Alphaweibchen

Okay, we’re gonna say it.  The idea of New Year, New You is bullshit.  Even though that’s exactly what we titled our episode kicking off 2021, it’s the wrong idea.  So we’re fixing the mishap this year and starting 2022 with New Year, Better You!  Because we all should keep the great things about ourselves: everything that is good, strong, valuable, loveable, or inspiring about yourself is definitely worth keeping – and then build from there to become an even better version of yourself!  Whether you started the year with a slate of resolutions – or key intentions (and we talk about the difference in today’s episode) – or you’re still working on defining what you want to accomplish in the coming months, we’re sharing some insights to help.  To help figure out what’s really important to you and set your goal, the importance of not just setting a goal but building a plan, and how cues & triggers are what really determine behavior (much more so than intentions!).  Understanding the habit loop and applying how our brain works can help you hack your behavior and start consistently doing the things you know are important.  So tune in, and get ready to become the best version of yourself in 2022!

And just like that, it's Christmas time! Are you basking in a season of peace, love, hope and joy? Or are all the demands and expectations of the ending year and holiday planning causing you to feel stress, frustration, and sadness? Even if some of those negative emotions are creeping in, there's no need to let them hijack the entire spirit of the season. We can make choices and take actions to accept where we are and at the same time, embrace a healthy lifestyle and engage with the all the positive attributes of the holidays. Want to know more about how? Join us for our holiday chat about how to make it a Happy, Healthy Christmas!

In today’s episode, Peggy and Jaimi catch up right before the holidays and talk about how to make this Christmas both happy and healthy, even if it feels like neither of those is coming naturally right now! There is often a disconnect between what the spirit of Christmas should be (full of peace, hope, security, love, healing, sharing, joy) and some of the things we’re actually feeling (stress, anxiety, sadness, frustration, nostalgia). We might be feeling overwhelmed with end-of-the-year workload and lots of social engagements, hectic about buying gifts and planning holiday gatherings, or missing important people in our life.  
It’s okay to feel those things! Allow yourself to feel that way, and then reflect on what you’re feeling, and what is triggering the negative emotions. You can then design tactics to help manage those emotions and embrace a healthy lifestyle – including developing a positive mindset; accept where you are and use reflection to also still engage with the spirit of the season.
Also think about what might still trigger you negatively in the days to come, or what might prevent the holidays from being happy and healthy for you. And proactively define strategies to address it. You’d like some input on key things that might help? Listen in to hear the Alphaweibchen Top 7 Tips for staying happy and healthy, so you can create your best Christmas experience. 😊

#mindset #gratitude #healthbasics #manageindulgences #practicerituals #traditions #mindfulness #breathe #metime #takeabreak

#alphaweibchen #season2 #newepisodes #happyhealthyxmas #happy #healthy #xmas #newoffers #adventskalender #christmastime #surprises #experience #empowerment #enhance #createyourbestlife #bestlife #embracechange #selfdevelopment #selfhelp #positivity #wellbeing #emotionalintelligence #motivation #inspiration #livebetter #alphawomen #leadership #beyondthecomfortzone #enhancelife #yougotthis #selfconfidence

Jami and Peggy are back with Season 2!

After taking a publishing break to develop the AW Detox Program and a corporate training program,  they’re excited to share some of their experiences related to developing self-empowerment.

Self-empowerment is about taking control of your life and being confident and actionable in moving it in the direction that’s right for you, by

·  making a conscious decision to take charge of your destiny
·  making positive choices
·  taking action to advance
·  being confident in your abilities

Now, if you continuously have lots of new ideas, but you can never really put them into action, or if you are a very structured, organized person, but you are missing out on new ideas, the most important is to recognize your strength and acknowledge that you are capable of much more than you imagine.

Three key things you can do to build your self-empowerment:

1.  Define your goals (the big ones and the small ones in between!)

A great method to do that is the WOOP Model (by Gabrielle Oettinger).  It stands for Wish, Outcome, Obstacles and Plan and is a simple, powerful way to set those meaningful goals that create purpose, motivation, and perseverance!

2.  Develop a Growth Mindset and use it to get out of your comfort zone:

A growth mindset is all about embracing challenges and seeing them as opportunities to learn.  It changes your thinking from, “I can’t do that” to “I can’t do that YET – but I can learn it.”  And the more we seek out these opportunities to learn and grow, the more empowered we feel!

So go try to do something that you think you can’t – you’ll be surprised at how far you get and how strong you become!

3.  Practice Self-awareness:

This is all about recognizing your personal strengths and putting them to use. Doing the things we’re good at – which are also the things that feel good when we’re doing them – creates and environment where we’re more likely to enter a state of “flow.” And flow is a huge factor in building empowerment.

4.  What does all of this have to do Tomato Plants and Box Collections?  

Have a listen to the episode to find out!  😊  And we’ll also share with you a couple of our personal “hacks” to build a sense of self-empowerment, even on those days when you just aren’t feeling it.

It might be natural to fall into negative thinking patterns when we're faced with difficulties, but we want to minimize and avoid the impacts of these counter-productive behaviors. Getting unstuck starts with recognizing the pattern, and then using techniques to turn your thinking around.  Some great ones to use:   

1. Evidence (use data to convince yourself that your negative thoughts are wrong)
2. Re-frame (look at things from a more optimistic and positive perspective)
3. Plan (develop contingency plans to use if the negative stuff actually occurs - having the plan removes some of the scariness from the situation!) Listen in to today's quicky for more about these approaches, and then use them to limit your negative thoughts and increase your resilience!   

#resilience #bounceback #mentallytough #mentaltoughness #strength #overcome #resilient #challenge #pivot #adapt #mentalagility #cognitiveflexibility #spirituality #mindfulness #stayconnected #sciencebasedaction  If you love these approaches, you can learn more about boosting resilience in Dr. Karen Reivich's class "Resilience Skills in a Time of Uncertainty" on @coursera

This is all about being tuned in to yourself; hitting the pause button and paying attention to your emotions, your reactions, what’s happening physiologically (breathing rapidly, elevated heart rate, shaking hands…). And then having the ability to consciously change and guide these factors in a constructive way.

#resilience #bounceback #mentallytough #mentaltoughness #strength #overcome #resilient #challenge #pivot #adapt #selfawareness #selfregulation #selfaware

Modern Love: swipe - love - marry Is love in the modern world as superficial as photos in an app?  Or is it stronger than ever before, because we're more empowered to choose the love we want, how and when and with whom we want it?   How does commitment fit in?  And in a lockdown environment, how do you meet potential new partners?  What's the likelihood of those partners being more than just a flirt, hook-up, or fling?  Can we expect to get more out of it?  Our need for love hasn't diminished and in fact it's probably grown substantially as we struggle through life's challenges and combat that feeling of "alone-ness."  So join us today as we discuss all these questions, and share the story of one woman's experience as she embraces the new tools available to help meet new people, and find a true partner.

The first modern online dating sites were launched back in 1994 and 1995, and since then the numbers of people turning to technology to help find partners (or friends, or playmates, or…) has skyrocketed.  Around 2009, dating apps came on the scene and with the launch of Tinder in 2012, they securely took the world by storm: matchmaking via smart phone made it easier than ever to meet new people.  Not always with resounding success, of course (we’ve heard some horror stories!).  Humans are incredibly resilient, though, technology keeps improving, and we learn how to better use it to our advantage.  The result: a dating app industry doing over $3 Billion in annual revenues, with 270 million users and steady growth across the board.  There is a plethora of options to choose from: Tinder, Grindr, okcupid, Bumble, Hinge, Badoo, Match, eharmony, Plenty of Fish, Silver Singles…  the list goes on…and on…and on.  Each platform has their pros and cons, slightly different approaches and target audience, user demographics (for example, on Tinder 85% of users are under 34, with a median age of 26, and about 75% are men;  contrast that to Match, with only 48% under 34, and almost equal gender distribution).  Some apps you can set up and get swiping within minutes, other require more detailed profile questionnaires, preferences, and information. All of them use algorithms to hopefully find exactly those people you’re going to like; assuming, of course, the algorithms are good and really working to help the users.  Our take-away: technology can be a great asset to help in the search for love!  Or friendship. Or fun.  If you know what you’re looking for, how to choose the best system for your needs and values, and do a little bit of homework on optimizing your use of the system – you’re bound to get results!  They might not all be perfect, but some of them will be really good, and with a little luck and persistence – that perfect one just might turn up in the end!

STOP.  What’s good in your life today?   

Put it in the comments below, because taking time to consciously practice gratitude increases your well-being. Writing down the things you’re grateful for is a great way to practice gratitude – and to also positively contribute to others’ lives, in helping them to see the positives!   

Now look around for a moment.  What are you doing, seeing, or hearing that is wonderful?  Is the sun shining?  Are serene flakes of snow falling gently to the earth? Is your dog smiling at you?  

Are you cuddled up in pajamas on a comfortable sofa?  Take a deep breath and savour this moment, to get the biggest possible boost out of it.   #lifeisgood

Realistic optimism allows us to experience the best until we have to deal with the worst... which often, never comes "Bill Crawford"

Mood-boosting chemicals?  Yes please!  We’re not talking about the stuff you can buy in nightclubs or on the street, though.  We believe in the naturally-generated good stuff.  Best ways to get it?   

1.        Exercise.  Releases chemicals that dull pain, relieve stress, and raise our spirits.  Result: improvements in mental altertness, energy level and overall mood. 

2.        Sleep. Gives our brains and bodies time to clean things up, get rid of all the bad stuff and recover. Result: mood stabilization and better cognitive and physical performance the next day! 

3.        Social connections. Triggers stress-reducing hormones and chemicals related to higher empathy and more trusting relationships.  

Result: strengthened immune system, better resiliency, higher well-being and you’ll even live longer!

Healthier, happier, and more successful!  Do you want some of that?   Then develop an optimistic mindset!  The science shows that realistic optimists benefit in all those ways.  You can start by creating a positive environment.  Free yourself from the endless cycles of negative news - just take a break from it, or at least limit it dramatically. Set boundaries for the people in your life who bring you down and make you feel exhausted; you don't have to be part of their drama.  (more on that in our posts about dealing with toxicity, and in Episode 8: Toxic relationships).  Give yourself "me" time - to just take a break or to do something that uplifts you and makes you feel good.  Spend time with people who cherish you, those special friends who energize and motivate and support you.  And stay with us here at Alphaweibchen - we've got more proven techniques coming!  And they're all listed in Episode 09: Realistic Optimism, so have a listen!

The new year is only a couple of days away!

We are so ready to kick off 2021 with renewed energy, hope, and excitement and just had to take the opportunity to share our thoughts with all of you. And of course, share also some tips on turning plans into actions and actions into an enhanced life! :) So join us in this special New Year's episode, and start shaping yourself and your life to exactly the way you want them to be! It starts with setting some goals, exercising some resolve and will-power, and then designing your environment and actions to create the right habits. So all those things you want to do in your life become automatic processes, not tons of work each time you do them!

What is one of your resolutions for the new year?

In this episode we share some of our take-aways and learning from 2020, which by all accounts has been a super-challenging year. We've used it to learn, to take care of ourselves, to search for balance and to create. This Podcast is one of the outcomes! Some of our key thoughts looking back:

• happiness is self-created
• alone doesn't mean lonely
• slow down, breathe, reflect
• practice meditation, gratitude and savoring

Looking forward, we have a lot in store professionally and personally. We share our personal resolutions and the get a little science-y and geeky with talking about habits. Because it's creating the right habits that make change sustainable, it's not will-power! So we share the habit loop (cue or trigger, routine, reward), some key strategies for helping to make habit-creating (or habit-breaking) possible, and share some examples of hacks that work. Because whether you want to eat healthier, exercise more, stop smoking, learn something new, change your profession or whatever: it's developing automation that will help you get it done!

#newyear #newyou #whodoyouwanttobe #howtochange #habits #habitcreation #habitloop #friction #piggybacking #temptationbundling #usechaos #sustainablechange #embracechange #alphaweibchen #podcast #female #alpha #create #yourlife #empower #enhance #experience

Are you celebrating holidays in the coming few weeks? We're right around the corner from Christmas and the New Year, which are important for us. This time of year usually means large family gatherings, events with colleagues, customers and friends, lots of parties, singing christams carols, drinking Glühwein with thousands of other people at the Christmas Market. Generally, just enjoying the holiday spirit and celebration of new life (with everyone we know and strangers, too). That's not happening this year. Jaimi's traditional bi-annual trip to visit family for Christmas in the USA is an absolute no-go in the current climate, and even the planned celebration with her husband's family is under question given the size of the patchwork family. For the first time ever, Peggy is celebrating Christmas without her children and looking for ways to still share the holiday with them, despite everyone being in different places. So yes, we've been doing some soul-searching about what the holiday really means for us, and how to make it special even though it's very different this year than we're used to. And yes, we've done a bit of research to up our positive psychology with the help of expert knowledge. :) In today's short episode, we share our personal stories and approaches and a few tips we've collected from the pros - hoping that we can help you find the best in this holiday season, too! We would love to hear which ideas you like the most, and what additional ideas you're implementing! Drop us a comment below!

We loved chatting about how to make this Christmas special, and find that even just sharing the challenges and ideas with one another made us feel better about it (connecting with people matters!). Here's a quick compilation of the key points we have (from research and our own plans):

• put up decorations
• the earlier, the better. The process itself, unpacking decorations that you see every year, or buying new ones to make this year special, will lift your spirits and remind you of happy previous Christmases (or whatever your holiday is)
• music! Play it loud, sing along, create your own playlist with all the best and happiest holiday tunes.
• keep traditions. Even if the setting and circumstances are different, find a way to keep some traditions: getting dressed up, the food you eat, the candles you light, who you call, wrapping presents beautifully...whatever is most important to you.
• create new traditions. Maybe now is the year that you decide to watch the Christmas story online instead of in a church, or the year you have dinner in a Reindeer onesie instead of a beautiful dress. Perhaps there's a great new game that you play for the first time now, and every year in the future. Embrace trying something new, and making it a part of your ongoing rituals.
• re-visit Christmases past. Nostalgia can be a good thing
• consciously identify what you won't miss by doing Christmas differently
• use technology. Open your presents over zoom, so giver and receiver can share the fun. Share recipes and cook "together" when you aren't. Video chat and maybe even sing your favorite songs together.
• help someone else. This is one the biggest science-proven ways to lift your own spirits and positively influence your well-being. Provide presents, or food, or clothing to someone who doesn't have much; write letters and make phone calls to people who you know will be lonely, join an organized effort to brighten someone's day.
• treat yourself. You might have time now to do things you never have time to do.

There are so many ways to spend extra time that make us happy!

Peggy and Jaimi have a relaxed conversation this week about getting older - and how to stay young despite the increasing years and inevitable physical changes (#wrinkles #bodycomposition #gravitysabitch). There are the obvious, super-important things that are so easy to neglect: exercise, nutrition, sleep.  There are the less obvious but life-changing things: maintaining childlike wonder, being silly, continually learning and experiencing new things.  And there are lots of things to enhance: meditation, stress management, skin care, fashion, botox, and the list is virtually endless!  So join us for a kind of silliness-inducing episode, where we laugh at ourselves and talk about all the different things that we consider elements of the #fountainofyouth .

Getting old with grace sounds aspirational, but it seems most of us don't want to do it...we'd rather find a way to stay young forever!   Well, we can't offer eternal youth, but we can share some advice about what keeps us feeling decades younger than we are. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."   We agree! That's what it starts with: maintaining a young attitude and mindset.  So laugh a little, be silly, do something fun.  And listen to this week's episode for more tips on staying young: mentally and physically!  Getting older can be a beautiful thing, even if we choose to resist it instead of accepting it with grace.  :)

Want more out of life?  Stuck in a rut and looking for inspiration? Living your best life and ready to share experiences, knowledge and ideas with a community of strong go-getters?  We're with you!

In this kick-off episode, Peggy and Jaimi share with you what this is all about, talking about the triad of action: experience, empower, and enhance.  And about who we are - a group of accept-no-bounds, go-out-and-get-things-done, never-stop-learning women with a wealth of experience and knowledge.  Not to mention a healthy affinity for champagne and love for life that keeps us (and you) laughing!