Ongoing Efforts

It's that time y'all. It's a Healed Girl Summer so let's get serious about our mental health, our boundaries, and making crippling limiting beliefs a thing of the past. I don't know if you knew this, but adding hypnosis and subliminals into your spiritual practice can help you do just that. This week I'm joined by Master Hypnotherapist and NLP Master Practitioner Juliet Obodo. To Juliet, hypnosis is the key to unlocking your potential through mental alignment & increased faith and understanding of your inner power. Juliet is actually who introduced me to hypnosis, as I started off the year 2020 with a session with her after dealing with extreme burnout. She helped me get clear on my goals and identify what limiting beliefs I had that were keeping me in a cycle of feeling defeated. In this episode, we discuss what hypnosis is and isn't, and sorry for the spoiler, but it's definitely not witchcraft, voodoo, or relinquishing all control to a stranger dangling a clock in your face. We also dive deep into what it means to train our brain, how to get excited about money to attract more, and if “toxic positivity” is even possible for Black women. As two Black women who identify as Christian, we talk about how hypnosis has increased our faith and understanding of the power God has placed inside of us. Also, Juliet gives some very vital tips for business owners regarding setting strict boundaries, such as how to avoid emotional vamping and what white privilege for business owners really looks like. If you're ready to jump on the hypnosis train (trust me, it's best case scenario), make sure you follow Juliet on Instagram @julietcobodo and check out her website to learn about her work and get her subliminals: www.fwrdinstitute.comAs always, if you love conversations like this, subscribe and leave a review on the platform of your choice. It helps us reach even more people who may need to hear this.Love you all!Erin

What better way to dive into the subject of therapy than to bring in the therapist that got me through my first 3 years in LA? This week we are joined by the incredible Dr. Natalie D'Annibale, an LA-based Psychotherapist specializing in relationships and addictions.Together, we discuss some of the common questions people had about therapy while also discussing how I found Dr. Natalie and the benefits I personally experienced having a therapist after graduating college.We also dive deep into what's important when looking for a therapist and how looks can be deceiving when searching for a therapist that can best support you in your current season.I also let you guys in on some of my favorite tips and analogies I've learned from Dr. Natalie over the years that I think you'll get a kick out of and answer questions people sent in on clicking with your therapist, burnout, and dating do's and don'ts. Dr. Natalie will be back every month to answer more questions, so if you have a question or topic you'd like answered, be sure to email it to Erin@ErinCeaser.com or use THIS form to submit anonymously: https://forms.gle/deoTBybxZav2aJcQ6While we appreciate your support and your submissions, we want to remind you that this podcast is for entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute or replacement for a relationship with a licensed mental health professional. As always, if you love conversations like this, subscribe and leave a review on the platform of your choice. It helps us reach even more people who may need to hear this.Love you all!Erin

Hi Everyone!I am coming at y'all with my 1st solo episode! Earlier this year, I hosted a Clubhouse workshop on how to script out your goals for the year, and it was such a hit that I thought I'd run it back for my Essentially Well Family.In this episode, I dive into the process of scripting, which is writing out your desires as if it's already happened, but I also dive deep into the Universal Laws (no, not just the law of attraction) that make this process so beneficial. There's more than manifesting than just thinking of a lofty goal and waiting for it to appear in your life. It also involves expressing gratitude to God (or the universe or any other deity of your choice), identifying the emotions you hope attaining this goal will provide you, and committing to show up in a higher vibration every day until it becomes your reality.I hope this process helps bring you one step closer to your desires and the life of your dreams. If you need an example or a template for your personal script, be sure to download this PDF example and use it to follow along as you listen to this episode.Let me know how this works for you!Erin

Do you think Jesus has an Enneagram type? That's one of the questions I had to ask  Dayo Ajanaku, AKA @TheBlackEnneagram while discussing the enneagram and all that it entails.  We start off with Dayo explaining what an Enneagram is and go on to hear her personal journey to create The Black Enneagram. We touch on the strengths and weaknesses of the 9 enneagrams and how understanding them can strengthen our relationships with our friends, family and colleagues. Speaking of that, Dayo recommends Enneaflip for anyone who wants a cheat sheet to interacting with different types.Throughout the episode, we really dive deep into the spiritual side of the enneagram, its acceptance in the Christian community, and how it has impacted our personal walks with God. Just a heads up, there's definitely what some might consider hot takes in this episode in regards to what it means to be a Christian.In between exploring  the details of enneagram and its impact on our faith, I can't help but praise Dayo for creating a platform for Black people in a field that we had been excluded from for so long, and giving us examples based on our culture and our current reality. While she's on a roll, I casually beg her to make a new, black, faith centric enneagram test.We pack a lot into this 40 minutes, so make sure you're following @TheBlackEnneagram and tell me what Black sitcom character has your type! As always, if you love conversations like this, subscribe and leave a review on the platform of your choice. It helps us reach even more people who may need to hear this.Love you all!Erin

Did y'all know that dating was supposed to be fun? I must've missed that memo, but I am so grateful to have certified dating and relationship coach Alison Wellington here with us this week to get us all the way together!Alison starts by diving into why we aren't enjoying dating. Spoiler: It's because we don't even know what we're looking for! She walks us through ideating and identifying our 5 non-negotiables we should be looking for in a partner, and her incredible strategy for dating, also known as the SSS approach. In the midst of all of the gems dropped, Alison explains why she personally doesn't identify as a strong independent woman and how, in relationships, codependency is a good thing. We end our conversation discussing how while you should be attracted to your partner, using one of your five negotiables on surface level requirements such as their height could be blinding you from what you really need in a partner.I tried to pull more dating tips out of Alison, but lucky for us, she is hosting a live Dating 101 workshop next Sunday, June 6th at 12pm EST.  The workshop is usually $141, but head to bookalison.com to register for only $47!! I will definitely be in attendance and can't wait to see you all there, too.  So we have some homework this week, y'all! I want to know your non-negotiables and your feedback on this one! Tag  @ErinCeaser and @AlignwithAlison to continue the conversation and tell us yours. As always, if you love conversations like this, subscribe and leave a review on the platform of your choice. It helps us reach even more people who may need to hear this.Love you all!Erin

**Trigger Warning: Eating Disorders**Not to be dramatic, but this is easily the most IMPORTANT conversation we've ever had on this podcast. Listen closely, because personal trainer and fitness coach Chrissy Ajisafe is about to transform all of our lives for the better. Have you ever thought back to when you first started to see your body as not good enough? When you began searching for ways to lose that extra 10 pounds or go Keto or forbid yourself from eating sugar for 6 days a week just to binge a whole tray of cookies on the 7th?  Let's face it. Most of our relationships with food are extremely unhealthy, and Chrissy is here to help us figure out why that is and repair our relationships with food, ourselves, and the people around us. After hearing more about Chrissy's 12 year battle with bulimia, she walks us through how seeing certain foods as good or bad is actually extremely damaging to the psyche. She explains how most of us are gaining and losing the same weight over and over and that labeling certain foods as "treats" or "cheating" is actually pushing us further away from our weight loss goals.We dive into the LoveFull eating method, which is eating BECAUSE you love yourself, not because eating or looking a certain way will make you more lovable. Not only does she break down the reasoning behind quite literally eating whatever you want, but she also helps us understand how to do so practically, bettering our relationships with our own bodies.She also takes some time to talk about how we project our insecurities and feelings about ourselves onto others through criticism, and how actively searching for the beauty in others can help us repair and embrace the beauty in ourselves. How we got through all this in 52 minutes, I'll never understand, but I am already excited for you all to listen and have the same reaction I did. If you want more support along this journey, Chrissy is doing a FREE challenge starting next week.  Make sure you follow her on IG @ChrissyAjisafe for more details. I am def doing the challenge and would love for you to do it with me! Also, if you are someone who struggles with emotional eating, check out www.youcanhealyourweight.com/free for a powerful workshop Chrissy put together about how to overcome it.I can’t wait to hear all of your feedback on this one! Tag  @ErinCeaser and @EssentiallyWell to continue the conversation and tell us your thoughts! As always, if you love conversations like this, subscribe and leave a review on the platform of your choice. It helps us reach even more people who may need to hear this.Love you all!Erin

Can you believe it? We're already at Episode 5! Time flies when you're having fun, learning and building a community. I am so grateful for all of you and as a little thank you, head to ErinCeaser.com and use the code ESSENTIALLYWELL5 for 25% off all products this week. Now I know everyone loves a coupon code, but on to the REAL reason we're here. Did someone say burnout? You guys are going to love this one. Kelle Jacob joins us to talk about what caused her to leave her dream job making well over 6 figures and traveling the world with Estee Lauder, and how prioritizing her own wellbeing changed everything.Now as a certified holistic health coach,  Kelle is here to help us understand what that acne that won't go away, chronic exhaustion and excess weight may be telling us about our mental health. Even if you think you don't need this episode, trust me - you do! The power of the mind-body-soul connection cannot be understated, so listen along with us to learn practical ways you can listen to your body and prioritize your own wellbeing.Can't get enough of Kelle? I don't blame you! Make sure you follow her on IG @KelleJacob and visit ASRIWellness.com to learn more about her coaching offerings. Already considering hiring her as a coach? Go here to book a free consultation with her: https://calendly.com/asriwellness/1-on-1-consultation-w-kelle-jacob-asri-wellnessI can’t wait to hear all of your feedback on this one! Tag  @ErinCeaser and @EssentiallyWell to continue the conversation and tell us your thoughts! As always, if you love conversations like this, subscribe and leave a review on the platform of your choice. It helps us reach even more people who may need to hear this.Love you all!Erin

I can’t wait for you to LISTEN to this podcast with Kelly Wood. Put your headphones on and get ready to laugh and be inspired all at the same time!Kelly Wood is an extraordinary hairstylist, model and creative director located in Los Angeles, and she sat down with me to discuss what made her decide to begin to transition out of hair and what it means to walk in alignment and trust God.As a fellow sagittarius, we also spent some time discussing how to curate good vibrations in our everyday life and how to use those good vibes to best impact those around us. Kelly gets really clear and candid on what the last year was like as a hairstylist living through the pandemic, and how it inspired her to go big in other areas of her life. Through manifestation, scripting and prayer, we both give details about where each of us are currently on our journey and where we plan to be 5 years from now.Tag us @ErinCeaser and @KellyWxxd to continue the conversation and tell us your thoughts!

Welcome back to Ongoing Efforts! For this week’s episode, we are joined by my mentee turned mentor Denajha Phillips (@denaaajha), a health creative/personal trainer located in Brooklyn. We start of this episode with defining “body goals” and how to embrace our bodies and they change over the years, and then we get to hear about her fitness journey and the role social media has played in building her brand. That’s right. She walks us through exactly how she went from a small fitness page with 300 followers to 23,000 followers in just two year, and how quarantine catapulted her success. This isn’t an episode you want to miss, because Dee drops GEMS. Just to recap, here are the things you don’t want to miss:@KaisaFit - Influential fitness personality who has redefined what body goals meanSpark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain - Amazing book to better understand your body and the subconscious blocks that could be keeping you from reaching your goalsInShot - Amazing video app if anyone wants to step up their content gameTheFitnessKi - Specializes in staying focused on your own journeyhttps://www.denajhameloniece.com/product-page - Denajha’s Amazing Ab & Jump Rope Program & don't forget the affirmation of the week: I am worthy of the investment.

Welcome back to Ongoing Efforts! This week, we’re joined by my friend Chelsea Haynes to talk about virginity, abstinence and celibacy. After sharing a bit about our personal journeys, we jump into the pros, cons, and tips for pursuing a season without sex. Are you abstaining from sex? Have any tips that have helped you on the journey? Please share!Next week, we're sitting down with Dr. Natalie D'Annibale, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in relationships and sex therapy to unpack this even further. Do you have questions about this topic or specific tips you'd like to hear from a mental health professional? Be sure to send them to ongoingefforts@gmail.com and tune in next week to hear us dive deeper. We hope you enjoy the show!

For today's episode of the Ongoing Efforts podcast, I virtually sat down with one of my nearest and dearest friends, Gloria Joy Sherrod. We spent some time talking about the concept of the dream job. Not only do we talk about the evolution of having one, but practical tips to avoid being burnt out once you’re in it. This episode will inspire you to think about the big picture for your life, and begin to plan and prioritize accordingly. If this episode resonates with you or you think of someone who might find this useful, please be sure to share it with your Community. Hope you enjoy and I'll see you in for the next episode.