The Well-Tended Life

In this episode my guest, my friend and photographer Bella Shearheart chats with us about the practice of body positivity and shares the inspiration behind her latest project that celebrates some amazing women and their beautiful bodies.This is the 6th episode in this series about practices, so go back and watch any that you may have missed! Guest Bio:Bella Shearhart was born and raised in Kerrville, Tx and resides there now with her husband, Brad and daughters, Adelyn, Camille, Elliot and Gillian. Bella began her business, Bella Photography in early 2012 and now specializes in Portraits, Birth/Newborn and Sunset Boudoir sessions. She has a passion for capturing empowering and inspriing moments in peoples lives. Bella strives to preserve timeless moments in the most captivating way possible. Follow her on Instagram @BELLAPHOTOGRAPHYTEXAS and on Facebook @BellaPhotography or at her website... www.bellaphotographytexas.com 

In this episode my guest, author and artist Carrie Schmitt, chats with us about the practice of turning our burdens into blessings and how this practice has changed her life.This is the fifth episode in this series about practices, so go back and watch any that you may have missed! Guest Bio: Carrie Schmitt is an artist, author, and instructor who began painting as a therapeutic practice after being diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy to heat in 2009.  Today, Carrie leads online and in-person art workshops. Her art is sold in galleries and in private collections internationally and licensed for clothing, home décor, accessories, toys, and stationery. Her art has also been featured in several international publications, including Professional Artist and In Her Studio magazines. In 2018, Carrie converted a 2002 Bluebird short school bus into a mobile art studio to have a place to paint and bring art visibility to her community. Her most recent book, The Story of Every Flower, is a collection of her vibrant art and intimate writing that documents her 10 year journey as an artist. Carrie lives and works in Duvall, Washington.www.carrieschmittdesign.comFacebook: Carrie Schmitt Art and DesignInstagram: @carrieschmitt

In this episode, my guest author and artist Tracey Hewitt chats with us about the practice of creativity and it's profound effect on our daily lives. This is the fourth in this series about practices, so go back and watch any that you have missed! Guest Bio: Tracey is a visual artist, writer and art teacher with a special interest in the healing and therapeutic benefits of creativity. She lives by a billabong, not far from Theodore in Central Queensland, surrounded by her farming family. A mixed media artist for over 20 years, she creates intuitively - from the inside out – she's never sure what a piece will be until it's finished. Her artwork is held in private collections in four countries, and career highlights have included designing a mosaic wall for a Theodore Community arts project, building an international creative community, and a collector who once purchased work as a gift for members of the Tongan royal family.She is also the author of “When Your Superpower Becomes Your Kryptonite” which can be found on amazon.com or on her website www.traceyhewitt.com

This week's guest is wellness advocate Giovanna Capozza and she chats with us how the practice of healthcare. Show Notes:Feelings Buried Alive Never Die By Karol K Trumanhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/0911207023/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iyDhFbMHSZ7PD Guest Bio:Always a seeker of answers with a Sherlock Holmes-esque tendency, Giovanna spent most of her early and late 20s fascinated by the world of natural healing and spirituality. She was seeking ways in which to improve her life and health not realizing she was stumbling on a life's calling. She became absorbed in books, research on the mind body connection, and alternative healing practices, and then passionate about educating others about her findings. She realized that empowerment came from knowledge, and she needed to share as much as she could.For over 24 years Giovanna has placed her focus on answering one main question: what is the root cause of all dis-ease, and how can we truly heal - mentally, physically and spiritually?Giovanna Capozza is the co-founder of Blue Hive Health, a healing space for mind and body. As a Master Life Coach, Spiritual Teacher, Mind/Body Expert and Podcast Host she combines all her skills to bring a truly holistic experience to her clients.A trained Alternative Medicine Doctor in Homeopathy and Holistic Nutrition, she held a clinical practice for nearly 8 years near Toronto, Canada. She later shifted her focus to working predominantly with men and women who wanted to experience more fulfillment and meaning in their relationships. She has studied with some of the world's most successful and influential alternative medicine and personal growth experts, coaches and trainers.Giovanna teaches and speaks locally and internationally on the topics of wellness and relationships. She is a strong passionate voice for personal health advocacy and authentic heart-based living. Find out more about her work at www.giovannacapozza.com or on Instagram at @wellwoman.health

Friends, this is the 5th and final episode in the “Secret Garden Stories” series that features many of those who have brought this new Secret Garden film to life. I had so much fun talking with Michelle and Dixie for today's podcast. Michelle is the Emmy winning costume designer who had a real “vision for growth” in mind as she designed for this film. And Dixie...well she is the pure delight in a spunky little package that brought Mary to light in a whole new way! Ya'll, I can hardly believe this is the final episode in this series. If you haven't had a chance to listen to them all, go back! You won't be disappointed...and your love for this new film and the book will bloom even brighter than before. I am so thankful to STX Entertainment, Studio Canal, and Heyday Films for the opportunity to give my listeners a peek behind the ivy curtain of this brilliant version of my great-great-grandmother's story.Enjoy today's episode! 

This is the 4th episode in the “Secret Garden Stories” series that features many of those who have brought this new Secret Garden film to life. In this one, I get to chat with the screenwriter, Jack Thorne.It is such an intimate peek behind the curtain about how films are really made...and his charm and honesty about the difficulties of bringing a beloved classic to life is heartwarming. You will love him...and the film even more after listening...all while learning a few life-tending lessons in between. SHOW NOTES:In this episode, Jack asks me which “adult” book of my great-great-grandmothers he should read first. And because I can't choose just one...here are a few to choose from in no particular order:-The Lost Prince-The Dawn of To-Morrow -A Lady of Quality-The Shuttle-T. Tembarom-The Head of the House of Coombe

Martha...Martha...Martha! For this week's Podcast, I interviewed my VERY FAVORITE character from The Secret Garden, played in the newest movie by Isis Davis. I was truly giddy for this one ya'll...and I am now an even bigger fan of hers. She is absolutely delightful and as we chat, she openly shares about how empowering this experience was for her and how it helped launch a new part of her career. I am quite sure that you will leave this interview encouraged, smiling, and believing in the magic that happens when we start saying out loud who we are and what we want to be. You can follow her at @ispeakishare on Instagram. And be sure to check out her other work Cover Me, Lie Low, and Bloodyminded. Enjoy!

Friends, I had so much fun talking with Rosie in this episode about her role in the new Secret Garden film! I know that this conversation will make you want to go back and watch the movie again and again because of all the things you may have missed! ..Guest Bio: Rosie actually grew up in Yorkshire, and read English at Keble College, one of the locations they used in the movie. She spent ten years directing television documentaries before becoming a film producer at Heyday Films. She is married with two daughters and lives in London. And she wrote the brilliant novel, The Very Thought of You...To listen to the YouTube version of this episode or to find out where to watch the new film, head to https://msha.ke/thewelltendedlife/ .

This is the first episode in the “Our Secret Garden Stories” series that features interviews with many of those who have helped to bring the new Secret Garden film to life. Listen in as Marc reveals some behind the scenes magic, mishaps and so much more. Reminder: In the US, you can watch this fantastical new version in your own home beginning Friday August 7th...via video on demand. But don't worry...there aren't any spoilers in this episode! Guest Bio: Marc Munden's TV dramas have been nominated on 7 occasions for a BAFTA, winning for both The Mark of Cain and National Treasure and on 7 occasions for a Royal Television Society Award, winning for both The Devil's Whore and National Treasure. In 2017, after three BAFTA nominations for Best Director, he won for National Treasure.Utopia won an International Emmy for Best Drama Series in 2014. Marc most recently completed  The Secret Garden for Heyday/ Studio Canal starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters.

Friends, I had so much fun talking with Deanna in this episode about the practice of meditation! She really breaks it down and shows us the power that a meditation practice can have in our daily lives. There are so many good nuggets in this episode and I know I personally plan to make the 4-7-8 breathing method a regular part of my well-tended day. If you want to know more about Deanna and her coaching...Check out her website: www.deannawellness.com or follow her on social media under that same name: Deanna Wellness. SHOW NOTES: Deanna referenced this book: Feelings Buried Alive Never Die By Karol K Trumanhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/0911207023/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iyDhFbMHSZ7PD Deanna Blog that inspired this podcast: http://www.deannawellness.com/service/blog/2020/05/06/a-beginners-guide-to-mindful-meditation-five-tips-for-starting-a-meditation-practice

Friends, I had so much fun talking with my friend Randi today! She is such bright light and I know she will inspire you with her words of encouragement and truth. In this episode she talks about BIG gratitude, wildflower adventures, and challenges us all to spread weekly joy. Take a listen and let us know what you think by leaving a comment behind. Randi Hamlyn is the mama and maker behind Indigo Laine & Co where she creates quality leather goods that will last a lifetime or two. Check out her creations and more on her website: www.indigolaine.com and follow her on social media as Indigo Laine & Co.

Friends, I had so much fun talking with Jess today! He is such an inspiration to me. I am so glad my great-great-grandmother insulted him! (Listen in for the rest of that story!)Want to learn more about him? Check out his website: www.Jess-smiley.com and go like and follow him on Instagram and Face as Jess Smart Smiley. Guest Bio: Jess Smart Smiley makes rad pictures with his bare hands. Jess is the creator of graphic novels, picture books, comics, and zines. He has helped more than 2,000 children, teens, and adults create their first comics, completed more than 80 sketchbooks, and has created work for DisneyPixar, Cartoon Network, Penguin Random House, and Top Shelf Productions.

Friends, I had so much fun talking  Danielle today! I loved hearing about how she is trying to focus in and do one thing really well, how she is managing all this ”together time”, and I LOVED her challenge to us all to veer off the comfortable path more often! She is hilarious and I can't believe we went the whole episode and didn't talk about her run for political office, her motivational speaking career, or that time she spent creating an internet parody that went viral of her life living with a cardboard cutout of the actor Bradley Cooper. So, to fill in those blanks...go to www.Danielledavies.com or follow her by the same name on Facebook and Instagram. 

Can a tea ritual bring you joy? Can a pandemic actually be cleansing? These are just a few things that this week's Podcast guest Lindsay Dianne shares with us in our intimate conversation about the Joy, Goodness, and Growth that is planted all around us. To watch the visual/YouTube version cyclical here: https://youtu.be/k4AcBcezyWQGUEST BIO:Hello, I'm Lindsay Dianne a bygone gal from California now living in a cottage in New York with my Swedish husband. Together we run a lifestyle blog called itsacharminglife.com which celebrates mindful living that we hope inspires others through our vintage fashion, charming travels, and enchanting storytelling. Go now and Like/Follow/Friend Lindsay Dianne at: @itsacharminglife on Instagram and Facebook. .As always, thank you for stopping by!

Can music transform your brain? Can journaling help in healing? These are just a few things that this week's guest, author and advocate Danielle Freitag, shares with us in our intimate conversation about the Joy, Goodness, and Growth that is planted all around us. GUEST BIO:Danielle Freitag, LADC, author, co-founding executive director of Action169, is an overcomer of severe addiction and the commercial sex industry.Danielle works as a counselor and advocate, providing direct support, care and counseling for women in a variety of settings. She is the creator of Arukah, a trauma-informed, faith-centered counseling service promoting holistic restoration through evidence-based practices, including the creative arts. Her mission is to empower women to overcome substance use and to enable those in the strip club industry to know their intrinsic worth.Offering expert training on combating the realities of exploitation and addiction while providing best care practices, Danielle has been requested to advise counselors and advocates, safe homes, medical, government and non-government professionals and has served as a consultant to the Minnesota Department of Health.Invited to speak nationally and internationally, Danielle's captivating story of transformation inspires hope and offers solutions. She is the author of Best Care Practices, a manual for service providers, and her first book, The Garden Keys - 22 Keys of Restoration was released June of 2018.  Volume II of The Garden Keys - Awakening Daughter Zion, was released November of 2019.  She and her husband Corey reside in Minnesota, and together, they serve as focus leaders in the Minnesota Apostolic Prayer Network - to end commercial sexual exploitation. EPISODE NOTES: Danielle reads from three places in her books titled The Garden Keys: Volume 1 & 2- Mary pursuing her dream despite what others said:  P.10 V.I- Benefits of Journaling/Writing to Heal: P.134, 135 V.I- The power of singing related to healing: P. 56-58 V.IDanielle also references three books she is reading:In Pursuit Of Love: One Woman's Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant by Rebecca Bender, Inheritance: Clinging to God's Promises in the Midst of Tragedy by Corey Russell, and Fallen: Out of the Sex Industry and Into the Arms of the Savior by Annie Lobert 

Are you lacking a morning ritual or routine? Has it been a while since you have spent time in nature? Do you struggle with control issues? If you said YES to any of these questions, this week's episode is for you!  Friends, I had so much fun talking with my friend about her own morning rituals, the power of being in nature, and a new thing she is doing to help her take control of her need to over-control with four simple words: release, allow, accept and trust.I just know you are going to enjoy this week's interview with author Ashley Ellington Brown as we chat about the Joy, Goodness, and Growth that she is seeing in this season.  Check it out and then let me know what you loved most about this interview. What did you learn? And make sure you are following our Facebook page: The Well-Tended Life and Subscribe today to our Podcast and YouTube channels by the same name so you don't miss an episode. Like/Follow/Friend her at: @abeautifulmorning on Facebook and Go BUY HER BOOK AT: abeautifulmorningbook.com Guest Bio: Ashley Ellington Brown is author of the multiple-award-winning guide A Beautiful Morning: How a Morning Ritual Can Feed Your Soul and Transform Your Life. Ashley's own morning ritual inspired her to write the book in order to share this powerful tool with others. A freelance writer for more than 20 years, Ashley also writes the blog “Joy Detectives” about her quest to find joy in both the everyday and the extraordinary. Her writing has appeared in Yoga Journal, Thrive Global, The Daily Positive, The Red Tricycle, The Eden Magazine, and the anthology Song of Ourselves.

When was the last time you put YOU at the top of your list of things to feel grateful for? Have you ever been on that list? Well...after talking with my special guest this week...I am convinced that our own names should always be written in our gratitude journals.I hope you enjoy this week's interview with Life Coach Courtney Barton about the Joy, Goodness, and Growth that is planted all around her right now.  Check it out and then let me know what you loved most about this interview. What did you learn?  A Bit About Courtney Barton: If a single word could be used to describe the driving motivation behind Courtney Barton's life, it would be CONNECTION. She fondly remembers when her husband once said to her, “You can't make a career out of meeting people for coffee!” Ironically, that's exactly what she did. Courtney applied her genuine love for people and fascination with human nature to become a Certified Mentor and Leadership LifeCoach. She now spends all of her professional time having coffee with clients, while helping them develop and implement life-changing goals and strategies. Courtney is also trained in temperament and personality profiling to assist her clients in developing a greater level self-awareness and self-love. She and her husband Amos, have been married for 19 years and have lived in Kerrville, Texas since 2001. They have three teenage children, whom they unbiasedly consider to be extremely cool homeschool kids. Besides spending time with her family, Courtney enjoys travel, cooking, writing and hosting friends and family in the 100 year old historic home that she and Amos remodeled together. Between her professional and private life, Courtney is the luckiest woman you'll ever meet - just ask her.Like/Follow/Friend our Guest: @lifecoachcourtney on Instagram or go to www.lifecoachcourtney.com Show Note: book referenced by Courtney “Letting Go” by David Hawkins

Friends, I had so much fun talking with my friend Suzi about the importance of self reflection and her thoughts on where joy comes from. She is such a bright light and I do hope you take some time to listen and experience a bit of the joy she reflects on everyone around her.Suzi Kory Bio Some call it a midlife crisis but Suzi refers to it as a midlife revolution. A rebirth involving a rediscovery of your true self.In Suzi's case, it was triggered by a fateful meeting with her musical idol, bringing back a flood of emotions she had felt as a teenager for music and performance. That meeting would proved to her that believing in something so passionately and taking action on that belief could manifest anything.As a mom to two teenage boys with a full-time career in aviation, country rocker Suzi Kory made a radical decision three years ago to pursue her longtime dream of becoming a musical performer.Since then, she has written and recorded ten singles, released four music videos and played stages in Toronto, Los Angeles and Brazil.Her single, 'Settle of the Dust' can currently be heard on Sirius XM and an EP is slated for release this coming fall 2020.For more information on Suzi Kory visit:Website: https://suzikory.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzikory Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzikory Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzikoryYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SuziKory     

This is the first episode in a series about the Joy, Goodness, and Growth that is planted all around us. Take a look and see if you can see any of her joy, goodness and growth reflected in your own life!To learn more about Lisa and her Lucky Star adventures go to www.LuckyStarArtCamp.com or @luckystarartcamp on Instagram. Guest Bio:Lisa Hamlyn Field lives, works, and dreams on a ranch in Hunt, Texas.  She's a landscape designer, organic gardener, and event planner who loves to travel and spend time outside with her family.  She takes every chance she gets to catch an outdoor concert, photograph her way through a farmer's market, ride the waves, or spend time in the National Parks. Lisa especially enjoys waking up on the ranch to a cup of hot tea, some time on her yoga mat, and taking her beloved dogs on long ranch road walks.  You can often find her at a table full of friends, enjoying good food, lively conversation, and cultivating community.  With a full-time job, a business, and kids ranging in age from 11 to 27, there is never a dull moment and that suits her just fine!Lisa founded her creative business, Lucky Star Show + Tell, LLC, in 2012 with the desire to cultivate community, inspire women through creative workshops, and encourage women of all ages to rekindle the childlike spark within. Eight years later, her annual women's art and whole living sleepaway camp, Lucky Star Art Camp, is going strong and she has found her true calling.Lucky Star Art Camp 2020 is taking place November 4th - 8th at Camp Waldemar in Hunt, Texas. You can find more about camp and Lisa's Lucky Star adventures online at www.luckystarartcamp.com or on Instagram @luckystarartcamp. 

My Secret Garden Story: Hello Everybody! I'm Keri Wilt, a speaker, writer, and heart cultivator with a soul full of sunshine who's on a mission to help you flourish.That's because not long ago, I looked down and discovered that my life had become an over-planted mess that was choking out my relationships, creativity, and purpose. I was irritable, exhausted, and watering everything but myself.That's when some soul-searching journaling time and a late-night re-reading of my great-great-grandmother's classic book The Secret Garden unearthed this Well-Tended Life Truth: That EVERY locked-up, weed-filled, withering life can bloom and grow again with the help of a little magic.Now I am not talking about the kind of magic that needs a wand and a trick top hat. I am talking about a dig in, make room, prune away, work on, water well, weed, and feed your soul kind of life-tending magic that I can't wait to share with you here on this podcast.“Where you tend a rose…a thistle cannot grow.” - The Secret GardenListen (you should really listen), a Well-Tended Life is not a set it and forget it life, nor is it a perfect life. It is worked on every day, in the sunshine and through the storms. And the truth is, what worked in our life-gardens last season, may not work in the next. That's why here at The WTL, we will be interviewing people who have grown and bloomed true in a variety of seasons and are willing to share their well-tended wisdom and weed-whacking advice with us!