MeaningFULL Work

In yesterday's episode we talked about resilience, and gave the example of the strong root systems that allow plants to bounce back quickly after a wildfire. Today we want to give YOU ideas to practice, so you can start to build your own resilience reserves.

Resilience. It’s easy to hear this word, and in it’s context assume we know exactly what it means...but the more we looked into it, we realized we may have been slightly wrong. Resilience is NOT simply being “tough”, it’s not about powering through. It’s not avoiding hardship, or stressful situations, or luckily dodging life’s many obstacles. It’s not just about “bouncing back”.... It’s more than that, It’s HOW you bounce back. Today we talk about what resilience is and is not, and then in tomorrow’s episode we talk about HOW you can be more resilient.

Happy Friday! As always, we have a brand new writing topic to share with you today. Listen to an incredible story about how thousands of ants are able to survive when floodwaters sweep away their homes (hint: it's all about teamwork!). We then ask you to think about your own team: your friends and family that keep you afloat. We promise you will love thinking and writing about all of your favorite people. Happy weekend and we will see you Monday!

We have talked about gratitude in many of our episodes...it is one of THE most important things we can do for a happy and fulfilling life. But living a life of gratitude is more than just being grateful and remembering to say thank you.Today we want to share some habits of naturally grateful people. If you start to work on these (easy!) habits, you’ll find yourself slowly becoming more grateful and content with life, without always having to think about it--it will just come naturally!

Raise your hand if you love a good routine?! Routines make things quick and easy, and allow our lives to run much more smoothly.But...sometimes we need to mix things up. We talked yesterday about not always taking the path of least resistance. The more “second nature” our routines become, the less our brain has to work. To keep our brains young and active, we should change things up every now and then--try new ways of doing things, or add an obstacle or two. Today we give you examples of some fun, easy, and slightly odd ways to mix up your daily routines.

As much as we all hate to be uncomfortable...we HAVE to get used to it. Discomfort is part of life. Today we share one of Sheena's favorite poems that talks about this very fact...the need for unideal conditions--Good Timber by Douglas Malloch. Listen to the poem, and then spend some time thinking about this today: are you avoiding anything because you are looking for the easiest way? Try being comfortable, with being uncomfortable.

If we ask you to think of a positive emotion, you’re likely to say HAPPY; it's natural for humans to strive for happiness. But have you ever thought of happiness as more of the umbrella term for ALL of the many positive emotions that make up happiness?Today we ask you to see happiness in a different light--hidden in emotions we often feel, but maybe don’t give as much credit as they deserve.

It's Friday! As you know, we like to give you a writing topic each Friday to work on over the weekend, and today it's all about YOU! What do you like about YOU? We encourage you to think beyond your achievements and your titles...what do you like about yourself that makes you unique? Today we share some of our own favorite quirky qualities, and help you recognize the importance of acknowledging your own.We would love for you to come say hello on our Instagram @meaningfull_work and tell us what you like about YOU!

We love to give you really easy ideas that you can implement right NOW, to make your day a little better. Today, all we ask of you is to simply go outside. In this episode we discuss the mental and physical benefits of stepping out into the great outdoors...AND you don't even have to move! All these benefits come from just sitting:)

Have you figured it out yet...we LOVE to tell stories! Here is a favorite today about the importance that our trials and struggles play in our own personal growth.

When we need a boost of energy for our physical bodies, everyone has their go to thing. For some it’s caffeine--or maybe a brisk walk outside, or a quick power nap. Everyone knows the thing that works best for THEM.But what about your mind? What do you do when you need a quick pick-me-up in your brain, or a boost in your mood? We give you a few tips and tricks in today's episode, guaranteed to give you an instant boost.

What is the secret to living to 100 years old? In this episode, we will share simple habits that twelve centenarians in Costa Rica contribute to living long and healthy lives. Whether your goal is to live to one hundred or not, your goal SHOULD be to live your healthiest and happiest life possible!

It’s Friday! We love to give you writing topics on Fridays so you can take the time to write and reflect on your week. Today we want to talk about how easy it can be to make a difference in someone’s life, and we want you to think back over your week and think about what YOU did to make a difference.

Super simple challenge for today...use someone's name when you talk to them--how easy is that?! You'd be surprised how big of an impact this can make to someone, try it out today!

You have most likely heard of a victim mentality (or perhaps you can easily identify people who often play the victim). But we are ALL guilty of having this mindset from time to time, aren't we? We need to make sure that we are also recognizing our inner VICTOR mentality, and understand that we have the choice of which one we let be in charge...the victim, or the victor. Who will win today?

We cannot believe it, but today we are sharing our 50th episode! Thank you--every single one of you who have listened, shared, and given us encouragement along the way! We have learned so much the last few months, and have absolutely loved helping you add meaning to your work each day. Today's episode: When was the last time you learned something new about yourself? In this episode we discuss what we found when we took an enneagram test, and encourage you to do the same! We loved this so much we want to give two enneagram tests to our listeners! Listen to today's episode to find out how to enter the giveaway, and jump on over to our Instagram @meaningfull_work to say hello! We'd love to meet you. Thank you all SO much! Here is to 50 more!

Monday. Ugh. Do you feel that too? We tend to get to Monday and flip our switch to autopilot to help us get through the week. We want to show you how to live each day with a little more intention this week...by simply asking WHY.Why? You'll have to take a listen :)

It's Friday!! As you know, every Friday we are giving you just a little bit of homework (we promise it's easy!) Instead of your daily challenge, we want you to write over the weekend. Today's topic is to think about a person who has really inspired you at some point in your life--the person who helped get you to where you are today. Kiarra shares her story about the person who gave her the confidence to apply for a job she wanted, and set her on the path she is on today. Sheena talks about the person who made her realize she wanted to be a nurse. Think about your person, and spend a little time writing out your story. Happy weekend!

How can a simple story about bread and butter teach us so many different lessons for life?! Take a listen and let us know what stuck out to you! Head over to our Instagram @meaningfull_work and let us know!

We love to help you start your day with just a little bit of encouragement to carry you through….but we have a confession: we may not always have the right thing for YOU that day. We all have access to SO much information….but it can be too much information! There is aLOT of advice out there, and it often seems like it’s contradictory (because it often is--take a listen for our examples).Everything is circumstantial --what works for you NOW, may not work in 6 months. Realize what works best for YOU and today, do that!

Essential. For the last few months, this is a word we have very likely heard every day.Today we want to talk about what we have found recently to be essential, and maybe NOT so essential in our own lives--and we invite you to do the same!Over the next few months, we will start to ease back into our “normal”. But it will be a NEW normal...quite a bit will have changed. It’s important to decide what is ESSENTIAL to you right now, so you have already made up your mind on what is most important to you. “Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life someone else will” -Greg McKeown

Think of a time in your life (we all have our moments!) where things got hard and you just wanted to QUIT. This is a natural feeling when we meet challenges, get uncomfortable, or maybe our task is NOT producing the rewards we had expected. It’s hard to spend time and money and energy over and over, and feel like we aren’t getting anywhere...so quitting often seems like the easiest option. BUT...quitting is also a guaranteed way to not meet our goals. Today we tell the story of two gold miners who quit when things got tough, right before reaching their goal...and they were only THREE FEET from their fortune!!

Yay for Friday! As you know, every Friday we are giving you just a little bit of homework (we promise it's easy!) Instead of your daily challenge, we want you to write over the weekend. Today's topic is to think back about how your week went--what you liked, what you didn't, what you accomplished, and even the things you didn't get to. Now, what could you change about the week? Write it down! Writing can help you sort through your thoughts and problem solve, setting you up for an even better week starting Monday. Happy weekend!

"Thank you". A topic we have addressed multiple times...why? Because it's so easy, and so important! Today we talk about the impact a simple "thank you" can have on a stranger, and challenge you to thank every single person you come in contact with today. We want to say thank YOU for listening! We love helping you start your day, and truly appreciate you sharing your time with us.

Since we started this podcast a few months ago, our focus has always been giving you small ideas to improve your mental health, your perspectives, and help you to practice being more mindful and aware as you go throughout your day.But what we'd also like to occasionally remind you about, is the importance of taking care of your physical health as well. In today's episode, we give you just a few super easy ideas to improve your health today--pick just one, and see how you feel at the end of the day!

Small as a peanut,Big as a giant,We're all the same sizeWhen we turn off the light.Rich as a sultan,Poor as a mite,We're all worth the sameWhen we turn off the light.Red, black or orange,Yellow or white, We all look the sameWhen we turn off the light.So maybe the way, To make everything rightIs for god to just reach outAnd turn off the light!” ― Shel SilversteinWe are all just human. Doing our best! It can be easy right now to look around and feel frustrated because there are SO MANY varying opinions about what is right, and what is wrong, and who is doing it best. It is important to step back and remember we all have more in common than it may initially seem, and we really are all doing our best.

Raise your hand if you are someone who likes to help out in tough situations?? Us too! It's hard to sit back and watch from the sidelines sometimes. There are SO MANY people who have stepped up to help during this pandemic--healthcare teams on the frontlines, grocery store employees keeping shelves stocked and stores clean, and so many others in our communities who are going the extra mile to keep us all up and running. It can be easy to wonder what you can do to help if you aren't a "front line" worker. So today we bring in two guests--Chalyce and Abbey, and the four of us discuss ways EVERYONE can help during this time. We can help our families, our neighbors, and our communities--there is a job for everyone!

In episode 28 we talked about the fact that we are living in the history books right now! We want to help you write your story. Every Friday we will give you an easy writing prompt to help get your wheels turning, and help you record your thoughts during this crazy time. Today we want you to think about your current work. What has it taught you? Besides a monthly paycheck, what has it given you? Sheena and Kiarra share the silver linings they have both found in their jobs.

While social distancing is certainly changing how we interact right now, we can still work to make meaningful connections with those we are quarantining with. Think of the people you are closest to--you most likely know their favorite movies, treats, and hobbies. To connect at an even deeper level AND bring up new conversation if you're tired of talking about the same thing;) , we give a few topic ideas to help you get started.

Get to know a little bit more about Kiarra and Sheena, and why they think MeaningFULL Work is so important.

Quietude. At first it may seem like a fancy word for "quiet" (that's what we thought too!). But it's more than that; quietude is not only about finding quiet, but also finding stillness and calm. It's more what we hear with our MIND, and less of what we hear with our EARS. Today we talk about ways to seek out our own quietude when life gets busy and chaotic.

For our health and protection, we are all wearing masks right now--at work, in the grocery store, even recording this podcast! We can't help but notice it's hard to interact with anyone when we can't share our smiles. Today we talk about a few different options to try, so we can still have meaningFULL interactions when we encounter a passerby--we'd love to hear what you've been doing. And we'd also love to see YOUR smile! When you are at home and can take your mask off, snap a shot of yourself smiling and tag us @meaningfull_work so we can help spread the happy faces!

Last week in episode 28 we talked about the fact that we are living in the history books right now! We want to help you write your story. Every Friday we will give you an easy writing prompt to help get your wheels turning, and help you record your thoughts during this crazy time. Over the weekend, we want you to focus on HOPE, and write whatever thoughts come to mind. Happy writing!

Wherever you are sitting or standing right now--look around and notice something NEW. What do you see? The world is moving and shaking and changing right before our eyes every single day. Are we taking the time to pay attention? Simply looking around and noticing our surroundings is an easy way to practice mindfulness. Head over to our instagram @meaningfull_work, and tell us what you noticed today!

It can be hard to open up and share how we really feel sometimes...especially to strangers listening on the internet! We want to do our best to be honest with you--our listeners--so we can really connect and get to know each other.Today we talk about the importance of vulnerability, and how sharing how we feel can bring us closer together.

Today is part two of our chat about FEAR. We have found that the best way to deal with fear, is to do everything we can to prepare for it! Our worst case scenarios are not guaranteed to happen, but if they do, we will be ready!Today Kiarra and Sheena share their fears during this trying time in the healthcare world, and what they are doing to prepare.

Today we want to talk about FEAR...where your mind goes when you think of your worst case scenarios. We know there are many valid concerns in the world right now: fear for our health, our finances, and our lifestyles that we are missing from just a month ago. We didn't want to contribute more fear into your world, so instead we brainstormed a few different ways to deal with your worries. What we have found to be most useful in the battle against fear, is being prepared. If you think of some of the things that scare you most, but then rather than stew over them and work yourself up, PREPARE for how you will handle each situation as it comes.

We are living in the history books right now! Have you ever thought of it that way? In today's episode we want to introduce the idea to you of writing your OWN history--keeping a record of some of the thoughts and feelings you have during this time. If the thought of journaling has never made sense to you, or you don't know where to begin, we want to help get you going. Today we talk about the EASIEST way to start writing (we promise--anyone can do it!)

Life right now is HARD. Do you feel that too? We have all been turned upside and sideways these last few weeks, and everything looks different. At work, at home...it's been hard all around. But have you taken a minute to think about what you will most look forward to when this whole thing is over? Socializing with friends, going to movies, being able to trust people again. We cannot live our lives avoiding things that are hard, but we can learn to appreciate the little things that make life so GREAT.

We humans love our routines. We get in to our comfort zones and know how to put our heads down and just GO. It can be hard to adapt and adjust when we think we know the ONE right way. As changes are taking place day by day in our world right now, we need to be able to look at problems from other perspectives and points of view. Dr. Suess gives us a little help in this episode :)

Everyone has some kind of "audience". Whether you are a social media guru, a father of four, or a valued employee on your team, you have a voice you can use for good. In yesterday's episode we talked about being more aware of what we are consuming each day. Today we want you to think about what GOOD you can contribute to the world.

We live in a world where we can consume information twenty four hours a day...but should we? While it's important to stay updated and informed on what is going on in the world around us, it IS possible to take in TOO MUCH information. Find the balance that feels healthy for YOU.

Change. Is. Hard. Wouldn't you agree? A step out of our normal routine can feel like a huge set back, and make us start to doubt ourselves. Recognize that change is unavoidable in life, and go easy on yourself when you find that you are having to adapt and evolve.

Your challenge today is simple, talk about anything...other than current events ;) It's hard to do (we know!) but it will lift your mood to have meaningful conversations in your home, over text, reminiscing with friends or planning next year's trip!

While we still have 24 hours in a day, the way we are currently using those hours may look a bit different than it has in the past. Many of us are working from home, schooling from home, and it may feel like we have a little extra time on our hands. What are you doing with YOUR extra time?

If you turn on any news station right now, you will quickly see what the world is in need of: medical supplies, medical staff, groceries, vaccines, helping hands...the list goes on. Depending on where you live, it may be hard to help with these things--so we will give you an idea on how EVERYONE can help. Head over to our instagram @meaningfull_work and tell us about the kindness you've seen in the world today!

We're back! As you are well aware, the world has gone through some pretty extreme changes over the past few weeks. We needed to step back from this space to prioritize our work, home, and personal lives, and we talk a little about that today.

What is THE most important thing you can do to start your day? Take a drink ;)

This is part 2 of our cynicism episode--make sure to listen to episode 16 first! Yesterday we talked about the importance of recognizing your inner cynic, and today we want to give you some tools to help you push away the negativity when it starts to creep in.

Even if you consider yourself an optimistic and positive person, you will still have moments where you may start to feel cynical. This can easily happen at work, especially if your job looks the same day to day, or you work in an environment where you feel under appreciated . Today we want to help you recognize those things that may trigger your inner cynic; the more we notice it, the more we can do to fix it!

What is one of the hardest things we all face in our day to day routines? Asking for help! WHY is it so hard, when those around us are always willing to lend a hand?