coming to mind. I prayed for him but I didn't really reach out to him for a couple of weeks. Turns out, he has been going through some difficult times with work and family. It made me realize that burn out is a very real problem that many of us face in 2020. We talk through the 5 stages of burnout.Then we discuss ways to recover from burnout (it isn't a quick fix).Again, this stuff is simple, but we need to be watching out for our own self and also the people that we love because stress is grinding away at people. Be alert and considerate when dealing with burn out. https://www.thisiscalmer.com/blog/5-stages-of-burnouthttps://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/burnout-recoveryEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Since Justin wrote his devotional book, he has had a difficult time of seeing himself as an "author" because it wasn't part of his story.When you grow and develop, the story inside your head must change. You must see yourself and accept yourself in this new reality. We talk through the 5 different types of Imposter Syndrome that Dr. Valerie Young articulates. This is such helpful stuff for you to use on yourself and anyone you know. It is a great help to accelerate you forward as you rewrite the story in your mind. "This psychological phenomenon, known as imposter syndrome, reflects a belief that you're an inadequate and incompetent failure despite evidence that indicates you're skilled and quite successful." - Melody J. Wildinghttps://www.themuse.com/advice/5-different-types-of-imposter-syndrome-and-5-ways-to-battle-each-oneEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Here is the bottom line: In 2020, you can even develop your gratitude muscles or you can practicing being a jerk and just not fun to be with. We know that we have talked about thankfulness a lot, but being thankful is probably the single practice that will keep you from sliding into misery and hatefulness (just look around you).If we are going to overcome the challenges of 2020, you have to walk out these 10 things.We share a great article from the Dave Ramsey blog about the benefits of being thankful. https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/10-reasons-im-thankful-for-thankfulnessEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

School routines have re-started and we are focused on enjoying the now. Autumn is an awesome time to experience life. Today we talk about some simple but profound things we can all do to enjoy life in the Fall. Because if you are waiting on the news to find your happiness, then you are wasting your time.https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/entertainment/fall-activitiesEmail = woodfamily@lsfpodcast.comwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Our 2nd son has very strong perfectionist tendencies so we as parents have been working with him and with our own selves to develop ourselves more. Perfectionism is trying to "arrive" completely around that particular thing or event. It is essential to shift to thinking about growth as the goal and not perfectionism. We use this article to help frame some things we can do better for our son:https://www.theemotionmachine.com/how-perfectionism-destroys-happiness/

We go through a lot of examples in our own life that hinge on 2 things:First, happiness is not a good goal, but you can do some things to enjoy those happy times more deeply.Second, communicating and interacting are really essential for digesting happiness. This means you have to deal with the negatives aspects of relationships and people to get to the happy stuff. If you isolate yourself and your experiences all the time, it is hard to cultivate the necessary connections to sustainable happiness. Third, we talk about some ways to live in this moment and enjoy it. https://www.theemotionmachine.com/savoring-happiness-how-to-prolong-any-positive-experience/

Here are the easy steps for having a quality family devotion:1st - don't wait to feel holy or spiritual. You won't.2nd - read through a short Bible passage (like 10 verses or less - less is better)3rd - read through the same Bible passage again but leave some blanks as you read (we demonstrated this with our kids on the podcast)4th - then we ask what you like, what you disliked, what you learn about God, what you learn about people5th - a short and sweet prayer to closewww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

This episode is just to encourage you to remember the elderly and shut ins who are around you. In a covid safe manner, find ways to connect with them. Saturday, we have huge plans to go singing in some elderly people's yards. We are joining our friends - Jon, Mandi and my parents (Justin). We are just going to drive to their homes, keep a safe distance from them in their yard and sing some songs. We share some songs from our sing along last week that we plan to make into a CD for those who are shut-in. I can't type out who played what instruments but here is a list of people involved in those songs: Gerald, Karen, Derek, Jon, Mandi, Calynn, Peyton, Jon W, Justin, Shawna, Xavier, Ephraim, Perez, Asher, Hosanna, Ezra.www.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Awkwardness. Who enjoys it? Join us today as we talk through awkwardness and how to move through it into the growth process. But can you think of a single thing in your life that wasn't awkward at first?Learning to walk. Learning to eat with a fork. Learning to read. Learning to drive. 1st day at work. 2nd day at work. 1st date. 2nd date. We get stress out when we want to be smooth and look great at something the first or second time that we do it. We have to understand that awkwardness is part of the growth process.Hugging your teenager. Saying "I love you". Trying a new exercise. These are the awkward things that make you a better person in the long run. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/contemporary-psychoanalysis-in-action/201602/why-do-i-feel-so-awkwardwww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

My dad and mom have an amazing gift of hospitality. We have just spent 2 days at their house recording music, eating great food and hanging out. It has been a real blessing!In this episode, we talk about the challenges of covid, but we encourage you to find a way to engage with others and practice some old school people skills as appropriate.We talk about meeting outdoors, using paper products and some other things to practice hospitality in 2020.Art Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezrawww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewood

This discussion comes from James Clear's Atomic Habits and it started in episode 125 about how to start the 1% improvement lifestyle. I (Justin) removed the TV from our living room because of the happiness that I felt when measuring backwards. I realized how happy I felt when I could just sit in my chair and not turn on the chaos in the world. Such a peaceful place. James Clear points out that when we set goals and plan for the future, we often set ourselves up for failure because we don't consider what brought us to this point. When we don't consider our recent activities and achievements, we aim for a horizon that will never arrive. www.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Food Freedom!! We struggled to find a way to eat healthy and not feel hungry.Corey and Hollie first introduced us to Trim Healthy Mama and this pattern has become the way we have judged all other meals and diet plans. We give an overview of how this way of approaching food has shifted us. We lay out the general philosophy and application. This is a great system for understanding food and you can find practitioners all over the world now. https://trimhealthymama.com/www.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewoodArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezra

Some times things just click. Things clicked for me (Justin) when I read James Clear's explanation of 1% improvements. I applied this to our family with 100 pennies laid out on the floor during our devotional time. I told them that most people do not value a penny enough to pick it up because it is only 1% of a dollar. But if they ( my kids) will improve just 1% in something every day, then they will be 37x better in that area in 1 year. James Clear lays out the British cycling team that began to dominate the world but just making very small changes. Basically, our new year resolution approach to life leads us to a boom and bust cycle. We go over the 3 practical steps needed to change your life by just doing these simple 1% improvements. https://jamesclear.com/continuous-improvementArt Work: ShawnaIntro Voice: Hosanna, Asher, EzraIntro and Outro Music:Acoustic guitar - JustinBass - XavierElectric Guitar - EphraimDjembe drum - PerezShakes and Rattles - Shawna, Hosanna, Ezrawww.lsfpodcast.com for our free morning planner for adults and kids.Facebook = Less Stress Family PodcastShawna = Instagram @shawnashereewood

If you are exhausted at the end of the day (every day), but you aren't getting what you need out of life, then you might need to reconsider your to do list.We share the story about how a lion can hunt mice all day and basically starve over time (not enough calories in vs calories out) OR the same lion can hunt the bigger game that will sustain the pride (group of lions). We talk about inputs, outputs of time, energy, and value. Obviously, evaluating your inputs correctly can take a lot of experience, but it is essential that we apply the Pareto (80/20) principle to all areas of our life. Otherwise that part of life will be chasing mice and starving over time.

Shawna has been working hard to practice the NOW - meaning that she has focused more and more about the present and the LORD's Presence.Some people are geared to dwell in the past which can lead to depression, regret, anger.Some people are geared to dwell in the future which can lead to rush, worry anxiety.If you can learn to live in the right now, then you can experience more peace, grounding, and joy.We read the amazing Derek Sivers story about riding his bike 43 minutes vs 45 minutes.https://sive.rs/relax

Do you remember Opposite Day in elementary school with your friends? We dive into Tim Ferris' story about doing the opposite in his first sales job. He stopped calling from 9 to 5. Instead, he started calling from 7 to 8:30 in the morning and then after the 5pm work stop. Why? because the gatekeepers were not there during those hours and he could often talk to the real decision makers.Ask yourself if you can do the opposite in regards to your timing, your doing, your sourcing. We give some examples of ways that Covid has forced us to do the opposite.

In this Part 2 = The enneagram is such a useful tool because it shows your blindspots (episodes 98, 99, 100) and it also shows your how you act in stress. I (Justin) was super blown away because the enneagram nailed my stress response tendencies.We have used these stress tendencies to become aware when we are stressing out or when our spouse is stressing out or when our kids are stressing out. We are able to give ourselves and our family members and our co-workers are lot more grace when we can see the stress patterns that the enneagram shows to us. Today we cover numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 and how each number acts when under stress. https://www.enneasight.com/2011/07/enneagram-type-under-stress/www.enneagraminstitute.com

In this Part 1 = The enneagram is such a useful tool because it shows your blindspots (episodes 98, 99, 100) and it also shows your how you act in stress. I (Justin) was super blown away because the enneagram nailed my stress response tendencies.We have used these stress tendencies to become aware when we are stressing out or when our spouse is stressing out or when our kids are stressing out. We are able to give ourselves and our family members and our co-workers are lot more grace when we can see the stress patterns that the enneagram shows to us. Today we give an intro to the enneagram and movement in stress. We cover numbers 3,6,9 today because they make a nice little enclosed triangle in the enneagram structure.https://www.enneasight.com/2011/07/enneagram-type-under-stress/www.enneagraminstitute.com

The school year is a great to time refocus your time and energy so we talk about 6 tips that will allow you to have the best school year. 2020 is going to be a challenging year because there are so many unknowns with Covid, but if you do these things, we promise you will have a successful year. 1. Secure your Bedtime and Morning Routines2. Choose healthy choices - diet, sleep, exercise, water, etc.3. Ownership of school gear 4. Create learning spaces at home ( for you and your kids)5. Very clear Communication between spouses, kids, teachers, and changing school policy6. Focus on the good things for each day

The word Hygge (who guh) is a Danish concept that basically means feeling content and well being thru enjoying the simple thing.Denmark is one of the happiest places on the earth and there is a lot of research about why that is.We need to learn and develop "we" time with the ones we love. This takes effort and focus.https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_secret_to_danish_happiness

We are not doctors and we do NOT give out medical advice. BUT we are tired of hearing all about illness and sickness and germs. Very few people are talking about boosting your immune system. We look at many of the simple things you can do to boost your immune system. Of course, we are not saying you won't get sick. But if your immune system is strong, you can fight illness better. https://www.evms.edu/media/evms_public/departments/internal_medicine/EVMS_Critical_Care_COVID-19_Protocol.pdfhttps://draxe.com/health/how-to-boost-your-immune-system/

In today's episode, we talk about the need for people to develop depth in their spirit/soul. Just like we need to do exercises to strengthen our bodies, we need to do spiritual exercises to strengthen our spirit/soul. Some benefits of spiritual disciplines (from the link below):Delay gratificationReceive insightHear God’s voice/one’s inner voiceMake better decisionsRemain centered and unaffected by external eventsDemonstrate moral courageDetach from distractionsFeel inner peaceBehave unselfishlyAct with practical wisdomFollow one’s own courseEndure hardshipForge good habitsConquer the worst parts of yourselfhttps://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/introduction-spiritual-disciplines

This episode is really about being kind to yourself and kind to others.I (Justin) was pretty skeptical about talking about grieving and the state of the world, but we read about what expert David Kessler says about grief and the different kinds of grief. Also, I learned that the steps of grief aren't necessarily linear. You can jump around the grieving process. This episode is just a caution to look at your own life and your spouse and kids and friends. Give yourself and others some grace as we figure out the new normals of life. https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-griefhttps://johnpavlovitz.com/2019/02/21/everyone-around-you-is-grieving-go-easy/

It is time to prepare your mind and heart for the fall of 2020. We have this Covid thing, elections, potential universal homeschool, and whatever else you want to put into the blank.To reframe this in a positive manner, it is a good time to take more ownership of your life. Let's assume this is the end of the 1st quarter of this covid life. What things do you need to change? What have you done well? What do you need to improve?Here are the areas we are addressing in our home:Essentials (M&Ms)Indoor Home ImprovementsOutdoor Home ImprovementsFind New HobbiesHomeschool/Education UpdatesPotential Change in Income/FinancesHealth and Nutritionhttps://www.evms.edu/media/evms_public/departments/internal_medicine/Marik-Covid-Protocol-Summary.pdfSpiritual Growth for all Our Family

Well, we needed to laugh so we just told jokes this episode. The joke we told about sodium atoms and Batman:On the periodic table, sodium is NA. So sodium is Na so Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Batman

Obviously, we are not talking about the physical infection of the Covid 19 virus. But we are talking about the emotional and relational impact that Covid 19 is having on marriages. Solutions include:Self Care - you have to find new times for youselfGet out of the Rut Actually, Pay attention to your emotionsAsk questions and actually listen to your spouseShare a bigger vision with your spouse than just the day to day, week to week routineBecome more aware of God's Presence

There are 2 kinds of stress: good stress (eustress) and bad stress (distress)The purpose of this episode is to talk about how you need to start having a scale in your mind about the stress you encounter. If you only encounter bad stress, then you are going to have emotional and physical problems in the long term. You need to balance out the negative with doing something positive. We talk in this episode about how Shawna finally a breakthrough with cold showers. There are a million things you can do to get the good stress going. Start today. https://www.cascadementalhealth.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=15644&cn=117

We have seen some real breakthrough with our kids by incorporating some simple hobbies in our life. The idea of a hobby can seem overwhelming but it doesn't have to be.We talk about how we set up a corner of the basement as a no electronic area for arts, crafts and board games. Our kids have spent hours every day down there. HUGE victory for us and our daily routine. We also talk about how running (Justin and the boys) has decreased stress with the boys. We go through about 50 things that can become hobbies. Very simple but very very rewarding.