Courage Within You with Silvia Turonova
Courage Within You podcast is a safe space for women to embrace their emotional healing while walking their spiritual paths. Raw talks about trauma, the messiness of healing, self-love, growth, and what it means to heal with courage. Silvia is a women’s mindset coach and a yoga teacher. She loves combining the knowledge of brain wiring and mind management with yoga, meditation, and spirituality. She is sharing practical wisdom from neuroscience to better understand our minds and how to redesign our internal system for more joy, peace, and happiness. Every episode is packed with practical tips on how to heal yourself through brain wiring, mindfulness, meditation, and different spiritual practices.
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Taking break from podcasting and what is next
02/06/2024
Taking break from podcasting and what is next
Hello, my brave soul. The time has come when I decided to say goodbye to podcasting for a while and focus on my writing instead. First, let me start by saying that I am beyond grateful for you, my dear listener who found my podcast helpful while always coming back for more. Although the journey of podcasting has been deeply rewarding for me, I decided to direct my attention to something I love the most - writing. Therefore, every Tuesday, I will publish blog posts with tools, tips, techniques, affirmations, quotes, and a little bit of storytelling to support you on your path of deep inner healing and growth. Also, stay on the lookout for some beautiful and healing meditations. Another reason why I decided to take a break from podcasting is a realization I recently had. The truth is that, for a while, I let the doubt get the best of me. Although I wanted to write my second book, I thought to myself: Who am I to write a book? No one will want to read it. Or my all-time favorite: “I am not ready.” It took a couple of months of solitude and looking within. I decided to confront my negative beliefs and break free from these self-imposed limitations. I am beyond excited to embark on this journey for the second time and pour my heart and soul into my second book, and I can’t wait for you to read it. Thank you again for being a part of this beautiful and fulfilling journey, and as I always say at the end of my podcast, I will talk to you soon. Stay brave.
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The Art Of Detachment, Self-Regulation and Emotional Balance
01/16/2024
The Art Of Detachment, Self-Regulation and Emotional Balance
A while ago, I watched an interview with Jay Shetty where he talked about detachment as stated in the Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture. He says that, “detachment is not that you own nothing. Detachment is that nothing owns you.” I find this one of the most accurate and simply understood definitions of detachment. Also, it is worth noticing things and people we are attached to and then asking ourselves:” What does this person, thing, or achievement represent for me?” It wasn't long ago when I was attached to men who came into my life to validate how lovable I was. Or using the attachment to my work and to-do list to justify my worth. If I worked my butt off, I was worthy. If I took a break, I felt guilty for not doing, and worse, being enough. We often hear about detachment as an act of letting go. However, this episode isn’t about letting go but rather understanding duality, attachment to our preferences, things, and people that drive our emotions, and how to use the art of detachment to create and maintain emotional balance. Here is a glance at this episode… [02:05] Different types of detachment and how they show up in your life. [03:47] Why do we attach to other people, results in our work and business, or how many things we get done on our to-do list and use it to justify our worth? [07:50] Understanding the role of duality when it comes to attachment and how reframing from duality supports self-regulation. [11:06] Seeing things for what they are, detaching from our preferences and opinions while creating more emotional balance. [13:15] Sharing a part of chapter 4 from the Bhagavad Gita that talks about detaching from the results of our actions, eliminating suffering, and becoming free.
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2 Spiritual Tools For More Love And Kindness
12/26/2023
2 Spiritual Tools For More Love And Kindness
Healing and walking a spiritual path doesn’t mean you don’t face challenges or that this path is linear. Therefore, having spiritual tools in place is important to keep evoking the love within while shedding off anything that doesn’t serve you. Love is your ultimate superpower. It gives you the courage to take the brave step, softens your heart, and shows you what you are worth. I always looked at growth from two different angles. You either grow by life itself when things you don’t ask for or don’t expect come into your life and challenge you to grow. The second is intentional growth. It means that you take into your own hands what needs to be addressed without waiting for life events to do it for you. In both cases, you need spiritual tools to support, regulate, and empower you. In today’s episode, I teach you two powerful spiritual tools to regulate your nervous system, improve heart coherence, and bring more love and kindness into your space while releasing stuck emotions and energy that don’t serve you. Here is a glance at this episode… [00:38] What was my past idea of a “good life”, how did my perception change, and why do I deeply value balance and my mind being in a state of equilibrium. [03:02] Recognizing how these spiritual tools help activate the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for relaxation and basic understanding of the autonomic nervous system. [04:56] Using spiritual tools to regulate your thoughts and emotions and how they contribute to emotional restoration and healing. [06:08] What is heart rate variability, and how does heart coherence support better mood and improve the immune system? [09:30] How these simple spiritual tools bring forth heartfelt emotions, help you feel relaxed and calm, support heart coherence, and release negative energy.
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#1 Mindfulness Tool To Regulate Your Thoughts And Emotions
12/12/2023
#1 Mindfulness Tool To Regulate Your Thoughts And Emotions
When I found myself having Monday blues last week, this was the mindfulness tool I used to snap out of it while reminding myself of the true nature of my mind. There aren’t Monday blues, bad or good days, or happy Sundays (as people call it in America). The quality of our days, regardless of what day it is or what is happening around us depends on how aware we are and how well we manage our thoughts and emotions. This simple mindfulness tool is your internal resource available at all times and in any situation. Because paying attention to reality, to what is - is an art of self-regulation that’s not talked about. Often, we get stuck in our imagination. We either ruminate on our past or indulge in the vision of the future that doesn’t exist. Often, these visions aren’t compelling, inspiring, or uplifting. In this episode, I will teach you a simple mindfulness tool to help you train your mind for the present while embracing the truth - this moment is all you ever have. When you learn to differentiate between what is here and now and what is only your imagination or inner critic acting up, you’ll become the master in regulating your thoughts and emotions. Here is a glance at this episode… [00:45] How I found myself in my head having Monday blues while observing my critic in full force. [03:14] How to use your awareness and attention as a mindfulness tool to regulate your thoughts and emotions. [06:07] An exercise I do with my clients to show them how to change their emotional state. [08:25] How to effectively use this mindfulness tool regardless of where you are or what is happening around you. [10:21] How to handle your mind if it rebels against the new ways of thinking and feeling while effectively applying this mindfulness tool to your life.
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Healing Childhood Trauma And 3 Tools To Support You
11/28/2023
Healing Childhood Trauma And 3 Tools To Support You
Although healing childhood trauma is a challenging path to walk, it is also a path of deep fulfillment and self-love. When we become brave enough to look at our past and address earlier childhood experiences holding us back, we choose our destiny instead of settling for it. I’ve been healing my childhood trauma for a few years now. And although I have made significant progress, I still find myself emotionally relapsing while feeling paralyzed by fear and unease. It is one of the reasons why I decided to record this episode and shine more light on what healing childhood trauma has been for me, how it shows up in my life and the lives of my clients, and what are the tools available to us to support us on this path. If you ever doubt whether healing your childhood trauma is possible, know that there are support systems, modalities, tools, and techniques that are available to you to make this process a healing experience. In this episode, I will share my journey while healing childhood trauma, why it is impacting us today, and what we can do to cope with it in a powerful and effective way. Here is a glance at this episode… [01:49] The importance of honoring your emotions and why we need to pay attention to subtler negative experiences from our childhood which are easily overlooked. [03:55] Healing my childhood trauma and handling emotional relapse. [12:25] How memory without emotional charge becomes the wisdom that leads us forward. [15:55] The importance of seeking help when healing childhood trauma and the available options. [18:47] How yoga and meditation affected my process of healing childhood trauma and a personal practice I exercise daily. [25:48] Using the inner child’s work as a powerful modality while healing childhood trauma. Disclaimer: This podcast episode is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, psychologist, or other qualified professional, diagnosis, or treatment. Please do not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition. If you feel you need professional help, seek it.
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Rewire Your Brain With This 3-Step Process
11/14/2023
Rewire Your Brain With This 3-Step Process
You can rewire your brain, change how you think and perceive life, and become in love with it by consciously choosing how you want to think. The moment you are born, your conscious mind isn’t formed yet, while the subconscious mind is fully open. Therefore, whatever you hear, see, experience, and perceive from that point gets stored in your subconscious. That’s where your mood, attitude, and personality form and then, often unconsciously, direct your life to this point. However, many things you learn and adapt to aren’t serving you. Therefore, to change the way you think and feel, you must learn to rewire your brain. What do I mean by rewiring? When you think a thought, something called a “neuropathway” is formed in your brain. The more you repeat this thought or behavior, the more this neuropathway strengthens. But what if you are repeating negative or self-defeating thoughts and behaviors? We can refer to this as an unconscious process of thinking. The good news is that we can make it a conscious one. Instead of letting your thoughts run on autopilot, you can rewire your brain by consciously choosing what you want to think. As Carl Jung said, “Until you make unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” Life isn’t based on fate or some prewritten destiny that’s out of your hands. By consciously choosing who you want to be, and how you want to live and then actively working towards that goal - you can craft your destiny. After listening to this episode, you will have a clear understanding of what shaped you into the person you are today and why you may find it hard to change. You will also learn how to rewire your brain with a simple, yet effective 3-step process. Here is a glance at this episode… [01:30] A science-based understanding that explains how we create habitual ways of thinking and feeling. Understanding how you wire and then rewire your brain. [04:42] How to consciously create new neuropathways and rewire your brain through a simple 3-step process. [05:25] What is required of you to successfully apply this 3-step formula, and how to handle your mind when it rebels against your new way of thinking. [09:42] How to use forgiveness and compassion as a support when working on your mindset and changing the habitual ways of thinking and feeling. [16:05] How to use questions to rewire your brain and change negative thinking patterns by reframing them.
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How to Use Positive Affirmations and Visualization to Heal
10/31/2023
How to Use Positive Affirmations and Visualization to Heal
Since we tell ourselves affirmations all day, why not make them into positive affirmations that allow us to become who we want to be and attract things we want? There are two types of affirmations: conscious and unconscious. Unconscious affirmations are thoughts and beliefs that run on autopilot. Since we reinforce these statements in our minds many times, they become automatic. Often those are thoughts we don’t want to have but aren’t aware we have them. Conscious affirmations are positive affirmations we choose. Think of them as thoughts you choose to think that produce emotions you want to feel. In this episode, I will lead you through the process of creating positive affirmations, carefully selecting the right ones for you, and beginning to practice them. However, there is one more component that solidifies this process, and that’s visualization. When we say or think our affirmations and then visualize and feel that statement, we enter the realm of a possibility that goes beyond the logical mind. Positive affirmations serve as a tool to change your subconscious thoughts and beliefs, while visualization brings up the emotional state that feels as if you are already that person or have that thing that you think about and visualize. Here is a glance at this episode… [00:52] Difference between conscious and unconscious affirmations and how we shaped who we are through positive affirmations [05:28] How to create new beliefs about yourself and the world around you by creating new thinking patterns through conscious affirmations. [08:20] How to create positive affirmations and a few things to keep in mind to make this process as powerful as you can. ]14:04] Using visualization as a way to empower your affirmations. And how it changes your emotional and energetical state to a higher frequency.
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Healing Inner Child and Reparenting Yourself
10/17/2023
Healing Inner Child and Reparenting Yourself
Healing your inner child is about accessing the wounds or suppressed emotions while recognizing what parts of you need to be healed. It’s also about identifying different parts or versions of your little self and then healing them individually. You may have a version of your inner child that’s angry, one that feels unworthy, untrusting, or insecure. Attuning to each of them, giving them attention, validating their feelings, and loving them through it all is where deep healing happens. As children, we adapt different coping mechanisms. Since our brain is still developing when we form these behavioral patterns, they aren’t often the most beneficial. This is when, as adults, we begin observing patterns that we have but want to change. Healing your inner child is about reparenting and reconnecting with disowned parts of yourself while learning and applying ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that support your well-being. In this episode, I will teach you how to identify different parts of your inner child that need healing. I will give you 4 questions that represent 4 steps to take when using inner child work as a way to heal. At the end of the episode, we will take a few minutes to do a simple guided meditation practice to heal your inner child. Once you listen to the episode, you can get the full version of this meditation here. Here is a glance at this episode… [02:04] Why is inner child work so empowering, and how does it help you to heal your past [04:57] How to recognize different versions of your inner child and understand the experiences that shaped her [07:54] The importance of healing the inner child through self-compassion and recognizing coping mechanisms you develop due to past experiences [09:04] 4 questions to ask your inner child [13:18] A simple, short guided meditation practice for reconnecting and healing the inner child
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3 Spiritual Practices That Healed Me
10/03/2023
3 Spiritual Practices That Healed Me
Are you stuck on your healing path? Do you feel you’ve tried almost everything, but nothing quite works? Today, I am sharing my 3 most powerful spiritual practices that I used and continue using every day to heal and keep myself in balance. Daily spiritual practices are essential for anyone on a healing path. When we have a practice in place and stay committed to it, what we are saying is “I love me to take care of me.” Developing spiritual practices that work and coming back to them daily became a ritual that I can't go without. It is like taking a shower or brushing my teeth. There is something that is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is “the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections.” In simpler words, by exercising different spiritual practices, you are “molding” your brain into becoming a person who takes care of her mental and emotional health. For example, if you used to binge-watch a show every day but now you do your spiritual practices instead, you are training your mind to develop healthier habits and perceive yourself as a healthier person. In this episode, I talk about 3 spiritual practices I use daily to manage my mind, regulate my emotions, and break limiting thinking patterns. These spiritual practices keep me in balance and support me on my path to healing and personal growth. Here is a glance at this episode… [00:40] How my spiritual practices became a roadmap to my healing and helped me in breaking the generational narrative. [01:38] Addressing what is spirituality and why it has nothing to do with religion and what it actually means to be spiritual. [05:07] How silence and solitude embraced my healing and allowed me to know myself on a deeper level. [09:58] Understanding the deeper aspects of yoga as a spiritual practice, and how it skyrocketed my healing and became a way of life. [14:33] What responsibility and the power of choice have to do with spirituality, and why practicing both is more spiritual than you may think.
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15-Minute Guided Meditation to Reinvent Yourself
09/19/2023
15-Minute Guided Meditation to Reinvent Yourself
What if instead of focusing on what you want to accomplish externally, you look within and focus on who you need to become and how you can reinvent yourself to reach the healing, growth, and goals you desire? The external world can fall apart, but how you manage your internal system and the magnitude of your is something no one can take away from you. Inner resilience and self-belief rooted in self-trust are all you need when embarking on a committed spiritual path while transforming the subconscious and subtle patterns that keep you stuck. If you focus on your present reality, how wounded you are, or how many things you need to “fix” about yourself, it’s natural to feel discouraged by the amount of work you need to undergo. Therefore, I want you to look at the other side of the spectrum. I want you to look at the possibility you represent and explore ways to reinvent yourself. This meditation is designed to look deep inside yourself, identify patterns you want to change, and then use your imagination to create a picture of who you want to become. Not who you think you can be or should be but who you WANT to be. It is your tool to reinvent yourself from the ground up. How can you use this meditation: Commit to doing the meditation at least once a day, preferably twice in the morning and at night. Write down the habits, patterns, or traits you want to change ( this is optional). Write down a clear picture of who you want to become and what it looks like to reinvent yourself. Include as many details as you’d like, and then use this vision in your meditation (this is also optional). Why is this meditation powerful? This guided meditation to reinvent yourself and reach your full potential is meant to pull you out of survival mode and into the seat of the possibility of who you can become. It helps you to identify subconscious patterns you may not be aware of and directs your attention toward inner healing.
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4 Mindset Shifts That Fuel Your Growth
09/05/2023
4 Mindset Shifts That Fuel Your Growth
Beyond the tools and techniques we use to better self-regulate, there are 4 mindset shifts that create change on a level of perception. And as Wayne Dyer said, "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." So often, women come to me and say, “I tried everything, but I feel stuck.” Often, it is one of these mindset shifts that they haven’t yet established. Although tools and exercises are essential for building a diverse self-care toolkit and raising awareness, when we choose to expand our perception, growth is inevitable. During this episode, I am taking the fluff out of the conversation. I encourage you to look at what is, not what you wish it would be. I invite you to let go of the stories and ruminations that keep you stuck and instead build a strong foundation for your growth. Some of these mindset shifts may be already established in your life, and some may be missing. However, one thing I know for sure: If you take each of these mindset shifts to your heart and fully exercise them for the next 30 days, you will certainly see changes in your life, no questions about it. Here is a glance at this episode… [01:45] What spirituality is and what is not, the misconception about being a bigger person, and why it’s time to be real with yourself [03:20] Two most common excuses that keep you stuck and how commitment to your spiritual growth fuels change in your life [09:05] How to be aware of compulsive thoughts that sabotage your progress and how to become more conscious and less reactive throughout the day [12:20] Understanding the power you hold to change your life and eliminating the negative story you are holding onto [13:50] Embracing the idea of a single-minded goal and asking yourself one powerful question
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Building a strong self-belief and breaking through mental limits
08/22/2023
Building a strong self-belief and breaking through mental limits
There is a quote from Swami Vivekananda that empowers me every time I read it. He says, “Tell your body that it is strong. Tell your mind that it is strong and have unbounded faith and hope in yourself.” That, to me, represents a deep sense of self-belief. Regardless of the circumstances we are brought up in, every single person can change their life and write their destiny by building a strong self-belief. Every belief you currently have (whether you consider it good or bad) is an accumulation of information and things you received throughout your life. However, if these beliefs stop you from creating the life you want, it’s time to break them. I’ve met so many people (and was one of them) who believed that I couldn’t change my life and redesign my belief system. What a giant piece of a lie. Although building a strong self-belief and breaking through the psychological limits we create may seem challenging, I want you to consider this: growth is not comfortable (but we love it). Stagnation or limiting beliefs aren’t comfortable either (and we don’t like it). Taking this perception into account, deciding to work on your belief system is a no-brainer. When you build a strong self-belief, you invite clarity, confidence, and awareness into your life. Even believing you can’t build a strong self-belief is a limiting belief. And this is where many of us need to start and address the (often) hidden or subconscious limits we impose on ourselves. In today’s episode, I will talk about the types of beliefs we have and the 2 most common limiting beliefs. Also, I share 4 steps on how to build a strong self-belief. Here is a glance at this episode: [01:50] Beliefs that create possibilities vs. beliefs that create boundaries and walls [03:45] two common beliefs many of us have that prevent us from healing and growing beyond our current circumstances and what to do about it [08:15] How awareness of your subtler thoughts helps with strengthening your self-belief and how to break some of the limiting beliefs [10:50] 4-step process on how to build a strong self-belief and overcome limiting beliefs that keep you stuck
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Healing With Grace And Honoring Your Path
08/08/2023
Healing With Grace And Honoring Your Path
Healing with grace means honoring the stage of your growth while nurturing a sense of respect and meeting yourself where you are. Think about it - the number one reason you turn to emotional healing and spiritual growth is to experience more joy, happiness, and ease in your life. But how often do you end up entangled in this process: judging yourself for the slightest mistakes, striving for perfectionism, or feeling guilty because you aren’t meeting some unrealistic expectations? The most common barrier I see with my clients is that instead of love, support, or encouragement, they keep themselves in old patterns of judgment and guilt. Unconsciously following these patterns can also make healing toxic. To prevent this from happening while positively supporting your growth, you must become conscious of these unconscious patterns and bring a sense of support and grace into the process. In today’s episode, I will talk about two main events that inspired me to record this podcast, how to honor your path without judgment and embrace healing with grace. Here is a glance at the episode: [01:02] What inspired me to record this podcast episode and how healing with grace changes and supports the process [05:58] The most common barriers we face when it comes to healing and what stops us from moving through it with grace [10:15] The idea of “where we should be” and the impact of comparison to someone else’s journey [12:55] The best support you can offer to yourself when walking your healing path and how to stay from judgment and unrealistic expectations [14:55] A simple heart-opening technique to embrace loving emotions while healing with grace
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Feeling Empowered and Trusting Yourself
07/25/2023
Feeling Empowered and Trusting Yourself
When I say “feeling empowered’ - what comes to your mind? Living a life with no fear? Overcoming self-doubt? Setting boundaries? Not letting the opinions of others affect you? Or maybe something else? What if you can live your life in this place? One of the most inspiring things I understood about empowerment is that it comes from within and builds an immense level of self-respect. We feel empowered when we overcome our fears, heal a wound that has been there for a while, take a step while our legs are shaking, or set boundaries that were long overdue. Although none of it means comfort, it means life. We get consumed or tricked into believing that comfort is what we should strive for. But think about it, what is comfort? A dull place of self-protection. When you choose to step out of your bubble (which you are capable of, BTW) - feeling empowered is inevitable. Once you get the boost of self-assurance and trust that you can conquer your fears, limits, and even your wounds, you’ll begin to understand the power that’s been your physical body and mind. Today’s podcast episode is exactly about what feeling empowered while trusting yourself means and, mostly, how to get there. Here is a glance at this episode: [01:40] Living from a place of empowerment while trusting your inner guidance. A personal story of fear, stress, and anxiety that prompted me to question how I live my life and what thoughts predominate in my mind. [05:58] What it means to trust yourself and how to practice looking within. The importance of being selective about the information that enters your mind. [09:02] Handling self-doubt while feeling empowered through self-trust. How to identify the reason you feel dissatisfied with your life. [14:56] Teaching you 2 exercises to practice this week to create a possibility in your life and overcome fears while feeling empowered.
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Negative thoughts: How to observe, detach and change them
07/11/2023
Negative thoughts: How to observe, detach and change them
Can you eliminate all your negative thoughts for the rest of your life? Maybe not, but you can certainly manage them effectively. When you try to resent your negative thoughts, they often persist and become louder. Therefore the trick isn’t stopping your thoughts in track or exercising fake positivity (trust me, I tried, and it doesn’t work), but rather, not identifying with everything you think. Let’s say there is a limiting belief you adopted in your childhood which you label as negative. Since this pattern of negative thoughts has been reestablished over many years, it’s natural for your mind to keep bringing the same recycled thoughts back. Since your mind is literally like a muscle, you want to learn to train it as such. In today’s episode, I will talk about how identification with our negative thoughts keeps us stuck in limiting thinking patterns. I will also teach you about the power of the pause, how to become an observer of what you are thinking without being sucked into it and share a mindfulness exercise to help with mind identification. Last but not least, we will also look at the most obvious power we all have - the power of choice. Here is a glance at this episode: [02:10] Managing our internal system, looking at stress and anxiety in today’s world and why we shouldn’t accept it as the only way of life. [04:24] What it means to identify with our thoughts, how to work through them, and an example of mind identification [06:44] Practicing the power of PAUSE, being conscious instead of compulsive [09:37] Detaching from what you think or what your thoughts mean by using this simple, yet powerful mindfulness exercise [12:32] Choosing growth over comfort, summing up what it means to detach from negative thoughts and become in charge of how you think and feel.
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Finding the courage within and living fearlessly
06/27/2023
Finding the courage within and living fearlessly
In this episode, we’ll dive into what it means to find the courage within you by confronting your fears and embracing living boundlessly. We both know that fear is real, no doubts about it. However, I refuse to sit here and accept that this is how “things are.” Are you with me? We were programmed to believe that living with anxiety is “normal” or that living with stress is “just’ a part of daily living. Both are a product of our fears about what may go wrong, whether we have what it takes, what people think of us, and so many other reasons. Fear keeps us paralyzed. And the highest price we pay is that deep down, we know we are downplaying ourselves. We know we have that courage within us to live boundlessly. I’ll bet my life on it that you feel it too. It is my deepest hope this podcast episode will allow you to see things differently while understanding that the worst-case scenario of what can go wrong when you decide to pursue your life’s deepest desire is nothing compared to what you are losing if you don’t. Forget the “next time” thinking. There have been so many next time - I encourage you to make this one your last. I encourage you to find the courage within and start designing the life you dreamed of and so well deserve. In today’s podcast episode, we will cover The fear of uncertainty and how our mind perceives it. The story and what it means to let go. The most important question to ask yourself when finding the courage within. What can you do to prime your mind for change and overcome your fears. A 3-step process on how to handle it while finding the courage within. Here is a glance at this episode: [01:28] How fear stops us from making change and what it means to live courageously [03:14] Fear of uncertainty and how your mind perceives it [05:29] Committing to your healing and growth by asking yourself this profound question. [11:05] Breaking down the concept of fear - what are you afraid of and how to face it [12:50] Understanding what it means to choose your discomfort and how it activates the courage within to face your fears [16:05] A few tools you can use to manage your mind and the impact of fear and a simple 3-step process to use daily
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How To Retrain Your Mind And Overcome Negative Thoughts and Beliefs
06/13/2023
How To Retrain Your Mind And Overcome Negative Thoughts and Beliefs
What if I tell you there is a simple way to retrain your mind while going about your day as usual? And what if I tell you that you can use my 3-step process to accomplish just that? If I ask you, “Who are you?” Would you be able to answer that? (spoiler alert: If you are not sure, that’s okay. Neither am I. But that’s beside the point). You may not know who you are, at least not just yet, but we both can agree you are NOT your mind - you HAVE a mind. Even better, we can think about your mind as a tool. You can sharpen it, change it, redesign it, retrain it, transform it, mold it, and so much more. In this podcast episode, I will share a 3-step process to retrain your mind from judgment, negative thoughts and beliefs, or even unhealthy habits. What if you can retrain your mind from being a madman to an obedient servant? I will take you from awareness to forgiveness to a new way of thinking. And a pretty cool thing about this is that you can practice this anywhere and anytime in the comfort of your mind. After you listen to this episode, I recommend you check out this mindfulness exercise, try my forgiveness meditation, and read my recent blog post on how to create powerful affirmations. You’ll understand how these additional tools support you on your way to retraining your mind from negative thought patterns to feeling more empowered, inspired, and grateful. Here is a glance at this episode: [01:56] How can you use this 3-step process to retrain your mind, and how it is changing the lives of my clients and my own. [03:20] The example of one of my clients using the 3-step process, [05:12] The one unhealthy but subtle pattern many of us have when it comes to self-awareness and how to overcome it. [08:50] Understanding your mind and its behavior when changing unhealthy thought patterns, habits, and beliefs. [13:20] Implementing forgiveness into this process and how lack of it often keeps us stuck [15:04] How to replace your old patterns of thinking with new ones and some examples to help you get started
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Self-Validation vs. Self-Responsibility
05/23/2023
Self-Validation vs. Self-Responsibility
Self-validation allows us to acknowledge, feel and process our emotions, while self-responsibility is where we step out of victimhood and into our power. When you begin to look at any area of your life that is asking for healing, acknowledging what you feel is the first step. So often, we carry our pains silently because, as adults, aware only of our logical brain, we ridicule what our emotions try to tell us. Self-validation or validating our emotions means honoring what is there, without judgment, ridicule, or a need to change the truth within. Once we allow ourselves to be fully expressive in our authentic, raw, and unapologetic selves, we create an outlet for stuck traumas and energies to find the way out. I also believe there is a sense of power in our self-expression. The energy we use to hide, pretend, or deny transmutes into letting go and feeling it through. Therefore, self-validation and recognition of our emotions is the first step toward healing the wounds. In today’s podcast episode, I will also lead you through 4 steps to apply this process to your life. Once we embrace what we feel and express it in a way we choose, we can acknowledge what part of us is playing a victim in a situation. Although this (often) hard look in a mirror is intimidating and confronting, it is the only way to take charge of our thoughts and emotions and become in control of ourselves. Responsibility means response which we are always able to choose. How do I want to respond to the behavior of my parents? How do I respond to my old thoughts that keep me stuck? How do I respond to the limiting beliefs that hold me back? As you can see, there is a reason why validation comes before responsibility. However, choosing how we want to think and feel ultimately seals the deal and allows us to heal fully. Here is a glance at this episode… [01:16] How self-validation affects our healing and what happens when we acknowledge and feel our emotions. [01:56] What is the most common barrier within our healing, and how does lack of emotional validation affect our progress [04:11] A 4-step process to acknowledge, recognize, validate, and feel our emotions. [06:42] An affirmation I use during this 4-step process and how it allows me to open up while withstanding the discomfort of feeling deep emotions. [10:29] How understanding the depth of our wounds allows us to understand more about what happened to us and use compassion instead of judgment [14:10] Moving on the other side of the spectrum, stepping out of the victimhood, and recognizing where the power is.
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Guided meditation to ease anxiety and create a safe space within
05/16/2023
Guided meditation to ease anxiety and create a safe space within
Tune into this guided meditation to ease anxiety while embracing a safe space within you. Here is the thing, my friend. At what point in our lives have we accepted that living with this fearful feeling lingering in the back of our mind is normal? Whether it is because of the negative information we mindlessly consume or the dysregulated nervous system, is this the only way to "do life?" Learning to self-regulate while managing your thoughts and emotions is a useful skill to acquire during your healing process and something we all can learn and practice. You and I know that keeping our anxiety at bay while maintaining inner calm isn’t always easy. Whether this results from past experiences, unhealed childhood wounds, or overthinking mind, dysregulated nervous system requires some time to heal and get organized. Therefore the question is: "How can you regulate your thoughts and emotions and rewire your brain from trauma to healing?" There are many ways to do that, and meditation is one of them. In honor of mental health awareness month, I designed a 15-minute guided meditation to ease anxiety while providing you with a sense of protection and nurturing. When you approach your healing from the place of inner grounding, you are more prone to open your heart and embrace emotions that give you support, courage, and desire to heal. Also, you are learning how to create a safe space within you that you can access anytime. Enjoy! Namaste.
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5 Coaching Questions To Empower Your Healing and Growth
05/02/2023
5 Coaching Questions To Empower Your Healing and Growth
In today’s episode, I will be sharing five powerful coaching questions that transformed not only my life but also the lives of my clients, and I hope they will do the same for you. We all have what I call blind spots. These are things others may see, but we are blind to them. It often happens when we are in the arena, dealing with the rawness of life while trying to figure out and handle things in the best way possible. The power of coaching questions is to uncover these blind spots, give us more options, and offer solutions or bring us back to what matters the most when we get off track. Each of these coaching questions serves a specific purpose to allow you to think bigger and with more potential. For the first four questions, I suggest you make some time and write your answers down. Often, when we put things on paper, we gain more clarity and make whatever we write more real. The last question is truly one of my favorites! I encourage you to ask yourself this question as often as you want. It is a fun and playful way to uplift your spirit and embrace the fact that you should always be your biggest fan. Enjoy the episode! Here’s a glance at this episode >> [02:25] How to use your innate intelligence and potential to answer these five coaching questions and why you have answers already within you >> [04:30] Focusing on becoming the person you want to be and one thing no one can take away from you >> [07:20] The most transformation question I asked myself when I was in India and how it can change your life on a fundamental level >> [15:15] Taking a look at the role of stress in your life and what to ask yourself when you feel stressed, worried, or anxious >> [17:40] The importance of regulating your emotional state and using this simple coaching question to find the right way for you. >> [20:25] My favorite coaching question I encourage you to ask yourself every day to uplift and empower your spirit and emotional state
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Cultivating Heartfelt Emotions and Healing Power of The Heart
04/04/2023
Cultivating Heartfelt Emotions and Healing Power of The Heart
How can we cultivate heartfelt emotions and use them to heal ourselves and build more resilience? When we live in a state of fear, our hearts are closed, and our nervous system spends most of the time in a fight or flight mode. We feel less energy, and although we wake up every morning and do the things we have to, it may feel as if we are not living. When we begin opening our hearts to life and embracing heartfelt emotions like joy, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, or even deep sadness, we will experience more aliveness and resilience. Think of it this way: where is gratitude fear can’t exist. If we are healing from the place of love and compassion, we are more courageous to look at our past and address it in a healthier and more productive way. On the contrary, when we live in fear, we live in a state of judgment and negativity. Healing from this place may often become impossible. In today’s podcast episode, I will lead you through a series of simple exercises you can use to cultivate those heartfelt emotions and begin learning how to open your heart to life. Please make no mistake. When I say “open your heart,” I don’t mean to go and love the world. Rather, focus on feeling and becoming love. Everything else will work better for that place. [01:40] How is fear preventing us from opening our hearts, and why do we develop this protective mechanism early in childhood? Here is a glance at this episode... [02:41] The importance of heartfelt emotions during our healing and the profound difference it made in my recovery. [04:44] What opening your heart means, how it looks, and why it is not what you might think. [08:20] A powerful story of a warrior that illustrates what it means to live with an open heart. [12:05] A few simple exercises to open your heart and embrace heartfelt emotions and the power of intentions.
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10-Minute Guided Forgiveness Meditation
03/21/2023
10-Minute Guided Forgiveness Meditation
About three years ago, I was a member of a coaching group with Jay Shetty, and we were covering a forgiveness month. One of the things he did with us was a mindfulness exercise on self-forgiveness. I remember closing my eyes and saying, “I forgive myself.” The moment I spoke these words out loud, I started crying and couldn’t participate anymore. Therefore, I had to finish the session on replay. This experience was a profound moment of realizing how much guilt and self-judgment we hold and how little forgiveness we allow ourselves to receive. Have you ever thought about your inner voice and what it says when you make a mistake? Do you beat yourself down for every mistake you make but barely recognize the thing you do well? In my last article, I talked about forgiveness and how crucial it is to practice it regularly. I gave you a few ideas on how you can implement forgiveness into your daily routine and begin letting go of guilt and judgment. You know I am big on creating your self-care toolkit. Your toolkit is a collection of tools and techniques you use to regulate your emotional state, improve your mind management and support your healing process. Therefore, I decided to create a simple tool for you to practice self-forgiveness and bring more acceptance, understanding, and compassion into your life. I recorded short, 10-minute guided forgiveness meditation you can add to your self-care toolkit to soothe yourself when in a judgment attack or to heal deep-rooted guilt that you have not yet addressed. I hope this simple meditation will empower your healing and serve you well.
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Mindfulness Exercise: You Are Not Your Mind
03/07/2023
Mindfulness Exercise: You Are Not Your Mind
During my yoga studies in India, I learned techniques for better mind management to regulate my emotional state with more calm and consideration. Today, I want to share a mindfulness exercise to help you do the same. Although I don’t want to go too philosophical on you here, I believe our mind often runs on old “software” - a program full of limiting beliefs or habits we acquired. Therefore if we identify with what we think, it becomes quite difficult to heal ourselves, especially when thoughts we think are negative or disempowering. I recorded a 10-minute simple mindfulness exercise focused on two parts of your mind. First is understanding that you aren’t your thoughts. The second is developing a better relationship with your mind. I designed this simple mindfulness exercise to add to your self-care toolbox and use as a technique for better mind management. Remember that everything in your life derives from the way you think. Therefore, a healthy mind is a foundation for deep inner healing and transformative growth.
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Mindfulness Exercise: 10-Minute Guided Meditation for Empowered Mind
03/07/2023
Mindfulness Exercise: 10-Minute Guided Meditation for Empowered Mind
During my yoga studies in India, I learned techniques for better mind management to regulate my emotional state with more calm and consideration. Today, I want to share a mindfulness exercise to help you do the same. Although I don’t want to go too philosophical on you here, I believe our mind often runs on old “software” - a program full of limiting beliefs or habits we acquired. Therefore if we identify with what we think, it becomes quite difficult to heal ourselves, especially when thoughts we think are negative or disempowering. I recorded a 10-minute simple mindfulness exercise focused on two parts of your mind. First is understanding that you aren’t your thoughts. The second is developing a better relationship with your mind. I designed this simple mindfulness exercise to add to your self-care toolbox and use as a technique for better mind management. Remember that everything in your life derives from the way you think. Therefore, a healthy mind is a foundation for deep inner healing and transformative growth.
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How to Manage Your Thoughts and Build Resilient Mind
02/06/2023
How to Manage Your Thoughts and Build Resilient Mind
If you want to change your life, whether to heal your past or transform your current situation, do it by training yourself to manage your thoughts effectively. Since your thoughts create your feelings and your feelings drive your actions, your life is a result of what you think all day long. Therefore, to make sustainable changes and live life on your terms, you must go back and address the source - your MIND. To take the overwhelm out of the picture by trying everything while seeing minimal results, you can commit to one daily practice: manage your thoughts through mind awareness while consciously and deliberately choosing what you want to think. Although this may sound overly simplistic, I found that going back to the basics and addressing the root of what creates our reality is a powerful practice where you learn how to manage your thoughts and stop letting your mind run wild. [04:04] How to use a simple method of mind awareness while choosing what we want to think. [09:06] Going back to the basics about mind management and how a simple adjustment in your awareness creates significant changes in your outer and inner world. [11:58] The importance of staying away from judgment while accepting and befriending your mind. [13:25] How to approach your thoughts with curiosity while paying attention to your emotional state. [14:10] Why there isn’t a “secret” to happiness and how the only “secret" lies in the power of your mind and how well you manage your thoughts. [15:52] The importance of disidentifying with your mind while understanding that you aren’t your thoughts. [17:40] How to live your life by choice, not by default, and overcome the fear of taking risks and living fully.
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How to Consciously Heal With Love
12/27/2022
How to Consciously Heal With Love
We don’t heal through judgment while inflicting more guilt on ourselves for the choices we make. We do it by understanding what happened to us and taking responsibility for our healing by consciously changing our self-sabotaging habits. For most of us, the results of our survival mechanism won’t make lots of sense to our adult logical selves. Self-betrayal or self-sabotage is, in fact, the protective mechanism our brain developed to ensure our survival. Pondering the question, “what happened to me” instead of “what’s wrong with me” leads to more understanding and self-compassion. This is especially useful when you end up triggered, act in unhealthy ways, or do something your logical self doesn’t approve of. You can use your conscious awareness to change your life and make different choices while caring for yourself better. The crucial part of your healing process lies in learning how to heal with love. In today’s episode, we’ll cover: [02:08] How to overcome and deal with the emotional charge and triggers we feel when reflecting and acknowledging our past. [04:07] How to understand our past and what happened to us through the eyes of understanding and self-compassion. [07:10] How to use our conscious awareness to question how we act today while maintaining the level of understanding and empathy, and how this leads to faster growth. [11:50] The importance of seeking appropriate help by defining what you want to address and heal. How getting a therapist to address my sexual trauma supported my recovery and gave me tools and techniques to lean on. [16:02] A simple tool I use to support my growth and develop a more loving relationship with myself.
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Discipline Your Mind For More Healing and Growth
11/29/2022
Discipline Your Mind For More Healing and Growth
Is there such a thing as knowing too much? Can we miss out on profound moments of healing and growth because we try to crack the complex code of our mental and emotional recovery while overlooking the simplicity of this process? In today’s episode, I will take you back to the basics of what it means to transform your life and heal your past one thought at a time. Although disciplining your mind may not be easy at first, cultivating this practice can lead to less anxiety, a healthier and more trusting perception of the world, and evoke more love and kindness while finding lessons even in the most difficult experiences. Since our thoughts create our emotional state, learning to become aware of what we think, and let unproductive and negative thoughts pass without judgment is the single most important practice of your healing and growth. >>[01:43] Why knowing “too much” can stop us from growth and create barriers in our healing process >>[06:44] Disciplining your mind while becoming aware of what predominating thoughts you think regularly. >>[09:20] How our thoughts either inspire more healing or keep us stuck in a loop and how to overcome this >>[11:30] A simple exercise to observe your thinking and perception and its impact on your growth >>[16:10] Committing to a conscious practice of choosing empowering thoughts
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How to Feel Good
10/24/2022
How to Feel Good
How do you make yourself feel good when facing challenging times, and do you even allow yourself to feel good in the first place? Today’s podcast episode was inspired by my past 2 weeks when I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster while struggling to find any inner balance or peace. I realized how my spiritual practice allowed me to get through these weeks with more calm and ease and reminded me how important it is to have habits, tools, and techniques in place when facing those difficult days. In fact, I realized how many of us don’t even allow ourselves to feel better because we either think we don’t have time, we don’t deserve it, or we were in our survival mode for so long, we don’t even know what feeling good looks like, let alone feels like. Most of your life depends on how you feel. Since your actions are driven by your emotions, how can you cultivate a mindset of self-care and self-nurturing when challenges arise? In today’s episode, I will share the importance of allowing ourselves to feel good ( I know, crazy, but “not allowing yourself to feel good is a thing many of us live with). I will also go over the details of my spiritual practice and what I regularly practice to maintain more inner peace and calmness in my life. >>[00:45] how my emotional state inspired me to record this podcast episode when I realized (again) that cultivating good feelings makes a huge difference when it comes to my decisions, actions, and overall results. >>[01:50] The role of our mindset when it comes to maintaining a positive emotional state, why many of us struggle to allow ourselves to feel good and how to change that. >>[07:47] Defining your self-love language, using love in action, and how to define and apply your self-love language into your life. >>[12:30] The power of spiritual practice - how I am using my spiritual practice to heal and care for myself. Examples of what you can incorporate into your spiritual practice to learn habits, tools, and techniques to feel good.
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Soothing Meditation for More Joy and Inner Peace
10/03/2022
Soothing Meditation for More Joy and Inner Peace
A couple of weeks ago, I published my first self-love meditation to heal your inner child. Since many of you enjoyed it, I decided to create a little bit longer meditation for self-soothing and bringing more joy and inner peace into your life. This is a great meditation if you need a little more care and a little more nurturing. “It’s not through healing that you will love yourself. It’s through loving yourself that you will heal.” Finding comfort in meditation Although there are many different meditation styles and mindfulness exercises, I picked one that feels comforting and soothing. Some days, we may see the light shining a little brighter, while other days, it’s challenging to get out of bed. The beauty of meditation is that you can “come as you are” without judgment or expectations and express where you are, whether mentally and emotionally, most purely and authentically. Soothing meditation for more Joy and Inner Peace The goal of today’s meditation is to soothe yourself with love and compassion and give yourself a little extra care. Whether it'll be through breathing or a simple visualization, keep feelings of love and care in your awareness throughout the entire meditation session. This meditation is intended to get you centered, grounded, and peaceful, so you can spend this time nurturing your spirit and soul. At the beginning of meditation, I will ask you to set an intention. I invite you to recognize that by sitting down and caring for your mind and soul, you practice and live in a state of self-love. Especially for those of you who are here to heal and learn how to love yourself, this is an excellent way to practice it. By keeping this intention in your mind, you will make this meditation even more powerful. The beauty of meditation is its repetition of simple steps or techniques that eventually change your mindset, help you self-regulate, and bring calm into your life. By repeatedly focusing on loving and caring for yourself, you will strengthen these mental muscles and, eventually, transform them into a new way of life.
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3 Ways How to Nurture a relationship with Your Inner Child
09/26/2022
3 Ways How to Nurture a relationship with Your Inner Child
You come into this world as a super cute, adorable, perfect, playful, lovable, and carefree baby. Your soul is pure and your heart wide open. But then… Life happens. Suddenly you find yourself in your adulthood, considering whether you should get a therapist, move to California, go to one of the anonymous meetings or lie to yourself and pretend that everything is fine. Since you are here, I assume you want to change your life and how you feel. If that is the case, I encourage you, with all my heart, to start working and nurturing a relationship with your inner child. Inner child’s work often brings up the feelings that heal us the most; feelings of love, compassion, and empathy. It also allows us to reconnect with disowned parts of ourselves, process stored emotions from the past, exercise self-compassion, and forgive ourselves for any self-betrayal or self-harm we caused to ourselves. Nurturing a relationship with your inner child is a powerful practice of healing and loving yourself. Therefore, if you are on your healing journey or ready to start, I encourage you to include the inner child’s work in your practice. Last week, I shared a 10-minute guided self-love meditation for healing your inner child. I invite you to try it out and give it a listen. In today’s episode, I will talk about three ways how I have been nurturing and healing a relationship with my inner child. >>[01:27] Why and how meditation changed my life and the way I heal. >>[01:58] Why is the inner child’s work an important part of the healing process, and how do you learn it and implement it into your life? 3 ways how to nurture a relationship with your inner child. >>[06:16] Compassion as the first way to nurture a relationship with your inner child. Challenges I faced when I started with the inner child’s work and how I handled them. A simple visualization tool for more compassion. >>[11:09] Asking for forgiveness from your inner child and recognizing any self-betrayal or self-sabotage. >>[15:01] Hugging your inner child as the third way to nurture a relationship with her, and the loving words I tell my inner child when I visualize hugging her.
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