Let's All Flourish (L.A.F.)

Hang with us for just a quick bit and recap Season 1 - we quickly walk through the season and talk about what's to come. To our loyal LAFFERS, we are so grateful for your support, for sharing our podcast and message with your friends, family, and sending us virtually around the world! We will be back after a short holiday. If you have thoughts on what you would like to hear about or who you would like to hear from, please contact me at letsallflourish@gmail.com. #letsallflourish In health, Les

Reimagining youth sports with the Faith brothers. Three boys with years of experience in a variety of sports featuring Kung Fu, gymnastics, swimming, discuss there best/worst coaching experiences, and their ideas for a better utopian youth sports world.

"The average child spends less than 3 years playing a sport, quitting by age 11". Surprised by that? I sure was! Today we talk with coach and Recreation Therapy lecturer, Cassie Faith who discuses the importance of reimagining youth sports now that we have this "break". Please check out the Aspen Institute Project Play - there is a lot going on there! The State of Play in the U.S. A call for action for Physical Literacy in the U.S.

Tori McKay and Ava Fierro are two of the most thoughtful, insightful, inspiring young people you will meet. They are best friends and survivors of the Camp fire in Paradise, CA. These wise young women have much to share with our young people, parents, and teachers on how to navigate our current world of Covid, fires (that were breaking out the week we spoke!), and resulting isolation, distance learning, and our new normal. Tori and Ava's nuggets: 1). The isolation they felt after the Campfire is similar to the isolation of Covid and kids can use technology purposefully to connect. 2). Put the bad news away and don't drown in it. 3). It's easy to feel helpless, like we have no choices. Look at what you can control. 4) As kids, we are so young and have so much to look forward to. There are a lot of good times coming our way. 5). We need to appreciate everything we have. Even a tree. 6). In your online classes, connect with your acquaintances too - reach out. Everyone is missing everyone. Don't be afraid to reach out. 7) The opposite of negative is warmth (I LOVE THIS ONE). 8. Initiate a gratitude practice. 9. The worst days are the best days to be grateful. 10. Please parents, listen and support your kids. Hold your anger, sometimes hold your advice and just listen - let your kids talk and this will build their trust. 11. Please educators, be patient and understanding - it's hard to retain information right now. 12. Kids, give out as much light and connection as possible - whatever that means to you.

A teacher from Chico comes on today to revisit his experiences through the traumatic Camp Fire and the effects it had on him and his students.

Let's chat with Jake Pina - yes! Incoming Cal Poly SLO freshman who has played baseball most of his life. Jake is an amazing young man who recognized his Varsity baseball team was struggling and not performing at the level they could be, nor as collaboratively as they should to reach their peak. Jake had been exposed to Yoga Nidra through Jill Weston and his Mom's practice and he had witnessed his Mom's experience first-hand. With nothing left to lose, he suggested his team visit Jill at her studio. You will want to hear how this all turned out for the group of high school boys, the effects on them individually, and the team. As always, we encourage anyone who is experiencing anxiety or depression to seek professional help immediately. Do not wait. There is help out there, you matter, and you do not have to feel this way. #Let'sallflourish

THRILLED to have Jill Weston on the show today to discuss her Yoga Nidra practice and studio, Breathing Space. Jill will share with us not only what the heck Yoga Nidra is, and why it is important for all of us to be aware of the connection between our mind and body. Why did it take me so long to explore Yoga Nidra?? That is exactly what you might say also. Unless of course, you're already a practitioner and in that case, I say – “way to go!” to you! In a typical yoga nidra session, a teacher will guide students into the yoga nidra state, focusing your awareness on your breath, bodily sensations, emotions and thoughts. Throughout the session, students are gently encouraged to remain awake and aware and welcome whatever is present without getting becoming taken away in it. Jill offers the visualization of a suitcase that everyone brings to class. While in the yoga nidra state – the contents of the suitcase may become quite clear. It is an opportunity to examine the contents, rearrange, repack, remove items, change things up. We are in control of our own suitcases. Jill will discuss the difference between yoga nidra and meditation, why some clients experiences are different than others, and also why it feels good to have a practice where it feels good to be in control. Here's the article we discussed about masks and fight or flight: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/somatic-psychology/202005/why-face-masks-can-trigger-unpleasant-emotions As always, we encourage anyone who is experiencing anxiety or depression to seek professional help immediately. Do not wait. There is help out there, you matter, and you do not have to feel this way. #Let'sallflourish

This week our discussion around disappointment continues with our young friend, Mckinley Stoller! Mckinley attends the University of Oregon and is majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. She is passionate about spreading awareness for those struggling with mental health issues and approaches the show with pure honesty and transparency with her own past issues and how she is flourishing. We will be talking about social media and phones for kids, how social media can lead kids down a path of disappointment in themselves, and steps to pull yourself up and flourish again. Starting with talking to friends, family, someone you trust. Tune in to hear Mckinley's story! Talking with someone about thoughts and feelings is the first step to flourishing and can save a life. If you or someone you know is facing anxiety or depression, steps to recovery may include: Finding a therapist/support group. Building and using a support network. Making a safety plan for yourself If you or someone you know is in crisis, Call 911 if danger is imminent, or connect online with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to get support. Call 911, if danger for self-harm seems imminent. Ask them if they are thinking about killing themselves. This will not put the idea into their head or make it more likely that they will attempt suicide. Listen without judging and show you care. Stay with the person or make sure the person is in a private, secure place with another caring person until you can get further help. Remove any objects that could be used in a suicide attempt. Learn more here about action steps you can take. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), talk to their professionals, and follow their guidance.

THRILLED to have Christine Fonseca – critically acclaimed author, licensed psychologist, counselor, and all-around dynamic woman join us on the podcast to discuss disappointment and not only how to manage through it, how to not let it define you because we are definitely not in disappointment alone and guess what, it is temporary - nothing is permanent! Using her experience consulting and coaching educators and parents, Christine brings her expertise to Psychology Today, authoring the parenting blog Parenting for A New Generation. She has written self-help articles for Parents.com, Johnson & Johnson, and Justine Magazine. Her appearance on the popular gifted education podcast, “Mind Matters”, was one of its most downloaded episodes. Christine's critically acclaimed titles include Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, Raising the Shy Child, Letting Go: A Girl's Guide to Breaking Free of Stress and Anxiety, and the action-packed Young Adult series, the Solomon Experiments. https://www.amazon.com/Christine-Fonseca/e/B003WJ6EIS?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000 Christine lives in Southern California with her husband and children and we are so glad she could join us on the podcast via zoom. Tune in for Christine's Nuggets on: 1. Optimistic Mindset 2. Don't take it Personally 3. Temporal situation vs. Permanence 4. Rewrite Scripts that Do NOT Serve You Anymore 5. Grieving Collectively 6. Hula Hoop Protocol 7. ROAR 8. For Parents/Guardians in Particular: making sure children feel safe, internally safe, experience positive connections, and help their children to not only exercise adaptability but also model adaptability for them. Books to consider on this topic: "The Caring Child" by Christine Fonseca https://www.amazon.com/Caring-Child-Empathetic-Emotionally-Intelligent/dp/1618218735/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=The+Caring+Child&qid=1595311082&s=books&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNUdGTFNaSTBENUpCJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTIxMTE3MlNYTzcwM0ZON0E5USZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODYzNjgxRTNUOVZESzIzM1JGJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== "Transcend", Scott Berry Coffman https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Self-Actualization-Scott-Barry-Kaufman/dp/0143131206

Guys! You do NOT want to miss this episode with Bridget! If you are a parent, you are going to get the scoop on this young college graduate (now studying and preparing for Med School) on the healthy habits that fueled her while she played soccer, swam from Alcatraz to San Francisco at the age of 10 (yep - she did that!), swam competitively, played soccer competitively, and crushed it at school. Bridget then explains what it was like to transition to UCLA and make her way through dorm food, navigating the dreaded "Freshman 15" (kind of a myth?), female body image and topic of eating disorders when she was living in her beloved sorority house, and then finally managing shopping and cooking on her own when she moved out to her own apartment. If you are a parent of little ones and want to flash forward for how good nutrition might benefit your kids, you want to tune in. If you would like some tips for feeding those little ones (things I never thought of!), you'll want to tune in. If you are the parent of a college kid and you're wondering what their life will be like as they start college, you'll want to tune in. And kids of varying ages - you will find Bridget, 22 years old, so fun to listen to because she has not long left your shoes. She's wicked smart, funny, athletic, and knows what it takes to navigate this world of food and education! Can't wait! #letsallflourish

I can't believe I am so lucky to have Angela Garvie join us this week!. I have known Angela since about 2012.. Angela is a wife and a mom of two young college men, Ian and Aidan.  Angela was one of the first certified health coaches for Dr. Sears back in 2009. She will be visiting with us this week about healthy meals – what is a healthy meal anyway? And now that we all have a little more time to plan and prepare – how can we do that? What are our first steps to getting that done? Meal planning is not my forte – so then what? (hint: have someone else do it! And there is an app for that!) Angela will tell us what we can do to make shopping a little easier, stockpile burritos, and also give ourselves some grace. A big proponent of urban gardening, Angela began tower gardening. Contact her with queries: agarvie@aol.com.

Aidan Houser! Aidan catches up with us to give us his perspective on shelter in place as a student who had his Junior year cut short, what that has been like for him, and also what he thinks about going back for his senior year. What does that transition look like for him? What strategies does Aidan suggest for kids who might be nervous to head back in or are just not that excited? Aidan has some great ideas that parents and teens will want to hear.

We are so lucky to have Kenee join the show to talk about what it was like for her and her household as they transitioned to shelter in place back in March. Many of us can identify with this, can we not? Suddenly the kids are on chrome books and we are all holding zoom meetings at the same time - trying to find space in the house. Kenee shares intuitive strategies for how families can transition back to school in the Fall that will work for younger and older kids - you will want to take a listen to this and give it a go with your kids.

So lucky to have this amazing human, Tate Shadbourne, our oldest daughter, join the conversation on movement. Tate, 22 years old, shares her thoughts on her journey from lifelong soccer player (from the age of 5) to figuring out what she liked to do to keep her body and her mind healthy. Tate also shares insightful tips for college students, or anyone with a busy schedule, on how to fit movement into your crazy schedules and the importance of finding something you actually enjoy doing. What fun is moving if we don't enjoy it!? Tate is constantly researching the science behind exercise and nutrition and she owns her own plant based health and wellness company. She is one of my favorite work out buddies – although I think she might be able to bench press me at this point. (yes, I mean like actually lift ME). #letsallflourish

Amazing husband to one-lucky-one (me!), active father of 3, and veteran teacher of 25 years – Todd Shadbourne joins the show to talk about how he went from chasing a soccer ball for fun to running 12 marathons and inspiring students to move in his running club every season. He is incredibly humble, as you will hear, Todd's fitness journey is one of finding what brings him joy. Did his parents inspire him? You be the judge! Mr. Shadbourne's tips for the summer: Get up early, Put on sunscreen, Get outside, Find a trail, Look for wildlife. If you're in the Sacramento area – check out Lake Natoma / Hidden Falls / Pilot Hill. There are so many great areas around us! Don't forget your masks ☺ #Letsallflourish

Jackson Dearing, brilliant young man, 16 years old, joining us to give us the youth perspective on FEAR as he flew solo (not his first time) to meet his family abroad at the beginning of the pandemic and what it was like trying to get home. Jackson also shares his thoughts on what it's like to be in a family that includes kids in the “Big” discussions, how that's played an important role in his development and how he's watching his siblings develop, as well. Lots of good things from Jackson Dearing – not only for us as parents, but also tips for kids who might be struggling a bit. If you're struggling with anxiety or depression or if anything discussed on Let's All Flourish hits a chord for you, we encourage you to reach out to a professional as soon as possible. Don't wait.

Amy Hoyt, PhD, will be in the studio today talking about FEAR. Amy fights the good fight every day as the loving Mom of 5 amazing kids, she's an adoring wife, a scholar, an activist (I'm adding info for her), and all-around bad-a$$. When you meet Amy you're like – “oh you're so nice”. And then after about 2 minutes, you're like, “Ok, can we sit and talk for 10 hours?” Amy gives us some great advice on including kids in the big conversations and avenues to navigating fear - all kinds of fear. You really don't want to miss this.

Let's All Flourish (L.A.F.) Podcast Trailer!