Mindful Health for the Wise Woman

David Reynolds has been immersed in education since 1982 (or 1966, if you want to go all the way back to first grade!). He is a husband, a dad, and a woodworker. David is also the creator and host of the Lead. Learn. Change. podcast, and the author of a book with the same title.  David knows that teaching and learning opportunities are always present and he believes that we have a responsibility to make a positive difference in the lives of others. Resources: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lead-learn-change/id1466312773 Music: The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell. The Sides of the North from Commodity by Remedy Drive

Jule Kucera is an author, podcaster, and educator who believes that stories have the power to make us smarter. She blogs at julekucera.com, podcasts at Hard Times & Hope, teaches part-time at the University of Cincinnati, and volunteers as board secretary for Homebase. After publishing her memoir, Sweet Baby Lover, Jule is at work on her first novel.Linda McLachlan is a former business executive turned writer, podcaster, professional coach, and business consultant.Over the past 25 years, she's built a rewarding career anchored in leadership, and has had the privilege of working with highly accomplished entrepreneurs, thought leaders and artists.Her professional career began as an actor at the National Theatre School, and then moving into arts administration, she worked in the performing arts sector and for major international festivals for more than 15 years.She joined a start-up business in 2007 which allowed her to work nationally and internationally with senior legal counsel, business and thought leaders across a variety of verticals and disciplines. From the first employee to shareholder and board member, she had the opportunity to shape many aspects of what continues to be a successful business.In 2018, life was at a crossroads and she decided it needed an overhaul. She left the business she'd help build to pursue her third career and embrace her creative roots. She studied improv and storytelling at The Second City and earned her professional coaching designation through the Adler Professional School. She also left her relationship, changed cities, kicked alcohol and lost 80lbs in the space of 9 months.During the pandemic, she decided to create her podcast THE ARENA – Living a Courageous Life featuring a diverse set of ordinary people sharing their stories of daily acts of courage, hope and resilience. She hopes it will inspire her listeners to live consciously and courageously.Resources:www.julekucera.comhttps://thearena-podcast.com/Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.The Sides of the North from Commodity by Remedy Drive

Özlem is a high performing culturally diverse woman, based in Amsterdam. Born and raised in the Netherlands, she also has lived in Istanbul, Turkey and Aarhus, Denmark; and traveled across continents. Due to her multicultural identity she constantly moved between East and West, psychically but also in her heart and mind.  She holds a Bachelor degree in Education, Master degree in Educational Sciences, and gained certificates in marketing, entrepreneurial sales, and coaching from institutions in the Netherlands and abroad. She is grateful for all the ‘official' education she has gained, for this has provided her with ways of thinking, allowed her to gain knowledge, and developed her intellect. Yet, wisdom is what she gained during all her travels, work, living abroad, spending time alone, and interacting with various people from different layers of society. Her journey in self development made her slowly get aware of who she is. After shedding some light on her true self, she started embracing her light and darkness at the same time. Getting to know herself and her lifelong passion of connecting to other human beings contributed to her constantly expanding emotional intelligence. She is very human and at the same time very commercial and sales-driven. She did business development in Europe for a technology Startup, had an international sales role at a multinational Danish fashion company, and taught at international schools abroad. She honors her feminine and masculine energy to learn, create, evolve and contribute to the world. She isn't fearless! She also has fears, yet she moves forward comfortably uncomfortable!Resources:https://www.ozkanozlem.com/Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.The Sides of the North from Commodity by Remedy Drive

In this week's episode, the subject is Spiritual Health, Reflection and Contemplation with journalist and host of the podcast, “Mortality Minded”, Thomas Gaudio. Thomas and I have a frank discussion about death. … and much more.Thomas Gaudio is a writer and podcaster based in New York City who's diving deeper into his passion to learn and spark discussion about mortality, dying, death, and the possibility of an afterlife.He started down this path after serendipitously reading “The Death of Ivan Ilyich” by Leo Tolstoy in 2010 and then writing about dying and death through a journalistic lens in graduate school in 2011. After subsequently focusing on other areas as a writer for several years, dying and death called him back to the page, and he launched the first version of Mortality Minded on social media in early 2016 (on Tumblr when the project was called Immortal We Ain't).Resources:https://mortalityminded.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_management_theoryMusic:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.The Sides of the North from Commodity by Remedy Drive

Adam Ashton is one of the co-hosts of the What You Will Learn podcast. Along with his friend (also Adam), they read a book each week and share the best bits in a ~30 minute episode. Now approach 250 episodes, they were nominated for a 2019 Australian Podcast Award in the Business & Marketing category, and they've climbed as high as #6 on the Apple Podcast charts. Through the podcast, they've also been able to interview some of their favourite authors, such as Seth Godin, Robert Greene, Dan Ariely, and a former Australian Prime Minister. They also wrote a book! It's called “The Sh*t They Never Taught You.” Resources:- Twitter: @wywlpodcast- Facebook: Facebook.com/whatyouwilllearnhttps://www.whatyouwilllearn.com/https://www.chieflearningofficer.com/2020/05/26/the-mindset-of-a-lifelong-learner/https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322https://sive.rs/https://www.amazon.com/Sh-They-Never-Taught-You/dp/0645133809

NALIE NIXON, PhDis a creativity strategist, global keynote speaker and the president of Figure 8 Thinking. She helps leaders apply creativity and foresight to achieve transformative business results and amplify value.Natalie is the author of The Creativity Leap:Unleash Curiosity, Improvisation and Intuition at Work,a regular contributor to INC.and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.Learn more at figure8thinking.com and follow her @natwnixon.  Resources:Social Media: @natwnixon on IG and TWT; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalienixonphd/https://www.estherperel.com/podcasthttps://jamesclear.com/https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Desire-Know-Future-Depends/dp/0465097626https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMg1QLaHBzmww35QK-mHEQhttp://www.natesmithmusic.com/shop

Long ago, a little girl afraid to make mistakes, dreamed of becoming a doctor. As a young woman, she struggled to manage her frustration. She would have shown herself a lot more compassion if Orlando Bishop had been around. But it's never too late to learn!Today, it is my pleasure to welcome Orlando, performance coach, founder of Align Performance and host of the podcast “Unstuck AF” back to the show. We talk about learning ways to work through frustration. He believes that success is on the other side of frustration. 

A few years ago, Rasha Aridi was studying to become a wildlife conservationist when she realized that she enjoyed nerding out about science with her friends and family more than she actually enjoyed being a scientist. Now as a science journalist, Rasha strives to engage broad audiences in the world of science and discovery by turning complex topics into fun, accessible, and relevant content. One of her guiding principles is "science is for everyone," so she strives to make science more transparent and easier to understand for audiences of all backgrounds. Plus, Rasha hopes that her work can spark a bit of curiosity, joy, and excitement for science, just as it does for her. Her venture into science journalism has led her to write and work for outlets like The Guardian, Science Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, and NPR.  Resources:https://www.rashaaridi.com/ Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell. Transition music by BLKBOK

Dr. Steffany Moonaz founded Yoga for Arthritis after 8 years at Johns Hopkins University where she studied the effects of yoga for people living with arthritis. She now serves as the Director of Clinical and Academic Research at the Maryland University of Integrative Health, which offers the nation's only Masters of Science in Yoga Therapy. She continues to conduct research on the effects of yoga for chronic pain and joint conditions, and mentors yoga teachers, yoga therapists, and emerging researchers. She is passionate about ensuring that yoga practices are safe, welcoming, and appropriate for people with arthritis nationwide.Resources:https://arthritis.yoga/Mindful MinuteIn this episode, my biggest takeaway was when Steffany told us that meditation is an antidote for the effects of chronic pain on the brain. So if you're already a meditator, great. If not, where will you choose to practice regularly? In bed, sitting in a chair, sitting on the floor? How will you choose to practice regularly focusing on your breath, focusing on a word phrase or prayer or using visualization? So try a meditation that works for you today. Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

Annie Gaudreault is a holistic nutritionist, speaker, wellness coach.As a healthy aging expert and nutritionist, Annie founded VEEV Health & Wellness to support smart and successful women at mid life lose weight, sleep better and get more of what they want. An endurance athlete with 12 marathons and 3 Ironman triathlons under her belt, Annie lives what she preaches.A prior 25+ year career as a brand consultant working with executives of Fortune 500 companies gave her a solid background to serve the wellness needs of those living busy lives.She is a regular speaker to the media, corporations and lifestyle organizations on various topics of health and is a healthy aging expert.Resources:https://veev.ca/Mindful MinuteAnnie says that her driver, her value, is that she wants to age with strength, to be able to have the most quality of life for the longest amount of time. This is why she exercises and this is why she eats well. What's your driver for taking good care of yourself?Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

Dr. Cara Ooi is a sleep physician and psychiatrist.  She works with teens with insomnia, delivering a modified version of cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).  She is also the host of the new podcast, Find the Eight, a Sleep Podcast for Teens which breaks down key sleep concepts and strategies into episodes of 10 minutes or less.  She obtained her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario then completed her residency and subspecialty training in General Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Dr. Ooi subsequently completed a fellowship in Sleep Medicine, during which she received training in cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) from clinical psychologist Dr. Colleen Carney, a world expert in CBT-I and principal investigator of the Sleep and Depression Lab at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.   Dr. Ooi is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and has an academic appointment (Lecturer) with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.Resources:Social media handlesInstagram @Find The Eight PodcastYouTube channel: Find the Eight PodcastWebsite: https://www.findtheeight.com/Mindful MinuteWhat's a fun activity you can try this week to connect with your teen? How might you try practicing empathy with your teen? And if you want some tips to help your teen get better sleep, don't forget to check out Cara's podcast, "Find the Eight."Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

Bayano Kamani is a former 2-time Olympian hurdler (2004 Greece where he placed 5th in the finals, and 2008 Beijing where he placed in the semi-finals). His specialty is in the 400 meter hurdles, where he holds the South American record and he ran the second fastest time in the world of 47.84 in 2005. He was raised in Houston and represented Panama in the Olympics. Prior to the Olympics, he was a 4 time NCAA Champion and 12 time NCAA All-American while representing Baylor. He earned a degree from Baylor in 2002 with a BBA in Management Information Systems. Resources:https://artuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/coaches/bayano-kamani/232https://gretchenrubin.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayano_KamaniMindful Minute -Everybody's different. Everybody has different motivations. You are an individual. Gretchen Rubin's work identifies four tendencies. What motivates us? An upholder meets outer and inner expectations. A questioner resists outer but meets inner expectations. An obliger resists inner, but meets outer expectations. And a rebel resists both inner and outer expectations. Which are you? And what value does exercise add to your life?Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.Additional music by Tim Buell

Do you want to have a full and more vibrant life? Then, don't neglect a single part of your health. Taking care of yourself responsibly means balancing your social, emotional, mental, physical, intellectual, and spiritual health. It's a multidimensional, more comprehensive, and more rewarding approach. I hope you have enjoyed and learned ways to improve your social, emotional, and mental health so far. Now it's time to nurture our physical health! All of my guests compel you to care for your body so that you don't just survive, but thrive  - Former 2x Olympian Bayano Kamani, Sleep physician and psychiatrist Dr. Cara Ooi, Healthy Aging Expert and Nutritionist Annie Gaudreault, and Founder of Yoga for Arthritis Dr. Steffany Moonaz. If you are curious about becoming a physically healthy human being, you will be happy you took the time to listen!

Dr. Andrea is the Founder & Chief Talker at Talk About Talk, a learning platform focused on communication skills. She has an insatiable desire to learn. She managed a toy store, marketed cheese, earned a black belt, painted seascapes, started a book club, and taught MBA students. Andrea earned her Doctorate in Business Administration (Marketing) from Harvard Business School, where her dissertation focused on consumer psychology and word-of-mouth. (She is still obsessed with understanding why you said whatever it is that you just said!) To satisfy her desire to learn, Andrea created “Talk About Talk” - a platform to share her research and interviews with experts. She would love to talk! You can connect with her at Andrea@TalkAboutTalk.com.Resources:https://talkabouttalk.com/Conclusion:Mindful Minute -Mantra Meditation - “I am enough” Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

When walking 200 feet from the parking to her office left her breathless, Dawn knew something was wrong. In 2009, she was diagnosed with a rare chronic lung disease that doctors told her would get worse over time. With no treatments and no cure, she ignored the diagnosis until her disease suddenly worsened in 2018. Over the course of six months, she went from running 10 miles a week to barely able to climb a flight of stairs.She learned to manage the physical aspects, but the mental and emotional challenges proved more difficult. One day she was healthy, strong, and independent. The next, she was sick, weak, and dependent. Her sense of self shattered, she became anxious and depressed. Determined to reclaim her life, she began a new journey. New practices — meditation, journaling, exercise, and breathing exercises — help her cope with all aspects of her disease.Her new words? Optimistic, resilient, and curious. Mindful Minute -Meditation - Sit. Breathe. Overthinking? Bring your awareness to your brain. Feeling? Bring your awareness to your heart. Be curious. Observe. Let go of judgment. Notice your thoughts and be willing to let them go.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

What does being the most annoying flight attendant have to do with your health? How does knowing what you want and who you are make a productive life more effortless? And why am I obsessed with my Jeanne joggers? My guest today is designer and founder of BEMO designs. She's a yoga instructor, mom of three boys. She's Becky Mocarski. And she is here to answer these questions and more. You can find her at -Instagram @bemodesignsFacebook @bemodesignsandhatsWebsite www.bemodesigns.comMindful MinuteMeditation - Sit. Breathe. You don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to fix anything. You are ok in this moment. Be here now.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), yours truly on percussion and produced by Tim Buell.

Lisa Lackey is an esteemed therapy practitioner and dynamic trauma expert who is driven by a passion to support people as they journey towards resolution from the inside out. Lisa holds two Master’s Degrees, one in Education from the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University and one in Counseling from National-Louis University. She is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) Certified Multiple Addictions Therapist (CMAT), and a Level II EMDR therapist with training in Somatic Transformation. A veteran therapist who has specialized in addiction and trauma since 1994, Lisa is a thought leader who has focused on practicing cutting-edge trauma healing strategies, exploring and breaking down society’s ingrained intergenerational trauma as a direct impact of racism, childhood trauma & addiction, and helping all people break the cycles and patterns of abuse and pain. Lisa co-founded Insideout Living in 1999 with her husband Steve as they traveled their own insideout proceess of discovering challenging, replacing disruptive patterns with patterns resilience. Insideoutliving was birthed from gratitude, personal process & an insatiable desire to bring more healing into the world. Insideout Living is a clinical practice dedicated to assisting people in making sense of overwhelming, confusing, traumatic experiences that they survived, restructuring the physical impacts of trauma or neglect in their brains, and creating new patterns of wellbeing. In addition to practicing at Insideout, Lisa has served as a thought leader, public speaker, pastor, and leadership development consultant. Using her advanced knowledge of trauma, Lisa has created podcasts, speeches, and community initiatives that tackle society’s deepest wounds, including wounds that Black men and women cope with as a result of longstanding intergenerational trauma, and high functioning successful people that struggle with changing patterns that no longer serve them. Whether it is helping guide someone through addiction, patterns that are no longer useful or connecting with diverse groups and leaders, Lisa promotes trust, safety, and collaboration wherever she goes. Equally talented as both a clinician and as a subject matter expert, Lisa is a compassionate, emotionally intelligent, engaging woman who connects as easily and warmly with a large audience as she does with an individual client. You can find her here.Daphne Bishop has nearly 20 years of experience advising and defending small to Fortune 500 companies in all types of industries against the gamut of employment-related claims. That gives me a unique advantage in helping companies prevent, investigate and resolve employee and institutional misconduct. Combining my litigation and counseling experience, my practice now focuses on providing internal investigation services as a neutral third party investigator or a strategic advisor. Clients rely on my extensive experience to ensure that employee complaints are promptly and thoroughly investigated, so that should a claim arise out of an investigation they minimize their overall legal risk. Connect with her on LinkedIn. Mindful MinuteHIDDENWoman, why do you whisper so?Why do you walk on tiptoe? Surrendering to the bullshit status quo!Surrounded by the walking dead everywhere you go? Woman come out of hiding!Be home be home be home. Conditioned to always do the right thing.Pining away for that wedding ring.Feeling like a puppet on a string.Tension rising, ready to spring! Woman come out of hiding!Be home be home be home. Banging your head in your own cage!Suffocating from your blinding rage!Turning a blind eye to pain unassuaged.Hoping it will go away with age. Woman come out of hiding!Be home be home be home. Willing to compromise yourself for connection.Because you are so afraid of rejection?In constant search of affection.Self loathing staring at your reflection!Woman come out of hiding!Be home be home be home.By Nadine KellyMusic:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

Don't miss four episodes in May and June of 2021, focusing on mental health - "Manage Stress - The Strong Black Woman Syndrome, with Lisa Lackey and Daphne Bishop", "Work Productively with Becky Mocarski", "Realize Your Potential with Dawn Repola", and "Foster Confidence with Dr. Andrea Wojnicki"

THE STORY - by ErikaWe go togetherThis isn’t another story about a misogynistic sociopath. There are far too many stories about individuals with that particular affliction circulating in the world right now. Although one of the characters technically fits the description of one, he is merely a preface, a context setter for the real love story. So let’s get that part of the story out of the way. I fell in love with and entered an exclusive committed long-distance relationship with a man I met in July of 2015 at the Essence Festival in New Orleans. The man looked great on paper…came from a good family, was an established physician and entrepreneur, and was a self-proclaimed “serial monogamist.” We intertwined our family and friends, and got into a groove of traveling back and forth on a monthly basis from California where I live, to Houston, Texas where he called home. As our relationship progressed and became serious, we developed plans for a real time relationship and set a date for him to relocate to California. Several months before the designated move date, he was arrested under a federal DEA indictment for conspiring to sell opioids for cash payments without medical necessity at a pain management clinic he had opened. He now had to get permission to leave the state, temporarily squashing our plan of living in California.  I didn’t doubt his innocence for a second, and as the “ride or die” girlfriend supported him as his professional and legal battles ramped up, all the while living for that “future state” relationship that could start as soon as his challenges were resolved.  I trusted him totally and completely, so it goes without saying I was completely blindsided when almost three years into our relationship groove and my waiting game for a real time relationship, I received a call from a woman I know in Houston who had been contacted by his other exclusive, committed girlfriend of 3 years, who also lived in Houston.  The other girlfriend saw a text message from me on his phone the night before and asked about me. When he became excessively defensive, she did her research and found a photo of me posing with the mutual acquaintance on Facebook, contacted her and he had officially been made.  He had been leading two completely separate and intricately fabricated lives in plain sight and with complicit onlookers. Everyone in his circle had known about us, but us.   In a stupor of mortification, I called and confronted him.  Even though I knew he was lying to me about her significance in his life, he reluctantly admitted to cheating and I dumped him immediately. I felt betrayed by everyone, and I didn't want to speak with her. I felt it would be way too painful for me to get the gory details until a friend said “Erika, you may want to speak with her because at this point it’s not about you or what you need to do - it may protect her from making a huge mistake.” I wasn't convinced, but I slept on it and to my own surprise woke up feeling compelled to try and connect with her…one woman to another.  Her name is Shawn. Too often women in situations like ours turn on each other, or group the other survivor in with the same emotions they have for the perpetrator. It’s a common equation on Real Housewife-esque TV shows: man two-times women + women find out = women want to throw glasses of wine in each other’s faces. Huh? Sure, the day I spoke with Shawn was one of the most heart wrenching and painful days of my adult life. We compared notes and traded receipts until I felt dizzy and wanted to throw up. He had lied to both of us up to the bitter end, and the depths of the duplicitous behavior, lies and betrayal was almost unfathomable.  He was a master manipulator, lying and deceiving in ways I had never seen.  She had plans to move in with him and they were preparing to get pregnant over the summer.  When he told me he was going to therapy to work through some issues for us, he was actually going to couples counseling with her.  He even had the minutia covered, putting out the picture of us during my visits, and hiding it when I wasn’t in town. During my last trip to Houston, he told me he had to work an overnight shift at the emergency room, but was really spending the night at her house to cover his tracks with her for going missing for so long. The night I learned these truths and countless more, I laid in a fetal position… on my living room floor… and cried, until I fell asleep. I felt jealousy and rage in ways I didn’t think were possible for me. Yet,  in spite of all these very potent, real and raw emotions, at my core there was an anchor of deep caring and empathy for Shawn and a fierce protectiveness over us both. Her tenderness and kindness towards me communicated the same. I will never forget that as we shared photos and timelines through a flurry of screen shots, she apologized for having to show them, letting me know that she didn't want to hurt me but just wanted me to know she was telling the truth. I cried with relief when I read that.  She wasn’t going to be another person who was reckless with my feelings. The qualities that our partner lacked by sheer definition of being a sociopath, - empathy, compassion, transparency, authenticity and vulnerability - we gave one another in spades from day one.  We began to talk every day by text and then by phone.  We supported each other through the hand wringing and humiliating process of STD testing and shared our results because we had evidence that the “serial monogamist” was being intimate with other women in addition to us. I helped her find a therapist, and as women of strong spiritual faith and practices, we began to share learnings from our individual therapy sessions, spiritual teachings, and a book on reclaiming ourselves that we chose to read together.  Soon, our communications had very little to do with him, and everything to do with the many things we shared in common, acknowledging our strengths, freedom and beauty, and gratitude for one another.  He had co-opted parts of our personalities, values and interests, and played them out with the other so frequently that I came to realize that what I had liked most about him as a person, was actually her.To this day, I am still working through the trauma, still having intrusive thoughts resulting from being an unwitting participant in a life that was a daily and endless lie and had me in a psychological vice for months following the discovery. And here’s the kicker…I have a doctorate in clinical psychology. Exactly. The self-judgment around how I should have known or figured it out sooner has forced me to use every tool I own from my training and personal development work to find peace and self-compassion. Shawn was the only person who could truly understand the level of embarrassment, loss, rage and betrayal I cycled through on a daily basis, so it seemed quite natural to gravitate towards her. Our friends have been understandably anxious about our friendship, and several have asked how we could develop such closeness with the one person who is the biggest reminder of each other's pain. And my answer is the same I would give for any relationship - good communication, honesty, tenderness, and boundaries. We were forthcoming and clear with one another about what felt safe to talk about, what wasn't and the overarching ways we wanted to support each other that felt healthy and healing.  We have honored those verbal contracts.  I can't think of a more restorative experience.  As I reflect on how we have showed up for each other, I feel immense pride. We rose to our highest selves in our darkest moments as an act of self-love and love for a woman who was a complete stranger when our worlds collided. Shawn's encouragement, vulnerability and validation of my experience has been the mirror that I needed to practice loving myself better, and the antidote to distrust.  Her warmth has created the opportunity for me to open my heart and love someone in the midst of immense pain.  At a time when I could have, and likely would have shut off my heart, I was beginning a platonic love affair with someone I now think of as my sister and dear friend. The true blessing that came from my relationship with my ex is that I was presented with the opportunity to observe and internalize new learnings about my strength, value and capacity in a deep way, and that I met and have traveled this path with her.  It is remarkable how embracing our solidarity and inherent connections as women can be such a powerful agent for personal transformation when it matters most. So this is where the real story begins – a story of sisterly love between two women who showed up for one another tenderly and fiercely.  To this day, Shawn and I have never met in the flesh, never video-chatted, and we don't follow one another on any social media outlets. Perhaps we've naturally created these firewalls in our relationship to provide just a little distance from the weight of it all, or maybe that's just our sweet spot right now, and simply enough. After all, we're still re-envisioning parts of our lives, and it's early in the game (a game that we're definitely winning, I might add). Nevertheless, as the aftershocks have settled, we recently made plans to meet in person on her next trip to California. This real time reunion won’t involve any wine throwing.There’s an African proverb that states: if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.  We have a ways yet to travel on our recovery journey, but we will make it, because we go together.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

This week, on The YOGI MD Podcast, we talk Emotional Health: Experiencing Grief with my daughter Lizzi Kelly. In March of 2020, in her sophomore year at Grinnell College, spring break began two weeks early, as the students evacuated campus as a result of the pandemic. On this episode, Lizzi talks shares her lifelong struggle to fit in at school, thriving in her college community, grieving the abrupt disruption of her college experience, and finally, by taking a semester off, confronting years of habitual negative self-talk to become the well rounded and healthy person she wants to be.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

Marie Skelton is an Australian author, speaker and podcaster. She is on a mission to learn how to cope with change, build resilience and maintain mental wellness.Marie is the voice behind the Happiness for Cynics blog, and she co-hosts the weekly Happiness for Cynics podcast. She is the co-author of the book Self-care is church for non-believers: A little book of happiness. She is currently writing a non-fiction book, researching change and the global rise in stress and burnout and looking into how we can build resilience to cope better with the modern world.Marie started her career in journalism before working in public affairs and then change management for some of the world’s largest tech and financial services companies, both in Australia and the U.S. She was an elite athlete, playing volleyball for Australia and on scholarship at George Mason University in the U.S. She also captained her State volleyball team in the Australian Volleyball League.Following a motorbike accident overseas that nearly took her life, and leg, she began researching how people cope with major life changes to find out why some people are so resilient when dealing with whatever life throws at them, while others struggle. Since her accident, she has become passionate about mental health and writes about how to cope with change and maintain mental wellness, particularly in the face of change.This is one of four episodes of the Emotional Health Domain, where we learn how to experience and express our emotions, respond to others’ feelings, and show compassion. In this episode, we focus on prioritizing happiness with Marie Skelton, Australian author, speaker, and the co-host of the Happiness of Cynics podcast. Marie is passionate about studying the subject of happiness and resilience.What does it mean to be happy?Should we strive for happiness?What are three, research proven keys to happiness?Marie tackles these questions and more.Resources:Social mediahttps://twitter.com/MarieSkeltonhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/marieskeltonhttps://www.facebook.com/Writer.Speaker.MarieSkeltonhttps://www.pinterest.com.au/MarieSkeltonHappiness/https://www.youtube.com/c/MarieSkeltonMindful MinuteMeditation - Anchoring is a way to settle the mind on a sensation. It can be your breath, a sound, sight, or touch. When your mind wanders, bring it back.Choose an object on which to focus your gaze. How about a candle? Find a comfortable place and seat where you will not be disturbed. Light your candle. Place it at a comfortable distance from your gaze. Keep your eyes soft. Observe the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise without judgement. Be willing to let them go. You will hear a bell, bringing you back to the present moment, after a minute, all the time you need.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

Joyce Marter has been a licensed psychotherapist for over twenty years and is the Founder of Urban Balance, an insurance-friendly counseling practice that currently has over 160 therapists working from seventeen locations in six states. She is an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University and a Past-Chair of the Midwest Region of the American Counseling Association.Joyce is routinely consulted as a mental health expert in the media, featured in such outlets as The Wall Street Journal, CNN and MTV. She is a member of the National Speakers Association and is a national keynote speaker. Her book, The Financial Mindset Fix: A Mental Fitness Program for an Abundant Life, will be published by Sounds True in July.This is one of four episodes of the Emotional Health Domain, where we learn how to experience and express our emotions, respond to others’ feelings, and show compassion. In this episode, we focus on the healthy expression of anger, anger’s imposters, and the number of ways we benefit when we learn to forgive our transgressors.Resources:https://www.joyce-marter.com/Mindful MinuteMeditation - Anchoring is a way to settle the mind on a sensation. It can be your breath, a sound, sight, or touch. When your mind wanders, bring it back.We will focus in our bodies, from our feet to the top of our heads. feet and ankles, legs and knees, thighs and hips, abdomen and chest, back, upper arms and shoulders, elbows and forearms, wrists and hands, head and neck. Now pick one area and stay there.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim

Do you want to have a full and more vibrant life? Then, don’t neglect a single part of your health. Taking care of yourself responsibly means balancing your social, emotional, mental, physical, intellectual, and spiritual health. It’s a multidimensional, more comprehensive, and more rewarding approach. I hope you have enjoyed and learned ways to improve your social health so far - Contributing to Community with Seth Godin, Effective Communication with Bernadette Jiwa, Fulfilling Family Responsibilities with my Parents, Raymond and Llanick Pierre, and Caring for Others with Cherise Fisher. Now it’s time to nurture our emotional health - Expressing Anger with Therapist, Author, and Speaker Joyce Marter, Prioritizing Happiness with Australian author and podcaster Marie Skelton, Experiencing Grief with my daughter and Grinnell College Student Lizzi Kelly, and Showing Real Love & Compassion with Erika and Shawn. If you are curious about becoming an emotionally healthy human being, you will be happy you took the time to listen!


Cherise Fisher began her career in publishing as the assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of Dell Publishing a month after graduating from Yale University. Over the course of her twenty-five year career as an acquiring editor at Simon & Schuster and the Editor in Chief of Plume (an imprint of Penguin Random House), she has edited and published several national bestselling and award winning authors, including George Lopez, Nelson George, Victoria Christopher Murray, Bil Wright, Sadeqa Johnson, and Tony Parsons.As an agent, Cherise Fisher is interested in working with novelists who have several compulsively readable yarns in their head and are committed to perfecting their craft as storytellers. She will advocate for memoirs that uncover the diversity of human experience, and take on non-fiction writers who are experts on a variety of topics such as personal development, health and sexuality, racial identity, Christianity and spirituality, diet and fitness, African American history, and pop culture. Her intention is that all the books she helps bring into the world are relevant, enduring, and help readers maximize joy and productivity in their lives. Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.In this episode, the subject is Social Health, “Caring for Others.”Cherise and I discuss what it takes to become her father’s primary caretaker, how this new role has affected her young daughters, how she takes care of herself, and more.Resources:https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherisedavisfisher1/https://www.facebook.com/thescribeswindow/ Conclusion:Mindful Minute -Caring for an ailing parent is a major shift in the parent/child relationship. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. Meeting those challenges may lead to personal neglect.Here are 3 questions to consider to take good care of yourself in order to be your best as a caregiver.What is your personal definition of what it means to be healthy?What are you willing to say yes to?What will you say no to?

This is my parents’ story. In 1968, after they were married, my dad left Haiti to start a new life in Chicago. My mother joined him a year later. They had a dream to have a family. Because of their sacrifices, they not only fulfilled their family responsibilities, but they made it possible for our family to thrive, not just survive.  I want to thank my parents for this special opportunity to document an important story for my family, using this powerful platform I love, podcasting.In this episode, the subject is Social Health - Fulfilling Family ResponsibilitiesMy parents and I talk about:What compelled them to leave Haiti and immigrate to the U.S.Life in Haiti.Cultural shock.The sacrifices they made to have a family.My maternal great grandmother’s and grandmother’s unconditional acts of love - living and caring for our family.Realizing their hopes and dreams for their grandchildren.And much more.Conclusion:Mindful Minute -“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”  James BaldwinWill you choose to learn your story from your family’s elders? What is the legacy you want to leave behind for the next generation?Music:Haiti Mali by Sidy Maiga https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Sidy_Maiga/AS220_Foo_Fest_2016_Sampler/10_Haiti_MaliThe YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell

Bernadette Jiwa is a writer, creator of The Story Skills workshop and founder of the  Right Company business community. Her bestselling books are modern classics on mastering the art of storytelling for impact. She helps people to become their most influential and inspiring selves and use their stories for good.In this episode, the subject is Social Health - Effective Communication. Bernadette has been helping thousands of people communicate by becoming skilled storytellers for over a decade. In our episode, we examine how telling our stories has created more honest connections with the people in our lives. Stories can take many forms, including spoken, written, and musical. You can experience all three in this episode!Resources:https://thestoryoftelling.com/Conclusion:Mindful Minute -Spend a week looking for stories in your every day life. Write them down.Share them with the intention of forging a deeper connection with people you care about.See what happens.Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.Original Drum Solo by Nadine Kelly; Produced by Tim Buell

SETH GODIN is the author of 19 books that have been bestsellers around the world and have been translated into more than 35 languages. He’s also the founder of the altMBA and The Akimbo Workshops, online seminars that have transformed the work of thousands of people.He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything. You might be familiar with his books Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip  and Purple Cow. His latest book, This Is Marketing, was an instant bestseller around the world.In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth has founded several companies, including Yoyodyne and Squidoo. His blog (which you can find by typing “seth” into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. His podcast is in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide.In 2018, he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame. More than 20,000 people have taken his powerful Akimbo workshops, including the altMBA and The Marketing Seminar.In this episode, the subject is Social Health, “Contributing to Community”. Seth and I discuss how we are capable of doing our best work - work that matters - to create meaningful change in our communities, thereby creating a healthier society.Resources:https://www.akimbo.link/https://www.akimbo.com/ Music:The YOGI MD Podcast Theme Music by Lisette Kelly (bass and guitar), Maya Bishop (vocals), & Nadine Kelly (percussion); Produced by Tim Buell.

The YOGI MD Podcast has a new look and sound! In 2021, we will take a close look at six dimensions of health - social, mental, emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual. Social health kicks off 2021, with four episodes from January through February.My guests are Seth Godin, on Contributing to Community, Bernadette Jiwa, on Effective Communication, My Parents, on Fulfilling Family Responsibilities, and Cherise Fisher, on Caring for Others. Original Podcast Theme Music is  by Maya Bishop on vocals, Lizzi Kelly on guitar and bass, Nadine Kelly on percussion, and produced by Tim Buell.

The YOGI MD Podcast! has some exciting updates!I take your health and the wellbeing of this community of listeners very seriously!So in 2021, I am bringing you a new and improved format.We will look at the Multidimensional Model of Health, a holistic model consisting of the following domains -  Social, Emotional, Mental, Physical, Intellectual, and Spiritual Health.We will focus on one domain at a time, learning from very special guests about how to make each day healthier than the last.We also have a new sound - original theme music composed by my niece, Maya, my daughter Lizzi and yours truly, and produced by Tim Buell.I can’t wait to share it all with you.In the meantime, during the fall, you can catch up on any of the 145 interviews and Mindful Minute tips in the catalogue. Find them at yogimd.net on the podcast page.Take good care, thanks for being here. Thanks for taking this time for yourself. See you soon, on Wednesday, January 6, 2021!

This is the fourth and last episode of the four part Art of Storytelling Series. Artist and writer, Arlette Manasseh, talks about storytelling through art.Arlette Manasseh is completing an MLitt (Master of Letters) degree in Literature of Highlands & Islands at University of the Highlands and Islands, Scotland (June 2020). Her thesis is focusing on the characteristics of Literature produced in the Highlands and Islands in terms of a ‘Sense of Place’ and ‘dialectical Gaelic English’  She has a collection of poetry ‘Take the Silver Walk’ coming out later this year and is working on her first novel. She likes to volunteer and currently chair her local community biennial Three Lochs Arts and Book Festival.In this episode, we discuss:Living a creative life in service to our community.How art connects, heals, and transforms us.Arlette's personal definition of health.And much more…Resources:https://medium.com/swlh/the-science-of-storytelling-why-we-love-stories-fceb3464d4c3The Mindful MinuteI found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for. - Georgia O’Keefehttps://medium.com/swlh/the-science-of-storytelling-why-we-love-stories-fceb3464d4c3

Randy Heller has always been enthralled with the art of storytelling through writing. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Creative Writing, 25 years of experience as a digital marketer, marketing director, and web developer and is now a freelance writer for small businesses who wish to tell a better marketing story.In this episode, we talk about the power of storytelling through writing. A great story needs key ingredients and delights both audience and writer. And if you would like to make writing a habit, tune in for tips to make it an accessible practice.In this episode, we discuss:How Randy never could stray too far away from his calling as a writer.The key ingredients of a good story.What it means to him to share his work.Randy's personal definition of health.And much, much more.Resources:randyheller.comhttps://medium.com/swlh/the-science-of-storytelling-why-we-love-stories-fceb3464d4c3 The Mindful Minute -Here's a quote by author JK Rowling. "There's always room for a story that can transport people to another place."

Catherine Johns spent 20 years in Chicago radio as a news anchor and talk show host. In the 80’s and 90’s, she was a morning-show co-host with Larry Lujack and Fred Winston at WLS and then hosted her own evening talk show. She was one of the few female radio talk show hosts in the nation at that time. Later she teamed up with John Landecker at WJMK FM. After Catherine left radio, she joined another refugee from radio, Karen Hand to launch Positive Changes, a hypnosis center helping clients adopt healthy positive changes in their lives. Today, Catherine is a professional speaker and coaches professional clients in effective communication. In this episode, we discuss:Catherine’s magical radio broadcasting career.How Catherine re-invented her career after ending radio.What it means to connect with an audience through speaking.Catherine's personal definition of health.And much, much more.Resources:https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinejohns/  www.facebook.com/catherinejohnschicago https://twitter.com/catherinejjohnsOn Instagram: catherinejohns40 https://medium.com/swlh/the-science-of-storytelling-why-we-love-stories-fceb3464d4c3 The Mindful Minute -Here's a quote by the great Maya Angelou, "There is no greater agony than burying an untold story inside you." So, my friends, what's stopping you from telling your story?

Tim Buell is a Nashville-based drummer and educator. Tim has toured with multiple Nashville artists (Gloriana, Jana Kramer, Jerrod Niemann, Remedy Drive, Cody Fry, Adam Sanders) and records drums from his home studio and other studios in the Nashville area. In addition to touring and recording, Tim creates online drum-related content for his own website (timbuellmusic.com) and other content creators (Stephen’s Drum Shed, Vic Firth, Zildjian).Tim has also spent many years transcribing drum parts, which entails working with brands and drummers (Zildjian, Vic Firth, Ash Soan, Stephen’s Drum Shed, Aaron Spears) to transcribe and provide drum notation for many iconic drum performances and solos. To view some of those transcriptions, learn more about lessons, or to contact Tim, visit his website – https://www.timbuellmusic.com.In this episode, Tim and I talk about:How music tells a story.The key components to write a song so that it tells a story.How musicians in a band or ensemble communicate with each other.How musicians communicate with the listener.How music conveys emotions.How Tim has learned about the power of empathy for better relationships.Tim's  personal definition of what it means to be healthy.Resources:Tim’s Podcast - “You're Good. Get Better." Podcast - https://www.youregoodgetbetterpod.comTim’s website: https://www.timbuellmusic.comTim’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timbuellTim’sYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/timbuellYou can find Stephen Taylor at https://www.stephensdrumshed.com/https://medium.com/swlh/the-science-of-storytelling-why-we-love-stories-fceb3464d4c3The Mindful Minute:Your unique voice. Learn to love it. Accept it. Find ways you can express it.“Be who you are and say what you feel because the ones who mind don't matter, and the ones who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Seuss

Coming soon! Introduction to Storytelling Series with: Professional Musician and Drummer Tim Buell Professional Speaker and Coach Catherine Johns Master Storyteller and Writer Randy Heller Artist and Writer Arlette Manasseh

Praised by critics for her "astounding virtuosic gifts" (Boston Herald), "achingly pure sound” (The Toronto Star), and “impressive technical and interpretive control” (The New York Times), TRICIA PARK enjoys a diverse and eclectic career as a violinist, educator, curator, writer, and podcaster.Tricia is the producer and host of the podcast, “Is it Recess Yet? Confessions of a Former Child Prodigy.” She received the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant and was selected as one of "Korea's World Leaders of Tomorrow" by the Korean Daily Central newspaper. Since appearing in her first orchestral engagement at age 13 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, she has performed with the English Chamber Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, and National Symphony Orchestra of South Africa; the Montreal, Dallas, Cincinnati, Seattle, Honolulu, Nevada, and Lincoln Symphonies; and the Calgary, Buffalo, and Westchester and Naples Philharmonics. Tricia has given recitals throughout the United States and abroad, including a highly acclaimed performance at the Ravinia Rising Stars series. She also performs as half of the violin-fiddle duo, Tricia & Taylor, with fiddler-violinist, Taylor Morris.Tricia is the founder of the Solera Quartet, the winner of the Pro Musicis International Award and the first American chamber ensemble chosen for this distinction. Acclaimed as “top-notch, intense, stylish, and with an abundance of flare and talent,” the Solera Quartet performed their debut recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall to celebrate their addition to Pro Musicis’ roster. The Soleras’ debut album, Every Moment Present, features music by Janacek, Mendelssohn, and Caroline Shaw and was hailed by the New York Times hailed as “intoxicating….The quartet’s playing on the recording is sensitive and finely articulated throughout and the sound bright and vivid.”Other career highlights include Tricia’s recital debut at the Kennedy Center, appearances at the Lincoln Center Festival in Bright Sheng's The Silver River, her Korean debut performance with the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Orchestra and collaborations with composer Tan Dun. As First Violinist of the Maia Quartet from 2005-2011, she performed at Lincoln Center and the 92nd Street Y in New York and Beijing’s Forbidden City Hall and was on faculty at the University of Iowa.Passionate about arts education and community development, Tricia is the co-founder and artistic director of MusicIC, a chamber music festival that explores the connections between music and literature. In 2019, Tricia received an MFA from the Writing Program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she was a recipient of the New Artist Society Scholarship and was awarded a Writing Fellow Prize. Her writing has been published in Cleaver, Alyss and F News Magazines.Tricia received her Bachelor and Master of Music from the Juilliard School where she studied with Dorothy DeLay. She was a recipient of the Starling-DeLay Teaching Fellowship at the Juilliard School. She has studied and performed chamber music with Felix Galimir, Pinchas Zukerman, Cho-Liang Lin, Michael Tree, Gary Hoffman, Paul Neubauer, Robert McDonald, and members of the American, Guarneri, Juilliard, and Orion String Quartets as well as the new music group, Eighth Blackbird. Other former teachers include Cho-Liang Lin, Donald Weilerstein, Hyo Kang and Piotr Milewski.Currently, Tricia is an Artist-in-Residence and Lecturer in Chamber Music and Violin and Viola Performance at the University of Chicago.Connect with her here. RESOURCESDr. Derald Wing SuCitizen, by Claudia RankineI would like to thank Tricia for the music in episode - Cesar Franck's Violin Sonata performed with the pianist Domenic Cheli.Photo credit - Denise Karis  

Dynamic, energetic and transparent are the words often used to describe U.S.A.F. Veteran, Fitness Olympian, 2019 Exceptional Woman of Color Honoree, Survivor of Domestic Violence, Globally Recognized Health and Personal Development Expert, 13 x Author, Dynamic Speaker, Creator of Healthy Balanced You Wellness Program for working women and CEO of N-Powered Coaching Academy, Laticia “Action” Jackson.Voted Best Personal Trainer on the Gulf Coast 2016, Action has been featured in over 30 health and personal development magazines such as Oxygen Magazine Australia, Muscle and Fitness Hers and Writers Life Magazine where she shares thought leadership on mental, physical and emotional health. You will often find her featured on TV stations such as NBC News, Seattle’s King 5, WEAR Channel 3, WSRE, Blab TV, CW 31, ABC 10, FOX 40 and other stations where she educates communities on public health issues such as domestic violence, obesity and heart disease. Her amazing ability to weave together personal and professional information that ignites personal change has led her to being the keynote speaker for events such as The Joint Commission's Women’s Military Leadership Symposium, Emmett Till's Legacy Foundation’s Loving from the Inside Out Symposium, Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Paint the City Pink Breast Cancer Event, Brokers International Women’s Fall Business Retreat, Girls on The Rise Empowerment Conference, The Next Big Thing Destin Chamber of Commerce Business Conference and Global Strike Commands Women’s Leadership Conference.   Action is on a mission to transform the lives of millions, one presentation, one workshop, one online program and one coaching session at a time!Log on to Action’s website to learn more about her fitness and wellness programs! (https://www.npoweredcoaching.com/fit-n-5).And register for the 6-week online wellness program for African-American women called “Changing the Norm”.  With all of the alarming chronic diseases that disproportionately affect AA women, it’s time to change these Norms! www.npoweredcoaching.com/changing-the-normGet social with Action Today!Social Media Handles-PersonalFacebook@laticiajackson-BusinessInstagram@Npoweredcoachingacademy Facebook@Npoweredcoachingacademy Instagram@Npoweredcoachingacademy Youtube@Npoweredcoachingacademy  Learn More About Her!NBC News Documentary (Over 67 k views)  https://youtu.be/yFFAp1UpZ1QThe Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium https://youtu.be/MoAgC8zr8xIThe Powerful Women of Gulf Coast Presentation: https://youtu.be/ozQobM8Td3YBrunch: https://youtu.be/Gqnx3b2ilXwWEAR Channel 3 Domestic: https://youtu.be/EDtFz0pdKrEBlab TV: https://youtu.be/ZI6SyViNEGQWSRE Interview with Jeff Weeks: https://youtu.be/bezx-hWsgfQAFGSC 's 2018 Women's Leadership Symposium about self- empowerment https://bit.ly/2vfOQAp

Shirley Archer, a graduate of Stanford University, Harvard University and Georgetown University Law Center, is an integrative health promoter and advocate, best-selling author of 16 books, award-winning fitness industry leader and health journalist, with over 25 years experience in mind-body holistic health and wellness. She's a former New York City attorney turned full-time integrative health advocate, meditation teacher, public speaker, author and yogini. Through her live younger blog, over 1,000 magazine articles, books, podcasts and videos, Shirley inspires people worldwide to take personal responsibility for creating optimal health and longevity through a mindful approach to healthy living along with simple to apply tips based on Eastern wisdom and evidence-based information.It's important to Shirley to not only offer the "what to do", but also explain the "why do it" and "why NOW". Shirley's career as a high-powered attorney in New York City was stalled by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Overcoming illness, burnout and depression, compounded by panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder from a violent assault she survived at 16, she restored her health after conventional doctors gave up and told her she may never feel well again, [Shirley refused to believe that!]. Her challenging personal journey to reclaim her health inspired Shirley to dedicate herself to sharing hard-earned health information with others.Her self-healing journey from trauma and illness inspired her 15-year Stanford University career at the Health Improvement Program and Health Promotion Resource Center at the Stanford Prevention Research Center at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She supplemented her legal education with a course at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and classes toward a Health Psychology Education degree at the Stanford University School of Education, along with countless continuing education courses and formal certifications in mind-body medicine, the MBSR program, mindfulness meditation, yogic meditation, guided visualization, aroma and nature therapy.Shirley draws on her personal background blending traditional East Asian holistic values from her Japanese mom [augmented by her Master's Degree from Harvard in East Asian Studies and time spent living in Japan] and a love of Western science and logic from her American dad. She's a columnist, features writer and contributing editor for Fitness Journal. She's achieved certification in mindful modalities including yoga, Pilates and meditation. She received the internationally acclaimed IDEA Fitness Instructor of the Year award in 2008 for her industry leadership, particularly in promoting an integrative, mindful approach to health and fitness and to welcoming and promoting movement for health for diverse people of all sizes, ages and abilities. Currently, she’s training to become a certified Forest Therapy Guide (also known as Shinrin Yoku) with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.Happily married to a Swiss man and step-mom of 3 beautiful children (now amazing young adults), you can find Shirley hiking with her beloved German Shepherd, Cheyenne, either on beautiful Swiss trails or in sunny California, speaking at conferences worldwide, and being featured in various high-profile media including USA Today, Washington Post, Health, Fitness, Shape and cnn.com.If you want to learn about:How Shirley Archer made her way from being a high powered attorney on Wall Street to becoming an integrative holistic health promoter and advocate.Health as a journey and an evolving process.Why there’s no magic pill that can solve our health issues.Why humans can benefit from a digital detox.Why science proves that humans benefit from and are a part of nature.How we can bring nature into our homes to feel better.The importance of a mindfulness/meditation practice.And much, much more.Tune in!

Dr. Wallace J Nichols, marine biologist and author of Blue Mind, and I chat about:Our water storiesHow being near, in , on, or under water makes us happier and healthierThe difference between Blue Mind, Red Mind, and Gray MindTherapeutic applications of spending time in the waterThe Blue Marbles ProjectAnd More...You can find him on social media by searching @wallacejnichols and the #bluemind hashtag. 

Summer is here! It's time to soak up nature and it has so many health benefits! Tune in for clips from upcoming episodes for July celebrating nature! My guests are Dr. Wallace J Nichols, author of Blue Mind and Shirley Archer, best selling author of 16 books, yogini, health advocate and educator.

Dr. Amy Novotny founded the PABR Institute™ with the mission to provide pain, stress and anxiety relief to those who seek a naturalistic form of treatment when other treatment methods have fallen short. Her unique approach comes from her experience treating in a variety of settings and with a wide range of patient populations over the past 10 years. Her background in orthopedics, sports, geriatrics, balance disorders, nerve injuries, and most recently, chronic pain; and influences from coursework at the Postural Restoration Institute gave her the foundation to develop this treatment method to address a wide variety of painful and restrictive conditions.   She customizes all treatment plans to the individual to help them achieve their goals, whether it is to pick up a child, get through a work day pain free or play a sport.  She co-authored a #1 Best-Selling book Don’t Quit: Stories of Persistence, Courage and Faith, which shares her journey on how and why she developed the PABR Method™.  Her ability to speak French and Spanish has allowed her to communicate with and help various clients from all around the world, including France, Mexico, Central America and South America.  She has a variety of interests including running 40+ marathons, running 10 ultra marathons (including two 100 milers), completing an Ironman triathlon, photographing wildlife and landscapes all over the world that has led to several of her images being chosen as Photos of the Day, most notably National Geographic Your Shot World Top Photo of the Day. In this episode, we talk about:How and why she founded PABR (Pain Awareness Breathing Relief) Institute.The principles of PABR.How she studied breathing to stop having pain and increase her running speed.How she has helped clients with PABR techniquesExamples of clients who have avoided surgery, decreased the use of medications, and diminished stress using PABR.She also leads us through a breathing exercise.Resources:You can find her at:Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-amy-novotny/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dramynovotnyInstagram: @anovotn, @pabrinstituteTwitter: @amynovotnyazMindful Minute -By Dr. Amy: “What we're going to do today is go through some of the basics of the breathing techniques that I teach. I encourage everyone to sit all the way back into the chair back and not try not sit on the edge of the chair. Don't arch your back. I want to let the low back relax into the chair back without any lumbar support, just naturally let it go back. And when you do that, let your tailbone curl under you a little bit. And then for your legs, we want the knees relatively close together, kind of in line with your hips, and then your feet flat on the floor so that your heels are brown. So the next thing I want you to do is to let your belly button out, let that gut hang out and let it relax. We're going to go through a four step breathing process that I do with everyone. I start off with a simple process. It gets more complicated than that. But we're going to start out very basic today. And just to get you into a rhythm, so the four steps are, I breathe in through my nose. I pause a second, I blow out through my mouth. And then I pause, hold my breath for three seconds. So I'm going to breathe in.  Pause, then I blow out through my mouth.And I pause, holding my breath, three seconds, and then I breathe in. (blows out) And then I breathe in. And blow out (blows out)” To see the full video, please go here.

Allison Wilmes is an experienced movement therapist who specializes in getting her clients out of back pain. Her mission is to holistically heal and transform lives, one body at a time. She works at the intersection of the body and mind, combining individualized, gentle movements with cognitive and emotional tools to get clients out of back pain. In addition to her yoga therapy certification, training in somatics, postural alignment and functional movement, she holds a B.A. in Psychology from St. Mary's College.In this episode, we talk about:How and why Allison is a Holistic Movement Therapist.Different causes of back pain.Complimentary modalities for alleviating back pain.Examples of clients Allison has helped.And much more.You can find her at - https://wisemoves.info/The Mindful Minute From “How to Sit”Hi, I'm Alison Wilmes with Wise Moves yoga and movement therapy to relieve back pain. We spend so much of our time sitting that it's important to know how to sit correctly. When I need to be active and focused such as when I'm working on the computer or something at the table. Then I sit forward in my chair with one foot closer to the chair than the other.I have my foot under the knee that's in front, and then I have my other foot drawn back under the chair. This angles the knee down. This also lets me tip my pelvis forward, lifting my tailbone, and now my spine stacks over that with a little bit of length. I can bring my shoulders back, and then I can work at my table or desk with focus for as long as I want. It doesn't matter which foot is in front of the other. Just remember to switch occasionally or whenever you get up and move around.This is just part of the information that she shares. To see the whole thing, watch and follow along on this YouTube video.

Here's a list of the top 10 episodes:10. Introduction to a Healthy You9. The Power of Words with Professor Marcia Mikulak/ Ms. Kelly Goes to Kenya8.  The Indefatiguable Alexandria DiPalma Celebrates One Year of Podcasting with Me!7. Leah Allen, Assistant Professor in Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies6. Thalia Bishop Navigates Anxiety with Integrity5. Communicating Effectively with Marketing and Communications Expert Dr. Andrea Wojnicki4. “Not Dealing with Aging is a Way of Not Dealing with Living” with Author Ashton Applewhite3. A Conversation with Dr. Jennings, Author of “The Aging Brain”2. Holistic Nutritionist Teri Mosey - The Food and Chronic Inflammation Connection1. Author Steve Ritter Teaches Us about Healthy Teams/Relationships

Dr. Josie Dovidio became the host of Josieology Podcast after deciding to take a sabbatical from her 22 year career in clinical dentistry. Accustomed to caring for thousands of patients over her long career, she realized that her own health was starting to suffer as a result of inadequate self care and undefined boundaries. Her mission now, through her podcast and social media outlets, is to give people permission to pivot out of situations that no longer serve them and be empowered to make tough decisions that will aid in longevity and wellness. She believes that mindset, as well as being in tune with the physical body, is the true recipe for success. You can find her podcast here.In this episode, Josie and I talk about:Why she became a dentist.Why she decided to go on sabbatical.If she has any regrets about becoming a dentist and owning her own practice.If there is a way to have real work life balance.How she views self-care.Why she went into podcasting.What she loves about podcasting.And more…The Mindful MinuteAn active take on a meditation. It’s good for the monkey mind!Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit, preferably at your desk or a table. Place a pen and a pad of paper on the table in front of you. To do this exercise you will close your eyes, breathe, and each time you have a thought, open your eyes and write it down. Close your eyes again. Let’s do this for one minute. When you hear my voice, open your eyes. Observe what you wrote without judgment. Try repeating this exercise on a regular basis to notice your thought patterns, to practice self-compassion, and to celebrate taking time for yourself.

Ujayi Breath is a yogic breathing technique. It helps to ease tension in your body and calm your mind. Learn to practice this breath to cope in the midst of our tumultuous circumstances.

Dr Orlena Kerek trained as a pediatric doctor in the UK. In 2011 she moved to Spain with her husband and 2 young kids. To cut a long story short, she "accidentally lost" her medical career and turned to the internet to keep herself busy (initially as an outlet from parenting.)She started off helping parents of picky eaters teach their children healthy eating habits.The loss of her career (or self identity) combined with parenting 4 young children (twins came along in 2012) led to an inner emotional turmoil. When she looked at herself, she didn't see the happy joyous mother she aspired to be. When her husband became unwell, she realized that they both needed to prioritize self care.In the last few years, she has pivoted to teaching frustrated professional mothers to lose weight by leading a healthy life so they can feel fit and fabulous. The 4 pillars of self care that she teaches are nutrition, exercise, sleep and emotional wellness.She draws from her own experiences (still walking the trenches of parenting!) as well as the latest scientific research and thinking. In this episode, Dr. Orlena and I talk about:Her transition from practicing pediatrician to helping professional mothers adopt a healthy lifestyle.How she found joy and discovered how to truly take responsibility for her self care.The importance of healthy habits.Why mothers have a hard time prioritizing their self care.How we can create our ideal life.How an established routine of personal self care benefits you and by extension, teaches your children to prioritize self care.Advice for busy moms to keep their kids healthy.And much more…Where to Find Dr. Orlena:Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/drorlena/Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/drorlenafabulousFacebook parenting page: https://www.facebook.com/SnottyNosesHealthyKids/IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr_orlena/Website: https://www.drorlena.com/My healthy meal plan (free gift) https://www.drorlena.com/healthy-family-meal-planPodcast is Fit and Fabulous at 40 and Beyond: https://www.drorlena.com/blog/index-of-podcasts-and-blog-posts The Mindful Minute -“Look at the word responsibility—“response-ability”—the ability to choose your response. Highly proactive people recognize that responsibility. They do not blame circumstances, conditions, or conditioning for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice, based on values, rather than a product of their conditions, based on feeling.”- Stephen Covey, “The 7 habits of Highly Effective People.”

One morning, my daughter asked if I could bring her cup of coffee to the kitchen table, where she was busily reading and tapping away on her laptop. When I picked it up, I noticed it was lukewarm, so I offered to warm it for her. Then we both noticed how this had become a habit, for both of us - brewing the cup, then forgetting about it as we became engrossed in morning activities. That conversation was the inspiration for this practice. Morning Coffee or Tea MeditationPrepare your morning beverage without any distractions, savoring the quiet morning.Enjoy a gentle pace of waking up. Notice your breathing. Make no effort to control it. Relax your face, neck, and shoulders. Observe your senses.What do you see?What do you hear?What do you smell? Patiently observe the ritual of preparing your cup of tea or coffee.Once it is prepared, have a seat at your table, placing the cup on it surface. Sit in mountain pose, with your feet flat on the floor, spine long, shoulders relaxed, neck long, face relaxed. Cradle the cup in your hands, absorbing the warmth from its contents in your palms.Smelling it. Then tasting it. Sip mindfully and slowly until you finish. Proceed with your day and notice with practice for a few days, if you sense any changes in your energy and emotional wellbeing.

If you are looking for a way to strengthen your core muscles, gain more balance and focus, and improve shoulder/hip/spinal flexibility, here is a short yoga practice for you. You will be practicing balancing table top. You will need to be on your hands and knees, therefore this is not a practice for those with knee, hip, or ankle injuries or recent surgery in any of those areas. If you are unsure, please ask your doctor.You will spend about two minutes on your hands and knees. You can use a yoga mat or a thicker exercise mat to add cushioning for this practice. In addition a folded blanket under your wrists, knees, and or your ankles to make the practice more comfortable will help.Come onto the floor on all fours. Either make fists or plant your hands with fingers spread like a starfish. Stack your shoulders over your wrists, then shift your weight about an inch or two forward to take the pressure off of your wrists. Make sure your shoulders are not hunching forward toward your ears. Stack your hips over your knees. You may curl your toes under or flatten the tops of your feet on the floor. Keep your back flat and arms and legs straight, like a table. Keep your head in line with your spine (all sides of your neck long). Find a spot on the floor to focus your gaze.For the next 30 seconds, inhale as you let your belly inflate and exhale to deflate your belly, drawing your navel in towards your spine. Only your belly is moving.For the next 30 seconds, inhale then on your exhale, extend your right leg, tapping your toes behind you on the floor, pressing through your heel. Inhale to bring your right knee back under your hip. Exhale to extend your left leg, tapping your toes behind you on the floor, pressing through your heel. Inhale to bring your left knee back under your hip. Keep alternating and breathing.For the next 30 seconds, inhale then on your exhale, reach your right arm straight ahead, pressing through your fingertips, keeping your upper arm next to your head. Inhale to put your right hand back on the floor. Exhale to extend your left arm, reaching through your fingertips, upper arm by your head. Inhale left hand to floor. Keep alternating and breathing.For the last 30 seconds, inhale, then exhale to extend your right leg and left arm at the same time, like a jaguar. Inhale to release. Exhale to extend your left leg and right arm at the same time. Inhale to release. Keep breathing and alternating.After you are done, stand slowly. Come to mountain pose. Close your eyes and notice how you feel.Thanks for practicing. If you have any questions or want to contact me, please feel free to check out my website, yogimd.net. 

Adam Ashton is one of the co-hosts of the What You Will Learn podcast. Along with his friend (also Adam), they read a book each week and share the best bits in a ~30 minute episode. Now approach 250 episodes, they were nominated for a 2019 Australian Podcast Award in the Business & Marketing category, and they've climbed as high as #6 on the Apple Podcast charts. Through the podcast, they've also been able to interview some of their favorite authors, such as Seth Godin, Robert Greene, Dan Ariely, and a former Australian Prime Minister. Here are some of his favorite titles:How To Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big - by Scott AdamsAtomic Habits - by James ClearHow To Win Friends and Influence People - by Dale CarnegieAnd a few others:1. The Laws of Human Nature - by Robert Greene2. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - by Steven Covey3. The Dip - by Seth GodinFree resource - our 'Top 50 Best Books of All Time' (2019 edition, haven't updated for 2020 yet): https://whatyouwilllearn.com/top50/If you want to get in touch, email Adam at podcast@whatyouwilllearn.com.What We Learn in this Episode:Adam started the podcast What You Will Lean with his co-host Adam Jones in 2016 because they both love books. They met once a week to talk about books they were reading. They enjoyed this habit so much, that they decided to start reading the same book to discuss. What You Will Learn Podcast was born.Adam says that Tim Ferris, Akimbo by Seth Godin, Revisionist History by Malcom Gladwell, and The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe, and a conference hosted by Tony Robbins have been his greatest influences for podcasting.We talk about why Adam decided to join the Podcast Fellowship in 2018, two years after his podcast was live. He wanted to get better.Adam and Adam have changed the way they select books. They initially chose books they both found interesting. Over time, they decided to alternate book selections, to broaden their interests and to read books outside of their comfort zones.Adam loves to read physical books so he can take notes to make them his own and to see physical progress as he reads.Surprisingly, Adam has not always been a voracious reader. He went from feeling like reading was a “chore” to being motivated to read more after he started listening to podcasts consistently. The book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” provided practical tips that Adam was able to implement in his relationships and encouraged him to read even more.Adam reads roughly 65 or more books per year for the podcast and for his own pleasure. He shares advice about how to make reading a manageable habit and not a chore; Scott Adams’ book  “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win” taught him to look at systems - doing something small to feel successful everyday versus failing at a future goal.Because he is a lifelong learner, Adam challenges himself to read books which are outside of his comfort zone. Examples are  Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Tao Te Ching.Adam describes why he loves Seth Godin’s book “The Dip” because it helped him to recognize when work is a struggle knowing not to quit too early.And more…Resources:To learn more about why reading is good for you, goHere, Here, and Here.The Mindful Minute:When you are immersed in a good book, time flies. It’s easy to forget to take a break. Sometimes our posture suffers. Let’s do an experiment. Sit in mountain pose. Take a deep breath in and out of your nose, letting your abdomen expand as you inhale and relax as you exhale. Now slouch on purpose. Notice how difficult it feels to take that same deep breath. Good posture and good breathing go hand in hand. You will be rewarded with more energy and less pain. Remember that this is all a practice.Listen to What You Will Learn Podcast.“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” -Arthur Ashe

For this practice, you will need a sturdy chair without wheels and you may want to prop the chair against a wall for extra support.Sit comfortably in mountain pose. Let your abdomen expand on your inhale all the up to your chest and exhale from your chest down all the way to your abdomen, drawing your navel gently in toward your spine at the end of the exhale.Set an intention to become aware of your habit of clenching your jaw, and then actively releasing your grip.Relax your forehead, eyes, cheeks, nostrils, lips, jaw, tongue, neck, and shoulders.Let’s warm up your hands. Rub your palms together. And now begin massaging your hands using the hand washing motion. Now wiggle your fingers.Let’s begin a scalp massage, using your fingertips in a gentle circular motion… and now your forehead… along the bony ridges above your eyes…your cheekbones…your nose and bridge of your nose…… your cheeks…along the temporomadibular joint, right between the upper and lower jaw in front of your ears, with your mouth slightly open…and then along your jawline working your way in toward the center of your chin…your neck, front, sides, back of your neck, from the base of your skull to the top of your shoulders…and finally your shoulders.It's time to practice downward facing dog using a chair. And now, stand up in front of a sturdy chair without wheels. Make sure that the chair is supported against the wall or at least that it wont move. Either choose the chair seat or the chair back for support. You would pick the top of the chair back with the back of the chair facing you if you have a rounding of your upper back, or kyphosis, osteoporosis in your spine, vertigo, uncontrolled hypertension, or glaucoma. If these are not your issue, then use the seat as your floor. Place your hands on either side of either the seat or the chair back. While holding on, lightly but firmly, step back, with your legs wide, until your arms are completely straight. Keep your head between your upper arms, and press your hips way back, feeling the stretch from wrist to elbow to shoulder to hips. Keep your back flat, and your legs straight, except if your hamstrings are tight, in which case, you can bend your knees lightly. And now, stay here for five breaths.Now let’s release down dog. Walk forward carefully. Take your time standing up in mountain pose. Breathe. Relax.Feel free to repeat this mini-practice on a regular basis to become more aware of your habit of clenching your jaw when you’re stressed and then giving yourself permission to let that grip go.And be sure to check out my website, yogimd.net, so you can learn more about me, where I teach, to connect with me on social media, and to see free video content on my YouTube Channel. 

Wendy Adlerstein, LSW, who has more than 20 years of experience in working with seniors. She holds a B.A. from Clark University, in Psychology with a concentration in Sociology and Human Services. In addition to her Massachusetts License in Social Work, Wendy holds a Certificate in Gerontology from the Worcester Consortium Gerontology Program. She is a member of the Aging Life Care Association (ALCA), formerly the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. Finally, Wendy is a Certified Dementia Practitioner in good standing from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners.Currently, she is Executive Director and Co-Owner of FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston.In this episode, Wendy -Provides practical information about how to start the difficult conversation with your loved ones about their wishes for where they want to live as they grow older and their needs change.Provides this professional tip for families -  that each family member takes a different piece of the caring role - to avoid resentment.Explains the different living options for your aging relatives.Shares safety tips for those who want to age in place at home.How to spot troubling signals, indicating that it is time to re-assess your aging relative’s living status.Advises and specifies small steps to address a loved one’s resistance to accept help and/or make changes.Encourages caregivers to make a habit of taking time for self care and insisting upon it.Resources:Five WishesPlanning for financing assisted livingDo your research about assisted livingAging at homeDeclutteringSocialization is important for seniorsWhy you don’t want to fallPractical Tips:Call to action -Have you had the conversation with your loved ones about making plans for choosing options to live safely in the golden years?If so, is everyone on your team on the same page? Who is in charge?If you are a caregiver, what are your struggles?Share your comments and answers to these questions atEmail: yogimd@yogimd.netWeb: yogimd.netFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogimdnet/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogimdnet/Don’t wait until a situation is dire and emotions are high to make important decisions.The Mindful Minute:The next time you are faced with having a difficult conversation, take the time to really listen…with the intent to understand. don’t interrupt. if you feel the urge to do so, stop and drop your shoulders, relax your jaw, loosen you hands, and inhale deeply though your nose, expanding your belly. Exhale through your nose slowly, feeling your belly relax.

Hi, here's another short yoga practice. This is a standing practice I call, "Gentle Yoga for Healthy Joints". It has a video version for those of you who are more visual on my Yogi MD YouTube channel. The link is in the show notes. Before beginning, make sure you are wearing comfortable clothes, you have water nearby, and if you need extra support today, stand next to a sturdy chair without wheels or wall. Shoes are optional and remember, never do anything that causes pain.Pain is sharpness, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations. This is your practice and you decide what is right for your body.Let's begin in Mountain Pose first, standing. Stack your joints so that your ankles are underneath your knees, your knees are underneath your hips, your hips are underneath your shoulders. And if you take a line and draw it down the middle of your ear, it lines up with the center of your shoulder.Make sure your gaze is forward, your shoulders are relaxed away from your ears, and your neck is nice and long.Inhale, set your intention for your practice.Exhale to let it go.Let's focus on breathing for energy.Inhale, thinking about increasing your energy from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.Exhale, releasing tension from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.Imagine your inhale sending energy, oxygen to all of your muscles, all of your cells, and exhaling relaxation from the top of your head and out through your toes.And now either place your hands on your hips or you can interlace your hands behind your back.Begin gentle head circles, bringing your chin down towards your chest as you exhale and lifting your chin gently towards the ceiling as you inhale.Let's do 10 in this direction first.And be careful not to let your head fall back too far.and 5-4-3-2-1Change directions 10 times beginning now.5-4-3-2-1Now release your hands down by your sides a2nd let's begin simple shrugs. Inhale slide your shoulder blades up your back. Exhale glide your shoulder blades down your back2-3-4-5Do five more at your own pace.And let's change this motion by relaxing your shoulders, relaxing your arms. Nice, strong Mountain Pose. Don't lock your knees.And let's begin squeezing the shoulder blades towards one another on the exhale, being careful not to arch your back and on your inhale, releasing the squeeze. Perform a total of 10Slowly, mindfully, make the motion flow.Use your breath.And relax this movement.Lift your arms to shoulder height.Think strong arms from fingertip to shoulder to opposite shoulder to opposite fingertips.Begin waking up the muscles in your arms. Circle forward and make them as wide or as shallow as you like, 10 times. Don't hold your breath.And now go backwards.Slowly bring your arms down by your sides. Take a breath in and exhale.Lift your arms forward to shoulder height. Relax your shoulders away from your ears. And begin criss crossing your arms. Alternate which arm criss crosses over the other each time for a total of 10 times.As you open your arms, inhale, as you bring your arms forward, exhale.In 5-4-3-2-1, release your arms down by your sides.Turn your palms forward.Lift your arms up slightly. Exhale. Inhale, touch your shoulders. Exhale to lengthen your arms.Let's do this a total of 10 times.Halfway there.And release.This is a lovely exercise, simple shoulder touches when you're feeling tension.You can think about releasing tension through your fingertips when you release on the exhale.Now with your arms down by your sides, let's begin warming up the muscles around the wrists. Lengthen your fingers all the way through your fingertips, widen your fingers away from each other.On your inhale, curl your fingers in towards the sides of your body and up, keeping your arms long, and on your exhale, release the curl.Press your palms towards your floor, pointing your fingertips away from your body.10 times breathing and going slowly.Almost there.And release that motion.Now bring your arms up to shoulder height with your fingertips pointing straight ahead. This is a side to side motion with your hands only.On your inhale, turn your thumbs in towards one another. On your exhale, point your thumbs away from one another and your pinkies away from one another. Inhale, turning your hands in towards one another thumbs towards one another. Exhale, hands away from one another pinkies away from one another.Think about your hands on a flat surface sliding side to side.Keep your arms strong. Your shoulders, neck, jaw without tension.And that should be about 10. Release your arms down by your sides.Let's focus on our fingers.On your inhale, curl your fingers into a fist.And on your exhale, release the fist stretching your fingers all the way to your fingertips.Go back and forth, about 10 times at your own pace.Keep your shoulders, face, soft.This is yet another good exercise for when you're feeling tense. Inhaling tension and exhaling relaxation.And now release. Wiggle your fingers and let's move our focus to our spines. Keeping your spine healthy is very important. So let's do modified cat cow.Take a very slight and gentle bend in your knees sitting back. Feel your weight shifting into your heels and into the back of your body. Place your hands on your thighs above your knees.Only your back will move your arms and your legs will stay pretty stable, just like a table. Take an inhale, press your belly forward, lift your chest and gaze to the ceiling. On your Exhale, tuck your chin, round your back like a Halloween cat and tuck your tailbone, squeezing your navel to your spine. Inhale, flowing forward into Cow Pose, lifting your tailbone, pressing your belly forward, lifting your chest and gaze. Exhale, making the opposite C-shape, Cat.Keep going. Breathe.Make sure there's no tension in your shoulders.And that should be approximately 10.Stand nice and tall. Place your hands on your hips and step your feet out wider than shoulder width. You can make this stance as wide or as shallow as you need in this moment.Keeping your hands on your hips, let's begin slow flowing mindful pelvic circles. When you bring your pelvis forward, inhale, when you bring your pelvis back, exhale. Go around in the smooth circles, coordinating movement with breath about 10 times.And 5-4-3-2-1, reverse the circlesand 5-4-3-2-1Beautiful, bring this motion to stillness and notice how you feel in your lower back, hip area, inner and outer thighs.Step back into mountain pose with your feet stacked underneath you and let's work a little bit on balance. This is where you may wish to use the support of a chair or a wall if you need it in this moment.Make sure you can feel your weight equally on both feet.Focus on the contact your feet make in your shoes, or directly on the floor.There are five contact points under the foot under the ball mount of the big toe, under the ball mount of the little toe, inner heel, middle heel and outer heel. Distribute your weight equally on all five contact points of your right foot and your left foot. Become more aware of engaging your muscles to support your balance, from the bottom of your feet, up to your legs. Wrap the muscles in your thighs around the bones in your thighs. Point your tailbone down at the floor. Keep the front of your hips pointing forward. Lift the navel in towards the spine. Lift your pelvic floor muscles and engage your deep abdominal muscles by gently bringing your navel in towards your spine to support your back.Lift your upper body out of your pelvis by lengthening the front of your abdomen, the right and left side of your torso, and engaging your back muscles. Keep your shoulders relaxed away from your ears. Your shoulder blades are down away from your ears and slightly in towards one another. Engage the whole circumference of the muscles and your neck to support the weight of your head. Relax the muscles in your face.Don't forget to breathe and make sure that you are not locking your knees. They should be softened to just a touch.Now shift your weight over to your left leg. Pick up your right foot, bending your right knee, and begin imagining that there is a paintbrush attached to your right kneecap. Draw big circles out to the side, five times, keeping the rest of your body as still as you can, focusing this movement around sensations in your hip.Draw the biggest circles you can.And now reverse, drawing the circles inward.And release. Place your right foot on the floor. Make sure you're balanced on both feet again, notice breathe.And now shift your way over to your right leg. Let's pick up their left foot, left knee. Attach your imaginary paintbrush, paint big circles out to the side away from your body.Big slow circles.And now draw them inward and place your left foot on the floor back to Mountain Pose. Notice.Breathe.And now let's do leg swings. Shift your weight over to the left again. And this is a way to modify this. You can either choose to tap your foot forward and back in a swing motion. Or you can just swing the whole leg forward and back. Let's do 10 breathe evenly, smoothly. 5-4-3-2-1 and release your right foot, shift over to the right, pick up your left foot and either tap or swing. And know this, one side is not like the other, so you may need to modify on this side or not. It is okay.And 3-2-1 and release your foot.Stepping into Mountain Pose. Noticing. And now let's move on to lateral swings. Shift your weight over to your left leg and you can tap side to side across the front of your body across the front of your left leg with your right foot. Or you can simply swing your leg side to side. Let's begin.5-4-3-2-1 Release back to Mountain Pose. Inhale and exhale, shift your weight to your right leg and begin tapping or swinging with the left leg from your hip, 10 times, breathing.5-4-3-2-1 and pause, come back to Mountain Pose. Inhale and exhale.Bring your feet close together as close as you can. Take a slight bend in your knees sitting back weight in your heels. Place your hands right above your kneecaps and draw tiny, tiny circles with your knees in 10 tiny circles in one direction now.Change directions.And release.Step back to Mountain Pose.Now let's focus only on your toes. Keep making contact with your shoes or the floor with your five contact points underneath your foot. And inhale to lift and spread your toes only. Exhale to slowly bring them down10 timesIn 5-4-3-2-1 releasing. Keep your eyes focused on a point ahead of you far ahead either the wall across the room or the floor far ahead to help with your balance. Your vision is very important for your balance. And let's lift the heels away from the floor on your inhale. And exhale to descend with control slowly heels back down to floor 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9 and 10.Step your feet out slightly wider than shoulder width apart.And let's roll our feet away from one another on your exhale and inhale to roll your feet in towards one another. So you're rolling on the bottoms of the feet out and in, breathing.Just a couple more.And stop. Bring your feet back underneath you nice tall Mountain Pose. Let's finish with a whole body stretch.Inhale to bring your arms up and out to the sides. And either placing your fingertips on your shoulders or interlacing your fingers over your head. Flip your palms over. If you have your fingers interlaced, press your arms long up to the ceiling keeping your arms next to the sides of your head.And now stretch over to the right, pressing your left hip slightly away from you. Breathing in and out.Inhale.The next breath out, straighten up. And now hinge over to the left, stretching the right side of your body.Breathing in and out.Inhale.On your next exhale, straighten up.Inhale.Exhale to release your arms down by your sides.Inhale to bring your arms up and out to the sides. Exhale, bring your palms together in front of your chest. Keep your shoulders relaxed, your face relaxed.Inhale and exhale to complete practice. Thank you for joining me. Namaste.If you want to practice with me, contact me at yogimd.net To see this practice, click here.