Hey everyone! Welcome back to episode number 84 of the Fitlandia Podcast. We are rounding out the month with the announcement of The Mind Zoning Academy. If you are having ANY challenges with mental obstacles, then this is the place for you. Every single month I am doing a LIVE webinar with me that is one part focusing on a mental obstacle, one part guided meditation, and one part group coaching so you can learn how to apply these principle and strategies to your life and keep moving forward on your fitness journey.
To sign up, you can head over to fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning and you will be able to register for either the webinar version or the in person version with me held in Portland, Oregon. Everyone that registers will get a playback of the webinar itself, as well as professionally mixed Mind Zoning session so you can listen to it over and over again whenever you need it. TODAY, I am going to talk to you about Ending Body-shaming and Fat-shaming so that we aren’t hating and self loathing anymore, which really prevents us from getting all the health benefits we are looking for. With that, on to the show!
My goal with today’s episode is that I give you enough education and insight to start intellectualizing more what is happening in your body with food and movement and mood and end the body and fat-shaming cycle that is NOT serving your fitness goals...it is really holding you back.
When people come to 30 Days to Thriving Program, I would say that every single one of them have the intention of weight-loss. I like to make sure that they leave the program more focused on health and vitality and improvement in all areas of their life. Whether that is their resting heart rate or their blood pressure or their blood sugar levels, whatever it is that is also going to support them, rather than simply focusing on weight loss. But inevitably, we still live in a culture that is very much focused on body image and the shape that we are in and having ripped abs and being cut...and even I myself find that I am pinching and poking at myself. It is not something to hide from, but something to explore and understand what is really going on.
More importantly, I hope that you can start to end body and fat-shaming today because really, our bodies are miraculous and beautiful and incredible and we come in ALL shapes and sizes! And part of our journey is accepting that.
What I first want to start out with is a little bit of understanding about when we fat-shame someone. We’ve all heard it or done it. Whether it is something like, “Hey, put the cookie down,” or “Go for a walk,” or “Quit being so lazy.” I just want to say this first and foremost: to anyone who has been fat shamed, I am SO sorry that that has happened to you. I know that it is a very painful experience, I’ve experienced it myself, even people yelling out on the street to me, and I just have to say this: they are ignorant...they are completely ignorant. Not only is that a cruel thing to say something but they also lack the knowledge to understand what is happening in the body.
So let’s back up a little bit first and talk about out of control eating, emotional eating, and what leads us to a lot of weight gain. We have this beautiful part of our brain, our reptilian brain, that is always trying to keep us safe. Then we have the prefrontal cortex that says, “Hey, I know I need to be moving everyday and I know I need to be cooking healthy meals.” But then there is that part of us that just can’t execute on it, right?! All of our good intentions, at the end of the day, is to cook a healthy meal and we are grabbing a cupcake or grabbing a bottle of wine, whatever it is! And that is because our primal brain is literally just trying to keep us safe. We have a lot of stress in our day, we have a lot of emotions that many of us haven’t dealt with, traumas and triggers from childhood that haven’t yet healed, and so our primal brain is kicking in to make us feel safe. And the ways that it knows to do that is to fire up the pleasure center in our brain and that usually comes in the form of sugar, refined carbs and alcohol. Whatever kind of addictive behavior that means. For some people, it’s drug abuse, for some people, it’s gambling or a sex addiction...but our brain is trying to find a way to serve us.
But bringing it back to Fitlandia and my audience, most of us are struggling with an emotional connection to food. What we also don’t realize is that a lot of the processed foods that we consume are actually geared to make us addicted to it...and we might not even know that! For some of you, this might be the first time that you’re hearing that processed foods are made to be addictive and make us crave more of them. So when I say that it isn’t your fault, it truly isn’t your fault if you lack that knowledge and don’t know how to get out of it, then you can’t blame yourself for it, you can’t shame yourself for it, you can’t hate on yourself for it when your brain is designed to keep you safe.
So, that’s just one tip of the iceberg, we could do a LOT of education in food addiction alone to help support you, but now it’s the “What’s Next?” right? What do I need to do to move forward on my journey? If I have this one little sprinkle of knowledge today that my brain is trying to keep me safe so I’m craving and firing up that rewards center in my brain and oh, by the way, what I’m eating is keeping me in an addictive pattern...now what? And that’s where my 30 Days to Thriving program comes in. We actually do a food elimination program of the commonly addictive foods, the inflammatory foods, that are going to help you do a body reset. But I also call it a nutrition and mindset program because we also help you reshape your thoughts around craving a lifestyle of health that is sustainable.
So during that process, and the program while you’re learning how food is processed in the body, how to make good choices, how to break that craving cycle, that addiction cycle, learning how to starve the bad bacteria in the gut so you get out of this incessant craving need. Also comes this opportunity to really love on your body as it is TODAY...and I know for a lot of you, that’s a really tough one to swallow. We are programmed to hate on ourselves...we motivate ourselves through this shaming process and I want to get us out of that because when we shame our body, we actually keep it in this same state that it’s in. Many of you have heard the quote, “What we resist, persists. And where our attention flows, that’s what we create.” So if we are constantly looking at our body, looking at what we don’t like, we are actually feeding our brain to maintain that.
So what I’m going to be teaching in the Mind Zoning Academy for July, is actually how to end that shaming cycle. It doesn’t matter what weight you are at, what your shape is, where your goals are and what you want to achieve, I’m going to walk you through a beautiful meditation that teaches you how to really appreciate your body as it is today. And I can’t stress this enough...it is a critical component in long-term weight loss, health, and vitality. Being able to accept your body today, while at the same time, lovingly release the weight, the guilt, the shame, the triggers, the trauma, everything, that got you to this point.
So, I’m going to speak to the exercise that you can do at home BUT I hope you’ll all join me for this Mind Zoning Academy, because when we are in that relaxed, focused, meditative state, our brain slows down and we are actually able to access our subconscious mind much more readily so that we CAN start to change these thought patterns. So YES, do this exercise everyday, but also sign up for the Mind Zoning Academy at fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning so that you can also experience the meditation BUT you will also get a professionally mixed version of the recording too so you can play it over and over again.
Okay, so here’s how it works:
Stand in front of a mirror every morning, make it a habit, let’s say, when you are brushing your teeth. Usually, we are in the bathroom brushing our teeth, most of us have a mirror in front of us, it’s a great time to look yourself in the mirror, look at yourself in the eyes and say, “I love you today, as you are, while we are making these changes. I accept every part of you, today, while we make these changes.” And then do a scan from head to toe, focusing on gratitude, and being mindful of everything you love about yourself and your body. And it goes something like this…
“Oh, I LOVE my forehead, and the wrinkles that are there just show the joy that I’ve experienced in my life. I like the color of my eyes. I am grateful that I had braces in my teenage years for a straight smile. I love the development I am getting in my shoulders for the strength that I have. I love that my arms are getting stronger everyday to lift more and feel muscle tone and strength, but I accept where it is today. I love my core and my torso, even with my rolls and the extra fat and tissue that I have, I love that my body is still moving everyday, that I have growing flexibility and strength. I love my hips, that I can get out on a dance floor and shake it! I love my quads, that are SO strong. They are the strongest part of my body. That get me out of bed everyday, that get me moving, that walk me to every task that I do. I love my calves that are also getting stronger and connect my quds to my ankles and my feet. And my feet, ah my feet! That bear the load of my entire body and still keep me moving forward. I thank you body, I honor you body, as you are today and as we are moving forward to grow our strength and vitality.”
So that is how the exercise goes. Like I said, when we are doing this in the Mind Zoning Academy, we will take time to get really relaxed. We will do a progressive relaxation technique that helps us loosen the muscles in our body and really get into it and FOCUS on this wonder that our bodies are! That we get to move everyday! That we get to celebrate what IS good about our body and end the fat-shaming and the, “I wish I was this, I need to be that, I hate that I’m this.” We need to END that and make a practice of it, so that it isn’t holding us back to getting to our ideals and goals and dreams that we have for ourselves. Because really, we are a walking miracle everyday. OUr heart is beating, our brain is thinking, we are seeking new opportunities and we are executing action in our lives and THAT is something to celebrate in our lives.
So, I will leave you with that positive energy. I can’t wait to see you all in either the webinar or live in Portland for ANY of the Mind Zonings because we are going to be doing this every single month so head over to fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning, sign up for the the next Mind Zoning Academy and I will see you all soon!
Welcome to episode number 83! We are continuing our series on the Mind Zoning Academy and today I am going to talk to you about a New Year’s Resolution Revival! I know you are all going to love it but before we jump into it I want to invite you to head over to fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning. You can enter your name and email address and get the meditation “End Self-Sabotage and Harness Your Superpower.” Alright! On to the show
Okay so today I am going to continue talking to you about the Mind Zoning Academy. If this is your first time listening to the podcast, a warm, warm welcome to you! If you are a regular, then you probably already know about the Mind Zoning Academy which Fitlandia launched in April! SUPER excited! Our first topic was on End Self-Sabotage and Harness Your Superpower and so I’m working on this series in the podcast to announce the first few Mind Zoning Academy topics, give you some insight into the techniques used, and offer a little bit of history on why we do what we do! 90% of our behavior comes from our unconscious mind. I’m here to help you shift those thought patterns to make getting healthier and living a healthy lifestyle faster and easier.
So, let’s talk about June’s Mind Zoning Academy topic: New Year’s Resolution Revival. Okay, so what that all about? If you are familiar, I am a BIG fan about harnessing the power of intention around New Year’s Resolutions. The problem is, it becomes a really short term goal because so many people are focused on things like, “let me lose 20 pounds really fast,” or “I want to start exercising more,” but they don’t realize that there are still unconscious thought patterns that need to shift for success.
I also recall through all my yo-yo dieting time (I’m 45 now and stopped my cycle around age 41), that every single year it was the same thing: the New Year came, I set my resolution, I’m going to lose 20 pounds, and what happens? Things are going great, I’m in about 3 or 4 months in and then something stress inducing will happen and knock me right off my game. I would ditch the diet and the movement and fall back into my own patterns of relying on sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol.
The point of the June Mind Zoning Academy is to teach you how to stay with your resolution. I know for many of you listening, you had a goal set January 1. Here you are, coming into spring and summer, and around 75% of you have not achieve your goal or have stopped working at it all together. It’s all about REVIVING the energy of that resolution. I want to share with you some of the tools you NEED to reach and stay motivated toward your goals. I want to give you hope, enthusiasm, and reignite your resolve to achieve your goals! Not only in fitness but also in life! (Though I always remind you of the very important four cornerstones of fitness...daily movement, healthy eating, mindset, and community connection...so that you never diet again).
In the Mind Zoning Academy, you are going to learn how to envision your future...how to create a visual blueprint in your mind’s eye so that your body and your actions can go and execute. Our brain is like the architect crafting the blueprint for our body to go and execute, like a construction team. We are going to begin our session in June with talking about staying motivated, vision boards, and manifesting. Shoutout to John Assaraf because when I really took hold of this idea of creating a vision board about 10 years ago, I went all out and through a party with friends to create vision boards and both some of them and me saw some MAJOR shifts in our lives.
But there is a missing component to just creating a vision board. You need to make sure your mind is in it as well so that you can realistically take action to make the visions a reality. So we are going to talk about this idea of the need to have a constant visualization to remind yourself that “YES, this is what I want.” And we will then work with some amazing Mind Zoning techniques to help you step into the energy of what it feels like to have already achieved your goals fully and completely. It is one of the most POWERFUL techniques that I teach...stepping into that energy! You have probably heard all about manifesting and envisioning your dreams from various motivational speakers...but attaching that emotion to it is what really moves you forward.
The best part is that I am going to lead you through a step by step guided meditation to help you get all the details aligned, embracing the vision, and calling into action the tools and resources you will need to achieve it and THEN...experience what it feels like to fully and completely achieve all of your goals. So that goal that you set on January 1st which you may not have reached quite yet...there is no shame! But this time we will reset your thought patterns along with the goal so that you can truly achieve it.
What you get with the Mind Zoning Academy is first part: education on how the brain works and why we do what we do, then a guided meditation to help you revitalize your goals. The last part of the workshop is open for group coaching questions and answers so that I can help you tackle your obstacles. I am a firm believer that there is a solution to every problem and that every obstacle is actually a lesson to help us get to everything we are envisioning. I’m going to guide you through all of that and more.
As a BONUS, whether you come see me in person in Portland, Oregon or whether you connect with the LIVE online webinar, you will get a professionally mixed Mind Zoning Meditation session which you can listen to over and over to help remind you. It is mixed with gorgeous spa music and it will be a delicious escape which you can enjoy whenever you are feeling you need to reconnect with your goals...use the power of your mind!
I would love for you to head over to fitlandiafitness.com/mind-zoning where you can sign up for the May session of the Mind Zoning Academy: Resolve Inner Conflict, but you will also be able to find the June New Year’s Resolution Revival session as well! It is NOT too late to achieve all your goals and I can’t wait to see you all there.
When you head over to the website, as a little extra invite and bonus for all you amazing listeners, you can put in your name and email and actually get the mixed Mind Zoning End Self-Sabotage recording! Go grab your bonus and start thinking about what you want to manifest in your life. Do some daydreaming, offer some energy to those ideas, and come prepared in June for our REVIVAL!
Next week, be sure to tune in for the announcement of the July Mind Zoning Academy session... I am so excited to share it with you all. I’ll see you next week!
Have you ever experienced wanting to change one part of you, yet another part of you resists? Today we're teaching you how to harness the power of your mind to resolve inner conflict through our Mind Zoning Academy. Feel the power of positivity and listen in now!
In fact, in the Mind Zoning Academy, yes, I have a passion for fitness and creating a healthy lifestyle, BUT, these techniques can apply to any area of your life! It’s really great information and after you listen to the show, I want to make sure that you share this episode with your friends and family and anyone who is struggling with change and motivation! THIS is the episode for you and for them.
PLUS, I’ll be delivering the full live meditation during the webinar and in Portland live in May.
So, let’s get right to it and talk about resolving inner conflict! If any of you listening are feeling stuck in your fitness routine or you are having a hard time making healthy food decisions, you may know if you are a regular listener that I have a program called 30 Days to Thriving. We help you end the craving cycle and reliance on sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol, but we also work very much with your mindset. We teach you to dig deep into your thought patterns and your habits and teach practical and effective techniques to create all new thought patterns so that you can sustain a healthy lifestyle!
I LOVE breaking through obstacles. It truly gives me so much joy and with the 30 Days to Thriving program, you get to work with me on a call every single week as well as in the secret Facebook group so that I can help YOU break through your obstacles. I truly believe there is a solution to every problem and I’ve been blessed with this natural sense or desire to be a problem solver and the amazing thing is, EVERYONE has the capacity to do that, to uncover your obstacles and to break through them. The power is already in your mind.
Today we are going to break down some of the concepts involved with resolving inner conflict. So first of all, what does inner conflict look like? For any of you listening that say there is a part of you who wants to do something, but not all. Bingo. There is some inner conflict. Part of you wants to make the change but there is another part of you that is really holding on. There are root causes of all of this...but when we notice this difference, we can usually dig in and uncover the resistance.
What’s come up again and again when I’ve worked with clients with Mind Zoning, is that the part of you that is resisting change is only doing that as a way to serve and protect the identity of YOU. When we go through a major lifestyle change, we are going to be challenged! Not only do our habits and health chance, but the people around us tend to change as well and sometimes that can be scary. Subconsciously, we already know that is possible, so part of you is just trying to protect you.
There is a really cool hypnotherapy technique called “Parts Therapy.” This allows you to separate those two conflicting parts and gets you to put one side away from the other to understand them both without getting confused. And it’s easy to get confused! It happens to us constantly. This inner battle continues and doesn't go away until you understand it. This technique is great for doing two things: 1) Gives each side of your conflict a voice and provides some validation to each. We help separate the battle and truly explore piece. 2) It helps you come together in a common goal. Where can your conflicts agree and both feel comfortable?
I don’t want to give too much away here because I want you to attend the Mind Zoning Academy, where I will actually be leading you through all of this. Plus, if you register, you will get a downloadable, professionally mixed version of the Mind Zoning for free, as well as 50% off the next 30 Days to Thriving program! Not only that, but you will also have access to a LIVE coaching group call with me where I will answer your questions and offer any advice that I can give to help you on your journey. The Mind Zoning Academy and the 30 Days to Thriving program are truly incredible and help you take these techniques to the next level and make lasting change. The webinar costs only $17 and the in person delivery is $17. It is a step into your support and your lasting change and to overcome your obstacles.
Back on the note of inner conflict, I want you to know this: this is normal, this is natural, this battle in your brain is actually a normal part of making healthy changes in your life. Part of you knows why you want to do it! We just need to confront that other part that is trying to keep you where you are at for your safety.
Here’s a little way you can start at home: get yourself into a relaxed state by taking a few deep breaths so you can better listen to what is going on inside. Picture your goal or desire in one of your hands. For example, if you want to exercise more, imagine that goal is resting in your left hand. And now imagine that the other part, the part that is resisting and saying, “No, I don’t want to get up early to go work out,” is on its own in your right hand. You are holding them separately. Then what you will do is visit what is going on in your right hand...let it speak its excuse and fear and control. After you give that side the opportunity to fully express itself, you can imagine going over to your left hand and let it respond to what it just heard from the right hand. This is not only very validating, but also helps to get these two parts in a better alignment. Once that side has fully expressed itself, you will come back to the right side. And you keep moving back and forth until both sides start to come up with this beautiful compromise and this agreement about what the next steps are.
It is one of my favorite techniques to us...one that I’ve used with every single private client no matter what the conflict. Parts Therapy helps break through the noise and gain clarity. Not only do you discover where the resistance is coming from, but you also learn more about why you want to make the change and the benefits of doing so. If you are having trouble imagining or completing the exercise, don’t worry! Sign up for the webinar or in person Mind Zoning Academy for May and I’ll be sure to walk you through it bit by bit. We will help you end the argument and find new goals!
I’d love to hear from my listeners! Head over to iTunes and leave a comment if you tried this technique and how it worked for you! What was your conflict? What were your opposing sides? And what goal/compromise did the two sides come up with? Head on over and leave us a rating and a review along with your comment!
Thank you all for tuning in for this quick episode and I can’t wait to see you all in the Mind Zoning Academy!
We all know dieting doesn't equate to making a permanent healthy lifestyle change, but self-sabotage gets in the way. In order to end the yo-yo dieting cycle, you first have to change your mindset. And today's show is going to help you do just that. Welcome to The Mind Zoning Academy.
For those of you who are new to Mind Zoning, on fitlandiafitness.com I have these audio guided meditations to help you create new thought patterns so that living a healthy lifestyle is not only easy, but it sticks!
Some of the feedback from my 30 Days to Thriving group is that sometimes they just want me around to lead them through a Mind Zoning, so I’ve listened and I am just thrilled to launch the Mind Zoning Academy. If you live in the Portland, Oregon area, I’ll actually be at Cloudability on April 11th to do a workshop all about Ending Self-Sabotage from 6:00 - 7:15 PM. Here is a link to sign up! And all of you listening should go ahead and use the code FFF50 to celebrate the launch and save 50% off. I want to encourage you to think of 3 people in your life that you want to help end self-sabotage with and go ahead and share this with them.
If you aren’t in the Portland area to attend the in person event, I want to invite you to join our webinar Mind Zoning Academy on April 12th! You can sign up for the webinar here. You will not only get an audio file of what we talk about in the live session, but you will also come away with a professionally mixed version of the guided meditation that I deliver! Even if you can’t attend the webinar go ahead and sign up because you will still get the mixed version of the meditation and a recording of the conversation. Go ahead and register to help you keep moving toward your goals!
If you register and attend either event, you will also get a FREE Q&A session with me! Not only will you get to hear a powerful Mind Zoning meditation, but you will also have the opportunity to share your experience with me and ask about any questions about how I can help you break through your fitness and wellness obstacles. PLUS, anyone who registers will also get a code for 50% off of the next 30 Days to Thriving Program as well!!
Now, let’s talk about breaking self-sabotage. I’ve been talking about and delivering this meditation for the past 6 to 8 weeks because I am truly passionate about it. Sometimes we make excuses, we procrastinate, we put off what we know we are supposed to do! Everyone listening knows the basics...eat more vegetables, cut down on processed foods, cut down on sugar, carbs, alcohol, you KNOW all that. But why don’t you do it?!
This is basically the foundation of Fitlandia. I help you create new foundations and new behaviors and thought patterns by tapping into your subconscious mind. Self-sabotage can mean a whole gamut of things. For example, if your brain is telling you you don’t have enough time to work out because you’ve overcommitted, that is something you can CHANGE, but your brain finds signals to tell you otherwise and won’t let you make the change.
Another example on the other end of the spectrum is this deep lack of self-worth. I’ve seen this time and time again working with clients and also with members in our secret Facebook group and in the 30 Days to Thriving. When you explore your relationship with food and alcohol, sometimes these deep ideas of self-worth come up. Sometimes we sabotage our fitness efforts because we have a deep and unconscious belief that we are not worthy of success or good health or vitality. This technique will help you uncover the root of self-sabotage and it actually helped me identify with basically something that I was doing to myself, a punishment, where I didn’t see I was deserving of living a healthy life and feeling the joy that comes with having a fit body and mind.
I have now talked about this on a few different podcasts and even have written a few blogs about it and love delivering it because this technique is something so easy but so powerful and helps people learn more about themselves. So anyway, I’ll probably bring it up again and again but here is the major premise:
I was working with a naturopath many years ago and I was following a protocol that she had given me to change my nutrition and I was losing weight consistently and then out of nowhere my weight loss totally stopped at 172 pounds. For no rhyme or reason, it just stopped. I was following everything perfectly! I was doing a follow up with her, shoutout to Dr. Premazzi here in Oregon, and she said that sometime happened to you around that weight that could be a stuck trauma that is preventing you from moving forward.
That was the first time in my life when I learned or even thought about the fact that an event or a trauma or a thought could have an impact over my physical body. That just blew my mind. She said she had an exercise for me. She grabbed me a pen and paper and had me close my eyes with the pen in my non-dominant hand. She said with the intention of understanding what is blocking me from moving forward, I should write down any words that come to mind. So i did it! I started to write down whatever words came to mind and there were a few bizarre words at first but then all of a sudden, I started writing out the word “punishment.” It hit me like a ton of bricks. Seriously.
I was recalling that I was punishing myself, holding on to my weight as a punishment, for something that I had deeply regretted. It was incredible that I had come into this awareness. And this is something that all of you can do! What happens when we write with our non-dominant hand is that we are actually tapping into our subconscious mind. We are able to recall those thoughts, memories, and patterns that are actually driving 90% of our behavior. You can use this technique anytime in ANY area of your life. Share this with anyone in your life who may need some clarity and some discovery into how they are sabotaging.
So that’s my little tip for you today...but here is the really cool part! In the first Mind Zoning Academy that launches this week, I am going to lead you through a meditation to not only help you identify the root cause of your self-sabotage but then, I’ll also help you uncover your hidden superpower that will help you break through and move past it!
So sign up for the Mind Zoning Academy today, take advantage of all those awesome bonuses available to you, learn more about what your root cause of self-sabotage is AND your superpower that can help you move forward! I can’t wait to see you all this week! Bye!
Hello Fitlandians! Welcome back to the show. This is episode number 80 and I am so glad you are here because you are in for a real treat with our guest today! Today we are talking with Byrdie McCoy of Byrdie’s Babes and we are talking about the connection between mental health and fitness. Just a quick word of caution...we do have one curse word included so be mindful of that, though I do hope you choose to listen to our powerful conversation.
I also want to remind you that our next 30 Days to Thriving program is starting very soon! You can head over to sign up for the April session for guidance and support in your fitness journey! Enter FRIEND25 at checkout to save 25% off.
Today we are chatting with Byrdie McCoy. Byrdie is a fellow Portlander as well as an amazing fitness influencer and mental health advocate. Byrdie and Christa “met” via Instagram through a mutual friend and were able to connect via messenger...it was friends at first message! Their messages align perfectly. This episode is all about fitness and mental health and how those two relate.
Byrdie’s Story:
Byrdie has a beautiful little girl and just welcomed her new little prince into this world! Byrdie’s Babe’s is her blog which she created for women to get to know all they ways they can get healthy. It all started a couple years ago when she began offering free Bootcamps for women who had suffered trauma to get moving and feel good. They grew and grew until she decided to start a blog to reach even more amazing women.
The blog is all about showcasing all the amazing ways to move and to help women find the type of fitness that is best for them. It’s a tribe of beautiful babes learning about holistic health and finding support. As you all know, community connection is one of our four cornerstones of fitness and Byrdie is creating a safe and empowering space to feel good.
About 8 years ago, Byrdie was on a Greyhound that flipped on the highway. She was severely injured, breaking 13 bones in her face, severing her clavicle, dislocating her knee and much more. This was an incredibly horrible and traumatic time of her life. She was the mother to a young daughter, a college student, and wasn’t able to do much of anything. It was a dark place and she struggled significantly for awhile and was diagnosed with PTSD.
She tried medication for one day and couldn’t remember anything and immediately stopped taking the medication (this is not the best decision for everyone but was best for her). She started moving a little bit each day which helped her get her mind out of the trauma. She continued to increase the amount of movement she was doing each day because that is when she “felt good” again. She knew she wasn’t the only woman out there going through difficult things and she wanted to share the power of this transition with others and share this message and this experience led to Byrdie’s Babes.
It’s About Openness:
We are all having a human experience and being open and connecting in a safe space makes all the difference! Even if we have significant things going on in our lives, like PTSD or trauma, it is okay to lean on others. Even small steps will make a big difference in your life.
It isn’t healthy to just keep pushing through until you reach your limits. Though many of us, especially us women, like to push ourselves to our limits until we break.
Self care is key. Give yourself permission to do whatever. What makes you feel good? What helps you reconnect with yourself and how can you bring that in to each day?
Boundaries for the Babes:
Boundaries aren’t always easy for women to stick to. Knowing where your limits are is essential to living a happy and healthy life. Byrdie talks about some of the powerful ways that she sets strict boundaries for herself to be the best she can in all parts of her life. To her, her daughter comes first but her business is also still very important to her...and she CAN be great at both.
Christa talks about a powerful experience that she had recently at the beach. She was walking along the beach with her dog, Bandit, and she was so lost in her brain that she literally tripped on a dead bird. It was a jolt of a reality check to get out of her head, to slow down, and to re-prioritize things in her life. She’s since been working only 3 hours each day and learning a lot about setting boundaries and sticking to them.
The ladies talk about how you have to put YOU first. If you aren’t your best, if you don’t give yourself space to feel great, you can’t be your best self for your children or your business or your relationships either. Put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others!
Mental Health and Movement:
Studies have shown time and time again that dealing with things like depression or anxiety or PTSD or any other mental health issue is assisted greatly by daily movement. You’ve got to move every. single. day. in order to help yourself be your best self. It is so easy to get caught up in the negative and spiral out of control. Find out what type of movement works for you and brings you joy and do that!
Byrdie’s Tips:
Be sure to follow along with Byrdie’s journey and all the amazing things she is working on on her Byrdie’s Babes website and Instagram as well as her personal Instagram.