Why Struggle? Podcast w Barbara J. Faison

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONIf you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This is a podcast about silence.April is national poetry month.As I was enjoying some moments of silence, I remembered I had written a poem about it. I hope you enjoy it!SilenceSilence is the language of God. The Universe, The Creator.Be still and listen.Be still and know.Be still and trust.Silence holds all the answers.Silence holds all that you can trust.Silence is waiting for you.Will you answer the call?That is my contribution to national poetry month. I have a feeling I may be reconnecting with the poet in me soon though.The world is filled with so much noise and so many sounds. I find myself craving more and more silence every day.A few minutes of silence as a daily practice can reduce stress as we calm our minds and thoughts from a hectic day. Simply take a few minutes before you start your day in line in bed and observe what you hear, how you feel and what you sent check in with yourself and your body before you start the day.I've recently consciously decided not to use my smart phone for at least 10 to 15 minutes after I wake up to allow my mind, body and spirit to wake up and listen for guidance. When possible I also enjoy the silence of the house without the television or music. Being silent for periods of time will give you a new appreciation for the power of spoken words and sounds.It took me years to truly understand how powerful silence can be. Now, I relish, crave, and look for ways to immerse myself in silence. Like much of life, learning to be silent is a practice. Regular meditation has helped me become as comfortable with silence as I am with speaking.Silence can be deafening if you're unfamiliar with it sound. Silence can scare you if you're unaware of its value. Silence can be your friend, if you embrace it.So let's take a few minutes to just be with the silence.I'll lead you in a guided silence, practice, and will be in silence for two minutes.As long as you're not driving, or operating heavy equipment, lol feel free to join me.We'll settle into the practice by connecting with a few of your senses.Take a look around you and notice what you see in front of you, and around you. Breathe at your own pace, rate and rhythm. And notice, what do you see?Next, allow your eyes to close or lower to lessen any external distractions. Continue breathing at your own pace, rate and rhythm, and notice the sounds around you. What do you hear right now?Beautiful. Now give yourself permission to just be. To allow yourself to be here now. And breathe.I'll leave you to sit alone in the silence for two minutes and I'll return before you know it.It's time to return. Before you open your eyes again, just check in with your body and notice how you feel in this moment, right now. If you can name that feeling say it out loud.Lovely, open your eyes. And bring a big smile to your face. You just did a two minute slice of silence. You sat with your breath and your body in the silence. Pat yourself on the back.

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is a podcast about fun times.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.Remember a few weeks ago I talked about the importance of discovering what fun looks like for me now? If not, you can check out episode number 12 called More Fun. Well, this weekend was action packed with fun and delightful experiences! A few weeks ago, I set the intention, and that is what happened this weekend. I experienced more fun and delight than I have had in a very long time.On Friday,  I went out back out salsa dancing with my salsa crew to celebrate our friends Bonnie and Leticia. In episode 13, Creating Memories,  I talked about having fun with my Salsa crew, we've been dancing together for decades. Check it out!Let me give you a little background on Bonnie. Bonnie is the friend who always takes the time to send you a card in the mail for your birthday. Bonnie believes that your birthday is your own personal holiday. Over the decades that we've been dancing SalsA together, she is going to make sure that we have a great time, and that everyone knows we are celebrating your birthday. Bonnie is also the friend who when I would have workshops or programs, when she was able to attend, she would be there early, support my efforts, and stay late to help me clean up. That's who Bonnie is. So we wanted to make sure she had as much fun for her own birthday that we have on ours.You guessed it, we had a blast! We danced, we laughed, we reminisced over previous decades of dancing together, and it was just a beautiful time filled with friendship, fellowship, and fun!On Saturday, I went to my crochet group Creative Expression Crochet Group for the first time this year because my work schedule didn't align with our meetings until then. There were about 21 people there and we had quite a few new people who had become regulars since my last visit. It was a reminder of how things change quickly. I so enjoyed crocheting a daisy flower and I made it a purse charm. Then on Sunday, I had brunch with my husband, TD, and our youngest son, Dewayne. What made this really special was that he invited us to breakfast and treated us. Big smiles!So the whole concept of having fun was amplified this weekend. If you've listened to my podcast, there is usually some type of practice or activity involved.I say let's engage in the more fun practice. I mean what we focus on expands, right? So let's focus on being open to more fun, and having delightful experiences. Will you join me?

ALL LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONIf you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This podcast is about maintenance.Maintenance is essential to living. One thing I've learned is that whatever is important to me has to be maintained. Health, relationships, finances, home, car, you get the picture, right?The last few months I’ve cleaned out the refrigerator, the freezer, the pantry, the cutlery drawer, my office and more. Sometimes I listen to a podcast as I’m cleaning/organizing, other times I just clear in the silence.Going through what felt like a myriad of food storage containers is what inspired this podcast. I asked myself questions like: Do I need all of these containers? Which ones should go in the front of the cabinet? Should I throw this one out? What happened to my smaller containers? Each time I straighten out this particular cabinet, I do my best to make it even more efficient for me when I'm looking for something. There’s a part of me that thinks that if I do that I won’t have to straighten it again. Right? LolMaintenance is a required part of life, at least it is for me. The cabinet, the car, my relationships, my finances, you know… all the things. Life requires maintenance. I also recently cleaned out my car and reorganized and released extra napkins, condiment packets and other stuff that I didn’t need to keep in the car. I am very proud that I donated 3 boxes of books to the local library. I admit I have a few things I just can’t seem to though.. Including a laminated map of metro Atlanta. loThe card I pulled for us today is the#1 TRUST - I am SAFE and all is well in my worldPress your feet into the floor right now and repeat, “I am on solid ground. All is well.”Oh, I'm also offering a 25% discount on my card deck with free US shipping. You can order at barbarafaison.com/store, you'll see the card deck there. Use promo code, SHIP25. Thanks for the support.The Breathe with Barbara LIVE sessions for this April are on Wednesdays, 4/9 & 4/16 from 8 - 9 PM eastern via Zoom. I would love to have you join us.  All of the links are in my LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON.

ALL THE LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONIf you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This is an episode about more tools; using self-massage and your breath.I hope you are discovering ways to connect with your body daily. Checking in with how you feel in your body is a practice all on its own.If you've been following me on any of the social platforms, you may be aware that I offer something called Breath Breaks. It's usually 1 to 2 minutes where I encourage you to stop during the day, take a few deep intentional breaths, or just be fully present with what is happening in that moment. That simple practice is a great way to learn more about what your body needs in the moment.If we allow it, life can be extremely busy and active and we can wake up and before we know it, we're going to bed and starting the cycle all over again. This sounds like a recipe for stress to me. In my 2025 podcast episodes 6, 7, 8 and 11 I shared the tools of breath, grounding, gratitude and using affirmations. Be sure to check them out.The tool for this episode is a twofer. Actually, we use three tools in one practice. We will practice self massage using the calming point, deep breathing and calming affirmations.Let's take a moment to check in with your body right now. How are you feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally in this moment? On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being very stressed and one being very relaxed, what number would you pick right now?Let’s get ready to settle your body down and tune into the present moment.I hope you enjoy my Settling Down meditation where you will use a self-massage, breathing and affirming phrases to bring your body to a calmer state. The meditation is 8:37 mins.

All links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is the podcast about creating memories.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.On Saturday I went out salsa dancing with my salsa crew for the first time in 2025. Jartu and Bonnie are a part of my salsa crew that I met while dancing and we have traveled to various places including Puerto Rico together. When we go out we can have as many as 10 others that join us ...and that's our salsa crew. At the party, Jamie, one of our regulars, asked how many decades we had been dancing together. Yes, I said decades. We've all gone back-and-forth about when we officially met so it can be either two decades or three decades, depending upon who you ask. Lol. We have celebrated birthdays, marriages and all the things that happen over decades of knowing each other. We were celebrating Jartu's 50th birthday and we wanted to be sure she had a good time and to create a lasting memory for her birthday. The music was great and the dancing was awesome. We also saw people we hadn't seen in for a long time. Mission accomplished!Lately, I've been thinking about memories and experiences I've had. Salsa dancing has been one of my go to memories. Back in the early 2000's our crew would be out dancing several times a week. When I told several people from New York I would be there for a writers conference they said I had to go to the Copacabana night club to dance. I also visited a friend, Darrell, who lived in Brooklyn and was a chef. He invited me to his restaurant and afterwards I took the train to go to the Copacabana.Yes, I took the subway to the nightclub and went dancing by myself in NY. One thing I've learned about the Salsa community is that they embrace you wherever you are so I knew I would have a great time. I connected with some dancers when I got there and had a fantastic time.It was about 1 AM when I started heading back to the hotel and I was exhausted. I got off at the wrong subway station and found myself walking in a circle. I eventually found a cab and got to the hotel which was very close to where I was. Lol. Now that was quite a memory. I laugh about it now, at the time I was exhausted and grateful to find a cab that would take me there.Memories can be powerful. We can use our memories to help us shift how we feel. I am doing this more often these days.Let's do a quick practice I call Go To Memory,  to bring up a memory that you can go to when you need to shift your energy to something light or fun. Enjoy this excerpt from my audio program on the Insight Timer App, Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More.

All LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is an episode about connecting and FUN!In episode 2025 – Week 4 I talked about fun. It was the weekend I got to hang out with 10 wonderful ladies I have connected with over the past 10 years at a gathering we have several times during the year. We shared our accomplishments from 2024 and our desires for 2025. I shared that I was open to more fun and understanding what that meant at this stage in my life.Being in the early years of my sixth decade on this earth definitely has me pondering and prioritizing things differently. I still have my part-time job at the local library and I have some voiceover work that is satisfying and I am open to what brings me fun at this time in my life.Last week I finished the improv class I started in January and it was enjoyable. The class definitely taught me to be MORE in the moment and to think quickly. I don’t feel a desire to move on to the next level. Was it fun for me? Hmmm. Good question? I think it a was necessary experience. I’ve had some experience with theater from high school and in my 20’s and 30’s so maybe it felt like… I’ve been there…done that before to some degree. One thing I know about myself is I like to try new things and repeating myself feels redundant.So as I continue to be open to new experiences I reflect and note that fun can be crocheting a shawl for my dear friend Bonnie’s mom, who has gifted so many people with her handmade pillows. Fun can also be completing a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle in three sittings and feeling relaxed and accomplished.What I'm beginning to realize is that fun for me is often hanging out with people I enjoy spending time with and this may be family or friends.This weekend I hung out with two delightful friends, Susan and Jennifer. We enjoyed Ethiopian food at a local restaurant, called Desta. The ladies and I described the food as a "spiritual experience." Yes, it was that good! The flavors, the combinations of the warm and cool food, and the service was STELLAR. We laughed and enjoyed connecting in person for the first time in close to two years. We  have a text thread where we share what’s happening in our lives, funny videos and support each other when needed. It was way too long since we had been together , in person, so we already have our next outing planned for June.Yes, I had a ball…and it  was definitely fun. Sometimes we feel that as adults it may be challenging to make new friends. I am here to tell you that when we open our mind, body and our spirit up to make connections, connections happen. I met Susan through my connection with Kym and I met Jennifer through my connection with Susan. Look at that. I’m going to share the mini meditation I shared in episode 4 to help focus on fun. The mind loves to answer questions, so let’s do a simple practice.Close your eyes if you aren’t driving or operating heavy equipment. Lol.Take a few breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.Relax your shoulders as you breathe at your own pace.Give yourself permission to remember a time when you had fun. Ask yourself these questions:When I recently had fun I was ________?What was I doing when I was having fun?Who was I with when I had fun?Where was I when I was having fun?Sit with these questions and remind your subconscious mind to remind you of the answers later.I’ll give you a few moments in the silence to breathe and receive.As you are returning to this moment, say aloud, “Subconscious mind, please remind me of the answer to my questions about having fun.”Return back to this moment and into your body. Take a deep breath in through your nose. And a loud exhale out your mouth.Take a look around you. Say aloud one more time, “Subconscious mind, please remind me of the answer to my questions about having fun now or later.Did anything come up for you? If not, asking the question is planting a seed so be ready to receive an answer you least expect it.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONThis is the podcast about using affirmations for increasing your confidence.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.If you're interested in learning about the other tools for living that I've covered, check out, episodes, six, seven, and eight. A few weeks ago, I mentioned embracing change. Which if you lived any life, you know is the only constant you can count on. Lol.In July 2023 I started a part-time job as a library assistant at my local library. My father was a librarian at one of the local high schools as well as the neighborhood I grew up in. Just a little background information and I know that really informed my love of reading, books, and learning.At our library and Stockbridge, GA we are a passport processing facility. When I first started, I was asked if I was interested in becoming a passport agent. I declined because I only work 20 hours a week and I was also heading up the crochet group which met twice a month and the seniors computer class that met once a week. I felt like that was enough.Well, here comes change. Our Director mandated that everyone that worked at our branch needed to be certified in processing passports. So all of us had to go through the training. We have all completed and passed our training. And like most things in life, we gain our confidence by doing. And I'm also a believer that it's important to remind myself of who I am and my abilities.I’ve been using some form of affirmations since the 1990s. LoIJust thinking about the 90s makes me laugh. I've created quite a few affirmation tracks, here's one that I've been listening to to remind me to be confident.I hope you enjoy these affirmations for confidence.

ALL LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON2025 - Week 10 - A TributeThis podcast is a tribute to my favorite poet, Nikki Giovanni and my English teacher, Mrs. Maureen DeLoach from Albany High school in Albany, GA.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.In this episode, I'm doing something different, offering a tribute to my favorite poet, Nikki Giovanni and my English teacher Maureen DeLoach who really introduced me to poetry.I believe it was in the 10th grade when my English teacher at Albany High School, Maureen DeLoach, had us write poetry. I believe she listens to my podcast, I know she follows me online. That class in English opened me up to a world of writing. So it really is a tribute to Mrs. DeLoach and to Nikki Giovanni.My father, Moses Faison, was a librarian at the local branch on Lee Street in Albany, Georgia and also at Monroe High School. He was an avid reader. He mostly read non-fiction and I remember when he came home with a book of poetry called Cotton Candy On A Rainy Day, it was by Nikki Giovanni. I don't remember exactly when, I suspect it was when I got the assignment from Mrs. DeLoach to write a poem. And boy did I write. Poetry became my jam. I moved from poetry to short stories and then eventually I wrote my personal development book, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes years later in 1999.I fell in love with poetry and read her works and so many others. That book sparked something inside me. Nikki Giovanni passed in December 2024 and when I asked for my divine download about the podcast this week, she was heavy on my mind for some reason.In this tribute, I will share a few of my favorite poems from Cotton Candy On A Rainy Day.Sharing this tribute to Mrs. DeLoach and Nikki, Giovanni was actually also a tool. Reading poetry can be calming and a stress reliever.Thank you again, Mrs. DeLoach and Nikki, Giovanni for both of you, sharing your gifts with the world. Who are some of your favorite poets?If you’d like to share your thoughts - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. If social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.The card I pulled for us today from my Relax, Listen and Trust Your Inner Guidance Card Deck#8 QUESTION - What is one thing that will make me smile?One thing that will make me smile is the life I get to live. I feel so grateful for my family, friends, the people that listen to this podcast and my other offerings. I am deeply grateful.If you would like to order a card deck, you can go to barbarafaison.com/store and look for the cards.Our Breathe with Barbara LIVE sessions for March are on the 12th and the 19th, from 8 - 9 pm eastern. You can find out more by going to barbarafaison.com/store and look for live sessions. All the products in my store have a 10% discount and free US shipping, including live meditation sessions.

This is an episode about embracing change. And embracing change I'm giving myself a break this week from tools and a brand new podcast. And that does include the card pull I'd love to hear your thoughts. It's amazing how things come back around. Week 9 - Embrace ChangeYou probably got up this morning and got dressed. You may have showered, brushed your teeth, eaten breakfast, driven to work, read the newspaper, and had a cup of coffee or tea. You have already been through at least six changes. Every moment is a new change, every second is different from the last one.Change is a natural part of the life cycle. Learning to embrace change is a major step toward peace of mind. Imagine seeing an old friend whom you loved dearly and giving him/her a loving hug. Think of this image the next time you have to handle a major change in your life.Picture yourself opening your arms and welcoming the opportunity to grow. Change will show up at your door regardless of how you feel about it. Learn to open the door and welcome your new friend, CHANGE, with a warm embrace.Practice: Think of all the things that change in one hour. If you are having difficulty accepting change, repeat the affirmation, “I am open and willing to accept change in my life.”Affirmation: I trust the process of life and I easily flow with change.End of excerpt.I hope you enjoyed the Embrace Change excerpt from my book/eBook/audiobook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes.I changed the flow of this newsletter/podcast for this episode to remind myself to mix things up.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISONAUDIO - I'd rather listen - 8:29 mins2025 - Week 8 - Tools Part 3You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:29 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)This is an episode about grounding yourself in the present moment.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.it's been somewhere around 30 years since I started meditating. I started slow and then made a daily practice.I believe having meditation as a practice has helped me navigate life in a more intentional and calm way. I believe meditating, really helped me avoid a lot of things, including having a lot anxious feelings. Unless you're living under a rock, you can see that there's a lot going on in the world right now. Using tools and practices is one way i manage my emotions during these interesting times. lolWe are on part three of tools for a living. So far I've covered breathing in week one and the practice of gratitude in week two.The tool for this week is a grounding practice.What is grounding? Grounding is a practice that relaxes your mind and body and helps you stay in the present moment. You see your mind is designed to protect you. It is actively paying attention toeverything that is going on. It's noticing and calculating how to keep you safe.When you practice grounding yourself, you become connected to what is happening right now and that allows your mind to focus. The beautiful thing about the mind is that you can tell it what to do. That itself is a Practice.Scientist have studied the brain and we know that the brain is dynamic and we can actively help it. I say:Train your brain,Be kind your mind,Pay attention to what you think about and how you feel.I heard from somewhere that if you name your mind and talk to your mind it is really a good way to train yourself to stay focused.I call my mind, Gracie. I talk to her like I would talk to a person and example is when I'm about to get to bed, while in bed i say, "Gracie, I appreciate all you've done for me this day. It's time to relax and go to bed. You have done enough today."

This is an episode about using gratitude as a tool and a practice.If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.I'm doing a series on tools for living and last week I talked about the first tool in the tool kit, breathing. Were you able to take 10 deep breaths at some point in time during the day? If not, maybe give it a try this week. Set a reminder on your phone to stop and take 10 deep breaths, your mind and body will love you for it.Practicing gratitude is the second tool. Gratitude is a simple practice that helps you feel better, stress less and can improve your overall health. Yep, that’s from studies on the power of gratitude and I love that we now have tangible proof of the benefits.Last year I talked about the science behind gratitude. You can find out more in 2024, episode 38. One of the biggest things I have discovered about gratitude is how I feel when I come from a place of appreciation. Physically I feel my body shift from frustration to a more relaxed state when I choose to appreciate what is happening. I don’t have to like what is happening AND if I accept it and shift my thoughts to being grateful, it makes a huge difference in my next steps. I make clearer decisions when I practice gratitude.One of my beliefs is that all timing is just right. And if I believe that, what is happening RIGHT now is just right. Being grateful and saying two simple words, thank you is a powerful practice. So I say thank you. All. Day. Long. Thank you is my go to mantra during the day.Do I get frustrated? lol Yes, I do. And because I have practiced saying thank you so much, it is natural for me to think it and/or say it out loud. Thank you. Thank you. I smile as I say those words. And I feel my body shifting from frustration to appreciation.If you've listened to any of my podcasts, you know what time it is. It's time to practice lol.In this gratitude practice, start thinking of what you are grateful for in THIS moment and we will speak those out loud with enthusiasm.I’m going to share a few things that I am grateful for in this moment as an example of this gratitude practice.I feel so grateful to be mobile and able to exercise regularly.I am so grateful that I have the ability to think and make sound decisions.I give thanks for my supportive husband, my brother and my family and friends.Thank you for access to healthy food.Thank you for my creative approach to cooking.I love having a flexible work schedule.I am so grateful for ideas.Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!Now it’s your turn.Are you ready?Let's do it!Let’s take a few deep breaths to ground you in the present moment.Place both hands in the center of your chest, you may stack them on top of each other or place them side-by-side or whatever way feels best in this moment.You will take a breath in through your nose and a loud, exhale out your mouth, and will do that three times.Deep breath in, and exhale.Deep breath in, and exhale.Last time, deep breath in and exhale time.Start with your gratitude practice by saying out loud what you are grateful for in this moment with enthusiasm. You can just say thank you as well.I’ll be back shortly to close the practice.I'm back.How was that for you?That was a simple gratitude practice. Take a moment to notice how you feel in your body. Ifyou have an adjective that comes up, say that out loud right now. For me, it is loving.One of the benefits of gratitude is that it helps us use negative language less. I think that's a pretty good benefit. What about you?I'm grateful that I started this podcast back in 2017 on a whim. What are you grateful for in this moment?If you’d like to share your thoughts - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. If social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

All Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2025 - Week 6 - Tools Part 1 You can listen to this on my podcast - 6:36 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about a simple tool you can use to stay grounded and focused. If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. Are you feeling it? What's it? All of the energy that is swirling around the world right now. I mean between the weather and politics, and don't forget the stuff we have going on in our own personal lives, there's a lot going on. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have something going on personally. One thing I have learned in over 30 years of having strategies & practices for managing my life is that having and using my tools is important. One of my dear friends, Kym Kennedy, reminds me of this often. Whenever I have a conversation with her and I start complaining or expressing my frustration, she will ask me a simple question. If you have listened to me, you know I love a good question. “Are you using your tools?” lol. So simple and yet so profound. I know this and much of the time I do use my tools. And there is nothing like a good reminder though, right? My guidance is telling me to share tools, tips and techniques that might be helpful for these changing, uncertain times. Let’s also remember that much of what we think is certain, isn’t really certain, it just may feel that way. We may be habitually doing things and that feels certain, yet, is it really? Let’s start with something you likely can do a few times a day. Set a reminder on your phone to take 10 deep breaths a few times during the day. You can even change the word “alarm” on your phone to “take 10 deep breaths.” When it pops up, STOP and take the 10 deep breaths. Why don’t we try that now. Place one hand on the back of your neck. And one hand in the center of your chest. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Breathe in and out. Enjoy this throwback video from 2020 where I shared this practice. https://youtu.be/JYHJVvZTPsk

2025 - Week 5 - MORE SNOW! You can listen to this on my podcast - 11:48 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) 2025 - Week 5 - MORE SNOW! This is an episode about MORE snow and things working out! If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. A few weeks ago we had snow in the metro Atlanta area. I talked about this in episode three, Snow. One reason I like it when it snows is that it shuts much of the city down. For the most part, Atlanta is not really equipped for major snow, although we have upped our game a little bit in that area. Lol We tend to get snow, which turns to black ice so it's dangerous for people to be on the roads. The news and weather specialists recommended that you stay home unless you had to be out on the roads. You don't have to tell me but one time. Lol. I mentioned before that my gentle reminder from winter is: Winter requires rest. Winter is about taking in stillness. Winter is time for introspection and reflection. Here is a little reflection. The first snow was on Friday, January 10th and most of the major businesses in my area were closed that Friday and Saturday. And I didn't have to work either days. My birthday was coming up on the 22nd and I thought about scheduling a massage and for some reason I kept putting it off. I kept getting interrupted or ran out of time when I sat down to schedule the appointment. I’ve just learned to trust this feeling. On Friday the 17th, my husband, TD, ended up in urgent care with a stomach virus or food poisoning. Two days later on the 19th, I was in urgent care with stomach issues. Maybe that was why I didn't schedule that massage like I intended. Lol. My job at the local library was closed for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day on Saturday and Monday, so I had plenty of time to relax, be still, and BE with my body recovering. And guess what happened next? On Tuesday the 21st, we got our second round of snow. I was off work until Friday the 24th. I believe that's the first time I actually had snow on my birthday. It was beautiful, I enjoyed looking at it from the window. Lol I love how things worked out so that I could have time at home to relax and allow my body to heal from the stomach issues. I did a lot of sleeping, resting and being grateful for the downtime due to the second round of snow. I reflected over having seven straight days to allow my body to recover and I love the reminder that things are always working out for me. Like magic! I love when things work out like that! I hope you enjoy this track I created last year called Things Are Always Working Out For Me. How was that? Do you trust that things are always working out for you even when it doesn't seem obvious? Leave a comment observation leave a comment, observation, or, reflection where you're listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. If social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best. The card I pulled for us today from my Relax, Listen and Trust Your Inner Guidance Card Deck#11 TRUST - I am ENOUGH and WORTHY of LOVE Loving yourself and reminding yourself of this simple fact is not a ONE and DONE. Choosing to love yourself and know that you are worthy of love in an ongoing practice. Maybe put a reminder in your phone to pop up with this affirming thought. If you’d like to order a card deck, you can go to barbarafaison.com/store and look for the cards. You can use SHIP10 for free shipping and 10% off the card deck. Our Breathe with Barbara LIVE sessions for February are on the 12th and the 19th,  from 8 - 9 pm eastern. You can find out more by going to barbarafaison.com/store and look for live sessions. You can also use SHIP10 for 10% off anything in the store. RELAX, LISTEN AND TRUST YOUR INNER GUIDANCE CARD DECKORDER YOUR DECK(S)

All Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2025 - Week 4 - FUN! You can listen to this on my podcast - 7:24 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about FUN! If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.My great nephew, Aiden, turned 6 years old on January 3rd this year. My brother, Tony, his wife, Pat and his daughter, April and I drove down to the birthday party in Tampa, FL that was at the Sky Zone.The glee and awe children exuded while playing was a great reminder not to take life too seriously. I need as many reminders to have more fun as I can get.This weekend I got to hang with 10 beautiful ladies at our gathering called Kym’s Coffee and Conversations. We reflected on 2024 and what was important to us about the year. A few things I shared were my voiceover projects that offered accessibility for the visually impaired along with enjoying teaching crochet and a senior computer class at my job at the library. As I was sharing I got to thinking about how I want to have more fun in 2025. I also shared that I wasn’t sure what was fun for me at this stage of life.Since we met on Saturday, I’ve had the idea of having fun on my mind. The mind loves to answer questions, so let’s do a simple exercise.Close your eyes if you aren’t driving or operating heavy equipment. Lol.Take a few breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.Relax your shoulders as you breathe at your own pace.Give yourself permission to remember a time when you had fun. Ask yourself these questions: When I recently had fun I was ________?What was I doing when I was having fun?Who was I with when I had fun?Where was I when I was having fun?Sit with these questions and remind your subconscious mind to remind you of the answers later.I’ll give you a few moments in the silence to breathe and receive.

All the LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2025 - Week 3 - Winter Snow You can listen to this on my podcast - 7:24 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about snow. If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.When I went to work on Thursday. The first thing my coworkers told me when I arrived at the library was, "you know we're closed on Friday and Saturday for snow.'The meteorologist had been updating their predictions of snow all week. It started out with 30% chance at the beginning of the week and then moved up to about 70% chance by the end of the week.I laughed and said, I'll take it. I've been sharing with my meditation group for years that I would love to have a few good snow days. We don't get snow often in the metro Atlanta area.What I observed about myself, is having a few shut down days really forced me to be more still. I know, I do get still, however I still could use more stillness in my life.  Having the shut downs across the city means most people are not doing.When I woke up Friday morning, I thought to myself I wonder if there is snow. It was so quiet. I had forgotten how quiet snow was. I jumped up, like a kid, and looked out my bedroom window and saw the outside deck filled with snow. Insert sounds of glee. lolI dashed to the front door, opened it and saw the neighborhood filled with snow. It was gorgeous, and my front walkway was also filled with not snow, but ice. This was definitely going to be an inside the house day. TD and I stayed in our jammies all day relaxing, eating, watching TV, streaming and napping. Just what was needed.Saturday we got up to check out what was happening and drove around. We grabbed breakfast and went over to one of our favorite local parks that has a few lakes. We enjoyed walking on the crunchy ice at the bridge and taking a few pictures with the snow still hanging in the trees.My gentle reminder from winter.Winter requires rest.Winter is about taking in stillness.Winter is time for introspection and reflection.Enjoy a few moments of breath with me now.You may keep your eyes open for this practice, so close and if you desire.Let's take to two small sniffs of breath in through your nose with a long, exhale, like this, breathe in, another breath in and exhale.Let's do that two more times. Breath in, breath in, now, exhale.One final time, breath in, breath in, now, exhale.Return to your normal breathing.And as you breathe in breathe in peace. As you exhale release stress.Breathe in peace, release stress. What’s on your mind? Feel free to leave a comment, reflection, or observation where you're listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. If social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, our best.

Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2025 - Week 2 - Introspection click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about the power of introspection. If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. It’s the first full week of 2025. People may be starting January with resolutions, goals and plans. Yay for them! I am grateful I started my 40 day plan in mid December so I have a few things I’m “doing”. I talked about that in week 1 of the podcast called Accountability. And I just realized I didn’t send out the newsletter… apologies for the delay. It’s winter y’all. I mean, it’s cold… okay I know I live in Atlanta and cold is relative. The high today will be 42 degrees…that is cold for me. Lol. I want to rest, relax, and be cozy. I am doing things. I am reading, crocheting and doing jigsaw puzzles. And I did schedule myself for an in person Improv class.  So I’m not completely stagnant. Winter as a season is all about rest, restoration, and introspection. Introspection is the examination or observation of one's own mental and emotional processes. Asking questions helps me with reflection and introspection. Let’s try something different. I’ll ask a question and give you a few moments to sit with your breath and notice what comes up for you. If you want to grab a piece of paper to take any notes, feel free to do so. I’ll walk you through a simple mindfulness practice to give you time to get settled. Are you ready?

ALL LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON  2025 - Week 1 - Accountability! This is an episode about accountability.   If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.  Who are you accountable to? What do you want to be held accountable for? Decades ago, I started holding myself accountable for what I wanted to be, do or have in life. Whenever I wanted to complete something I would have “accountability partners” that would check in with me so I would finish whatever it was I started. Were there things I didn’t finish, sure. Were there things I did finish? Yep!   These accountability partners helped me create my book, my audio programs, my meditations, my card deck,as well as kept me on track for reducing my sweets and walking and so much more.. And I am grateful for having accountability partners that I checked in with, and continue to check in with even today.   On December 16 I started something called the 40 Day Plan. It's a practice I've been doing now for over five years with the creator of the plan, Regenna London. ReRegenna gina is a dear friend I've known since the 90s. lol   The 40 Day Plan is about focus. You get to decide what you want to focus on. I remember reading somewhere that FOCUS = Finish One Course Until Successful. This statement helps me stay on track and reminds me that multitasking is a myth.   This plan has been and is  a great way to have accountability. Usually Regenna and I will connect with each other and share what we're interested in focusing on. Sometimes we have other people involved with us. This time we have two other ladies actively working with us and we have a WhatsApp text thread where we check in most  days to confirm what  we completed and that we did what we said we would do.   What I've discovered is when I do the 40 Day Plan, it feeds my creativity. Over the last few weeks, I've created two new audios, one I shared in last week's podcast, the Body Scan and  Gratitude practice.   And this one is affirmations to start your day, I haven't tested it with my community yet, it is truly hot off the presses. It's only about three minutes, I hope you enjoy it.   I'd love to know your thoughts about the Start Your Day Affirmations. Are there any affirmations that resonated with you? What are your thoughts about people keeping you accountable? I’d love to know what you think. Feel free to leave a comment, reflection, or observation where you're listening to this podcast. Thank you.  If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

ALL THE LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON This is an episode about checking in with your body and being grateful. Greetings and welcome to 2024 - Week 52 - Thank You Body! If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. Over this year I have had many episodes on the power of gratitude. Episodes 38, 43 and 45 are a few of them. I had a download the other morning about creating a body scan meditation including gratitude. The typical body scan is a way to connect with your body for you to become more aware of how you are feeling physically and emotionally. Enjoy this body scan with gratitude practice. It is a new release today! You can listen here - https://youtu.be/a6KZrUbV6js

ALL THE LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This is an episode about how using movement can be a mindfulness practice.Welcome to the fifth M in the five mindful practices, Movement. So far I have shared Music, Mouth, Meditation/Mindfulness and Memories as ways to struggle and stress less through life.You can check out the beginning of the series starting with episode 47.So how are you moving these days? Are you using movement in your life mindfully? I encourage you to listen to this excerpt from Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More.The final M of the Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More is MOVEMENT! How are you moving these days? Are you consciously standing up and moving around? Our body is naturally designed to move: walk, run, jump, play and more. Movement can be as simple as getting up every 30 minutes and walking around, walk around when you are on the phone, or doing squats a few times a day.Movement is crucial for our mental health. When I was younger, I was into tennis, aerobics and walking. As I've matured and listened to my body, my movement has matured as well. Mostly I walk, do water exercise, Qigong, Tai Chi, or light stretches. Whether you are doing aerobics, walking, working out at the gym, cycling, yoga, qigong, or Tai chi, you can reduce depressive symptoms and also reduce anxiety by making your flight or fight symptoms seem less reactive. I FEEL better when I have movement as one of my daily activities.Now I'm going to share a few of my favorite ways to move, even when I may be challenged with mobility from pain or an injury. Note that if you become dizzy or light headed, please stop the movements. There should be no pain experienced with any of these movements.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 50 - Memories and Mindfulness If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. This is an episode about how using your memories can be a mindfulness practice. Over the past three weeks I have shared how to use 3 M’s: Music, your Mouth, Meditation and Mindfulness to stress less. The fourth M is Memories. It’s time to learn more about how connecting with your memories can be helpful for managing your emotions and stress. Enjoy this excerpt from Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More.  A few years ago when I was working in corporate America and got stuck in Boston for a few days due to bad weather. I took the train to CT to visit my niece, April who was working there. When I returned home, my husband, TD, had planted rose bushes and other plants we had talked about a few weeks earlier. I had a whole flower garden to view and take in as soon as I arrived at the house. In addition to seeing him after being gone for several days, pulling up to our house and seeing the rose bushes and flowers brought me so much joy. It’s a favorite memory of mine. It makes me smile whenever I think of it. Remember that accident I had back when I talked about mindfulness and meditation? After the accident, my sister-in-law sent me flowers to brighten my day. Another go to memory that makes me smile. She and my niece were in an accident a few weeks prior to mine. She told me my brother handled everything and she was able to relax. At the time I was single and I had to handle everything on my own. She wanted to offer me something that would make me smile. And it did. This is what I called one of my GTM’s, Go To Memories.

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you.This is an episode about how to use mindfulness and meditation to struggle less and enjoy life more.I’ve shared how the first M, music changes your brain chemistry and the power of the words we think and speak out loud, using our mouth, the second M. The third M, is actually two, well sort of, meditation & mindfulness. What’s the difference between those two? I like this description from an article I read recently stating one of the differences is meditation is a practice, and through this practice, one can develop different qualities, including mindfulness. As a practice you can also focus on an object, thought or activity to train your awareness. Mindfulness is a type of meditation and per Jon Kabat Zinn it is “the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”Let’s jump into the excerpt from Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More. You will hear more from Jon Kabat Zinn and research on mindfulness.

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. This is an episode about how to use your mouth and words as a mindful practice. The words we think and speak are powerful! As we continue on our journey of my Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More, Mouth is the second M. Last  week I shared how music changes your brain chemistry, and next week I’ll talk about Meditation/Mindfulness. I hope you gave some thought to how to access music to shift your mind and energy and maybe even added or came up with a playlist as suggested.   Every day and in every way I use my voice to heal, educate and inspire.  Every day I grow stronger and more confident in using my voice. I am a magnet for the right people who appreciate, honor and compensate me well for sharing my voice on their projects. I am grateful to my source, God, for sharing the right thoughts, feelings, ideas and resources for my ultimate success. This is one of my daily declarations.Are you ready to hear more about how using your mouth can help you struggle less?  Enjoy this excerpt about second mindful practice, Your Mouth. I hope you enjoy it! One of my first published articles was for a local magazine called Africa’s children, back in the late 1990’s. I wrote about the power of words. When I was a young child growing up my mother was gorgeous. I looked like my father. Oftentimes children would say to me, that’s not your mother. I would have to defend myself and say yes she is my mother!   You may have heard the expression sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never words will never hurt me. I disagree. When we recognize the power of the words that we think and speak we can make major changes in our lives.   Using our mouth to speak words of life over ourselves is a powerful Practice. Learning to use your mouth and creating a habit around positive affirmations can be life-changing.   Affirmations are defined in many ways. It can be a positive assertion. To assert to be true, to declare to be positive,  to declare the existence of something. Whichever way you choose to define an affirmation  remember affirmations are: Personal - related to you Portable - write them or say them wherever you are Positive - indicating something desirable Present tense- keep them in the present tense such as I am, or I am willing, versus I should or I could.   You may have heard that the two words I am are the most powerful words in the universe. Because I am is a powerful creation tool. Whatever we put behind the words I am solidifies what you are embodying in your life. So if you don’t feel completely confident in saying I am strong,  I am fill in the blank, add the word willing. So for example, you might say I am willing to be powerful. Versus I am powerful.   It took a lot of years of reprogramming my thoughts and how I felt about myself because of those words that young children spoke to me. And that may be why I have a love affair with affirmations and positive affirming words.   I created something I call GTP, GoTo Phrases. It’s one of my ways to keep my mind engaged with positive thinking. So I have these go to phrases that I keep on my mental playlist. Here are a few.   Things are always working out for me. All is well in my world. I am in the right place at the right time with the right people doing the right thing. My timing is always divine. I am open to miracles and watch things come from out of nowhere to now here. One of my favorites from Louise Hay is everyone loves me and always wants to help me. And this one I got from a good girlfriend, Regenna, when I’m not quite sure how things are gonna work out. “I can’t wait to see how this is gonna work out.’   So we know that when we speak affirming words it impacts how we feel in our bodies. Science has caught up to what we probably already knew.

All LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON Why Struggle? Podcast - 2024 - Week 47 - Music and Mindfulness This is an episode about how to use music as a mindful practice. Last week at my job at the library we were talking about music and songs. I remembered a song by Alexandro Sanz, Quisera Ser that I shared with my co-workers. In that moment I was transported to a time in space where I first heard the song. It was on the Latin Grammys show where Alexandro Sanz was singing with Destiny’s Child. That was over 15 years ago. He was so passionate singing in the performance I decided to buy the CD. Thinking about the song that day brought up such lovely feelings and memories from that time. That got me thinking about how music is so powerful. Over the next five weeks I’ll be sharing excerpts from my audio program: Five Mindful Ways to Struggle Less and Enjoy Life More. I know that's a mouthful. Lol. Each week I will share one of the five M’s: Music, Mouth, Meditation/Mindfulness, Memories and Movement. The intention is for you to have immediate tools to recognize when you are struggling and how to relax and choose something different. I'm a believer that life is practice. Using these tools in life is practice. The simple tools can easily be a part of your day to help you incorporate new strategies to release struggling with life. Keep listening on my YouTube Channel. 🌹🌻🌷 🌹🌻🌷🌹🌻🌷 🌹🌻🌷  Greetings, I'm Barbara J. Faison, a voice talent, #meditation, #audiodescription, #eLearning projects and more. I also post reminders to be in the present moment called #breathbreaks.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 46 - How Do You Hygge? You can listen to this on my podcast - 6:51 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. This is an episode about Hygge. Say what now?How do you Hygge? Have you heard of the Danish practice called Hygge? Hygge is spelled H-Y-G-G-E is pronounced HOO-ga. Here’s a quick description of the informal practice, in fact, here is a replay week 45 from 2023 from my podcast where I talked about the practice.If you’ve been listening to me, you know, I love a good practice. Lol. I also call it filling my own cup! And guess what? This weekend I was with some of the same ladies gathering together like we did last year. I hope you enjoy this excerpt. I did pull a new card, so keep listening for that.“To practice hygge, surround yourself with people, activities, and things that make you feel cozy, loved, happy, or content. Go simple: spend time with your favorite people, add a small vase of flowers to your space, don fuzzy slippers once home, eat a treasured comfort food, or listen to a favorite song.”All of those suggestions certainly sound like it would invite you to feel cozy, loved, happy or content.

All Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON This is an episode about guess what… gratitude! Greetings and welcome to 2024 - Week 45 - Still Grateful! If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. Yes, I am still grateful. Several times this year, and just as recent as a few weeks ago, I was sharing scientific proof of how gratitude impacts our lives. And I'm still talking about that. Lol. Last week I mentioned that my initial regular colonoscopy was scheduled for September 26 and it got canceled due to the hurricane's passing through the area. I completed the rescheduled procedure on Friday and everything looks good. So I am still grateful. Allowing myself to find gratitude in all things, even what may feel unpleasant really helps me maintain an even, steady state of mind. So you know what that means if you've been listening to me for any length of time, will do something to practice being in that state of mind. I'm calling this a thank you practice. If you'd like to join me, please allow yourself to be uninterrupted for the duration of this practice. If you're driving, you may listen, just keep your eyes open. Lol. OK let's begin. In this thank you practice we are going to allow ourselves to repeat the words thank you over and over, like a mantra. You can keep your eyes open or closed, it’s up to you. We will begin by taking three deep breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Are you ready? I invite you to place your hands on your body somewhere, to remind you of your connection to your body. Remember, our body gets us around and is our mode of transportation while we are here on planet earth. Place your hands wherever you like on your body. I invite you to take a deep breath in through the nose, with a long, exhale out your mouth. Once again, a deep breath in through the nose, and a long, exhale out your mouth. One final deep breath. Now begin breathing at your own pace, rate and rhythm. Relax your shoulders by taking them up to your ears on the breath in and let them drop down on the breath out. Now, and as you breathe at your own pace, begin saying thank you out loud, and after a few times, saying thank you out loud begin, repeating the words silently in your mind I'll start you off, and then I will drift into silence and return shortly to bring you back into the present moment. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you It's time to bring your attention back to the present moment. You may release saying thank you silently.

All the links : LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON AUDIO - I'd rather listen - 11:48 mins 2024 - Week 44 -Things are Always Working Out! You can listen to this on my podcast - 11:48 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about things always working out for my highest good. One of my beliefs is that everything happens in divine order. I can think of so many times that I had a plan and my plan didn’t execute like I hoped it would. And when I would take the time to reflect and review, what happened was just what needed to happen. Everything is purposeful, even if I don’t get why at the time. I was scheduled for a routine colonoscopy on Friday, September 27th at 1 pm. I called Kaiser Thursday morning to confirm that everything was still set because we were expecting a hurricane to hit the area. I was told my procedure was still scheduled and to check the APP and online portal in case anything changed. Here’s the thing, the preparation for the colonoscopy requires you to fast and drink a solution to clean you out before the procedure. I was to start a liquid fast by noon on Thursday so I checked online before I started the process of a liquid diet. I was scheduled to be there by10:30 am for my procedure on Friday. Nothing had changed, Something told me to cancel my procedure because they were saying the weather was going to be terrible. I didn’t. I didn’t trust my guidance. :( By Friday morning, the hurricane had passed through. We had some flooding and the after look of a storm where things look very calm and almost dusky even in the middle of the day. My husband, TD and I drove up to the Kaiser facility and both of us noted how quiet it seemed. When we reached the area to park, there were no cars. Not a good sign. There was a sign posted that all procedures had been canceled. I looked at TD and said, “something told me to cancel and reschedule.” He looked at me and said, " I know you are hungry, let’s get something to eat." I love this man. After driving around a bit looking for a place that was open with electricity we ended up at IHOP. I’m really proud of myself for not having pancakes. Lol.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 43 - Give Thanks   Yep, we are in the gratitude space again! Most days when I journal I write down something I’m grateful for and it can range from health, being mobile with limited pain, my hubby, TD, family and more. I spoke about some of the science behind having a gratitude practice in Episode 38, Gratitude Practice. Even without the science, I can feel the difference when I choose to be grateful. As I was preparing to post this episode, I had issues with opening up the software program I use to post my podcast… and I still give thanks. And I realized a few days ago that I mislabeled a few of my podcasts earlier this year. I give thanks that I wasn’t as bothered as I would have been in the past when the technology didn’t behave as I liked and when I made errors with labeling the podcast episodes. My mantra, “It’s not that serious or important.” I am also grateful that I have a newsletter and that I can post the podcast in other places other than just the audio version. It will all work out. And for that simple statement I truly give thanks. A few things I feel grateful for today are a chiropractic adjustment, walking in the sun by the Chattahoochee River, and French Vanilla cappuccino. I hope you enjoy this Gratitude Practice that reminds me that gratitude is an attitude and a practice.

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON This is an episode where we practice breathing together.  Can you take 303 seconds right now or later to breathe with me? It’s only five minutes and three seconds.  Let’s do it! Say what now? Barbara, I know how breathe. I know you do... I want us to breathe together intentionally. 

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 -  Week 41 - A Simple Practice This is an episode where I share a simple practice you can use to stay grounded. If you are new to my podcast, welcome! If you’ve been listening, I say thank you. I say thank you to anyone that takes the time to listen. I appreciate you! There is a grounding technique that helps with anxiety and connecting you to the present moment. It's called the 5 4 3 2 1 Technique. It’s one I know and use, so I thought I would share it with you so it may be something you can put in your practice toolkit. Here's an example how it goes.  Notice 5 things you see. • I see rosebushes, river, birch trees, a red cardinal, a lounge chair, and a white truck 4 things you touch: • My chair • My hand to my heart • My cell phone • My yoga mat 3 things you hear • Cars passing by • Someone cutting their • A plane flying overhead 2 things you smell. • The heat • My hand lotion 1 thing you taste. • A ginger mint This 5 4 3 2 1 practice can help you and I encourage you to practice. So let’s do a simple practice now where we do the 5 4 3 2 1 technique. A great time to use this technique is when you know or begin to feel agitation in your body that may feel like anxiety or if you don’t feel grounded or solid in your body. You can also do a few short breaths in through the nose or mouth and a long exhale through your mouth. Having quick techniques you can use is one way to manage your emotions and your responses to life, well, lifing. lol. What’s something you do to manage your emotions and feelings? I’d love for you to leave a comment, observation or reflection where you are listening to this podcast.  If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best. The card I pulled for us in this moment is the number 6 QUESTION  Card..  The VISION  for my life is CLEAR and I move with EASE and GRACE I love this reminder.  Thanks, cards! 

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BarbaraFaison Week 40 - Shake it Out and Breathe You can listen to this on my podcast - 7:01 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about breathing. Well, there is a lot going on in the world isn't there? And we know we can't control anybody else but ourselves, right? What I've learned is sometimes the best response is no response. Trust me I have learned this the hard way… talking way to much. Lol. It feels like we're able to see so much of other people's lives, because we are. Technology allows us to see what other people are doing, or at least what we think they are doing on many levels. It can be frightening. Whether it's watching someone do a live stream, a short on YouTube, or something on TikTok; we think we know what's happening in other people's lives. Do we, really? I'm reminding myself more and more to step away from so much of the busyness and noise of daily life. Even if it's stepping outside for five minutes to look at a tree or a flower to take a few breaths. Being in nature is very calming and soothing for the body and our nervous system. Even if you can’t step outside, look out the window or find an image only of something in nature that you find beautiful or breathtaking. Taking a few breaths and being in nature is something you can aspire to do daily. Recently I have had comments or messages sharing how much you enjoy the breathing practices I share. I really enjoy hearing from you all, and thank you so much for listening and taking time to share your thoughts and feelings with me. One thing I love about breathwork is that you can do it anytime, anywhere and no one has to know. And it is also free, simple and easy. You know that means we have to practice, right? Let’s practice now. Sometimes all we need is just a good shake to shake off whatever is going on in our bodies. I call this my shake it out and breathe practice. I want you to shake your entire body and take loud breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth as you shake. Yes, shake it up and out… and feel free to laugh while you do it. lol Are you ready? Let's go! Start from your upper body, shaking your head, your shoulders, your arms, your hands, keep shaking, your upper torso, now your hips, kick your legs out, and if you're able to take a few stomps with your feet on the ground do it. Take a moment to notice how that feels. You might feel tingling or movement in your body. Excellent! How did that feel to you? Lol Now I invite you to you place your hands stacked on top of each other right in the center of your chest, this is your energetic heart center. We'll take seven breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth with loud, verbal exhales, like this. I'll do the counting and you do the breathing. Are you ready? Breathe in Ahh Breathe in Ahh Breathe in Ahh Breathe in Ahh Breathe in Ahh Breathe in Ahh Last one deep breath, breathe in Ahh. You are in the present moment. Take a moment to notice how you feel right now. This simple breathing technique is very powerful. Whenever we breathe out longer than in, we're sending a signal to our brain to calm our body down. Let me know what you think about the shake it out and breathe practice. Try it a few times over the next week and notice how you feel. You can leave a comment, observation or reflection wherever you're listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 39 - Slow Down and Breathe You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:32 mins or or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)      I love this quote - “Autumn is about to show us how beautiful it is to let things go.” - Anonymous In the northern hemisphere, Autumn or fall is the time to start slowing down. In some places the temperatures are dropping, we aren’t quite there yet in metro Atlanta. It’s coming though. Do you feel the change in yourself, moving from the energy and excitement of summer to wanting to slow down? Autumn is the time to start slowing down, releasing and letting go of whatever you need to release.  Nature shows us now to do it. The trees are letting go of the leaves to prepare for the winter. What about you? What are you preparing for by releasing and letting go? I’ve learned that around this time I want to DO LESS… so guess what? I’m doing less. I am giving myself permission and in case you need someone to give you permission, PERMISSION GRANTED. I hope you enjoy this excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes SLOW DOWN When was the last time you did anything without rushing? We can reach out and touch people in numerous ways including the phone, email, and social media. Technology offers our society such wonderful enhancements to daily living that we sometimes forget to slow down. We get up with our smartphones, cuddle with them and go to bed with them and sometimes we allow them to dictate all of our daily activities. Technology is not human and has no discretion or judgment. Remember to disconnect from technology to fully engage in life and with people. Set personal boundaries around the time you spend on the phone, computer or tablet. Be sure to schedule or factor in time for relaxation and down time. Commit to turning off the phone and enjoying the beauty around you. If you are with someone, enjoy time with a human; the technology will be there after you are done. Practice: Choose a time to spend alone in nature. Take a walk and slow down, breathe the air and feel the sun against your skin. Slow down and give every moment your undivided attention. Affirmation: I allow my mind, body, and spirit to slow down and be at peace. End of excerpt. Learning to slow down or STOP and know when I have done enough is something I have to practice. Guess what? I get to reset, give myself grace and choose peace. Just taking a few deep breaths can calm your body down. Let’s do that now. Enjoy this audio called 10 Conscious Breaths. 

ALL LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 38 - Gratitude Practice I feel so grateful to be alive at this particular time. In my lifetime I have been able to experience not having cell phones or faxes, as well as not having GPS systems. I'm extremely grateful that these are now a part of our daily lives. However, I do feel that living in a time before all of those modern conveniences were available allows me to step away easier than people who may not have had the experience of living without these tools. I'm also grateful that science continues to confirm things like the importance of gratitude in our daily lives. Here are a few benefits of having a regular gratitude practice: Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions and we tend to use less negative language. Gratitude helps even if you don’t share it, try writing a letter to someone and you don’t even need to share it, you will benefit just from writing your thoughts down. Gratitude takes time so write down what are grateful for regularly, it’ll help. Gratitude has lasting effects on the brain and decision making, so that’s reason enough to try practicing gratitude. Walking in the mornings before it gets hot has been a practice of mine for decades.   I hope you enjoy this track called Four Minute Gratitude Walk. Note: I'm out walking so you'll hear the sounds of cars and all of life around. What are you grateful for these days? Leave a comment, observation or reflection where you're listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best. In honor of September being Self-Care Month, I'm offering 15% off the products on my website until the end of the month. Use SELFCARE15 for 15% and free US shipping on all products including live sessions. Our Breathe with Barbara LIVE session is Wednesday, September 18 from 8 - 9 pm eastern. You can find out more by going to barbarafaison.com/store and look for live sessions. You can also use SELFCARE15 for 15% off the live sessions.  The card I pulled for us today from my Relax, Listen and Trust Your Inner Guidance Card Deck#5 TRUST - I speak KIND and LOVING words to MYSELF  How we speak to ourselves is essential to a well lived life. I am enough and worthy of all the good I can stand is one of my affirmations and a reminder to be good, kind and sweet to myself. If you’d like to order a card deck, you can go to barbarafaison.com/store and look for the cards.  

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 37 - Settling Down Meditation You can listen to this on my podcast - 7:21 mins          I'm feeling the autumn weather, sort of. lol. In Hotlanta, we get a lot of start to feel like fall... then in a day or so the temperatures are in the high 90's.  I love to take walks and watch the geese flying overhead. Hearing them honk makes me smile!  There is something about this time of the year that makes me want to settle down and slow down. I hope you enjoy my Settling Down meditation where  you will use a self-massage, breathing and affirming phrases to bring your body to a calmer state. 

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON I believe that Love is the most powerful, healing and transformative power there is. Being loving or being kind has been the answer to most situations in my experience. I’ll be sharing some of my original audios over the next few weeks and I hope you enjoy listening to them.  Oftentimes after I meditate I will grab my phone and speak out loud in my One Note app the wording that comes up for a meditation or an idea, and that’s how many of my most recent audio tracks are produced. Before I record, I review what I wrote and edit it before recording. This has been a great way to relax into trusting my Personal Guidance System (PGS).  I hope you enjoy this track called Five Minutes of Love Meditation. How are you feeling in your body right now after the five minutes focusing on love? Leave a comment, observation or reflection where you're listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

All LInks: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 35 - Meditation: Let’s Breathe Together Week 35 - Meditation: Let’s Breathe Together Over the last month I have shared my Meditations, Affirmations and Practices - My M.A.P. Meditation and breathwork are so essential to my daily life and I am so grateful. In this excerpt from my book/audio/eBook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes I share my thoughts about meditation as a practice and we also will have a brief breathing practice at the end. Meditation/Visualization Exercises So what is meditation? One of my favorite descriptions of the meditation process is that meditation is mental hygiene. Every day we brush our teeth and shower or bathe before leaving the house. We make sure we are properly groomed before presenting ourselves to the world. Meditation, a form of mental hygiene, is a way to prepare my mind for the day by allowing me to connect with my inner guidance. Meditating regularly is like muscle training; the more I meditate, the more in tuned to life I become. My mental focus and clarity gets stronger just as my physical muscles get stronger when I exercise them. Imagine your mind is like a bowl, open and ready to receive. As we go through our day, our minds are filled with thoughts, images, and sounds -many of those we have no control of based on our environment. Unless we take the time to manage these things, our bowls begin to overflow. Science now confirms that we can manage our minds and have a major impact on our lives by simply slowing down and paying attention more. It’s important that we take the time to feed our mind just as we feed our body. Paying attention to what we listen to, who we spend our time with and what we feed our mind is crucial for love and self-acceptance. Meditation is one way that allows you to manage your emotions and thoughts. Visualization is similar to having a focused daydream. When you visualize, you are the main character in your movie, mentally designing how you want to see things unfold. Taking two or three minutes to think specifically about something you want to see in your life is a practice that is very beneficial. In my meditation time, I often reflect on what is important to me so I can start my day with a clear mind. Meditating daily helps me manage the stuff I allow in my bowl. The most important element of any practice is consistency. I am more focused because I begin every day from a place of peace and gratitude. Meditation is a process. The more I meditate, the more comfortable I become with the process. The breathing practice that accompanies meditation gives me an opportunity to be present to what is happening, right now. This meditative time allows me to become more aware of what is happening in my life and world. I think of meditation as a form of mental focus. I have discovered that it is because of the silence, not in the silence, I gain more clarity. Imagine you discovered a new flavor of ice cream that you didn’t know you liked until you tried it. That’s how meditation feels to me. I didn’t know I liked pistachio until I tried it. And now, I really enjoy that flavor of ice cream. I would even try to order it or buy it if available. Meditation is like that for me now. I find ways during my day to find moments to be present by meditating or taking time to connect with my breath or just paying attention more. Once you decide to start meditating, your experience will vary each time you meditate. Be gentle with yourself and allow what happens to happen and just be present to whatever comes up. This is not a test or a goal that needs to be completed. Developing a practice is committing to being there and present, your willingness is all that is required. Make your practice as formal or informal as you choose. The most important thing is that you decide to meditate.

All the LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 34- My Practices - Part 4 - My M.A.P. You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:47 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)2024 - Week 32 - My Practices - Part 2 - My MAP This is an episode about the P in my M.A.P. My M.A.P. How are you doing? How’s it crackalackalacking? Mom use say that and it always makes me smile. With so much going on personally and around the world, it’s great to have moments of laughter and also prayer. In the last two episodes, week 32 & week 33, I shared my meditations and affirmations as part of My M.A.P. practices. Today I’m sharing P, the prayers. Enjoy this excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes is My M.A.P. - Prayers. My M.A.P. – PRAYERS When I wake up and before I open my eyes, I pray. I take a deep breath and say out loud, “Thank you, God.” TD and I each say a prayer out loud before we begin the day. I pray all day, every day. My standard prayer throughout the day is, “Thank you, God.” Saying thank you during the day (even in what appears to be troubling times) keeps me in the present moment and allows me to remember that in another moment, I’ll feel another emotion. Sometimes I will say my prayers silently or aloud as I am walking the dog and I also say them while I’m getting dressed. I go with how I feel and below is an example of what I may say. Dear God, Thank you for waking me up this morning with my sight, taste, touch, smell, hearing, and intuition. I am grateful for another day on this earth to be an ambassador of your love. Keep me tuned in for the places I can best serve all. I am grateful for my amazing husband and wonderful family and friends who love, accept, and support me. Thank you for my ancestors who paved the way for me to go the places I go, do the things I do and be the person I am. Thank you for the many blessings in my life. Thanks for all the experiences I have and the presence of mind to remember that all is in divine order. I know my path is for me and the right people and circumstances will present themselves at the right time. Please bless the countries, leaders, and families in need of help and continue to lead and guide me in all my endeavors. Please bless the families that need your love and support at this time. (I will list specific names I have at this time.) End of Excerpt. Since publishing my book in 2017, TD and I have a morning practice of hugging each other as we say our individual prayers. Then we both say this declaration from Catherine Ponder: Dear God, what positive, creative, constructive thought, word, attitude or action is the next step to improve our lives? Here are a few of my morning practices for setting the intention for my day. This audio track includes my intention setting along with the five Reiki principles and four questions from A Course In Miracles. This combination resonates with me and helps me connect with my Personal Guidance System (PGS). Dear Source Move me in the direction of my Highest Good this day. Move my mind, move my body, move my thoughts, move my emotions and my feelings so that I may: Be my best Do my best Experience my best Feel my best Serve my best And share my best I am grateful for another day here on Planet Earth. I also say the 5 Reiki Principles: Just for today, I will not worry Just for today, I will not be angry Just for today, I will be grateful Just for today, I will do my work honestly And just for today, I will be kind to every living thing I ask these questions from A Course in Miracle to relax and be open for guidance: Where would you have me go? What would you have me do? What would you have me say, and to whom?" I will often repeat the questions from A Course in Miracles later in the day for more clarity.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 33 - My Practices - Part 3 - My M.A.P. This is an episode about the A in my M.A.P. In last week's episode, week 32, I talked about the M - meditations from my M.A.P. I shared a grounding practice that is a short meditation to stay grounded when my life may feel busy. Pressing my feet down on the ground and saying “I am on solid ground” is an example of a powerful practice and affirmation to stay connected and rooted to where I am in the world and it reminds me that I am safe and all is well. In today’s podcast I am sharing affirmations! On my life’s journey I have been saying, writing and creating affirmations for almost 30 years. I hope you gain insight from the A in my M.A.P. - Affirmations. Here is the excerpt from my book/audio/eBook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes, My M.A.P. - Affirmations. My M.A.P. – AFFIRMATIONS An affirmation is a statement you believe or assert to be true. I believe every thought is an affirmation and every thought is a prayer. Since I am blessed to be able to think, why not think and be as positive as possible? It is human nature to remember negative things, so affirmations can be a way to practice moving past what you don’t want in your life. More scientific research is showing that choosing positive affirmative thoughts is beneficial to your overall well-being. If I desire something, I focus my feelings and thoughts on what I desire through thinking, writing, and speaking about it. It is important to, “Train your brain. Mind your mind. Pay attention to what you think about.” Using affirmations are a great way to train your brain. Affirmations allow me to auto correct myself whenever I am not focusing on the best and what I truly want. My current daily affirmation is: I have strength, stamina, endurance, and flexibility. I manage my life well. I trust that the right people and resources present themselves at the right time and I recognize them immediately. I take time during my day to be still so I can get clear and make the best choices for me at all times. No matter how I feel or how things appear, I know that all things are working out for my highest and greatest good. And I am grateful. Here are some of the standard affirmations I use or have used. I also use various sources for reference when I am looking for a specific area to focus my thoughts. Louise Hay, Iylana Vanzant, Catherine Ponder, Edwene Gaines and Joyce Rennolds are some of my favorite authors for affirmations as well as other life-affirming practices. All is well. I am divinely protected at all times. I trust the process of life. All I need is taken care of. I am safe. I am calm. I am safe. All is well. I let go of the past, I move forward with love in my heart. I handle all of my experiences with wisdom, with love, and with ease. I am filled with excellent health, energy, and vitality. The Universe loves me and supports all my endeavors. Affirmations are portable, personal, positive and present tense. Affirmations may be written, spoken and/or thought during your day at any time. No one has to know what you are thinking, just think your affirmations, especially if you are beating yourself up over something or over nothing. I say many of my affirmations as I’m walking the dog in the morning. I also use affirmations to keep my thoughts and feelings on what I want in my life. I think it is human nature to think about what is not right so anything I can do to focus on what I desire is helpful. Affirmations are a great way to practice thinking about what you want. It’s one way to reprogram your thinking. End of excerpt

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON My M.A.P. In last week's episode, week 31, I mentioned that we make around 35,000 decisions a day. Listen, that’s a lot of picking and choosing. lol. We may decide what to eat, what to wear, how to spend our day, and more. Any way you look at it, a lot of decisions are being made…ALL DAY LONG. If I don’t have certain things I do to manage my mind, I can easily begin to feel overwhelmed. Managing my mind is essential to staying grounded in my life. And I am so grateful that I started these practices a long time ago. Another one of my practices I call my M.A.P.: Includes meditations, affirmations and prayers. This excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes is My M.A.P. - Meditations. My Spiritual Practices Slowing down and paying attention to what is right in front of me has truly opened me up to more opportunities and grace. Silence, meditation, listening to music, walking, and forgiveness are some of my spiritual practices that help me stay grounded. It’s called a practice because it is doing something regularly or constantly as an ordinary part of your life. When I stray from my daily meditation, affirmation, and prayers, I immediately feel it. That’s why it is called a “daily” spiritual practice, not a “whenever I feel like doing it” practice. Can you imagine your favorite sports team just showing up for the game without practicing first, and expecting to play well and win? Not at all, practice is part of the process. Over the years my spiritual practice has evolved based on what I have going on in my life. The key thing is to find what works for you as a practice and to PRACTICE. My current practices are Meditations, Affirmations, and Prayers and whatever moves me at the time. My M.A.P. – MEDITATIONS Years of living alone conditioned me to enjoy quiet in the morning. I rarely turned on the television when I was getting dressed for the day. My meditations vary now based on what is happening in my world. There are times I sit and focus on specific areas of my life and visualize, sometimes I sit and enjoy the quiet of nature. I go with whatever flow I feel like that day. There are so many resources for meditation, these are some of my favorites. Walking is one of my favorite types of meditations now. As Lacee and I walk, I am drawn to the beauty all around me from the trees, flowers, butterflies to the sun shining down on my skin. Lacee has become one of my daily teachers. Some days as we walk the neighborhood, she will slow down and sniff the grass or flowers she sees every day as if it is her first time seeing them. I listen to the birds as we walk the neighborhood and I feel the gentle touch of the wind on a crisp fall morning. When I see butterflies in my area I smile and say, “hi mom.” Witnessing God through birds, butterflies and other amazing creatures is its own meditation. End of excerpt. One of my favorite types of meditation is using a grounding practice. Enjoy this brief grounding practice I created earlier this year. It uses a combination of sound, breath, and visualization. https://youtu.be/1DWXLQgyvXo?si=9KISExzXS5DMQKiV

All links: http://LINKTR.EE/barbarafaison 2024 - Week 30 - My Practices - LEGging (LEGging) This is an episode about my Learning Evolving & Growing My Practices Part 1 - LEGging Life is sooo much about what we focus our energy on. Dr. Wayne Dyer’s quote is one I remind myself of, “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”  Yep, it’s also one of my guiding principles. In episode 2024 - Week 24 I talked about my beliefs and life philosophies. One of them I call -  Learning... Evolving... Growing (LEGging baby!) = PRACTICE. I hope you enjoy this excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes called Learning... Evolving... Growing (LEGging baby!) = PRACTICE.   When I initially wrote Why Struggle? I was convinced that life was about discovering yourself. I even named my publishing company In Search Of Publications based on that belief. The longer I live, the more I believe that we are here to discover, create and accept ourselves at each stage of life. Aren’t humans lucky? We can make a different choice anytime we decide. We don’t have to have a “bad day;” we can choose to have a “bad moment.” Again, even a bad moment is a conscious choice. Notice the use of the words: choose, conscious, decide. I believe words are powerful, and I choose mine carefully. I have always been very curious. I have always been a creative thinker. I have always enjoyed sharing information with others. My curious nature has propelled me down very interesting roads and for that, I am truly grateful. One of my traveled paths has been the road of meditation and creative visualization. For years I dabbled with quiet time and struggled with making it a part of my daily practice until 1995. I was so desperate for peace of mind that I pledged to spend at least 10 minutes in silence in the morning. In a few weeks, I was more relaxed and able to accept things I could not change. I tried many forms of meditation and began using visualization exercises to add more focus. I usually sense things or hear thoughts versus seeing images. The daily practice has helped me become calmer and more confident. Meditating daily greatly changed my life. Simply put, meditation makes me a better person for me and for the people around me. Taking a few minutes to sit and be still allows me to gain clarity and make better choices. It is not during meditation that I receive my ideas; it is because of the daily practice of meditation that I am more open to sense, hear or feel something that may be helpful. The practice of meditating regularly opens you up to opportunities you might not see otherwise. When I wake up in the morning, I usually have tons of ideas running around in my head. I know it is because I plant seeds at night before retiring and simply by doing meditation or deep breathing, I have a garden of ideas waiting for me to share them with the world.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 30 - How are You Sleeping? You can listen to this on my podcast - 5:42 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about sleep! Have you ever had a night where you didn’t sleep well? I didn’t rest well for a few days because I had some pains in my body. It was rough. My left shoulder was bothering me so I couldn’t get be on my left side, and my right lower back above my hip was hurting and when I turned to lie on my back, I just couldn’t get comfortable. I could feel the after effects of the restlessness several days later. I’m grateful that my sleep is back to normal now . Having a sleep hygiene routine has been very helpful. I usually get off my phone or tablet about 30 minutes before I go to bed and lately I have been either reading a book with essays or doing a jigsaw puzzle to calm my mind down and get ready for bed. The mind likes to have something to do, so I do my best to make my before bed that stuff, relaxing. I did a little research to find out how common sleep issues are. According to the State of Sleep in the U.S. and Sleep Statistics from the Center for Advancing Health, I found out a few statistics about sleep and sleep habits: 53% of U.S. adults say worrying about inflation/cost of living has negatively impacted their sleep. 43% of U.S. adults say they experience insomnia. 18% of U.S. adults say worrying about the 2024 presidential election has negatively impacted their sleep. 51% or more than half of Americans say their symptoms prevent them from getting enough sleep. Symptoms include back pain, joint pain, and heartburn. 41% say their anxiety over what will happen the next day keeps them up at night. Temperature also plays a role, with 31% saying it’s either too hot or too cold to sleep. 73% of U.S. adults follow a regular bedtime routine. 20% of U.S. adults say they stop using devices with screens 20-30 minutes before going to sleep. The mind is usually still active until we give it something to do to calm it down. My current sleep hygiene routine may include: Getting off my devices (phone, computer & tablet). Reading a few pages from a book that isn’t stimulating. A short bedtime qigong practice (about 10-12 minutes) Deep breathing while in the bed- 4 breaths in through the nose and 8 breaths out through mouth. Here are a few suggestions for you to consider before bedtime: Put away your phone/tablet/devices at least 30 minutes or longer before bed. Turn off the television before bed. Do a jigsaw puzzle. Do word search, Sudoku or crossword puzzles (not in the bed). Bedtime Qigong (search on YouTube for short practices). Deep breathing - try 4 breaths in through the nose and 6 or 8 breaths out the mouth. Practice Yoga Nidra for sleep (search on YouTube for short practices). Take a warm bath with epsom salts (Dr. Teal is one of my favs.) Sleep with the phone in a different room. Listen to a bedtime story or meditation. A few years ago I collaborated with another teacher, JuneB, on the Insight Timer APP to create a few adult bedtime stories, she wrote the scripts and I narrated them. You can find time on the Insight Timer APP if you are interested. I also have them on my Bedtime with Barbara Playlist on my YouTube channel. Going to bed at the same time is part of a routine that many sleep experts recommend. I’m not there yet, on the weekends, I tend to stay up later than usual. Lol. Do you have a bedtime routine that you use? You can leave a comment wherever you are listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 29 - Life’s Simple Pleasures! This is another episode about life’s simple pleasures! Life’s Simple Pleasures! Life is a journey. A trip. A deck of cards. Life defies a single definition because moment by moment, life changes. Life is different for each person every moment. Just as life changes, we change and grow based on our experiences. Treat yourself to something because you met a goal – celebrate! Life simply is. Being alive is cause for celebration! Take a moment to think of a reason to celebrate. Treat yourself to something because you met a goal – celebrate! Perhaps you didn’t use your cell phone when you were having a meal. CELEBRATE! Every day find reasons to be grateful for life and celebrate! Sometimes it’s just as simple as not beating yourself up about something you did. Now that is cause for a major celebration. Practice: Think about the music you’ve listened to, the movies you’ve seen, the friends in your life and how they may have changed over the years. Treat yourself to something you enjoy. You deserve it. Affirmation: I celebrate life and I am grateful for all my life experiences. End of excerpt. I hope you enjoyed the Embrace Change excerpt from my book/eBook/audiobook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes. In my mid-year review episode, week 26, I mentioned M.E.E.T. - Money. Energy. Effort. Time.  It's one of the ways I decide what I am willing to commit to. How much money, energy, effort and/or time will ____ take? It really helps me prioritize at this time in my life. In my mind, I love to think I’m going to become fluent in Spanish… Am I willing to commit the time, energy, & effort it takes? Nope. I can play around and understand Spanish better than I speak it.  How bout taking a guitar class, since I was gifted a guitar over 20 years ago from a friend who was moving? Again, what money, energy, effort and time will I devote to learning to play? Maybe another time, right now, not so much. Feeling grateful to find my missing wallet behind my seat pad on the passenger seat in my car, receiving ole’ fashioned tea cakes from one of my senior computer students and enjoying a meal at the Flying Biscuit with one of my dear friends are lovely memories to celebrate! TD, my hubby, had a birthday over the weekend so we enjoyed a lovely meal at a restaurant in Fayetteville and the waiter sang happy birthday in Lebanese. On Sunday, our youngest son, Dewayne, who is 20,  treated us to a birthday breakfast. As we waited on the food, he and his dad talked “shop” - they were looking over pictures from a job site - they both are doing electrical work, at different places. I enjoyed watching them and truly felt joy and appreciation at such a simple pleasure. Indeed,  I celebrate life and I am grateful for all my life experiences. What’s something you are grateful for right now? You can leave a comment wherever you are listening to this podcast. If you’d like to share your thoughts with me - barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com is the best way to reach me. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

This is another episode about how CHANGE…the only constant in life. lol The only constant is change. Everything must change. Man plans and God laughs. These quotes remind me of how important it is to learn to go with the flow of life.  Have you ever made a plan, and just watched it completely fall apart? Yep, that's what happened to me over the long weekend last week. My hubby, TD and I were planning to visit his family in Tennessee over the 4th of July weekend. I packed everything and we were on the way. We stopped at Bucc-ee’s, yep, again. Lol. TD hadn't been able to reach his father, so I reached out to his aunt, Del in the parking lot of Love’s, which is across the street from Buccee’s. We went there because, well Buccee’s didn't have hot chocolate, TD likes to mix hot chocolate with coffee. Interesting. We sat the parking lot talking to both his aunt and his father and we made the decision to turn around and go back home. Covid-19 was increasing in the area so we headed back south. Luckily, we were only about an hour and a half away when we stopped. Let the adventure begin, I thought to myself with slight irritation. I mean I had packed and we were turning around and going back home. That meant I would have to unpack. Welcome to change. On the road. I had been texting with two of my oldest friends, Suzanne and Gina, I mentioned them in episode 2024 - Week 3 - Know the Stages of Grief. We've known each other since I was about five. Suzanne has been in the area helping with her husband's mother and I randomly asked where she was. Well, she was in Kennesaw. And we were in Acworth, not too far away. Hmmm. I texted. Where in Kennesaw? She told me she was getting a pedicure and the name of the shop. Sounds like a stop to me. Thanks to technology we found the shop and I was able to stop by and have a random chat and get some hugs. On our drive back towards home we were trying to find a place to eat lunch. All of the places we stopped by were closed for the Fourth of July. I suspect because many people cook out and those restaurants were not barbecue places. About 30 minutes closer to our home we stopped by a barbecue place that was open. We got something to eat, and I noticed a young woman who was leaving and called out her name. It was an intern that I knew from when I worked at PriceWaterhousecoopers, Pwc, over seven years ago. We hugged and agreed to reconnect via LinkedIn. We finally made it home about six hours later. I thought about the emotions I felt throughout the day. Traveling can make me feel a little antsy, and it was hot. In the span of a day, we have so many feelings and emotions. Here I just a few I experienced: • Agitation - last minute packing/unpacking. • Sadness - I no longer have parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles • Joy - seeing my oldest friend, Suzanne • Hangry - hungry and angry • Grateful - to be home and sleep in my own bed Did I do some deep breathing throughout the day? I sure did. When I find myself getting agitated, my go to breathing practice is to breathe in for a count of four and out through my mouth for a count of seven or eight. Change will happen. Do you stop planning? I don't think so.  Life continues to be a practice in adaptability and flexibility. I believe everything that happens is purposeful. I have not seen my friend Suzanne since the funeral we attended in January for Gina’s mother. It was great to see her and laugh and get a few hugs. Life is full of change. We can be mad or create adventures. Embrace change. Be kind. And much more. My book, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes is filled with 25 practices and five meditations and affirmations to help you manage this unpredictable journey called life. I am learning to laugh more and be less serious when change happens… because it will.  What about you? How do you manage lives on predictable changes?

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 27 - Silence and Letting Go This episode is about silence and letting go. This year I have taken a few road trips. I have traveled for anywhere between 3 to 9 hours at a time and allowed myself to be in silence for at least an hour. I worked my way up to this over the years. I would immerse myself in silence. I would allow my thoughts to do what they do, go all over the place.  It's a lovely reminder that I can't control everything. Lol.  I started off with 10 to 15 minutes of silence and now I can go longer especially if I'm in the car alone. Within the last 30 days I've attended the funerals of my aunt, Rosa, and my cousin, Marlis. I am grateful I was able to ride down to Tampa with my brother, Tony and his wife, Patricia, both times. Sitting in the backseat very comfortably, I might add; I crocheted, read, listened to podcasts and audiobooks on the 6+ hour rides. Of course we stopped along the drive and one of our stops is Buc-ee’s, if you aren’t familiar, Google it. lol And after stopping in Buc-ee’s, silence was just what I needed. Homegoing services or funerals, whatever you call them, are a time for reflection for me. The poem shared at my cousin's funeral on Saturday was called Let Me Go by the poet Christina Georgina Rossetti who lived in the 1800's. Tony and I both remarked after listening to the poem how much we both liked it. After asking the funeral director the name of the poem I was able to find it on Google. Thank you technology. Here it is. Let Me Go When I come to the end of the road And the sun has set for me I want no rites in a gloom filled room Why cry for a soul set free? Miss me a little, but not for long And not with your head bowed low Remember the love that once we shared. Miss me, but let me go. For this is a journey we all must take And each must go alone. It's all part of the master plan A step on the road to home. When you are lonely and sick at heart Go to the friends we know. Laugh at all the things we used to do Miss me, but let me go. When I am dead my dearest Sing no sad songs for me Plant thou no roses at my head Nor shady cypress tree Be the green grass above me With showers and dewdrops wet And if thou wilt remember And if thou wilt, forget. I shall not see the shadows, I shall not fear the rain; I shall not hear the nightingale Sing on as if in pain; And dreaming through the twilight That doth not rise nor set, Haply I may remember, And haply may forget. Leaving Florida I stopped crocheting and enjoyed looking at the scenery. The flat terrain and palm trees made me miss the colorful trees and flowers I would see along the Georgia landscape. I could feel my body relaxing as I watched the trees and water along the road. At one time silence for me felt very scary. I would dread not having something to distract me. With practice, I have learned to relish silence. In the silence, I hear the gentle whooshing of the fan as I lie in bed in the mornings before I get up. I hear the birds singing when I sit outside on my back deck. And I remind myself to be open and receptive to receive answers to questions that I may have, in the silence. I have developed an intimate relationship with silence, we are partners now on my life’s journey. Take a moment to practice a little bit of silence with me.

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 26 - 2024 Mid-year Review You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:40 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only This episode is about checking in with 2024. We are halfway through 2024 so this week I decided to look back at some of the accomplishments and experiences I've had so far. I started doing this around 2018 after TD, my husband and I were having a conversation about the last time we had gone to visit his family in Tennessee…we couldn't remember when it was. After that I started writing down a year in review so that wouldn’t happen again. Lol I had already been keeping a daily quick log of things I wanted to remember in mini journals, I would buy in 3 packs that would often have quotes on them like fascinating thoughts. Most days of the week I do a quick note with the date and what I wanted to remember. My journal from 2017 had a note on 9/23/17 that while we were on vacation in Panama City, Fl, a woman on the beach gave us 4 chairs and an umbrella because they were heading home and didn’t want to take them. A lovely reminder of the kindness of strangers. A few examples of notes from my daily journal this year. 4.16.24 - no sweets or coffee 5.2.24 - student Mani Pedi at Beauty 21 5.7.24 - my friend Ade was in town for her birthday so we enjoyed Indian food for dinner 5.16.24 - A lady bug on my windshield. This is important because I used to call my mom ladybug and whenever a ladybug is nearby, it makes me feel that she is somewhere close watching over me. Those are things I want to remember. I think it was around 2018 I started doing the Review/Reflections for the year. It was a great way to recap what stood out that I wanted to remember. Using columns in Word or a OneNote document I added a header called 20__ Review. There are 12 columns with heading for each month and bullet points under each heading. Each month I write down something I want to remember about the month. Sometimes it's two things, sometimes it's 10 things. Sometimes it's an accomplishment and sometimes it's an experience. My review goes like this, written in bullet form: January Started a weekly newsletter that also serves as my podcast Birthday weekend with TD - dinner at Pier 42, American Fiction movie March Recorded 14 Audio Description voiceovers for Accessible Chicago series Lunch with Susan April Tybee Island Beach for the first time Day trip to meet with Regenna in Charlotte, NC The Year in Review is a way of logging and tracking important moments in my life. I can print this out and keep them in order and capture the year. I couldn’t but so far, the reviews are just online. lol Looking at my year in review, reminds me of where I've focused Money. Energy. Effort. Time. The only way I can do my year in review is by referencing my mini journal with my daily activities. Ok, so you may be thinking, why don’t you use a day timer/planner? I tried to do that and I found that I ended up having a bunch of planner that took up space and I would have to go back and find the dates I wanted to remember. And that's where my small journals that are about 4" x 6" come in handy. I may not write in it every day although I do write in it several times a week to remind me of what has happened. Daily there are opportunities to remind me where I want to M.E.E.T. life. When I make decisions I ask myself… what am I willing to commit - M.E.E.T. -Money. Energy. Effort. Time. I log my daily or weekly important activities I want to remember in my mini journal that feeds into my Year In Review highlights sheet. Most days I also do a quick daily journal where I connect with how I feel about things and can go into more detail. 

All the links- LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 25 - What I Believe (Replay) NOTE: IF YOU NOTICED THE BLOOPER, EMAIL ME WITH WHAT I DID AND I'll send you a CARD DECK FOR YOU OR AS A GIFT. (FOR THE 1st three people) This episode is a replay of Week 51 from 2023, What I BelieveAround this time I start to review my year and check in with what is important to me. I’m thinking about how I have been spending my time and how I want to spend my time in the future. Asking questions helps me stay focused. Am I sharing my T.A.G.S. - Talents, Abilities, Gifts, Skills, to the best of my abilities? An important question is - have my beliefs and philosophies changed? The excerpt that I’m sharing this week from my book/ebook/audiobook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes, is part of the about this book section. In this part of the book I share my life philosophies. I hope you enjoy it! About this Book It’s been about 23 years since Why Struggle? The book was published. The initial book was a very important part of my personal and spiritual growth, just as this new endeavor for the e-book and audio book continues to allow me to Learn, Evolve, and Grow (LEG). My personal beliefs and life philosophies are the same, and I’ve added a few more since I’ve lived a lot more life. My beliefs and life philosophies are: • Be Loving. Love is the most powerful, healing, transformative power.  Being loving is the answer to most situations. • Be Truthful. I must find my personal truth and what brings me joyand peace. • Move forward. Everything happens for a reason. Many times I willnever know why specific things happen, I must move forwardanyway. • Be Forgiving. Learn to forgive myself and others, quickly. There areno mistakes – only learning experiences. • Be Open. I am a student and teacher in the school of life. Teachersare everywhere, and I must be an open and willing student at alltimes. Usually, when I am the “teacher” I learn way more than Icould ever teach. • Order is a natural law. Everything happens in divine order. • Be Calm. Calm and chaos are both mental choices, I can choose  differently at any time. • Be Easy. Life is about timing and FLOW  (Feeling Loving Open Willing). I am learning to get out of the way    more. • Be One. We are all interconnected because we are one. • LEG. My main purpose is to Learn, Evolve, and Grow (LEG) as much  as I can. Everything else will fall into place. • Be Still. Time in silence and having spiritual practices such as  meditation, radical forgiveness, journaling and tapping (Emotional  Freedom Technique) are essential for my overall well-being. • Trust my PGS. My Personal Guidance System (PGS) will lead, guide   and direct me when I relax and get still enough to hear its   directions. Who knew in 1999 I would be teaching meditation classes and be that lady that might say to you...“I have a message for you.” There is no way on earth I would have had that insight back then. It all started with questions and wanting answers. It all started with wanting to live a better life. It all started with simply not wanting to struggle. Struggling is a choice. Life is what you decide it will be regardless of the emotions you experience. I have learned that taking time to be still helps me get clear and make better choices. I’ve learned to ask important questions to help me continue to move forward in life. How do I feel right now? Am I struggling right now, if so why? If I am struggling, I remember that struggling is a choice and I ask myself if I really want to take that emotional rollercoaster ride that might be the next step. I’ve learned to BREATHE deeply and often in order to come back to right now. What can I do right now to feel better? Breathe. Maybe listening to a song or playlist or taking a walk can help me have a different feeling. Do I really need to call someone or can I figure things out myself?

all the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 24 - Feeling Joy! CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL MEDITATION PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE 2024 - Week 24 - Be Joyful This is a podcast about FEELING JOY!  Joy - a few definitions include: a source or cause of delight and a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. When was the last time you experienced joy? I recently thought about what brings me joy now at this age and stage in my life. Sometimes it is as simple as sitting in a park near a lake. Or going to my monthly crochet group learning a new stitch. Enjoying a belly laugh with a dear friend while having a regular conversation on the phone. Sometimes joy is going out dancing with my salsa dancing crew, I always have a great time with them!  On Saturday evening I went to a surprise birthday party for Anana Harris Parris. I met Anana over 25 years ago while out salsa dancing. An author and the founder of the Self Care Agency and Sister Care Alliance organizations, her focus is self-care as a form of social justice and social justice as a form of self-care. She conducts workshops and programs and she is constantly helping others. I call her Amazing, Awesome Anana!  When I got the invite for the surprise party I was curious how they could pull off a surprise for this dynamo who had already had  a 5k walk planned and was teaching a dance class earlier in the day. Here's what they did. Two of her friends were in town and they told her they had dinner reservations but wanted to see her new office space before they went. It was a perfect way to get her to the party! When Anana walked off the elevator into the office lobby, she saw a host of family and friends greeting her for the surprise. Mission accomplished! The joy on Anana’s face was priceless! We went up to the office and Anana was greeted with African drumming and we continues the celebration with a combination of salsa music, house music and more. Anana has joyful laugh and energy and when she starts to dance, that energy radiates to anyone around. I not only felt joy for myself, I felt joy watching everyone else enjoy themselves. We had great food, fun and fellowship. I am grateful I really took the time to cherish the experience. Joy can be experienced whenever and wherever. I don't know about you, but as I continue to get older the little times of joy are even more important. We are always creating memories, I want to create more joy filled memories.  The present moment creates our future history, it's essential to be FULLY present and to savor these moments. Listening to my salsa playlist brings me joy. Hanging out with my crochet group brings me joy. Laughing and enjoying time with my friends brings me joy. Taking a day trip or watching a movie with my husband brings me joy. What's bringing you joy right now? Leave a comment where you are listening to this podcast. You can also email me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.There are two opportunities to join me for my Breathe with Barbara Live sessions this month. Tonight and next Wednesday from 8 - 9 pm ET. If you would like to join you can register on my website at barbarafaison.com/store/livemeditations. If you want to join the Breathe with Barbara LIVE session for tonight we start at 8 pm eastern. You can register on my website at barbarafaison.com/store/ live meditation, you can also use MONEY for 10% off your order as a promo code. all the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON This is a podcast about knowing yourself and having sustainable practices. Developing and sustaining a daily meditation practice for over 25 years helped me gain a deeper level of self-awareness. I have learned that the more I practice the more I gain a level of self-mastery with what I am practicing. Being self-aware and having personal insight allows me to recognize when I need to focus on a specific tool or technique, MORE. I remember when I was at dinner with a few former colleagues in 2017 and an active shooter entered the restaurant. We were ending dinner when we heard the words, “Everybody down.” I was with three much younger ladies reminding them to breathe and affirming that we would be okay. Was I concerned as we were underneath the table waiting for more news? Of course. I also had a strong sense that we would all be fine. As the scene dispersed and the police arrived we found out that the person who instructed us to get down was a retired police officer. Time passed and the shooter was apprehended and we all left to return safely to our homes.  One of the definitions of trauma is a “deeply disturbing or distressing experience.” Yep, I would say it was a traumatic experience. When I arrived home I checked in with TD and I immediately went to my living room and lay flat on my back on the floor. I found a sound vibration recording on YouTube that focused on healing, safety and feeling grounded. I listened to the recording and felt my body begin to release some of that energy and relax. The next day as I told my brother about what happened he reminded me to rest. After our conversation I felt my body physically releasing some of the stress and I had a very long nap. I also felt achy later that day. I knew I needed help processing what happened so I called the Employee Assistance Program and I was able to schedule counseling.  I also called the ladies to suggest they reach out for support via their Employee Assistance Program as well. This quote from Bessel A. van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, reminds me to be truthful with myself. “The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.” My nervous system was impacted by that experience. I learned a lot in the therapy sessions about processing trauma and how the book title states, “the body keeps score.” We feel trauma in our bodies and it helps to have ways to release what the body is holding on to.  I have different practices I use to keep grounded, stay centered and to release energy that is stuck in my body. Practice is the opportunity to fine tune our skills so when we are called to use them, we can use them effectively. Here are a few practices I do regularly to reduce stress on my nervous system. Emotional freedom technique (EFT) also known as tapping- specifically for trauma or an experience. I found Regulate Your Nervous System After Trauma by Julie Schiffman. Here is a link. Schedule a counseling session, Sound vibration meditations to shift the energy in my body - Jhene Aiko’s Trigger Protection Mantra is a staple for me to have playing in the background. It’s very soothing and she has several available for different lengths. Life has unexpected detours ALL the time. In addition to breathing practices, meditation, laughter, and approaching experiences with  curiosity helps me practice less judgment of myself and others. What are some of the ways you navigate life’s unpredictable journey? Leave a comment wherever you are listening to this podcast. You can also email me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best. All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 22 - Pat Yourself on the Back You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:36 mins or click the link above for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is a podcast about trusting yourself and patting yourself on the back. How are you doing? I’m feeling really proud of myself right now. Over the long weekend my husband and I did a lot of work around the house.  We both worked diligently on our projects around the house. Mine included cleaning out the refrigerator, cleaning out and organizing the pots and pans, organizing our sunroom, which had become very cluttered. And also our guest room. Well, let’s just say no one could sleep in there. Lol. It was a very active weekend filled with lots of bags being thrown out and things being donated. Monday evening around 7:30 pm I went to sit out in the retreat space in the back of my yard, and before I could sit for five minutes, mosquitoes reminded me that it was too late to be out there. I went back to the house and was really ready to begin my evening wind down for the night. We made a lot of progress. I thought about my mom and how she would say, “Baby, remember to pat yourself on the back.” The next thing I know, TD suggested that we move a few more things from one room to the next. Now? I thought to myself. We had been going nonstop all weekend. I’m thinking to myself, and I have been cooking. So in addition to all the cleaning and organizing, I’m cooking food. I went along with it. At 9:00 PM, TD decides he wants to shampoo the carpet. I looked at him and said you know it’s 9:00 PM, right? And you know we both have to work tomorrow and we have been going nonstop for three days. He said yes, he knew all of those things and he proceeded to spray spot carpet cleaner in certain areas. Usually I would be more helpful and pick up items that could be picked up so he could shampoo the carpet more thoroughly. I picked up a few things that I could off the floor. My body was tired. My legs hurt, my feet hurt and I was emotionally spent. My body was done. I took a shower. I got in the bed. I wrote a few items in my journal since I was on day 42 of journaling and I wanted to keep that commitment to myself and then I went to bed. This reminded me of one of my book excerpts, “You Can’t Make Anyone _____. ” “You Can’t Make Anyone ” Wouldn’t it be nice to have people do what we want them to do all day long? Good luck with that. We live in a society of free will. Every day we make choices. Each person takes a path that will be filled with learning experiences for that individual. You can’t make anyone do anything they don’t want to do. The only behavior you can control is your own. A reminder of this is watching a two-year-old or any child have a tantrum. The child will stop when ready, no matter what anyone tries to say or do to him/her. We can’t control anyone as much as we may think we can. Learn to accept people for who they are, not who you want them to be. Learn to manage your ability to respond to others and check in with yourself. Learn to step back and check your expectations. Practice: Before you ask anyone to change his/her behavior, think about your expectations. Is the change for your benefit because it would make you more comfortable? How would you feel if someone wanted you to change your behavior? Affirmation: I accept people for who they are in my life. End of excerpt. Did TD shampoo the carpet? Of course he did. Lol. TD leaves for work about 5:15 am, so I’m not usually fully awake.  Did I rest well? I sure did. After I woke up I sent this text: Hey baby, the carpet looks great. I was just exhausted. My legs and my entire body was aching. Sorry I couldn’t be of more assistance.  Keep listening.

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 21 - Stay Grounded You can listen to this on my podcast - 9:39 mins or click the link above for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL MEDITATION PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE This podcast is about staying grounded. This past weekend my husband, TD, and I went out to San Antonio, Texas to visit with his sister and her husband. Whenever I travel, I like extra time to recuperate from the travel. What that means for me is giving myself permission to rest a little bit more in the morning instead of jumping up out of bed and starting my day. After sitting on the flight for over an hour due to mechanical difficulties, Delta has us change planes.  The flight to San Antonio had so much turbulence due to the storms in Houston that the flight crew was unable to leave their seats.  Nothing like a flight with constant turbulence to remind you of what's important in life. I took a lot of deep breaths while watching The Beekeeper on the plane.  A great way to practice! I am grateful we made it safely to our destination.Enjoy Day 22 from the National Meditation Playlist on my YouTube channel,  it is a grounding meditation and it feels like a just right meditation based upon my experience with the flight. By the way, the return flight was perfect, no turbulence at all. Give thanks for all things. https://youtu.be/-gFS-4fwNbU

All the links: LINKTR.EE/Barbarafaison 2024 - Week 20 - Start with A Breath CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL MEDITATION PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE This is a podcast about starting with one breath as the foundation for being present. Here’s a quick story about this week’s podcast. I received a download in bed yesterday morning and created a note in my OneNote file on my phone. Last night as I was about to email it to myself to review, I accidentally deleted it. Soooo… I went back to see what I was talking about for National Meditation Month last year and I think this is what needed to be shared. No, I know this is what needed to be shared. Enjoy this encore podcast of week 20 from 2023. And you also get an opportunity for a brief breathwork practice. I hope you enjoy it! I did pull a card so be sure to listen for the card in the moment. I would say we are back into the business of the” busyness” of life after the pandemic. Time is a premium for most of us and we all have the ability to make choices about where and how we spend our time. When I say that I use my voice to heal, educate and inspire as a voice talent, meditation guide and trainer, I usually get a few responses like:“I could never meditate, I can’t stop my mind.” “Meditation is so hard.” “I don’t have time to meditate.” “People tell me I have a great voice.” “I’ve always wanted to be a voice actor.” “I want to learn to meditate, I just don’t know where to start.” Meditation is a practice. Think about a snow globe. When you shake it up, eventually the snow settles to the bottom, that’s what meditation feels like. The thoughts in your mind begin to settle more and more with practice. There are still days my mind has thoughts swirling around and around, and other days I feel very settled. It’s still practice. I really tried to do the 30 minute meditation practice. It didn't work for me. I started doing 10 - 15 minute meditations where I would sit on my own and that worked much better. Sometimes we just need a place to start. Let’s start where you are. Breathing is the foundation for a meditation practice. Enjoy this five minute breathing practice that can be done anytime and help with calming your nervous system and focusing on the present moment. Here's the link on my YouTube channel in case you want to listen another time. - https://youtu.be/s4yg_Msvqoc Please let me know how you did with the five minute breathing practice. Leave a comment where you are listening to this podcast. You can also email me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best. I hope you will check out my National Meditation Month playlist to try some of the meditations and short practices out there. I have over 40 on the list. Just pick a day and go for it. Leave a comment or post and emoji if you joined me. If you want to join the Breathe with Barbara LIVE session for tonight we start at 8 pm eastern. You can register on my website at barbarafaison.com/store/ live meditation, you can also use MONEY for 10% off your order as a promo code.