The Happiness Diary Podcast with Simon Ngo
By Simon Ngo
Each episode will showcase some millennial wisdom on how to inject more wellness and happiness in our daily lives using simple tips, tricks and mindset shifts. Simon's no-nonsense approach also features "Meaningful Conversations" with everyday individuals who have mastered their own art to happiness and wellness.
The Happiness Diary Podcast with Simon NgoMar 23, 2020
What Have I Done?!
I sorta summarized the entire episode down to this phrase, 'what have I done?'.
You'll understand more as you tune in.
Swap Out Your New Year Resolutions for These 5 Habits
REPUBLISH: Meaning Conversations - Talking about Menstrual Cycles with Maddy Shepherd
Speaking of, this is what this week's episode and Meaningful Conversations are all about: the monthly womanly cycle and how it affects the life of women.
Tune in to listen to Maddy's top tips and insights about this topic.
The app Maddy spoke about it Clue. She also mentioned about the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen food which is listed below but you can also read more about it HERE
Dirty Dozen: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, sweet bell peppers
Clean Fifteen: avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbages, onions, sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplants, honeydews, kiwis, cantaloups, cauliflower, brocolli
You can reach Maddy on her website: insyncme.com and her Instagram is @insync.hormones
For more on what I do, you can reach me at simonngo.com and my Insta: @_simonngo
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
The Power of Journaling & Reflecting
Get It Done, Spend Energy Currency Wisely, Regain Power
I think the title of this episode says it all!
Get It Done!
Put in down on pencil (or pen) (or digitally) because it will help you get it done when it comes to goals and ambitions, plus that workout or fitness routines that you've always wanted in your life!
Spend Your Energy Currency Wisely!
I speak about the currency of energy and how to manage these on a daily basis.
Regain Power!
No one person can be responsible for how we fill and no one person can fulfil us.
BONUS: Take an emotional dump daily to prevent ourselves from emotional constipation!
Follow me for more on Instagram: @_simonngo and my website www.simonngo.com
3 Things to Have a More Fulfilling & Mindful Day
3 Things to Have a More Fulfilling & Mindful Day
Let's talk about how to elevate your mindfulness in your day-to-day living. Because why? Mindfulness is Magic!
Here's what I have to say about:
- why writing a to-do list daily will help you become more mindful not only with your time management, but, more importantly, also your energy management
- why I am single, and what it takes to have a super crystal clear communication
- why the good ol' attitude of gratitude is so powerful
Follow me on Instagram @_simonngo and check out my website www.simonngo.com for more.
Meditation Vs Running Part 2
This is Part 2 to the last episode and I wanted to explore the science of what happens to the body and mind when we meditate and run, and more importantly what all that fuss was about when I said being in a state of flow.
Connect with me on IG @_simonngo
Meditation Vs Running
Firstly, I'm BACK!
Secondly,
Meditation Vs Running?
What's the diff? In my humble opinion anyway..
Wellness Wednesday: 3 Tips for Productivity
Wellness Wednesday: Get More Sh!t Done
My top three tips are having the following:
Morning Routine Part 1 which begin the night before a.k.a. Evening Routine.
Morning Routine Part 2 which is for the morning of.
Ditch multi-tasking and start single-tasking instead.
As always, let me know what you think by sending me a DM on @_simonngo and visit my website www.simonngo.com to check out the new 6-weeks online course I am testing right now and be in the test group! Hurry, limited spots!
In happiness,
Sxx
Wellness Wednesday: Getting Aligned with Autumn
This week's episode, I wanted to dissect down my own episode of fatigue a while back and what I discovered.
Long story short, it was simply that I wasn't getting aligned with the seasonal change into Autumn. Here, I share with you what it means to be aligned and how to do exactly just that.
Wellness Wednesday: I Am Back
Tune in to this episode as I touched on exactly just that!
Also, head on to FlowAthletic.TV for your at-home on-demand workout experience with limited time 14-day TRIAL and check out the FREE sensory guided meditations that I have created for them here!
Until next time,
Sleep is Golden, Movement is Medicine, Mindfulness is Magic
Sxx
Mindful Moments #2
Mindful Moments #1
Part 1: Just Breathe
Gratitude, Mindfulness, and Finding a Tribe
Express Episode: Energy Management
Morning Mindset Set Up
I would love to hear how this goes for you guys, so feel free to DM me on Insta @_simonngo or shoot me an email hello@simonngo.com
Meaningful Conversations: Talking Oestrogen Dominance with Maddy Shepherd
Maddy is a wealth of knowledge and you can reach her at the below
Instagram: @insync.hormones
Website: www.insyncme.com
Connect with Simon
Instagram: @_simonngo
Website: www.simonngo.com
Meaning Conversations: Going With The Flow with Wendi Carroll
Amongst the juicy conversation primarily around her involvement in the fitness industry, we also got to see the happy-go-lucky side of Wendi and get to know her a little more on a personal level, especially if you have fan-girling her for decades :)
Tune in and enjoy!
Connect with Simon
Website: www.simonngo.com
Instagram: @_simonngo
Where Have You Been?
In this comeback episode, I reveal all about the time off and hiatus I took to have a break from the podcast and what actually happened? On top of that, I summarised the two lessons that can be taken away from these.
Welcome back Simon and welcome back to the podcast everyone!
Connect with Simon
Website: www.simonngo.com
Instagram: @_simonngo
Meaningful Conversations: Being a Girl Boss and Owning Personal Growth with Emily Gillies
Two years after recording the last episode, together we caught up on how much has changed in her life.
We spoke about:
- being a girl boss and digital nomad and totally owning it
- the behind-the-scenes of personal growth and self development
- this idea of mindset plus actions that align with it
- on finding your values and purpose
- what it means to be a leader and be the influencer on the group you're leading and/or managing
- and so much more!
The book Em mentioned about was "Leader Shift" by John C. Maxwell.
Connect with Em
IG: @emilygillies__
Connect with Simon
Website: www.simonngo.com
IG: @_simonngo
How to Be Part of the Solution vs Problem
The Struggle is Real
Meaningful Conversations: Keeping Cool and Managing Stress with Vanessa Bennett
We caught up on what’s the latest since she last appeared on the podcast. With her knowledge and experience behind high performance coaching, she is, in my eyes, the queen of spending less effort or not wasting energy unnecessarily. I would never attach the word ‘stress’ next to her name and it has been very insightful to see how she is coping so well and keeping cool to navigate through the world of COVID-19 pandemic.
On a more personal note, I have never come across anyone who is so efficient with their wedding planning and execution. Once again, staying true to her values of not spending unnecessary efforts and energy in unnecessary areas. She has even crowned with a title of Bride-chilla!
To learn more about focusing on what is important, tune in to the episode in full!
Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn.
Connect with Simon.
website: www.simonngo.com
instagram: @_simonngo
Consistency is Key
Connect with Simon
Website: www.simonngo.com
Instagram: @_simonngo
COVID-19 Changed Me
I believe COVID-19 has changed me and tune into this episode to find out why I thought so!
Meaningful Conversations: Menstrual Cycles with Maddy Shepherd FNTP
Speaking of, this is what this week's episode and Meaningful Conversations are all about: the monthly womanly cycle and how it affects the life of women.
Tune in to listen to Maddy's top tips and insights about this topic.
The app Maddy spoke about it Clue. She also mentioned about the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen food which is listed below but you can also read more about it HERE
Dirty Dozen: strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, sweet bell peppers
Clean Fifteen: avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, cabbages, onions, sweet peas, papayas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplants, honeydews, kiwis, cantaloups, cauliflower, brocolli
You can reach Maddy on her website: insyncme.com and her Instagram is @insync.hormones
For more on what I do, you can reach me at simonngo.com and my Insta: @_simonngo
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
Top 10 Tips for Working from Home
We are spending more time at home than ever including working from home. So, here are my Top 10 tips that I know have been useful for me personally and I hope that these will be helpful for you too.
As always, you can also reach me at my website and my Instagram :)
10 New Habits to Cope with Corona
Mindful eating habits
Learning a new language
Learning new skills
Choosing your media consumption wisely
Create or rekindle connections
Learning to meditate
Declutter your home, working space, technological devices and social media
Establish a new workout regime
Pick up reading or listening to an audiobook
Listening to podcasts (which you are already doing!)
Shop local and support local through Hillview Farms from fresh organic fruit and veggies delivered to your door! Use my link to get 20% off your next purchase!
As always, the best way to support this podcast is by leaving a 5-star review and hit that 'subscribe' button! And I will be eternally grateful if you share this episode or show with those around you.
"Sleep is Golden, Movement is Medicine, Mindfulness is Magic" ... until next time, stay happy and be kind to one another!
In kindness and happiness,
Sxx
Website: www.simonngo.com
IG: @_simonngo
I Lost My Job, What Next?
What surprised me though the most was the way I dealt with it. Tune in to hear about how 'mindfulness' really is magic and how it has helped me tremendously during a time like this.
In kindness and happiness,
Sxx
COVID-19 Special Part 5: No Excuses!
In Part 4, we are going to touch on how to stay productive and positive during lockdown! In Part 5, let's get real! There is really no excused right now!
No excuse not to be moving!
No excuse not to be sleeping well!
No excuse not to be mindful!
No excuse not to be journaling!
No excuse not to be detoxing!
Catch me on Instagram and check out my new website!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
COVID-19 Special Part 4: How to Maintain Productive & Positive
In Part 3, the mental shift continues by doing a quick reassessment and noticing you are more than who you think you are! In Part 4, we are going to touch on how to stay productive and positive during lockdown!
Here we touched on the three tips:
• have a routine
• have a goal
• have a gratitude practice
Stay tuned for Part 5!
Catch me on Instagram and check out my new website!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
COVID-19 Special PART 3: Reassess
In Part 2, let's talk about the notion of "I Don't Have Time" and how to go about changing this mindset and mentality. In Part 3, the mental shift continues by doing a quick reassessment and noticing you are more than who you think you are!
Listen out for tips on how we learn to create self worth and growth!
Stay tuned for Part 4!
Catch me on Instagram and check out my new website!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
COVID-19 Special PART 2: "I Don't Have Time"
In Part 1, I share with you about the real yoga we are practicing right now off the mat rather than the asana (yoga poses) on the mat. In Part 2, let's talk about the notion of "I Don't Have Time". Sounds familiar?! Yeah, I bet!
Listen out for tips on how we learn to make time and also prioritising items in our lives that feed us positive energy!
Stay tuned for Part 3!
Catch me on Instagram and check out my new website!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
COVID-19 Special PART 1: Yoga
In Part 1, I share with you about the real yoga we are practicing right now off the mat rather than the asana (yoga poses) on the mat. Recycling back to the THREE common themes I teach a lot in my classes:
• presence
• surrender and letting go
• acceptance
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Catch me on Instagram and check out my new website!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
I Am Back!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
Answering Your Questions with Simon Ngo
• What is my biggest business advice?
• What books do I read?
• Do all my friends and family do yoga and meditate?
• What is my idea of healthy living and how does essential oils come into the picture?
• What is my daily routine?
Finished off with the usual one thing I'm grateful for in my life right now and one thing I've learned in the past week.
Tune in next two episodes on a) my morning routines and b) my evening routines!
P.S. Join in my closed Facebook group, The Wealthy Wellness Brigade! :)
The Happiness Diary with Simon Ngo
Each episode, I share the one thing I'm most grateful/happy for in my life and the one lesson I can learn upon self-reflection and self-awareness.
New Year Resolutions - Yay or Nay?
Meaning Conversations: Going Chemical-Free with Caitlin Robertson
We spoke about (the following) plus SO MUCH MORE!
• how did she get on to this journey herself?
• what actually are essential oils?
• how are they extracted and produced?
• how do we know if we are getting the quality ones vs copycats out there?
• why she uses Young Living Essential Oils?
• what are her personal favourite essential oils to use?
• what household and personal care items we all should swap out with a more chemical-free alternative?
• what ingredients on the label are immediate red flags?
• why we need to steer clear of these harmful toxins and chemicals in our lives?
• is it financially possible for everyone to afford the journey to swap-out?
• her mission to continually share this chemical-free journey with others and how you can get involved yourself?
Notes/Resources:
• The must-watch Netflix Documentary "Stink"
• The must-read article on the companies with harmful chemicals in shampoo
• The website you can read more about Young Living's sourcing and sustainable practice in producing essential oils: SeedToSeal.Com
• The app you can install on your smartphone to cross-check your beauty, household and personal care products on the list of ingredients: ThinkDirty available on both iTunes and Google Play
The upcoming Sydney chemical-free living workshop/gathering/masterclass happening on January 5th, 2019. Please DM either Caitlin or myself on Insta to get all the details. Come along and commence your chemical-free journey sooner rather than later along with the full support of the team.
As usual, if you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast wherever you tune in from. A 5-star review will help support a start-up podcast like us a very long way! Look forward to hearing what you guys think on this juicy episode!
Until next time,
"Sleep is Golden",
"Movement is Medicine",
"Mindfulness is Magic".
Sxx
The (Not So) Weekly Wrap-up with Simon Ngo
But, as usual, I regret nothing and I kinda like it that this podcast is raw and real, which has always been my intention since I launched it on the very first day.
Here goes the not-so weekly wrap-up episode because we are wrapping two weeks' worth of contents into the one!
• One breathe is all it takes. A conscious mindful breath will be about 8-10 seconds and this attention and space created is literally enough to shift our mindset and also attitude. This will in turn change our actions and reactions towards a more serving one for ourselves and others, rather than not.
• Rather than approaching life from a sense of lack, let's approach life from a sense of abundance. We all deserve the very best irregardless of our finances, relationship, family, career etc. If we can mindfully stop being wasteful in all areas of our lives, we will also notice that we actually enough, if not more, to go around all areas of our lives.
Support another local business based in Sydney, Bondi Meal Prep. Owned by an ex-colleague of mind who is also a personal trainer, his brands understands both physical and nutritional needs when it comes to diet. More importantly, the convenience from a meal prep service does not feel like cheating at all. In fact, it helps us beginners stay on track for our health, fitness, and wellness goals. Check them out and use my code FIT10 for 10% off your order.
Take advantage of the early bird discount ending 31 Dec for my newly designed Mindful Wellness Retreat happening in March 2019! If you have any question or concern, shoot us an email or drop my a DM on my Instagram: @simonngo.wellness. Please subscribe and write a review for this podcast to support the show further! Namaste
Top 10 Tips for Better Sleep with Simon Ngo
Using my own experience in understanding my sleep patterns and having better "sleep hygiene", here I share my 10 top tips for a better night in bed every single night of the day.
• Lavender Essential Oil: Lavender is well known for having a fresh and calm scent. I diffuse this essential oil every night before bed to create a safe and calm environment for my bedroom. In the event that I am on the road, I will bring this essential oil with me to create a DIY pillow mist to spray all around the bed, sheets, pillows...EVERYTHING! You can read more about this wonderfully versatile oil and the brand I'm using HERE!
• Move Every Day: We have spoken extensively about this is the episodeon movement and its benefits. I truly believe that adding any form of movement to your day helps tire us out when the sun goes down to assist in falling into a deep sleep at night.
• Switch Off Early: I am a strong believer in switching off early to help buy us a bigger window to winding down in the evening. The more wired we are during the day, the more time we will require to wind down. This rule not only helps us become more productive during the day to get everything done by switch-off time, but also that we can actually bookmark the switching off by getting our exercise in from Tip #2! It's a win-win in my opinion.
• Have Dinner Early: Naturally from the above, having an earlier dinner can also help with sleeping better. It reduces the chances of bloating and indigestion by avoiding hitting the bed with a full stomach. Further to that, by allowing the remainder of our daily energy for digestion, we easily become more tired by the time we hit the sack two to four hours later.
• Connection: Connect with a REAL person by having a REAL conversation! Either a small talk with someone you live with or a quick phone call will allow us the opportunity to feel like we have expressed ourselves for the day rather than holding everything in. Externalisation FTW! Read Tip #9!
• Mindfulness/Meditation: Have a daily mindfulness or mediation practice! We also already spoken extensively on this in Episode 12 of the podcast. The ability to reduce stress and anxiety means we are clearer, calmer and lighter when we finally wind down for the evening. I tried bedtime meditation for a month and I found it to be helpful in dozing off nicely.
• Night-time Ritual: I have a nighttime skin care ritual literally as a ceremony to mark off the closing of my availability to the external world! Find something which suits you for this emotional gesture as well! Which brings me nicely to the next tip...
• Night-time Reading: My ritual naturally finds me hopping into bed and grabbing whatever book I am reading at the moment. I found this to be one of the best ways to make the eyes heavy preparing ourselves for a good night sleep! Avoid non-fiction, motivation and self-help books though as these stimulate us. We want a light storybook for this purpose.
• Night-time Dump: Well what happens if we do catch ourselves being overly stimulated at night. Twisting and tossing around certainly don't help. I recommend jumping immediately out of bed, grab your journal (or any piece of notebook or writing pad) and dump all your ideas on the paper! Which is why I am such a BIG advocate for daily journaling! For this, I recommend Brendon Burchard's high performance planner. Check it out!
• Bedroom Sanctuary: Make your bedroom sacred and an inviting sanctuary! Invest in good bedding and sheets the your bed becomes so irresistible! I mean besides work, this is literally the place we spend most of our daily 24 hours in! So why the heck not!There you have it! Let me know what you...
Season 2! The Weekly Wrap!
Understading Stress (Part 3) - Meditation is Magic
Catch up on Part 1: Sleep and Stress and Part 2: Movement is Medicine to make up the complete series. Enjoy!
Tune in to listen what mindfulness and meditation feels for me and the Top 5 benefits we can all enjoy from having a regular mindfulness/meditation practice in our lives.
• Stress reduction
• Controlling anxiety
• Prevent/Manage depression
• Increase self-awareness
• Pain management
Understanding Stress (Part 2): Movement is Medicine
In this episode, we speak about stress and movements (or exercise).
As our body doesn't really differentiate between good and bad stress, we have to be careful to not overexercise. Truth though, most people aren't active enough!
I share my five top tips to get more movement in our lives!
1. I talk about how I pencil it in the diary and commit to this appointment. The easiest way to make it happen.
2. I share my strategies for creating incidental movements throughout the day.
3. We use technology to our advantage by holding ourselves accountable to step counts and be a little competitive about it.
4. We check the ego at the door to take baby steps as every small step forward is progress rather than failing.
5. We take the no excuse approach to simply find something we like and enjoy!
And, please subscribe and rate to help this podcast grow! DM me on Insta @simonngo.wellness to let me know your thoughts.
Meaningful Conversations: Talking Fitness with Luke George
Luke is one of my good friends and we used to work in the same club back when I was still a group fitness manager. A man of not many words but he certainly has got lots to say when it comes to debunking some of the myths and misconceptions floating around in the health and fitness space.
As the founder and owner of Luke George Athletic, Luke operates his business at one of the busiest health clubs in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. His current passion are fat loss and lower back pain rehabilitation.
Connect with Luke and tune in to his weekly Facebook Lives here: Luke George Athletic
Enjoy this no-filter chat and, as always, please help the podcast grow by subscribing, leaving a rating or review, and share it around. Connect with me via Instagram (@simonngo.wellness) to let me know your thoughts and what you would like to hear about more next.
Until next time, stay real and stay happy!
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
Meaningful Conversations: Talking Productivity & Energy with Vanessa Bennett
Episode 9 of The Happy Hour Podcast is a Meaningful Conversations episode with Vanessa Bennett.
Vanessa is one of my good friends, a fellow Les Mills instructor and high performance coach. She is the queen of all things practicality and in my times of knowing this beautiful soul, she is the most stress-free and easy-going person ever!
As the founder and CEO of Next Evolution Performance, Vanessa is the living and breathing example of how to sustain high performance with less effort. This is one juicy episode not to be missed for sure! Tune in to find out what this high performance business is all about ;)
Thank you so much for listening and I would love to hear your thoughts on the show via Instagram (@simonngo.wellness) and please help the podcast grow and reach more people by either sharing it with someone you know or on your social. You can also leave a 5-star review in iTunes or on your podcast app, a sure-fire way to get this pod to more peeps :)
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
Meaningful Conversations: Talking Girl Boss with Emily Gillies
Episode 8 of The Happy Hour Podcast is a Meaningful Conversations episode with Emily Gillies.
Emily is one of my good friends and someone who has been in the health and fitness industry for as long as she can remember. Today, she talks the talk and walks the walk on all things wellness especially when it comes to animal welfare. A full time vegan and queen of healthy hustlers, Em and I had get to know one another over a cuppa and brekkie.
Tune in to get to know this totally awesome woman over the most fun and real conversation.
Thank you so much for listening and I would love to hear your thoughts on the show via Instagram (@simonngo.wellness) and please help the podcast grow and reach more people by either sharing it with someone you know or on your social. You can also leave a 5-star review in iTunes or on your podcast app, a sure-fire way to get this pod to more peeps :)
In happiness and kindness,
Sxx
Understanding Stress (Part 1) - Stress and Sleep
This episode, I wanted to dive deeper into understanding stress in our lives. The good ones and the bad ones. And how they show up differently in our lives including the impact etc.
If you were lucky enough to have tuned into the pilot episode (which was anything than presentable and how I have come a long way since then!), you will remember that the pilot episode was about the three things we could all include our lives, which are sleep, exercise, and meditation.
First one off the rank, let's talk about sleep. Not just any sleep but good quality sleep. Let's talk about what sleep does and where does it come in the picture when it comes to stress. Let's talk about the preparation for a good night's sleep.
The apps mentioned in the episode were: "Good Morning" and "Sleep Cycle".
Happy sleeping and thanks for tuning into this episode.
As always, please rate, review and share or comment via Insta @simonngo.wellness
Sxx
A Mini-Sode of What or Who is Les Mills
A quick bonus mini episode to quickly clear the air about what or who is this Les Mills thing we all keep hearing about on the pod!
PS I totally missed out on Les Mills BODYBALANCE/BODYFLOW™! Ooops sorry all Balance/Flow instructors out there!
Yours in happiness,
Simon