Small Steps

After over a year of living a very different way, things around us are changing again, mostly for the better. And, as more folks get vaccinated and things open back up, returning to whatever our new lives are could feel scary or anxiety-inducing. This episode invites you to check in with how you want to re-enter the post-vaccine life in a way that’s supportive and aligned for you and what you want and need. Small Steps in the Show: Decide what you’re comfortable with Decide how you want to show up in your life moving forward State your boundaries to yourself and others Allow what is happening or being felt to be what it is (even if that’s hard, uncomfortable or awkward) Consider thanking your body for keeping you safe during these times  Consider getting support from people you love and trust, including mental health professionals Stay aware of the messages about bodies and food and go with what aligns with you Keep checking in with you, what you need and how you’re doing Be okay with adjusting and changing things as you get more acclimated and comfortable with things Give yourself lots of kindness and compassion for yourself as you navigate how you want to show up and how you want to be moving forward Mentioned in the Show: Take the Small Steps Podcast Listener Survey Buy my Enamel Pins Stay in touch with my Newsletter Small Steps #101: Finding and Going at Your Own Pace  Small Steps #97: Seeing and Letting Go of What You’re Carrying Sonya Renee Taylor Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for the Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Being a mixed race can bring with it a wide range of experiences, cultures and microaggressions, all that can start at a young age. As mixed race people grow up, looking back and processing and working through the experiences when we were children can be incredibly healing and formative to our identities. Farzana Nayani talks about why it’s important to look at this and how mixed race people can start to give some love and attention to our inner mixed kid.   About Farzana Nayani Farzana Nayani (she/her) is a recognized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist, coach, and speaker for over 20 years. She has contributed curriculum and program design for the Smithsonian and the East-West Center and has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, Parents, NPR, the Washington Post, and the LA Times. Farzana is Filipina and Pakistani and is the parent of two multiracial sons and has written the book, Raising Multiracial Children: Tools for Nurturing Identity in a Racialized World. She founded the multiracial community on Instagram called @multiracialmatters.   Small Steps in the Show:  Take moments to pause and reflect on who you really want to be, how you want to show up and what is comfortable for you. Notice how your identity changes, when it changes and why it changes. Allow for your identity to shift and change without guilt or shame. Remember that other people in your life are on their own journey and understandings around identity. Have patience and grace in yourself or with other folks in your life. Find opportunities for young people in your life to embrace many parts of their identities. Find multiracial communities locally and online to get support. Check out Farzana’s book for other resources to find other mixed communities and people.   Mentioned in the Show: Take the Small Steps Podcast Listener Survey Raising Multiracial Children: Tools for Nurturing Identity in a Racialized World, Farzana Nayani Maria P.P. Root’s Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage Being All of Me, Farzana Nayani Multiracial Americans of Southern California Farzana’s Website Work with Farzana Follow Farzana on Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter Multiracial Matters Website Follow Multiracial Matters on Instagram Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for my Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Bex Carlos

Moving towards living your own definition of health and wellness can be a lot easier to do when you’re going at your own pace. So often, our societies push us to move faster and faster to keep up with the never ending newness in this interconnected world, and that may not actually work for everyone. This episode talks about how you can find, go at, and honor the pace that works best for you.   Small Steps in the Show: Reflect on what your preferred pace is for most things Notice the pace you do things and check if that’s the pace you actually want to go at Consider letting yourself go at your preferred pace Let yourself hold the pace you want to go, even if old stories or other people maybe pushing you to do something else Consider setting loving boundaries with yourself and others around your pace  Consider adjusting what’s going on your life and plate to adjust for the pace that you want and need in your life right now If you get stuck in overwhelm, ask yourself what’s the next small step you can take and take it. Have a lot of kindness and compassion with yourself as you find, move towards and continue to go at your own pace. Mentioned in the Show: Take the Small Steps Podcast Listener Survey Buy my Enamel Pins Small Steps #7: Boundaries and Asking for What You Need   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for the Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

100 | Disordered Eating Recovery as a Person of Color with Kimmie Singh   Working through disordered eating and eating disorders can be a lot to navigate and potentially adding navigating racial microaggressions can be even more overwhelming. There are many layers and nuances to working through your relationship with food as a person of color that may be missing from the majority of the conversation. In this episode, I talk with Kimmie Singh about those layers and nuances of this and how folks of color can find connection with their food and bodies.   About Kimmie Singh Kimmie Singh is a fat Registered Dietitian based in New York City. She is an associate at LK Nutrition, a private practice that supports clients with eating disorders to heal their relationships with food and body. Kimmie supports her clients with a fat-positive approach and has a passion for helping folks with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), eating disorders, disordered eating, and weight stigma.   Small Steps in the Show:  Notice what messages you’re hearing about food Stay curious about how to look for you Sit with the discomfort of recovery and finding the messiness Find ways that work for you to sit in the discomfort (movement, music, support from loved ones, finding joy in small and big ways) Remember you’re not alone in feeling strange in connecting with your body/disordered eating recovery/doing this work   Mentioned in the Show: Take the Small Steps Podcast Listener Survey Health at Every Size Intuitive Eating Jessica Wilson, MS RD Kimmie Singh’s Website Work with Kimmie Follow Kimmie on Instagram  Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for my Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Bex Carlos

Diet culture can cast a wide and sticky net in someone’s life and push them to live a word hyperfocused on getting thin at whatever cost. This episode dives deep into how “good” and “bad” foods and the food lists diet culture thrives on are harmful, especially for people of color who have rich food cultures.    Small Steps in the Show: Know that the detangling takes time, awareness and actively choosing something else Remind yourself that food doesn’t have to be good or bad, it can be a lot of things Think on and define how you want to feel and act around food Consider getting support from me or a nutrition professional who specializes in disordered eating support depending on your relationship to food and diet culture Think on what foods you want to start adding back into your eating that you may have removed or restricted before (barring any allergies or physical reactions) Reconsider foods you may have written off as unhealthy  Consider being around food that’s culturally important to you, whether that’s being in a grocery store, bakery, getting or making that food.  Remember the memories you have around those foods and why they are important to you Try eating them, whether it’s just a little bit or a whole meal, and stay as present as you can Get support from people you trust in your life, especially those that can understand more of the food-related diet culture things you may be unlearning Remember you are always worthy, no matter what foods you do or don’t eat. Give yourself a lot of kindness and compassion as you detangle from diet culture Mentioned in the Show: Take the Small Steps Podcast Listener Survey Sign up for the newsletter Buy my Enamel Pins Small Steps #17: What is Diet Culture Small Steps #21: The Power of Words around Food and Food Lists Small Steps #84 with Amanda Martinez Beck Small Steps #75: Deciding What to Believe around Health Studies, Media and Reports Small Steps #78 with Krista Linares Work with me to untangle your Diet Culture things Work with a POC Eating Disorder Practitioner    Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for the Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Sex positivity has become something that’s gotten a lot more attention in the past few years, but what does it mean, especially for folks of color? I invited sex positive Asian auntie Jayda Shuavarnnnasri on the show to talk about this with me and unpack the things we all didn’t learn about sexuality, our bodies and how our sensuality is our birthright.   Note: Sexual violence and trauma is mentioned in this show, but not in detail.   About Jayda Shuavarnnnasri Jayda Shuavarnnnasri is a queer Southeast Asian sexual wellness educator. Also known as Sex Positive Asian Auntie, she works to liberate folks from sexual shame by creating space for authentic conversations about sexuality, relationships, identity and healing. The topics that excite her most are sexual exploration, identity, transformative justice, and non-conventional relationships. She is also the co-producer of Don't Say Sorry podcast, which centers the experience of Southeast Asian women navigating relationships, mental health and sexuality.   Small Steps in the Show:  Be present with your food and engage your five senses before tasting and during eating Find a community of people that you can talk about sensuality and sexuality with in an affirming way Look for sex education resources that are presented in a neutral and affirming way.   Mentioned in the Show: Take the Small Steps Podcast Listener Survey Jayda’s course on the Relationship Escalator Dr. Tracie Q. Gilbert T.S.O.B. with Dr. G Podcast Pleasure Activism adrienne marie brown Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski Listen to the Don’t Say Sorry Podcast Jayda’s Website Work with Jayda Follow Jayda on Instagram  Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for my Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Bex Carlos

Whether we realize it or not, we’re all carrying ideas, beliefs, and ways we live our lives based on our identities, experiences, how we were raised, and more. While some of these things can be helpful or fine, others can be out of alignment with who we truly are and take up too much mental and emotional energy. As the past year has led to a lot of folks reflecting on what hasn’t been working in society, let’s get curious on what we’re carrying and what we can let go of in order to live a more aligned life.   Small Steps in the Show: Set aside time to journal or voice memo out how you want to be/who you are and are carrying (consider timing this if that’s helpful for you) Compare the two and see what the differences are See if there are any blocks and things that don’t resonate Get curious about where those things come from See how you recognize that they may have served you at one time and do a ritual that resonates with you to let them go Think on tangible ways you want to be and show in the world and make those visible Get support from people you love, mental health professionals or nutrition professionals Have a lot of kindness and compassion as you peel back the layers and continue to let go of the things you carry Mentioned in the Show: Sign up for the newsletter Sonya Renee Taylor The Body is Not an Apology The Body is Not an Apology Book, 2nd edition Small Steps #17 What is Diet Culture Values Exercise Work with me to unpack diet culture and food things you’re carrying Inclusive Therapists Directory Small Steps #88 with Melody Li (Inclusive Therapists Founder)   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for the Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

The Small Steps Podcast is back! Listen in to see what’s changing in the podcast, my nutrition business and where you can hear the most up to date information about the changes ahead. Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #87 Sign up for the newsletter Buy the Health Care is a Human Right Pin Buy the Always Worthy Pin Buy the Mixed Kid Magic Pin Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram Sign up for the Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

We all have moments where we feel it’s time for a change. Whether you can fully see things are out of alignment for you based on your values or you just know that something’s not working anymore. It can be scary (and totally normal!) to figure out where to go next, especially when it’s moving away from things you’ve done or believed for years. In this episode, I talk with Shohreh Davoodi about her evolution in her life, career and views on health and how she redefined her life as she evolved and shifted.   About Shohreh Davoodi Shohreh Davoodi is a certified intuitive eating counselor and personal trainer who helps people ditch diet culture and improve their relationships with food, exercise, and their bodies through online coaching and consulting. She is also the host of the Redefining Health & Wellness podcast where she explores the limiting messages we receive about health and the harm those messages can cause. As a mixed-race, queer, and neurodiverse individual, Shohreh is passionate about creating and supporting inclusive spaces in the health and wellness industry.   Small Steps in the Show:  Focus on your language and make shifts as needed See what mantras are in your head. What could you say instead? Think about what you actually want to be doing or like to do Think about what you’re doing because you think you should do and you don’t like to do it, consider letting the shoulds go Look at where those things come from Shifting focus to behaviors over outcomes Focus on one thing at a time consistently in a way that works for you Moving away from all or nothing thinking But what if the best case scenario happened? Look at all of the possibilities around a situation (good, bad and in between) What would be the worst case scenario? Would you be okay if that happened?   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Health at Every Size (HAES) Food Psych Podcast Dr. Kate Browne Untamed by Glennon Doyle Small Steps #49: The Art of Noticing: Your Language Redefining Health & Wellness Podcast #39 with Amanda LaCount Listen to the Redefining Health & Wellness Podcast Shohreh’s Website Follow Shohreh on Instagram and Facebook Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

Learning about social justice and understanding the systems of oppression that affect us is extremely important. And it’s just as important to take action on what you’ve learned or in light of what you’ve learned to bring about changing the systems to create something new. This episode covers how to figure out where to share what you’re learning and how to take action on what you’re learning. This is part five of five in a social-justice focused series.    Important Note: This series is not a substitute for any informal or formal social justice education. See the Mentioned in the Show section of episode 90 to see the people I’ve worked with and learned most of my social justice knowledge from.   Small Steps in the Show:  Define your spheres of influence Define your skill sets If you work for a company, consider checking in with your HR department/manager about company policies, procedures, stance, education related to social justice If you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur/small business owner, see how you can incorporate social justice into your work Start working on your listening and asking skills Extend yourself kindness and compassion as you do this   Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 “Doing the Work” Part 2 Small Steps #90 Ways to “Do the Work”: Setting Up Small Steps #91 Ways to “Do the Work.”: Gathering Information Small Steps #92: Ways to “Do the Work”: Media and Money Audits Small Steps #93: Ways to “Do the Work”: Your Own Care Dr. Tee Williams Spheres of Influence Visual Example Employee Resource Group (ERG)s, article 1 and article 2 Andrea Ranae Motivational Interviewing Active Listening   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Doing social justice work and learning can bring up a lot of feelings and trauma. As we continue to do this work for the long haul, it’s also important to also make our care and healing a priority.  This episode covers how to also take care of yourself so you can continue to do social justice work, heal and not burn out. This is part four of five in a social-justice focused series.    Important Note: This series is not a substitute for any informal or formal social justice education. See the Mentioned in the Show section of episode 90 to see the people I’ve worked with and learned most of my social justice knowledge from.   Small Steps in the Show:  Check in with yourself, perhaps more often Reflect on ways you’ve taken care of yourself  Invest in your rest care and joy Investigate and get clear on what impacts your care and mental health Get support around your healing Extend yourself kindness and compassion as you do this   Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 “Doing the Work” Part 2 Small Steps #90 Ways to “Do the Work”: Setting Up Small Steps #91 Ways to “Do the Work.”: Gathering Information Small Steps #92: Ways to “Do the Work”: Media and Money Audits Dr. Tee Williams The Nap Ministry on Instagram Small Steps #83 Noticing, Feeling and Creating Joy Small Steps #88 with Melody Li Inclusive Therapists Therapy Den Small Steps #60 with Yin Li How to find a therapist from Asians Do Therapy The Cosmos The Mixed Space Beyond Guilt, Beyond Shame: White People Processing Racism Facebook group Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

As we learn more about social justice, it can be helpful to look at some major things in our lives: the media we consume and where and who we spend our money with to see if that’s aligned with our social justice values. This episode covers what to ask while you’re looking at your media and money and how to intentionally adjust in a way that aligns with where you’re going. This is part three of five in a social-justice focused series.    Important Note: This series is not a substitute for any informal or formal social justice education. See the Mentioned in the Show section of episode 90 to see the people I’ve worked with and learned most of my social justice knowledge from.   Small Steps in the Show:  Get clear on what media you’re consuming and where you’re consuming it Ask questions about the media Intentionally diversify your feeds, media and more  Consider unfollowing/unsubscribing/moving away from people in media that don’t align with your values/stance on things anymore Do a similar audit on companies you shop with (in person and online), businesses/establishments you frequent and services you use Ask questions about the companies, business and services you use Consider diversifying who you’re shopping with Consider sharing your views/concerns with companies/businesses you’ve been using that have some room for improvement/are taking steps or are trying to take steps Consider changing your buying habits/where you buy if certain companies don’t align with your values/stance on things anymore Extend yourself kindness and compassion as you do this   Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 “Doing the Work” Part 2 Small Steps #90 Ways to “Do the Work”: Setting Up Small Steps #91 Ways to “Do the Work.”: Gathering Information Dr. Tee Williams Unroll.me Progressive Shopper Plug-in for Chrome Women Owned Business Certification B Corporation Bookshop Indiebound Buy Nothing Groups Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

Dominant culture has rewritten history or made what actually happened harder to find. And as we continue our work in social justice, we’ve got to seek out this information, concepts, ideologies and more. This episode covers how to find that information, apply critical thinking as you read and search, and more. This is part two of five in a social-justice focused series.    Important Note: This series is not a substitute for any informal or formal social justice education. See the Mentioned in the Show section to see the people I’ve worked with and learned most of my social justice knowledge from.   Small Steps in the Show:  Consider researching listicles first to find information/resources If overwhelmed, focus your search based on last episode Do your research and due diligence Save information in a place/form that works for you If you’re doing this with other folks, see if you can all gather and share things, or share what you’ve all already learned/read as resources to help each other Find a time to read and process this information Extend yourself kindness and compassion as you do this   Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 “Doing the Work” Part 2 Small Steps #90 Ways to “Do the Work”: Setting Up Small Steps #75: Deciding What to Believe around Health Studies, Media + Reports Dr. Tee Williams Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

More time passes from the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others and the uprisings that sparked an increased awareness and openness to talk about racism, systemic oppression and social justice. “Doing the work” of learning these systems and contributing to change is lifelong. This series talks about ways you create a helpful framework to continue your learning and taking action. This is the first of five episodes in this series.    Important Note: This series is not a substitute for any informal or formal social justice education. See the Mentioned in the Show section to see the people I’ve worked with and learned most of my social justice knowledge from.   Small Steps in the Show:  Define your values and your whys Define a starting point to focus on, check back in with yourself to see if you feel like you can handle more or different information Check in with how you learn best Pick a time of day/day or days of the week you want to set aside for this work Decide how you’re going to spend your time each day/week Find community to do this work with  Recording what you’re doing each day/week Extend yourself kindness and compassion as you do this   Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 “Doing the Work” Part 2 Values exercise Dr. Tee Williams Self-Paced Foundations for Social Justice Course Andrea Ranae Michelle Cassandra Johnson Skill in Action Chrissy King Small Steps #18 with Chrissy King Susanna Barkataki Honor Don’t Appropriate Yoga Series Susanna’s upcoming book Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

This episode talks about the essential fact that Black lives matter and the importance of Black voices in the Wellness World, why I started this podcast and what’s in store for the podcast in the future. Also a new podcast series is coming up later in July/early August that I talk about here.   Mentioned in the Show: Small Steps #14: Being Biracial and My Vision for Wellness Small Steps #1 My Health Journey Small Steps #55: What I Learned after a Year of Podcasting Lestraundra Alfred of Balanced Black Girl Small Steps #36 with Lestraundra Alfred Kayla Nedza of the Wellness Glow Up Podcast  Small Steps #58 with Kayla Nedza Dr. Shena Young Kindred Medicine Podcast Kindred Medicine Shohreh Davoodi  Redefining Health and Wellness Podcast Diversify Dietetics  Naaya Wellness Reclamation Ventures Dive in Well The Cosmos Small Steps #87: 5 Things I’ve Been Working on Recently  Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 Doing the Work Part 2 Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

For those of us targeted identities, it can be hard to find places, spaces and people to work with who really see and can hold space for all of us or the parts of us that we hold especially dear. While “good enough” has been the norm, more and more people are coming together to, in their professions, make it clear that we can work with people who really see and understand all of us. In this episode, I talk with Melody Li and the importance of a culturally affirming and social justice oriented therapist, and her directory to find other like minded therapists.   About Melody Li Melody Li (she/her) is an immigrant, therapist of color and mental health justice activist. She created Inclusive Therapists, a social justice-oriented mental health directory and therapist community that centers the needs of marginalized populations. She’s also the cofounder of the Austin Counseling Collective, an intentionally diverse group therapy practice. Melody also co-leads the Austin Therapists of Color community.   Small Steps in the Show:  Get clear on the relationship you want with your therapist and what you want to do in therapy Check out the Inclusive Therapists directory Check a therapist’s website, social media and other web presences and their copy. Ask for referrals from friends that you trust. Look to see what therapists are talking about resources and communities that are important to you and seeing if you can work with them or if they can refer you to someone. Bring your past experiences with other therapists with your current therapist Talking about your experiences with your trusted communities in person or online   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Donate to Black Lives Matter (National) Find and donate to a Black Lives Matter Chapter near you Donate to Black Visions Collective Donate to Reclaim the Block Donate to the Free Black Mamas National Bail Out Fund Donate to the George Floyd Memorial Fund Donate to the I Run with Maud Fundraiser Sign the Justice for Breonna Taylor Petition Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #33 “Doing the Work” Part 2 Inclusive Therapist’s Matchmaking Service Melody’s Website Follow Melody on Instagram Inclusive Therapists Website Follow Inclusive Therapists on Instagram Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

A more personal episode, I’m sharing 5 things I’ve been thinking about and working on during this time. I also share small steps that I’ve taken and am taking as I work through them.   Small Steps in the Show:  Internalized Capitalism/Rest/How to Show Up at this Time Recognizing how much of a thing that was that i work with, how big and old of a pattern it is for me Reminding myself in the moment and not in the moment that my worth isn’t tied in what i make or produce Telling myself that it was okay to rest and that's also liberatory Recognizing what tired feels like in my body and how overworking has manifested itself in my body checking in with myself and how i'm feeling physically and emotionally and NOT stuffing that down Finding things that are fun to do that are just for me (knitting, reading fiction, watching shows) Working on my social media boundaries that might fuel the internalized capitalism  Constantly reminding myself that i’m a whole ass person who has to also take care of themselves I always am worth taking care of myself Reminding myself of what’s true for me and my life (h/t Dr Tee) Reminding myself that what i do in enough, i’m not doing this work alone  Reminding myself that rest is important for me and to continue to the do the work longer term Just because i’m not able to show up full force now doesn’t mean i can’t and won’t later Having kindness and compassion for myself   Clothing and Fatphobic Thoughts Wearing the “bigger” clothes and just doing what I need to do Allowing myself to dress how I felt that day Remembering that these voices were internalized things, that no one is saying this to me right now Getting curious about that voice and knowing it wasn’t really mine Reminding myself that my appearance isn’t the most important thing about me Extending kindness and compassion to myself as voices came up   Comfort Foods Listening to what I really wanted to eat and trusting that  Noticing when those judgy thoughts came up and getting curious about where those came from Remembering that I have other choices to make with other meals if any weird feelings came up  Stating what I needed when my body did have reactions  Taking action when my body did have reactions (adding in supportive foods, taking it easier on other things, adding in more water and rest, recognizing stress is a big factor as well) Checking in with myself and what i need Separating my body size and my worth Understanding, realizing and accepting that being a larger body size isn’t a bad thing   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #1 My Health Journey Small Steps #79 Taking Care of Yourself in Uncertain Times Small Steps #80 Tips and Tricks for Working from Home Small Steps #81 Ways to Lower Stress and Anxiety Small Steps #82 How Are You?: A Self Care Check-In The Nap Ministry on Instagram Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #83 Noticing, Feeling and Creating Joy Steph Gaudreau Steph’s Knitting-Focused Instagram Small Steps #84 with Amanda Martinez Beck Steph Gaudreau’s blog post on Body Neutrality Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Journaling is a popular suggestion as a small step on this podcast and beyond as a way to get in touch with yourself. But if you’re new to journaling or have a block around it, figuring out where to start can feel confusing or overwhelming. In this episode, I talk with Jess Song about how journaling can help and how to make journaling a more approachable practice.   About Jess Song Jess Song is Korean-American born in, raised by Brooklyn, NY. Jess is the founder of Back to Self and is committed to bridging cultural gaps in emotional health. She’s spent 15 years working with underserved immigrant/diaspora/2nd-generation populations, and learned there is an unexplored gap in the way we process, communicate, and navigate our emotions--especially the difficult ones.    With Back to Self’s journaling workshops, Jess aims to reset this cultural and generational gap by bringing counseling, healthy communication, and healthy relationship frameworks into a daily, accessible practice.  Small Steps in the Show:  Learn to sit before journaling Check in with yourself first Consider a visualization of being in a room to sit with yourself Be more okay with being uncomfortable Create a routine or ritual around it Consider committing to a set number of pages everyday Have a definite thing that starts and ends the journaling time Observe more and narrate less Identify your fuzzy words Observe yourself with compassion and know you don’t have to solve the problem Stay present with the facts Consider journaling in a different format (audio or video)   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin The Artist’s Way The Cosmos Jess’s Website Follow Jess on Instagram  Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

Adding a bit more flavor to our meals can take what’s on our plate from meh to WOW. Especially if you’re cooking more or a newer to cooking, it can feel a bit overwhelming to figure out how to make your food and also make it realllllly tasty. This episode covers 5 possible ways you can add more flavor to your food and make cooking a bit more fun.  Small Steps in the Show:  Choose just one of the five ways to start with that feels accessible for you Try doing a way for 1-2 meals a week Experiment and see what you like  Consider adding this technique to more meals if you like it Please extend kindness and compassion as you figure things out    Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #1 My Health Journey Small Steps #75 Deciding What to Believe Around Health Studies, Media + Reports Penzeys The Spice House Jacobsen Salt Co. Spiceology Oaktown Spice Shop How to Make Your Own Spice Blends Small Steps #35: 6 Steps to Stop Feeling So Hungry All the Time The Big Fat Surprise Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

A major part of moving away from diet culture can be embracing the bodies we currently have, regardless of our body’s size or how “acceptable” diet culture deems it. And in that journey, looking at and realizing our internalized fatphobia can come up and be a lot. In this episode I talk with fat activist Amanda Martinez Beck on fat activism, fatness, the systemic things that affect fatness and how we can embrace the fact that our bodies (and all bodies) are good.   About Amanda Martinez Beck Amanda Martinez Beck is a fat activist, author, speaker and coach. She co-hosts the Fat & Faithful podcast along with fat activist J. Nicole Morgan and is the co-founder of the Ruah Storyteller Podcast. She is also the author of Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me. When Amanda isn't watching Frozen II with her husband and 4 kiddos, she's sharing her work on Instagram and in her Facebook group, All Bodies Are Good Bodies. Small Steps in the Show:  Imagine what you would say to the younger version of yourself going through a hard time and have compassion for yourself. Eat what sounds good to you, regardless of how “healthy” diet culture deems it. Get support from a professional if you feel like you can't eat or it’s unsafe. Read the Fat Girl Bill of Rights and use them as comforting things Diversify your feeds and media to show larger bodies and bodies that are a different size. Look at the levels of Fat Allyship and listen to the Fat and Faithful podcast (links below) to see where and how you can support folks in larger bodies.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #17 What is Diet Culture? Amanda’s IG Post on Fat as an Accessibility Issue Amanda’s IG Post on Internalized Fatphobia NEDA directory for eating disorder support Free & Low Cost Support from NEDA Amanda’s IG Post on Fat Allyship Fat and Faithful Podcast episode on Fat Allyship Amanda’s Website Work with Amanda Fat and Faithful Podcast Buy Amanda’s Book, Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me The Good Body Etsy Store Join Amanda’s Newsletter (to get the Fat Girl Bill of Rights) Follow Amanda on Instagram | Facebook Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

In all times of our lives, joy can be a vital part of our health and healing. And it can also feel a bit hard to access, or maybe even feel for a lot of us. This episode talks about how we can start to notice, feel and then create more joy in our lives, as well as honoring the full spectrum of our emotions, not just the bad.   Small Steps in the Show:  Check in with yourself on how your joy is Start noticing joy in your life  What can it look like to you? Check in to see how and where you feel it Notice when you’re in the joy and see if you can savor it just a little longer Consider ways you can create joy more in your day to day and try to make more space for joy Consider setting daily intentions to create more joy or opening the day with “How can I create more joy in my day today?” Record the joy in your day in whatever way works for you Extend yourself so much kindness and compassion as you work on this   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #50 with Vanessa Checchio Lima Dr. Tee Williams Shirin Eskandani of Wholehearted Coaching Small Steps #30 with Shirin Eskandani Wholehearted Coaching the Podcast  Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

As we continue to move through and live in uncertain times, it can be helpful to check in with ourselves to see how we’re doing and taking care of ourselves. This episode invites you to take some time to check in with you and create small steps that can be supportive for you during this time.   Small Steps in the Show:  Set aside some time to think or journal on some or all of these questions Choose one or two small step answers from your questions and try then throughout the week or weeks Adjust them as needed as you try them out Consider doing this check in again in a few weeks Have so much kindness and compassion for yourself as you check in and make adjustments and move throughout this time   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #25 How are You? A Self Care Check In Small Steps #31 How Do You Feel? A Rest Check In Small Steps #45 What Do You Need? A Busy Check In  National Suicide Prevention Hotline, US Crisis Services Canada Open Path Collective (lower cost therapy and teletherapy) Inclusive Therapists (lower cost therapy and teletherapy) BetterHelp (teletherapy) Talkspace (teletherapy) Small Steps #79 Taking Care of Yourself in Uncertain Times Small Steps #80 Tips and Tricks for Working from Home Small Steps #81 Ways to Lower Stress and Anxiety Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Dealing with and sitting with your stress and anxiety can be a lot in normal times, and in not as normal times it can feel even more difficult. This episode talks about how you acknowledge your stress and/or anxiety, ways to work with it and lower it, and how you can take steps in your day to day to make you a little more resilient.   Small Steps in the Show:  Recognize that you’re feeling stress and/or anxiety Identify where you’re feeling stress and/or anxiety in your body Take a few deep belly breaths Try a few ways to soothe yourself Consider getting support from others Invest in ways in your day to day that help you take care of you Give yourself a lot of kindness and compassion as you move through your stress and/or anxiety   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin National Suicide Prevention Hotline, US Crisis Services Canada Open Path Collective (lower cost therapy and teletherapy) BetterHelp (teletherapy) Talkspace (teletherapy) Dr. Tee Williams Brené Brown Self Compassion by Kristen Neff Small Steps #73: Ways to Drink More Water   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

More people are working from home, which can sound great, and if you’re new to it, feels way different than you imagine. In this episode, I share my work from home tips and tricks you can try to make working from home work for you, especially during these corona times. (There are additional considerations for noncorona times too!)   Small Steps in the Show:  Check in and see which considerations could work for your life and working situation Try 1-2 small steps for a week See what works for you and what doesn’t and adjust Give yourself a lot of kindness and compassion as you move through this time   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #79: Taking Care of Yourself During Uncertain Times Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Edited by Eilise Bonebright

With the world being a bit upside down right now, it can be difficult to think about what to do and how to take care of yourself. This episode talks about the noise that’s out there that could be in the way of you taking care of yourself and many ways you can take care of yourself and others during this time.   Small Steps in the Show:  Check in with yourself and how you’ve been doing for the past few weeks Ask yourself what you need Consider trying a few of the ways to take care yourself (and if possible, others) for a week or so See how those ways feel and adjust Consider muting news and social media if you see more and more messages that don’t align with you and what your body needs at this time Give yourself a lot of kindness and compassion as you move through this time   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Neghar Fonooni National Suidice Prevention Hotline, US Crisis Services Canada Avatar the Last Airbender Show Small Steps #62 with Jessie Mundell Group workout classes on Zoom from Everybody Gym Pregnancy and Postpartum workouts from Liz Winters and Jessie Mundell Free Dumbbell Workouts from Steph Gaudreau Free Fitness Classes with Vanessa Checchio (Bachata and Barbells) Yoga and Sound Meditations from Yoga Bliss IGTV on Eating Changes During Corona Times Small Steps #76 with Naomi Katz Small Steps #58 with Kayla Nedza Zoom Marco Polo App Open Path Collective BetterHelp Talkspace A List of Restaurant Relief Funds Domestic Worker Aid Fund More Relief and Recovery Funds Reclamation Ventures Wellness Relief Fund (for wellness and fitness instructors and businesses) Mia Mingus Mutual Aid Hub Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Oftentimes what’s described and accepted as “healthy” leaves out a lot of foods and dishes from most cultures. While we’ve been lead to believe that we have to leave our cultural foods behind to be healthy, there’s a lot of talk about and look at how we have health AND our cultural foods and traditions. This week I talk with Krista Linares about how we can do both and reclaim our cultures.    About Krista Linares Krista Linares is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in diabetes management and prevention and serving the Latino community. Krista is passionate about Latin foods and flavors and believes the emotions and community that can be found in food are just as important as the nutrients.    Her company, Nutrition con Sabor is driven to see Latinos better represented in the health and wellness world, and promote health equity for Latinos. Krista focuses on dispelling myths about Latin culture and cuisine and, most importantly, empowering Latinos to incorporate their traditional foods and ingredients into a balanced meal pattern for both emotional and physical nourishment. Krista holds a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently works in private practice. Small Steps in the Show:  Find your local grocery store, international grocery store or small market that will have the ingredients from your culture and feel like home See how you can add a vegetable from your culture to your plate in any form (garnish, condiment or sauce, etc) Find a dish from your food memories in a restaurant or make that dish and see how that feels emotionally and in your body  Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Balanced Latin Plate Freebie Balanced Latin Plate Guide in English Balanced Latin Plate Guide in Spanish Raíces at the Table Krista’s Website Follow Krista on Instagram | Facebook Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

A lot of people are passionate about learning more about nutrition to help themselves, their families or their community. In this episode I share my experiences becoming a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, how the program has evolved and how you can make the program a little more manageable if you enroll.   Small Steps in the Show:  Figure out what you want from a nutrition program Look into the program’s websites as much as you can Contact the admission departments to see if they can connect you with an graduate to talk to Read as many graduate reviews that you can find See if how the programs runs works with your schedule Give yourself time to make a decision that works for you   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin My Review of the Nutritional Therapy Program Small Steps Podcast #3: One Size Doesn’t Fit All Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Course Overview (affiliate link) Video Speed Controller Plug-In for Chrome VLC Media Player IIN vs NTP comparison from Autoimmune Wellness Career Development Course Apply for the NTP Program (affiliate link) Enter my name, Aimée Suen when you sign up to tell them who sent you!   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

As more people learn about diets and diet culture can be harmful, they’re unsure of how to find what to do next. Intuitive eating is a great option and often gets misunderstood or misconstrued. In this week’s episode my guest Naomi Katz, Intuitive Eating Lay Facilitator in Training, and I dive into the pillars of Intuitive eating to clear up common misconceptions and get into the nuance of it all.   About Naomi Katz Naomi is a body image and self-trust coach in Asheville, North Carolina. She owns Happy Shapes Coaching, offering local and online programs designed to help women ditch diet culture and regain autonomy in how they see and treat their bodies. After starting her career as a personal trainer and nutrition coach, she realized that nobody gets comfortable in their skin by making changes on the outside.    Now she helps women build healthy relationships with themselves from the inside out. Her coaching focuses on shifting the attention off of appearance to better cultivate true self-acceptance, self-trust, and confidence. She's currently training to be an Intuitive Eating Lay Facilitator, so that she can help women apply these concepts to their relationships with food.   Small Steps in the Show:  Consider reading the Intuitive Eating book and/or working through the Intuitive Eating Workbook Ditch or reduce your use of diet culture accessories (trackers, scales, macros, measuring tapes etc) Track other things that are meaningful (sleep, mood, hunger) Notice how you talk about other foods, movement and your body Notice how often you use the term “should” when you talk about foods, movement and your body Consider do some digging on where those shoulds come from Notice where diet culture and the diet culture mentality is popping up in your life Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #17: What is Diet Culture? Intuitive Eating  Jen Sinkler Intuitive Eating Book Intuitive Eating Workbook Body Neutrality article by Steph Gaudreau Small Steps #62 with Jessie Mundell Naomi’s Free 7 days to ditch diet culture email course Naomi’s Website Follow Naomi on Instagram | Facebook Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

With the internet, 24 hour news and what seems like a never ending amount of content, we are able to learn so many things about so many things. That can be great, but also confusing when viral, controversial or scary news comes out about disease, disease prevention, potentially harmful products and more. This week I share some important considerations you can use to figure out what you want to listen to or not.   Small Steps in the Show:  Take a deep breath and check in with yourself, especially if you feel the fear and panic Consider doing a bit of digging to understand more about the context and bigger picture of the study, content, or product-related thing/suit Check in with yourself. How do you feel about it? Look into the consideration questions In your own time, decide on a stance to give yourself some ease and close the loop. Know that this decision isn’t set in stone and could change as you grow and learn more Offer yourself as much kindness and compassion for yourself if this feels overwhelming or scary and you’re unsure   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Article I wrote about this subject AHA study about coconut oil Thinx underwear article Kristen G. Roberts of Trestle Law Small Steps #21: The Power of Words around Food and Food Lists The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

With the amount of busyness, neverending work or so much happening on our phones, it can be easy to forget to take the time we all need to connect with ourselves and the people we care about. In this episode I talk with Three Gems Tea, a tea company with the mission of helping you slow down to enjoy amazing tea with yourself and others in an approachable way. We talk about how they came to create Three Gems Tes, what gong fu tea is and how to connect with yourself.   About Three Gems Tea Three Gems Tea helps you discover the magic of a shared tea break by bringing you loose leaf teas, thoughtfully designed teaware, and bite size portions of tea education. Their first collection includes a range of single origin, direct trade oolongs — from bright & grassy to dark & woodsy — and a reimagined gong fu tea set, hand painted by artisans in China’s ceramics capital, Jingdezhen. They’re making it easy to fold tea time into your daily rituals, as a delicious way to hit pause and connect with yourself and the people you care about.   Small Steps in the Show:  Read a physical book or magazine that’s not on a screen that’s not related to your field or that’s fiction-related. Cook creatively and intuitively for others or yourself Take breaks outside and be in nature Take a moment when you’re out to connect with yourself Move your body in a fun or silly way (maybe a dance class) Have a tea ceremony with friends or family   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin The Cosmos Diana’s Cookbook, Jia! Three Gems Tea’s Website Buy Three Gems Tea Follow Three Gems Tea on Instagram | Facebook   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

Drinking enough or more water is one of the most common things I hear my clients (and a lot of other people) struggle with. This episode shares why water is important for the body and how you could add more water into your day.   Small Steps in the Show:  Find out your baseline for drinking water Decide on a way to consistently track your water that works for you Consider 1-2 ways to try drinking more water and try that for a week or so Give yourself kindness and compassion for yourself as you’re working on this   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin LifeFactory    Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

While talk therapy can be a really helpful way to work through difficult things, there are also a lot of other and additional ways to process and move through things. Eve Andry is on the podcast today to talk about how creating art can be a powerful tool for healing, how to move through any resistance around creating art, and how to incorporate art creation in your daily life.   About Eve Andry Eve Andry is a mother, a sister, a daughter of immigrants and a survivor of sexual violence. For the past 15 years she's used art to heal and now shares her gifts in her community. Eve is passionate about creating safe and inclusive spaces for others. Small Steps in the Show:  Gift yourself one art colorful tool to try to start that appeals to you Create a space to create your art and put your art tool there, consider additional things to add to make it inviting Pair this with a practice you already have Consider making art creation a short practice to start Remember you don’t have to keep your art or show it to anyone else if you don’t want to.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Attend Eve’s Art as Healing Facilitator Training in Southern California Art & Creativity for Healing Eve’s Website Follow Eve on Instagram   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

The excitement of setting and declaring intentions can fade a bit, often leaving us with an intention that falls by the wayside. This episode has steps and ways you can keep your intentions going and working for you in your life, as well as some important considerations around intentions. This is part five of a five part Intention Setting series.   Small Steps in the Show:  Create small steps for your intentions Record small steps you want to try and the steps you take Consider an accountability partner or sharing your intentions with others Give yourself kindness and compassion for yourself as you’re working on this   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #67 Setting the Stage for Intention Setting Small Steps #68 Checking in and Looking Back for Intention Setting Small Steps #69 Brainstorming Your Intentions Small Steps #70 Choosing Your Intentions Keeping the Momentum with Your Intentions Worksheet, Print-Friendly Keeping the Momentum with Your Intentions Worksheet, PDF Fillable Dr. Tee Williams   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Edited by Eilise Bonebright

After some investigation and brainstorming, it’s time to choose your intentions! This week I talk about how to narrow down your brainstormed intentions and choose the ones that will work best for you and your life right now. This is part four of a five part Intention Setting series.   Small Steps in the Show:  Review week 1 worksheets and brainstorming worksheets Pick a some intentions that resonate with your values and what  you need or want right now Work out what those intentions would look like and what would need to happen around them Decide which ones to embody for the period of time you want to focus on Give yourself kindness and compassion for yourself as you’re working on this   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #67 Setting the Stage for Intention Setting Small Steps #68 Checking in and Looking Back for Intention Setting Small Steps #69 Brainstorming Your Intentions Choosing your Intentions Worksheet, Print-Friendly Choosing your Intentions Worksheet, PDF Fillable Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

Often when we think about creating intentions, we can get stuck wanting to pick the perfect intentions, or we feel overwhelmed by all of the ideas that we get stuck. This episode creates a space to brainstorm and brain dump all of your intentions first, in a lower pressure environment. I also share some considerations on how to make the experience flow the best for you. This is part three of a five part Intention Setting series.   Small Steps in the Show:  Find and/or create an environment that’s best for your brainstorming Review previous worksheets to help your mindset when going into your brainstorming  Brainstorm all of the intentions and record them in the best format for you Give yourself kindness and compassion for yourself as you’re working on this Consider a fun, joyous or supportive activity after doing your brainstorming if that feels aligned for you.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #67 Setting the Stage for Intention Setting Small Steps #68 Checking in and Looking Back for Intention Setting Brainstorming your Intentions Worksheet, Print-Friendly Brainstorming your Intentions Worksheet, PDF Fillable Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Edited by Eilise Bonebright

We’ve learned and experienced so much in our lives, which should be acknowledged and can help us get clarity on any intentions we set. In this episode, I walk you through how to reflect on the past, what you’ve learned and more, including a Recognition and Release ritual. This is part two of a five part Intention Setting series.   Small Steps in the Show:  Reflect on the three questions in a way that resonates with you Do the Recognition and Release ritual Give yourself kindness and compassion for yourself as you’re working on this   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #67 Setting the Stage for Intention Setting Checking in and Looking Back for Intention Setting, Print-Friendly Checking in and Looking Back for Intention Setting, PDF Fillable Small Steps #42 with Lisa Olivera The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

If you’re looking to set intentions for whatever period of time you want, it can be important to check in with some questions that make sure your intention setting is rooted in what you truly want and need. This is part one of a five part Intention Setting series.   Small Steps in the Show:  Ask yourself the three questions asked in the show Process that in the worksheets, in your own notebook, talking them out in a voice memo app, whatever way works best for you Give yourself kindness and compassion for yourself as you’re working on this   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #17: What is Diet Culture Setting the Stage for Intention Setting Worksheet, Print-Friendly Setting the Stage for Intention Setting Worksheet, PDF Fillable Small Steps #13: Cultivating Self Compassion When You “Mess Up” Self Compassion by Kristen Neff Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

So often we’re focused on the next thing that we forget to celebrate the steps we’ve taken and the progress we’ve made. Building on last week’s episode, this week I invite you to reflect on the steps you’ve taken and also make space to celebrate them in a way that’s meaningful to you.   Small Steps in the Show:  Think on what you want to recap: period of time, specific areas of focus, or goal/intention Write out all the small steps you have done or are doing Take a moment to reflect and feel proud Find a meaningful way to you to celebrate   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #65: Reflecting on the Year, Your Progress and More Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

So often in today’s world, we’re so fixated on what’s next, that we forget to take a moment to reflect on what we’ve done, learned or realized in the last year or through any times. This week’s episode invites you to create that space to look back on whatever amount of time or theme resonates with you and see what happened. I also share some of what I’ve been reflecting on in the past year.    Small Steps in the Show:  If you’re interested, choose a method that resonates with you, if that was listed here or another way Set aside some time to do this Know that it could take some time/multiple times and it could feel strange/weird/hard Allow yourself to feel the feelings that come up If you need to, process the things that came up with someone you trust/your journal Give yourself kindness, compassion and props for what you’ve done in the time you’re reflecting on   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps Podcast #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps Podcast #55 What I’ve Learned after a Year of Podcasting Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Small Steps Podcast #7 Boundaries and Asking for What You Need Small Steps Podcast #1 My Health Journey Neghar Fonooni Small Steps Podcast #26 with Neghar Fonooni Small Steps Podcast #58 with Kayla Nedza Aimée’s episode of the To Birth and Beyond Podcast Small Steps Podcast #62 with Jessie Mundell Small Steps Podcast #18 with Chrissy King   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

Trauma is being talked about more and more these days, but what exactly does it mean? If you’ve experienced trauma are you “stuck” with it forever? Sanaz Yaghmai, a trauma-informed coach and space holder is on the podcast today to talk about what trauma is and how we can cultivate our resilience and move with and through our traumas in many ways.   About Sanaz Yaghmai Sanaz Yaghmai is a trauma-informed coach, consultant, and yoga teacher. Formally trained as a psychologist, she’s worked as a therapist in various communities in Southern California over the last decade. Her personal experience in trauma recovery through yoga in conjunction with therapy redirected her career path. With clinical expertise in the mind & human behavior, she now combines the practices of mindfulness, yoga & psychoeducation into her work as a Trauma-Informed Coach, cultivating a deepened sense of embodied resilience. Currently she’s running trauma-informed programming in a refugee camp in Greece and holding resiliency trainings for humanitarian aid workers focused on secondary trauma, compassion fatigue & resilience. Small Steps in the Show:  Seek support in your life with people in your life or a professional Trust in your capabilities Honor your feelings as they are with less judgment Feel your feelings Find tools that calm you down and return to the present moment, perhaps breathwork or activating your five senses If looking for a professional, see if they specialize in working with trauma or are trauma-informed. Incorporate movement that helps you return or be more in the present moment Address what is keeping you stuck and get specific Find out how you can take small steps into your fears in a supportive way Have a lot of kindness and compassion for yourself Notice the language you’re using to be more kind and compassionate to yourself   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Refugym Zabie Yamasaki Window of Tolerance Visual Catherine Ashton Yoga to Transform Trauma Sanaz’s Website Follow Sanaz on Instagram   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aim

Colder or busier times of year always seem to take a bigger toll on our immune systems. And while getting sick isn’t always a bad thing, constantly getting sick isn’t helpful to our bodies or living the rest of our lives. This episode covers 5 ways you can boost your immunity that can also be helpful in your everyday life as well. Small Steps in the Show:  Take a moment to reflect on which of these you feel you’re doing well on and others that might be helpful to incorporate Choose 1-2 to incorporate Be clear on how you want to incorporate those and how often See what might need to adjust to make these happen Know that you’re doing your best and give yourself kindness and compassion   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin F.lux Blue blocking glasses Small Steps Podcast #58 with Kayla Nedza Small Steps Podcast #62 with Jessie Mundell   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

A lot of people come to exercise with the intention to keep their bodies smaller. And as more of us realize that’s connected to diet culture and want to move away from that, exercise can feel a bit weird. On today’s podcast I talk with fitness coach Jessie Mundell on how she shifted her relationship with exercise and found joy in movement.   About Jessie Mundell Jessie Mundell is a Kinesiologist, Fitness Educator, and Fitness Coach specializing in prenatal and postnatal exercise training. She's the creator of the Postnatal Fitness Specialist Academy, Core + Floor Restore, To Pregnancy & Beyond, and the co-author of Training New Moms, and Moms Gone Strong. She's focused on effective exercise during pregnancy and postpartum, rehab of the core and pelvic floor, and C-section recovery. Jessie teaches womxn how to exercise safely and strongly in pregnancy, and how to regain their core, confidence, and fitness as moms. She aims to steer the conversation away from the 'pre and post-baby body' madness and into a place where postpartum people feel supported, encouraged, strong, and confident. Small Steps in the Show:  Question your relation to your body Question your motivation to exercise Push your ideas around your exercise structure or routine (tracking included) Changing your definitions of exercise and places to exercise Allow yourself to feel hard, uncomfortable things Figure out ways to release your emotions Let yourself express emotions with people you trust   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Aimée’s episode of the To Birth and Beyond Podcast Small Steps Podcast #40: Liz Winters Small Steps Podcast #4: Marilene Caetano Listen to the To Birth and Beyond Podcast Postnatal Fitness Specialist Academy Jessie’s Website Follow Jessie on Instagram | Facebook   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

So often we can get caught up in the holiday whirlwind of “what’s always been done” or “what we’re supposed to do” that we end up doing a lot things we don’t want to do this time of year. That can be stressful, wear us down or get us sick. This episode invites you to take some time, set some intentions for the season and put you first.   Small Steps in the Show:  Create some space to think on these questions Give yourself some time to think on them after you write or talk things out Once you’ve decided on how you want to show up this season, share that with the people closest in your life Think of small steps on how you can show up in the day to day, with families/friends/partners, in traditions and just try them out Give yourself a lot of kindness and compassion throughout all the things   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Small Steps #25: How Are You? A Self Care Check In Small Steps #31: How Do You Feel? A Rest Check In Small Steps #45: What Do You Need? A Busy Check In Small Steps #60 with Yin Li   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

As the holidays approach, we may be thinking on plans to visit our families and that can come with some tension and baggage. I talked with Yin Li, LMFT about how we can get clear on our fears or uneasiness and potentially try a different approach to being around our families than in years past. We also talk about her site, Asians Do Therapy, that helps break the stigma that Asians and therapy don’t mix.   About Yin Li Yin Li is an Asian American marriage and family therapist licensed in California and Oregon. Her own therapy lead her to become a therapist. As a therapist, Yin works primarily with Asian and Asian Americans addressing a range of concerns. She enjoys working with folks who are either brand new to therapy or have had “bad” or ineffective experiences in therapy. In addition to her work as a therapist, Yin created #AsiansDoTherapy and the subsequent website Asians Do Therapy to help normalize mental health, wellness, and therapy services in Asian communities. In sharing culturally relevant information and stories of Asians doing therapy, Yin hopes that more Asian and Asian Americans will seek therapy as a resource, available and meant for them, to lead more fulfilling, embodied and empowered lives. Small Steps in the Show:  Get clear about your feelings around being with your family. Consider not going to your family’s gathering/home this year. If you do decide to go, plan so that you can arrive as resourced as possible. Consider removing yourself from the situation as best you can.  Reach out to friends and trusted family to get support while you’re going through things. Get clear on your intentions around being with your family. Consider creating some intentional time with your family that aligns with your intentions.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin California Institute of Integral Studies Asians Do Therapy Website Follow Asians Do Therapy on Instagram Theralane Counseling Website Follow Theralane Counseling on Instagram   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

With the holiday season starting, the anxiety around all of the “bad” or “unhealthy” foods making more appearances than normal in our day to day or at the many family or friend gatherings you may be attending. I talk about how to work through that anxiety and remember that you have choice and can make a decision that works for you, whatever that decision is.   Small Steps in the Show:  Take a beat at get clear on what you want, need and what’s important to you Enjoy what you do eat and savor it Keep practicing the things that feel good to you and support your health Practice kindness and compassion as you move through this remember that this could be new to you and you could make decisions that you don’t feel great about later and that’s okay   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

When you’re a high performer or high functioning person, it can be really easily to work through or miss signs that your lifestyle may not be the best for your overall health and wellness. My guest today, health coach and nutritionist Kayla Nedza shares how her high performing behaviors stopped working for her and how she helps fellow high performers find a better balance in their lives.   About Kayla Nedza Kayla Nedza is a certified International Health Coach and Holistic Nutritionist who is dedicated to helping high performing women create lasting calm with food, movement, and lifestyle through her company, Women Creating Calm. Drawing heavily from both her clients’ and personal experiences as well as her studies, Kayla presents a practical and realistic approach to stress management and performance optimization. She also hosts the Wellness Glow Up Podcast, a weekly show devoted to helping women of color become their healthiest selves by providing the tools and knowledge to be their own health advocates. When she’s not researching, coaching and interviewing health professionals, you’ll find her weight lifting, twerking around her kitchen or watching Grey’s Anatomy.  Small Steps in the Show:  Set check-ins 3 times a day to see how you’re feeling, whether that’s on your phone, work calendar, etc Get curious on what you’re feeling and see what you need if you’re feeling overwhelmed, tired or stressed Get clear on what you need and what you want See if you can take some more breaks in your day Try not work during lunch and make yourself unavailable or don’t talk about work when you eat lunch with coworkers Check in with what you really want Get clear with your values and intentions See if you need to change or leave your current stressful situation/environment Simplify your decision making process and take action   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Aimée’s episode on the Wellness Glow Up Podcast Paul Jarvis Real Food with Dana Podcast Women Creating Calm Group Kayla’s Website Follow Kayla on Instagram | Facebook Listen to the Wellness Glow Up Podcast Follow the Wellness Glow Up Podcast on Instagram Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

You can be adding things to improve your health and feel in the groove with in one day, and then after some days or weeks, those things feel so hard and overwhelming. While this may feel strange and upsetting, this can be normal. Today’s show I share the signs it might be time to take a break with health or nutrition things so you can feel some relief overall.   Small Steps in the Show:  Give yourself some space to check in with yourself Write out or talk out why you feel resistance around this thing Reflect on some of the questions in the show, especially ones around what’s going on in your life right now If you’re working with someone on this, talk with them as well Make a decision to pause or cut back and try that out for a few days to a few weeks Pay attention to if that helps relieve some of the stress, tension or pressure you might’ve previously felt around it  Check in with yourself (potentially your medical professional as well) and see how this current decision is and isn’t working for you See if you want to keep pausing, doing less than previously or if you want to try the thing again in its original volume Give yourself a lot of kindness and compassion   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Steph Gaudreau   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter

As we move forward in our lives, we can often feel lost in where we’re headed or feel stuck comparing ourselves to past versions of ourselves, even if we know they don’t ring true for us anymore. Today’s guest, health coach Shanique Allen is on the show to share her many transitions in her life and how she’s navigated growing and figuring things out with lots of kindness and experimentation.   About Shanique Allen Shanique Allen is a health coach based in Seattle, Washington. After several big life changes, she fell into a rut, unsure how to reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be. Shanique overhauled her mindset around her life, nutrition and health to feel like someone she wanted to be. Now, her mission is to empower other women to embrace themselves where they are, use those life experiences as fuel and build a wellness blueprint that will be as dynamic as their lives are. Small Steps in the Show:  Be kind and gentle to yourself when you’re comparing or beating yourself up. Take a break Be aware of the language you’re using about yourself Journal things out when things are weighing on you Talk with someone about what you’re going through (whether that’s a friend or a mental health professional) Release the comparison when you notice when that comes up. Find something that gives you joy and reach for it or create that joy and gratitude. Drink more water (at least half your body weight in ounces) Make a meal out of what you have Add in veggies and protein into your meals. Pay attention to what you’re eating and what you like to eat and how your body is feeling.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Ignited Womxn Summit Steph Gaudreau Small Steps Podcast #49: The Art of Noticing: Your Language Shanique’s Website Follow Shanique on Instagram | Facebook Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here. Edited by Eilise Bonebright

The Small Steps Podcast turns one! This week I reflect on what it’s been like podcasting for a year and how it’s helped me grow and feel more comfortable in my own voice. I also share some of my favorite podcast episodes from the past year, as well as your top five favorite episodes from this year.   Small Steps in the Show:  Remind yourself that you can do the thing Know that the things you want to do may seem scary and that’s okay You’re going to learn so much by trying new things and going with the flow as much as you can Ask for what you want and need, even if you’re scared. Think on one small step you can do right now, even if it’s not super glamorous and take it.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Lisa Olivera Small Steps #42 with Lisa Olivera Small Steps #32 with Dr. Tee Williams Small Steps #14 on Being Biracial Small Steps #30 with Shirin Eskandani Small Steps #18 with Chrissy King Small Steps #6 with Steph Gaudreau Core 4 Club Small Steps #1, My Healing Journey Small Steps #2 with Steph Ondrusek Steph Ondrusek on Instagram Small Steps #4 with Marilene Caetano Marilene Caetano on Instagram Small Steps #3, One Size Doesn’t Fit All   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

It can feel normal to feel very out of place and confused as a person of color navigating how you fit in it, especially if you grew up or have been in the minority in your environments for a long time. Today’s guest, Lillian Farzan, AMFT, talks about how there are stages to rejecting, connecting with and integrating our races, heritages and cultures as we move through life.   About Lillian Farzan Lillian Farzan is a pre-licensed therapist focused on racial identity development and working with marginalized communities. She works with populations including first-generation individuals, survivors of sexual trauma, and members of the LGBTQ community in Los Angeles. Lillian is a first-generation Iranian Jewish American passionate about supporting her clients through coaching, therapy, and advocating for social justice by engaging in broader dialogue.    Small Steps in the Show:  Journal on different parts, aspects and feelings on your identities, how others have seen you, the expectations you’ve been told to live up to. If journaling isn’t your style, talk it out into a voice memo, app, or to a listening friend (who will just listen to what you’re expressing). Meditating to create time to connect with yourself. Gather with like-minded people in your community to talk about these shared aspects of your identities more. Interview people in your family or people in your community to understand more about your heritage and culture. Look more into your heritage and culture to connect more with it in ways that resonate with you (museums, restaurants, books, shows and movies, music, other events or community gatherings) Lean into the discomfort that may arise as you look more at your racial identity development Intentionally let go of binary thinking. Practicing radical acceptance of the things you don’t agree with or like about your culture and also embracing the meaningful things about your culture. Keep an open mind as you learn more and connect more with your culture. Take your time moving through this, go at your own pace.   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin Sue and Sue Stages of Racial and Cultural Identity Development Model Lillian’s Blog Maria P.P. Root  Mixed Race Bill of Rights S. Carlos Poston’s Racial Identity Development Model for Mixed Race Folks Lillian’s Website Follow Lillian on Instagram   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.

One of the larger hurdles to healthier eating, cooking at home or meal prepping can be figuring out WTF to cook! In this episode, I provide a few options you can try to figure out how you can figure out what to cook each night or week, depending on what could work for you in this season of your life.   Small Steps in the Show:  Look at what’s going on in this season of your life Decide what would be the best approach or approaches to try right now Try one for a week or two, see how you like it Adjust as needed, maybe try a different approach or a blend of the two Check in with yourself as weeks pass and see how you like it Practice kindness and compassion for yourself Adding fun to cooking and figuring out what to cook   Mentioned in the Show: Buy my Enamel Pin HelloFresh Green Chef Sun Basket The Fresh 20 Real Plans Steph Gaudreau Nom Nom Paleo Autoimmune Wellness Local Harvest   Get the full show notes here! Follow Aimee on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Sign up for the Wellness Wednesdays Newsletter Interested in working with Aimee? Find out information here.