Category Archives: Wellness

Community Can Improve Your Life

Posted on

We often hear that community can improve your life, but what is community? Defined, community is a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. It’s also defined as a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. For me, it’s the second part of the definition that resonates the most. Being part of a community gives us a sense of belonging. It allows us to share, relate, and even grow as we connect with others and the surrounding environment.

 

Personally, I’ve always been a big community person. Moving from Phoenix to Nashville 13 years ago was a big shift. I went away from everything and everyone I knew to a completely new environment. My journey to building my community was a unique experience. I was fortunate enough to move into the 12th South neighborhood, that already had the infrastructure set up to support connections. With many coffee shops and restaurants, a park, easy places to walk, and local events/activities that encouraged the neighborhood to be out and about. In addition to where I lived, I also work for an organization that supports building healthy communities with Blue Zones Project. Looking at the Power 9 (lifestyle habits of the world’s healthiest, longest lived people) such as purpose, belonging, and right tribe, you can see how each interrelates to support health, but most importantly, a sense of community can improve your life. 

 

To build a community, you have to be comfortable in the uncomfortable at times. Putting yourself out there, participating and engaging with people and events that might be outside of your comfort zone. It’s also about consistency. Finding spots that resonate with you and showing up regularly to build those relationships. I can be a creature of habit going to the same coffee shops on the same days, going to the farmers market, local boutiques, grabbing a drink up the street, and attending a gym daily that has helped me form bonds with people I wouldn’t have normally met. I love knowing I’ll see the same barista on Wednesdays or seeing the owner of my favorite French wine bar, or see my fitness pals every morning at 6:45am. 

 

Having a sense of community embraces spirit, character, and pride. It is a feeling that people within the community matter to one another with a shared understanding that their needs can be met through commitment and togetherness. Being a part of a community makes us feel as though we are a part of something greater than ourselves.

 

Community is unique to each individual as to what and how it meets their needs based off their own definition. Regardless of what it is, it’s important and central to the human experience. 

 

Journal prompts to help you better understand and build your community and how this community can improve your life.

1)     How do you define community? Are you experiencing that today, if not why?

2)     What aspects about your community do you love and interest you? 

3)     What are ways you can build your community? 

4)     What are 3-5 actions you can take to become more integrated into your community? 



Join Us for The Happy Hour Club

Starts April 19th

 

The Happy Hour Club. A new type of social club, open to anyone and built on our values of connection, honesty, vulnerability, curiosity and fun. Show up as your true self and connect authentically – this is not a networking group, no need to perform or be anyone but you!

The Happy Hour Club will meet twice a month, gathering at both the studio and for outings in our fun and beloved city. If you would like to connect with new and like-hearted people and are interested in exploring more opportunities in town, this is the place for you.

SAVE YOUR SPOT

Month-to-month payment upon request. Call the studio at 615-953-3934.

Last Minute Wellness Gifts

Posted on

If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping yet, we’re here to help with some last minute wellness gifts that are sure to make anyone on your list feel their best. If you have finished your shopping, you’re an organizational super hero and you deserve to treat yourself to a little pampering, so keep reading!

 

Gift Card to SOUND

Ann Sensing’s SOUND studio has so many great sound bath offerings for individuals, couples and groups of all sizes. If you’re looking to go deeper she also offers multi-dimensional healing. With gift cards to suit any budget, you can ensure the recipient will have an immersive and deeply relaxing experience.

 

Essential Oil from Thistle Farms

A great stocking stuffer or a little treat for yourself, the Balance essential oil from Thistle Farms is The Happy Hour’s signature scent for good reason. It’s a warm, centering blend of lemon, lavender and rose geranium. Available as a concentrate for a diffuser, or a roll on to keep in your purse for grounding in moments of frazzle – Trader Joes parking lot, anyone?

 

A Great Book – Bonus if you have a Book Club!

Our team has been so entertained and inspired by Matthew McConaughey’s ‘Greenlights’. This best-selling memoir teaches you how to identify and embrace the green lights in your life.

Bonus! Greenlights is our book club pick for January! With the guidance of Christa Booker, CHC, you’ll have the opportunity to examine and reflect on your own greenlights. Through guided discussion and coaching, we hope to help you see your past experiences as important lessons and your future as a set of greenlights you’ve yet to hit so that you can write your own love letter to life. A ticket to book club would make a great gift for your bookworm friend, someone new to town, or anyone looking for inspiration and community.

 

Bring the Outdoors Inside with a Plant

Both Gardens of Babylon and Flora have a wide range of plants and green gifts to clean your air, and bring a little cheer and nature into your space. Pro tip: Instead of a bunch of flowers, bring a small potted plant as a unique and long-lasting hostess gift.

 

Candles from Lemon Laine

Lemon Laine has a really great gift guide if you’re looking for some clean beauty. Our fave has to be the LOHN Holiday candle trio. We love scent for evoking a mood and sealing in memories. Seasonal candles are a great way to make your space feel festive, whether you’re entertaining, or snuggled up watching cheesy holiday movies.

 

Pampering with Little Indigo

A gift card for a facial with Emmy-nominated make-up artist and aesthetician, Sara Vaughn at Little Indigo is the ultimate treat! Insider tip: Gift cards are currently 10% off!

 

Gift Card to Pure Sweat Sauna

For some much needed relaxation and rejuvenation, gift the athlete, the man, or anyone with a tired body (aka everyone!) a sauna sesh at Pure Sweat Sauna Studio.

 

A Light Therapy Lamp

In our recent blog, our Medical Director, Dr. Frock, recommended using a light box from mid-September through February to help keep your mood and circadian rhythm in check. Perfect for anyone in your life who suffers from the winter blues or works long hours in an office.

 

Gift Card to The Happy Hour

Not just a shameless plug, our gift cards are a pretty perfect last minute wellness gift. They are available at a variety of price points and can be used on anything from our fun wellness events and workshops, to energy work, nutrition coaching, life coaching, and therapy. Our Intention Setting Workshop would make a great gift for a loved one, or yourself. After all, who doesn’t deserve an intentional and happy 2023?

 

 

 

12 Life Lessons from my 37th Trip Around the Sun

Posted on

I turned 37 on November 11th this year, surrounded by loved ones and filled with gratitude. Two days later, I went for a walk, and being all in my feels I flipped on Jay Shetty’s podcast “On Purpose.” And wouldn’t ya know it, after a few seconds of scrolling I landed upon his episode, “12 Lessons Learned in the Last 12 Months” written after his birthday reflection .  

 

Inspired, I decided to reflect back on my year of deep dives and journaling to uncover my 12 life lessons. These nuggets of insight from my inner thinking helped me grow this past year. A lot of them aren’t new, but continue to be lessons of which I need to remind myself. Here goes…

 

Life Lesson #1 – November 2021

Love is our nature. Connect with self, and connect with others. This returns us to love, our natural state.

This notion came from a meditation I listened to that got me thinking, what is the point of all of this without love? Not just romantic love, but loving yourself, loving your community, loving the people with whom you spend your days. We were born loving and trusting and relying on unspoken connection to keep us alive. It’s instinct…do what you can to return to it. 

 

Life Lesson #2 – December 2021

Depth brings you home to yourself.

This month tested me with the holidays and covid scares, and I certainly didn’t exhibit grace and love at all times. I’m a work in progress and always will be, but lessons have layers and growth isn’t linear. I found myself holding onto some superficial expectations of the holidays that when parallelled with some personal grief and anger, made it clear how much more rewarding depth is than surface stuff. You can rewrite patterns or rules or expectations if that’s what it takes to come home to yourself, but you’ve got to know what being true to yourself looks like. It’s not the same as what’s on Instagram or whatever your neighbor is doing. It takes deep diving, introspection and honesty…which also means letting go of a lot of “shoulds,” which this time of year is chock full of. 

 

Life Lesson #3 – January 2022

Don’t let your mind make your life harder on you than it needs to be.

As Franklin Roosevelt said, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s so true! January started off with a beautiful Intention Setting workshop, in which I determined my word for 2022 would be “Beacon.” I loved this word and it was a much needed reminder of how I wanted to show up every day. It was followed by my second round of Covid, lots of snow days, and a skeleton crew at the office because of the above. I held on to my intention to help me not get wrapped up in controlling the uncontrollable. We also kicked off our inaugural Whole You program, which involved me creating 90 days of content for 7 different individuals, and I learned SO DANG MUCH. It forced me to practice what I was preaching and it felt amazing. 

 

Life Lesson #4 – February 2022

By being yourself, you bring happiness to others.

I love being a coach so much. I love working with my clients on such a deep level, and walking alongside them through their growth, hardships, all of it. I really have to check myself to not try to be everything to everyone. February was filled with new programming, new clients, and opportunities. I constantly had to remind myself of this lesson, so I didn’t blast off with excitement and over-doing. And it turns out it was true. Pro tip- turn this lesson into an affirmation: “By being myself, I bring happiness to others.”

 

Life Lesson #5 – March 2022

Go inward, do the work, and you can put it back into the world 10-fold.

Ok, I PROMISE this isn’t just a giant pitch to work on your personal growth. But it’s really true how much more you can give to the world when you invest in yourself. So many people I talk to say they just want to make an impact on the world. But you can’t do that if you’re not giving to  yourself. This description from Kim Kran’s archetype The Mystic spoke to me this month: “It may seem the mystic is inward-facing, yet its light beams back to the world with the strength of a thousand stars.” Some old stuff got rattled up for me this month, but as we know, you do the work…and then you do it again. The stuff you healed comes back at a different angle, because you have grown, and you now are ready to heal on a deeper level and give back to the world with the strength of a thousand stars. Be the mystic.

 

Life Lesson #6 – April 2022

Creativity is crucial for moving through emotions.

Let’s just face it, life is hectic and pulls you in so many different directions. All of these directions have big experiences that can stir up big emotions. I learned that I absolutely, non-negotiably, must have an activity or something that is only for me. Only for my pleasure and enjoyment. Not for my family or my business. In April I took a Masterclass on poetry and it was such a beautiful way for me to express myself creatively, with zero pressure or price tag attached to whether or not it was good enough, in fact, I never shared any of it because it was all mine. It helped me make sense of and move through some of these big emotions coming through other areas of my life. 

 

Life Lesson #7 – May 2022

Find wonderment and always keep moving towards your passion.

This sort of piggybacks off lesson #6. This doesn’t mean you have to quit your job and go full-time on your passion project, but you’ve got to have a passion that can manifest as a hobby at least. We had a lot of ideas at The Happy Hour in May. Being new and still in a growth phase, we were excited to say “yes” and try out so many new things. This is fun and all, but it can easily become a hustle or a checking of a box, and it doesn’t feel good trying to do all the things. So we honed in on what we are passionate about, that’s what created this place afterall. 

 

Life Lesson #8 – June 2022

You can listen with your whole body.

In June I started training to become a Certified Sound Practitioner (it will be official December 21st!). I learned that listening is so much more than what you hear with your ears. I learned that sounds that used to drive me crazy, could actually be powerful, when listening with my whole body. I sat still a lot more than ever before. I stirred some big stuff up in therapy, and my therapist said, “what would it look like if stillness were the antidote to fear?” Whew. Still thinking about that one. 

 

Life Lesson #9 – July 2022

Community is medicine.

I went on a week-long trip with five of my best friends in July and it lifted me up more than I could’ve imagined. One of my favorite memories was a car-ride to a hike that was a couple hours away. We belly-laughed the whole time and were completely tuned into our childlike wonder and silliness. It felt rejuvenating to be totally free and not so serious. I don’t think that feeling could’ve emerged in me without that community in which I feel completely free. 

 

Life Lesson #10 – August 2022

Don’t plan anything extra in August.

Tactical, yes, but August was a circus. Back to school and allll the events that go along with it (I’ve only had kids in school for the covid-era, so I wasn’t used to all this stuff), 3 year old son’s birthday party, planning hubby’s 40th birthday trip, sound bath training, planning 5 year old daughter’s birthday party, fabulous Mom’s Night Out event at work, oh and giving a presentation to 200 people for a little company called Google…plus all the day-to-day-stuff. P.S. – Google – if you want to plan something in August, I’m all ears ;-). 

 

Life Lesson #11 – September 2022

Alone time is non-negotiable.

No surprise that this one came through loud and clear in September as a result of August for this introverted, highly sensitive gal. Without alone time, all the noise blocks the ability to be clear for me. I started leading the Discover Your True North course in September, and gosh do I love groups so much (remember, community is medicine). Being a facilitator of these groups requires clarity and transparency, and thus so much alone time. 

 

Life Lesson #12 – October 2022

Slowness remembers and hurry forgets.

I gotta give credit to Mark Nepo for that line, but it rang through my head all throughout October…and still is, to be honest. Remember what the heart and body want, i.e. what feels good versus only considering what your thinking mind is telling you to be the answer. Your mind wants you to rush, it’s what it has become accustomed to. Put down the phone, let your mind slow down, take a step back and remember the bigger picture that is so hard to see amidst hurry. 

 

Want to work on your personal growth?

The Whole You program is designed to meet you where you are and catapult your growth and your total wellness. With the dedicated support of a Certified Holistic Coach, a Registered Dietitian and and Energy Practitioner, Whole You will kick start your 90-day lifestyle evolution.

LEARN MORE HERE

From Dr. Frock’s Desk: Surviving the Holidays

Posted on

In our new series, From Dr. Frock’s Desk, we sit down with Dr. Frock to gain a psychiatrist’s perspective, anecdotes, and tools on a variety of topics. This month, we are talking about surviving the holidays: how to navigate the stress that the holidays can bring.

 

What kind of things seem to cause stress around the holidays?

To start, traveling is hard. If you’re part of a big family, you might find yourself spending a lot of time in a confined space with people you don’t have the best relationships with. The obligation to attend large family reunions or gatherings with people you don’t stay in close contact with, and whose values may differ from yours, can bring a lot of dynamics into play and bring up emotional triggers for everyone involved.

In addition, the holidays are a time that most of us associate with family, so it becomes hard not to think about those who aren’t with us anymore. This can raise a lot of grieving emotions on top of what has already been mentioned. 

 

Over the holidays, it seems that feelings can be magnified for those who are having a hard time.

Absolutely. Think about the habits that make up your baseline that are being disrupted; from traveling, to changes in your sleep patterns, to eating and drinking differently, to not exercising as much as usual. 

In addition to the grief aspect I’ve already mentioned, I also find that folks tend to get a lot of anticipatory anxiety as the holidays approach. We can’t help but think about disagreements that emerged in the past and the likelihood they could happen again. 

 

Do you have some tips to help cope with all of that during the holidays?

Setting clear boundaries for family gatherings can be a great way to minimize conflict and emotional triggers. Like no politics, religion or money, and being clear about conversations or activities you’re not willing to engage in. We can also set boundaries for ourselves – consciously remembering that we can choose what to get upset about. You know Uncle John is going to say some crazy stuff, but you can choose whether you want to light that fire with him or not.

Also find ways to anchor yourself by taking care of your baseline self-care. If you’re a runner, bring some cold gear with you and make that run happen. 

 

Can you tell us about S.A.D., what it stands for, what to look out for, and any strategies to help cope with it?

S.A.D. stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. “Seasonal” is what it sounds like. “Affective” is just a more academic way of speaking about someone’s mood. And then “disorder” implies that it’s a diagnosable condition. 

We go from summer where the light is bright, we’re outside doing active things, to fall where it starts getting cold out, the sun is setting earlier, and you’re getting legitimately less sunlight in the fall and winter months. So it starts in September and builds for a few months, and can become something like an actual condition with symptoms including: like feeling less motivated, changes in appetite (often eating more), being less active and feeling sluggish, and not enjoying things that we used to. 

Nashville is very unique in that it’s the furthest east major metropolitan area in the Central Time zone, so we can really be affected by S.A.D. In fact, there is a strong argument to be made that we should be in the Eastern Time zone. In the winter, the sun starts setting before 4pm, which leaves most office workers not getting enough sunlight and it can cause a vitamin D deficiency. This is actually much more significant in Nashville than in other places I’ve worked.

Fortunately, it’s very treatable. There are some medication options, folks can also find some benefit with Vitamin D supplementation, and using a light box from mid-September through February can be helpful for many people. Using the light box can trick out brains into thinking we are actually getting more sunlight than there is outside.  

 

Key takeaways for surviving the holidays with minimal stress:

  • Try to keep to your routine as much as possible. 
  • Set clear boundaries with yourself and others.
  • Get outside in the sun as much as possible.
  • Know that you’re not the only one struggling.
  • Give yourself some grace.

 

Download our FREE Guide to Surviving the Holidays

What is Blocking Your Intuition?

Posted on

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.

Albert Einstein

 

The quote above may make you think that scholars like Einstein are trying to speak poorly of reason, but the truth is quotes like this are meant to remind us how much we as a society rely on thoughts over anything else. The rational mind is not meant to be done away with or ignored…it helps us with a lot of things. The rational mind is here to protect you and keep you safe. The problem is, we as a culture have relied so heavily on reason and have put so much influence on people outside of ourselves that it is hard to hear our own calling, our own intuition.

 

Listening to your intuition is not always an easy or smooth path. It also won’t be perfect. Oftentimes our intuition will want us to take the road less traveled or ask us to go against the grain. A lot of fear can come up while working with your intuition. Through my experience with myself and working with clients I have come up with a list of common blocks to intuition and ways to nurture your intuition. 

 

What is blocking your intuition:

 

As mentioned above, we are taught to value fact and reason so much in our society that anything within the unknown is automatically labeled as fiction. If you have spent your life criticizing yourself or wanting to have all the right answers, working with your intuition can bring up a lot of self-criticism. 

 

Fear of Being Wrong and Perfectionism

Perfectionism is one of the first blocks I see when trying to access intuition. If you have spent a lot of your life wanting to be the best at what you do (haven’t we all been there?) or have all the right answers, starting to trust your own inner knowing and body can bring up a lot. Practices that help release perfectionism like taking moments to just be messy, therapy, and saying affirming words to yourself are some ways to combat this. If you need an extra push to continue to start the process of learning to understand your own intuition, remember that the process will help you release perfectionism. Because your intuition, just like everything else will never be perfect and learning to become okay with that will help bring you peace. 

 

Forcing an answer

Your intuition doesn’t work in right or wrongs or yes’s and no’s. Your intuition may speak to you as an inner knowing, colors, feelings, songs, etc. Your intuition is unique to you. Intuition is a subtle energy that takes some time to get to know. If you don’t feel a lot of self-trust or trust of your intuition don’t fret. It doesn’t mean you won’t get there. But just like any relationship you have to build it and tend to it before getting everything out of it. You wouldn’t make a new friend and demand that they tell you everything about themselves on the spot. You build a relationship, and over time you will begin to learn. 

 

Codependency

A major block to intuition is codependency. When you are in a codependent relationship/s we lose connection to our own feelings, desires, and self-trust because you put the other person’s wants and needs before your own. When working with intuition, it is important to start to take note of how often you put others’ needs before your own. Everytime you allow someone to dictate how you should feel or what you should do, you lose a little bit of self-trust and connection to your inner knowing. Books, like “Codependent No More” by Melody Beattie, are a great resource for codependency. Another resource could be seeking out help from a coach or therapist. 

 

Remember, everyone has the gift of intuition. There is not one person in this world that doesn’t have access to it. Everyone can hone in on their own inner knowing, it just takes a little practice and maybe some trial and error. Join me, Massey Armistead, and Kim Breese for Intuitive Integration, a two-part workshop on October 7 and October 21 to start the process of deepening your intuition! 

 

SAVE YOUR SPOT





Tune into Your Intuition

Posted on

Instinct, a gut-feeling, spidey sense… whatever you call it, you’ve likely experienced the feeling of your inner wisdom communicating with you, but how do you tune into your intuition when you need it most?

 

By definition, ‘intuition is the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning.’ Conscious reasoning is located in the mind, and while the mind is a very useful and necessary tool, it can often get in the way of our intuition. Intuition is one of those things that can be tricky to understand, and often gets pulled into the ‘woo’ category’, but there are practical ways to access it. 

 

The psychic clairsenses (you’re probably heard of clairvoyance) correspond with the 5 senses of sight, smell, taste, hear and touch. One of the simplest ways to access your intuition is through your senses. Paying close attention to the senses, can make you more present in your body as well as the present moment, which helps to support the opening of the sixth sense.

 

We all have a prominent clairsense that helps to guide our intuition. This clairsense is the cornerstone of our inner wisdom and directs our wants and needs. It also provides insights into our outer world and can be a foundation for how we move through life. The more we understand it, the more we can practice getting in touch with it, the more we can use it to feel grounded and confident in our daily lives. 

 

Let’s take a closer look at the clairsenses:

 

Clairvoyance means clear seeing. Images or visions from past, present or future come into the mind’s eye much like a daydream. This could be eating an ice cream cone or building a campfire or making a spaghetti dinner. It often shows up as a metaphor and has relatable meaning for the individual.

 

Clairaudience means clear hearing. Words, sounds, or music enter the mind’s eye when it is inaudible. It can often show up as a voice singing a song or sharing a meaningful phrase, sometimes just a word or number. The tone of the message will be even and calm.

 

Clairsentience means clear feeling. Feeling another’s emotions or physical sensations within your body. This could be in the form of a gut instinct or sensing the energy in a room before entering. It can also show up as a physical ailment like an ache in the knee or tight throat. 

 

Clairalience means clear smelling. Smelling odors that don’t have a physical source. Smelling a rose when there isn’t a rose in the room or coffee brewing that brings up a childhood memory or fresh cut grass in the middle of winter. 

 

Clairgustance means clear tasting. Sensations in the mouth of tasting something that is not there. This could be a taste of chocolate or lemonade that stimulates the taste buds. Sometimes it can be metallic.

 

Claircognizance means clear knowing. Knowledge of people, places or events that you would not otherwise have any insight about. It is an immediate download of knowing something without any conscious reasoning. It could be knowing your friend’s grandmother died before being told or knowing the flight is going to be canceled then get a text telling you so or thinking of a friend and they call you the next day. 

 

We all have intuition. We all have the ability to access it. We all have the ability to trust it.

 

 

Developing our intuition is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to build strength.

Join us for Intuitive Integration, a fun and enlightening two-part workshop on October 7th and 21st. We’ll be doing a deep dive into intuition with not one, but TWO experts in the field, Kim Breese and Massey Armistead. 

This intimate two-part workshop includes an exercise to discover which is your strongest clair sense, practical tools for strengthening and trusting your intuition, meditation, energy work, and oracle readings. Open your heart and mind while learning practical ways to connect more deeply with your inner wisdom.

 

LEARN MORE + SAVE YOUR SPOT



My Body Has Cancer

Posted on

The first week of May of this year I woke up from a deep sleep and felt a tingle in my right breast. My hand instinctively moved to where I felt a twinge and there was a small lump. And something in me knew my life was about to change.

 

I called my primary care doctor that day and had an appointment set up for the following week. She could visibly see the lump when she did my breast exam. It moved easily to her touch and didn’t hurt. It is hard to dissect what it could be through touch, so she referred me to get a mammogram. I didn’t allow myself to go too far down the Google rabbit hole in this case. The little research I did, and based on the nature of the lump, made me think it might be a cyst. 

 

Two weeks later, I was in the office for a mammogram and ultrasound. After both tests were performed, I was informed the radiologist wanted to speak to me directly. As I sat on the exam table, feeling a little sore and exposed, the radiologist quickly explained that the results were inconclusive. He used a lot of technical words I did not understand. From what I did, I needed to get a biopsy for further conclusion. I felt very small on that table as he stood over me delivering this news. The only thing I could think to ask was if it was a cyst. He definitively said no. The lump needed further examination.

 

It took about a month to get my biopsy scheduled and during that time I didn’t allow my mind to wander too much. I only told a few people as I didn’t want to cause any concern for something that was unknown. The doctor biopsied the lump and the lymph nodes under my armpit while he regaled me with stories of his trip to Scotland during our hour of time together.  The nurse had given me a washcloth to clean my breast before the doctor went to work, and it became a stress-ball I squeezed in my left hand to calm my nerves. I didn’t feel any physical pain due to whatever numbing drug he injected into my body, taking deep breaths to hold back the tears while he worked.

 

I had recently had a mammogram in December of 2021 and there was no indication of a malignancy. I have extremely dense breast tissue, which is common amongst women with less body fat, and lowers the sensitivity of a mammogram. But, the report gave no cause for concern. I am 42 years old and lead a healthy lifestyle that the idea of breast cancer wasn’t even on my radar

 

One week later, I received word from my primary care doctor that the biopsy results from the lump had come back positive of a malignancy, which in layman’s terms is cancer. The lymph nodes were negative, which means the cancer had not spread beyond that lump so in a sense I had caught it fairly early. She did not know the stage or have much more information for me other than they would follow up with me the next day with a referral for an oncologist. 

 

I was at The Happy Hour when I got the news and Clara, the owner and founder, was waiting for me downstairs. As soon as she saw my face, she ran over and embraced me. I broke down and sobbed in her arms. When I pulled away from her to take my first deep breath of the day, there was this inner knowing that this is how it is supposed to be. All of this is happening for me and not to me. 

 

I have since learned that my breast cancer is stage 2, triple negative, which due to its nature, requires a pretty aggressive form of treatment. I will start 6 months of chemo this week, followed by breast surgery to remove the lump and then radiation. In total, I am in for about 9 months of treatment. 

 

Writing has always been a therapeutic tool for me and I feel it will be part of this journey.  Something in my heart tells me I need to share the most vulnerable parts of this experience. I am not sure what that altogether looks like and will figure it out as I go. So much of the work I love to do is teaching and helping others to get in touch with their most vulnerable selves. For in that vulnerability, the most healing can happen. 

 

Well shit…now the teacher becomes the student. 

 

Learn more about our inspirational energy practitioner, Kim Breese. 

Kim will continue to take appointments, as the nature of her work is healing for her as much as it is for you. Plus, it equips her with a grounding routine and a place to get outside of her head. She is still figuring out her schedule and it may need to change. Please be understanding and flexible if your appointment needs to be rescheduled on short notice- you will not be penalized. 

This blog was republished with permission from Kim’s personal blog, where you can follow her journey.

The Link Between Diet and Mental Health

Posted on

What we eat doesn’t just impact our physical health, it can also impact our mental health and overall wellbeing. Think about our body as a working machine – all parts are related! The fuel for this machine, or our body, comes from the foods that we eat and what’s IN the fuel, ie the quality, can make all the difference. Read on to learn how food impacts our mental health and mood.

 

How are diet and mental health linked

While the relationship between diet and mental health is complex, it’s well known, (and studies have shown,) that they are closely connected. The connection between diet and mental health stems from the link between our gut and brain. This link is called the gut-brain axis. Don’t worry, we won’t go too sciencey about this, but we’ll give you the gist!

 

Your gut is filled with billions of bacteria that impact the production of chemical substances that are constantly carrying messages back and forth from the gut to the brain. Having a healthy and nourishing diet promotes the production of “good” bacteria. This good bacteria has a positive influence on these chemicals. A poor-quality diet can increase inflammation which hinders production of the good chemicals.

 

Think about it this way: a good-quality diet equals good communication within your brain and therefore your emotions can articulate it. When the communication goes awry, emotions and mood can be negatively impacted. It all comes down to the communication. 

 

So how does this affect mental health?

When we eat a poor-quality diet, such as a diet filled with empty-calorie foods, high-sugar desserts, and lots of refined carbs, we’re more likely to have greater mood fluctuations. This can increase our likelihood of developing or increase our periods of depression and anxiety. Eating these foods has also been shown to lead to a poor outlook and increased negative thoughts.

 

The quality of the food that we eat also impacts our concentration and productivity. Both of these can have a long-term effect on our mental health.

 

So, what should you be eating?

We’ve mentioned that foods that are filled with empty calories and high in sugar and refined carbohydrates should be limited, but what about foods that we can eat MORE of? 

 

Whole Foods

Whole foods, or those free from preservatives, additivities, and are minimally processed can help to promote the production of good bacteria in our gut. Look for foods that have fewer ingredients or come in a “raw” form such as fruits and vegetables.

 

Antioxidants

Antioxidant-containing foods, such as berries and leafy greens, fight inflammation in our body. 

 

Complex Carbs

Complex carbs are those that take longer to digest than the simple form, and therefore sustain our energy longer. Complex carbs include whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, and quinoa. Complex carbs also contain fiber, which has been shown to promote the production of good bacteria in our gut.

 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps with the production of one of the chemical substances, serotonin, that assists with sleep and mood. While we usually think of vitamin D as coming from the sun, we can also get it from dairy sources, we can consume vitamin D in tuna, fortified juices, and mushrooms.

 

Next steps

Although it’s still important to think of the way that food makes us feel physically, don’t forget how it also makes us feel mentally and emotionally! Try incorporating more of the foods mentioned above while consuming foods with poor nutritional quality in moderation. Healthy eating is just one component of your mental health that is in your control.

 

The content of this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for a therapeutic relationship.

 

Do You Want to Fuel Your Mind and Body?

 

The Whole You 90-day holistic coaching program takes a multi-faceted approach to wellness, with the help of professionals that will give you the guidance to kick start a change in your life, equip you with knowledge and know-how, and encourage you to stay consistent.

 

EACH MONTH YOU GET:
  • Two (2) 50-minute sessions with your Certified Holistic Life Coach
  • One (1) 50-minute Nutrition Coaching Session
  • One (1) 50-minute Energy Work session
  • A personalized program and game plan, made just for you.
  • Check-ins and journaling prompts 5 days a week via our virtual platform.
  • Curated content from our extensive resource library. We do the research for you and send the best nuggets of insight to you weekly, to streamline your growth.

 

LEARN MORE + SAVE YOUR SPOT HERE

The Importance of Holistic Wellness

Posted on

Have you ever started on a journey to improve one aspect of your life and found yourself losing steam  and eventually giving up? You may have beat yourself for not being more disciplined, for not having enough willpower, and not having what it takes to achieve your goals, but what if we told you it’s not your lack of willpower holding you back?

 

Often what we see as forward movement  in others, is actually (whether by design or intuition) the result of approaching wellness holistically. Frequently, the most profound growth comes down to considering what you need for your mind, body, and soul to thrive in harmony.

 

This isn’t some new-age woo-woo. This is cold, hard science.

 

Take your emotions for example. Stanford Neuroscientist, Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. explains: 

“The vagus nerve is responsible for emotion, and the way it does that is to pool – to aggregate – the conditions of your gut, the conditions of your heart, and the conditions of your breathing, which includes your diaphragm and lungs, and takes that kind of as a collection of information and sends it to the brain, and controls what we call your emotions.”

 

Now you might be thinking, “If that’s true, why do I still feel anxious when my gut health is so good it would make the supplement gal at Whole Foods jealous?” 

 

That’s because your emotions are controlled by your body, but they are also influenced by cognitive events like processing stressful news, being hurt by someone you care about, or hearing great news that gets you excited. Dr. Huberman explains that your brain doesn’t act on information alone, so it combines the external factors with your body’s response to those factors, which in turn creates your moods.

 

Let us break that down:

INCOMING INFORMATION + EXTERNAL FACTORS + BODY’S RESPONSE = MOOD

 

So what does this have to do with your personal growth? Everything.

 

Knowing how your mind, body and soul are connected allows you to approach your wellness journey holistically. Having simultaneous support for your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual/social health allows you to work towards your goals in a way that has built-in safety nets. Supporting yourself in this inclusive way helps minimize setbacks when life throws you curveballs.

 

You could be working hard on your mental health with your trusted therapist or coach, but find yourself not progressing how you’d like. You might be feeling held back by brain fog and energy levels so low that you simply can’t motivate yourself to take action. This is where working with a dietitian or health coach could be the key to unlocking the next level of your mental health journey. Optimizing your nutrition to make sure you’re getting a wide variety of brain-boosting and blood sugar balancing nutrients will make sure your body and mind are being fuelled in a way that supports your wellness journey.

 

Similarly, you could be carrying a lot of your emotions physically. Headaches, stiff muscles, and belly aches might be so frequent you’ve just chalked them up to simply “getting older”. PSA: Getting older doesn’t mean you have to feel like crap. Those aches and pains are your body’s way of letting you know something needs attention. One of the best ways to get unstuck emotionally is to move physically. Introducing a physical aspect to your stress reduction strategy, like walking, yoga, or massage can help shift the tension out of your body. Working with a coach can help you examine your routines in a way that doesn’t add another thing to your to-do list, but finds natural opportunities to integrate movement into your day.  A practice like energy work combines physical relaxation with introspection and mindfulness in a way that can really take your holistic wellness to the next level.

 

If you’re working on your physical wellness with a goal to have peak energy and feel strong and confident in your skin, excessive calorie restriction and endless hours on the treadmill are unlikely going to help you see the progress you’re after. If you’ve been down this road before, you’re likely familiar with the burnout and misery that accompany this approach. A life coach can help you identify what is holding you back from reaching your goals. They might work with you on boundaries and stress reduction. Introducing a mindfulness practice and more active rest might seem counter-intuitive, but they might be the missing piece in your overall wellness puzzle.

 

It’s starting to make sense, isn’t it? How wonderfully, intricately connected we are. How we can’t thrive in one aspect of our lives, while neglecting others… not for long, at least. 

 

At the end of the day, that future version of yourself you’re working towards is not going to be found through immense willpower and relentless grind. It’s going to be achieved by supporting your mind, body, and spirit so that they can work together to help you achieve your goals in a way that doesn’t require willpower. It’s going to be achieved by finding a state of flow, balance, and intention. A place where you feel grounded in yourself and where your potential is limitless.

 

Do you want to Transform Your Life using a holistic approach?

 

Consider this: feeling grounded, confident and unshakeable by building a lifestyle that uniquely supports your total health. Encompassing the four areas of health: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual, the Whole You program will lead you through a 90-day lifestyle evolution.

 

LEARN MORE + SAVE YOUR SPOT HERE

The Beauty of Mindful Moments

Posted on

Your alarm sounds and autopilot kicks in. You get out of bed, put on a pot of coffee, jump in the shower, get dressed, grab a bite to eat as you hurry to start your work day. You get into a flow, working through your endless to-do list, relying on coffee to keep your battery charged. Doing everything you can to feel good about being devoted to “the job”. At the end of the day, when it’s time to check out, you feel too mentally exhausted to do anything that fills you up before you fall asleep and do it all over again tomorrow.

 

Let’s take a second to think about this. Our current state of navigating constant change and uncertainty has left us feeling consumed and stressed by expectations we’re supposed to live up to. Simply making it through the day feels like an achievement in itself.

 

Do you experience this kind of reality? How do you shift to bringing life and purpose back into your days? By giving attention to self. Mindful moments allow us to channel productivity and progress in the direction of wellbeing, by focusing on small, present moments of time, versus adding another thing to your to-do list.

 

Ask yourself this question, what do I want to experience today? If your answer is calm, peace, quiet, and de-escalation, then these precious moments called mindfulness are for you. Now ask yourself, am I open to something new, different and enlightening? If your answer is yes, then light up your day today with a little something for yourself that will only cost you moments. Here’s how we do it.

 

Take some time to think about what you truly enjoy, you can make a list or just apply thought. (examples:  sunshine, music, favorite colors, scents, sports)

 

Reflect on what your day-to-day is like, and come up with the best time or way to have your mindful moments. (examples:  mornings before starting your day, before bed, during a lunch break).

 

Then begin. At your desired time, intentionally bring into thought that which you enjoy.  Allow yourself to be in a comfortable or stable position whether standing or sitting.  Visualize this or physically look at it, touch, taste or smell, depending on what it is.  Allow yourself to dwell upon it, notice its nuance with direct attention. Does it shine, is it soft, is it cold or warm? 

 

As you engage that favorite color, melody of sound, calming scent, allow yourself to breathe, noticing the inhale and exhale while engaging something that brings subtle joy and feels good. Just for a moment, allow the presence of subtle joy and breath.

 

The more we do this, the better we get at receiving calm. Quieting the constant chatter of our thoughts and dimming the escalation of the hustle and bustle of our environments. Instead of rushing back to your to-do list, take a pause to experience calm and quiet. Finding the joy in present moments, appreciating the little things.

 

Give yourself this stop, this pause, as often as you can throughout the day and allow it to grow into your personal feel good moments.

 

Need Help Developing Your Mindfulness Practice?

Join us for Meditation Off The Mat, where you’ll learn to bring meditative moments into your day-to-day, no mat, fancy poses, or app required!

LEARN MORE AND SAVE YOUR SPOT