E138 How to Eliminate Bad Habits (What's Worked for Me)
 
 

E138 How to Eliminate Bad Habits

Every single person on this planet has bad habits. Even I have bad habits, and I’m a Healthy Habit Mentor for goodness sake. My intention for this episode is to offer you some solutions and practices that you can use to support you in your journey to becoming the best version of yourself. 

I am only sharing what has worked for me or for my clients, and I’ll even use examples of the methods in action. As you’re listening to the content today I invite you to hear and feel, which of the solutions might be best for you.


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If you’re working through a bad habit currently, I would suggest trying out one or two of the methods I’m going to share and then go through them all to find the best fit.


At one point or another all of these styles have worked, and usually for different habits, as you will soon hear. So don’t be discouraged if you try one and it doesn’t fit quite right, you won’t know until you try. 


After listening to this episode, and truly making the effort for each of the practices I can confidently say that one of them is bound to work. Now, there might be a deeper root of concern if one or more of these practices don’t work. In this case, I would love to invite you into my Make a Habit Mentorship Program, as I mentioned at the beginning of this episode. If you feel called to join, or learn more, you can visit www.valerielavignelife.com/mentorship or contact me to see if we’re the best fit www.valerielavignelife.com/contact

[3:33] Education + Intention

Lasting change and transformation typically come from a very deep intention. In other podcast episodes I mentioned the importance of intention and how this can also be called our “why power.” WHY do we want to eliminate this bad habit? WHY do we want to make the change? Knowing the answer to this question will be the foundational motivation you need to make the change, and have it be a lasting change.


A simple practice I’ve used for myself, and in my coaching is to ask why, and then keep asking. Going through this helps uncover layers of meaning and eventually brings you to those deeper roots. Sometimes the answers can be very intense, so be honest, and be gentle with yourself. And other times, usually when we aren’t being honest enough with ourselves, we come up against some blocks/walls/speed bumps/etc. The important part here is to breathe, trust, and keep moving toward that meaning. 


This method also involves doing a little more research, and educating ourselves on 


My example: 2-Month sugar detox

Several years ago I started to learn more and more about the dangers of consuming too much sugar.


I thought I was really healthy, and eating foods that were labeled healthy… however they had many hidden sugary ingredients and to my surprise I was eating more sugar than I ever thought! Form low-fat yogurt to fruit smoothies, store-bought granola bars, and more I was eating tons of sugar. 


So I bought a book by Sara Wilson called I Quit Sugar and the first maybe chapter or two of the book went into more detail of the negative effects of sugar, how it is hidden behind different names, the science of glucose, fructose, lactose, and dextrose and so on and so forth. The book also shared an 8-week plan on how to detox from sugar and recipes to incorporate during the 8-weeks.


I used this research and data as motivation for me to eliminate fructose from my diet for those full 8-weeks. I didn’t eat refined sugar, fruit, and certain vegetables. I will say it was one of the most difficult, and one of the most rewarding things I have ever done for myself.


Since that detox many moons ago, I have continued to remove certain sauces, foods, and snacks from my diet. I now eat fruits, vegetables, and definitely still eat chocolate again, but my sugar consumption has most definitely changed and I’m very happy for that. Education and intention were a huge part of me taking action because let me tell you this was TOUGH!


Not only can we do some education on why this bad habit is so bad, but also what the future of our lives looks like, should we continue this bad habit. 


One of my favourite examples that explains this is from the book The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy.

He uses the example of three friends with three different evening routines. The first friend A comes home from work and decides he’s going to spend 30 minutes working out, 30 minutes reading a personal development book, and 30 minutes learning how to take better videos and pictures because he wants to use his camera when he spends time with his family and kids.


Friend B decides his evening routine stays the same as it always has.


Friend C chooses to come home, relax in front of the TV and drink a beer or two before dinner and bed.


In the book there is a graphic of a chart showing the projection of these three friends over a period of time. I don’t have the book in my hands right now so I’m saying this from memory, but after 6-12 months there isn’t THAT much change in the three friends. In fact, the lines on this line chart are all the same at the middle of the chart. 


But as time goes on, the lines start to change. With more time, the line representing Friend A starts to move in an upward motion. The line for friend B remains the same and steady along the middle of the chart. Friend C’s line also changes, but in a downward motion.


In the book, and I’m paraphrasing, Hardy shares that Friend A has lost weight and gained strength over the last 1-5 years and he is in better shape than he’s ever been with more energy than ever. He also got a promotion at work because he’s been implementing his personal development strategies from the books he’s been reading every night. AND he’s really great at using his camera and editing software and has even made some great home videos for the family. He’s become closer to his kids through this time. 


Friend B’s life hasn’t changed much. He’s feeling pretty stagnant actually, at the same job, always doing the same thing.


Friend C, as you can probably guess has gained some weight, is less energized, and not enthusiastic about his work or his home life. The list of problems went on in the book, and to be honest I remember more how I felt reading the story and it also motivated me to take action in my life.


As you’re thinking about your current routines, and bad habits, where can you see the negative impacts of these habits, and how could they be affecting your health and life for the long term? Motivated yet?

[10:41] Here’s the next method I want to share: Add Rather Than Subtract

When it comes to eliminating a bad habit, it’s actually a lot easier to add in a good habit and replace it with the bad habit, versus just not doing the bad habit any more.


My example: Less screen time, meant more time outside (walking, basketball, hiking)

Personally I have been appalled with the amount of time I spend looking at a screen every day that I’ve started to brainstorm and incorporate different activities instead of sitting at my computer, scrolling on my phone, or watching TV.


This morning for example I left my phone at home and went for a short walk around the block. Yesterday Craig and I went to the school near our house and shot some hoops together instead of watching TV, and I brought my book to bed to read a few pages instead of mindlessly scrolling on my phone.


Think of some different things you could be doing instead of the bad habit. Leaving my phone at home, or in another room was also really helpful because I would have had to get up and go grab my phone if I wanted to look at it. Or because it wasn’t on me I couldn’t check it. It wasn’t even an option.

[12:07] Another great way to replace a bad habit is to simplify the transition into the new habit. With my example of lack of movement I wanted to get back into the workouts I hadn’t been doing for OVER A YEAR! What worked…?

Simplify It… Again


I used to have an epic morning routine before the pandemic. I exercised, drank a litre of water, showered, and journalled before 8am most days. Then the pandemic. Gyms closed, my main source of income GONE, I was scared. The daily practice that kept me mentally well and physically strong was gone, and I started sleeping in and skipping my alternate workouts. The excuses got easier to make, and time went by more and more.


Fourteen months later… well you know how the chart works!


My example: Getting back into my workouts

I knew I wanted to get back into my workouts and I also knew that it wasn’t going to look the exact same as it did before. I wasn’t going to wake up at 5:30am when I was currently waking up at 7am. 


So I kept things really simple.

Day one: write out the workouts for the week, schedule them into my calendar

Day two: prep my clothes, new trainers, and music

Day three: do the workout.

Day four: do the next workout.

Etc.


And it worked! I’m on week 5 of my consistent workouts average 3-4x per week! I’m tracking my workouts and I know I’m getting stronger every week, and that feels really good. 


I literally had to make the steps soooo simple, as simple as lay out your clothes the day before. But that’s what it took.


Your turn, how can you simplify your new, better habit? How can you simplify it again?



[15:05] Tell EVERYONE! Better yet, document the whole thing on social media

I wanted to get my body moving more so I worked my way up from 4000 steps a day to 10000 a day by sharing the process with my social media network through instagram stories.


Organically it created some healthy competition, and there were a lot of people joining in the conversation and with the habit. 


People were sharing photos of their walks, screen-shots of their daily step count and it was so much fun! It also helped me stay accountable.



[16:45] Remove Distractions + Set Up Reminders/Triggers

I have a love-hate relationship with flossing, and honestly I love the way my mouth feels when I floss consistently - LOL yes I heard it too HAHAHA


I don’t bring my phone with me when I brush my teeth and I use brushing my teeth as the trigger to flossing. I brush first and then I floss. It helps me stack my habits. The other OBVIOUS trigger is to keep my floss right beside my toothbrush.



Think about the distractions and the bad habits that you’re doing, think about what you’re also avoiding by doing this habit?


Set yourself up for success by removing the limitations and set up your reminders + triggers so you can stack your habits.


[19:56] Reward Yourself 

At this point, I’d like to bring awareness as to why our bad habits feel so good. It’s because they reward us with comfort. Comfort is a common purpose behind our habits and since our brains are wired for rewards, we start to crave more each time we feel comfort.


In the decision making process, our brains cannot differentiate good from bad. It DOES understand comfortable and uncomfortable. 


That second chocolate chip cookie, that like on instagram, and that time you decided to binge watch Sex/Life, all triggered a release of Dopamine, the feel good hormone. 


It’s not wonder we keep doing the damn thing.


The bad habit is usually easier to do, than to replace with a more helpful or healthy habit since we (unconsciously link it to discomfort.


What are some of the feel good bad habits you want to break?


Then think about what discomfort you COULD DO and if it’s THAT much more worth it to sit on your booty vs work your booty?



With the right boundaries you can also use your bad habit as a reward. For example, if I read 1 page of my book I can scroll on my phone.


The boundaries are: the phone has to be in a separate room and the scroll has to be limited to 15 minutes.


[23:47] Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

This might be the most important one. I learned this a long time ago when it came to my business and personal development growth, but I hadn’t thought about it as a habit building/transforming until recently.


Through the discomfort we grow.


The magic happens OUTSIDE of our comfort zone, so GET OUT of your comfort zone by doing the uncomfortable good habit.


If you are ready to scale your growth, your transformation, to reach the best version of yourself, I invite you to connect with me.


Email me at www.valerielavignelife.com/contact to chat more about whether or not the Make a Habit Mentorship is right for us.


Let’s continue today’s conversation on instagram @vallavignelife

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E137: Pivoting Your Business without Losing Your Passion with Melanie Boudens
 
 

E137: Pivoting Your Business without Losing Your Passion with Melanie Boudens

Discovering how to pivot in business, and how to create a work-life balance during times of change and growth.


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[1:28] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to The Women's Empowerment Podcast please join me in welcoming Melanie Bowden's friend wife, Mama to me in October, vegan chef, and former restaurant owner of six years now the owner of a recipe and lifestyle blog and a brand new vegan food business, lover of all animals on nature of connections, and community with small business owners, welcome to the show.



Melanie Boudens: Yes, I'm grateful to be here.



VL: It's so amazing that we could connect over the show because I remember meeting you, I want to say it was 2019 So, a couple years ago. It was at a retreat, you were cooking for the retreat. And I've been to a lot of retreats, of them being vegan.



I guess the menu is all vegan, and I have to say I was very impressed with the uniqueness of your creations. So I want to know where do you get your recipe inspiration or how do you come up with your recipes?



MB:  Um, yeah. So, to be totally honest, I say this a lot of my cooking classes before I went vegan which is somewhere around 11 years ago now. I really could barely cook just about anything like I think there's like three dishes, maybe I could do, and maybe like chocolate chip cookies or something in terms of sweet things, and so when I went vegan, it was just like, full stop. How do I eat now. So I was really forced to learn how to cook, and learn how to cook vegan. I've cooked, many horrible things so you know like, it's just goes to say with anyone, practice makes perfect. But when I went vegan obviously it's a long time ago it's like vegan before it was cool, and I'm from a really small town where I didn't know anyone else that was vegan or any really even vegetarian, so I was hit with a lot of like, you know, vegan food is disgusting. What will you eat, you're going to starve, I distinctly remember my dad being genuinely concerned that I was going to die.



And so I kind of felt this like big urge that I just really needed to prove to people that vegan food could taste just as good as non vegan food so I really started with just converting the classic dishes that I knew I loved or that my mom would cook. Growing up, just trying to make them vegan so I just essentially veganize all my favorite dishes, just like making small swaps and changes like replacing butter vegan butter milk with almond milk. Chicken with tofu stuff like that so I just, I try and keep it simple and basic, but making sure that the flavor is still there, and just creating dishes that anyone can love whether you're vegan or not.



VL: That’s so fun! Do you have a favourite dish?



MB: I love like a good mac and cheese which is, I mean who doesn't. So I love to make a good vegan mac and cheese, and I'm like a big sandwich and meanie. And so I like to make different sandwiches and stuff like that as well, amazing I love vegan mac and cheese, that's like, I'm so I'm not a vegan but when I do go out, I sometimes get some vegan food and then I'm looking for, like, the best vegan mac and cheese.



VL: I love that, that's so cool. So I did want to ask you about because when I met you you owned a restaurant. Was that correct?



MB: Yeah



VL: And then, that was two years ago so tell me what happened. You do not own a restaurant anymore. What, like, walk us through that that transition or that pivot?



MB: Yeah, so I started actually the restaurant before I had the physical brick and mortar restaurant. I started doing caterings just out of my house and then I did wholesale to a couple of local shops and grocery stores.



But the ultimate goal is to always have a physical sit down, restaurant, so I did open that I started in 2014 and then we opened the restaurant in 2016.



And then last year, just like other business owners and Pandemic hits. We did do a little bit of a pivot, we started doing prepare prepared meals for people and then we would deliver them across like certain parts of of Ottawa where the restaurant was and that was going well but I had a really hard time with transitioning, not that it's easy for anyone but I had a really from the restaurant to doing the meals.



It was kind of just like I didn't sign up for this, and I missed by customers and seeing their faces, and seeing them come into the restaurant, stuff like that so that was a bit of a challenge and then of course just like everyone else, there's a financial strain coming on and I just wasn't confident that things were going to be over or better or easier anytime soon.



I wasn't willing to like dive deeper into that struggle financially, emotionally, physically, that kind of thing without knowing when the Vita at the end of the tunnel would be. So I decided instead of continuing on and whatever pivot to was going to be with a restaurant that maybe it was better to just close things now before I got too deep into something. I wasn't comfortable with, especially owning a business, especially a restaurant is, is a challenge as it is in normal worlds.



Yeah, that was the end of it.



[7:57] VL: Wow, I mean, so I'm also a business owner and I, there's something that I don't think people realize if you're not running a business and you are kind of forced to do this pivot, you know there's a lot of opportunity in this type of situation. However, for you, you mentioned the end goal was a sit down restaurant and now it's kind of like, okay, but this is now, this, this, the goal has to change, right, but the big idea the big dream that you had which you were building, and was successful at was changing so yeah I can see that would tell that would take a toll. Right, and probably cause a lot of stress. Would you say that, in that time like would you say the pivot has really inspired you to change with this new direction that you're in, or are you still longing for one day a sit down restaurant again?



MB: Well it's funny when I first closed the restaurant and I still do have people ask me like, are you going to open again are you going to open something new again. And the first little while after I closed my answer was like, hell no, absolutely not.



But now I totally see myself opening something, you know, not anytime soon, further down the road.



Maybe in a few years, maybe that'll change too and maybe I won't want to in a few years, but with what we're doing now. I can see, I missed the restaurant terribly and I'm definitely not emotionally over it or anything like that but I see the success and like the difference between what we're doing now with our business versus the restaurant and I still get that same satisfying feeling like as a business owner with the new business that I had with the restaurant. It's just an adjustment getting used to, you know, being an online business first. You know in person where restaurants was such a community space.



So adjusting to it. Yeah I love the business now but I still adjust. It's very different and very weird but I think that what we're doing now, can accomplish the same goals as what I had with having a restaurant, so.



VL: Yeah, amazing and it kind of makes me think of like, it's not necessarily the goal that we're striving for and I think a lot of us have to have this reminder that it's the core values that create this goal or that are the foundation of the goal. So tell us more about what you're doing now what the business looks like, what, how are you serving people online?



MB: So, I had approached a very good friend of mine who actually owns an animal sanctuary and is also vegan so we share a lot of the same goals and values in life, with an idea and asked her if she wanted to jump on board. I would love to have her. So, we started a, again a vegan business has to do with food.



But now, it's just in a different way, we create dry sweet and savory mixes that people can make at home, and it was essentially 100% is inspired by the previous restaurant because we took most of our best selling items that were on the restaurant menu and I converted them into dry mixes so people could still make the same items at home. It's kind of like Betty Crocker but it's vegan and obviously better and we have a sweet and savory so you just add two to three of your own ingredients from your own kitchen or pantry.



To make the product and then you bake and cook it so it just, it's kind of fickle, it's just, again, still making vegan food tastes delicious but also making it more approachable and easier for people who also aren't vegan or vegetarian as well so we're trying to, again, hit both aspects of the spectrum. And then I do also do my own little personal thing on the side which is my recipe blog and everything, and I really enjoyed because I share a lot of the recipes from the restaurant that people are looking for on the blog and I do Xoom cooking classes with people as well so that's really fun for me because like so good to connect them so it's very different but still very good and like he said, like, the most important thing at the end of the day is to have those values within your business, stealth, and we do I think so. Good.



[12:38] VL: You know what, it's such a it's such a great story because I feel like the pivot, came from one, a demand to an innovative idea, and three those values that you're speaking to, and, you know, the Zoom life isn't always amazing but if it's what we have right now I think it's, it can do wonders and like you said, if there was an opportunity for you to open another restaurant again in the future. I mean, you can do that too, right like you know you've done it before so what's to stop you from doing it again.



MD: Hopefully Yeah



VL: Yeah, exactly, exactly, because if there's anything that the business owners and entrepreneurs and people for that matter anyone has learned from this past year, it's that there is an opportunity to come back better and stronger, with all the knowledge that we've learned from this last year so to that I'd love to ask you if you have any advice for business owners, entrepreneurs, people going through changes and pivots and all these things, what was your advice for them?



MB: Um, I think the biggest thing I would say is just really be mindful not to lose yourself in the business, because I think you become so much about your business and the success of your business and building it and the people that you employ and the people that you serve.



For serve and help is just like you put yourself on the back burner, and even sometimes family and friends get put on the back burner to share with a lot of business owners like you know this.



And for me, I didn't realize how much of that I was losing and how much of that I was doing until I was out of it again. So, I really like to just step back and think like, am I who I want to be, am I acting the way I want to, I want to portray myself.



And I remember like obviously your business is like your baby to anyone. It's so important to you it's who it's almost you know like entirely who you are but at the end of the day what matters most is like your own self and the people that are in your lives. So just really step back and take a look at who you are and who you want to be and, and try to see that from the outside perspective. Instead of just, you know, being that, as a business owner, you're always in that reactive mode. So, you know, trying to switch to being proactive and realize, okay, am I on the right path, personally, as well as, as an entrepreneur. So I think that was a really big change for me when I got out of it I realized that, okay, this business was great and successful but I am not personally successful like emotionally and physically so yeah I just really think about, if this is what you want personally as well.



VL: Because most of us, we are the business, our service is part of the business, where you're the face of the business. So, you know, you identify with your business. This is a part of you and definitely losing that or having to change it in some way in a drastic way can be quite a struggle, and, you know, from, from my perspective like looking from the outside at your business I feel like this was a massive opportunity for you to recognize that, okay, this is what I really want and this is how I can do it differently, while taking care of myself and I think this is a huge positive for you and a lot of people just learn this too late. Like, until. So, for example, like, I'm. I teach Pilates and so if I hurt myself, knock on wood if I hurt myself. I can't teach.



So, because human capital is one of our greatest resources, and yet we put it probably last on the list of the things that we need to take care of so I actually shared, I'm not sure if you heard this episode but it was my accountability meeting that I do every month, and I've changed this a little bit this year so I did a new episode about it. Essentially what this accountability meeting was  tracking all these parts of my business and so this year I changed it to also track parts of my, my health and myself, and one of the things I asked myself was yeah, one of the things I asked myself was how many days did I take off this month, and in January, I took off for February. It was January, January, I took off one full day of work, one full day and an entire month.




Episode 132: Behind the Scenes: My Monthly Accountability Meeting

www.valerielavignelife.com/132 



And in January. The studio was closed for one of the lockdowns that we had, so I have other businesses that I do too, but like I'm constantly on, I'm constantly working so that was a huge awakening for me and I thought again, my goal next month is just to have more days off than last month, and so now I'm very conscious about boundaries around my time boundaries around what I check my emails. When I do interviews I don't do more than two interviews in a day. I think now I just do one a day. But yeah, it's been a really, a really great way to kind of like shift and change perspective and I like what you said about moving from reactive to proactive so do you have any practices similar to that where you like to check in, or how you kind of gauge where your health and your wellness is that?



MB: Yeah, well I love, I love the, taking, taking a look back at like, Okay, how many days off, did I do or how many days did I do or not do something that's amazing because when you're in it. You really don't think about that you're just like go go go go go what's next and what what's, what's going on now and, and stuff like that.



The biggest thing that I've done, is with the cell phone is now having my phone I, it's, it's off it, because I think, especially like as an online business people are assume that like, you know they're sending an email, they're like a night owl it's 11pm they're thinking like, you haven't responded to, like, No, I'm sleeping now so we're not open 24 hours a day, even though it's an online business, in terms of customer service but I my phone for business purposes is after 8pm I'm not there anymore. That's a really big thing for me as well and then in the morning because I'm an early riser, then I hit emails and do some productive things early in the morning after I know I've had a good sleep and I've shut things off.



And then I think the other thing is just paying attention to my relationships two just checking in like making that effort to check in with people as often as I can and making sure that I'm spending time with my husband as well. But definitely the phone thing has been really big for me because, especially after you know your business owner, like, being a restaurant owner I was at the restaurant sometimes from like 5am or 6am till seven or eight at night, maybe longer depending on what's going on. So then you get home and it's not just home time it's phone time. So, making sure I put that down, It's been a really, really big thing for me, and just checking in, like, mentally to make sure, like, are you still on this, this right path that you want to be on and do so like who you are right now that's that's another big thing too.



[20:46] VL: Yeah, that's a, that's a really hard question to ask ourselves sometimes do we like who we are because we don't want to admit that they're like darker sides to us or that you know we're not that positive and nice i, this morning I reacted poorly to my with my partner and this morning, and he laughed and it wasn't like the greatest, you know, it wasn't, it wasn't a bad goodbye, it was just like, oh, I shouldn't have reacted that way it was probably just a little grumpy about it.



But I think him and I have really good boundaries with being able to say hey listen, I'm sorry, like I made a mistake. I shouldn't have said this way I shouldn't have acted that way. So I think we do well with that.



But it's easy to get caught up in it, it's easy to, to not be aware of all the things and it's a lot easier to do that than it is to ask ourselves Do I like the person that I am right now because it means you have to look at all, all parts of us, for sure. 



MB: Yeah, especially when stress from being a business owner is clouding those thoughts like if you're just so focused on, like, what's going on if you're so stressed out about what's going on. You really don't think outside of like, What's stressing you out so you've become unaware of the way that you might be like you know like your set like just talking to people, you know, you don't realize that so really just like checking in with yourself, like, you know, maybe at the end of the day was a nice person today because stress can make us all, you know, not so nice sometimes so, I think.



I think that's the good thing it's just like, like I said you know check in with who I who you are and, and making sure that you are who you want to be and who you want to treat or how you want to treat other people getting realigned with, with that, for sure.



VL: Well I love this, this is So, this is such a like refreshing reminder I find because it's so easy to get caught up in that negativity and it's so easy to get caught up in just the day to day busy ness and I think this is a huge reminder for a lot of entrepreneurs, a lot of business owners a lot of people who are feeling maybe overwhelmed right now, right, because there's a lot going on. And there are a lot of changes happening.



So, basically I guess my next question for you is, in terms of planning your business. What advice would you maybe give someone who is in their business right now wants to plan for the future, but also wants to be aware of possible transitions or pivots or changes that might come up?



[23:35] MB: Ah yeah I think just like really taking a look at what you want in your life personally, and figure out how does that tie up with what you're trying to achieve with your business. For example, you know, I've wanted kids for many years, but we've always just never, you know, kind of going down that road because I'm thinking, How in the world can I have a baby right now we're all running a restaurant like there's just no way.



And then, you know, we just started this new business. Early this year and we actually weren't planning a pregnancy was a total surprise for us so I actually thought I was pregnant, the month before we launched our new business, and then it was just kind of like an eye opener Oh, like, well, whether we're ready for or not or I think I can do it or not this is happening, so I need to learn how to run a business and grow baby and have a baby all at the same time so, you know, you might have this crazy elaborate one or two or three year plan for your business. But how is it going to relate back to your personal life and how is it going to affect your personal life.



And is it going to get in the way of personal goals that you have, because, you know, they're equally important, if not more important in your personal life as much as your business life so I think when you're going over your yearly or quarterly or monthly goals.



Just making sure you, you know, have a column for for me and a column for the business and how are those things going to collide together and mesh together if they're going to work or not, and maybe taking some things off the list for the business or for personal or changing the timing of things to what can wait and what can't so that would be good to plan out the future if you want to be really mindful of your personal life as well. I like that I, I think I already do this but I just don't I didn't think of it this way but yeah planning your business goals, and then also your personal goals and kind of weaving them together, because I've also been in a position where I'm so focused on my business and my business goals that you know, six months goes by and I'm like, What have I done for myself



VL:  This is the worst. Someone asked me what do you do for fun? I'm like what my business is like this is, this is my life like I don't have a hobby I have. I have a business. I don't have a baby, I have a business. Congratulations, by the way, I know that I said this to you outside of the show but I'm so excited for you for your pregnancy that's a very, very lovely surprise.



MB: Yes, yes, very good, but we're definitely excited despite the surprise.



VL: Now, what you were saying made me think of the kind of work life balance. What is your perspective or what is your opinion on the work life balance. Do you think it exists, or does it not exist, how do we do this?



MB: Had you asked me a year ago when I was still running the restaurant I would have laughed, you know, so there's no such thing as that.



But now running this new business, don't get me wrong, like it's still really hard and takes up a lot of time and you know I'm juggling a few different things at the same time also trying to take care of myself and the baby.



So I think if you are currently, like I was, when someone asks you, there is work life balance exist and you do the same thing, I would have done a year ago or two or three years ago, and just kind of laugh and say there's no such thing. That's when you really need to look about, what are you doing with your personal life and your and your, your business life. And how can you create some form of balance, like you said, you know, you said you don't have any hobbies, because what you do for fun is your business, which is amazing because obviously you want to enjoy your business and have fun with it. But you should also have something that's fun outside of your business entirely so I think and you know what a lot of us probably don't even know what that is, because it's been so long that we actually took the time to do that. So maybe it's, you know, thinking. Before I was a business owner, what did I love to do, and am I still doing that now, because I think in terms of balance, it doesn't necessarily mean as a business owner, we might never work, just 40 hours a week, but are we okay with working 50 or 60 Probably yes maybe no. But, what are you going to be doing those other hours of the week that are bringing you like peace of stress release enjoy like with your family and your friends and stuff so I do think that work life balance exists, I think, maybe just not all of us have found it yet so kind of like back to that list of personal vers business is just writing things down on that list and making sure that you're achieving both goals on either side of the list.



VL: Yeah, I think those are amazing questions to ask ourselves I think that's a great place to, to start and really dive a little deeper and now that I'm thinking about it, I'm like, Okay, wait, I actually do have hobbies.



I like reading and I like hiking and I like traveling. I was just like oh wow so quite the workaholic, which I'm trying so what I've noticed is that they're such a badge of honor to be busy, and I really caught it, when people would email me and say, Hey, I know you're super busy. But, hey, I know you're super busy but hey, you're probably really busy right now but I wanted to ask you this, I'm like, I don't want to be. I don't want to be that busy person, and it took, other people kind of showing me that or telling you that or asking, sending me these emails for me to realize and see that part of myself so it'd be to add to our personal development and self inquiry, less questions, we could ask ourselves like how are people around us like those relationships who were saying how are people treating us or speaking to us or emailing us, that sort of thing because that was definitely an eye opener for me for sure. 



MB: Yeah, and even asking friends and family you know like, how am I treating you, it might be a really hard question to ask and you might be afraid of what the answer will be. But, I mean I didn't have the opportunity to ask those questions, because like I said I came out of it and then saw from a different perspective, who I was, how it was possibly treating people so I kind of found that out on my own. Luckily, but if you're if you're in there and you are kind of always busy busy busy maybe, you know, just saying to your partner or your friend like am I giving you what you need as someone special to me in my life because we all want to be there for people so maybe you're just asking those hard questions to make sure from, from their perspective that, you know, they're getting what they want or need out of your relationship to because it goes both ways.



VL: you know what though, asking the hard questions, leads to so much growth, and I want to add this in as a reminder for people who are asking their friends and their family, how this is going, just be really prepared for whatever answer that they're going to give you and really accepting it in like a kind way, Because most of the time those people are saying, Hey, this is how I feel and this is, I'm saying this because I really care about you and it's easy to react, maybe not so well. But yeah, I think that's important to ask those questions and to be prepared for any kind of answer we're gonna get.



But yeah, I think that's important too to ask those questions and to be prepared for any kind of answer we're gonna get you. Oh my goodness. Well, okay, so this wasn't really the direction that I thought our conversation was going to be in but I'm so glad it went this way because these were incredible questions and reminders, and I think he gave some really sound advice for people who are in, you know, turning points in their business or just growing their business. So, really thank you for, for surprising me with this.



I guess this new topic that I haven't really explored that much so thank you.



Let us know where we can find you where we can follow you, how can we be a part of and support your business?




MB: Yeah, so if you love to learn more about cooking and recipes. And like I said I don't care if you're vegan or vegetarian, and none of that matters just, what matters is that you just want to learn how to cook and cook good food.



WEBSITE + BLOG https://www.melanieboudens.com

IG | @mel.b.21

WEBSITE | https://growyourroots.ca

IG | @growyourrootsfoods




[33:28] RAPID FIRE

1. What are you currently reading? What’s your favourite book?



MB: Currently reading a book about babies, it’s a birthing book



2. What do you love most about being a woman?



Um, again, going back to pregnancy I think it's been, I've always been really terrified of pregnancy to be totally honest, absolutely horrified. I would say to anyone you know, maybe thinking about it, is just, it becomes more of a beautiful journey than just about having a baby.



So I would say, like, it's been amazing, being a woman and remembering that like we can do the best that we can to create human tiny humans so yeah I've really enjoyed that process of it so far anyway.



3. What does empowerment mean to you?



Um, I think empowerment really means to me. I keep thinking about community and like empowering not just yourselves but other people, especially being in that entrepreneur community.



4. What are you currently working toward?



I would say, I'm currently working towards being a successful business owner. At the same time as being a good wife, friend, and future mum.



I wanted to say thank you so much for being a part of the show, it has been a really cool experience to one speak with you today but also to be kind of following you through this pivot over the last couple years, like I said I met you when you're a restaurant owner and now how you've changed and created this wonderful online experience. I can't wait to see what else you come up with. I can't wait to try your premixed recipes. I'm very excited about that. So thank you so much for being part of this and for being an inspiration, and an incredible business owner, and soon to be Mom, I'm so excited to see that part of your journey too!

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E136: The Power of Interruptions
 
 

E136: The Power of Interruptions

Google defines the word “interrupt” as:

  1. Stop the continuous progress of (an activity or process)

  2. Stop (someone speaking) by saying or doing something

  3. Break the continuity of (a line or surface)

Today we’re going to use each of these definitions, in a new context. Today we’re going to talk about the power of interruptions in the continuous progress of negative self-talk and anxiety

The power of interruptions by taking alternate action through journaling and reprogramming

And lastly, the power of breaking the continuity of automation in our habits, behaviours, and daily actions.


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[1:20] Welcome back to the Women’s Empowerment Podcast, I am your host Valerie LaVigne. If you’ve listened to any other episode before you will have noticed that I broke a pattern of how I begin each and every show. 

Funnily enough I wasn’t planning on it, but it just ended up that way and it ironically was so perfect because of course today’s episode is all about interruptions and the power they have!


[2:00] [PART ONE]

I’m breaking this episode into three sections so that I can share three unique perspectives on this topic, and the first is: The power of interruptions: Interrupting Negative Self-Talk + Anxiety.

If you’ve ever felt anxious or gotten caught up in the drowning thoughts of negativity, you will understand the rabbit hole of the negative noisy mind and debilitating feelings to follow. Not only is a habit of negative self-talk non-serving, but it can also lead to anxious thoughts, feelings, and fear.

One of the most popular episodes of the Women’s Empowerment Podcast is Episode 81: 5 Tips for Positive Self-Talk. Seeing as this is one of the most popular episodes, I think it’s safe to say that this is a struggle for many of us. The good news is, negative self talk and anxiety is something we can heal, work through, and overcome. 

It all starts with the habit of observing our thoughts. This is the consistent practice of noticing our thoughts, mindset, and self-talk. This is constant throughout the day so we will need to check in often. If it helps, you can set alarms/reminders or triggers. For example, if you’re answering emails, notice what your thoughts are throughout the email process, with each new email remember to check in. Or perhaps starting with every morning, notice how you start your day when it comes to your mindset. You can also change up your triggers, for when you’re driving, waiting in line at the grocery store, scrolling instagram, etc.

Getting in the habit of observing your thoughts will be the first step to interrupting anxiety or negative self talk. As soon as you can notice your mindset, you will be able to limit or stop the negative pattern sooner and avoid spiralling all together!

This first step cannot be skipped because it’s the key to breaking the pattern of negativity and interrupting anxiety BEFORE the fearful feelings overtake us. And trying to stop this mid-panic-attack is a lot more difficult than before we shift into panicking.

I want to point out that in no way are we ignoring, suppressing, or labeling the anxious feelings as invalid; the purpose of this step is to eliminate the toxic pattern of the mental spiral or breakdown.

[4:44] We can do this through observation followed by gratitude. One of the best ways to interrupt anxiety is with gratitude. More often than not anxiety comes up when we’re thinking; or over thinking about the future. Fears of what could happen, but isn’t necessarily accurate or true. When we observe an anxious thought, negative self-talk, or poor mindset, the very next step is to think of something we are grateful for. 

The practice of gratitude requires us to think of something that has already happened to us, so we know it to be true, AND has made us feel happy, joyful, or grateful. It’s interrupting the negativity with something positive. Notice how I didn’t say, “replacing” I said INTERRUPTING. Gratitude grounds us, elevates our energy, and brings us back to the lighter and elevated emotions. When we are present we can act with discernment and reframe our current situation.

Let’s look at an example: I’m feeling nervous and anxious about an upcoming interview and questioning my abilities as a podcast host. I could very easily spiral into negative self-talk and lack-mindset of “not good enough”. However I am practicing observing my thoughts, so I notice the negativity. With this awareness I CHOOSE to interrupt with gratitude and I take a moment to channel my attention to what I am grateful for. I am grateful for my new coffee mug that was handmade by a local artisan. I am grateful to support a local woman artist, drink out of a very unique piece of art and I really love this coffee that I’m drinking because I’ve been adding cinnamon to it and it’s so pleasant. I take a breath. I remind myself that I am worthy and enough. I am capable, in fact I have evidence supporting how great of a podcast host I really am. At this point in the example I can go on and list truths about what qualifies me, but for the sake of time I won’t, and because you get the point.

[7:26] When you’re interrupting anxious thoughts and feelings with gratitude, here are my 3 tIps for an impactful Gratitude Practice:

  1. Keep it really simple: I am literally drinking out of the coffee mug I described in the example right now. This is a real-life example of what was in front of me or around me that I could connect to gratitude with quickly. A coffee mug. Simple

  2. Consider WHY you are grateful for the item on your list: Don’t stop at listing items within sight. Why are you grateful for that item/person/thing? What makes it meaningful to you? This might also bring evidence to prove your negative mindset wrong.

  3. List different things every day: My life changed when I started writing a daily gratitude practice after only two consistent weeks of it. It has helped me create a WAY healthier and more positive mindset over all and I recommend this super simple practice to anyone looking to make a real shift in their mindset and life.

[8:53] [PART TWO]

Gratitude in the moment can be quickly transformative, and a daily gratitude practice truly allows us to make LASTING CHANGE. This is because as we elevate our energy and our mindset, what we’re actually doing is creating new neural networks and reprogramming our brains.

This leads us to part two: The power of interruptions by taking alternate action through journaling and reprogramming.

If you’ve ever watched or read “The Secret” or done any mindset work with coaches, or through any type of personal development, you would have learned about vision boards, journaling practices, and maybe even audio recordings of what you want your life to look like, sound like, feel like, etc. Hey, I’ve talked about this on the podcast before!

In the bigger scheme of things, and as we start to (as I mentioned) elevate our energy, the next step after gratitude and observation, and choosing our new thought and belief, is to take action. Before I get too far ahead I want to point out the difference between REACTING and TAKING ACTION.

A reaction is an emotional, often immediate and not well-thought out response to a situation. This could be a verbal reaction, sometimes called “word vomit” or a physical action such as an outburst. Because reactions tend to be immediate and without any forethought, we often regret this type of behaviour/action.

In this episode I’m talking more about taking INSPIRED ACTION. Meaning, we are acting from a place of gratitude, service, and working in the highest good. We are moved into action not because we feel hurt or threatened but rather because we are feeling called to show up and shine!

[11:11] Okay, so back to these interruptions. If we want a different result, we’re going to have to take a different action. To initiate a more thoughtful and intentional action, we need to become clear on our desired reality, and we can do this through journaling!

Feel free to take out a pen and paper, or your journal and start writing out a very detailed description of who the best version of you is.

What does she look like?

What does she sound like?

What does she smell like?

How does she feel?

How does she wake up in the morning?

What is her morning routine?

What are her thoughts throughout the day?

What is her work-life balance?

What are her relationships like?

What is she grateful for?

What is she excited about and looking forward to?

Who does she admire?

What is she proud of?

What makes her feel good?

What foods does she eat?

What limiting beliefs or obstacles has she overcome?

How does she spend her weekends or free time?

What makes her special?

How does she spend her evenings? 

What is her evening routine like?


I included the questions in this episode so that you could use them as a guide/prompts as you create a detailed and full description of this version of you. Feel free to add more detail and answer your own questions as you see fit. I find these a great starting point for us to dive even deeper. 


Writing out these answers with pen and paper is also important in this practice because it allows us to use both the right and left hemispheres of our brain at the same time, activating more neural networks.

It’s also key to write as if this has already happened/in the past tense because as you write and then read the description, your brain cannot distinguish between reality and what you’ve written down so it will start to believe that this is already happening.

[13:58] Here is the best part. The version of you, the one you just described in immense detail, is the person you are already becoming! How?

  1. Your brain is already visualizing this version of you and believing that it’s possible

  2. You have created clarity on exactly who this person is

  3. NEXT you can start to implement some of these actions, thoughts, habits into your life RIGHT NOW!

Does the best version of you drink organic green tea in the mornings? Does the best version of you have boundaries around work emails on the weekends? Does the best version of you schedule time to be creative?

These three examples can most definitely be put into practice RIGHT NOW! Start BEING the best version of you by interrupting the current version of you by taking action. 

Wake up in the morning and ask yourself, “What is something I can do today that future Valerie will thank me for?” or “What would the highest version of Valerie choose to think about today? What intention is she setting?” You get the point!

[15:21] [PART THREE]

With these interruptions on mindset, elevating our energy to the high vibration of gratitude, and getting clarity on how we are reprogramming ourselves, we have now reached our third powerful interruption: The power of breaking the continuity of automation in our habits, behaviours, and daily actions.

It doesn’t matter if you track your habits or not. Humans thrive on routines and patterns. Maybe I shouldn’t say thrive, maybe I should say rely. Each and every human on planet Earth has daily behaviours that are either helping them, hurting them, or keeping them neutral. 

When I work with my one-on-one mentorship clients I often say, “tell me your habits and I will tell you your future.” This is because, over time our habits are going to lead us somewhere and depending on that habit we will either feel better or worse in our bodies. Obviously this is due to good and bad habits!

Most of our habits are automated. Meaning we don’t have to think about them and we can go through each day, week, month, year behaving, thinking, and acting the exact same without considering anything different. 

We wake up at the same time, to the same three alarm clocks, stumble into the shower and brush our teeth with the same hand. We automatically hit the same setting on the coffee machine, drive to and from work the same way, and after dinner we put away the dishes the same and sit on the same spot on the couch as we always do.

An automated life leaves no room for change, growth, or opportunities. Living on autopilot means your future is already decided for you. But if you don’t like the sounds of that, it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, one of the most powerful ways to break the automation is to… you guessed it: interrupt it!

Here are some of the ways we can do it:

Level easy:

  • Change the hand you use to brush your hair and or teeth with

  • Take a new route to work

  • Stir an intention into your morning beverage

  • Sit on a different part of the couch when you watch TV

Level moderate:

  • Swap out your morning email and insta scroll for reading a few pages of a personal development book

  • Instead of watching TV after dinner, spend time connecting with your partner over a nature walk

  • Listen to an inspiring podcast on your way to work instead of the celeb gossip

  • Rearrange your morning or evening routine

  • Visit a restaurant you’ve never been to before, or order something you’ve never had

Level difficult, but certainly not impossible:

  • Wake up 30 minutes earlier to exercise in the mornings

  • Schedule email and social media time for specific times during the day and use the other time for screen-free tasks like journaling, nature, project creation, hobby or activity

  • Fill your weekends and parts of your weekdays with joyful activities, and blank space for spontaneous adventures or activities 

Here’s a little bonus for this episode… if you haven’t already noticed, each of these interruptions can become HABITS!

Get in the habit of interrupting negative thoughts

Get in the habit of taking alternate action toward your ideal self

Get in the habit of breaking the continuity of automated behaviours


You are worthy of a limitless, fulfilling, and wonderful life! Welcome interruptions into your life and choose to see them as opportunities for growth. Change the course of your life, and manifest your dreams by making them real today. Prove to your mind, and your physical brain that this future is possible and is happening right now.

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

Categories

Download the FREE Dream Lifestyle Roadmap

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E135: Beginner's Guide to Auras with Kennedy Vienneau
 
 

E135 Beginner's Guide to Auras with Kennedy Vienneau

Learn all about the colourful energetic field around your body, and how to tap into your spiritual and psychic gifts!


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[2:12] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to another episode of the Women's Empowerment Podcast. I am so pleased to be here today with a new guest, join me in welcoming, Kennedy Vienneu the show. Kennedy is a gifted 22 year old from Alberta, Canada, she loves all things Disney as well as most things from the Spiritual World, Kennedy is an aura reader and healer, as well as an up and coming spiritual mentor, welcome Kennedy. Thank you so much for being on the show today. It's very wonderful to have you here.




Kennedy Vienneau: Thank you for having me. I'm so excited. This is my first podcast so it's like a good icebreaker podcast. I'm excited.



VL: You're going to be amazing. We chatted a little bit before the show, and I think this is going to be a really fun conversation we have tons of questions, some from me and some from the listeners, so I was explaining this a little bit earlier to to you and to the other people who wanted to ask you questions was like you're really interesting and kind of unique guest to the show, because I've never had anyone who reads auras, and most people actually didn't know what that meant. So let's start with Kristin's question and she wants to know what is an aura?



KV: Okay, good question. An aura. I like to describe it as like when I look at people, everyone has a little tiny atmosphere around them, and then there are colors and movements within the atmosphere and that's your aura changes on your mood and what's going on in your life and all that kind of stuff. It's really cool.



VL: That does sound really cool. Now I've had some experiences with you and you're reading my aura. However, I don't see this tiny atmosphere of color and moving, moving color I guess or energy we can call it. So, can everyone see auras, so it's just like, certain people can see auras?



KV: I believe that everyone actually can see auras if they dig deep enough, but some people, it comes by some people easier than others. And so, yeah, everyone can totally tap into that, that if they need to.



VL: Hmm, maybe we can explore this a little bit more. However, let's get back to you a little bit more. When and how did you know that you could see or us?



KV: I, when I was like an early teenager 12 or 13, I was talking to my mom and then describing to her how I see these colors around people and my mom is also very spiritual. And she was saying, you know, I think that's, or as I think we're seeing auras and it was, I was like, Oh man, like maybe I am. And ever since then it's just really cool to just look at everyone's aura and all that stuff but I never really truly tapped into it until the past year or so.



VL: Oh, very interesting. So before you had that conversation in your early teens, were you seeing auras before that and just like you just saw colors around people?



KV: Yeah, I've always seen colors, it's been crazy, I just, I thought that's what everyone saw I didn't know.



VL: You know what, it's so weird. You're saying these things and I feel like there was a time when I was a kid, when I would see colors around people, but that was never really nurtured to me like I, my parents used to say like, Oh, you were 13 going on 30 Or like three going on 13 Like, I always asked questions and I remember people saying, Who asked you to ask that question or who told you that it was like no one I just wasn't my question. And people always thought it was really strange for a young child to be saying certain things and I can't really remember what those things were but I don't know it just brought me back to like this weird memory of seeing colors around people. So, okay, I'm open to the idea that we can tap into these kinds of spiritual, spiritual gifts.



Can you let us know a little bit more about how you've been fine tuning this gift in the last year and maybe how we can fine tune our own gifts?



KV: sure I think there are a lot of tools that can help you tap More into the spiritual world, such as crystals, you know, they're really easy to come by and most people have access to them. You just incorporate them into your day by putting it in your pocket or, you know, just taking a moment to breathe with one and when you find that you're still and plus with the addition of the tool spirit will often approach you and want to talk to you and tell you all these cool things and kind of confirm things that you've been feeling if you have been feeling like you. Maybe you can see, and are still open to it.



VL: Now I know in your practice, because when I worked with you before you talk about your pendulum is this one of those kind of spiritual tools that we can use the pendulum and crystals? Do you use a specific crystal?



[7:40] KV: Yeah, You can, but for beginners something as simple as like a rose quartz or whatever you find you know Rose Quartz are typically the cheapest, and that is something that can help just like ground you and act as like a door almost to the spiritual world and they'll be more attracted to these things and yes I do use the pendulum, and fine tuning that it's very helpful in clearing the energy so that I know like sometimes I get in my head like Wait am I just thinking this, and am I just telling myself or my client what I want to hear, or is spirit actually trying to bring that through and so the pension is really helpful in clearing the space so you can hear it more direct, I guess.



VL: Okay, so could you walk us through maybe like a little ritual that you do to tap in with these tools like can you kind of take us through step by step, is that possible?



KV: Yeah, definitely. So for example at the beginning of my reading, I will sit down and take a few deep breaths and then I have like a ton of crystals so I just like to pick whichever one I want that day. And, or if my client is getting a reading says, you know someone is ill and needs help and I will pick a personal that way. And so, grab the crystal and just take a deep breath and say, you know, kind of like affirmations, but with spirit and say you know I'm open to receiving messages I'm open to learning more information about these people, that sort of thing, and then you just, it kind of just comes to you if you're quiet enough and some people who are still skeptical in the back of their mind, they still, it's really hard to get rid of that skepticism I know but you just have to try to push it away as much as you can and with your tool or just yourself if you just have that and then.



VL: And it sounds like this is something that would be nice to do kind of to help, I guess. Well, it's like building muscle right after practicing.This is so interesting. It really is like, it seems like such a meditative kind of intuitive tapping in word and not so much like, okay, read this book and say this affirmation, it's like okay connect to yourself, you know say that affirmation because you're affirming that I'm open to receiving.



Yes, and really there's like so much power behind the intention of what you're doing, not just sitting there thinking like, alright, suddenly the download, like, yeah I'm open to this you know skepticism aside, it's so interesting, I would love to try this more.



So, I've had two readings with you so far, and they weren't completely blank, not even close to being similar in any way shape or form, in terms of the color in terms of the reading that you sent me how, like, can you see the orange changing in a person, or is it more like, it just kind of evolves over time, how does it work, how does that change work?



KV: I can see or a sense of something big is happening behind the scenes. I can see that happening if it's something like a, it's not like a mood ring it's, you know as you stub your toe and you're angry that I don't see anger. It has to be something that you're thinking about multiple times over time, and then it will show up if it needs to be addressed and cleared out for you.



VL: Interesting, I feel like you’re reading my mind! Oh my gosh it's so crazy. So, how often, in that, in that case, how often do you recommend someone get?



KV: I'll say typically every four I'd say nouns or weeds for adults and six weeks for children, and that's usually good on keeping up with your spiritual hygiene and maintenance.



VL: Oh, spiritual hygiene that’s fun, I've never heard that before. And I also saw what you do or readings for pets, how does that differ from humans?



[12:17] KV: The pets are actually, like, sorry I love humans but pets are my favorite to do because it's just, they have so much personality and I feel like because they speak English and talk to us and have a lot of things that I want to say in any outlet that will approach them. And so, it's just, it's a lot like they're more bold, and sometimes the humans are like holding themselves back because they're nervous and sometimes skeptical and that kind of thing but animals are just excited to talk and so it's just really exciting and I, if you want to do something for your animal I see also every six weeks.



VL: Very cool. My sister and my brother may be interested in that, because they both have rescue animals. 



KV: And I always say animals, even rescued animals are so fun to do.



VL: I'm gonna have to tell them all about this and I'm gonna get them to listen to this episode and convince them to get it.



This is actually a great transition into Paula's question and she wants to know, what information do you get from an aura reading, and then I'll just like to add to that question. Does the information really differ between adults, children, animals, that kind of thing?



KV: Yes, it does differ between adults, children and animals, the type of information I get is like, you know something people always ask me is, I don't want spirit to say all these, you're gonna have bad luck and you're gonna, you know, bad things are gonna happen, and spirit won't bring through negative messages, but they might bring through something that you're going through now that you're aware of, and that needs to be addressed and healed, but they bring that through for adults, and also for pets but I ask them to not bring that through for children because I feel like we don't need to know those things at this time and you know it's privacy and that kind of thing but the type of information that you get is, you know, you might get, like, a little bit of something from the future like kind of a psychic reading but you also, it's mostly just peeling out things in the past or in the present.



VL: Very interesting and I feel like you have a little pet friend who's joining us today. Like, I heard. Yeah, I love I love and we have extra special guests. 



Okay so that is very interesting and what you just said actually struck a new question for me, which was, when you said you ask spirit not to tell you certain things for children. This is super interesting because I always think, Are you kind of bombarded by this message like you just hear something or feel something or see something and you're like whoa I didn't really want to hear or feel or see that. So it sounds like you've created quite the connection and the boundaries with spirit, where can you, can you like, turn the messages on and off. How do you manage your boundaries with spirit?



[15:42] KV: That is a really good question because I've struggled with this for a long time and I think a lot of other people struggle with this, and that's why they're afraid to tap into spirit more, because some people may not realize that they're, you know, intuitive and have all these spirits approaching them and they're afraid and nervous and don't know what's going on. So, um, I, my mom taught me about spiritual hula hoops. You have to hold the hoop on the ground and you step in it and then you physically run up with your hands and put it up and then no more. That's like a beginner's way of creating boundaries but now I just say, like if I'm doing a reading for someone and say, I can feel that their leg hurts or something and it's usually when I say, I feel like you're like hurt that's because my leg is hurting or is trying to tell me about it and so I feel it for a minute.



And I'm able to just say firmly, stop, no more. I understand what you're saying, you can back away with it now I don't need to feel that anymore. And same with spirit approaching me if they're just driving me nuts and just can't, you know like, can't get out of my space, I just stop and sometimes you have to get what sounds rude but sometimes you have to get like firm and angry with them and, like, back away, that's enough. I can't. I need some space, and they'll listen.



VL: Wow, this is so interesting. So, I used to work at a yoga studio and at this yoga studio there was a woman who was a Reiki healer, and I called her the angel lady because she talks to your angels and your guides, and to be having this lovely conversation with this woman and all of a sudden she was just kind of turned her head and not right now.



And you're kind of looking around like, What the heck is she talking to, there's nobody there. And then she's like, Sorry, go on and like, she's like this wonderful human and she would just be very firm no. That's enough.



KV: Yeah, and sometimes you have to do that.



VL: Yeah and I asked her, like, what are you doing, and she was, she told me she, this is when I kind of learned about boundaries in the spiritual world and how you can say, this is not the time and you really have to be firm in that and so she helps me because I'm someone who has very vivid dreams to the point where I wake up and I don't feel rested, because I have all these you know messages or adventures and all these crazy kind of things happened to me overnight that she's, she taught me that before bed. I'd like to do a meditation that basically said, Okay, if you need to send me a message you can do so but I need to be rested I need to sleep. So tonight is not the night, or like, we open to another night and, but I had to have to say it because it's like they don't get the boundaries and once you put them up with. I feel like trickle into real life to teach them.



Oh that's so fascinating. So tell me a little bit more about your mom and your relationship with your mom. You said that she is a very special person. She's been teaching you a lot about what an aura is and these boundary tools, what kind of work does your mother do?



KV: First of all, love my mom. She's my best friend, um, see, if she does everything she's kind of a jack of all trades really she does.



Like, she's a psychic and medium, and so she does, either in person readings, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. She does, either in person readings or video readings and uses tarot cards and oracle cards and all that stuff. It's really cool.



VL: I was gonna say that is really cool, and this is something that you basically grew up around. And so, this is like the conversation that you guys had when you were little. And so cool. Does your mom see auras as well?



KV: She does not see so she always says she was with me but I mean she's good at everything else so I got to have something.

VL: Oh my gosh, I love that so much. That is really cool you know what I think it's so important and so powerful, especially for kids who are seeing or feeling or hearing things that you know a lot of other people aren't recognizing, to have someone to say, It's okay, this is what that means and, you know, ask questions and, but in a way that's like supportive so I'm really glad to hear that you and your mom are so close did you find that really helpful. Growing up, I guess that's kind of what you knew, right.



KV: Yeah, it was definitely super super helpful. You know, every time I thought I was crazy and felt overwhelmed and all of this stuff she was just like, hey, no I can feel that there's a spirit here and that's why this is happening to you so you're not crazy. It's okay, and it was super helpful my whole life, especially in my teenage years.



VL: That's so cool. Okay so I have to ask because we're on a video chat right now. Can you see my aura right now?



KV: Yes, I can and it's really like, because of the plain background that you have, it's very vivid and strong.



VL: Cool. So that's interesting that you say that so I'm basically sitting in a closet and a wall behind me is like cream colored but plain. So, I got an aura reading with you I want to say in March, and then a month or a month and a half later, like, kind of recently, I was teaching a client privately and behind her was like a pretty plain background, and I saw this like red glow beside her head and I kind of like I almost had to rub my eyes a little bit and say what, what am I looking at here, and it was almost like my eyes got a little fuzzy and I could see this red edge. It's Oh I wouldn't call it a halo, I wouldn't even say it's like a full or it was just like a part of her like half her head on the outside was red and I thought, oh my goodness because, could this be like me seeing an aura.



KV: Yeah!



VL: Yeah. And I think that like the, the white background was really helpful and there was no red or orange or anything behind her it was literally like a white wall and I just remember thinking, oh my gosh I need to tell Kennedy this like, what do I do, so what, what should I do and situations like that, if we said if we think we see an aura, what do we do?



[22:24] KV: Okay, first of all, that is so exciting. If it's someone where you're close enough to say like, Okay, we need to stop for a second and like, ask them to back up all the way to the wall if they weren't already on the wall, and just ask them to stay still for a second, and then maybe ask them to think about different major things in their life and see if you can see any color changing, but, you totally thought an aura.



VL: This is really cool. I love that you know, we can kind of tap into these parts of us and I'm finding that I'm becoming a little bit more in tune with myself because I'm spending more time in nature. I am meditating a little bit more, mostly spending a lot more time alone since we're still in a quarantine at this moment. So I'm finding that it's easier for me to kind of connect to these, these parts of myself so I love the advice that you shared with you know using tools like the pendulum, and the rose quartz and being in that stillness and I find it really helpful.



So let's say that, that we can't, I mean I can't really see my own aura and I'm. This was like a one time thing and I saw this other woman's aura so if we wanted to get an aura rating with you, how do we get the most out of this experience? So you were saying, Like a plain background is really helpful. Would that be helpful for a reading with you?



[23:51] KV: Yeah, that would be helpful if you could take your picture with a plain background. Also, I really appreciate when people, you know, it's not just a headshot it's like half your mid body and, and then I can see more what's going on if you have something physical going on that needs to be healing that might show up better in that sort of shot so I'm trying to do better in recommending people take those types of pictures and so they can get the most out of it, like you say. 



VL: That's really interesting because I usually send you a selfie. But Well, yours are good because they're farther far enough back, yeah like I like to really extend my arm out there. Okay, that's so interesting, so kind of like the belly button up or like the waist up, and maybe like a bigger background. Can we do like a full body shot, can we send you the whole thing. Yeah, sure. That works great too. So cool. So I worked with you before and it's very simple. I love the way that you do this, I was telling you this before we started recording but basically it was like, you tell me what day you're available, I send you the picture in the morning, you send me the reading you know by the end of the day, sometimes even sooner, and it's all through email and I love it because I can kind of look back on it and see my reading and, you know, some like the readings that I've had were very emotional, and I, I'll talk about them because I'm comfortable talking about them but the first one was more of like a physical healing, which was so interesting because it had a little bit to do and I don't know if you remember this but had a little bit to do with my hormones, and I have been working on balancing my hormones at the time so it was so lovely, that this was a part of my reading. And then what I also found was interesting was that I wanted Craig to get the reading too. I was like Craig, I got you a gift. He was like, okay, he's not super into the whole like, we call it like the woowoo spirituality but he's open to, he's like open to trying whatever I'm like basically I'm like I'm going to take a picture of you and send it to somebody. So what I thought was really cool was that you saw, like, almost kinda like part of me and his aura and you're like oh you guys were you guys are part of each other's energy or something like that, how does that work, how do you know that that's happening?



KV: Sometimes that will show up, and like, you know sometimes couples want two readings together it'll be. Same color, same color or I had a couple that had, like, let's say red, yellow, orange and then the other person had orange, yellow, red and I just know that that means that they're connected and so it's really cool that way and that just means that your souls are super connected and where they're supposed to be at that time and so it's kind of reassuring I think at least.



VL: Yeah, that's lovely. And that's what I was gonna say about the second or a reading. I had with you was very different. The colors were very different, and you read the aura more of an overall reading versus breaking down each color. And what I thought was interesting about the second or reading was that it wasn't really a physical or emotional, well maybe emotional but it wasn't really a physical healing, it was more like hey, something's been on your mind, and this is this reassuring message that you needed to hear. And so again, like, two completely different readings, obviously, like, a few months apart.



But I thought that was pretty cool. And do you find that there's like a pattern with people who get readings if it mostly heals? Is it mostly like physical or emotional healings, is it you know an overall reading, I mean, I've only had two experiences.



[27:54] KV: Um, I honestly it's all over the place all the time sometimes, you know, I think that's why I asked for a picture, the morning of because things can change so quickly and you're just not sure what it's going to be and sometimes it's like you say I do ring by ring and that's how spirit wants to do it but lately for almost all of my readings and it's been addressed as the whole and it's kind of been like a psychic reading and I don't know if that has to do with things that are going on in the world or the way the moon is or something but it just, it's always moving and it's always fluid, it's really cool.



VL: That's really cool and for the listeners who don't understand what Kennedy or I are saying by like color by color ring by ring is that typically in the aura reading you're seeing multiple colors and they're kind of layered over top of each other in this reading and in my first reading you kind of started on the inside. And you worked your way out and I think of it like when you chop a tree down and you see the rings of a tree, it's kind of like, that's what it kind of looked like in the one of the readings that I've seen, and you explain that every color means something different. And that doesn't mean that pink for me means the same thing as pink for somebody else, it's very dependent on that specific reading. Is that correct?



KV: That is totally correct I there is, you know, if you Google, what is orange or me and there is like a, what do you call it like a legend of colors, but I don't really do well with that I don't follow that I used to try to do that but it just got confusing and the messages were contradicting what the legend said and so I just kind of do a free for all, I guess if that's what you want to say but it's totally different colors mean different things every day for the most part



VL:  I really appreciate that you explain this, when I was getting the war rating because to be honest I've always wanted an aura rating. I've never had one before and I never really knew anyone who could do it so when I, when I came across you and your page I was like, oh my god, I was so excited I jumped on the opportunity immediately. So it was really interesting to have you type it out and explain to them I thought oh this is so this is different. It's really cool.



My most recent reading, I feel like it was ambushed. Because you said there was like a Spirit coming through for a message for someone else, but not and you're like oh this is different.



So what I was gonna say to to that was that this isn't the first time that my energetic or spiritual reading has been, and the word is, I'm using as an ambush, but like, That's I guess the best word I can describe it as because like I'm here for a spiritual reading, and then someone else's messages coming through to me, and it's so wild how this has actually happened three times to me in the last year and I've probably only had like three or four sessions with people in the last year so I don't know if you have like an explanation for that this is like a little bit more of a personal and selfish question but I don't know if you have like an explanation for that. Or maybe some guidance for me like am I not putting my boundaries up or something. I just like an open vessel for other people's spirit animals and your guides to come.



[31:19] KV: Okay, is a good question because people are always like, they're kind of bummed about it and I totally understand. But it's honestly it's kind of like an honor because that means that you're just so open to the spiritual world that there's someone around you or something like that that's probably a skeptic, or just super closed off and spirit is desperate to get a message to them and they've been trying everything so last resort is kind of just to get their way through someone else's reading and just say excuse me, sorry I need to get the message through it's really important, and then that kind of, they come and then they go.



VL: It's so interesting and that's usually the feedback that I get that's like, oh, there's someone here or there's a message here, and the reason why this person has come or this energy is coming to you is because they know that you are going to receive this message and give it to the other person. And so I'm always just like.. “Mhmm”



I'm looking at the time and I'm thinking, Okay, I've just talked your ear off, but I do have a baby. Maybe this is like a loaded question, but I do have one more thing I wanted to talk to you about before we get into the last part of the show and basically it was something that you shared with me, you talked about opening our ER like people can do this opening our spiritual body to receiving those messages from spirit, as well as discovering manifestation power so I feel like we touched on this a little bit with tools with becoming still. Are there any last words of wisdom, pieces of advice, or maybe extending a little bit more expanding a little bit more on the manifestation part of that?



[32:48] KV: Okay so, it kind of goes back to the boundaries and you have to be super firm in your boundaries first. That's step number one, I feel like it's really you can't manifest until you have your boundaries.



And so, once you have your boundaries in place you can kind of use, like, a co-worker, almost like, Okay, now I'm, you know, receiving all these messages for you. What can you do for me now. And so, for example, if you want a way car, the snake, this model, this price, then you just have to keep saying, adults, can I please don't do that, say, like, this is what I want, okay this is what I want this is when I want it. And this is how, like, you have to help me in order to reach this in the timeframe that I want.



 And so, yeah, you just have to be firm and say, This is what I want, this is what I want it, you're gonna help me get to those points, and then you'll be able to reach your manifestation goals. Does that make sense?



VL: Yeah! Well, this has been a very interesting conversation about some technical difficulties around. But this has been so helpful I learned a lot. I feel like this was such a fun and refreshing conversation.



IG @disneyandauras

Website disneyandauras.com 



Check Kennedy and I out on June 25th when we go LIVE on Instagram @vallavignelife and I’ll also include the Rapid Fire Round in our live together.



Lastly, YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO BOOK A READING WITH KENNEDY ASAP!

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E134: Balancing the Masculine & Feminine Energies in Life & Business
 
 

E134: Balancing the Masculine & Feminine Energies in Life & Business

Live your life, and run your business in flow when you learn to activate, engage, and balance your masculine & feminine energy…


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[2:42] Alright! Today we are talking about two energies: Masculine and Feminine. In tantra they are known as SHIVA & SHAKTI (respectively).  Both masculine and feminine energies exist within men and women. These energies will vary based on the person, and the important piece is to activate both parts and create a balance between them. One is not better or lesser than the other, there is no right or wrong. The goal we’re focusing on today is balance.


My intention for this episode is to help you understand which of the two energies you’ve been activating and how you can create a flow of these complimenting parts of you. Engaging and balancing both sides can support our businesses, relationships, and overall health and well-being including emotional and mental health.


If you’ve listened to the show before you probably already know that I’m all about ACTION! I like to say, action is where the magic happens; through action we achieve results. However, action can be taken with either the masculine or feminine energy.


[4:06] In Alisa Vitti’s book Woman Code she shares with us what these two energies “look like in action” and I’m going to read them and share them with you here.


Taken from the book Woman Code by Alisa Vitti:

Masculine Energy:

  • Tenaciously pursuing what you want

  • Deciding when/where/how a project grows

  • Focusing on the end result, less on process

  • Focusing on one thing at a time

  • Relying on only yourself and your individual achievements

  • Setting boundaries around emotions and body in order to accomplish goals

  • Relating through camaraderie, entertainment, and problem solving


Feminine Energy:

  • Magnetically attracting what you want

  • Holding the space for projects to develop at their natural pace

  • Enjoying the process of creation independent of the end result

  • Seeing the big picture; multitasking on many aspects of life

  • Working with others; effortlessly creating community 

  • Connecting to emotional and physical life as a catalyst for change and development

  • Relating to others by listening, sharing, and nurturing


Imbalance of the Shiva and Shakti energy can take a toll on our physical bodies, and our businesses. Here are some signs of imbalance.


Overly masculine energy looks and feels like: burnout, overworking, adrenal fatigue, stress, disconnection from our body and emotions, and lack of rest/trouble falling asleep.


Overly feminine energy looks and feels like: many incomplete projects, perfectionism, overly emotional, lack of direction and focus, not grounded, avoiding details or certain tasks, and lack of energy and motivation.


[7:12] TAKE ACTION: What is your masculine/feminine balance? Go through your day and ask yourself which energies you are engaging and activating when it comes to. I’ll give you seven areas of the day, and some examples of the energies in these parts of the day, and you keep score of which energy you take on for this part of your day.


1: Your morning routine and how you wake up: (masculine) you’re awake and thinking about the day ahead, you’ve got your to do list mapped out and your schedule blocked off, you’re ready to check the boxes.

(feminine) you wake up and check in with your body to connect with how it’s feeling. Self care is a large part of your routine and you might do a mediation, a skincare ritual, or enjoy your time in a warm shower. As the morning continues, you also continue to check in with yourself.


2: The bulk of your day, and work: (masculine) one task at a time, you’re checking off the to-do list and you’re not stopping until it’s done. Always pushing to finish the work.

(feminine) you know that things will always come together and intuitively choose the task that you want to work on. Work is prioritized by the tasks that have the most impact and value.


3: Your social engagements: (masculine) other people don’t need to know how you’re feeling or what’s going on with you, this is something you can problem solve on your own.

(feminine) You’re open to sharing with friends about how you’re feeling and are comfortable with hearing the input and support from them.


4: Meals: planning, prepping, eating: (masculine) you’re sticking to your diet plan, even when it’s not serving you, sometimes you forget to eat because you’re busy working on tasks.

(feminine) your day is planned in advance and you’ve made sure there is time for meals, as well as food available for when you need it. You observe when your body is hungry and nourish it.


5: Exercise: (masculine) you know your fitness goal for the month and your workout gets you there. No matter what, you always push through.

(feminine) You choose your work out based on how you’re feeling that day. You always do your best, and what your body is capable of.


6: Time spent with your romantic partner: (masculine) you want to talk about what you’ve accomplished that day, and lounge in front of the TV, or scrolling through social media.

(feminihne) you want to talk about how you’re feeling, and make time to connect through cooking together, eating together, going for a walk, or downtime before bed.


7: Your evening routine: (masculine) the end of the day involves organizing the house, cleaning up the kitchen, and finishing the laundry. You’re ready for your next day’s to-do list.

(feminine) You look for ways to connect with your partner, pets, or kids and prefer soothing self care like bubble baths, gua sha, or reading to end the day. 


[11:12] When you’ve revealed your score, remember that the goal is balance. The first time I did this exercise I noticed that my weekends, when I wasn’t committed to working a set schedule, were very faminine, and my weekdays were more masculine. The balance might not have been during the whole day, but I stepped back and saw it as a weekly score and recognized that I wanted to create more balance during the week as a whole so I brought in more feminie energy into my weekdays.


There will be seasons in your life where more masculine energy is needed, for example, when you're in launch mode of your offering. The same goes for feminine seasons: during content creation as an example. The really wonderful part of all of this is that YOU get to decide what balance means to you! 


Through the (feminine) habit of checking in with our bodies, and ourselves, we’ll start to notice whether or not our shiva and shakti are in balance. To make sure we check in, we can use the (masculine) habit of scheduling in this time into our calendars, and adding it in as part of our to-do list and make sure it gets done.


[12:45] Now it’s your turn to put this into play for yourself. Take a look at your scorecard, and notice where you can incorporate more balance. Perhaps you switch up your evening routine with some journaling and reading instead of folding the laundry. 


Maybe you want to try a structured morning to get you moving and starting the day. Eventually you’ll find the best balance for yourself, and what works for you and your energy!

Share your practices with me on instagram @vallavignelife

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

Categories

Download the FREE Dream Lifestyle Roadmap

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E133: Elevating Your Morning Routine
 
 

E133: Elevating Your Morning Routine with Alexandra Panagoulia of Batch Beauty Lab

Meet the founder of Batch Beauty Lab, business consultant, and philanthropist, Alexandra Panagoulia in this week’s episode of the Women’s Empowerment Podcast as she shares her high-vibe morning routine and the best practices for making our mornings better…


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[2:13] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to The Women's Empowerment Podcast today I'm super excited to introduce you to our newest guest Alexandra Panagoulia. Alexandra is an entrepreneur and business strategy consultant with a strong passion for creating a positive social impact with a love for all things wellness and self discovery, Alexandra created batch beauty lab, a local natural skincare brand to promote confidence individuality and self care, naturally, a one woman show determined to make a difference, Alexandra is also passionate about helping young women pursue their passions through her consultancy white owl strategy, Alexandra dedicates time monthly to speak with aspiring entrepreneurs and help to guide them in the direction of pursuing their dream.



Wow, you are so cool.



I'm so happy to have you on the show and honestly I already know this about you, but reading your bio. I just feel like you are such an Aquarius, and I love this so much, a teacher, a leader, a philanthropist. You know you do so many things and you help so many people so I'm super excited to have you on the show today, super excited to absorb all of your knowledge and information. So thank you so much for being here.



Alexandra Panagoulia:: Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited



VL: how we met was about probably about a year ago now, through a kind of like minded community of entrepreneurs in the make lemonade online networking community so I think it's really excited to, to see how kind of our relationship has grown over the last year, and we've kind of popped in colors to social media now and then, we've reconnected, more so recently, and one of the things I love about following you and watching you and learning more about viewing and getting to know you as a person, is that you have some really incredible, kind of like self care habits and rituals, and some of them are really similar. So I've been noticing that you've been walking a lot, and tracking your, your walks just like I have been.



AP: Every morning, I love my morning walks. I love walking in the evening too, but there's something about, you know starting your day outside, creating a call within yourself and just acknowledging and appreciating the environment that we're in, and I think that it's really powerful for me to start my day.



Greeting the sun or walking outside and just getting my body moving and waking up slowly and really special and I've been walking every morning.



More so, you know, the beginning of the pandemic, it was a great way to get outdoors and change the scenery and when I was working my corporate job. I was walking to the bus stop every morning, but I was definitely not enjoying my surroundings and I was running around and always rushing and I think that the shift from walking as, like, a means to get somewhere and rushing and it's really been different for me when I'm walking to enjoy it to create a ritual for myself and clarity within myself, and also a sense of calm so it's been great. It's been a great transition for me.



VL: Yeah, I love that I think what you said was really cool about how, you know, it's a, there's a new intention or a new purpose behind your morning walks and your morning routine versus what you were doing before. So for those listeners who haven't explored your website before or know much about you, you, you're used to working corporate and then the last few years, you started your own company, and why don't you tell us a little bit about what batch beauty lab is and how it transpired how its manifested over the last few years.




[6:30] AP: I would love to. And it's a really great question. So, my professional background is in business strategy, marketing and communications. And so coming out of university. I held many corporate typing jobs within marketing communications, so I've worked at tech startups and I've worked in corporate banking. 



But while doing that, I've always had a passion for consulting and just helping people. And so, grow university I started a business called White owl strategy, and at White owl strategy I consult with business entrepreneurs on business strategy but also helping to refine their marketing and communication strategies and something that comes naturally to me and I really do enjoy watching people grow and watching their ideas transpire into businesses, and something that I always want to continue to do.



But when I was doing my master's, I had an opportunity to launch a business, and it was, it started in a school course actually so it was our entrepreneurship course, and I had the opportunity to think about what am I really passionate about and at the time, I was really passionate about living a holistic lifestyle and skincare and natural beauty is something that I've always been really interested in and I thought hey you know what, this is a great time for me to start exploring how I'm going to bring my passion for natural beauty together and beauty brands, my skincare brand. And when I was thinking about what that might look like at the time I was always hosting. Do It Yourself type workshops in my parents kitchen for skincare so do yourself skincare so we were making bath salts or body moisture bars and blending oils and I, that was my aha moment I was like, I'm going to create something where people have the opportunity to experience how great it is to blend and mix and create your own batch of product. And that's where I came up with bajri lab, and the original concept of batch beauty Labs is that you would find your own skincare so we have something very unique and original where customers are able to purchase a base plus booster combines the two to activate a formula, and essentially create their own bathroom product. And so, while I was in that, that master's program, I was working really hard behind the scenes on my business plan I participated in a pitch competition, and I actually got some funding to kickstart the business, and I use that funding to immediately find a chemist who was willing to work with me to create really great natural formulas that people would love.



And now here we are two years later, celebrated our 10 year anniversary of competence for the person who's using them and really celebrate individuality and people onto our website you'll see skincare for the bold and unique, and I find that in everything I do I really want to be bold. I want to be bold in my decisions and I want to embrace my uniqueness and I bought that to come out in our products as well and so that's a little bit of a batch beauty lab and how we got started.



[10:25] VL: That's so amazing. It's been such a short amount of time for this. This transition and this growth and like you said, like, it's not just your business and your lifestyle that's changed but also the smaller kind of habits that you're, you're focusing on, like your morning walks and how they changed from going to the bus stop to being more of this more of a ritual and really kind of opens up where do you use, you said you were grading the sun and slowly waking up but I think there's so much power, and so much beauty in kind of this, this new way of living that you have and how, you know, the corporate life was, I guess we could say and, you know, Jeff and correct me if I'm wrong, but the corporate life, I'd say it was supporting habits of, you know, check it off the box, get from point A to point B, where as this new business has never and batch beauty lab and the mission behind it is supporting a completely new way of living, and I'd love for you to share a little bit more about your morning routine can you take us behind the scenes maybe walk us through a morning into your life.




AP: Absolutely. And, you know, you bring up a really great point, my morning routine has definitely transitioned. And I think that once I had the autonomy to plan my own day and become an entrepreneur who's really invested in the business, I wanted to create a routine that allowed me to really be myself. And, you know, be an entrepreneur who's leading with clarity and purpose and intention. And when it came to creating my own schedule, I'm like, I'm going to create a ritual I need to create a ritual that's going to allow me to be myself throughout the entire day and that really is what my morning ritual is. And so, it's nothing too crazy, but I mean, it means a lot to me and I find that it just got me time in the morning. And so if I'm taking you behind the scenes. I first thing I do when I wake up is I open up my, my blinds. And I just love to embrace the day and greet the sun like I said, I am a certified yoga teacher so like do I really love doing sun salutations when I come out of bed, I just do one little sun salutation, you know, get the body moving, get the blood flowing, and just take some time to set an intention for my day so when I'm opening up the blinds and it's a sunny day or it's a really snowing morning I'm like okay so this is, this is the foundation of what we're dealing with in terms of environment so how am I going to set a positive intention for my day so that I'm going to be productive, how am I going to nourish my body and my mind so that I'm gonna be able to execute on what I want to achieve for the day. So taking time to just, you know, reflect and set an intention is definitely something that's really important to me.



After that, I, I am obsessed with the daily stoic like it's a book that was gifted to me by here here in front of me, it's by Ryan Holiday, it is essentially daily meditations that just, you know, provoke some thought into your day, and I read a page a day. And I think that's great for me to again set intentions. Think about things from a different perspective, and I really really do love to journal so it's something sent out to me that I'm reading then I'll journal about that. But I'll read my daily stoic, and then I'll pick up my five minute journal, and I'll quickly raise my gratitude list so what are the three things that I'm grateful for today. And what is my affirmation for the day so my affirmation today was, I am worthy and capable of achieving all of my dreams. And so, you know, writing an affirmation that is suitable for the day ahead or for not feeling, or just you know what I need to keep going, is something that really resonates with me. So, all of that takes about, I don't know, maybe the first 15 to 20 minutes of my morning and wash up. And I start my day with some more lemon water makes me feel really great. Shout out to my naturopathic doctor, Dr Sarah Duino for just, you know, instilling really great habits, and I think the lemon water is really great one. And then I go straight outside so change into my runners and I go straight outside for a morning walk and that's anything from 20 minutes to 45 minutes and just really enjoying like I said, environment, feeling gratitude, and again, because we built the intention that except for myself for that day, and really taking time to process okay this is what I have upcoming for the day, and this is how I want to show up for the people that I'm interacting with and this is how I want to show up for my business and this is how I want to show up for myself so taking that time in the morning to kind of be a little inverted and and how I want to show up in the world, it's really important for me.



BOOK: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday

JOURNAL: 5 Minute Journal




[16:23] VL: I love those books that you mentioned.So, is that so many great things I feel like I want to incorporate a lot of the little habits that you are doing. And then some of the things I want to highlight from what you said were the kind of going inward, that introverted time for you to or that introspective time for you to describe how you want to show up each day whether that was the intention or the feeling, or how you how you want to act. And when I want to know from there is, like, can you give us an example for maybe the one that you use for today of what your intention was, and then how does that tangibly relate to the actions you take for the rest of the day?



AP: So, a great question. So today I knew that I had a coaching call with a client, this morning, and I also know that prepatch PT lab, I have my first two hires actually serving this week. And I also was thinking about how I want to show up for the podcast today. So, this morning on my morning walk I really was thinking about the frequency that I want to be in for the rest of my day, I want to be really high vibes for my coaching client. I want her to feel confident about her business I want her to feel confident about the information that we're exchanging and, and I want to exude that for her. I want to support and show up for her in that way. And I knew that I wanted to be authentic. Today when you and I were talking and I also know that after this call when I delve into the work for batch beauty, love I want the new hires to know that I'm here to support them and to help them and to help them grow and that's really important to me. So when you're asking me like what did I do, what did I think about while setting those intentions, how did I decide that that's how I want to show up. I really started to think about, you know, the things that could impact that positive vibe and how I'm going to choose to handle them today. And so, you know, it's not that there's any predisposed situation or environment that I have in mind but you know things come up like a call runs late, or I I'm rushing because I'm actually always rushing but so this, this routine for me is like really great allows me to slow down and, and to gather my thoughts.



But I think it really is just a matter of creating your intention, determining how you want to show up, how do you want to show up in the world, and how are you going to react to things that kind of impede on your plans. And it's hard and it takes a lot of self awareness and it takes a lot of control to be able to decipher your emotions from your actions, but I think that if you could think that you could take time in the morning to set those intentions, and also, you know, determine how you want to show up and how you want to act if things don't go according to plan, just allows a smoother execution of your day when, when things do fall in line.



[20:20] VL: Yeah, that is a great point, and even just thinking of myself this morning, I set the intention to be calm today, and I didn't think too much, but I knew that I had a lot of things to do so.



 from the studio to the podcast to my own consulting, there, there was a lot on the to do list. And I thought, Okay, I'll get an early headstart on the day. I'm going to go to the, I'm going to walk to the post office and deliver my packages first thing in the morning. And on my way and thankfully I figured this out very early on in my walk but on my way. I'm like, oh it's such a beautiful day. Wait a second, it's really early in the morning, Will the post office be open to take these packages, and luckily I had my phone on me and I looked at that and I'm like, no, they're closed, and then I turned around, I'm like okay well like you know I got a little walk in, and now I have to go to the next thing. And part of it was like oh this is kind of throwing me off because in a way I could have, I could have decided and chosen this this situation as, oh my gosh you're just wasting my time. And then I thought well this is just poor planning, and then for some reason I thought this podcast interview was an hour before it actually was so I was like, all set up here in my little closet, getting ready to do that episode and then I'm thinking that's great I'm not getting a notification on my phone that like, five minutes to go, and I will go like, Oh my God it's not for another hour, like, and I just felt like, again another Hiccup and I'm like no I didn't. I was so stressed out about my massive to do list this morning, but I didn't really consider the how I was going to incorporate my intention, and I mean it was it's happening anyway like I remain calm. I was like alright well whatever, go back to the desk, go back to what I was working on before. Then we'll just return here but it's like these little hiccups throughout the day. And you know, that happens sometimes, you know, we set the intention to be calm, we set the intention to be productive and some surprises come away, or we forget something, or we get a call or whatever, and I think it's important to remember that even if we don't get that full morning routine or even when those hiccups arrive at those speed bumps, we can always reset so I know that for this podcast episode I'm going to reset again and maybe I'll do that through a walk or inspiring me to take that action to go through a walk. So, yeah, I love that you're thinking about, you know what you have to do, how are you.



Probably the best kept secret and maybe it's not a secret, but I think it's one of the things that people often forget as entrepreneurs or business owners. We know going out into the world each day, not thinking about how you want to show up and break it down into something more specific. What are you going on today? If you are speaking in front of people, how do you want to show up for them? If you're working on your business, how do you want to do it? How do you want to be in your business? I think it's so important and I love how you are. How are you sharing that so thank you so much, it's just getting so much insight into my own into my own intentions and my own practices.



So you talk about, you know, really believing in achieving clarity, and a life and in business, and yes we can take it into something a little bit more specific and break it down into our day to day. But what about those times where, you know, whether it's maybe it's a lack of clarity. How do we find clarity when we're when we're having trouble with, with that focus. How do we turn off that outside noise?



[24:16] AP: Great question, and I'm a really really strong believer that your actions, the to align with your intentions, and so can make it perfectly clear, and by no means, I have, by no means perfected the morning routine but we're, you know, achieving clarity and it's a constant learning process, but I can see that I've improved on becoming very self aware, and I think that's something, you know, a tangible takeaway is, you want to align your daily actions with your daily intentions, it's really important, so if I want to be successful in business, I want to have an organized workflow and I want customers to land on my website and feel a sense of competence and, you know, like I want them to feel the emotion that I'm putting into my business, I need to make sure that my daily actions are aligned with with those intentions so daily consistent action. I think it is something to play here. You want daily consistent action towards your goal, and I think it's really important, and that daily consistent action needs to be aligned with your intentions, and once you can do that successfully, and you are so aware that what you're doing today does not align with the intention of being confident, powerful, strong, successful, whatever your intention might be called.




If your daily action, if you're self aware enough to recognize that your daily actions aren't aligned with your attentions.



You can make a change in your you'll be able to, you know, be one step closer to achieving your goals and achieving clarity so if my intention for the day is, you know, I just want to have a nice calm productive day and I'm running around and rushing and duplic sorry my actions are not aligned with my attention, and I'm aware enough to recognize that and so I take a step back, like you said my regroup reset, and that's okay. That's actually great it's a great personal development to be able to recognize when you need to take time for yourself, we need to reset. And, you know, take that moment to decide how you want to move forward.



And that is considered to me daily consistent action, that's something that I do, constantly to be able to maintain clarity, and when it comes to, you know, clarity, for my business when I am my most authentic self. That's when I get my best business ideas and that's when the ideas actually work in my favor. So if I'm thinking about something or want to do something but I'm not sure on how to execute it or you know I have this really great idea for a product to bring to market but something I, but I'm unsure I'm unclear on how to do it or even how to execute it's something that I really love to do is just take, take time for myself. So like you said, reset, go for a walk, do some yoga, do some journaling and get back to being my true authentic self, shut out the outside noise. And when I can come back to myself that I'm thinking about, you know my intentions or something that I want to execute on, that's when I get my best ideas, that's when they're working in my favor, that's when they're on my frequency, etc. And I think that if you have clarity within yourself. You can get clarity within other aspects of your life because you are truly authentically, moving forward, fearlessly and confidently yourself. If that is making sense or if I'm just rambling let me know but I think that the authenticity and originality and uniqueness that we all have within ourselves. If that's what creates our personality, those are our characteristics, and finding clarity and taking time to come back to that within yourself, allows for more clarity and other aspects of your life.



[28:35] VL: This is such a deep topic. But as we're talking about it I'm like oh my gosh there's so many pieces to this and there's so many layers to it, and I think the biggest thing, or I guess the thing that I want to amplify and what you're saying is, it doesn't need to be a huge thing that you do every single day it's the small thing that you do and what makes it so powerful is the time is the consistency that small thing over time. And it compounds and it becomes this transformation not overnight, and maybe this is the missing piece for people to say, you know, I want the successful business I want the you know the life where I feel good in my body every single day.



You know what you want, whatever the result is fill in the blank, and we're here doing the okay we did a morning ritual today. Okay, my intention this morning was to be calm. And then tomorrow we're like okay we're not calm anymore. Well this is where the work comes in, is that over time, we're building into this practice, and this goes for everything you said whether it's walking every morning or creating the sun or setting the intention or becoming more true and authentic to yourself. This is also compounding over time. This is also growing each day as you practice it and you know as you're speaking I can, I can speak from my own experience to like, the more that I connect to myself, the more that I make time for this important part of my morning or my day routine.



The more clear I get in my business and I spoke about this on the previous episode, or no, it was an IG live that I did this past week was that I was feeling like I was really struggling, and I'm thinking to myself, How can I not be making sales right now how can I be feeling so horrible in my body, and doing the work I was showing up every single day. I'm doing my routine, I'm speaking authentically like I could not be more real and more present than I am right now. But everything is going to crap.



And this is the time where we need to keep going and maintain that consistency, because I'm not even kidding you. A couple days later, I kept doing it showed up. Wasn't everybody not doing so great, this is what's helping me this is what I'm doing this is how I'm staying consistent. This is not setting intentions and showing up, and within a few days, I had two one on one clients.



I had, you know, the number of people saying like, how inspired they were about my work, how much they enjoyed a podcast episode. I mean, there just was like this, overflowing abundance of all of the things I was desiring and you know people listening to this could say like oh well that morning routines on so lash, and I would love to have the luxury of, you know, a one hour time for myself. And, and you can probably say speak to this too but like, start with passive and credible practice, it started with these little tiny practices that we cleared over time to create something that, that speaks to you, that supports you. So now I'm going off on a tangent and rambling, just so much to what you said that it has, you know these deeper layers of this deeper meaning to it where it's those small actions, small actions consistency I feel like are the three things that if anyone's listening to this podcast episode is going to take something away. These three words together that we need to remember.



[32:44] AP: Yeah, you bring up a great point and you know I have people reach out to me because I really love to document my daily walks on my Instagram or you know just share a little beautiful picture. The trees or the clouds, whatever it might be, but I really want to get out and do that. How do you do it. I have to wake up an hour and a half earlier, to start my day. My day starts at nine o'clock and I know my desk at nine o'clock I know I'm waking up earlier because it's really important to me to check that time and so I think that creating non negotiables for yourself. It's also really important, creating those non negotiables boundaries that allow you to establish that time for yourself, and it doesn't have to be an hour, it can be 15 minutes it can be 15 minutes when you wake up, it can be 30 minutes before you go to the bed but it's really important to take time for yourself. And that's something that I've learned throughout the years, and that's what I think drives me to want to be better and it motivates me because now I understand after, you know, achieving some of my own personal goals, that it's really the daily consistent action, like you said, that makes all the difference, but I wanted to touch on, on the point of something you said earlier, is that sometimes you just, You don't want to wake up and do yoga, or go for a walk or you're tired or you're this is your lens so many things come up, but I heard, I don't I don't remember why I did this but the point is is sometimes when you don't want to do something that's exactly what you need to do if your bodies so I don't want to go over, I don't want to go for a walk or stretch. Sometimes that's exactly what your body needs you to do, or if you know you're, it's fine to have those off days, but it's also really productive to challenge yourself to do something and build your mental endurance, especially when you don't want to do it and I find that there are so many mornings where I'm like, I need to press snooze or I'd love to have like an extra 20 minutes to just like curl up in bed. But then I'm like, You know what, I think my body wants to outside or if my body needs to move, or I need to achieve that mental clarity so I'm gonna challenge myself to get up and even if it's only for 10 minutes this morning.



So, I think, a point that I'd love to share with the audience is that challenge yourself.




And, you know, establish a mental endurance for things that you really really want in life and get them and challenge yourself and create a routine or create intentions and actions that align with what your dream is aligned with what you want to achieve. And I think that it all comes down to self awareness. And, again, sounding really repetitive but the daily consistent action



[36:02] VL: you spoke to so many great points and this year there are going to be days where we're like, I don't want to show up. I don't want to do work. And I will say, the sharing my walks on social media, and people knowing and messaging me and texting me and saying like oh like I went for a walk today and, you know, it's such a beautiful day You inspire me to get outside and that is holding me accountable for my own practices and so having a without social accountability or a healthy habit mentor like when I offer or just a friend. We can meet for those walks or have a phone call when it makes such a difference in maintaining the habit, especially when you're first starting out, you know, you start to lose a little bit of that momentum, well no, you're building momentum but you're losing a little bit of the inspiration and the motivation. So, yeah and you know what there is a little bit of discipline involved in creating any new habit, so whether that's waking up earlier, or, you know, really creating the space and physically putting into your calendar, I'm taking a break, and turn off your computer and turn off your phone when you're on those breaks I think it's really important.



And this is something that I resisted, really long time was discipline, and a routine. It was just so funny now because now I coach people with habits. And I have a very, very colorful schedule was very organized. However, in the, in for a long time I thought I was such a rebel, like, I don't need a norm clock, I don't need a schedule, I don't need to be anywhere doing anything at a certain time like that life is rigid. And what I was completely missing. Was that discipline, equals, freedom, and having these intentions having a you know a little bit more of an outline to my schedule and it's not like incredibly rigid there's there are scheduled breaks in there so some people would find that rigid because I'm scheduling my really it's a non negotiable for me at this time every day, I go for a walk or I turn off the computer or the screen or whatever it is, I spend time outside. That is actually allowing me to create a life of financial freedom of time freedom of just feeling what's important to me and my core value is freedom and for a long time I didn't realize how much the discipline of a routine was actually going to bring me to that place of freedom. So, you know I wouldn't, I always like to encourage people to not hate it until they try it and see if it works you'll learn and experiment with yourself and really give yourself that time. So what would you recommend for someone starting out, what would you recommend, where they start and how long they try their new habit, some checkpoints maybe take us through that little bit.



[39:03] AP: Great question. I would recommend to do something that makes you feel good, makes you feel good, you should be doing it. If it's going for a walk, like we were saying, or journaling or doing a little bit of movement or stretching in your bed or even meditation I love meditating. It makes you feel good, and if it's a habit that you want to start, then you should consider doing it. And you're the habit expert here, so I want to say. I hear that it takes 21 days to form a habit, is that right?



VL: It depends on the person.



AP: Yeah, right. So, I would say. My recommendation would be to do something that makes you feel good, do and at the same time every single day and do it for four weeks three to four weeks, and hold yourself accountable. I love that you brought the accountability point up because that's a really really great point. And if you can have an accountability buddy, or, you know, create a mental contract with yourself like I'm not going to go to bed. Unless I wrote one page in my journal. And you make that a mental contract with yourself and an agreement that, but you really want to stick to that I would recommend doing something like that. I know that before I go to bed before I put my head down on the pillow. I always write three great things that happened during the day, and I keep my, my pen in my notepad beside my bed and I know that that's just an agreement that I have with myself before I go to bed tonight I want to acknowledge three great things that happened today. And so, you know, just to kind of sum up the recommendation, it would be do something that makes you feel good, preferably a habit that you want to start doing for three to four weeks, do it the same time every single day doesn't have to be can be something like one minute meditation or two minutes scratch or whatever works for you.



Guaranteed. If you can do this to it, you'll feel so good you will have a new found confidence in yourself because you're sticking to something that you've agreed to, and you're the only person that can create positive change in your own life. And I think that there's going to be time for it's going to be challenging and it's going to be difficult to stick to your goals but again going back to the point that it's challenging, then you need to do it because it's, it's helping you grow. And I think that that's a really great takeaway for the people listening here today.



[42:00] VL: You made some excellent points for sure. It is such a powerful part of personal development, to overcome challenges to celebrate those wins and that success and that transformation that's happening. And it can be hard to see that over, because it's so small but over time. There is a difference, and there is a transformation there but sometimes we don't always see it because we're the ones taking that one step in front of the other, the people who aren't on the journey with us every single day, they see the transformation from day one to day 30 or however many days you've been doing it for so I think it's really important to look back and to celebrate the strength that you've built over time right and to, to record those wins every day. Love that. Love your, your gratitude journal practice. This has been so wonderful and I feel like you're such a breath of fresh air and love that you shared your morning routine with us, and kind of some of the tangible tips and and the reminders and they inspiration for us to get started with our own time, and your new routine to really create clarity, through, through these habits so thank you so much. Can you share with us, where we can find you, where we can follow you and how we can support your business?



WEBSITE + SHOP | www.batchbeautylab.com

10% OFF use the code EMPOWERMENT10

INSTAGRAM | @the.alexandra.marie @batchbeautylab



RAPID FIRE ROUND

1. What are you currently reading? What’s your favourite book?

How to WIn Friends and Influence People

The Story of Steve Jobs



2. What do you love most about being a woman?

I love, that's a really great question. There's so many things, It's like how do you choose. I was, I What came to mind is just I love how openly emotional I am but I don't know if that's exclusive to being a woman, but I think that there are a lot of times where women find themselves in situations where they're like, Oh, they're not taking me seriously or, I'm being told I'm too emotional, but that's happened to me, and I embrace it, it is who I am and that is what makes me authentically me, and it's what it's what adds character to my life into my story and, and I'm proud of that.



3. What does empowerment mean to you?

Really great question. What comes to mind is being empowered means being confident in what you're doing and feeling supported by people around you, or even yourself, and showing up for yourself, empowering yourself, you know, having a willingness to learn, Having a beginner's mindset is super super important to empowering yourself to achieve things that you thought you couldn't do, or to, you know, show up in the world as somebody who you want to show up as an being that human that's making a positive social impact in the lives of others around you. And so empowerment to me really means taking the power back from external factors, and moving forward confidently and fearlessly in your beliefs to achieve, you know, what's important to you.



4. What are you currently working toward?

So many things. I have a laundry list, okay, of aspirations, but something I think is really, that's really important worth noting is. I like, like you mentioned, I'm really, really passionate about helping others achieve, confidence, and she their business goals and their dreams. And so something that I'm currently working on in batch beauty lab is creating a program where I could be just the business in general is going to help young entrepreneurs kickstart their businesses as well and that's something that's really important to me. And over the next few months, keep an eye out because there will be a program that's rolling out, that has to do with creating positive social impact within the community, but also helping young entrepreneurs achieve their goals.



VL: Okay, you feel like world domination is maxed out so incredible. Well, Alex, thank you so much again for being on the show is an absolute pleasure to speak with you always, and I want to acknowledge you for one taking the time to speak with me today and to for all of the incredible work that you're doing. You have impacted my life positively and I know that you're changing so many people's lives so many people's businesses. It's really cool to to see all of the kind of facets of what you do and your skill set and your talents, and how they, they really do support people and, and women and I'm so excited to see all of the rest of the things that you create, and you share with everyone. So thank you again and I really appreciate everything you've done. 



AP: Thank you! Oh this is so fun and fun fact this is actually my first podcast, so thank you for having me. And I'm really excited for what's to come, and as always I'll be following your journey and your daily habits and I look forward to what's to company to.

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E132: Behind-The-Scenes: My Monthly Accountability Meeting
 
 

E132: Behind-The-Scenes: My Monthly Accountability Meeting

This is my new and improved solo date I have every month. I share what I track, questions I ask, and how I take action on my goals, plus a few more key pieces…


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[3:22] Welcome back to the women’s empowerment podcast! If you are a long-time listener of the show, you might remember an episode I did way back in the beginning days of the live version of the podcast it was Episode 25: Steal My Monthly Accountability Meeting

This episode is an oldie, but a goodie! And I still practice the Monthly Accountability Meeting that I share, however it has evolved in the last couple years so I thought I’d revisit this topic with you and take you behind the scenes into my new and improved version of the Monthly Accountability Meeting.

First, allow me to explain what this is exactly: It’s a solo meeting I have with myself every first of the month where I review different parts of my business, track specific items, set goals for the month ahead, and gain a better understanding of where I am as it relates to my goals, my well-being, etc. 

Most of my accountability meetings ask the same questions, or track similar items, however there is flexibility in what we want to ask or track depending on what our goals are. I think it’s important to set big goals for the year and break them down into quarterly and monthly goals, and then get even more specific with some daily or weekly habits to get us there. 

Knowing the big-picture goals will help us have more clarity on what our smaller goals and habits can be to support us reaching the larger goal. 

My web designer and friend, Chantelle and I recently chatted on the podcast about habits for intentional entrepreneurs and we also did an Instagram Live together breaking down more specific habits and how we can layer them.

Episode 129: Habits for Intentional Entrepreneurs with Chantelle Andercastle

IGTV: @vallavignelife Layering Habits with Chantelle @clearquartzcreative

Through today’s episode I’ll take you behind the scenes and share my exact accountability meeting, however I want to encourage you to create your own version of the meeting based on your specific goals.

You can also customize your accountability meeting by including different sections to support separate goals. For example Business, Health, Relationships, etc. My advice for this would be, try not to make it TOO long because it can take a lot of time and you’ll be less likely to complete it.

I like to pull an oracle card at the end of my meeting, as a message for the month ahead. A little spiritual touch/guidance. You can add your own personal touches with specific essential oils, your favourite playlist, perhaps like Chantelle you bring in your crystals, or maybe pour an oat milk latte before you get started. 

You do you boo.

[9:18] I like to have a digital copy of my accountability meeting, and you can too. Or you can dedicate a special journal to logging your stats and goals each month.


To begin, write your annual and quarterly goals on the first page.


Accountability Meetings 2021

Annual Goal:

Quarterly Goals

Q1:

Q2:

Q3:

Q4:


On the next page, take some time to journal what the next three to twelve months looks like, feels like, sounds like, tastes like, even smells like. Write this piece in the present or past tense, as if you already reached these goals. You can free-write for as long as you like (5-10 minutes is suggested), and get as detailed as possible. You can do the journal piece every three months, or just once for the year; that will be up to you!


If you need some prompts to get you started try these:

  1. When I reached my ___(quarter 1/2/3/4 or annual goal)___ I felt…

  2. The people who helped me achieve my goals were… 

  3. I reached these goals when I believed ______ about myself and…

  4. An obstacle I had to overcome was… I did this by…

  5. I am celebrating my success this (quarter/year) with…

  6. Anything else I needed to share…

[12:23] The next page will be your first month. This podcast episode is being published in June, which I know isn’t the start of the year, but it doesn’t matter WHEN you start the Accountability Meeting, what matters is that you start! Let’s use May/June as our example.


The title of this page will be the previous month and the year we’re in: MAY 2021

We start with what we’re tracking. Here’s what I am tracking in my business:

Sales calls booked, cancelled, and converted

Time spent on business tasks

Days taken completely off

Times I went out of my comfort zone

Profit + loss on a Monthly Basis

Where my leads are coming from 

Social media outreach, engagement, ROI

Podcast stats for the month and all time


What I’m most proud of

Goals for [next month] June (How I want to feel, How much month I want to attract, anything else)


Card for the month ahead:


When you’re considering which items to track or questions to ask, always ask yourself WHY you’re tracking this. Only relevant items need to be tracked. 


So before you head over to the show notes page and copy my tracking list, which is fine if you want to track the same things, but make sure they are relevant to your business goals. I cannot stress this enough! If you don’t have your own podcast, however you want to be a guest on podcasts this year, I would suggest writing in your goals a list of 10 different shows and reach out to each of them that month, and then track which ones you were able to get on. Each month keep adding to that list of shows you want to be on and grow from there. 


As another example, if the goal is to buy a house it would make sense for us to track our spending, and savings, but tracking the times we went out of our comfort zone might not relate.


If your goal is to finish building your van so you can travel around the country, you could track “time spent on van tasks” and break that down into different parts of the van project. This will help you understand where your strengths are and where you might need more support. However you wouldn’t be tracking which instagram posts or podcast episodes did the best. 


Perhaps your goal is to live a healthier lifestyle and you want to eat healthier and be more active. If this is the goal, you can track your workout and recovery days, the types of workouts that made you feel the best. I also find it helpful to take weekly photos of my body to see what specific muscle groups are improving and which ones could use a little more push. It’s also a great way to track progress. 


Always keep in mind that what gets measured is what gets moved. Meaning if you want something to change or transform or grow, measure that.


[19:29] If you’re just starting out you can also adjust your questions as you go. You might start with tracking 10 items and realize that the first 7 are the most relevant. You might track those 7 items for quarter one, but track 5 different items in quarter two. It all depends on your specific goals. 


Allow yourself the flexibility, and each month you can ask if these items or questions are still relevant to your goals. I also like to ask myself if there is something that hasn’t been said or tracked or noted?


Having the goals for the next month is also a great part of the process to see what you’re excited about and any other important pieces that we could take into consideration.


After we’ve filled in the tracking stats and answered the questions, we will have a better understanding of what’s working and what isn’t.


The last step in the Monthly Accountability is to write down 3-5 action steps to take next. To do this, look at your goals for the month ahead, based on these goals what do you have to do? Who do you have to be to reach this goal?


If you have a goal to read 10 pages a day of a personal development book, you can schedule time in your calendar every day to read. Have the book ready, and you can even set a daily alarm to remind you that now is the time to read 10 pages. 


For the podcast episodes the action step is to email your media kit to each of the podcasts on your list. Then set a date to follow up with the recipients one-two weeks later if you haven’t heard from them yet. 


Taking relevant action is going to move us forward toward our goals.


For the following months, continue the Accountability Meeting as we discussed, and remember to look back on the month before and see which of the goals and action steps we took. If we took action, how did it go? What results did we have? If we didn’t take action, or didn’t reach our monthly goals, how could we improve or adjust them?

Please share your progress with me, I love seeing your work and cheering you on! You can find me on instagram @vallavignelife and send me a DM or pop into the comments so we can continue today’s conversation!

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E131: How to Incorporate Mindfulness Daily with Sarah Sturino
 
 

E131: How to Incorporate Mindfulness Daily with Sarah Sturino

Learn about the nine pillars of mindfulness and how to start incorporating them into your daily practice to live a more mindful and heart-centred life, featuring special guest, Sarah Sturino…


Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts


[1:11] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to The Women's Empowerment Podcast. Today I have a very special guest Sarah Sturino. Sarah is a woman, mother and daughter, friend, teacher, Pilates instructor Reiki practitioner and mindfulness facilitator, her whole life has been a wellness journey. All the work she does with others stems from her own self healing and her fundamental belief that we all must operate out of love, rather than fear. Sara is an outspoken introvert, a beauty seeker, and anxiety queen in recovery, a lover of crystals and essential oils and movement junkie and a lifelong learner. Oh my goodness gracious, I feel like you wear all the hats, and I love that that bio ended with lifelong learner because I'm looking at all of the things you do and I'm thinking, Well, she must have taken every course, ever.



Sarah Sturino: We do love to learn and take courses, I think I could have been one of those like students for sure.



VL: Absolutely, and I find as a, as a teacher and instructor myself, I find that, You know, there's always an opportunity to learn more, and it's not just from the courses but also from the people that we work with, and our students and our clients and all that good stuff so Sarah and I actually met at a was like a little photo shoot party thing was really random was kind of like a serendipitous thing on my end anyway. And we didn't know each other and I remember like, when I first saw Sarah I was very intimidated.



She's very, you have this like, incredible presence that's a fairy, it's your you have like a very confident presence of very you're very sure of yourself, but you can see how when you're, when you're, when you're holding space in a room, you're also very aware of other people's energy so right away I knew that you are very much an empath but you had really good boundaries with your energy and whose energy you were going to hold spacebar, and I was like, Whoa, this is someone who I don't know, you just, it was like fascinating because it was like I wanted to get to know you, but I was also a little nervous.



SS: That's very funny actually to me and interesting because I think once people know me I'm anything but intimidating, but I often, I often hear that.



And I would love to be able to view myself from somebody else's eyes because I think what some of that is, is some of that is, is some walls that I put up, right, that is maybe because of past hurts, and even the boundaries thing I'm not sure my boundaries were that great back when I met you or I guess we're always developing them them lifelong.



Yeah, I've always been very aware of the energy in the room and gravitated towards certain people and kind of almost shied away from others, so we definitely gravitated towards one another that day and, yeah, you're right.



VL: Yeah, exactly. And I was gonna say to you I mean, now that I've gotten to know you over the years, I think I kind of was like, oh my god I can't believe I thought she was so intimidating before because you're actually very wonderful to talk to, you're very, now I feel like you're really approachable and, I mean we've had so many deep conversations that I always think after I leave the conversation at the end like Darren, who should have recorded this for the podcast so it's really a pleasure to have you on the show today it's definitely, it's definitely been an overdue interview. And today we we've actually decided that, out of all the things we'd love to talk about because I'm sure we could talk about oils and crystals, and pilates and all the other things. but what we're really focusing on today is mindfulness, and you said it before, and I'm sure you'll, you'll mention it again but mindfulness is really a huge pillar and a huge part of everything else you do so, why don't we start with what is mindfulness.



SS: Sure, well I think to make it as uncomplicated as possible really all it is is being in the present moment, without judgment, without judgment of others with their judgement of yourself, which is probably the one most of us struggle more with is the self judgment. So, I mean there are a million different definitions out there but I think that is the best, most simple one but it is being in the present moment, without, without judgment.



We get into some of the pillars of mindfulness and some of that but that is a really good definition not to live in the past not to live in the future. And just to be here in this day and moment.



VL: And I think that's the best way to explain it is, it is really much earlier so much about being present, but that's not always easy.



SS: It's not easy at all.



And even when you're a mindfulness coach or mindfulness facilitator, you find yourself not in the present moment, at times.



VL: So, so often.



[6:39] SS: I think one of the, this is where some of my other trends come in because one of the best methods for me personally for getting myself into the present moment is movement and breath, and those can be connected or not connected. So whether I'm breathing through my Pilates practice or yoga class, or whether I'm just pausing and doing some type of breath work those for me and for many, are two of the ways that you can definitely return to the present moment, and with the movement piece, even if it's not feasible in that moment or in that date to squeeze in a yoga or pilates practices, perhaps, dancing around the kitchen, even just shaking the body balancing the body in different ways, moves the energy around and shakes up the brain and puts you back into the present.



VL: Yes, exactly. I think movement is well for me, I would say it was, it would be a pillar of mindfulness is that one of the pillars of mindfulness, I feel like there's a specific pillar here. 



SS: No, it's not one of the pillars of mindfulness, but I think it's one of the ways that we achieve the pillars, mindfulness, the pillars of mindfulness come from one of the fathers of mindfulness, which is Jon Kabat Zinn and he is one of the goddesses who kind of brought it out, what is woven into the Western world.



According to him, and I would abide by this the nine pillars are 

  1. Non-judging

  2. Acceptance

  3. Patience

  4. Beginner’s Mind

  5. Trust

  6. Non-Striving

  7. Letting Go

  8. Gratitude

  9. Generosity



In general, and some kind of mingling of those nine things in your life will lead you to truly mindful practice mindful existence.




VL: Well those are actually pretty new to me, I don't think I've ever heard of those nine pillars before but I can definitely see how they tie into mindful, I want to say a mindful lifestyle a mindful human mindful approach to life, I suppose, yeah definitely a mindful approach to life. I really liked that. So, okay, maybe we can break it down a little bit more because I know I've said this before but and I know you've listened to several of the podcast episodes but the show was really about having the tangible, practical tactical tools and methods that we can really take into action because really the only way we're gonna change the only way for transformation, the only way we're really going to have this approach is if we take action so we jump into some of the ways to, to use mindfulness or to incorporate mindfulness into our lives. 



SS: Definitely. What I'd love to do is to take you and your our listeners through a little mindfulness practice if that's okay with you. Yes, that would be great. Okay, so let me explain where this mindfulness practice comes from one of the places that I am facilitated with three certified as mindfulness illustrators through an organization called mindfulness without borders.



As the title alludes to they are all over the world, and they're really trying to offer mindfulness to people of all religions, all cultures, make it very accessible to people so I chose to become certified as a facilitator of their Youth Ambassadors Program. Although it's a youth program I've also delivered it with adults and it works extremely well, that I do a lot of work with. So, within their programs all of their programs. They have a breeding practice that they call to them to you that, and the reason why they call it the practice to them. It was named by one of their ambassadors, one of their mindfulness investors in Rwanda, and in that language to them refers to the idea of slowing down before reacting.



As the title alludes to they are all over the world, and they're really trying to offer mindfulness to people of all religions, all cultures, make it very accessible to people so I chose to become certified as a facilitator of their Youth Ambassadors Program. Although it's a youth program I've also delivered it with adults and it works extremely well, that I do a lot of work with. So, within their programs all of their programs. They have a breeding practice that they call to them to you that, and the reason why they call it the practice to them. It was named by one of their ambassadors, one of their mindfulness investors in Rwanda, and in that language to them refers to the idea of slowing down before reacting.



So it's the idea that if you do this free breathing practice, you're creating space between your emotion and your reaction, kind of anchor.



So I can take you through a brief TUZA, and then I can also tell you and your listeners where you can access different voices taking you through something very similar to them.



VL: Yes, that would be amazing



[12:24] SS: Okay, so, Val and listeners let's get ready. You're just gonna sit in uncomfortable positions. You can lie down, you prefer, that is fine. And I'd like you to allow both, both of your feet to connect or



rest your hands on your thigh, palms up, if you want to invite new energy in and palms down if you feel like you need to ground yourself and just let your shoulders. Slowly move away from your fingers gently close your eyes. If that's comfortable for you, or find a reference point on the floor, where you can return your eyes that you get your arm.



rest your hands on your thigh, palms up, if you want to invite new energy in and palms down if you feel like you need to ground yourself and just let your shoulders. Slowly move away from your fingers gently close your eyes. If that's comfortable for you, or find a reference point on the floor, where you can return your eyes that you get your arm.



Don't judge the feeling.



Now bring your attention to the flow of your breath.



I'm not going to ask you to breathe in any special way, simply notice each breath coming into the body with an in breath and leaving the body has been out breath.



I'm not going to ask you to breathe in any special way, simply notice each breath coming into the body with an in breath and leaving the body has been out breath.



Do not judge your personal experience with it. Be kind and compassionate to how you are feeling in the moment, allowing each inhale to be a new beginning. and each exhale to be a letting go.



Allow each inhale to bring new energy in, and each exhale. Select by taking one more breath. When you're ready. Slowly bring your attention back to your surrounding perhaps introduce some movement to the body a little stretch.



And let how you feel now, guide you through the rest of the day, and I'm going to ask you as I would if I was facilitating this in the group. How do you feel now?



[14:36] VL: I feel, definitely calmer and more grounded. I didn't realize how tired I was like I was breathing in then yawning a bunch of times.



And, but then, this is kind of an aside but sometimes when I go into meditation or I do Reiki on someone else, or even myself whenever I go into like a spiritual place I think beyond a lot and it's not always because I'm tired it's like this is like the way that I connect to her spiritual energy. So maybe that was happening, or maybe a combination of both.



Also, I rarely when I'm sitting down on a chair, or the sofa or whatever, I rarely put my feet on the ground. And this is something that someone else has brought to my attention recently too.



So, this is, I feel like I need this so much right now and I'm sure people listening will also agree with how much like grounding and just mindfulness and being present, noticing the breath, because I think as we start to notice our breath, we also start to notice that we're holding our breath, or we're not taking deep breaths.



But yeah, that was lovely. And that was only like a minute or two, it was so easy to do.



SS: Yeah, and that I think is the key is that it doesn't need I think the word meditation can be intimidating to people. Whereas, just something as simple as closing your eyes, sitting with feet on the ground, and doing it. The breath is a mindfulness practice. It doesn't have to go deeper into becoming an actual meditation. It certainly can. Eventually, but that we can still get a results with just that two minutes.



Really what is breath and inner, inner focus is, is I think what makes it very accessible for people.



VL: Yeah, you know what I think meditation can be very intimidating because there's a lot of different types of meditation. I really like how accessible you've kind of demonstrated that mindfulness practice to be. And, I mean it's as simple as putting your feet on the ground and noticing your breath, well you could do that anywhere, right. We could do that when were at the grocery store, we could do that when we're getting out of our car from driving, we just put our feet on the ground, take a breath and then that's our transition to the next place or the next thing that we're doing so.



It's simple, and it's one of those things where, you know the work or the transformation that we talked about earlier comes when we just do the work and we repeat it over time.



Well, as you know I love chatting about habits. I feel like we could make this a habit, but could we maybe go through a couple more maybe examples it doesn't have to be a mindfulness, quote unquote meditation or anything or mindfulness practice but maybe some other things that we could do, and incorporate into our lifestyle.



SS: Sure, I actually when I hold my group I actually talk about developing mindful daily habit. And the reason why the word habit, I guess, is so important, is I'm just going to delve into a little bit here. I'm currently taking a program at McMaster University called mindfulness and modern thought. and it's a series of five courses and of course I'm presently taking it's about the neuroscience behind COVID, which is fascinating to explore doing studies where they're taking MRIs of people's brains before doing an eight week mindfulness program and after and seeing many changes in the brain matter of the brain, left brain matter in that fight or flight part of the brain more gray matter in the logic, reasoning part of the brain, these are all things we want to see. That's, to me it's like scientific proof that eight weeks of a habit, creates actual biological change in the brain, a crazy, like, I love that they can actually prove that out with the technology.



So to give you an example of a mindful daily habit, this is something that happened to me recently, is my dishwasher broke, and of course, my immediate reaction was, oh this is not good and it's it's terrible and. And then I thought, like, the first time I was washing dishes in ages, how mindful practice them dancing, rounded down the ground, not thinking about anything else, not judging the situation or thinking how angry I am that dishwasher is broken and I might have to pay money to have it, but just being in that moment, I haven't met my family, my Washington petition is a quiet moment for don't have to do anything else I can breathe while I'm doing it. It made me so much less resentful of the broken, dishwasher, so adding any kind of daily habit. 



Another thing that I've personally done is put a little form kind of mantra thing on my mirror in my bathroom, so that I remember to be mindful while I'm brushing my teeth because again something we do every day, probably more than once or twice a day, and just standing there, you know on the ground, a moment to be mindful to let the brain go kind of into a void space or a blank slate, and breathe.



VL: Oh, my goodness, you're, you're hitting the nail on the head today I want to brush my teeth I'm like okay these are all the things I have to do tomorrow, when I'm doing the dishes, I'm like oh my god okay so now I have to do this which make this meal.



So I feeling called out, which I find a lot of guests are doing to me like I think I need, I think I need this more than anyone else today.



SS: But I think we all do it though we all fit and the more, the more, the more we do the mindful part, the less likely we are to go back there, just like anything else when we start any new habit of constantly talking about habit. Yes. Yeah, so that it becomes more habitual and more of a regular part of your routine, and the mindful moments come more naturally, sometimes I encourage my clients that little alarm in their phone with mindful moments when they're first learning this because, let's face it the day is busy for most people crazy and they need to, you know, then that little reminder was, okay, I'm gonna stop and breathe until it become more natural, and even for myself at times when things are really crazy.



VL: 



[24:40] SS:I think everything everybody ebbs and flows practice like this, that's important with the non judgement people to know that we all ebb and flow I would like to think even the most mindful people like the Dalai Lama or Buddha probably.



VL: Yeah that's a great point to make, and I think a lot of what you're saying to has, has a lot to do with habit triggers, which we talk about on the show as well which basically are the cues or the, the if this happens then then so if we're doing the dishes, then we become more mindful if we're brushing our teeth and we become more mindful, and it really does as someone who has practiced mindfulness myself, it really does become more automatic or that habitual routine, and you're, you find yourself sometimes so like, you've probably experienced this before when you're driving to work, is driven to work so many times countless times, that you'll be in the middle of your drive and be like, Oh my God, how did I get here, because you're so not present in the moment, whereas the opposite can also happen when you do become more mindful and you do create a more mindful routine is that you find yourself really in the present moment really enjoying something really just being there with kind of nothingness. I remember going when Craig and I first started dating. 



We went on a walk in nature, and at the time, I was really working on mindfulness I was practicing yoga every day I was meditating, I was like kind of dating myself really. And then I started dating Craig, we went into the forest and he was talking to you talking and I said, just listen, just listen to the - it's first second date, whatever it was, we're a little bit nervous with each other so you want to kind of, there's no, there's no space for that awkward silence when you're talking bass I just listened to the wind through the trees. Do you hear that, and it was like an eye opening experience for him because he hadn't taken the time to notice that. And so now when we go for hikes or walks or whatever, he'll stop me now so you'd listen, listen to the trees, and you could hear the wind blowing through the leaves and it's like that one moment of being able to say, okay, I can hear this nature sound or I can see, you know this tree in front of me and when you're really taking a look at what you're seeing I mean maybe it's not in nature but something else and really, you know, just being there and not thinking about the past or thinking about the future, it's pretty it's pretty incredible and then you'll do it more and more that it carries you throughout your day and yeah it's a really cool. It's a really cool feeling but it's definitely not the easiest to go from high energy, high anxiety and then flip the switch to mindfulness, so we have our kind of guided mindfulness practice, we've got our habit triggers of one we can get into mindfulness, are there any other I know you've talked about breath and movement, are there any other things, or ways we can incorporate this into our life.



SS: so I think that you mentioned one which is kind of neat a little light bulb go off in my head which is nature here so nature deprive yourself so you know in North American society I think in general. I know that in here as authors write actual prescriptions for report is a prescription for their patients to go into the forest, spend time with nature, and I actually think that that's one of the ways if I really think back, it was either my movement practices or nature that first drew me to mindfulness is a very good way. Even if you do a five minute walk outside in your neighborhood and it's a silent block you're not listening to music you're not listening to podcasts, you're not chatting with somebody, the very good way to practice mindful, being in nature and outdoors. I also feel that we need to practice it back in, all of us the ability to be mindful, we were all those little tiny kids babies that are just naturally mindful and we lost it for the hustle and bustle of life. So, just like any or practice makes perfect, we don't do a breathing practice once or a guided meditation once and I was struck with the whole time. I kept in meditation, this isn't for me. Just like we wouldn't go to the gym and lift weights and expect to look like. Whoever Arnold Schwarzenegger. The next day, we you know we practice and cultivate a practice in our lives. That's important, I think we're true trying different things. Maybe for you it's not movement. Maybe for you it's not nature, maybe it's breath. Maybe it is the daily tasks that you're doing anyway. I'd like to talk about something that you do every day that I know you do because I've seen it on some of your Instagram posts and things but it's a great example of something that takes like, probably 10 seconds or or more, I don't know, probably not very long, and is a perfect mindful practice what you do with your coffee every morning, or your tea, whatever it is that you're drinking I'll let you explain it but that's a prime example of a daily mindful habit that takes a little time.



VL: Yes, you're right, I completely forgot about it. So every morning when I'm making my, it's usually coffee but sometimes the green juice or a tea.



I start in my intention for the day. And it's become a bit of a ritual and I can't remember when I started doing this, it wasn't too long ago I want to say December or January anyway, it was a few months ago, I would say, but it's made a huge difference in my life.



And when I don't do it because sometimes I don't make the coffee right away, or I will, Like, I'll make a green juice sometimes I usually shake that and I don't stir it so it's not as like a slow process, I kind of like shake it quickly and drink it. So when I if I don't do it, I noticed the difference as well. But essentially what I do is I pour the coffee like Nespresso so I dropped the espresso shot and I stir in like a couple little extra things like cinnamon and collagen powder. So as I'm doing that actually stir the coffee counter clockwise, and I do this because I want to let go of, you know whether it was like a bad sleep I had or like a crappy week, anything from yesterday, anything from this morning that threw me off already got over the wrong side of the bed, whatever. So I started that a couple times, until everything's blended in. And then I add my old milk because I like old milk lattes. And once the old milk is in I stir it clockwise, three times and as I stir in Word so clockwise to me is like, when I think about how I want to feel that day, and it's usually just a word, today I wanted to feel centered and steady, so like it was, I have a really busy day I'm on the move today. And I just wanted to make sure that like I really was present because I have a lot of driving and I know that sometimes when I'm scattered in my brain, I'm driving like bad things can happen right so I just wanted that to be my intention for today specifically. And then after I stir that in three times, I make a Pentagon or a star shape in the coffee to kind of feel it, that's my little ritual.

And I always like the spoon. I know that sounds silly, but I always like the spoon and then as I'm drinking the coffee is when I'm reminded of like okay I'm drinking that intention now it's going into my body. This in the coffee you can say like, oh yeah coffee feels feels you the caffeine whatever but it's really the intention that I'm kind of drinking in.



And you're right, it has totally become a mindful practice I think about it all day, and I, if I don't feel that steady or centered. I take a breath, I take a moment to reconnect to the intention that I've set. So, that's, that's the goal. That's the goal should be all of it. 



[29:49] SS: You just made that sound so fantastic and like juicy that I think I’m going to start to.



But that is a beautiful example of something that takes less than a minute, but can be a mindful, start to your day and imagine, even if you know for anyone who's listening out there if you just start with.



Pick something that takes 30 seconds to a minute for the beginning of your day, such as Valerie just described, and something that takes 30 seconds to a minute at the end of your day, perhaps, you know, closing the bathroom door, and breathing while you brush your teeth, even just those tiny little changes will calm you round you and physiologically change your brain.



VL: I love that I love that it's, You know it sounds a little woowoo like I'm stirring a word into my coffee. I'm thinking of the word I'm going to bed with the intention of having a good sleep or whatever it is, but you're right there really is a lot more research, a lot more scientific evidence proving the positive effects of something that is so simple. And the way that I like to look at it is that, you know, it's not that hard to do. It's not it doesn't cost any extra money to try this. It doesn't have any negative side effects, why wouldn't you try it. Why wouldn't you like prove at this point prove us wrong, you know what I mean prove me wrong and tell me it doesn't work.



SS:  Very good point. Very good point. One of the sayings, I like to use is that your biography is your biology. So, by introducing these little practices into your life story, your biography, you're only improving your health improving your, you know, aging potential to the ability to age well to keep the brain active as you age, all, all of that stuff I don't know if you're familiar with the term neuroplasticity.



VL: Yes, I’ve heard of this before. 



SS: So neural plasticity is the idea, and not to age myself but I did my psychology degree. Whoa. A long time ago, probably about 45 years ago now. So, the idea of neural plasticity, really wasn't there when I did my psychology degree this is that knew of science, the idea that the brain constantly changes and grows. It's not like you reach a certain age, which we'll reach we really used to think of a psychology world you reach a certain age and for a while, you can't learn a new language now you can't do this now know that brain is constantly changing and developing at a rate that low scientists mine. And this is why you can rehab people who kind of stroke, this why things like that, so.



Yeah, it's very new science to prove that right into late late adulthood right into senior years, The brain has the ability to form new connections, new fire new neurons, and, and learn new things. So even if you're, you know, 70 years old, listening to this, you can start a mindful practice and affect affect change for your remaining years.



VL: That's excellent. That's an excellent reminder for a lot of people because my grandma is 85 This year I think it's 86 Anyway, she's an old bird. And she always says I'm too old to learn that I'm too old to do that I'm too old and I keep saying no you're not, and she loves reading, but for whatever reason she wasn't able to get like books all the time, like hard hardcopy books. So, or she, I don't know, she has like a book club with her niece. Anyway, that's beside the point. She wasn't able to get all the books that we thought she's going to she's reading so many books so quickly, let's just get her Kindle, where she can just store all these books she's have to pass the books back and forth with her niece who lives like too far away. So let's get her Kindle so when we first got it for her. She's like, Oh my God, no, I can't learn this, this is a, I don't know how to use this machine is she doesn't even have a cell phone or anything right. So we showed her how to use it and we explained that, you know you can have 100 books on this one little tablet, and it's so light and you can travel with it and all these things. And, yeah, she uses it now, and you can't tell me that, You know she, I mean, she definitely had to. She definitely had to learn a couple of years skill they need someone who's never used a tablet or cell phone, you know, things like that smartphone anything like that. So, but she knows how to use it now and she loves it. She's always like, I mean we put the stories on for her, but she can flip the pages and pick the book and, yeah.



[34:36] SS: And what is that hesitation when it's whether it's an 85 year old or a 25 year old that's hesitation on Oh, I can't do that, let's label that what is that, that to me is it's fear. Right. And fear is within all of our brains, we may not only live in fear but it's fear and anxiety. And I think as somebody who suffered from I suffered from terrible anxiety as a person, mindfulness, helped me more than any other method treatment, whatever you want to call that, because it eradicated the fear part for me. And here's how many if there's anybody listening who's had cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, which is one of the most common sort of treatments for people who are an anxious or depressed.



And this is not to at all negate that practice or say it has no worth absolutely not different things work for different people. But for me personally what I struggled with was with that was that it's asking you to change yourself.



So it's asking you to say, instead of saying, I'm scared of learning something new. I'm not scared of something new but that felt inauthentic to me because I was still scared.



So or still fearful or anxious or whatever, however you want to label it. The reason why mindfulness is so helpful, is because it. I'm scared of learning something new, but that's okay.



It's okay to feel that way. And it doesn't mean that I can't learn. It doesn't mean that I can't sit with this uncomfortableness and push through and push practice. And that is one of, to me the key reasons why I see mindfulness working for myself and for many of the people that I work with, it's that expression of the feeling, or the thought that isn't functional or the most positive. It's not about always ponies and rainbows and unicorns, I like to say it's about even acknowledging the icky thoughts that we all are being honest.



VL: That is an amazing point 1,000% agree it's, you know, it's being able to say like, it's okay that I'm afraid, and it's okay to take the risk and it's okay to try something new to do something new, and I mean this is a whole other topic in itself in itself about getting out of your comfort zone and, you know, embracing the fear and doing it anyway and whatever it is, is that similar to mindfulness and to weight training, you're building, you're building your muscles you're building your mindfulness muscle you're building your courage muscle you're building your actual physical muscles, because all of these things take practice and as I mentioned before, the more you do it the better you get at it.



So it really starts with deciding or trying and choosing where do you want to start, what's the best place for you is it the tooth brushing is it the storing it into your coffee is it the movement practice.



Yeah, I think you've given a ton of amazing examples today and I know that you teach a lot of this because we could probably talk about this for a whole series of episodes about mindfulness, I mean, I feel like we could talk about each of the pillars in one episode, for sure.



But you teach a lot of this in a few of your offerings so could you share a little bit more about your retreats your programs?



[38:17] SS: Sure, I can run you when Wellness Week them or retreat for, I don't even know probably about five years now, and typically three to for a year like one every season, pretty much, obviously that's been interrupted a little bit by the current situation, but we've got, we've got some coming up. And the purpose of these gatherings, is to bring women together because I believe when women come together it's a powerful thing. I believe we learn from each other we feed off of each other's energy.



It's powerful, it goes back to ancient times, women gathering and circle. And there's a blend of everything, it's a very holistic weekend so there's always yoga and Pilates classes offered. There's always outdoor components, such as hiking, or snowshoeing, there's always healthy food for the weekend, often vegan or vegetarian, I'm not vegan or vegetarian but I do like to eat that way. Sometimes, and I can activate experiments with people to do for the weekend, and all of my retreats differently. We put different presenters at different retreat with everything from card readers, and the retreat I have to 2021, fingers crossed, is really the theme of that retreat is what we were just talking about going outside your comfort zone.



Something that I recently did that was completely out of my comfort zone was. Try the Wim Hof Method. I will admit that I was drawn in by the goop lab episode on Netflix and curious and started with my partner looking up this would be cool to do and sure enough, there were retreats locally that we could go to workshops rather locally that we go to to try this Wim Hof Method. So, the Wim Hof Method has itself, three sort of pillars or ideas behind it, which are one of them is mindful. One of them is to be in the right mindset and to be very mindful in the present moment, and the other two are breathwork and cold exposure. So the part that was out of my comfort zone was the cold exposure fun worshiping Mediterranean girl over here. Who would like to live barefoot in a bikini her whole life.



The idea of cold exposure which in the context of this workshop with getting into an ice bath for two minutes and 30 seconds was terrifying. And even as the day of the workshop approached, I was thinking for all these reasons why I could maybe cancel or not show up. However I did show up, I did go into the ice bath for two minutes and 30 seconds.



The idea of cold exposure which in the context of this workshop we're getting into an ice bath for two minutes and 30 seconds was terrifying. And even on the day of the workshop, approach, I was thinking for all these reasons why I could maybe cancel or not show up. However I did show up, I did go into the ice bath for two minutes and 30 seconds.



The idea of cold exposure which in the context of this workshop we're getting into an ice bath for two minutes and 30 seconds was terrifying. And even on the day of the workshop, approach, I was thinking for all these reasons why I could maybe cancel or not show up. However I did show up, I did go into the ice bath for two minutes and 30 seconds.



VL: WOW! I mean I've tried types of cold therapy before, but by that I mean that crazy walk we did in the freezing cold winter. And then I remember like when we were kids we used to go to our friend's hot tub in the winter and then it was like, Okay, I dare you to go jump out in the snow roll around and come back.



Those kinds of things, but I don't think I would have ever. Well maybe you can convince me to go into an ice bath for two and a half minutes like part of me is very curious and then the other part of me is screaming right away. 



SS: Right and I think once you experience the lead up to it, and the mindset work in the policy breathwork that you're taught, there's almost no doubt in your mind that you're getting in that tub and I asked, Ashley, the facilitator. People must like to get 10 people signed up for a workshop, how many actually get in yet, but never had anyone in the years of doing this, don't get in and I can see that now that I've done it because you're just so pumped up to do it and I guess there's a little bit of the tribe mentality going on there too, that you just do, and it is that ultimate I think going out of your way out of your comfort zone.



Right and I think once you experience the lead up to it, and the mindset work in the policy breathwork that you're taught, there's almost no doubt in your mind that you're getting in that tub and I asked, Ashley, the facilitator. People must like to get 10 people signed up for a workshop, how many actually get in yet, but never had anyone in the years of doing this, don't get in and I can see that now that I've done it because you're just so pumped up to do it and I guess there's a little bit of the tribe mentality going on there too, that you just do, and it is that ultimate I think going out of your way out of your comfort zone.



[43:53] VL: That's so incredible, I would definitely want to try it, because I'm thinking of how I would react in that group mentality and I'm like no I can't be the only one who doesn’t do it.



First, I like, I have to go first I have to go first. I can't watch other people do this. And then, you know, you'll be getting more and more nervous, but just if I'm doing it I'm going for. 



VL:  So amazing. Well, Sarah. This has been so much fun, like I said, I feel like we could do a whole series on this, and I'm sure that you'll be back on the show again soon, but let us know where we can find you today where we can follow you and how we can support your business.



SS:  in addition to the junior retreats, I'm currently offering one on one mindfulness sessions, and also in summer 2021 I will be offering a teen mindfulness program, and information about any of those things can be found on my Instagram, or my websites.



WEBSITE | www.sarahsturino.com

INSTAGRAM | @sssturino 



RAPID FIRE

1. What are you currently reading? OR What’s your favourite book?

Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza

Future Witches




2. What do you love most about being a woman?



I think if I think back, my son is 17 Almost. What I love most about being a woman was that feeling of growing a human and being so there is never a time when I was more in touch with energy and with how much we are animals right it's such an animal experience to give birth to grow human to have milk. So just that our bodies do that is incredible and miraculous and beautiful and then the fact that we didn't stretch marks laughter and hate is, we need to change the culture needs lippett Like are you proud of those stretch marks grew that 6ft3’ boy!




3. What does “empowerment” mean to you?



I think I would say empowerment means finding your voice, and using it. But I would also say, it means to thrive, not just survive I think that there were some years where I was just surviving and not thriving. And my wish for everyone is that they have very few of those. And more of the Thrive.




4. What are you currently working toward?



Many things probably too many things I feel like I confuse the universe by manifesting too many things at once. So, I will share that I am working towards having my own but that's one of the things that I'm currently manifesting and not just manifesting, but the actively working on



VL: Well, thank you so much for being on the podcast today it was an absolute pleasure to talk to you I mean I love chatting with you but it was great that we could finally record this episode, I think what you're doing in the world and for women and for teens is so incredibly important. I feel like every season every year you come to me with like this new idea and this new project and this new program and I just think oh my god, she can do anything and everything you're like a super woman. So I'm so happy to know you as a friend. I'm so happy to have you as a guest on the show so excited to share your voice, your story or your resources, your expertise with the audience today, and hopefully again soon. Thank you.



SS: Thank you, Valerie, thank you for giving me space for my voice, and for LASIK women you do that on your podcast is truly needed and truly a pleasure to listen to. Thank you so much for having me as a guest.

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E130: Q&A with Special Guest Craig
 
 

E130: Q&A with Special Guest Craig

Meet my love and partner, Craig in this fun and light episode answering your questions for Craig all about his habits and his view and ideas for forming healthy habits with your partner…


Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

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[00:52] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to The Women's Empowerment Podcast. So typically every 10 episodes, I do a q&a, and I have decided to switch things up a little bit which I'm very nervous about but also very excited because I have an extra special guest on today's show, and he is my partner, Craig and as I'm saying he I'm just realizing that you're the first male guest I've had on the show which is also very exciting so welcome.


Craig: Thank you. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.


VL: Craig was very excited to be on the show today but also a little nervous because we have a pretty much a list of listener questions for Craig. If you follow me on Instagram at about living life, you will have known or you will have seen that Craig and I have been doing some little renovations on the home, which have been fun to follow along with and just a little fun part of our relationship, and what's going on right now. So, now, I usually read a bio for the guest and Greg and I were chatting previously to recording and I said oh I don't really have a bio for you and you know you're not a entrepreneur so things are very different episode for us today. So what I thought would be great if I read your Tinder bio, which is how Craig and I met, and on his Tinder bio and correct me if I'm wrong but this is how I remember it. It said Craig, I don't think it's at your age, but at the time you were 36, and it said, looking for someone to steal my sweaters. Eat my fries, and drink my coffee, even though you said you didn't want any.


Okay can you remember my Tinder bio, off the top of my head.


C: Off the top of my head. I remember the pictures very clearly. Yeah there was beautiful pictures and I can remember. I can remember that you were a health coach, and that you were. You were in touch with, I was spiritually woke spiritually.


V: Yeah, we're gonna talk about being spiritually woke a little bit on the podcast.


Yeah, I remember something like that, something about pizza was thrown in there too, that yeah that was a good time my first ever Tinder experience and ever Tinder date and look where we are now almost, we'll definitely over a year and a half later.


As you know, my business really does revolve around health but more specifically healthy habits. So we're gonna talk a little bit today about healthy habits, and I figured we just dive in, because that's kind of how I like to do things. And the other thing I wanted to share with you about the podcast is that and I know you've listened to a couple episodes but I'm really try to leave the guests with some motivation to take action. So as we are talking if you have any like tidbits of advice, or actionable steps you can take, feel free to share that on the show.


Okay, so let's start with the healthy habits.


So Ania asked, Are there any healthy habits that Craig wants to achieve or get better at what are you currently working on in terms of your healthy habits?


[4:33] C: Well thank you for the question on habits that I really want to improve on that I lack out a lot on my diet. So we've got better at eating more consistently and vows introduced some, you know, a couple recipe books that are great, but they're still not the best. 


So, really got to tidy that up one of the bad parts is too much sugar.


So, working out that that's active and not sleeping.


I guess regularly. So that's probably my biggest challenge at the moment is getting a good night's sleep every night. Just between work and life and everything, it's just seems to be, I guess that's not really an excuse.


It's toying with me a little bit so I have to figure out a way to get in control of it. So yeah those are probably the two main things I need to I need to figure out.


VL: So, and then her next question I guess is a bit of a follow up, but are there any bad habits that you want to change so I it's kind of a similar question.


C: Yeah, so the sleep and then I guess just lazy snacking. That's probably the biggest downfall with sugar is that you know the snacking. We've gotten this terrible habit of having dessert before I have having this dessert before bed, and I guess the one was sleep.


The biggest challenge there is not putting down my phone. I need to put down my phone. Turn off the screen, close my eyes,


VL: Eliminating sugar would also probably help you sleep better too.


C: Yeah.


VL: Okay, so let's talk about some of your good habits, what are some of your good habits, and that you do every day and I can list a few but I want it to come from you.


C: I train every day, I don't know if that's necessarily a good habit. I like I enjoy the habit but I, I enjoy trading. I do feel I should take a break every now and then and listen to my body which I, I certainly don't do.


And my other habits don't necessarily turn towards health, it's more structured in a routine and I like to get things done and I don't like to leave things open ended.


If I, if I have something in my mind. I want to get on top of it like I consider that a good habit to not leave things open or unfinished.


VL: Yeah, so you work out every day, which, you know, and then some days you say you don't have a great workout. It's more of like a rest day, but you are definitely someone who takes action, whereas we laugh about that. I like to start things and Craig likes to finish things necessarily start something, but I feel like once we get something started. You're the one who's saying we need to finish this, or I'm like yeah we'll do later.


Or we'll start something else. In the meantime, and then you're done, like you said you like to, you like to take action and I think this is something that I've learned a lot from you because I tend to hesitate sometimes like oh let me think about a little bit more like let me plan this out. Where that can be helpful but it can also be a little bit of a detriment if I'm just, you know, waiting to feel ready or you're like just jump in with both feet.


C: I think when I was younger, I hesitated a bit more and I was a little bit more concerned about the risks and the outcome. And I eventually realized, you know, as time ticks along, and you've passed your 30s and it feels like the clock is getting quicker and quicker, that you start to realize that the time is not waiting for you.


So, I guess that's the reason why I've driven. Now, more.


[9:00] VL: Candace wants to know, how have your habits changed since meeting me so like what are some things that you maybe added?


C: Thank you. Thanks, Candace for that question. Since Val and I've met. There is a lot of things that have changed. Habitually and for the better.


 We, I guess, the one that pops up the most into my head is recycling and take, you know, I used to just throw, throw away everything into the trash and, and I never used to really recycle so foul, foul was very very persistent with that so I, I started to recycle and I'm still not perfect, but I'm definitely 91 miles, miles ahead of where I was. So that was a that was a huge one. One of them that happens.


I had, I had a TV in the bedroom, and fell. Passive aggressively comment though. Oh, you shouldn't do this but I was like okay, she's like no no it's your decision but, you know, so eventually I ended up getting rid of that and that definitely helped my sleep a lot because I, I used to sleep with the TV on and then wake up in the middle of the night with it still running and really have a broken sleep so that was a huge one.


I used to eat a lot of takeout. And that's, that's non existent so that's benefited me in two ways that not only am I saving a lot more money but I'm also I'm also looking after myself with my health, and mentally. I used to always believe I was old and it's almost like I was convincing myself that I was old and Val Val came in with this notion that like, Hey, you're only as old as you, you sort of believe you are.


So, if you believe you're young, you're going to convince yourself you're young and you will be young. So, this has been a huge modification for me to come back to being young and recognizing that it's a lot more journey to come down the road and we have a lot of time together.


[11:34] VL: And so that you're not even older than I am, but you're not full that I have to give, and you're very playful like this is something that I really love about you is that you are really wonderful. I used the wrong word, and once I called him immature but I met. It didn't go very well.


But this is something that like, I really like for me because I sometimes can get really caught up into more serious and structured mentality like playful side which I think is so important, and even today you're tied to these fun things, a game all the stuff so we're ready to pull your heart and you're young.


I think money wise to like you're better at saving money now.


C: Yeah.


VL: I think the pandemic also helps with Thanksgiving close.


C: Yeah, but it was like I used to I used to be very impulsive. I still am from time to time but you said Help me right now. And it's that's for the better.


[13:02] VL: So one of the other questions that Candice asked was if someone told you five years ago that you'd be getting an astrology reading, and your aura read and playing with oils, diffusing oils. What would you have said to them?


C: You're off to lunch. Yeah. Never in a million years, I would I would never have thought it, I would have probably had a good giggle and moved on.


So, this is, this has been one one journey, like the spiritual journey, I guess, although I'm not. I'm perhaps not 100% There are definitely, it's definitely been an eye opener, and I've definitely learned a lot about myself, about how to behave, my personality, how to interact with other people, and Val. You you you introduce me to a few different people like Glynis the Astrologer. 


VL: A nutritionist…


C: And that's, that's been a huge change as well. Glynis, the astrologist was huge.



VL: It's one of those things where if you don't believe it and if you can't just read your horoscope in the paper, you need to read your birth chart and someone needs to do that for you because it's like a whole other language.


C: you know, when I, when I went to see Glynis I went in with a very open mind, you know, just, I think at that time we were having a tough time. And it was a search for a good direction. And I was a bit lost.


VL: And then how many people did you tell to go see her?


C: So many because it put a lot of things to rest in my mind I think we have a lot of secrets that a lot of insecurities that are raised in dark places that you don't want to embarrass anybody and I think it takes even a lot to sometimes let your partner in because you're not certain if they're going to use it against you or you might be super super ashamed of these things and, and sitting, listening to what she had to say, might feel normal. My darkness fuel Okay, a lot more accepting of myself.


It put some perspective into some journeys that perhaps I hadn't closed the door or had time to fix properly.


VL: Thank you for sharing that. Yeah, that was very early on in our relationship too so for you to go and have that meeting with her was, it was a surprise to me that you actually did that.


At the time, but if someone asked you now like, Hey Craig, what do you think of the willie stuff like your horoscope and or as in meditation and crystals of essential oils, what would you say to somebody?


[16:25] C: You know, I came from a very sort of conservative upbringing. So, to get through something that you've grown up with is kind of a challenge, not necessarily a challenge but it takes some convincing if you will. So there's obviously like with in regards to oils, there's some oils that you can show me the benefit of them straightaway like the lemon oil. When we're painting and I spilt this lemon gospel to paint on the ground, and you gave me that oil and I couldn't believe it, including the microwave, like things that was so challenging, there's, there's, you know, I saw a huge benefit but it was kind of like, there was that instant gratification so you, you respond like I responded really well to it.


But the other oils that you know that the calming blend. Like sometimes I have a bit of a giggle because like I think it's whimsical almost, but it's just it's just because it's very difficult to believe, but I'm getting. I feel I'm getting better. 


VL: Yeah, when we first started dating you kept calling me as soon as there.


C: Yeah, yes it's right


VL: And what else, the tummy oil?


C: I guess because I'm lactose intolerant since I've been in Canada, like I respond very well to lactose and so it's been a very challenging journey for me with that because, you know growing up I grew up on a farm and Zimbabwean, there was an abundance of milk because we had cows and it was unpasteurized and, you know, we'd milk the cows and had the milk straight from there and so to get it all processed and stuff I think is playing havoc on me but, certainly.


VL: Hey, well when I met you you had a deep blue rug. Essential Oil muscle rub,


C: yeah wow okay well that's that's another one that's, that's fantastic as well, Like, I used to use a 535, you know, and more chemical kind of products and then yeah picked up that that deep blue and that that works a real treat, and even little things like the diffuse smell.


It's, it's a very nice response but that was a really bad habit I had, I had those.


VL: Oh my god yeah fresh air fresheners everywhere.


C: Yeah, so we changed the diffusers and that was a huge change which was for the better. Oh man, I threw all my chemicals as well, all the cleaning products.


VL: I basically came in it was like so…. Yeah we’re throwing out everything…


C: We pretty much. Wow, okay. There's a lot. Yeah, do laundry detergent, as well, soaps, soaps.


VL: Do you like how does it feel, do you notice a change?


C: I've noticed, I've noticed like, you know, just, I guess the changes have been so subtle, we've done some, like, it's already that like, also the painting of the house, and the brightening of the house and your style and your fashion you know the way that you've brought that in like, there's been a lot of things I think mentally I feel more grounded, obviously work is like a bit stressful so it keeps me on my toes, but I feel it's a good place to come on we have.


VL: Yeah, I was gonna say that I feel like we've created a nice little nest where it feels a little bit more like a home together. It's been a year that we've lived together.


[20:48] VL: this is actually one of the questions from Faith, who wants to know if we can talk about our, and then they quoted us like, I'm gonna change the words like pandemic relationship so basically, Craig and I met in 2019. And this summer, And then it got a little more serious in the fall. We joked about cuffing season, and where I kept Craig, in September, and then we both went on our own little trips in February or January and then when we, when we came back we were basically in this global pandemic. And, you know, the two weeks to flatten the curve was like, Oh well, I'll just stay at your house for two weeks. It actually wasn't two weeks and then all of a sudden, like I was living here and all my stuff was here and I was decorating and yeah.


So, basically, Craig, Faith’s question is to talk a little bit about this dynamic and how we've stayed sane and kept our relationship healthy over the past year or so.


C: Thank you for your question. Look, do I feel that it's been easy all the time. No, we've we've certainly had challenges, you know, and I definitely, definitely, definitely would admit that it's not always roses, but I do appreciate and love you very much. I guess this made it a bit easier in the beginning because I was perhaps a bit less selfless. I wanted to do stuff for you more, you know, I kind of set my own aside for us. And I've been very fortunate where my workers as kept going.


VL: Okay, I'll jump in here just for some context. So at the beginning of the pandemic. My job changed immediately and drastically so I lost my main source of income and I was kind of just working off of some of the passive income I was building on the side which I wasn't actively pursuing so it was a very small fraction of what I was taking home every month, whereas Craig's job was deemed essential so there wasn't a lot that changed for you other than maybe some flexibility with where you had to be so there was a little bit more working from home on Craig's and I was now completely throwing myself into my online business and as any entrepreneur would explain to you that you know the reward or the, the, the finances, they don't necessarily come overnight, it is a bit more of like, okay, we need to build this growth but I was, I was building an entirely new foundation so essentially I was building a new business and Craig was incredibly supportive of me emotionally, mentally, I mean you let me stay here at your at your house, and we kind of came up with an arrangement that made the best sense for us at the time and it's evolved a little bit but yeah so I kind of took to this like domestic role of cooking, not so much cleaning but I was cooking meals.


And I was like making our little nest for us while you were bringing home the bacon so they say.


And it like it'll happen very quickly and it was like, Oh, we don't really know how long this is going to last long and I mean, yeah, I would agree that not everything has been super easy, but I feel like we've learned so much about each other, and about ourselves, and this is actually the first time I've ever lived with a partner too so I think that was one of my, my hesitant or that's where my where my hesitancy came from was like, oh this is new and this is scary and I'm not making any money and or I'm not making as much money as before and, yeah, it's a bit of a vulnerable time for me.


C: Yeah, cuz I think I made a promotion. Last year, during that. So things are doing really really well can remember. I can remember feeling quite terrible though because my, my work although consistent is is not, you know, some days can be stressful, but it's not terrible. And I can remember you work in your past. We can get by. And I, I, deep down inside, I hope that, why not I hope I know that your time is coming, because I've seen how hard you work and I've seen how far you throw yourself into things and I sometimes feel it's not fair. You know some of your journey this, this last few years of this pandemic, I don't feel it's fair. But I don't know quite how else to support you, other than to be there for you and to support you the best I can.


Sometimes I feel I dropped the ball at it, but, you know, other times, do my best. 


VL: Craig is really, you are really supportive of me and in a lot of ways, and honestly, most of the time. So, again more context, because the studio the Pilates studio is closed right now I've been spending more time at home. So sometimes I just, it's just nice for when you come home for us to be around each other and have, like, for me, quality time is really important right now because I spend so much time alone. That being around you, and like, no phones and no emails and no TV and just having like a genuine conversation is really important to me.


And then, you know that I have like a walking habit but if I can add an additional walk with you and get some fresh air. Like, I feel like this is, it sounds like somebody's so small, but it's so important to me that time with you.


C: But I remember as you weren't getting out to us sitting and saying hey you need to get out. Come on, totally. Yeah, and that's what I think the walking habit stemmed from.


VL: Yeah a lot of it, I felt like the lazy, a lazy bum and you were like you need fresh air, you need to get outside. The best is when you came up did you leave the house today. No new, did you get up today. Does making another cup of coffee.


What about each other. Yeah and you know what this is probably like one of my most serious relationships, like I said I've never lived with a partner before and so I felt a lot of times, like, is this what it's like to live with somebody like my friends kept saying no.


What about each other. Yeah and you know what this is probably like one of my most serious relationships, like I said I've never lived with a partner before and so I felt a lot of times, like, is this what it's like to live with somebody like my friends kept saying no.


You know I've looked like my friends have lived with their partners for years. And since the pandemic, a lot has changed you're spending way more time with your significant other, you know, you're not getting the outlet of socializing with your friends or Craig likes to go skydiving like we weren't doing those things but because this is like the pretty much. Probably two thirds of our relationship I've been through the pandemic. Yeah, so it's very, it's, it's gonna be different regardless.


C: Honestly, I feel sometimes it's, it's definitely a case of make or break. And I think, I think, in this time we went away. Together we've done a few good things and we've got a few coming up so yeah we have the fabulous little like weekend road trip kind of things that have been fun, or adventurous to come. Yeah.


[29:08] VL: Okay so we have a few personal questions. Nothing crazy. So, Lisa wants to know the, your favorite thing about yourself.


C: Thank you for the question, Lisa, the favorite. My favorite thing about myself. I can't give the credit all to myself for this. But I guess the favorite thing I would think about myself is my ability to bounce back. There's, like, I, I grew up in Zimbabwe and we kind of lost our homes and byways and moved to Australia and started from zero. And then I moved to Canada and kind of started from zero and come a long way.


If you asked me 20 years ago. Do you ever, you know, would you feel that you would have moved this far or I still would have been on a farm in Zimbabwe. So, it's been, it's been a very long and tough journey and there's a lot of good people to thank, you know that have been with me.


And then in many different ways and some, some of them it's just, you know, a very small, you know, somebody just touched my life and the most smallest way but it's done me a huge benefit but I think that's probably the, I don't know if it's even.


VL: That's a great answer, I would agree with that. And then Lisa also asked, What do you want to work on with Val?


C: I would like to ultimately build our own little Empire, and have a little family and have a little house and go on vacation vacations and maybe start living a little bit, a little bit more than we have been I think we've you know you've been tied up during this this Corona thing and I would, I would appreciate to be able to stretch our legs as a couple, a little bit more out, I'd like for us to become a lot more successful. And, you know, I'd like to be there. I think I have been there like what year but has come to you, having a bit of hesitation with moving forward with your business and stuff and sometimes I'm just like, go home, don't jump on it, don't be shy like move, move, move, so I'd like to work on that as well. So be successful and be happy. And maybe content.


Like, I think we once, when you want to ask me like, What do you say don't just to be comfortable, You're like, what does that mean, like, what's comfort mean to you and that, that still, it still resonates in my mind because I'm not wondering well what is comfortable, you know, what does it mean and what do we want and I think we've started to understand each other a bit better about, you know, if we bought a house, what would it look like and, you know, one of the things that we both kind of enjoy and I guess one of the things, if I'm going to be truly honest.


One of the things I'd really like to work on as well as feeling super comfortable in our relationship to the point that you know you go on your trips and I'll be calm in my heart.

I guess that's, I think we're getting to that point that relationship where we're a lot more confident with each other and yeah.



[33:16] VL: So, when people tell me they want to be comfortable as a goal I cringe because comfort is not a goal. And, you know, like I'm very fortunate for where I grew up and how I like this incredible people that I've attracted into my life and the and the situations I've been in like I'm very fortunate. And if someone asked me, Are you comfortable, I would say yes I am comfortable, and even with Craig like where you've come from and where you are now to tell me that you're not comfortable in your house and you have an amazing job and, like, you don't have to worry about putting food on the table, in my opinion, this is comfort so that's why I always encourage people to one figure out what comfort means to you because you probably already are comfortable and to, to raise the bar like, what do you actually want to feel because you want to buy a bigger house or we want to buy a bigger house together. But comfort in a bigger home is not what we're looking for. We're looking for a spacious mess we're looking for, you know, expansion because we want to build a family like we want to have a backyard we want to be. We don't want to have to move our freaking cars around every day.


You know we want to be able to have like space for our bicycles and our paddleboards and all the other things that we, we want to include so, so really that's where I'm coming from with that is, is why I don't agree when people say the comfort is the goal because most of the people who I'm speaking to who are saying that are well more than comfortable.


C: Yeah, right. Um, I think one of the other things that, that I've really enjoyed about our little journey is that, you know, when we, when we look back and we we see some of the experiences we've had, and some of the photos, we've taken, you know, we find these old memories and have a good chuckle. I, I think the last year and a bit have most likely been some of the best years of my life. Like I feel super, like I feel a lot more settled in myself.


And I think this has allowed us to have a really great journey and one of the things I'd like to keep working on with you is making more memories, good memories. You know that we look back and like you forget a lot of them and we you know you say to me, what are you grateful for it. And we become conscious and think back to the things that we've done and have a good giggle like we've, we've done a lot of good stuff. I look forward to do a lot more.


[36:30] VL: Thank you for sharing and I look forward to doing more with you too. We're pulling on Craig's heartstrings. A little teary.


Good questions. So we have another question from Yvonne and I'm going to change the question just a teeny bit. So I would say I would rephrase this question as if you're giving advice to another couple, whether they're a couple of a couple years, or several years. But the question that she's asking is, how do you encourage your partner to practice more healthy habits, without coming off too forceful so I would say like, what advice would you give to another couple?


C: Thanks everyone for that question. this one for me is super super challenging because I've been in some relationships where somebody is expected check to change something and you don't feel equal or hurt in the relationship. And no matter what approach that person takes.


You're not gonna budge, or if you do, it'll just be to appease them on a shallow level sort of thing.


I really feel that you need to work at. At hearing your, your person hadn't appreciated your person, and communicating with your person, to the point that you actually care about each other and you love each other, to become a lot more selfless and a lot more open and less defensive and all of that.


Want to win once you get to actually see how that person is, you'll figure out how to navigate that minefield, because honestly, at the end of the day like it really does feel like a minefield sometimes.


So, I think, step one is not to, not on the approach of the question is, step one is to actually know the person, and to understand the person.


Once you know and understand that, then you can start to ask or approach it the right way.


Does that make sense?


VL: Yeah, so, and I say this to Craig all the time he he'll ask me to do something.


I don't necessarily want to do, and they'll say to Craig You know what, if you asked it to me this way. I would do it, but if you're saying, and it's, It's because I like, because I know what's gonna motivate me to do that action. Whereas if it sounds like someone's telling you something, the way I am, as a personality, I will put it off, longer if you keep asking me to do something with Craig I found that, and again I think you're right, I think it is about, it's different depending on the specific depending on the person, but with you I found that if I explain to you why this habit wasn't important. You were more willing to change it. And I also didn't come at you like you. You did list a lot of things that have changed since knowing me, but they didn't all happen at the first meeting, right, so like, I noticed that his green van container where we throw our compost had was a storage container for bags, and for grocery bags, like the ones that you dispose up the plastic bags and I was like, whoa, Whoa whoa whoa So like right away we were using disposable grocery bags, and also there was no place to put our food waste. So, yeah, that's another one.


So, again, like here I am like the alarms are going off all the red flags, he doesn't recycle. I'm just kidding, that's a huge red flag that's changeable.


So I was like okay so I bought the green bin bags and I said, actually this bin is for this, and this is why this is important. Garbage people take this every week, and then we swapped to the produce bags, and the reusable grocery bags, and the grocery store, we go to, they use paper bags anyway they don't even use plastic anymore so that's helpful.


Craig has come a LONG way!


C: What's the other thing sustainability.


VL: But yeah, a lot of those things.


C: I think it's definitely, because there's been there's been things like Val hates cleaning. She cannot, and now I love cleaning.



VL: You know, wait wait wait, you love the house being clean, you don't love it. I like the result.


C: But we compromise. Like, there's a lot of compromise and there's a lot of give and take and that's why I think it's really important to understand the other person, and to know the limits and then it's gonna need to know the limits but then it's is to know within yourself, whether your ex, you're willing to accept that this is the way it's going to be, you know that some things you may not change so you have to compromise and you have to not grow to resent them you need to just let it go and breathe and move on to another thing that's much more worth the battle.


[41:55] VL: Well, it's been such a pleasure to have you on the podcast I still have a couple more questions for you but I did want to say thank you so much because I know you were a little bit nervous but also, I kind of, you're very polite and professional on the show I thought you'd be… Maybe next time you'll be a little more your charismatic self.


C: I know what it means to you.


VL: Thank you. Before we get into the rapid fire round


RAPID FIRE ROUND

1. What are you currently reading? Or what is your favourite book?

C: I'm gonna have to get it out. It's about leadership as sad as a guy who was in the ASA, and his leadership techniques.


2. What does empowerment mean to you?

C: There is nothing that you can put your mind to like if you put your mind to it, you can achieve it differently. If you want something just go get it. It's yours. Everything's attainable goals and only walls you put up your own walls. So empowering myself as pulling down my own walls, I guess.


3. What are you currently working toward?

C: There are three things that I've tried to focus on now. And I've kind of class them in buckets. One of them is being a lot more successful at work. But, in being successful being settled as well, perhaps taking work seriously but trying to cut down the stress. That's one success at work, reducing stress.


The other thing is, building and working on on my family. By that I mean, being more in touch with my, my family, being more in touch with you, because I consider you my family, appreciating and being more in touch with your family. Also consider them my family now, and appreciating the small things like watching my brother's children grow up and being a little bit more part of it and trying to be more active and getting involved with them and, you know, making a family with you and growing our lives.


I love your family anyway so I think things go well there but it's a relationship that needs to be nurtured as well. And then my other pocket is being happy doing things that I love to do. For skydiving, as going camping and the things that we're looking forward to doing like a happiness bucket, work, family,


VL: Sounds like like core values which I've talked a lot about the podcast, share those episodes with you later.


Well thank you so much again I want to acknowledge you for one taking the time to, to do this with me because it meant a lot to me I was a little bit nervous but like I said, I was also super excited to have you on the show you were an incredible guest very polite and professional.


There's a different side to learning about today.


And I also want to acknowledge you for being a really incredible and supportive partner because I don't know what I would have done this year without you or how it would have gone, and you're always empowering me and you're always supporting me and encouraging me to take the big leaps that I am mortified to take, and I definitely would say that my, my success and my growth this year has been because of your support and encouragement, So thank you so much.


C: Thank you, you’re an amazing woman, I love you too.

VL: Aww

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E129: Habits for Intentional Entrepreneurs with Chantelle Andercastle
 
 

E129: Habits for Intentional Entrepreneurs with Chantelle Andercastle

Meet Aligned Business Mentor and Creative Designer, Chantelle as she takes us behind the scenes of her business and personal development practices, teaching us how to be intentional entrepreneurs and move the needle forward…


Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

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[1:14] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to The Women's Empowerment Podcast. Today I get to introduce you to my good friend Sean towel. Chantel is a business mentor, web designer and creator of the aligned action framework, since 2018 She has helped entrepreneurs find depth direction, depth and direction in their biz, so they can get past where they get stuck or where they've settled, Shawn tells zone of genius is teaching service based solopreneurs, to put intention behind what they do in their business to move forward and grow bigger than they ever thought was possible. She's a three one manifesting generator, a Sagittarius sun, Leo moon and Libra rising, you'll typically find her working from her loft apartment in the middle of Canada, wearing her sparkly unicorn slippers. What a fun bio, I definitely want to start telling people, all about my astrology and my manifesting generator. Human Design profile, I love it thank you so much for being on the podcast today. 




Chantelle Andercastle: Thank you Val, I’m so excited to talk to you.



VL: Me too. This is one of those things where we started to get to know each other, probably a year ago almost. And we've actually worked together, so many times over the last year.



And I kept secretly wanting you to be on the show and then I kept putting out like feelers to be like, Yes, I have a podcast.



And I just know that there was just going to be the right time, where the two of us would come together and I'm so glad it's now because we've, like I said, we've worked on so many projects together and I feel like you've just been through a lot, and I'm excited, I'm excited to have you here to share your knowledge to share your information. Today we're talking about habits for intentional entrepreneurs, tell us what is or who is the intentional entrepreneur? 



CA: I see intentional entrepreneurs, as people who pause and think and make conscious decisions that are based on their alignment with themselves and their alignment with their brand values. So, instead of making you know decisions based on what everyone else is doing or what those, those big influences are doing or what the blogs tell you to do, or what the blogs tell you have to do. Intentional entrepreneurs do what's right for them. And what's right for their clients.



[3:53] VL: No pressure or anything!



CA: It’s not always. Like, we aim for that. And an even when you're making intentional decisions you know you might still make mistakes, and that's okay, but another element of the intentional entrepreneurs, is I guess like growing from those experiences, and taking those times when the decision didn't quite go right, and learning from that so that you can make an even better decision next time.



VL: This is so perfect. This is what the Women's Empowerment Podcast is all about. It's about the intention behind what we're doing. It's about learning from learning from the experiences that don't always go as planned, so I'm so excited that we're chatting about this. Now, the first thing that comes to mind when, when you introduce the intentional entrepreneur is, how do we get out of wanting to see what everyone else is doing and thinking that we need to show up in a certain way or thinking we need to do something differently, how do we how do we really connect with, with ourselves?



CA: Early on in my in my entrepreneurship journey I realized that I was I was consuming so much content without actually processing it, and without actually thinking about the relationship that I had with it, or even just deciding how I actually felt about it. I was just speeding through the content and kind of mindlessly consuming. And so something I did early on was, if I'm going to listen to an hour of that podcast, I'm going to spend two hours, then implementing it, or living it or reflecting on it, or meditating on it, and because I owe it to myself to actually do something with that knowledge that I've just gained, otherwise I'm just, you know stuffing more and more information in, And it's not actually getting me anywhere. So I think that's, that's been a big one for me. Another one is, is not following people who are not following like competitors in my niche that they can feel bad.



So it's not to say that I don't follow other business mentors or web designers but I don't follow the ones that don't align with me or that you know that trigger me and in whatever way I tend to limit my inputs. And that's been something that's been important too is deciding what am I going to take in and how am I going to take that in responsibly.



And just notice when that's coming up for me. So, when I, when I have that feeling of envy or I have that feeling of, well she's doing it better than I am, or she's further ahead than I am and I shouldn't be doing this to get the get there faster. That's my cue to pause and look inward and explore those feelings, you know, within myself and not, not just push them down and press play on the next episode.



[7:08] VL: Those are very great practices and I think what they have in common with each other is that they're very mindful, right, we're, we're paying attention to how we're feeling or paying attention to how other things make us feel, and it's so easy to binge content to binge podcast episodes to binge, you know, Instagram TV like HGTV, or whatever it is that we're, we're watching and I never really thought about. I never really thought about that, to listen to something and then take time intentionally take time to implement it or practice it or reflect on it.



This is something that I need to start.



CA: It's possible for me noticing that I was giving myself the check mark and the Goldstar without having done anything. I was, I was taking the fact that I had, you know, Read the chapter or search for the blog post or, you know, checked out the caption, as, as the like checked off my list. And then I was wondering, the problem with that was that I was wondering why am I not seeing any results, you know like, Oh, this is interesting. Why am I not getting any further ahead and my business, it's like you're not actually doing anything, you're just like being a sponge.



And so it's it's been helpful for me to, to encourage myself to take that further before I go in and get more information as a one three in the human design. I'm very much about knowledge seeking and I feel like I have to get like learn more before I do something. And so it's a way of honoring that that part of myself that I know I want to learn more, but I also wanted to integrate.



VL: That is so brilliant and it's so true because I've even talked about this on the show before, because we talk a lot about personal development, I used to be one of those people who I read all the books I was following all the Guru's about personal development and self help and self care and all these things. And it didn't matter how many books I read you started to see that the message was all the same. And the only reason why I wasn't getting anywhere it was because I wasn't actually implementing the message of the book so that's a huge wake up call, I think for a lot of people, and that's a great point to make, to say, Okay, why am I not getting anywhere. Okay, well what actions are you taking to work are you doing to get to where you need to be to get to your goal.



CA: Yeah, exactly, powerful stuff.



VL: And is not always easy and that's where the growth and that's where the growth comes from and that's how we, we up level is when we, we take action and get out of our comfort zones and and do the work so that's super important. I'm glad that I'm glad that you mentioned that. So when it comes to other kind of behaviors or habits, what are some other things that intentional entrepreneurs could be doing?



[10:07] CA: I like to incorporate rituals into my workday so things like to me rituals are just habits that we do more than once that we do repetitively or you know always at a certain time.



And so I have a point of rituals that are based around you know If This Then That. So, if I am reheating my coffee, I'm, I'm taking that minute to stretch at the same time, because otherwise, you know, that's the only reason I really get up from my desk, or, you know every time I am about to get on a zoom call, I go and I refresh my glass of water and just little things built into the actions that I take every day, as I'm working in my business, I use those as cues to be able to add in a little habit so I know will will help me feel good. Like, like, my water stretching, putting Roma therapy in the diffuser.



All of those, all of those little things that I might forget to do otherwise.



VL: I will I refer to them as habit triggers and they really are these little cues that help us get to where we want to be. So when you're, when you're saying these things I'm like, oh I should get water before I jump on the Zoom call or yeah I like to start my diffuser, before I sit down on my desk and I'm thinking about all these different kind of transitions or rituals that I like to incorporate too.



So I guess what I want to ask now is how do we start moving the needle forward in our business, what, what kind of habits. Can we maybe look at implementing to find that growth in our business?




[11:56] CA: Those are great questions. You know I'm all about taking action and built the framework around it. 



And I do recognize that you know there's going to be days when, when we don't feel like taking action that's just part of being a business owner as part of being human. And so my intention isn't you know that you have to be taking decisive intentional action, all of the time constantly. But when you do, it's important to celebrate that. So I haven't I had, in full disclosure I don't do it anymore but earlier in my in my entrepreneurship journey. I had a gun, I had an action journal. And I think this is a recommendation from, from my therapist of like it's stupid told me you know it's not enough to just think about something like, you then have to do it before you see some kind of results, and she encouraged me to think to write down anytime I did something that took me a little bit out of my comfort zone when I was a little bit scared of doing. And so I had this one journal that you know I put, you know like filled out this podcast application to be on the podcast that would go in there, because it's just a, just a touch, out of my, of my every day but those are the kinds of actions that would really, you know, take me further in my business. And so it was that having the journal motivated me to, you know at least have one thing to write down on most days. Now this journal was pre pandemics, so, like, keep that in mind that your capacity is going to be different, all the time based on what's going on in our lives in the world, but I was motivated to just write these things down as I went.



And that it encouraged me to do more things so I had something to write down I'm very motivated by the check marks the quotes in my own journals.



So I said that that was a great practice for, we're starting to intentionally move forward.



VL: I love this. I definitely want to start incorporating this so actually something that you mentioned a little while ago, in stories, I remember like flipping through, and I screenshot of it because you were, you were talking about things that you were going to be tracking in your business, and I thought one of them was really cool. One of the things you said was, you're going to start tracking the times you went out of your comfort zone, and I did something similar to this. A couple years back and I've started redoing it now since you posted about it. Can you tell us maybe like, maybe give an example or tell us a little bit more about what that would look like.



[14:35] CA: Yeah, I think, with the tracking, you know, doing that where you're actually going to use it is, is so key. So if you're a pen and paper person, like, keep an actual journal, if you're, you know that you're digital mostly email yourself every time or put it in your task manager your asana, or Trello your pick up whatever, or find an app that you can keep that kind of list in, but it's it's so motivating to look back on what you've tracked and see, these are the actions that I've already taken, right, those empower you to take more actions.



And so having that having that list handy of, you know, this is, this is what I, this is what I've accomplished this is what I've done. I think is so motivational and is a way that you don't need to look outside yourself for motivation, right, you get to get to use that list to look inward and think, Hey, these are some things that I've accomplished, which means if I can do this, I can probably do that.



VL: Wow. Yes. That's so true, it's really empowering to see that proof, and also what you said earlier it's that it gets you to take more action, because what we don't always realize is that we're kind of growing this muscle this courage muscle or this this growth muscle. I like to call it you know the I'm in the health and wellness industry, I've got to relate everything to fitness and wellness. Anyway, but what I love about that is that it's really cool to see how that list grows, and then you get to look back and say, Wow, I have taken so many steps. Wow, I'm so capable of this next big leap, or whatever it is and I to be very driven by the checklist.



CA: You’ve got to give yourself the sticker, and yourself the gold star right, right, like because, as entrepreneurs like we don't have the boss was willing to do that, or, you know, it's not always those external metrics that are going to give us that sense of satisfaction so learning to give ourselves that that pat on the back, or that moment of celebration that moment of gratitude for ourselves, that's, that's powerful.



[16:58] VL: It is. It absolutely is. And we're the only ones who can kind of, kind of do that for ourselves. So just like you said, when I want to know now is how do we know that we're taking the right steps forward for us, how do we know that we're growing in the right direction?



CA: So, I think, a concept that's tossed around a lot, is this concept of alignment, and I think the missing piece there is people don't always know what they're aligning to.



And so making decisions, gets a lot easier. Once you know what you're aligning to, and you can do that in a couple of different ways but I found that, like, basing decisions based on values, has been the most effective for myself and for my clients is deciding on a list of four to seven words that are your guiding values and principles. And when you're faced with a decision, you know like this or that, or, you know, sure. Should I use should I buy this or should I invest in that or what do I do next, consulting that list, and going back to that I'm having it, you know, physical somewhere, or having it completed finished.




It seemed that, That ability to look back and go, Okay, does this line up with my body's not gonna lie machining. Is this an alignment with my, with myself with my values. And I think that's that's the most powerful tool we have as decision makers, because we can't, You know, we have great like capacities we don't always know what is going to happen, you know, three decisions further down the line or three months from now. And so the best we can do really is make the most informed decision that we can, and the most aligned decision that we can, based on what we already know, and that includes your poker knowledge, and our, our knowledge of self and our integration of our own personal experience. So when you're armed with, like, or when you're at the moment of making a decision. Really what you have to consult is your past experience, up until this very moment.



It seemed that, That ability to look back and go, Okay, does this line up with my body's not gonna lie machining. Is this an alignment with my, with myself with my values. And I think that's that's the most powerful tool we have as decision makers, because we can't, You know, we have great like capacities we don't always know what is going to happen, you know, three decisions further down the line or three months from now. And so the best we can do really is make the most informed decision that we can, and the most aligned decision that we can, based on what we already know, and that includes your poker knowledge, and our, our knowledge of self and our integration of our own personal experience. So when you're armed with, like, or when you're at the moment of making a decision. Really what you have to consult is your past experience, up until this very moment.



VL: Yes, I just hold time like shaking my head like, Yes, this is so true and this is so important because it really comes down to, like when you set the alignment, and not just that overuse of the word, but the actual practice of it, taking that action in that alignment, and you support a lot of new entrepreneurs I would say is that correct, yeah?



When you're working with them, have you noticed maybe a theme or a couple similarities in where they get stuck, and, and how, how do they get out of those kind of limiting beliefs?



CA: I think the main one is that they have so many ideas, and they're feeling scattered and we want to streamline.



You all can’t see her, but Val  just have this little fist bump when I said that.



VL: Yes. 100% that’s me. I'm like, I have all the ideas, but which one do I do like how do I, where do I start anyway. Streamlining.




CA: Yeah, and streamline isn't a word I would use with the word my clients been to us. And I think to them what it means is, like are they looking for clarity, they're looking for. Taking all of our ideas and picking the best one I think that's what streamlined means for them. And I would say, you know, if you have a lot of ideas, that's a strength. That's, that's a positive, and you want to give life to all of your ideas in some ways so that you don't put yourself into ideas scarcity, because trust me it would be worse to not have any ideas that would be, that would be a real struggle. Right, it's very difficult to build a business on no ideas, And so, having lots of ideas actually is probably very powerful, or can be if you choose to view it that way, so I'd encourage you know, write down all of those ideas.



Meditate on those ideas. Decide, talk to them, really, like, talk to if I had some ideas but I remind them that I'm still there, but they're not for right now, and that's okay.



You know like it wouldn't be a good idea to open anything brick or mortar right now for me, in my particular circumstance. so I you know I don't do that but I think maybe some days this idea will be. That'll be the right moment, it will be aligned and sober mind the idea but, you know, it can still hang around me for as long as you know as long as I want it to do.



And I'm not forgetting about it.



But but I'm focusing on other ideas right now and I'm bringing those to life, and that's where my focus needs to be. And I guess over the three years of being an entrepreneur I've developed a better trust in myself that the ideas that I have right now are the right ones for right now, and that's been a continual growth experience because I didn't always have that trust in my first business as a yoga teacher, I had all the ideas my active on all of the ideas, because I am very action driven, but I acted on so many ideas that I like I diluted, my brand, right, like it wasn't, it wasn't clear for people what I offered. And then I wasn't giving enough of myself to each of them to make any of them successful. And I used to think that, you know, if I, I would be more successful if blank, you know like if I had a product based business, I'd be more successful and so I launched myself into products, and that didn't turn out to be a great decision for me because I was just trying to add things that I thought made other people successful, not the things that I actually deeply knew that I wanted to do, I didn't have a good why around them. And so, acted on those ideas without that depth wasn't wasn't a good strategy.



So I feel like I've got a tangent here but the, the too many ideas mindset, or the too many ideas problem, I think, just needs a little bit of a reframe of, you know, some ideas are for right now, and some ideas are for later, some ideas are for me, and some ideas are for other people.



[24:10] VL: Definitely. So, okay so I have two questions. One of that. The first one is we okay let's say because I'm the idea person, I'm gonna use myself as an example, I have all of the ideas and they come all the time, and sometimes I'm like whoa whoa whoa, slow down, I can't even, like, think about all of them. So let's say I choose the one that feels best for me, and I'm going along going along going along, and then like, there's a second shiny object over here, as the shiny idea over here. How do I then I'm going to use this expression stay in my lane. When all of the other things are like twinkling in my eye. What do I do?



CA: Yeah shiny object syndrome is real. I, I hear you, that like squirrel mentality, it's so difficult with our attention spans, as they are, you know that instant gratification I think makes us feel like we have to we have to go all in on that idea right now or it's going away.



And so for shiny object syndrome, I, I would just encourage keeping an idea bank somewhere of No, this is a this is a potential, this is a possibility maybe it's a possibilities journal or a potential list of, you know, this is something I could focus on later on so something, and know your feelings around it to like because this is exciting, Is this, like what about it is attracting new, so it's it's why, why is it sparkly to unify us and shiny.



What is, what element is actually connecting with you on that level, and maybe you can bring that feeling into what you're doing currently, like maybe that's a hint that what you're currently working on is not as exciting there doesn't feel you don't feel as passionate about, or you don't feel as inspired or motivated. And so maybe that's a hint to remind you, okay, you want a little more of this feeling remember. And so how can you bring that into what you're doing right now, I mean you reshape that recreate that?



And then how can you make space for those videos later so maybe it's something like leaving yourself, you know 10 minutes a day meditating on all of those things those future potential as possibilities.



Scripting them into your, into your future. So, but remind yourself that now. This is what you're doing right or, you know, potentially, potentially, it's also a message to let go of the thing that you're currently doing maybe doesn't feel like it's working anymore. Maybe you are looking at work towards the briefings because you're trying to give yourself permission to stop doing that thing you're doing that you've lost interest in. So that could be a really it's a lot of self inquiry.




I find myself, you know, in a staff meeting with one a lot. Where I'm thinking through these things and thinking okay, is this my higher self talking, or is this my ego or is this me distracting myself. What is what is going on here with you.




[27:27] VL: Right, so then these just have to give yourself a little bit of a tough thing to definitely I talked to myself all the time. I love that solo meeting.



The second question that I had before if we're gonna want to jump right into it, is how do we build trust with ourselves, we were talking about trust earlier because their habits are practicing?



CA: That's a great question for me and trust in myself has been gradual totally a result of therapy and meditation and making mistakes and learning from them and making really big mistakes and learning from them, I think, I think my greatest. My greatest sense of self trust has come from my, my worst mistakes, and having to experience those in growth through them and teach myself to build that trust back with myself every time that's happened.



And just recognize that it's a journey, no like, it's one of your favorite presidents but, but it is it's, it's something that we're never going to be complete in that it's, it's just something that we're, we're developing that we're learning to do in an ongoing way that it's a relationship, right, we have a relationship with ourselves, and that's how we develop that self trust. And I think it's different than, than how we trust how we trust ourselves is different than how we trust other people like yes we're proving things to ourselves in some ways, you know, like every time we follow through on a habit, or every time we we take an action vote for proving something to ourselves, but also, it's, it's a little bit bigger than that. Right, it's not just transactional where it's you know do this action and then your sense of trust froze, it's also just a holistic sense of it, that, that grows over time.



VL: That's so powerful it is. It is very much I love that you said that holistic sense and it is definitely is something that grows over time.



Oh my goodness, I've learned a lot about trusting myself, and I just realized since you said from your biggest mistakes that you know what a lot of my trust, as well as my growth has come from those failures have come from though and I don't even like to call them failures because of the negative connotation of the word, but I think that's what they, that's what a lot of people would recognize them as. However, I would not be where I am today without those, those moments and time. Without those experiences without those mistakes. So, you know why it's one of those things where that was a really deep answer to the question. And I think that, as an entrepreneur, as a human, we need to, to spend time recognizing the growth recognizing, maybe the silver lining or the outcome from that hardship from that mistake, and that's where so much magic happens, whether it's trust or learning or growth or redirection pivoting, all of those things, it's so beautiful and when we can look at it in this way, That's where things start, start to shift for us and expand for us. 



CA: Yeah, what you were saying actually just gave me a great kind of metaphor for it. Is it because when you break through trust with yourself, then you're forced to rebuild it. Right, and it's in the rebuilding that you get better at it and it makes me think of watching my partner's kids build their Legos.



It's, it's so interesting to watch them as they come up against, you know like they put a piece in the wrong spot and then they're 10 steps later and are like, Oh no, what do I do and it's this big panic about the Lego and. And I always tell them you know the joy isn't the building because once you've built that cool Lego. If you're not really playing with, what do you call the Lego but you once you've built that thing, you're not really playing with it. Play aspect of it is building. The building is the toy. And so, the building of the trust is kind of similar to that you're building it like block by block and sometimes you have to go back 10 steps, and, and rebuild that, and that's just, like, you know, that's life. That's business sometimes we have to go back and rebuild with ourselves, but we're getting better at it every time because we have that we have that that advanced knowledge, that's how we can see is 10 steps into the future, is when I did this last time, I didn't get the result that I want, but I get the opportunity to go back and try again.



[32:38] VL: Oh my goodness, you are like Oprah. So, like you're just dropping the word seven. Right now I'm like, oh my god I never thought about it this way, as Lego as the building blocks of that's the journey, the journey is the reward the journey is the fulfillment, it's not the end of the journey not the destination



CA: This is a hard concept for preteens, but yes, that is the journey.



VL: That's right, my goodness, I love that you explained it, like I love who doesn't love like, Okay, I want to get into how we can support you but I just feel like I need to ask, is there anything else that we should know is there anything else you need to share with us today?



CA: I I'd actually love to share my most long standing habit. Well I know that your most long standing habit is the, making your bed every day from when you get The Compound Effect.



Mine is for the last three years or so, I've met every Tuesday with, with my friend Dana, and we have a mastermind of two. And, you know, sometimes, Sometimes we have to shift and it's not exactly Tuesday. It's at 3:30pm Sometimes it's early or something. The next day, but it's a habit that stayed very consistent.



It's a habit that's lasted longer than anywhere I've lived in my adult life.



And what we do is we we've, we've committed to each other going on this like this personal growth journey, sort of hand in hand. And when we started it we would actually meet at the park, and sit on a bench and talk every week, and we work our way through self help books one chapter at a time, and the practices built around the idea that we, we, we had a tendency to read through these books like the speed read through them and not actually do any of the exercises or absorb any of the learnings. And so, we can't read ahead, we can't, you know have spoilers, so we read one chapter a week. And we said, with what or recent on Zoom, and we discussed the chapter of the week, and it's a kind of book that has exercises in it like, like the you are a badass books for example of those exercises at the end of the chapter and I think compound effect those two it has the homework.



The Compound Effect was also one of our one of our mastermind books.



So we had that connection but we we support each other and our and our personal growth through those meetings and use those books as a, as a tool to start the conversation, and having to just read one chapter at a time and not skip ahead, and not speak, read through the whole thing gives us, you know, an experience of, you know if the book has 10 chapters, that's, that's a minimum 10 week commitments that we're making to it and to each other. And so we get to live with the books a little bit longer and and CO create that experience together. And that's been just integral to my growth as an entrepreneur, it's been the most valuable habit because I believe that working on myself, is working on your business. And because I am my business, like, along with my clients. Right, so that that taking that time that dedicated time or don't book anything else, and that time I don't, I don't want to get overtaken by calls or by the list or emails, or whatever, committing that time to myself and committing that time to my friend, and to the book that we're reading has been really transformative and I'd encourage anyone to find that person that is going to handhold you on your way to to growing to be the best that you can be for your life and for your business.



[36:48] VL: What a lovely friendship mastermind relationship that you have I think that's so powerful. And I also like the pacing of it too.



What a lovely friendship mastermind relationship that you have I think that's so powerful. And I also like the pacing of it too.



And I think it's great advice and I think it goes full circle back to what we kind of started with was not just consuming consuming consuming but actually taking action and this gives you the opportunity and the accountability to do that.



CA: Because a lot of the exercises, you know, left to my own devices, I would not do that because they're scary prayed like, like, who wants to actually do the exercise when they're forgiving themselves and they're doing it, they're saying it out loud in the mirror like nobody wants to do it.



Right, I certainly don't don't want to face that part of myself, right, but because I know I have to, because I know my partner is doing it as well but at that same time, and then also you know I have to answer to her. The next week, or I'll have nothing to say which was how does exercise to for you.



It, it's a little bit of a little bit of safety, I guess, in doing that exercise to know that, you know, even if you feel silly doing this thing or even if you don't want to do that work for someone else doing it with you.



And, and you'll get more out of it, if you, if you do it.



And so that, that motivation has been killed got. That's why I've gotten further right that's why I've gotten further with it is I haven't skipped over the ones that are hard.



VL: Yes, call us all out for that. That’s perfect.



CA: I’ve been tempted, you know and some some weeks I have each of us have some weeks we've skipped them and then we've had to try again the next week. And, and we've just added it on, I guess, to the next weeks.



Because then if we if we both fail or one of us fail to do it and we talk about it. Like, why was that scary. Why was that hard why, why did that feel like a no, what am I avoiding that I didn't want to do that or what am I afraid will happen, or what am I blocking myself from receiving by not doing that.



VL: It is some really great questions, but that's part of taking action it's you, you figure out you bring awareness to the stuff that sucks, and the stuff that you're afraid of. And you, but then when you have those breakthroughs when you actually, you do you do number two, and you do the thing that you were avoiding week after week, and then you're like, oh my god, I can do anything, or I can do the next thing, and it's, again, like we're going back full circle again to building trust and taking action and all the things that we, that we need to be doing to move the needle forward.



This has been such a wonderful conversation, I mean, I knew it was gonna be.



I just, I feel like you blew my mind, which you always do but this was just even more different and amazing than I expected. I'm so glad. I'm so glad that we finally did this.




CA: You’re my favourite super client!



VL: So sweet. I'm sure it'll be another project for us to work on and then we have one more round as a shower one more segment of the show but before we get into it. Let us know where we can find you where we can follow you and how we can support your business.



INSTAGRAM | @clearquartzcreative

WEBSITE | www.ClearQuartzCreative.co



So, supporting my business is really, by supporting your business and that's with the aligned action framework that I've created. I have an eight day or eight week depending on what pace you want to take it workshop that self paced takes you through all of the steps of building an intentional business based on alignment to you, and learning to become just a more conscious decision maker. So over the course of eight hours, you learn how to bring more of you into your business to do business on your own terms, and to really connect to yourself as you as you grow your business. And the link for that is, in my bio or through my website, and I think that's, that's really the best way to connect and to grow.



VL: I've done the aligned action core slash framework, and it is really amazing. I was very impressed, even as someone who has had a business for a while. I've noticed that recently a lot of my core values and a lot of my intentions have changed. So to kind of go back to the kind of fundamentals or just remind yourself of what your mission is what your vision is who you're supporting. It was really helpful for me, so thank you so much for that. 



[43:22] RAPID FIRE ROUND 

1. What are you currently reading? OR What’s your favourite book?



Favourite Book: The Untethered Soul

Currently Reading: The Art of Possibility




2. What do you love most about being a woman?



The sense of personal power, is that I feel, and on things like sparkles.




3. What does “empowerment” mean to you?



Empowerment, to me, means, like we touched on earlier, that building that trust with yourself. I think the more that we trust ourselves, the more power that we are. And the more that we know ourselves or empower that we are so self knowledge and self trust.




4. What are you currently working toward?



I am currently working towards a business that reaches more people. Up to now I've mostly focused on his one to one services, where I'm working directly with clients for our period of time. 



And I'm working on building more courses like the aligned action framework that are going to meet entrepreneurs where they're at and teach them skills that they need that are very specific. So like one thing I'm working on is the intentional inbox. So how to be intentional with your email, and I have so many more ideas about like how to be intentional with your, your brand photoshoots, because that's something that my clients come to me with lots of questions about, and creating those, those, those courses so that you know they're very accessible, or reasonably priced, and they're sort of easily consumable and actionable. And then, just getting to connect with, with more entrepreneurs through that true that experience of working with them.



[46:00] VL: Well, it is an absolute pleasure working with you. I should know it's been, I think five projects, different projects.



Thank you so much. This was amazing. You are amazing, I want to just take a moment to acknowledge you and your work and your, your overflowing, knowledge, and I feel like every time I connect with you, I learned something new, maybe not always about web design or about being an intentional entrepreneur I mean it definitely did today, but sometimes it's even just learning something more about myself. I mean think it's so, it's such a pleasure, a blessing to know you as a friend and also to have worked with you so I'm just, again, like really grateful I'm really happy to, to know you and to share your voice and your knowledge with my community. So thank you so much. 



CA: Thank you. That is the three that are gonna make me cry over here.



VL: That’s the goal. JUST KIDDING!



CA: I also want to acknowledge you because you put so much effort, And so much heart into this podcast and sharing it with everyone. So, I acknowledge you, in a, in a similar way, with gratitude.



VL: Thank you, and I receive that.

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E128: How Healthy are Your Habits?
 
 

E128: How Healthy are Your Habits?

Whether or not you realize it, you have many habits in your day. But are those habits helping you, or are they hurting you? In today’s episode we bring awareness to what's working, what isn’t and some next steps to elevate our daily routines…


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[1:09] Part One: Collecting the Data

The very first step to making any change is awareness. We need to know what current habits we have, and whether or not they are: beneficial, detrimental, or neutral. Let’s get started by creating a habit scorecard.

To do this you will need: a piece of paper or notebook and a writing utensil. You can also use the notes app on your phone if you prefer. I always recommend starting with the pen and paper because it’s a bit easier to evaluate and see the big picture than it would be to scroll along on your phone. 

It’s important to remember that the purpose of this exercise is to bring awareness to your current daily routines, not to judge yourself for them. We will be evaluating the habit, which is separate from us at this time. 

Here’s how the scorecard works: from the moment you wake up, you are going to write down a list of everything you do; every activity throughout your day until you go to bed at night. 

When you’re writing your list, keep these three things in mind:

  1. Be as detailed as possible. Don’t skip little habits, even if they seem insignificant, or you aren’t doing them every day. These are still very important. 

  2. Be honest. Not all of our habits are good ones; that’s okay. We’re doing this exercise so that we can understand our starting point.

  3. This is a judgement-free zone. Even if your entire morning is stacked full of “bad habits” the point of the exercise is to collect information, not judge ourselves. You’re already making a positive impact on yourself and your life just by listening to this episode and taking action on your daily routines. You’ve got this!


Here’s a bonus part to the scorecard exercise: include mindset habits. These are our thoughts and thought patterns. For example, when you wake up in the morning your thoughts could be that you’re excited for the day. Or when you’re driving to work you’re thinking about how you’re already counting down the hours until you can drive back home after work.

E04: Your Mindset is a Habit  

Use your habit scorecard every day for one whole week. Technically you can do this for one day, however you’ll collect more accurate data from seven full + consecutive days, especially if each day is different for you. At the very least I suggest making a scorecard for 2 weekend days, and 2 weekdays.

[4:12] Part Two: Evaluating the Data

Once you have your list of daily routines, it’s time to rate them. 

Highlight with yellow, or put a + sign beside any “good habit.” A good habit is beneficial and improves your life. Examples: meditation, exercising, staying hydrated, flossing, etc.

Highlight with blue, or put a - sign beside any “bad habit.” A bad habit is detrimental and doesn’t solve problems in your life. Examples: Hitting snooze multiple times, checking instagram first thing in the morning, grabbing a sugary latte and snack on the drive to work, etc.

Don’t highlight, or put an = sign beside any “neutral habits.” A neutral habit is something that must be done. Examples: getting dressed, going to the bathroom, driving to work, etc.

Now remember that bonus part of the scorecard? Where we were recording our mindset patterns? Our neutral habits MUST BE DONE, but that doesn't always mean our thoughts are neutral also. As you are tracking your habits, notice if you have positive, negative, or neutral mindset/thoughts around these neutral habits (and your other habits). You might find that getting dressed in the morning is actually detrimental because you are wearing clothes that don’t fit you properly and negative self talk starts to come up. Or while you’re going to the bathroom you are reading the news on your phone and you’re experiencing some issues with digestion because you aren’t actually present or connected to your body. 

I know this is getting pretty detailed, so if you’ve never brought awareness to your habits before, start with the simple scorecard with the daily actions.

If you’re interested in making more internal/mindset shifts, this is where you need to bring your attention to WHILE you’re doing certain activities. 

Sometimes it helps to start simple with your scorecard for the first two days, and then get more detailed with your mindset the following two days and so on.


[6:29] Part Three: Using the Data

Once you’ve collected the information, take a look at your scorecards. What do you see? There are no right or wrong answers, but here are some examples of what you might find...

  • A balance of good and bad habits

  • More good habits in the beginning of the day, and bad habits in the evening

  • More habits than you thought you had

Look through everything and notice if there are any specific bad habits that you’d like to change. As always, start with ONE thing you’d like to work on at a time. Usually you’ll discover which habit you want to change pretty quickly while you’re tracking and evaluating. 

As an example let’s say you’ve gotten in the habit of eating ice cream before bed. You rated this as a bad habit that you want to change. Instead of trying to eliminate this habit immediately, consider what you can replace this habit with, or how you can modify the habit.

For example: you are going to replace the ice cream with half a cup of fruit or a scoop of peanut butter, or a peppermint tea.

Or you will have half the serving you normally have of ice cream and without the extra toppings you add to it like m&ms and sprinkles. Then, perhaps you only have the ice cream if it’s before 8pm or only on weekends; limiting the habit to weekly instead of nightly. This could turn into a gradual elimination of the habit.

As you're building this new habit, it’s important to track it. The best trackers are automatic, like a step counter attached to your phone or watch. For our ice cream example we would have to track it manually. A suggestion I would have would be putting a calendar up on your freezer/fridge door and each time you DON’T go for the ice cream and reach your new goal/habit put a sticker or an X on the date. See if you can continue the chain of X’s without breaking it for more than two days in a row. 

This will help you track your habit, and also help you see the progress you are making. You can also write WHY this new habit is important to you on the top of your calendar to remind you why you’ve decided to make this change. Perhaps you want to be healthier, or have better quality sleep. 

Another way to support your new habit is to set up a habit trigger. This could be setting up your kettle, favourite mug, and a tea bag after you’ve cleaned up the dinner dishes so that it’s easier for you to make a tea versus a bowl of ice cream. 

You can also let your family members, or roommate know you’re working on this new habit. Maybe ask them to check in with you, encourage you, or do the challenge with you!?

How you choose to take action on the information will be entirely up to you. When you’re creating an action plan, here are my best tips/practices:

  1. Start with one habit you’d like to change/modify/adjust 

  2. Swap the habit versus eliminate it entirely 

  3. Track your new habit/progress either manually or automatically 

  4. Set up habit triggers to make the new healthy habit easier than the old bad habit

  5. Tell a friend to help keep you accountable with your new habits 

Your next immediate step is to start that habit score card! Get the pen and notebook ready right now and place it beside your bed so you can start listing your daily activities from the moment you wake up.

When you’re done you can send me a photo of your scorecard or tag me in a story/post on instagram @vallavignelife I’d love to see where you’re at with your experiment!

 

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

Categories

Download the FREE Dream Lifestyle Roadmap

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E127: 6 Procrastination Stuck-Spots and How to Overcome Them
 
 

E127: 6 Procrastination Stuck-Spots and How to Overcome Them

Overcome your most common stuck-spots when it comes to procrastination…


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[2:25] Grade 5 speech, opening line:

“P-R-O-C-R-A-S-T-I-N-A-T-I-O-N. Procrastination is a very long word, and some of you may not know what it means…”


Procrastination is more than avoiding or delaying, and it’s not laziness. When we procrastinate we are actively choosing to do something else. We’re taking action, just not on the task we are meant to be acting on. Which means there is a deeper issue at hand that we need to consider as to WHY we might be procrastinating.


When you find yourself procrastinating, evaluate your work/study habits. Chances are, they’re going to fall into 1 (or more) of these 6 stuck-spots!


Start by asking yourself these questions:

  1. Is there a certain thing I always put off last?

  2. What is it?

  3. What are my thought patterns around it?


Investigating why we do things is important for breaking our unhelpful habits and patterns, we have to figure out why we’re doing them in the first place. And when we know why, we will be able to create a strategy to overcome it!


Let’s investigate further and look into where we get stuck when it comes to procrastination...

[5:57] 1. VALUE

Does the task lack value?

I recently had a conversation with a friend and business owner who was feeling down about her current ideas and strategy for her business. As she was explaining her situation she started talking about the intention behind her brand and her business, and suddenly everything changed. She lit up with excitement about her business and became so passionate about the intention and why behind her business. She remembered why she started it and recognized that the current work she was doing needed the passion and clarity she began the company with. This rejuvenated inspiration led her into creation mode where she took inspired action and felt that her ideas were valuable again.


This situation can be true for many of us. For some, we will reconnect to the value and importance of the project, and for others we will need to change our strategy and pivot.


[7:08] 2. TIMING

Is there an issue with timing?

Most people are more productive during certain times of the day, and knowing when we work best, is really important when it comes to managing our time and time blocking. Don’t schedule your work when you’re tired.


If you aren’t sure where your time is being spent, or when you work best, I recommend tracking our week. To do this you will need a pen and paper, or a notebook and you’re literally going to write down everything you do in a week; day-by-day, and how much time you spend doing that task. From when you wake up, to when you go to bed.


This method is incredibly eye-opening and will reveal MANY things about yourself, including some of our worst habits, and also when we tend to be most productive. Do this every day for a whole week and re-evaluate when you time-block certain tasks and how much time you give them.


[8:33] 3. OVERWHELMED

Do you get overwhelmed by big tasks?

Aim to chunk things down into smaller, more manageable tasks to be more efficient and less stressed. 


I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent stressing about a massive to-do list, when I could have easily used that energy to take action and start crossing things off the list. Now what I do is make a master to do list, and go into detail breaking down the bigger tasks into smaller chunks. And by smaller chunks, I mean get as small as you need to so that you can start making headway on the work that needs to be done. 


As an example: The to do list no longer reads “workout” you can now say 

Workout

  • Put on workout clothes

  • Put on deodorant

  • Put on running shoes

  • Pick a sweet playlist for the workout

  • Exercises: 30 minute circuit video with exhale pilates



[11:01] 4. DELAYED GRATIFICATION

This can be similar to stuck-spot number one. We might struggle with thinking the project is important or rewarding unless it’s being done right before the deadline - like me with this podcast episode being produced the night before - YIKES!


We go through our day to day tasks and to do lists and only see the slow progress being made, and the reward or gratification isn’t until the very end of a big project. This is why we’ll leave things just before the deadline to feel a sense of completion and gratification. 


To overcome this stuck spot, find ways to reward yourself along the way of a project. Like when we break our goals down to smaller chunks, reward the end of day, or end of week, for those larger projects.


Kat Gaskin, founder and creator of The Content Planner, created a section in the content planner where at the end of each week you write down your wins; big or small! The reward can be recognition for moving the needle closer to your goal, it can be a celebratory experience or gift, whatever helps YOU stay motivated and on track.


[12:24] 5. LACK OF FOCUS/EASILY DISTRACTED

When it comes to productivity, one of the biggest struggles my audience had was lack of focus, and getting easily distracted. 


Overcoming this starts with optimizing our space and eliminating/minimizing our distractions. Task switching or multi-tasking is not only a HUGE productivity fail (we go deeper into productivity in Episode 125: Powerful Productivity Practices), but it also makes you feel like you’re not getting anything done because everything is half finished and we are in this never ending cycle that keeps us busy and inundated with work.


Which is why I always recommend focusing on one task at a time, and creating impactful transitions between tasks. Like a breathing practice, a walk in nature, getting up and drinking a glass of water, etc.


[13:46] 6. HITTING A WALL 

As a business owner, a multi-passionate entrepreneur, and healthy habits coach, I will tell you straight up that I have days when it feels impossible to finish tasks. Sometimes I think I am the queen of procrastination. And because I am someone who is productive and energetic more often than not, I can easily fall into the negative self talk of “not good enough” and lack self-worth. 


Here’s how to get unstuck: rephrase the internal dialogue. Forgive and give yourself permission to take breaks, cut losses, and shower yourself in love and self care. I took a walk this morning to clear my head and move my body and I didn’t feel guilty for it. 


I enjoyed Il Dolce Far Niente, the art of doing nothing (italian). And honestly, I made up for lost time you could say because after a refresh and restart I was able to get the project and tasks completed in less time because of how much more open and recharged I was.


Now I know I said that there were six procrastination stuck spots, however there could be one more. And this might be a deeper struggle. Perhaps it’s a symptom of something more serious. If this feels like you, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional and ask for help for managing the significant distress at a deeper level.



Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the women’s empowerment show, if you thought of a friend who might love this topic, please share it with them. Let’s continue the conversation over on instagram @vallavignelife

 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E126: Living in Alignment with Core Values with Jana Mutch
 
 

E126: Living in Alignment with Core Values with Jana Mutch

From understanding what your core values feel like in your body, to making better decisions, better habits, and manifesting the life your soul is craving, we’re covering it all in this in-depth episode of how you can start living in alignment with your core values today…


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[1:10] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome to another special guests episode of the Women's Empowerment Podcast. Today I'm speaking with intuitive guide, Jana. Jana ditched her comfy senior like leadership role of a fast paced tech company to start living out her soul's purpose. Her goal is to help strong wild women to feel empowered to return to their authentic selves so that they can live the life, their soul, is creating. Oh my goodness, I feel like so connected a call to this.

Like I know, I read it and I'm thinking, I need to know more, like, I want to know more, I need to know more, can you tell us a little bit more about how you do the things that you do and what is an intuitive guide. 



[1:58] Jana Mutch: Yeah, well I guess my, my journey, sort of, officially started when I was still at my corporate job. You know I think everyone is born with some intuition and you connect with it, you know in varying degrees from the time that you're, You know, just first coming earthside, you know, and I was very connected when I was a kid but then go up, you learn, like maybe it's a bit weird, or you don't want to be connecting with your intuition in this way or you know you're just sort of learn to shut it down through conditioning through your own, you know, sort of confidence or your own sort of like insecurities. So, I have done that. I've definitely done that over the years of working in a corporate job that I was starting to not love, you know, being in an environment where I'm working in the tech industry and it's super fast paced, there's like hyper growth, hyper growth like I started at this company when we were 12 and within about a year and a half, we had grown to 60 employees. I had been, you know, running a project of building out a 10,000 square foot office on top of my full time job on top of another like part time job, You know, and just the more I was not company, the more I was like this doesn't feel good for me anymore. I'm like really reactive I don't feel like myself, I just feel like I'm on autopilot.


You know I was just going through the motions every day. And one of my really good friends had said to me, you know, I met this is healer this energy healer and I think you would really like her, you should have an appointment with her. And I was like, I don't really know what that even means. But I trust you so I'm just gonna do it. So I booked a session with an energy healer. And it was exactly what I didn't know I needed, and we got through working with her I did a couple sessions with her and she had said to me, I think you're actually meant to be doing this work. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, I'm like, I'm meant to be climbing the corporate ladder, I'm meant to be, you know, the boss, I'm meant to be making a difference in these big companies, it's just like an extra sure that you're meant to do energy work. And she started training me, connecting back to my intuition.


And, you know, just sort of, she was my mentor, still to this day as my mentor and a very good friend, but she was really, you know, sort of the catalyst and into this world. And then through working with her like I started really working with energy, feeling people's energy. And, you know, Just moving in. Moving on any blockages that was depleted like putting energy back in their body, or just getting everyone feeling back selves and balanced.


And the more I started doing that, the more my intuition started opening up, And the more other gifts started opening up.


You know I was, I was doing all of this work alongside working, you know in this corporate role, and starting to feel so much more disconnected from, you know this full time job, to the point where I was like okay I need to get out and I know now that I am meant to be doing. You know this intuitive work this energy work this healing work.


You know, so eventually I separated from my job in the tech world, and my full time to do in energy QA and intuitive work, and through doing that work more and more. My guests have been more and more, and I found, you know that I was really good at sort of feeling into people's bodies, and feeling their energy, and then from that feeling deciphering what it meant, like, what is the thing that's going on in their life that's causing this feeling in their body. And how do we work through that.


You know, so it's a mix of traditional energy healing like Reiki. Also with, you know, some intuitive guidance so I just received the messages.This is, this is the thing that's really going to help you, you know, this is the, this is an exercise that's going to help you, this is the, you know, sort of, the tool that you can start putting into place to help you move through this block, or move through this period of your life, move through this thing that is just making you feel like you're spinning your wheels and going nowhere.

So that's, you know, short story long, that is me and that is intuitive guide guidance and that is energy work.



[7:39] VL: I love all of this, and we talk about it a little bit on the show but we've been starting to incorporate it more and more that intuition, you know, really connecting with what feels good for you living a more intentional, all of this, and we talked about it a little bit on the show but we've been starting to incorporate it more than more than intuition, really connecting with what feels good for you living a more intentional and aligned life.


What I'd love to start with is, how can we figure out that feeling of like yes what I'm doing right now is right for me or it's not right for me. You said that when you were in your corporate job, you started to get this sense that, Okay wait, maybe this isn't for me or maybe this isn't in my alignment or my wheelhouse, like how do we how do we know, how do we know.




[8:28] JM: Yeah, so there was, there was a couple of really big, sort of like alarm bells or warning signs for me and at first it started up more subtle as, you know signs from the universe or, you know your Self, your soul speaking to always do, they start off a little more subtle. And, you know, if you keep ignoring it, it's gonna get all of a sudden it's just like, Alright we are going to do something major to get your attention. So for me it started out with, you know, even I used to hop out of bed in the morning and be so excited to go, you know, make a difference at this company.


Yeah, so there was, there was a couple of really big, sort of like alarm bells or warning signs for me and at first it started up more subtle as, you know signs from the universe or, you know your Self, your soul speaking to always do, they start off a little more subtle. And, you know, if you keep ignoring it, it's gonna get all of a sudden it's just like, Alright we are going to do something major to get your attention. So for me it started out with, you know, even I used to hop out of bed in the morning and be so excited to go, you know, make a difference at this company.


I learned started to be the way I would react to people, you know, working and my job was in operations so working in operations here, like the fixer and the, you know, the sort of one that puts out the fires and you're the one that keeps the business operating smoothly, you know you're like that duck on the pond where it looks all calm and underneath the surface, your legs are just kicking away but no one sees what's going on under the surface, but you know people would come and ask me for, you know, something that would make their job easier or, You know, can you, can you fix this area of the business and I started getting reactive to it. I started feeling this real.


And now I know what it is but at the time, I was feeling this real, like, almost sort of fire in my solar plexus so that area sort of right where your ribs meet up. And that was this feeling of someone else is controlling my time, someone else is, you know, making these decisions for what my day looks like and I was starting to really struggle with that because one of my core values is freedom. And so this felt like it was really really like crossing boundaries, stepping into one of my core values. That was not feeling good and I would react I would be, you know, very much whether I would say it out loud or not is a different story but I didn't feel it in my body, I would feel that reaction, my solar plexus and just be like, Oh, I don't want this.


You know another sign was showing up at the office.


I would park my car and I would go walk to the front door, and I could feel.

I could almost feel my body, my energy shrink it, like I just felt, you know you can feel it if you're, if you're having a conversation with your friend and you're talking about something that you're really passionate about you sit up taller, your shoulders are back, you're more open, we are more expressive versus like walking into this office, I would, atomic get from my car to the front door, you know my shoulders were almost like rolled forward.


I felt a little bit tired, I just felt myself getting small. And by the time I would walk up the stairs to my desk, I was like, Oh, I just feel like this, shrunken version of myself.

That doesn't feel good when you're sitting in that for a time. And you know when I would compare that to going and doing my, my practice, energy healing and energy work and, like, intuitive guidance when I was still, you know, like, doing sort of my training with my mentor. I feel so different I feel so alive, I could be so tired from my day when I get there and all of a sudden, my shoulders are back, my hearts open my, you know the energy in my voice is different because I'm excited and I was like, Yes, this is, this is lighting out, and I feel so free and I feel like, you know, my energy, my, my body my being just feels so much bigger than I actually am physically.


So, those were sort of the real tells for me.



[12:58] VL: Yeah, it was what I found interesting was that you used to be really inspired by and excited for your job and then over time that started to change. And I think the other key piece to part of your journey is that, you know you've, you have there was something else that was trying to lighten you up. And it was almost like a moment or the person that you need to meet, to show you that actually you can feel better in your body you can be excited about something again and you can feel more connected to freedom and your other core values, we talked about core values actually quite a few episodes in the, In the show, and I love how each guest brought up core values has a different meaning. So, if we could just kind of briefly into what core values are and maybe how we can connect to that.



[13:58] JM: Yeah, I have done, as I'm sure many of you have done quizzes done so many, like, you know, test score activities to find out what your core values are. I've pulled, family and friends that know me really well. You know I did an exercise in brown workshop where we had to sit with a stranger, and tell a story that felt like it really summed us up and that stranger than pits your values out of the story, and, you know, Of all the times I've gotten as my values are, like, you know even strangers are picking out my values, you know exactly how I would describe them. So for me, you know like how do I get to the core values like what's really important to me, what's a non negotiable. What is something that, you know, it's almost like this, guiding light for how you make your decisions. You know I said earlier that one of my, one of my core values is freedom. And, you know for me freedom is, you know, being able to be the one in charge of my calendar, you know, I get to decide what I do with my days what I do with my time freedom also has, you know, for me it has to do with being able to go on adventures, which is also one of my core values So freedom is like having that time and having that space to go on adventures.


You know, so if I'm ever. If I was ever to go back working for someone. this, you know like looking at holidays like what's the vacation schedule like, Okay, you say I get two weeks. Can we negotiate on that or can I take some time unpaid, and I'm okay taking it unpaid because I need to know that I have freedom I have that extra space to go do the things that make me feel lit up.


You know, another one for me like I said is adventure and adventure is, you know, it's traveling for me mostly and I know you and I've talked about that in other conversations, and I love to Guatemala, and, you know, that adventure I think I would guess that adventure is one for you also.


And, you know, I think just really, a really good way to do your values is just to sort of think about think about the things that you couldn't live without, like, think about the things that you spend a lot of your time doing or that you could do, and almost like not even realize that you've spent an entire day doing it or think of, you know, sort of the the people that you're drawn to what do they have in common. And, you know, for, for me, having those in place is such, like, it just helps you make so many more decisions right like does this play into what makes me feel good. What I know like, you know, so I think that's, that's probably the best place to start when we're talking about, you know, living in alignment, how do you find your alignment. Start with your start with your values first start with the things that are most important to know there's tons of books or even websites where you can get a list of words to sort of spark creativity.


But then, I would encourage you to question a little bit further, and from that word.


Write your own definition. What does that word mean to you, because you know something that, you know like, if you and I both share connection as a value connection is going to play out in my life, probably different than how it plays out in your life. So I think having that word and then also defining what that word means for you is just, you know that next step, that just makes the decision making process, or you know just answering that question, is this in alignment with the way I want to live my life. It just makes it so much easier.



[18:19] VL: So many great points. Definitely freedom and adventure, are part of my core values 100% Adventure definitely knowing your core values is helping you make decisions.


I mean there's so many things that last part about defining what the word means for you I think that is a really important piece for everybody because exactly like you and I could have very similar core values and they need to make us feel like we're very similar in a lot of ways, but let's circle back to making decisions off of our core values like how, how do we know that we're making the right decision, how do we, how we go abou that?




[19:06] JM: Yeah so I think, you know once you've defined your core values, have them written down somewhere to have them, have them in a notebook, have them somewhere that you can reflect back on them because you just might forget them or it's not, you know, front of mind when you're making a decision, so it's always good to just have, you know, whether it's sticking out, whether it's in a notebook whether notes on your phone, whatever that looks like for you. So, knowing your values.


And then, you know, sort of having that in your mind, and then I like this is this is my favorite way to make a decision and like seeing if it's in alignment or not, is, you know, sort of connecting with your breath. Take a few deep breaths, really sort of get balanced.


Get clear get grounded, you know, just really sort of get in touch with your body.


And then, you know, say to yourself, like let's use the example of another job. So you get this job offer, and you're like, oh my gosh, this was more money than I ever thought I would make.


But, you know like that might feel really expensive, you may be like oh my gosh this is amazing. That was so good I never thought I would like reach this sort of like financial goal or like a goal that's so much better than I ever thought.


You're expected to be available in the evenings to answer emails or you're expected to be available to your team, you know, through text message or, you know, even phone calls or something on the weekends. So, how does that feel if your value is freedom. That doesn't feel very free, and you can probably feel your body start, start to get a little bit small start to shrink because you're like, oh, okay, so it's more money, which, you know, pay for more adventure or it's like, you know, freedom of time I can pay for like house cleaners or meal service. Oh but then on the other hand, my time isn't my time anymore, I have to be available 24 seven. That feels really, you know, that feels really constricting.


You'll feel it in your body. And so we can even do out with, you know, just take a breath right now and sort of tune into your body, and then you can do it with all sorts of words like if I say the word creative.

How does that feel in your body?



[22:15] VL: I've been doing a lot of work with this recently, creative feels so good on my body to this point where I like, I want to open up, and I might almost leaning closer into this, like, into the Word.



[22:29] JM: And then if I was to say something like, it's time to do all your taxes. It might just feel a bit flat right.



[22:41] VL: Yeah, I actually think I'm a weirdo sometimes.I don't mind so I don't actually do my own taxes, I prepare the information to have someone do my taxes, wonderful, but I, I kind of like looking at the analytics of the year. It's not my favorite thing to do, but I only do it like either once a month or, at the end of the year I kind of wrap it all up. I think if you said desk job my whole body would just close up.



[22:23] JM: Yeah, that's a really good example. You know and so for anyone listening like just say that to yourself desk job, and, you know, for some people, they might be like, Oh my gosh, you know that, that just sounds like the worst thing imaginable and for other people, they're like you know, I couldn't like working at a desk I like looking at a computer I like being in an office I like the interaction I have with people. So, you know, there's no, there's no wrong answer, it's whatever answer. Feels good, or feels, you know like expensive. Or what if it feels constricted. And so that's, that's the sort of feeling you want to get in tune with, and you can use that to make decisions for anything, like, you know, if you're, if you're just in a bit of a funnel for a couple hours during the day, you can even say, you know, maybe I just need a nap.


And you're all of a sudden, like, oh you know what that feels so supportive for me right now I could just feel like my entire body relaxed, it feels like all of this pressure on myself, has, has just released, you know, versus maybe you're, you're in a bit of that fun. Can you say like, Oh, I'm just gonna check off my to do list.


Maybe feels good to you. Maybe you're like no that feels really, it doesn't feel supportive helpful it doesn't feel like that's what I need right now so even just asking yourself those questions, and how does your body feel.


And then, whether that is like you, Valerie like being this multi passionate entrepreneur and you wear a ton of hats you know like that might feel really good for you and I'm sure that's why you're doing it because it does feel good for you but for other people, you know, they might be like oh my gosh, I don't know how. I don't know how she can do all these things because for me that feels very like, you know, it just feels like too much so you know it's that it's that really just connecting to your body and what feels good for you, and then start taking action on that and start, like, trusting what your body what your soul is telling you, and it makes it, you know like doing doing that practice makes it so much easier to, to trust what your body is telling you, you know, it makes it so much easier to trust. You know for me, walking away from this like super comfy job, but didn't feel good. I was like, I know that there's something so much better over here for me because, you know I've proved to myself I've proved my ego. You know I've proved that by following what feels good for my body that ends up being good for my life, or, you know, for this life that I want to live overall so get into the practice and start small and almost train your ego to be like, okay, it might be scary, but I know that it always turns out for the best when we, when we trust her intuition when we trust our soul and we trust our body.



[27:25] VL: so much value and I like in everything that you're saying, I love how you keep reminding us that it really is a practice it's a practice to get to know ourselves it's a practice to ask the questions that are more supportive and more helpful it's a practice to take the steps to live closer to that aligned space, and a lot of times that can be really scary, because, you know, your, your, your life before air quotes before what you're doing now. It's not a bad thing. When you weren't hurting yourself or other people but at the same time like it wasn't as fulfilling as it could be. Right, well that's what it sounds like from like exactly what you're sharing Exactly.


And, and you probably teach this, or you've heard this before but when, when it comes to like manifesting and drawing who's into your life and attracting things. It's always like this or something better, yeah right where it's like, I wish to bring this into my life or something better. And I think we forget that sometimes I think we forget because we're, we are living so much in a very kind of short sighted space, and we don't realize that like, hey, something better does exist, and it's as simple as asking ourselves these daily questions and having this daily practice of getting in touch, more and more of itself. and it's not easy work all the time, like I said, like you said that those steps to go into alignment. Those are, those can be big leaps sometimes to quit jobs to be relationships to, you know, go out on a limb and buy the ticket to Guatemala, even though you have no idea what you're doing.



[29:17] JM: Yeah, yeah, it totally is. And, you know like with with that job that I was at, I manifested that, like, to, to the tee, like I had in my mind what my office would look like. And it did look like that I had in my mind what my boss would be like, and that was that and, you know, I, I completely manifested that job, and for a time it was brilliant. It was exactly what I needed, it can be really scary to be like, I'm in this, this role that I, I created it with the universe like I made this happen I manifested it, but now it doesn't feel good anymore. And, and so it is. It is scary. It is scary to like take that late being like, this is what I wanted so bad and I made it happen.


it can be really scary to be like, I'm in this, this role that I, I created it with the universe like I made this happen I manifested it, but now it doesn't feel good anymore. And, and so it is. It is scary. It is scary to like take that late being like, this is what I wanted so bad and I made it happen.


And I, you know, like I said the office was exactly how it was in my mind and I can do the gun. I can take that I can do the gun. I can take that lead and I can do it again. But it takes trust and it takes practice, and I think, I think, you know the reason why it is such a practice is because you have to.


You almost have to learn to start trusting the signs because you don't, you know like if you're, if you're creating this big life for yourself if you're trying to manifest something you don't really get to have the roadmap in front of you right now, like you get to know you don't get to see like, point A through two points.


You might see like a B and maybe C, and you need to just trust that like, once you get to C point D is gonna start showing up.


So, You know this is just all these little practices just taking these little baby steps, and, you know, making it a habit, making it a habit to like, trust yourself and to, to check in with yourself and ask these questions. Just, you know, it makes me so happy faster and it makes it easier and you know I always say that, you go from taking little baby steps, and then all of a sudden the Baby Steps turn into life, you know, maybe a bigger stuff, and then they turn into a week, and then they turn it into just like a jump off the cliff.



[31:33] VL: Yeah… Absolutely. The journey and then exactly what you said, like you see points A, B and C, and maybe D and then. But as you go, these, these new opportunities in ways reveal themselves to you, and I think it kind of goes back to what you said about like how you're a different person after leaving that corporate job because you, you couldn't have been, I don't know.


This is just like my speculation slash what I'm picking up. Here are your journey and your story is that I don't know if you would have been courageous enough to take that leap away from what you manifested, without doing the work to get you to that point first, it was almost like you needed to show your ego like yeah we can do this like I did this, I know what I'm doing, to be able to do that. So let's, let's talk about that trust more How are the ways we can build trust with ourselves, and trust our intuition more. How do we make that a habit?



[32:32] JM: Yeah, I definitely think, you know, there's, there's a ton of tools I could, I could tell you like 20 different ways to do it but I think you need to sort of pick what resonates for you.


And I do think one of the easiest ways to start is just like when you wake up in the morning, you know before you check your phone before you get into bed before you do anything, you know, just sort of check in and be like, what is it that I need today, what do I need to feel supported, or, you know, you can even ask like, you know, what is it that I need to know today, and just trust whatever answer pops into your head. And, you know, you might not be ready to take action on it. If this is brand new to you, but you might be like, okay, okay, so this is what I need to do today or this is what my intuition is telling me to do today.


And, you know like slowly you'll be like okay I kind of keep getting the same answer. So maybe I should take some action on that, you know, like it's just having, it's about opening up this conversation with your intuition, with your higher self, with the universe, you know, whatever, whatever sort of name you want to give it.


I think another really fun practice, you know, especially if you're learning to like trust. The signs and trust, you know, everything that's being put in front of you and like I said it'll start off quiet until it gets like, you know, super obvious like flashing lights in your face. But, you know, you could say, okay, universe. I, I want to start manifesting this, but I don't really trust I don't really know how this works. So, you know, I just want you to show me a sign. And that's fine could be, you know, show me a rhinoceros.


And, you know, pick whatever you want, pick something that's not, you know, felt like, that's not something you see every single day in your life that you know like, if I go outside in Vancouver, I'm going to see a crow, because I see a crow every single day, no matter which door, I have my apartment I leave no matter what time of day I leave, there's always a crow so probably not a good example, but a rhinoceros, not seeing one of those walking down the street in Vancouver, and you might be like, never gonna see rhinoceros, but then you turn on the TV, and there's a rhinoceros on the TV, or you overhear a conversation with some kids talking about rhinoceros, or it's on, you know the cover of an album that you're listening to, You know, so it's, it might be a really subtle sign, it might be something that's not super noticeable, but it's about, you know, like asking for that sign and then being open to you know like opening your awareness being like open to look around and notice the signs.


Having fun with it too, like it doesn't need to be so serious, have some fun with it and open up a conversation with your higher self.


Ask for what it is that you want. Ask for what it is that you need to know.


You know, trust, trust the first thing that pops into your head and go with it and take action on it and see how it feels. And, you know, then let's do that tomorrow and the day after that, the day after that. And, you know like signs are going to come in a much more obvious way much more open to receiving.


You know you're going to your intuition is going to talk to you louder. Like right now, you could be like, you know this, just popped into my head it was like a whisper, like how do I know if that's even what it is, you take action on it or you acknowledge it.


And then, you know, eventually that voice, you know, starts to wake up and it's like, oh you're starting to listen to me now we're starting to talk, okay I'm going to talk louder, I'm going to talk in a way that like so much easier for you to hear it's almost like you're giving your intuition, some like confidence to speak up and to talk louder.



[37:03] VL: I love it so much. It's funny because there's so much. It's funny because I totally forgot about this exercise but I do it all the time. I ordered this book, Online once, and it came in this tea. It was this like smaller than my palm of my hand, and it's an abundance book and I cannot remember for the life of me, but when I do remember I'll put it in the show notes page for this episode, but it has these little, these little experiments that they teach you how to do for manifesting.


For me they teach you how to do for manifesting. And the first one is attracting a green car into your life and you need to see a green card, and the other one is, I think, a yellow butterfly. So, I don't remember what month that was when I read this but I remember I was with my partner at the time and I said let's do this let's, let's do this together and let's see what we can attract, and he wasn't open to all of this as I am.


No problem. However, the next day I was like, I saw two queen cars, two of them, which was amazing. I don't have a green car so this is like a not this is not very common for me. And he said, Oh, I didn't see anything. So I was like okay cool, cool, cool, but he said I also wasn't really paying attention like I wasn't really looking for it, but because we had started this experiment, I started noticing the colors of the cars that I was driving around. And to this day, this was years ago. To this day, I see a green car almost 100% of the time that I drive. And I've actually attached, the green car symbol, or Omen, as a symbol and reminder for me, that abundance is always around me, and it's like always accessible, so sometimes I'll see like a bright green car and it's like a big truck and I know that this is like a sign that there's a lot of abundance in my life or a lot of abundance is coming. And sometimes I'll see like, it's green, but it's kind of a blue color but I'm like, it's kind of green like it's, it's an odd color for a car but I see it as green. And so that to me shows me that like abundance comes to me in different ways that I'm not expecting. And then there's a car that's typically parked outside, one of the houses on the way to my parents house so if I take that route. I often see the car, I don't always see the car but it often to the car. And so when I see that car, I'm reminded that there are places that I can always go to that have abundance in them so like, like for myself I teach Pilates.


And I also do my online mentorship and coaching, and I know that I'll never be out of a job. I know this because I've always done my own thing, I have not had that journey of living in the corporate world, I've done a few like desk jobs, if you will, however, it was all like yoga, Pilates my own business has always been a part of my life. And so I know that like, I know how to, how to bring abundance into my life, I know how to make money by myself and I don't typically I don't need anything else I just know like, yeah you know what I mean. In these areas, so it's, it's really cool and I feel like the more excited you get and the more gratitude you feel for when you get outside, you're like, I got this. Thank you. I saw the green car yeah thank you I saw the I saw the rhino, and it's not always a moving car sometimes it's a picture or sometimes it's like a meme online that we see and it's just like oh my god that's a rhino, and it's amazing how many green cars I see now like It's almost scary or annoying, but I always acknowledged as so when I'm driving, no matter what's happening of our lifestyle to go to an amazing song. I see a green card or my green car every day. 



[39:58] JM: You know, like, add on to that, to this to this exercise is giving gratitude and being like, thanks to universe. I see you, I see what's going on.


And I really love that you have now attached a meaning to it, and, you know, I do that a lot with people, you know like people that I've lost, and I lost an uncle.


I guess two years ago and we were really close and you know he was a part of my, my life for a long time and you know like we spent a lot of time with him and his kids and you know here's someone very important to me very close to me, and the sign for him is an El Camino, which is you know like one of those car, truck, things.


You know, if I'm out and out and about walking around or driving or sleeping in my house if I start thinking about like I wonder how my uncle Dawn is literally in El Camino, but like, drive by for someone on TV is driving one, and it's always my uncle dawn. Miss you, you know like just acknowledging that because you can, you know like, like you're saying what the car, the green car for you as a sign of abundance. So you've now attached, meaning to that and so every time you see that car. But the universe or, you know, source or your higher self, communicating with you and being like, hey, just remember, like, so much abundance for you, or you know I love that you even have like different shades of green or there's like a spectrum of abundance for you. So that's something that you can totally do like it's a fun practice that you make your own and you make it something that is super meaningful for you and it doesn't have to make sense for anyone else. And it doesn't have to be the science that they receive. You know, because it's, it's personal, it's, it's your, you know it's like your secret language with the universe.



[43:25] VL: That’s really fun.I love that. Yeah, I know what and when you're, I will admit when you're first starting out I just remember reading like so many personal development books and they all say, is so they all say the same things which is because this is what works, and almost every single one of them will say just do the weird, wacky kooky stuff that your intuitive guy tells you to do, or like your coach tells you to do.


I think it's really important to as you're learning how to trust yourself more. It's keeping like what we've been talking about this whole time like keep coming back to your core values and being in alignment, because that's how you start to.


That's how you start to interpret or understand the signs that you're saying, better. Like for me, the green car thing was just green car in the beginning, and then it started to be, oh well this is a very vibrant car, or this is a huge green truck. And then I started incorporating it myself. As these different meanings so yeah it's really, it's really powerful and it's really it's actually really fun when you start to get into it and I feel like the connection, the core values to come back to them every day, every day I like that and I like that you said that kind of intention of the day, like how do I want to do I need to meet, to bring me into this space and there's asking those questions, not just living this automatic life but really becoming like more aware, more intentional and not taking mediocre as, like, your answer like it's not fulfillment at that point.



[45:00] JM: If we can just, we could go down an entire other path with this conversation. So I'll stop but yeah I really love what you said.



[45:10] VL:Everything you said is so important and it's such a great reminder for people who have practice things like this before it's also kind of a very broad introduction to it all. And I can imagine people having additional questions. So where can we find you. Where can we follow you. How can we support your business and also support our own intuitive journey?



IG | @moonrise_soul

Website | moonrisesoul.com



Rapid Fire Round

1. What are you currently reading? Or What is your favourite book?

JM: My favorite book is The Alchemist. I was given that for my birthday one year and I read it on a flight to perhaps Nicaragua, and I read it before, like I'd finished the book before the plane even took off from Vancouver, it was, I couldn't get enough of it and I read it 100 times. 


So I'm reading that I'm also reading a really interesting psychology book about Donald Trump, written by one of his nieces. So it's a bit off brand for me, but it's incredibly fascinating because I love, love psychology and all of the like all of the ways our upbringing shapes who we are. So yeah those are my, my favorite read of my current read.



2. What do you love most about being a woman?

JM: Oh my gosh, okay. What I love most. the connection that you know that women have with other women, I think, as kids you know you're as girls, you're really encouraged to, you know, sort of build this, this really tight bond with your girlfriends and this, you know, community and I have such an amazing group of women in my life, and they are all you know one of my friends, her dad says to us all the time like, oh my gosh, all of you together could run the world, and you know it's it's true and we're all in the same room together like it's a force, it's super supportive, they are you know the people that you can go to for advice for support for, you know, fun, if you just need to have a cry. You know, it's, it's almost expected as women and I think men don't necessarily have that as much and that always makes me feel a little bit sad for them because, you know, there's nothing like being surrounded by your closest girlfriends and just, you can leave an interaction like that just having your heart, exploding with goodness.



3. What does empowerment mean to you?

JM: yeah that's that's something that I did on in my business and you know just life in general, you know, with all the little women in my life I have a lot of nieces and a stepdaughter and I want to teach them, you know, for me it's about like, what skills do I have, what, what am I really good at what are the things that I do, sort of naturally or easily. And, you know, how can I teach others to do that for themselves, and you know when it comes to all the little women in my life. It's very much like how do, how do I help teach you to have a voice to, you know, make your own decisions and to think for yourself and you know to be a bit of a rebel.

You know, I think, you know, like I said in the question right before that it's about the connection with girlfriends like, it's important to have that support for sure but I think it's really important that you can get through life without a lot of hand holding like you need the support and you need people to help build you up. But for me, empowerment is about, you know, sort of equipping yourself with the skills to be able to you know to forge your own path and you know sort of guide other people and share. Share your knowledge, your wisdom on too.



4. What are you currently working toward?

JM: You know, I think, you know, like I said in the question right before that it's about the connection with girlfriends like, it's important to have that support for sure but I think it's really important that you can get through life without a lot of hand holding like you need the support and you need people to help build you up. But for me, empowerment is about, you know, sort of equipping yourself with the skills to be able to you know to forge your own path and you know sort of guide other people and share. Share your knowledge, your wisdom on to. 

You know, I think, you know, like I said in the question right before that it's about the connection with girlfriends like, it's important to have that support for sure but I think it's really important that you can get through life without a lot of hand holding like you need the support and you need people to help build you up. But for me, empowerment is about, you know, sort of equipping yourself with the skills to be able to you know to forge your own path and you know sort of guide other people and share. Share your knowledge, your wisdom on to. 

You know, I think, you know, like I said in the question right before that it's about the connection with girlfriends like, it's important to have that support for sure but I think it's really important that you can get through life without a lot of hand holding like you need the support and you need people to help build you up. But for me, empowerment is about, you know, sort of equipping yourself with the skills to be able to you know to forge your own path and you know sort of guide other people and share. Share your knowledge, your wisdom on to. 


Book: Women Who Run with Wolves

 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E125: Powerful Productivity Practices
 
 

E125: Powerful Productivity Practices

Get sh*t done fast and more efficiently with these powerful practices you can start implementing right away.


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[2:20] Struggle One: Time Management

Time blocking: What gets scheduled is what gets done. Make the time in your calendar to do the work, and avoid rescheduling.

Have a specific action plan: When you get to your desk, know exactly what needs to be done. Write a check-list or plan in advance so you can easily get in the zone and stay focused.



[6:00] Struggle Two: Distractions

Focusing for Long Periods of Time, and Staying Focused on the Task at Hand

Eliminate distractions: Turn off your phone, or leave it in another room. Close down your email inbox, silence incoming calls. Let the people in your space know that you need uninterrupted time. 

[8:50] Multitasking and Keeping it all Straight

STOP MULTITASKING: Studies have shown that multitasking reduces your productivity by 40%. Stick with your action plan and tackle each task, one at a time to avoid unnecessary task switching and backtracking.

Keep a notepad close by: When new ideas or distracting thoughts pop up, write them down so you can come back to later.

Importance of Transitions



[14:35] Organizing My To Do List

E115: Mastering Your To Do List

E121: How to Ask Powerful Yes or No Questions to Connect with Your Intuition


[17:00] Prioritizing Self-Care

Rest is essential for health and productivity: There’s nothing like a quality night’s sleep to have you ready and energized for the day ahead.



[19:35] 8 Habits to do on a Sunday for a more productive week

1. Meal Planning & Meal Prepping

2. Organize & Prioritize Your To Do List

3. Time Block Your Calendar

4. Set up Habit Triggers

5. Plan Your Outfits for the Week E112: Style as Self-Care: The Comfy-Chic Formula

6. Review Your Weekly Goals

7. Complete Basic Chores

8. Plan a Fun Outing or Experience 

Let’s connect on instagram, find me @vallavignelife

 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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Which Episode with Sarah are you looking for?
 
 

E112: Style as Self Care: The Comfy-Chic Formula with Sarah Peel

Meet Sarah Peel of Citizenne Style & Home, as she teaches us how to shop our closets, take better care of our clothes, and create self care practices through style in her holistic lifestyle guide: Citizenne At Home…


E131: How to Incorporate Mindfulness Daily with Sarah Sturino

Learn about the nine pillars of mindfulness and how to start incorporating them into your daily practice to live a more mindful and heart-centred life, featuring special guest, Sarah Sturino…

 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E124: Shattering Social Media Ad Myths & Societal Norms with Hattie Dunstan
 
 

E124: Shattering Social Media Ad Myths & Societal Norms with Hattie Dunstan

Introducing Facebook and Instagram Ad Strategist, Hattie Dunstan. Join us in our conversation as Hattie shatters social media ad myths and shares secrets to her strategies, as well as her life as a working mama.


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[1:54] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to The Women's Empowerment Podcast. Today I get to introduce you to our new guest Hattie Dunstan, the owner media buyer and paid ads strategist for fun since marketing, she helps businesses get new customers through the power of small funnels and targeted Facebook/Instagram ad campaigns, Hattie has a run three of her own businesses, from the wedding industry, a sports league app, even being the director of a charity fashion show fundraiser that raised over $120,000 for cystic fibrosis Canada. She went to university for marketing management in 2005 entrepreneurship runs in Hattie's blood from her great grandfather who was a watchmaker to her grandfather, and both of her parents now have he wants to help other entrepreneurs, scale and grow their businesses so they can stay in their zone of genius. Welcome to the show. I am so excited to be speaking with you today.



[2:55] Hattie Dunstan: Oh, thanks for having me. I'm so excited I love hearing my bio read out like that. So fun!



VL: When it comes to Facebook and marketing, Instagram, and all of those ads like I get so intimidated and overwhelmed and I think the main reason for it is because I just really don't know anything about them, and when I'm asked about them. I know that you're, you're the person that comes to mind when I think of as the Facebook and Instagram ad expert, so can you tell us what these are, why we need them in our business?



[3:42] HD: Yeah, so I always think Facebook and Instagram ads are an integral part of your overall marketing ecosystem. Of course you need your organic Instagram posting your SEO for your website your emails, your email campaigns, but it takes so many touchpoints to get someone to actually purchase something. It takes like 13 times it's telling someone repeatedly hey this is what I sell before they purchase that running an ad just even a reminder ad takes some of the pressure off of entrepreneur like we wear so many hats. And just to have a constant, another little touch point for our customers that we don't have to constantly be posting about is just, I don't know as soon as I started running ads for my businesses like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulder. I didn't have to be in that hustle, that draining hustle and only 10% of our followers see our beautiful organic posts. So, pay a little money to go find it and show it to more people. That's what I think.



[4:45] VL: Yeah, that's a really interesting. I'm really glad you said that because it feels like we put so much effort into creating this amazing content. And then I also feel like a broken record when I, I don't, I don't know if I'm like, am I being too pushy when I talk about this, I'm like, do people even hear me when I talked about this, I tried something once where I posted kind of the same type of message every day for a week I just changed up the stories a little bit, and I noticed that there were some people who are watching my stories on Friday who didn't see my story on Monday, even though I said the exact same thing and I was like, Oh my god. Do I really have to say this 10 times.



You do like you actually do because not everyone is seeing your stuff there's like five people who watch every story that I've ever posted, and then everyone else just like wait, I don't even know how this works.



Okay, This feels important for my business to, to have an ad, it feels like when you were talking about it for like a weight lifted off my shoulders a little bit.



Now, my following I have like, just over 2000 followers, like tell me about this. Do I need to have a certain amount of followers to run ads?



[6:00] HD: Let's bust the myths! When people are like, oh I don't have 10k Like I don't have the swipe up feature. You can run ads if you have 100 followers, I just bought a $27 offer from an ad for ad was fantastic. I clicked on her incidences she had 200 followers, you can run ads for anything, and I love that you said, I sound like a broken record, and I'm always say to my clients. If you sound like a broken record when you're promoting your sales pitches, you're doing it right, because you sound like a broken record but to everyone else, Maybe they'll finally get what you're selling. So you definitely do not have to have a big following to send those reminder ads. In fact, it's kind of nice like for 200 people on your Instagram, you only need, you know, five bucks a day, you know for 2000 Maybe you only need 10,000 for 10 bucks.

You need a smaller budget, smaller audience smaller budgets so it's, you can run it with whatever but with whatever followers 



[7:03] VL: Yeah, amazing so you did talk about budgets and I feel like you kind of busted this myth a little bit so we only really need $5 A day to run an ad? Let’s talk about that.



HD: So, okay, you need $5 A day to run a retargeting ad, which is showing, anyone that's landed on your website, anyone that's landed on your Instagram page, I always suggest you know the minimum that you can spend is five bucks a day just a gentle reminder. Here I am, this is what I sell this is what I do, here's how I'm gonna transform your life.



That can be $5 a day. But if you're trying to reach new audiences, new eyeballs and grow your email list, scale, outside of your website visitors, or your Instagram follower, that we probably would push up to like $20 A day like, let's invest some, some, some point behind that.



[8:15] VL: Okay, so we don't have to have a huge following, and even $20 A day like I can just get here, if you've ever been in advertising and marketing. $20 a day for an ad is like wait what?



HD: this is my proposal package it literally says this will be 10 times cheaper than a newsprint magazine. I'll see you can track everything like you know exactly where that leads came from where the form got filled out. Did it come from the ad, like it's, like, I love ads. You can see everything can track everything, and such as data geeks



VL: this is what's important, because like I always tell people, especially in my habit workshops like what gets measured is what gets moved, if you're not tracking it, then you don't know where you need to, to improve I was telling actually at a workshop today, and I was telling everyone that I have this new water bottle that lights up when I'm behind on my drinking right now. And we got like super nerdy about it.


VAL’S “HIDRATE SPARK” WATER BOTTLE


it has this app that you can download and every time you drink it records it on your phone via Bluetooth, and I was noticing that every Sunday, I wasn't, I wasn't reaching my goal, just on Sundays, it was like totally break my streak away. Why can I drink water on Sundays, and when I really, when I really thought about it I'm like well, on Sundays, I spend like I really have a slow morning or I drink my coffee forever like I drink it until it's cold, basically. And because of that, I'm not drinking water and then I'm like, oh my goodness, this is why but I would have never really noticed that unless I was tracking it and then like reviewing the data and the insights of my, my water.



And this is what's so valuable. I think about what you do is that there's this tangible piece of its data to show people like this is what, like this is the transformation that we made together.



[10:05] HD: Yeah, I love showing concrete numbers I love showing Hey, this customer dollar per email subscriber and then we'll go into your email campaigns and be like hey look this actually converted to a $350 sale, so that $2 You spent converted into a 350 sale. It's I my monthly like reporting days I'm like, nobody interrupts me, I'm doing my data deep dive here.



Yeah, it's just like it's so good to track and a lot of people, they they don't know what to track, or be they don't know that like, they look at Google Analytics or they look at the ads manager and they're just like, oh my gosh what are all these four numbers are.



VL: Yeah well, and I was saying before, like I'm really overwhelmed by all of the information like how, how do you set these up and then how do you read this is a different language so to have someone like you to really help you like translate all of it, and then help you kind of look through the data and say that these are the insights that's important and these are the insights that are not so important, or this is where we can improve and all of that data is so important for the client so okay we went through a couple of minutes. You don't have to have a huge following, you don't have to have a huge budget. You don't have to know what you're doing if you hire someone to help you.

Are there any other common myths about Facebook and Instagram ads that you like to bust?



HD: I think the biggest one is also people think, if they're not a huge brand like they see constantly like Hudson Bay's in their feet with ads apples in their feed with ads, they see all these huge brands and I think I'm really trying to reach the small businesses, the makers the creative, because we don't see their ads as much so other small businesses don't realize that potential for them you can run ads.



I think a lot of the time they really think, oh it's just for big brands, I don't have that kind of budget, or I don't have that.



Whatever the reason is, so I really am trying to reach small businesses and everyone can run ads on Facebook and Instagram.



[12:17] VL: Okay, so question though, do you have to have a business page on Instagram to run ads?



HD: Yes, if you want to run Instagram ads you would have to switch it to a business page. Okay. But, Instagram and Facebook love, I know some people are nervous about switching the business in case their reach falls are there, their organic reach falls, but Instagram and Facebook love people who spend money on their app. So we've found that as soon as you start spending money on app, even your non sponsored posts do better, because Facebook and Instagram will realize, oh, this person is paying their client val of ours, we're going to help them out with their organic posting as well.



VL: that's so interesting and really good to note because everyone's like this is my YouTube algorithm and blah blah blah. So it's like, I don't have time to learn how Instagram works and how it changes every two weeks like you can't we just can't we just do the things organically or naturally and I, you know what I think. This is what the app was designed to do, like, yes, in the beginning, everything was free and they didn't have these paid ads but come on, you know that this was like my main goal for Instagram and Facebook is to make money. 



HD: Absolutely, yeah like sometimes people get upset and I'm like, free platform. They make money, like, what has to happen. So yeah, it's way better, I think rather than joining like engagement pods and all these like Instagram hacks to put $5 behind a wicked Instagram strategy for paid ads and your daily posts will fly



VL: I feel like the wheels are turning and I have a lot of ideas now, we'll have a look at working together soon. Awesome, so maybe I'll save those for later. Okay, excellent. So where do we start is, are there things that we need to do before we make an ad?



[14:17] HD: I would definitely say, we always okay so when I start with a client when I'm talking to a student, I always ask them if they're on Shopify or whatever websites they're on what's the conversion rate for their website. So if they don't have a very good conversion rate. Maybe the website isn't conversion rate meaning, how many people land on their website, versus how many sales they got. So if they don't have a very good conversion rate, then I say, okay, maybe you should look at your website and try to figure out how you can increase that conversion rate maybe your website that dated. Maybe it's 10 years old, so I really want people to have a strong already proven their business by having sales and a good conversion rate. So websites, the number one thing you look at. We also like people to have some sort of email funnel. If they're running to new audiences ads, because if they click on an ad, a prospect clicks on an ad, what happens, can't just send them to their website, we want to collect that data. So either through an email or a phone call like what's happening. I always ask the people what will happen to these leads we get from the ad, because a big part of my job is yes to get the lead from the ad but also what what happens afterwards I don't want them to fall off that was precious money.

So I really want to either we'll work with them to get a wicked follow up sequence, or we'll look at their current follow up sequence, and make sure have an automatic email saying hi, I'm bow. I love the podcast it's awesome. You should listen to whatever the follow up email is we look at, we make sure they have a strong follow up sequence. So website and follow up sequences kind of two number one thing.



[16:04] VL:  this really is like a whole piece. I feel like there's an entire funnel slash process slash, making sure that we're like connecting the dots and checking off the boxes and, I mean, even for me like now like looking out looking nervous again, speaking about things that are things that I like to avoid in my business.

Okay. So, typically I talk about like offerings, later on in the episode but I really do want to break down I know you have like two main offerings. Well, maybe you can tell us about them. I feel like for someone like me. I need a little bit more hand holding like, I don't necessarily have times. I have other resources that I can give. But, timewise, I don't have that so I do need a little bit of hand holding for you to say like, make sure you check this box off. Okay, I'll do this part while you do that part and then it's like it's not as scary for me that way. So can you tell us a little bit more about your offerings and how, how we can involve with them.



HD: Yeah, for sure. So, two main offerings we have our monthly retainer clients.

So our other two offerings is agile a day so it's kind of like our VIP VIP service day. And then our five day live ads class, and the number one thing from the five days live ads class that students say is like oh you're literally holding my hand through this whole thing.

So our other two offerings is ADs in a day so it's kind of like our VIP VIP service day. And then our five day live ads class, and the number one thing from the five days live ads class that students say is like oh you're literally holding my hand through this whole thing.

So personalized to each person. And we literally go through and upload at the same time, and I say, oh, ignore that. Ignore that ignore that. Ignore that option button. So they really appreciate, there's so many buttons in the ads manager. And instead of overwhelming them with ads sequence funnels and, you know, retinas test. If you really just do a retargeting ad in the ads class, which is anyone that has an Instagram following, or website can run that type of ad, and then we do, how to grow your email list type of ad. So we keep it simple. They launch and learn those two types of ads, grow your email list and retarget your followers by acquisition makes a really great success.

And the other one I have is perfect for more.

The ads midday VIP service, it's for more brick and mortar, who are trying to pivot online, who have location based. They've maybe dabbled in ads a little bit before they're savvy in their other marketing ecosystems, and they just work quickly done up and running in a full day.

Yeah, so it takes seven hours and we get the two ads up and running in one full day me and my team do it to kind of options.



[19:28] VL: So great like are already I just feel the relief again, like I'm on an emotional roller coaster right now. I feel this relief like okay cool, this feels more manageable for me to do, where I don't really need to learn every single part of the lingo, I don't need to get overwhelmed with all of the options all the buttons and all the pop ups that might come up. And he really just like, it's like on the when you get like documents you have to sign and they have like the little tabs like sign here, initial here.



HD: I’m gonna use that in my marketing that's so good. Here you go. You just, we just inspire each.



VL: Well we have a lot of friends, we have a lot of mutual friends on Instagram and on Facebook, and they're our community is very much like entrepreneurs and creatives in women who have their own businesses. So I'm wondering if there's a way that I can support you, or can support our community when I see their ads on Instagram, like what do I do, even though like, maybe their service isn't really for me but I want to support them, how do I do that.



HD: I love that you asked that I always asked like close knit friends on my head just about as fast as I could you like it, comment on it because it works the same way, if people are as organic posting. If people are commenting on a sponsored post liking it, sharing it, of course, Facebook's gonna be like, Okay, I'm going to go show it to similar people to now, she just commented on this ad that means people who run Pilates studios or podcasts are probably going to like this ad I'm going to show it to more of them. So yeah, if you see a friend, or something you like, like that, comment and share it. A great way to be supportive.



[21:27] VL: Okay, that's really cool because I didn't, I didn't really know about it because sometimes you see these polls and you're like, Well, is this person gonna see my comments or not. But then I'm like, but I don't know what I'm doing and, yeah, sometimes I share like different products or different opportunities with people who I think would really benefit from it. And then, I'm trying to think of like it's been so long since I've read it. I feel like a little bit shamed right now but I know we're working together students so I don't feel as bad.

Okay. That's really incredible, so even if, like when the next time I see your ad up I'm gonna definitely share it and like it and save it. Does that affect the amount of money we've put in to run the app so like let's say we put in our minimum $5 a day, and then some other people shared it. Do I often not pay $6 a day because it's reaching more people?



[22:13] HD: No, so you put a cap on. So you would, you can put a daily budget or lifetime budget so let's say you had $250 You got a government from the grant. I mean, a government. You wanted to spend $250 In a week you can put a lifetime budget so Facebook could go and spend that lifetime budget over seven days, or you can put a daily budget of $5 so if it reaches $5 It stops.

But I love that you brought that up, don't click on someone's ad, unless you're serious. If it's a friend, because they do pay, sometimes per click. So, my comments. I try to get is sometimes we might be paying per click.



VL: Interesting. So there's a lot of different options, maybe like I feel like we shouldn't get into too many details today because this is, This is a lot of information,



HD: but it's like learning another language, the first day of my class, live five days, my students are like, I'm like, don't worry if for anyone that didn't know I just dropped my job to the desk, because it was a jaw drop.



VL: Okay, So are there any like little extra secrets that we should know about these things, like don't click your friends out of those are going to buy.



HD: I think if you do dabble in ads right now and you're running conversion ads or traffic ads start dabbling in Messenger chatbot ads. Because of this new I don't know if you've heard of it now the new iOS 14 update that's coming up. Apple has said that they're not going to allow it anymore.

So, yeah, it's gonna be a little harder to target exactly who we want for 50% of the people or 40% Whoever uses an iOS 14 fold. So, what Facebook is coming out is, let's use Facebook's platform more so start dabbling in Messenger chat bots, because they don't have to leave the app.

That'd be my suggestion, we're kind of trying it out with clients right now before iOS 14 rolls out in the summer. So if you're not dabbler. Try messenger chat bots for a little bit. Interesting.



[24:39] VL: I wonder how that's gonna change your, your teaching and everything like that.



HD: To see yes yeah yeah I'm gonna have to add that in as one of the, one of the strategies that may be allowed in this district days.



VL: So question for you there's sometimes I get ads and I'm like you I don't want to know about these things, why am I getting an ad for this, can I then, So then I choose like hide add, not for me. Whatever the option was it was just like, not relevant.



HD: What does that do from the businesses perspective, there's just stop running is that person or people like that person, it would probably, people like that person, But also you would stop seeing that ad, and it's actually really good for the business owner, because they're not wasting money showing you the ad. If you're not going to buy from them. Stop showing the ad to you right, that's been very helpful and considerate about what you do.



[25:32] VL: Sometimes, and then maybe I should. So interesting. I feel like this is like a secret world. I don't know anything about before learning that you should do. 



HD: Yes, is I do this all the time, as a consumer running ads. If you go to like a big brand site, some small businesses are starting to do it and we do it with a lot of our clients. If you put something in your cart. I do this for contact, I put something in my cart, and leave it alone for two or three days I don't buy it. And then I get advertised here's 10% You left this in your cart. So if you're looking at something on Wayfair Amazon or, you know contacts or something, put it in your cart, wait a few days you'll probably get advertised and abandoned cart 10% off discount.



VL: Okay, so this actually leads to this so like this creeps me out when this happens because I'll put things on my Amazon cart and then they'll start being a go on Instagram and there's a carousel of everything in my car. Oh my god, the apps are talking to each other. The other thing is and this is probably a study on my phone, I do have an iPhone, but what we're talking about the other day Craig and I were talking about something random, like, like ice cream or something, and then it was getting ads for like listening to us. So, what is going on is that what they're kicking off on iOS 14.



HD: yes, so they're going to take off that they can no longer track your like Google searches or they can't track you with the Facebook tracking pixel, you'll be able to toggle it off, which is kind of silly for iOS users because then you'll start getting advertised like tattoos when really you were looking for a party for your daughter.

So I think it's in everyone's best interest to leave, you're still gonna get advertised to it just won't be targeted nicely to you. But, yeah, I think the phones are listening to even though Facebook repeatedly tells us, they're not.

It could be that someone who likes ice cream, also, like, Women Empowerment Podcast so that's how they found you.

I think their lives are definitely listening.



VL: Okay interesting but we can't confirm nor deny this.

So, okay well that's like, so I sometimes I have to say sometimes I kind of like that algorithm and the way that the ads work and the way that they drop these things because oftentimes, like it's now I don't, I don't want to advertise for things that I don't want to see, I want to get advertised for the things that I do want, even if I don't want to buy it.

Oh my goodness, it's so funny, but I feel like I buy I have on, I've had, I have purchased he's may have purchased things on Instagram before from a sponsored ad. And now, that's what kind of sucks I think because it almost makes me not want to be on that farm because I would just feel frustrated like why am I getting ads for baby diapers, I don't have a baby.

but only friends have babies, is that why I'm getting, you know what I mean like it's weird.



HD: Yeah, I would. Okay. Personally, I would keep the toggle on, but again I'm biased because I would want to find the iOS users through the audiences as an ads manager but I bought natural mascara, the other day off with an ad, I wanted to get a advertise stuff that I like. So I was I'm toggling mine on.



VL: You'll have to teach us that in like on Instagram stories or something.



HD: That’s a good idea.



VL: Yeah, I wanted to do, because it's so funny when we were when we were opening this the Pilates studio, my business partner and we want to find like very, we want to find like all black equipment so we want to like walk hand weights and booty bands and balls for the party studio. And when we, when we couldn't find it, we would go on our phones and just like Google, black, black booty bands, and then we would be like talking about funky black equipment black small equipment to pound it in black.



[29:59] HD: Yeah, oh it's so good. I love it. This panel just becomes my phone, I'll be like that. Advertising beautiful backpack.

Yeah, it's powerful, it's great. It can be great I think you except that we are in, it's a free app, if you expect that it's going to give you sponsored posts, use it for your damage, start talking to it, start hiding the ads you don't want to see training teachers show you ads that you want to see.



VL: Yeah, like liking and commenting and sharing the posts of things you want to see Absolutely. I think this is good advice for like any business as well with you and any customer. If you like someone, support them in any way that you can and yeah there are a lot of free ways to support people especially through social media, but, like, attend their workshops pay for their products, you know, sign up for their services do those things to support that person like I don't think people realize as a small business owner, you don't realize like, literally the happy dance I do when I get an email that says someone so purchased your workshop or like sign up for your workshop today and I'm like, I'm just so ecstatic to see that, so, so great. I mean even liking in the commenting in the sharing and like to see the insights and say hey, people actually care about what I'm saying, well guess what I'm going to talk about this more because you might get with the podcast episodes I look at the stats every week, and I say okay well these are the highest downloaded podcasts, so guess what I'm going to talk more about these topics I'm going to look for guests that can share more about this information like this is how this works, if you like it, share it, like message us on, on Instagram and tell us like what you loved about the episode, like let's continue this conversation so that we can make more and better content for you.



[31:52] HD: Yeah, well, really, it's the same with ads. It's so cool when you see, oh my god someone actually who I don't know who is my mom's friend's boss.

It's really, it's, it's awesome, and it's taking back control a little bit like I think people were a little bit frustrated with how Instagram over the last four or five years has really changed the algorithm and we don't see everyone's posts now and it's not chronological the theme, and so I think investing in ads, learning a little bit about a strong strategy really takes your power back in your business. And I think it's really powerful as, as is all business owners especially we don't have big budgets. So it gives us a little bit of a little bit more control.



[32:37] VL: Absolutely. Wow, this is, it's been interesting because like it's something that I wanted to do but again, like my hesitation is I just don't know where to start and I don't know where, like, I don't know. I don't even know how to do it like I wouldn't even know how do I physically go on Facebook drive on Instagram you don't answer this right now but I know you answer all of these things in your ad class and I don't want to get too deep into it where we're like, okay I just totally zoned out with, What the heck was that word but she said that I don't understand.



There's so much. I mean, we talked a lot about Facebook and Instagram and ads and all that kind of secret sauce, little things that we maybe didn't know I didn't know a lot of those things, but there's so much more to you that I would love to chat about, and one of the things that I really inspired by with you is want to call it like your lifestyle choice of being a working mom, so there's a mix of like stay at home moms and my family and working moms, My mother worked, and she's still working, she even went to school when I was 13. working teams so she was doing her graduate degree, and she was working full time, when we were Wow, yeah so it's something that like even when I was really young, I knew that I wanted to be working like I want to see like the like the options I guess you could say, as a kid I realized like, I don't want to be like my mom was she was looking into his learning and she was, you know, doing all of these things, and being a mom, I think.

I think that's really special. I think that's really cool. So can you tell us a little bit about that in your life.



HD: Yeah, I was just with our daughter, we have a 1.5 year old daughter and we just went together my husband so yeah, I know, Mom. My daughter's name is Hazel is 1.5 years old.

The decision, basically kind of when the pandemic broke out we had a nanny, part time. And, Kristin and I were both working, but when the pandemic hits the nanny couldn't come two days of the week anymore. So we kind of made the decision, it just made sense. My husband is at home with hazel, and I've been able to dive deep into my business and really grow it because I'm allowed the freedom of five days to really grow it. It's really interesting to be the main income provider as a female, and to have my husband with gender roles in western gender roles like he's a stay at home dad and I'm still working.

It's cool to see how Hazel will grow up not having those “normal” air quote gender roles.



VL: And so as as the kind of main breadwinner. And as a mom. Do you find that there are obstacles that we consider facing each day are like challenges that you have with that, how you overcome those challenges?



HD: Yeah, I have mom guilt. You mom parent guilt, whatever you want to call it, it, it's hard, it's still hard. I have with it all the time that you know if they're playing in the playroom and I hear them all day and I'm working away, and many people, You know when it's our special time in the evening, she'll cry cuz she wants her dad, my heart like if it splits into a million pieces. And I'm like oh am I doing the right thing and I always have discussions like oh look grass is always greener on the other side he's like you know I'm making this a sacrifice but like I'm staying home at Hazel like is this what's right for our family right now but I would also love to be on Zoom calls and networking, you know, working, so you know I think no matter if you're the stay at home parent, or whether you're working parents, you have always, I think just being a parent, you have to deal with it. And then what I have done is we every day at four o'clock. It's quitting time and I wake up early with her in the morning so I get time with her in the morning. At four o'clock I quit with her and we have our special traditions, I guess and I am the only one that puts her to bed. So we read books each night, we do bathtime paper to the big hit in our household.

So it's really special having just those things that people and I have together. And that's how we bond the night, I try to remind myself that providing an income for our families with different types of parenting. And still, a parent, different types. I don't know to hopefully get my guilt I guess. And I try to find traditions that people can have just the two of us, to help with the guilt but it never goes away, I cry a lot about it.



[37:25] VL: I think that's really special that you have that that transition when you finish work. Can you tell us a little bit more about the details of it, like what would, what does that ritual look like for you?



HD: We announced that we're, we have a little dance party we put on some Google Home, usually to Hell and Back, she is such a good dancer at one years old. Yeah well we will often go outside right at four o'clock, so that we can catch the light. And that's kind of our routine, and then we'll make popcorn Panther to special popcorn.



[38:14] VL: She’s so young too. so I can imagine the challenge of, you know like when she cries for dad or when, when he was like up near her in the background was there working from home too. Right. Yeah, but I think there's, like, a different way of supporting, like you said. So, whatever the choice is the lifestyle choices and the parents and I think what's really important is like to make time for Hazel and understand that what you're doing is actually supporting her in just different way than your husband is.



HD: I think it's important. You know I had Hazel and I work and support his family so that it is all about diesel progress right now so yeah I always try to put as much as I can.



VL: Oh you're so inspiring. I feel like I'm still not a mom yet but I think about it sometimes what I would do like, as long as I feel like I have this idea of the ideal mom thing that I like to be, and then every time I hear someone's story they're like, No, you're never ready. No, you're gonna do, you're gonna make mistakes you're gonna do the right things you're gonna do right, wrong things and yeah it's just like a fun, I guess it's like a fun journey and getting to know this like human being and supporting them in all the ways right. And I think it's important to have a partner who's supportive of you and like creating these boundaries. Right and like making sure that you're like, okay I have someone to hold me accountable to keep this this work life and family life boundaries.



HD: Yes, he is so good that he's really well he's also with hazel day so it's more of a like, it's a hard stop how to eat because I've been with hazel but yeah he's really really good at the boundaries. 

It's a good balance, are really happy. She's just been so great and she's almost at 18 months and everyone said, best age, and oh my gosh 18 months is the best.

It's a good balance, are really happy. She's just been so great and she's almost at 18 months and everyone said, best age, and oh my gosh 18 months is the best.



VL: I love all of your content online and I just love how like you incorporate her into like your stories and your posts like this is so smart. There was one thing she was holding your phone and you're like you're in my office hours, I'm like, yes, yes, if she answers the phone when I call you. 

My goodness. I love it. Okay, well I want to be mindful of your time because I know that you are strict with your time.



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Rapid Fire Round

1. What are you currently reading? Or what is your favourite book?

HD: I am such an avid bookworm. Such a voracious reader. I am currently reading. Mr. Donna Hughes, new book she wrote room in the Wonder what's her new book The Pull of the Stars, it's getting a little too close to home because it's about a nursery in the 1918 flu pandemic, like roof, we're living 100 years later, so I'm currently reading.

2. What do you love most about being a woman?

HD: I kind of okay I guess because we've talked about. I like defining or not defining like I kind of okay I guess because we've talked about. I like defining or not defining like challenging people's expectations of what a woman is. So I love that. As much as I have mom guilt I love that I'm a working mom and it's not the norm. I kind of love, breaking stereotypes. So as a woman, there's a lot of stereotypes on us. And I like shattering those.



3. What does Empowerment mean to you?

HD: Oh my gosh, this could mean so many things because empowerment to me. A lot of health, because I happen we didn't even touch on this but I had a double lung transplant in 2010. All empowered in my health, taking knowledge and science and I work hard at staying healthy a for Tristen Hazel and myself so empowerment and really empowering myself to be healthy.



VL: That's super important. If you like to have you back on for another episode. And, yeah, that sounds very intense. The fourth question I have for you is what are you currently working toward?



HD: It's kind of exciting, I'm in the process of hiring my first employees. So I'm working towards that I have some calls set up with the small business centers to really figure out exactly what I should be doing, like never hired someone before. I was excited for that next next level of nervousness about working towards.


 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E123: Healthy Habits for Spring
 
 

E123: Healthy Habits for Spring

Check out these 12 healthy habits to start incorporating this spring season! Choose your favourites, or elevate current habits…


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[3:00] 1. Drink Warm Lemon Water

There are many benefits to drinking warm lemon water in the morning. Waking up and drinking water in the morning is one of the ways I love to start the day, and so do our bodies. It promotes hydration, especially after sleeping overnight with no water. 

While drinking water on its own will improve digestion, adding the juice of half a lemon can also give your body a detox boost and lemon is a great source of vitamin C. Vitamin C in lemons has been shown to reduce skin wrinkling, dry skin aging, and sun damage. We’ll talk more about skin later on.

[5:04] 2. Eat More Leafy Greens

As the seasons change, so will the foods we eat. It’s time to stop eating the same foods you were in the winter, and start eating colourful salads!

I live in Ontario Canada and here’s what’s in season for March + April: Apples, Rhubarb, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Mushrooms, Red + Yellow Onions, Parsnips, Potatoes, Rutabaga, Squash, Sweet Potatoes

Fresh, Springy Salads with Seasonal Produce

Greens supplements:

Pineapple Mango

Peach Flavour


[7:45] 3. Be in Nature/Outside

As the weather warms up I feel more inclined to get outside and enjoy the season. That’s not to say we haven’t made time outside in the summer, but I personally prefer the warmer weather. The last few weeks it’s actually been quite beautiful where we live and we’ve been making the most of the sunshine! 

You already know that there are heaps of benefits to being outside and out in nature. I can tell you right now that just from being outside more in the last couple weeks I’ve noticed a huge change in my mood, my weekly screen time report shows a significant decrease in the hours I’ve been spending on my phone or computer, and I’ve also been sleeping a lot better. Plus being outside is a great opportunity for us to PLAY! Which is the next healthy habit for spring...

[8:48] 4. Play

Run through the flowers, jump in the puddles, colour the sidewalks with chalk - we actually did this recently and it was a lot of fun! Play is really a habit I advocate for all year round, and honestly it’s so good for your mind, body and soul! Here are some of the benefits of play:

(Source)

  • Keeps you feeling young and energetic

  • Relieves stress

  • Helps improve your relationship and connection to others

  • Develops and improves your social skills - at every age

  • Stimulates the mind and boosts creativity

  • Can also support healing emotional wounds

  • Improves brain function

[10:00] 5. Sweat Out Toxins

You’re getting outside more, you’re playing more, why not take things up a notch and SWEAT more too! Our sweat glands help our skin filter out toxins from the body. This has many benefits including boosting our immune system, regulating our body temperature, and eliminating toxins. Plus what’s a great way to start sweating? By moving your body!

[10:56] 6. Love Your Skin

There are a few ways we can love our skin, and this is the sixth healthy habit for spring! One of my most favourite habits is Dry Skin Brushing.

To do this you will need a natural bristle brush, I prefer one with a long handle so that I can reach behind by back easier.

Handle free one that is perfect for travelling.

When dry skin brushing you want to use the natural bristles to gently, and firmly brush the skin in long strokes toward the heart, going over each area 7-10 times. Start at the soles of the feet and work your way up. At the belly, brush in a clockwise motion, and avoid the face. Do this before showering. 

Following your shower, love your skin by moisturizing your body and face with your favourite skincare products. I love doTERRA’s Verage Skincare Collection and their Moisturizing Body Mist

[13:54] 7. Breathe the Fresh Spring Air

Since you’re spending more time outside, why not take a few extra breaths of that fresh spring air. Can we all agree that breathing deep, full breaths of fresh air is very beneficial for our health, wellness, and immune system. Let’s take a deep breath together right now. First, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. When you’re exhaling push out ALL the air you possibly can until there is no more left. Then take a bigger, fuller breath in through the nose, and fully release through the mouth.

[15:20] 8. Mindful Reset /Slow Down

Spring is a great time for detoxing from slow winters, but it’s also a great time to reset and refresh! Get in the habit of taking a mindful moment to enjoy deep breaths, reset your energy and slow down; take some time to stop and smell the flowers!

Season change and so do our own moods, cycles, and activities. It’s important to be mindful through changes and work through the flow - for some it will be easier than for others.

[16:50] 9. Practice Gratitude

A great way to slow down and really enjoy life is to practice gratitude.

E69: What 365 Days of Gratitude Taught Me

[19:08] 10. Better Quality Sleep

E117: Evening Transitions for Better Sleep

[20:55] 11. Spring Cleaning

Home, relationships, negative thoughts/limiting beliefs

  • Declutter

  • Deep clean your fridge

  • Donate unworn clothes/home items


[22:27] 12. Gardening & Planting Seeds

Plant seedlings, get a house plant, connect with nature!

So maybe you don’t have the green thumb, no problem! Plant a different kind of seed: “plant” intentions. Remember there is lots of renewal energy in spring, lots of excitement to stat new projects

 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E122: Supporting Our Health Through Art and Cycles with Milica Dodic
 
 

E122: Supporting Our Health Through Art and Cycles with Milica Dodic

Join me in welcoming Milica Dodic to the show, and lean in as we chat about the ongoing healing and support of our mental, emotional, and physical health through syncing with cycles and creating through art…


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[1:06] Valerie Lavigne: You're listening to another special episode of the women's empowerment podcast today, I get to introduce you to Milica, she's the owner of rhymes with pizza, where she creates hand painted custom nails.


Her career includes working in the film and television industry in business affairs festival programming and recruitment, with over 15 years of practice and experience with nail art, Milica has expanded her business in May 2020 to offer press on nails and educating others on proper nail care when she's not working or thinking about nails, Milica loves playing with her puppy watching TV shows and movies, and advocating for mental health.


It's so great to have you on the show today Mili we have always had a good time on Instagram, and I just love how that we share like memes and playlists and hilarious reels all about like the 90s in the early 2000s and makes me, like it makes my day I laugh so hard at all of them.


Milica Dodic: It's so funny because I just said to someone this morning that I love how people know to send me nostalgic stuff, and it just brightens up my day. I'm like, oh so I'm this person now like I'm obsessed with the 90s and 2000s and just, can you just please take me back to that time.


VL: It's such a fun like kind of little extra piece of you that we get to see on your Instagram page I love like the quizzes that you do and the stories I think they're so fun I'm like, Yes, I remember all these TV shows. Oh my gosh, I use that oh blow up backpack and like a blow of chair and, oh my gosh, just like days and days and days I just love that, and I love, I love those.


MD: I love unlocking people's memories, good ones though.


VL: Oh my gosh, you know what there was one playlist where I was like, This is triggering me, I'm not ready to listen to. Yeah, thanks. 2009 or 10 right now. But since I've known you and started following you online. I think it's been like almost 10 months I want to say, but I've really had this awesome opportunity to watch you launch and grow your company and your new press on nails which are amazing. So it's been an absolute pleasure and an inspiration just to see your creativity and your passions like really shine in the work that you do. It's incredible.


[3:32] MD: Yeah, it's, it was something that I actually kind of started doing a walk like a long time ago, probably about well, long, about five or six years ago that I was thinking of doing press on nails and then it just sort of fell to the side, and then I found that with the pandemic. I had to make some sort of switch because I wasn't, I didn't want to have people coming into my home which also doubles as my studio, and my workspace. And then I have a few friends who weren't being compromised. So I wanted to be able to offer something that, you know, still like makes people happy I guess like through.

It's basically just wearable art. That's how I view nail nail art in general. And it's just very specific stuff so I generally don't offer just like a single color it's always hand painted miniature pieces of artwork.

And, yeah, it was, it. I saw a bunch of other nailers that I follow that kind of started doing that and offering nails or press on nails. And, yeah, I just thought, why not try it.


VL: Oh, you're doing an awesome job you are a very talented artist and just like you said they're very unique and miniature canvases that's how I like to look at it too, but you are also an advocate for mental health, could you tell us more about your journey and your experience with this.


MD: Yeah. I think I even infused that in any of the work that I do, even with the press on nails. When I first started doing them it was important for me to sort of try and give back in some way and incorporate the things that I believe in so that's where like the designs for charity came in, And one of the first ones that I did was for mental health because it was for October's mental health awareness.

You know like nails have always been a way of creative expression for me, it's just sort of like, it became more of this outlet, where, where I'm able to just like you know even like express my mental state. A lot of the time people are able to tell if I'm not feeling well. When I'm not posting anything about nails, or if it's been like a while there have been times in the past where like, I wouldn't post anything for like two weeks or something.

There would be like two weeks where I'm not posting anything and you know I'll make a post and someone will be like, oh is wondering what happened like are you okay.

So, yeah, um, my journey with mental wellness is, or mental illness rather is quite a long one and an ongoing one. I suffered from a pretty bad nervous breakdown back in 2016.

And that was, it was like super difficult for me to navigate.

And because I went into a state of self isolation for probably about eight months. I didn't have a job at the time, or I did have a job but it was just so part time and fortunately they understood what was happening so it was able to work from home for a time, and then that contract was done so.

So I was stuck in such a state of like really deep depression and not knowing what I was going to do with my life and not really even knowing who I was, that, you know, the only thing that that gave me any comfort was nailart I was like the one thing that was pretty consistent in my life. Other than like watching HGTV and hallmark movies and other comfort shows. And, Yeah, it was, it was kind of like it was just really difficult trying to navigate that whole field of mental health and especially as someone that is an immigrant.

*Molly Barks*


[7:50] VL: No problem. We love it it's just an extra sound effects she's our other special guests.


MD: She has a lot to say


VL: Yeah, it sounds like it I'll have to have her on her own episode.


MD: Um, I think, you know, like as an immigrant, that's something that is such a difficult conversation to have with your family like it's not something that we ever really talked about, you know, growing up, I've probably had anxiety for a big portion of my life.

And it was just something that was not recognized So because of that, you just sort of like hide it or you push it aside and think that it's like oh I'm just being dramatic because that's what I was told.

So I partially had to try and navigate the system on my own because I didn't have conversations with friends about it. But it wasn't until I started going through some through, through it, that I started being more vulnerable and opening up the conversation with other people that they started coming to me for advice, and even just wanting to like share their experience and their story of dealing with mental illness.


[9:06] VL: And I think that's so important in. In those times already do feel very sad or anxious, or are alone, because it I find it is very isolating to feel those ways and you don't always know how to, how to manage it or how to cope or how to process those things so to be able to have friendships and support groups like that is so powerful. You shared a couple little things that really helped you, when you were struggling with, with your mental health. If someone came to you today, right now like if I told you right now that I was really struggling with my mental health, what would be your advice or what would, how would you support your friend.


MD: Um, I think, listening to what their experience is obviously so important. It's not so much about like asking questions I think that that's something that is so that the job of a therapist or a trained professional.

You know, things that are, that come from a place of empathy, I think that was one big thing that I had to learn is the difference between sympathy and empathy and it's just such an ongoing practice to try not to, like, flip it on its head and be like, well, at least, you know, blah blah blah.

I think my biggest thing is just really trying to see sit in that space as hard as it is something that my therapist told me at the beginning when I started therapy, about four years ago.

She, she would constantly say like just sit with your feelings and I'm like, but I am doing it and it's not working and she's like, After several weeks ago saying that she was like, literally sit there with your feelings do not watch TV while you're doing it don't read a book don't listen to music nothing just be there in silence and just like feel things.

So I started doing that and I was like, Oh my gosh, this is what she meant by sit with your feelings and sometimes it's not even sitting for me the thing that helps me a lot of the time is just laying on the ground, though something another friend told me is like, if you just lay down on like a cold ground like your kitchen floor, whatever, just the contrast of that, the cold against your body kind of gives you like a, like a physical cue to sort of snap out of it, I guess.

And it just allows gives me the space to, like, think because the only thing of staring at is the ceiling.

And then the other thing that helps me to was just really researching the different stuff, you know like I didn't really understand what anxiety or depression was, I just kind of knew what the surface definition of it was.

And, you know, like, No, I just believe that knowledge is power, and being able to know like what resources are available to you. And that's something that I say to people all the time, don't, don't let the, the financial aspect be be a deterrent for you. I know that a lot of therapy is not necessarily affordable but there are different resources available, where it is more accessible I think especially with the pandemic there has been a bigger.

What's the word. There's been a bigger focus on mental health and I think a lot of organizations and places of practice have realized, you know, we need to be able to offer services for a lower price or even for free.


[12:52] VL: Those are really helpful I find like what you said about laying on the floor of your kitchen floor, it’s very grounding even if you can’t get outside in the grass if you can't get there, that cold feeling and even the, the firmness of a kitchen floor typically is something that really brings you into the present moment. So, what you were saying by like, oh sitting with your feelings but not watching TV and not being on your phone and not just like talking to your dog actually sitting and being with your feelings can be really difficult to do, and as that's as you start to recognize or acknowledge the feelings or bring awareness to the feelings that are coming up. We automatically seem to want to work. We seem to want to distract ourselves from processing it from dealing with it, or from just even recognizing it so for you, what would you say if someone was like, I'm having a really hard time. Like I feel the feelings, and then I just kind of ignore them or push them back away I'm having a really hard time processing, which you say or do?


MD: I think that's, it's so difficult for me to give advice on like one tip because everybody's so individual I don't know what type of, you know, stuff, you know background, they come with or whatever. I think for me.

What helped me was, was knowing that like, you know, progress isn't linear, I might, you know, the more I practice something that better I will generally get with get get get at it.

And it's the same with like practicing sitting with your feelings, I might feel like crap one day.

And then I won't be able to you know like sit with my feelings that day because I'm just so deep in it.

It's just kind of giving myself that grace and compassion and allowing the space for things to flow essentially. I think when, when I was able to alleviate some of that pressure for myself of being like, I just need to do better like how do I learn to sit with my feelings that once that pressure was gone. That's when I was like, Okay, today I'm having an off day like I might actually just want to like, you know, I can't deal with my feelings today, I'm just gonna watch a movie. Right. And then the next day, I might have a little bit more strength or energy to actually devote time to mindfulness and being able to sit there and process things, you know in a healthier way.

I think it's even like you made a post today that was, that was basically about the like compassion piece and you know that like, you don't have to always be improving yourself or doing better and stuff, you know like, give yourself that grace period.


[15:59] VL: Yeah that's true I did post about that today, It’s an ongoing journey, or mental health is not something that okay we fixed it and now it's good to go. It's something that we're constantly working toward or nurturing maybe instead of always trying to improve improve improve. I mean there's definitely some power and positivity but I feel like the real work, and the real power comes when you can forgive yourself and when you can say like it's okay to not feel amazing every single day it's okay to not feel super happy in this moment, like, we're human beings we have emotions these emotions come and go and they go up and they go down and they go around and all of these different things. But you know that I post about and I share a lot of content about practices and habits and kind of like daily rituals and things are there any rituals or routines that you like to implement into your lifestyle maybe more frequently than not, that support your mental health.


MD: So I go to a naturopath, and that helps both in my mental like with my mental illness, and then also in like hormonal imbalance and whatever other physical issues that may be having.

And I think that that has really helped me in like keeping on track with like getting to know my body better.

That's one practice that I've implemented in like, you know, if one day, I feel like eating pizza, it's okay for me to eat pizza.

But then, you know, there are certain certain repercussions to that so just having a bit of that balance, you know like, I don't necessarily have any like daily rituals I'm kind of like bad at keeping up with the consistency of things sometimes but I think the one thing that is more consistent is like, allowing myself, the compassion to just listen to what my body needs at that particular time.

Whether it's like, you know, mindfully checking in at any point of the day, I don't necessarily start my mornings being like, Okay, what do I need right now. It's just, you know, I might start my mornings off.

You know, really frantic because the dog for example will wake me up at 630 in the morning with her crying, and that doesn't start me off on you know on a good foot in the mornings, but throughout the day I'll try and implement even like points of relaxation I find that like play for example is something that is so important to me. You know today, for example, I'm. I'm so, like, in this in my luteal phase of my cycle and I know that I get a little bit more pad top. The PMS is like a lot worse. So just being aware of what part of my cycle I'm in and kind of trying to work with that instead of against it's so important to me.

And just recognizing that like today for example I won't be able to do a lot of work so instead I might just like, watch TV, and do some painting, and then the painting something that is just a hobby.

And that's another thing that are in any of, like, my wellness practices, it's so important to have some sort of hobby that you aren't looking to make like financial gain from.


[19:44] VL: Yeah, you've made a lot of really valid and really important points, and I think that I mean if we go backwards so having a hobby that doesn't that you're not monetizing, I think is really important, and especially for myself because I'm always kind of like I really love what I do, I love my business, and there are parts of my business that make a little bit more money than others and even though. Like, like content creation for example with my Instagram. I really like making content creation, I don't get paid for every post that I do. But technically that's for work, but part of me makes the excuse of it, like, well, it's fun, and it is really fun. And I like the photography part of that I like the creativity piece to it but maybe.

So you're inspiring me to maybe just do like, or photography and less of it having to be okay this is for something, it can just be for pleasure can be for play.

Also I love that you are following your cycle, this is something that I'm also practicing more and more and specifically with like work and when I do my interviews and also when I'm doing more like intuitive, intuitive creation and not always doing, I think there's such a stigma around having to always be productive and giving yourself permission to say, well, like and check in and say how am I feeling, even if it's not every day at the same time or however, to at least give yourself that time, and that that compassion to say, Okay, well, you know what, this, this part of my cycle is where I take a break, as part of my cycle is where I push a little harder, and for women who aren't doing that yet. I think that's something that has been really game changing for me, and I find, I'm more productive when I follow the flow of my body, because I just like you're, it's like you're working with yourself and you find this like incredible life source energy within you that just, I don't know I just like I can take on the whole world sometimes even when I'm in that. Lower hormonal phase in my cycle. It's like my meditations are marked with it, and I have so many incredible and like expansive ideas for the show and for my Instagram and like how I want to serve in my workshops and all these different things so it's pretty incredible that you're doing it. Do you have you been doing it for a little while.


MD: Um, it's something that has sort of come up in conversation over the last, I would probably say like two or three months, just organically and it wasn't actually until a couple days ago that I looked into it and realized that there is a term for this it just hasn't been like medically researched as much as.

Oh my gosh, cycle thinking.

It's, it's something that like a couple friends have mentioned to me before but not like explicitly in those in that term.

So now I'm looking at like buying a couple books about it because I want to know more about it. I think even my naturopath has like sort of talked about it but hasn't been like listen let's like attack it from this. From this view.

And it's something that is just making me feel so much more empowered, instead of seeing seeing it as like, Oh, I feel like crap, this many days of the month, and I can't do anything like why am I not being productive and instead seeing it as like, this is just the state of my cycle where, as you said, like maybe I can be more creative instead of attacking things from very high energy point, you know it's it's it's working with your body rather than against it and I think that there's so much power to that and yeah it's it's exciting being able to know that there's this like whole other thing that I haven't never heard about really. It also kind of brings me back to my days of like, academia and learning about you know the luteal and follicular phase of your cycle, but like not really knowing what the heck that even means.

So now, you know like, it sucks that I'm 30, and I'm only now finding out about it. I wish that I knew about this when I was like a teenager.

So, I find that, like, the more women I'm able to talk to about this, there's just such a, for lack of a better word like a sisterhood around it right and i think that that feels so empowering to me.


[24:35] VL: Yeah, and it goes back to what you said about having that supportive community, and it's not just for mental health is for our social health and our emotional health and our physical health event. And it's cool to see how everything's really connected when you're doing cycles thinking, you will start to recognize if you haven't already that these different cycles that we go through, are very closely related to the seasons that everyone goes through every year.

So if the way that I think of it is like okay every month, I go through a year of seasons, or I go through four seasons and then working with those seasons like thinking about how in wintertime. We are a little bit more hibernating that summer probably like Netflix and chillin, and just taking it easy. And then as spring starts to come.

We're feeling a little bit more inspired and we're starting to do more things because like think about like the flowers that are or like the seeds that we planted, or are starting to plant are now coming into that blossoming time and same with summer like, that's when we're, we're harvesting all of our crops and all the flowers are like totally in bloom and we're. That's when we're like, really excited and we can do our interviews and we can just really show up and be these like really vibrant cells, and then it cycles back into fall, where things start to slow down a little bit, but it's not about like the, you know, like the dying trees are like the hibernating trees, it's more like, okay, each of the leaves are falling down this is where we're like wrapping up or wrapping up all the things that we've been doing so that we can prepare for our hibernation and I think that's such a fun and cool way to to explore and learn more about your body so I'm so excited that you're on this journey. I don't have any resources that come to my mind. Do you have any books or resources that you are looking into getting about this?

[26:27] MD: Yeah, the woman who coined the terms Cycle Syncing is named Alyssa Vitti and she wrote, WomenCode, and then she also has another book I forget the name of it. I think she's a nutritionist that's based in New York or something and basically all her work is around us and just trying to empower women to really get to know their bodies better, you know, like cycles thinking through, even incorporating things in your lifestyle and nutrition based stuff, like what things you should or shouldn't eat. According to the part of your cycle you're in.

And, yeah, I'm looking at getting the audio book for that and then probably just like the regular book for her second piece that she wrote because I think it also comes with like a bunch of recipes and stuff and I love cooking, most of the time.

So, yeah, it's kind of like this like cool new thing that I am starting to discover and it feels really fun, like you said, and it just feels like there's just so much hope behind it I think in a lot of ways in the past, especially when you're talking to doctors and stuff and this goes hand in hand with like mental illness too is that it will be really dismissive or they'll just sort of use these like three blanket terms or, you know like, general practice, things that might not actually work for your body so at the beginning of my whole mental wellness journey. I was.

I was supposed to go on an antidepressant, and I was like, This doesn't feel right for my body and I ended up listening to my body and not to the psychiatrist. So wasn't very good at her practice.

And I ended up going to a naturopath, and that has helped me so much more because we actually sit down time.

And it's not a thing where, you know, I had to have a lot of antidepressants, so I think being able to take a more holistic lifestyle is.


VL: Because we’re still on the topic of mental health resources topic, what resources would you recommend?


MD: So there's, there are a few resources about this woman specific to Toronto and Ontario for affordable therapy. I think it's affordable therapy network.com or something like that. And it's just a list of a bunch of different therapists and social workers and counselors that offer affordable rate therapies both for couples and individuals.

And that's how I found my current therapist and she's really great.

What else is there, I have also a link to a document that a friend of mine and I have combined some resources as well for not just actual like therapy but just different like links to learning a little bit more about mental health. So I can share that as well.


VL: That would be amazing. All this has been a really interesting conversation I feel like we dabbled in a little bit of everything in terms of like mindset, mental health, emotional health and also some of our physical health too. I think this is going to be really helpful for people listening. So let us know where we can find you follow you and how we can support your business?


MD:

IG | @rhymes_with_pizza

Website | www.ryhmeswithpizza.com Press on nails available on this site! And then I also take custom orders as well. Prices are, there's a large range of them. So everything is custom made, and every piece is unique because it's hand painted. And then I also offer some nail care stuff so there's cuticle oils and they're all natural.

There's three different types currently I'm probably going to be adding a couple more. And that's a little bit more affordable and it's also for people that don't necessarily want to get press on nails.


VL: Yeah, I was telling the Milica before the recording that because of how much I work in like the fitness industry and how much I use my hands I feel like I'm constantly chipping my nails and I never, I don't remember the last time I painted my nails I'm going to be honest with you, but I do like I do feel like there is a part of me that has these beautiful press on nails that you have but I just learned my, I just learned my nail care from you and I feel like I learned how I would want my nails to look, if I paint.


MD: It's also inspiration for outside of just nail stuff like if you're into drawing, painting, I love talking about just like creativity and that whole journey too so I think anybody can be creative. It's honestly like if you haven't already checked out her Instagram page you would need to, because I still don't understand how you make those detailed drawings or detailed like, how do you do that with nail polish I really don't know. Every time I'm like this is amazing.


VL: It’s so impressive! I can't even sit still just to like paint one nail one color, and I find like I always it's always like, how good is it, how does it look like I pushed my fingernail into the couch after I painted it.


VL: What are you currently reading, or what is your favourite book?


MD: I haven't been reading as much I just found that like reading is really difficult for me to keep consistent with it so the way that I try and get back into that habit is reading youth graphic novels.

I recently read one. Oh my gosh, the name escapes me, But it was just this like adventure graphic novel and it's super fun and, yeah, there's always a beginning, middle and end, and things are always, there's always a resolution.


VL: What do you love most about being a woman?


MD: Oh my gosh, so many things. I think like femininity is so powerful to me like being able to be able delicate and assertive.

Feels so powerful to me I think that there's, you know, there's like, just so many different almost like characteristics that you can take on as a woman, and I love that.


VL: What does “empowerment” mean to you?


MD: I almost look look at empowerment is like being able to share that with other people. I don't necessarily feel empowered all the time myself but if I'm able to share that with somebody else and make them feel confident about what they're doing and who they are, then, then I almost feed off of that.


VL: What are you currently working toward?


MD: Oh gosh. Um, what am I working toward. I think just having a better patience, practice with myself. I think that that kind of goes hand in hand with the whole play thing and why I'm trying to incorporate more hobbies and just like quiet time because it gets me into a better flow state and then I'm able to get back to work and like create things a little bit better. It also like goes with that whole cycle sinking thing and that, that just makes me super excited.


 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

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Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E121: How to Ask Powerful Yes or No Questions to Connect You to Your Intuition
 
 

E121: How to Ask Powerful Yes or No Questions to Connect You to Your intuition

Today’s episode guest AND sponsor is going to BLOW YOUR MIND! Learn all the best questions to ask yourself so that you can connect to your intuition….


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[1:17] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to the women's empowerment Podcast. I am so excited to introduce you to Tara McCrory Tara is a clarity coach and certified energy practitioner, she empowers the ready and willing to connect the dots to their own life and align to their intuition, so they may understand what it's like to live with true clarity and flow Tara's uniqueness lies in her use of the Akashic records. Human Design intuitive guidance and energy work to completely release blocks, limiting beliefs hindering patterns, and the non beneficial energies holding our clients back her ability to see true gently expose the shadows indicate to in a way that is easy to understand and highly resonant is one of her greatest gifts. Tara believes in the power of powerful questions, a beginner's mindset, and that everyone can receive the clarity they so rightfully deserve and are worthy of, they just have to ask.

Whoa, I get like these affirmation goosebumps when I read that, because I feel like what what's next like when I meet Tara and when I talk to Tara like what are we going to discover. Do you get that a lot? 


Tara McCrory: I definitely get all the time well how did you know this? And the short answer is, I don't know how I knew to ask that. I just knew to ask it, and I just let it come to me and so when I talk about beginner's mindset and when I say the power of questions What I mean is the power of asking yourself, simplified question. I always tell people, okay this is simple it's yes or no.


Yes or No. Are you grounded. Are you 100% grounded and people can accept the response as their own versus.


Why should they accept the response as their guidance as their clarity, versus. I don't know, am I grounded, I'm like, it's a yes or no question, you're going to get a yes or you're going to get a no and it really helps people, myself included, move through that aspect of like, Is this my intuition is it's not my intuition, am I overthinking it because as soon as I ask someone a question and it's a yes or no question and they start to go.


Well maybe I'm like that's not your guidance, that's you trying to formulate a response so yeah part of it is understanding the next step and what to ask ourselves in that clarity and part of it is just like being in receptive mode of okay rapidfire yes or no, is this is this true for me, that's a big one that I keep asking people right now. Is this true for you, yes or no is this 100% true for you. Yes or no. I'm talking about discernment is this 100% true for you, yes or no. So, yeah, you just you just have to ask, is really a stumbling block for a lot of people, myself included.



[4:51] VL: Yeah, you're saying this and I'm thinking, Okay, big, big nods and nodding along are definitely in agreeance with this, I feel this. I'm definitely one of those people who I find that I'm trying to think of a logical way, or I'll ask the question and then answer it like okay, if yes, this is what's going to happen if nope this is what's going to happen. And I tried to kind of formulate the answer this way, but I'm also someone who who I really want to tap into that intuition more and I encourage people to do the same. So maybe we'll start with how we can ask those powerful questions like how. where do we start with all of that. If we're just like so much in our heads and trying to figure things out.



TM: That's such a good question, and my, I do this every single day so what I'm going to share with you guys today are things that I do for myself every single day.

Here's the thing, I start by learning how to muscle, which is what empowered me to dive down the route of yes or no question. I use a pendulum, all the time, a pendulum simply is.


You can have an F plus on a string button on a string. Basically I use it as a calibration or a antenna to, to read my energy. But when you don't know where to start this is what I suggest to people is that take five or six deep breaths.


Write down everything you can possibly imagine. Just do a humongous brain dump in bullet point form on a piece of paper. And then what I tell people is to number it, and to take a couple deep breaths and ask for the number so just say you have one through 10.


Great. Take a deep breath. What number do you want me to focus on this is what I say is I'm always like Okay guys, what number do you want me to focus on six. Okay cool six. Then I go to look at six, and I say, actually so six on my list is guided by guides, I mean, ebooks and stuff because people have been asking a lot of questions so we'll use this as a perfect example. Number six, they want to talk to me about number six guides. Okay, we'll actually use the whole terminology of your spirit guides grayed out. So, yes or no. Do you want me to assign you a name.


Because I will tell you it's actually a lot easier to connect to your intuition. If you assign or talk to your guides, as if they're like, Hey Val Hey Tara. So are you okay with me assigning a name to yes or no. Yes. Cool.


Allow the name to come to you. If they're like, no. Awesome, what's the next step. Do you want to give me your name that, yes. Cool.

What's the next step, I would actually write down the alphabet, in a little kind of crazy chart, and I would start to figure out what their name is or I would just say, hey, awesome. Next slide. Can you give me your name. Ash, I'm getting ash. Okay, so maybe one of youse guyses ash. Cool.

That's how I use yes or no questions on an everyday basis, you have a long to do list. Put your to do list down brain dump it out the numbers. Where do you want me to start yes or no is that 100% Yes, I will also give you that as a hot tip. Always ask if it's 100%. Because value or like, if this is a yes then this happens and you're creating this crazy decision tree, and it actually will simplify once you say, I'm looking for what is 100%. Yes, because technically speaking, we know that yes this 51%. In all honesty 51% is not a good enough, yes for me I don't want to be actioning guidance from my intuition if it's like a. Maybe there's 51% I want guidance on 100% I want to action and move forward with 100% clarity so I always ask, Is this 100% Yeah.


[9:08] VL: Whoa, I just we just had an episode called mastering your to do list and I'm like scrap it. We need to re-record it!

Episode 115: Master Your To Do List


Would you do like an intuitive intuitive mastering your to do list bonus episode, I love that that is really cool I cannot wait to try this because I do often have a very long to do list but I also. So I know you work with human designs I'm a manifesting generator, and what I'm wondering about that is that I need to be in touch with my sacral and to respond right so it's cool because I'm learning that the yes or no questions are actually really important to someone like me, when we need to respond. We just need to know yes or no. This or that to count complications. 


TM: 100%, it's so interesting because in humans that I'm a projector I do not have a sacral response.

But what I will say is because the majority that I have met and worked with are either projectors because they want to learn how to live in their projector or our generators and manifesting generators as a large part of the population. Yes guys operate through yes or no questions already, and then the rest of us can in fact train ourselves to operate through yes and no question. So, by that I mean, I don't have the secret response I really don't have a gut response and that's actually what led me partially down this journey is that when people like me have this gut feeling and I'm like, something that's wrong with me because I don't have this. I don't know what you're talking about like I don't have this gut feeling.


But as time went on and I asked myself okay. I don't have a gut feeling show me what a yes feels like in my body and what it feels like in my body. Those became really big game changers for me. I yes actually feels like my ears are popping a no actually feel like I guess this kind of like wildly uncomfortable but hit at the top of my throat. So, I now no yes I know what that feels like. Or, I started by body swinging that's another way of muscle testing, I could use a visual yes or no. In terms of my pendulum so I started to train myself to find my yeses and noes, and then once I started doing that and I became really curious with the question.


I like the word you use over complicating it and then now simplifying it so the yeses and noes totally simplify things. It's, it's a way to tap into your guides into your intuition access your own Akashic reference for example I use that all the time to just gain the clarity that you need when I say that I'm clarity coaching I'm literally guiding you to okay here's, here's five other questions you may not have thought about asking yourself why don't you try these. And people are like, Whoa, I didn't think of asking that. So, it is we have this tendency through our mind, our logical mind to want to overcomplicate things. But when we bring it back down to simplifications and yes or no questions.


It's, it's game changing so I'm super happy that you are a manifesting generator and a compare your yeses and noes, and be as a manifesting generator you're supposed to be doing a lot of things at once, like that's part of your like your multitasking extraordinare so when you have your massive to do list, and you can ask Okay, this and this, or this, you know, you may actually get to em for Okay cool. So you can maybe listen to a podcast and be. I don't know, creating whatever spreadsheet or cleaning, for example, but it gives you guidance on how you're going to operate that.



[13:20] VL: Yeah, I really, I really liked what you said about, even if you don't have that gut feeling that you can ask yourself What does a yes or no feel like in your body, and this is something that I've taught before and I call it my IGA s or like my intuitive guidance system. And, and it's just that's it's simply asking the question What does yes feel like, What does no feel like and that actually changed so much within me because this was way before I even knew anything about human design this was way before I was like, focusing on my sacral and it was very much a gut feeling but also a heart space feeling for me too. It felt like the know was like a very constricted like kind of like it was holding me back like whoa, and then the yes was more open I almost set up a little taller. So that was my experience with that.

And yes, I'm definitely a multitasker. So I resonate a lot with with that Human Design profile. You did mention Akashic records and. But I before I, before we just get into that I did have one more question with as a clarity coach Do you find that when you start to encourage people to ask more questions, do you find people are getting overwhelmed with all of the questions they're asking like, I know you said like one to 10 in your to do list and then you write down like abcdefg for figuring out what your guides name is can we get too overwhelmed and can we get like too deep into it, and if yes then how do we pull ourselves back?



TM: Yeah, that's a good question. Absolutely. I think you can get too deep into it. Because we start to let me say acknowledge how fun it is all of a sudden, get into things.


And I'll have people reach out to me and be like, okay, so I know my guy. And now we want to know what their purpose is, I'm like, Okay, cool. So go back to the basic principles of like, write down every single topic you can think of, and then. Now, typically speaking, the people that are coming to me in terms of where they're at and where they want clarity is on a very specific topic and what I like to tell people is, it's the concept of chunking up like go as high as you can, with the vision and as sort of Up in the sky as you can and then ask questions there and go down and go down and go down you can drill, it's drilling down so what most people in fact have difficulty in is getting to the most chunked up place. So if I can help you get to the most chunked up place, then you can begin to start to drill down on your own. Now, I also believe, obviously, and a couple of things that are going to help people understand the whole concept and really understand how their inner guidance system, like you say is speaking to them and one of those ways is obviously through powerful yes or no question.


And through powerful yes or no questions, I first of all always lead my clients to Are you energetically software is all of the energy that you're carrying when you're feeling frustrated and overwhelmed and all of these other things, is it in fact yours, or are you carrying it.


For others, for the collective, did you pick it up, because you walked into a room that was really good, and all of a sudden.

One of my favorite terms is, I'm an empath I get that all the time for people I'm an empath and I'm like, I love that you're an empath. And to that I am going to say, I really would love for you to be an empath in recovery and just be a super compassionate person. Meaning, you don't need to take it on you understand that you're not here to take it on, you don't in fact take it on. But you meet people where they are, you can show them empathy and compassion, but you also understand that their vibe is their vibe, and you In fact, do not need to be the sponge. So it is through that that I think really helps people and then it also helps them from going down the rabbit hole because we go down the rabbit hole and we're super overwhelmed we're taking on all of these other energies because these energies.


They think like us they act like us they make us think that we are one when in fact, we're not as yours over there and I'm just going to return to sender with love. And then I'm going to go and I'm going to go on ask myself, my own questions so you can you absolutely can. And the first thing I would tell people is like, you know, check your energy isn't 100% yours. If you get a no go back to basics. Take your energy, your own and Daniel have a totally different experience.



[18:22] VL: Yeah, I, I know a lot of people who identify as empaths and I too can be very empathetic, but I find that it's been years of creating these energetic boundaries and really be able to being able to hold space because I think my, my, my journey of service and helping people really started when I became a yoga teacher, and I was noticing that people were, you know, you're coming to come to yoga with baggage sometimes I get it, that was part of my practice too It was like okay let it go on your mat, but as a teacher and being surrounded by so many people bringing their stuff into class, you really have to say like, this is mine. And this is yours. And I'm holding the space for you, but I'm not taking this on for you. And it's like, I also work with essential oils and I tell people like this oil is not going to save you, or cure your whatever's going on, it's going to support you in healing and processing, this so that I really liked that you said, you know, now you're going to, you're going to become this compact very compassionate person without having to, to feel and take on those things.



[19:46] TM: Yeah, that's huge. For a lot of empathetic people. Yeah. and you said something that was really important there was your energy boundaries and it's something that I talk about all the time is energetic boundaries, I'm like okay so let's check your energetic boundaries and people are like, way. And the way I like to describe it to people is like hold on a surgeon would put on gloves, before surgery. That is for the surgeons protection and the patient's protection. Anyone in healthcare would do the same. They put on gloves, so why would you not put on your glove. For your own protection and their protection and then people kind of go, what and one of the things that I often work with people as I say okay so let's, let's see how many energetic boundaries, how many gloves, should you be wearing. So, in this case, I hope you don't mind, well I'm going to check how many boundaries, you should be wearing so Val should have 12 energy gloves and I'll explain a little bit about what that means. So if you think of each one as its own unique color white and red whatever when you have strong energetic boundaries you have white, you have red, you have blue, you have, but when they are pierced by taking on other people's energy or even social media for example or they become pink and that's when we become very overwhelmed. That's when we have a lot of other people's energy mixing in with us because there's there's holes in it, and it's it's a rainbow versus solid colors, so you should have 12, and you in fact do have as well.


Yeah, which is amazing. I love to give people tangible things like that like okay let's ask yourself for a number of years how we asked for a number, because when people can start to sort of assign numbers or gain. Simple numbers tangible, in my opinion, to energetic things that are completely unseen. It helps them connect those dots for themselves so energetic boundaries are so important. It helps you maintain your connection to solve, maintain your connection to your intuition, it helps you stay grounded and in your body, and it really helps you be in the most magnificent place of service. Because I can be an empath in service and then be completely fatigued and completely exhausted and not know what I'm doing, or I can be empathetic, compassionate in my place of service which is exactly where you know you're saying you're doing and when you when you started your journey as a yoga instructor lady, holding this space it's really hard to hold space. Response just like taking it all in from each other.



[22:52] VL: Yeah, I like that analogy of the gloves, and then I almost think about how when I leave certain spaces or classes or whatever, relationships, I almost, I like the idea of like taking off the glass, and just. Okay, that was good, you know, we don't need to do. We created that boundary that safety for both of us. And now we can move forward. Yes. Yeah. Oh good, I'm gonna use that. There's so many things to do today. So many things to try!

Okay, let's jump into Akashic records because you've mentioned it a couple times I mentioned it when I read your bio, what are Akashic Records? Loaded question!?



[23:41] TM: In the most simplest form, the Akashic records are a realm. And by realm. I mean, it's a energetic considered a library. The best analogy I have ever come up with and one that I say, often is consider Kashuk records. Google for the spiritual world. That is the best way to describe it.

And so, you know, obviously with Google, if you put into the Google bar, red car, you will get 3000 pages of images and information on red cars, but if you put into the Google spacebar and read Pre Owned Volkswagens 2015 to 2018, you will get a totally different response.


Similar to the Akashic Records. This is why I tell people break it down into powerful questions when you ask yourself powerful questions. You get powerful answers. Now, the catalog records is essentially where because it's an ever living library, spiritual RAM and Google were like your intuition is getting its guidance, its first versus feeding you. Your next step. So, although I have practiced really hard to access to records. What I say is like everybody's already accessing their records, through their intuition. You know, you are talking your intuition you're talking to your guys you're following your guidance, you're standing in the lobby. And when you're like hey, I want to go on the record, they're like, Sure, come on over the elevator lobby, and that's where you go and then you're like, hey, actually, I've been considering this business idea and I really want to know x y and z about it. Cool, let's take you to this massive crazy skyscraper floor where there's going to be all of these resources and all of these ideas for you and that's sort of how it works and that's why I tell people like I'm already in it it's a matter of intention it's a matter of asking different questions is, it's really a matter of, you need to broadening your perspective, a little bit. Sure. A lot of people come to me and they want to know. Half Life things. Great. There's a lot of information about past lives in the Akashic records.

One person actually asked me on the weekend. Well, I want to book an akashic records meeting for my business but why would I need that and I was like, Well, hold on a second. Think of it this way, your business holds and energy, your business.

And you are tied together energetically so if you're one book in the records. Your business is another book, we go in and we read the energies, between the two, we go and we ask, you know, perhaps you've had a past life or something. Um, trust me guys we all have things, but perhaps, perhaps you, what are the things that comes out a lot right now for me is that people have had taken vows or contracts and past lives to be healers. And although that is not a bad thing. When they took them originally they these 1000s of contracts have more energetically and are now hindering their experience as a healer versus, helping them Excel.


Poverty contracts of poverty for example vows of poverty we've all taken them at some point in our many incarnations many lives. And it's a matter of sometimes going in and finding the end, I like to call it the inception point like so the very first time you ever decided that it would be a good idea to say like that I don't need money for this, and then therefore, carry this kind of potential frequency of scarcity or lack or even not accepting money for your services kind of thing that is still to this day, affecting us, so I basically use it all the time to figure out what's in my highest and best. And when I'm guiding people to ask yes or no questions essentially I'm just guiding you to go in and through the records how to do that.

And I, I love it, like I do clearings through it I do activations through it all my manifestations, through it. It's the place where I personally feel most connected. And this is the place where I truly want everyone to feel that deep connection and, be it you call it to the Akashic records, or you call it to your higher self, or you call it to your ancestors. It's your preference that's your lens, that's okay. It's more so the concept of how do you get there to feel that deep connection to understand it and to most importantly, be able to action it with confidence.



[28:50] VL: I've never wanted to visit a library more! I'm like wow that sounds so fun this sounds like an adventure. You did mention asking powerful questions, can you give us some examples of what those powerful questions might be when we start to tap into or visit that Akashic Record library.


TM: So here's some basic powerful questions that people oftentimes are like, I will start people with asking if your souls 100% of your body. 


I know that sounds like a little bit of a strange question and people are like, what do you mean of course it's 100, like I'm breathing. And that comes out all the time. And I'm like, yeah but you know at the end of the day when we're dreaming, or we're sleeping or we're daydreaming. We're going to these other places, and having your soul 100% your body really helps you discern the messages that you get. The other thing that I asked. And I tell people ask is asking for 100% grounded, because we actually need to be 100% grounded to discern the messages they need to come through, hit the ground, come back up and they because essentially we're building a lexicon. We are, we are building our translation service with source with the records with our guide. And so if you're not grounded it's really hard to build that translation service.


So when I go into the record, simple questions that I get people that are powerful that I asked people to ask themselves are, are there any non beneficial energies in my space, or in my environment that need to be cleared, or dealt with.


Is there anything I can do to move the needle on whatever topic.


So those are the types of powerful questions. Another powerful question that I people underestimate is I will say to them, ask. Have you misinterpreted anything?


That's powerful. Perhaps your guides have been trying to get you to go left but you're just, I don't know you're just not maybe not understanding it and you keep going right.

Another thing I get them to ask is, have I missed any breadcrumbs? Because people often come in, they're like well I don't know the next step because, and they're they're in a tizzy and fury but we have to recognize that. Even me if I go into your record or my own records, I don't see this long winded drawn out path in front of me and being like, Oh my gosh, so golden. I might see two feet ahead, and I have the freewill choice to take those steps. I have to exercise my own discernment to take those steps, and then when I take a step forward. Boom. The next sort of yellow brick on the yellow brick road shows up and so powerful questions can start really simply by have I misinterpreted anything. I have I missed a breadcrumb. Am I misunderstanding anything. Is there anything that I'm missing. That is a huge one because sometimes we don't have all the information but we're trying to make this well rounded decision for ourselves. And it's like, actually hold on, you need to go and access, like, go work within this space, and we're gonna feed you a couple more ingredients in a few days. So, those are powerful questions that people under asked me on a regular basis.



[32:43] VL: Yeah, that's really interesting I don't think I've asked myself any of those questions before maybe the grounding one, which I was like no partner or no need to grab, like immediately put my feet on the floor.

But that is so interesting so when we're asking those powerful questions are, is that how we're accessing the Akashic Records is that where we do that.



TM: That's a good question. There's a lot of ways to access the Akashic records, and I'm just going to say that with everything I believe it's never one size fits all right so you may. Here's an example like I started taking a course, a day course, and then I read books by Linda Howe who's very proficient and like has profound access to the records and she has a pathway prayer. And so a lot of people will use the prayer I do believe that there is a lot of benefit in setting up a prayer intention. So the way I do it is I set an intention, I create a sacred container for myself, whoever I'm reading for. And so I have developed my own process. And this is why I tell people like you really have to try the tools and create. Consider the tools you know flour and sugar and salt and baking soda for cake and then you have to mix your own recipe that works best for you.

And I tell people all the time like again you're already there, it's that intention of going deeper and asking yourself different questions that, and I wouldn't even say different questions, if you're already asking yourself these questions and then all of a sudden, you're like hey I want to go into records, my friend did this actually she's like I've been listening to you all the time to talk about the record so I just told my guys like I want to go on the record, and I asked myself the same three questions and she's like, but what I experienced was the energy felt different. The responses came through with clarity, my yeses and noes were like, more punchy. So that's what I mean by that I do teach people how to access it I do make sure people through the record, and I do it one on one, because of this reason because I want you to find your way to do it. I want you to a find your way to access and be puncher there. I'm here to help you build your lexicon and your translation service but we are two unique souls my translation service is not the same as your translation service so I'm here to guide you to say okay. All right, so here's a great example of one of my mentorship students was reading my records and said I see brownie. I'm like, cool, love brownies. But what does that mean, does that mean comfort food does that mean because brownies to me is like, I love baked goods. That would be totally self care for me so I have to exactly kind of prompt her to What does brownies mean for you, so that you can help me understand that and then when you get there and you build that lexicon so now she knows if she sees brownies. It's a form of just doing something for yourself it's like I am numbing and self care at the same time like cool. The fact that I always talked about recipes in the end she was like, Oh, it's a recipe we have to put these things together. Got it. So, yeah, that's really how I kind of try to explain it to people that you do have access. You get to practice it and you get to feel the difference, and then understand what comes next understand the translation something.



[36:52] VL: I'm really glad you mentioned that because I am a Reiki practitioner as well and I, a long time ago I was really into dream interpretation, and, you know, I had a few books where I would look up what the different meanings were but one of the practitioners that I was working with, she was really encouraging me to create my own legit. Like that's great that the books as, you know, and orange and an apple on a couch mean this but what does it mean to you and me you know now I don't even look at those those books and those glossaries for dream journals because I think about okay well how did I feel and what did that mean for me and you know because I have a friend who hates snakes, but I really like snakes, so when I see a snake in a dream or in a reading or in a meditation. I think of that as like a really powerful energetic strength, and she like runs for the hills, because you're like, no, that's dangerous, that's a that's a no mine's like okay yes follow this, so I'm really glad that you mentioned that in kind of, you know, using the tools that everyone has to make their own recipe, whether it's cookies or brownies or cakes or however it comes out for us it's still, it's still the finished product is still the baked good. So, yeah. And like throughout this whole conversation I just, I'm there like I'm in the CN Tower library and I'm eating this brownie and I just feel like you really bring it into this tangible practical way which is huge on the show people love listeners love that kind of thing. So, yeah, this has been, this has been really great. You've touched on it a little bit. However, I did want to ask why it's so important to or why the Akashic records are so important to us.



TM: They are the endless possibilities, they that's it the energetic library you may have heard it before it can be referenced as the book of life. It is honestly, so important because it's a place that holds all possibility. 

So, we're always searching for answers or possibilities and I love it when people say like the answer is within you. Yeah, it is. It really is. It is unlocking that it is unlocking that and so when you can unlock the door to that library.

And I mean hey I'm of the of the, the era when we had the Dewey Decimal System at the library so I know what it meant to go in elementary school and like to actually go through, you know all the little papers to find okay this book is. And when I do readings for people. I will say to them okay if I go quiet, it's actually because it's like a Dewey Decimal System in my head.


Stop there ask this question to bootstrap there ask the question. And so that's the power of the records, the power of the record is really getting you to unlock that place of inner knowing with confidence. Yes, there are some foundational principles to put in it around that but everyone can access it and when they do and they can, there is this deep level of discernment that all of a sudden shows up and you're like wow I can actually really sit here and say, This is true for me, this is my truth, this is, you know, I feel confident in the way these answers and guidance, and my inner GPS is working so it's like the coolest library. And essentially, everyone is always accessing it, they just don't really ever maybe know that that's your intuition.



[40:58] VL: That's really cool. I never thought of it that way either. But now that you've said, I feel like this was part This has been part of my meditation practice for a long time.


TM: Yes. No. That is a good point. It has been part of your meditation practice for a long time because when we're sitting there we're like, Where's this coming from. It's coming from that realm, it's, it's, it's an energetic faith. And, you know, when you get responses and meditation actually I tell people this all the time, people say to me, oh you know I can't meditate, I'm gonna fall on it be honest, I don't meditate that much anymore because I just feel that connection that I have through meditation in other aspects. When I'm super overwhelmed. I will get back into meditation. But I will tell people, hey, ask yourself a question before you go into meditation, and it is quite game changing because what you're doing is you're actually accessing yes the record you're actually accessing source in your guide.

But then you have guidance, because when people tell me oh yeah well I did the meditation and I'm like great what came through what. Well, there's like a little bit of that and, well, if you don't go in and ask a question and you get all of these basically puzzle pieces that you don't know how they go together. It's because of that.

Set your, that's what people say set your intention that's why you will say as a yoga instructor Okay Is that your intention. That's exactly what you have to do is that your intention. So it's the same in the record set your intention your intention is what, what are you curious so what do you want to know about what guidance, do you want to know about and what you don't get an answer for what I tell people is to go back and ask, is that you're not going to tell me right now, because sometimes we don't get an answer and then we get you be discouraged, huh.



[43:00] VL: Yeah. Okay, this is, this is very interesting, and I you know what it's something that I, I, again and again I will always repeat this set the intention for whatever it is the practice for your meditation for your business or. Yeah, literally anything that started with intention start your day with intention, that's what I do every single morning.


So something that I wanted to ask was, is there anything that hasn't been said today that maybe I don't, because I don't know so much about the Akashic Records maybe I haven't asked it. Is there anything else about this topic that you want to share?



TM: Oh, that's a good question. Honestly, we've shared so far I've shared so much about it. And for me, I just really want everyone to feel that place of love and peace and confidence that can come from accessing that part of you that reaches into the records is really what it is. So, yes, it's a realm and yes you can read all these kinds of things about it and you can read people say that you know you need to do this, this and this to get into it and you need to, like, I'm the number one person that would like. The fact of the matter is that there are no secrets, there are no number one, there are everybody can access it, get in game the information. It's really about finding the tools and techniques that work for you.

And to consistently practice this is this is a practice spiritual practice development skill that we get to develop and when you kind of devote some time to it. I will say it's probably the greatest act of self care and self love you can ever give to yourself because it's not deep assurance that you can lean on yourself.



[48:18] VL: Yeah, as you're, as you're describing it, I like I just keep feeling and seeing the words confidence, and clarity, and it's like a very deep rooted like self confidence and clarity and self and it's cool to be able to almost like you're, you're unlocking this space but you're also. You're also embodying this empowerment within you.

Well this has been a really fascinating conversation. This is so great, it's very different from some of the other guests we've had, and a lot of new tools and techniques that you've shared so I really appreciate you taking the time to to chat with me today. Thank you so much. I'm so happy that we connected and to be here. Absolutely. Me too. So I do have a final segment that I call the rapid fire round, but before we get into that, I wanted you to share, where we can follow you where we can find you and how we can support your business?


Tara McCrory

WEBSITE | https://www.tarabmccrory.com

INSTAGRAM | @tara_mccrory

Book a call HERE


[48:05] RAPID FIRE ROUND

What are you currently reading? OR Favourite book?

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield


What do you love most about being a woman?

TM: My body being in my body being empowered in my body. The movement of my body I know everything about me.


What does “empowerment” mean to you?

TM: It's a great question. Empowerment means to me is to really be confident and at ease, and at one with who you are, where you go in knowing yourself. Empowerment truly for me, energetically sovereign and connected to my deepest sense of being.


What are you currently working toward?

TM: I know that I'm really here to guide people, and having left a very conventional corporate world and started something completely different. I'm really here to guide and show people how to connect in and do that for themselves, and that is what I work towards. Every single day

 
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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E120: Q&A: Personal Development
 
 

E120: Q&A: Personal Development

A new Q&A episode diving into Personal Development. Learn from my examples, and also this week I have questions FOR YOU…


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[00:07] This week’s sponsor of the Women’s Empowerment Podcast is my Healthy Habits Workshop. These are monthly themed workshops that help you go from overwhelm to clarity so you can build healthy lifestyle and essential oil habits and find the routine that works best for you. Each workshop is live, virtual and on the first wednesday of every month.


I am Valerie LaVigne, your Habit Mentor, and I’m on a mission to help you make healthy habits, keep those promises to yourself, and change your life one small change at a time. If you’re interested in learning more, visit https://www.valerielavignelife.com/workshops today.

PART ONE: Questions You’ve asked ME

[3:22] LAURA: How do you keep yourself motivated to keep up with all your routines?

Habit Tracker (download my free Habit Tracker Guide!)
Schedule you habits/goals into your calendar
Get an accountability buddy
Hire a coach/mentor (check out my Mentorship Program here!)
Set milestone prizes/gifts
Have a healthy competition with friends
Share goals + progress to socials

[8:40] KAYLIE: What are your top 3 self-improvement book suggestions?

The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza

[11:57] CANDICE: What is your proudest accomplishment?

Buying Exhale Pilates in 2020! www.exhalepilates.ca, instagram @exhalepilates

[16:47] CANDICE: An instance/period of time that you thought was rough but ended up being a blessing and helped guide you to the right path/an important change?

2009: Getting mono and leaving university 

Episode 58: Speak Your Truth with the Throat Chakra

2013: Getting fired from my first yoga job

2016: That time quit my full time teaching gig, left my family, and partner, and I bought a one-way ticket to Guatemala - I had no idea what I was doing and there were some tough times along the trip and during those times it really didn’t make sense to me why I was there

2020: The Pandemic

[23:38] PART TWO: Questions for YOU!

  1. Are my current habits and goals aligned with my long-term goals?

  2. Are my mental and physical health a priority?

  3. Am I surrounded by supportive and empowering people?

  4. Am I getting out of my comfort zone enough?

  5. What am I afraid of? Why do I think I’m afraid of it?

  6. Am I making enough time for play, fun, love, and/or peace?

Ask your questions here and I will answer them in the podcast and/or on instagram @vallavignelife

 

Download the FREE Habit Tracker Guide

Val LaVigne Life - Habit Tracker Guide
Val Lavigne Life Women's Empowerment Podcast

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!

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