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Episode 180: What It Really Take To Live Your Dream – Honest Notes From A Digital Nomad with Amanda Kingsmith

 
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What does it take to create the life that you dream of?

We're joined by Amanda Kingsmith who has spent the better part of the last 6+ years travelling the world with her husband while teaching yoga and running her online business as a yoga business coach and podcaster.

This digital nomad life certainly sounds like a dream.  Maybe it's your dream to travel around the world while you work as well!

But how can you make it happen? 

Even if travelling isn't your jam but you have another dream of your own that seems kind of wild, this episode will help you because we talk about what it takes to actually create your dream life.

One of the big things is that it doesn’t happen all at once! Amanda didn’t just up and start travelling and that was that. There were little steps that got her there and definitely some confusion to work through as well.

So if you’re also feeling confused and maybe a little stuck about how or where to start on what you want, this conversation might just spark some ideas for you!

I have the topic summary below but first a little bit more about Amanda:

Amanda is a 500-hour RYT, a yoga business coach & studio manager, the host & founder of Mastering the Business of Yoga (M.B.Om), and a world traveler. She blends her background in business with her love of yoga and is passionate about helping yoga teachers create careers that they are passionate about and that are sustainable. Amanda is also the co-host of The World Wanderers, a podcast on travel and travel as a lifestyle. When she’s not practicing or teaching yoga, you can find Amanda traveling the world with her husband, Ryan, hiking mountains, or curling up with a cup of tea and a good book.

If she seems familiar to you already it’s because she was on the Curious Monki podcast for Episode 28: Master The Business Of Yoga.

Topic Summary:

  • How to let the feeling of ALIVE-NESS guide you

  • The challenges she came across like resistance from loved ones

  • What to do when you are trying to follow your heart but friend and family may not be supportive

  • What it was like to swap her high paying corporate job for retail jobs so that she could pursue the life of a digital nomad

  • How she built her life from there to become financially sustainable

Resources:

So many podcasts for you to discover! Amanda is the creator of a whole podcast network (Wanderbarn). I’ve been on a few of her podcasts including:

Now you’ve got your earbuds full - happy listening!

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Key Nuggets:

How did you become a digital nomad?

Amanda always had a love for travel - it’s what made her feel alive. She discovered this when she was young and traveled with her family. It felt even more alive when she started to travel by herself. During one of her bigger trips, she and her boyfriend decided that they just couldn’t go back to the 9-5 working life and wanted to travel as a full time thing.

How did you humbly trade your high paying corporate job for a retail job?

Part of Amanda’s journey was that she loved travelling but decided to settle down and find a “real job” because you know, #adulting. She tried it for a while and it just really didn’t feel right. Like she put it “it’s like a dress that looks right and nothing’s wrong with it. It’s just that it doesn’t seem to fit quite right”.

In the episode, she takes us through the journey of quitting her job, trading it up for a retail job at Lululemon and eventually becoming a yoga teacher and starting the successful World Wanderers podcast.

What challenges and obstacles did you face when starting this digital nomad lifestyle?

There were many opinions from friends and family about what she was doing. Some showed resistance, some showed concern (was worried that she was trying to run away from something) and others were confused.

Amanda shares how she managed these various opinions and how she navigated the changing relationships.

*Side note - I want to point out that in your transformations (there will be many transformations that you go through in this journey of growth) your heart will inevitably call out for something that is unconventional and maybe never been done before within your social circles. Some people may support you and some may not. The fear of losing your loved ones can even be great enough to stop you in your tracks. Don’t let it! Instead, learn to navigate the changing dynamic in your relationships instead. Amanda shares a really great method to creating the space that’s needed as this happens.

One of Your Biggest Lessons So Far:

Trust yourself, your gut and intuition.  If I listened to other people in this journey it’d look very different because then I would be living out their visions, not mine.

What is one nugget of wisdom that you would share with fellow seekers who are on this journey of growth and transformation?

Look at who you spend time with because you’re the sum of the 5 people that you spend most time with!

Find people who are going through something similar as you are. For people who are in your current circle who doesn’t quite fit where you’re going, move them to a further out bubble

Resources:

So many podcasts for you to discover! Amanda is the creator of a whole podcast network (Wanderbarn). I’ve been on a few of her podcasts including:

Now you’ve got your earbuds full - happy listening!

Links:

If you have any questions for Amanda or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  www.mbomyoga.com or www.amandakingsmith.com

Instagram: @amandakingsmith or @masteringthebusinessofyoga

Facebook: @amandakingsmith or @masteringthebusinessofyoga

Episode 179: How She Got There - Podcast Host, Writer and Intuitive with Katie Buemann

 
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How they got there episodes is where we get to hear stories from experts, yoga teachers, healers, coaches…basically anybody who doesn’t have a typical job title.

These are their for real, for real stories about how they followed their heart’s calling to do what they’re meant to do. This means we get to hear the sticky middle and all - How’d they start? Did they have a plan? How did they make money?

Today we hear from writer, intuitive and creator of the Real Rebel Podcast, Katie Buemann, who you heard from in Episode 178: Inner Wisdom, Inner Guidance & Purpose As Your Soul's Expression.

Katie’s path lends lesson on:

  • inner guidance

  • worthiness

  • and personal boundaries

The best part about this is that she kept her day job!! There you have it, proof that you don’t have to quit your job to pursue your dreams if you don’t want to. Can’t wait for you to listen to this one!

See below for key nuggets and takeaways.

Resources:

Book: The Untethered Soul by Michael A Singer

Book (it’s currently kicking her ass and she’s only on chapter 2): Burnout by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski

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Key Nuggets: Doing What You’re Meant To Do

  1. What’s your calling/purpose?

    To be myself and also hold space for people and help remind them of who they are. Look at you, you’re beautiful and incredible!

  2. What was that moment like when you decided to go all in and fully committed to doing what you’re meant to? 

    It was many little points along the way but there was also a drum beat in my heart and boom it had to happen.  It might look different for other people though.

  3. How did you start? (for real, like way before being known for your work.  Did you quit your job first or did you do it on the side?)

    Every time I worked for somebody I felt so trapped so I’ve been working remotely for myself for 5 years.  Haven’t pulled cord on my “job” because I still love it so much.

    My advice is to do the best with everything that you have so far.

  4. How did you transition from your 9-5 ( or whatever former life you had) and into this life?

    I had many other jobs and was committed to making it work. I Applied for the jobs that I felt pulled to.

  5. Did you have a formal business plan or idea of how long you’d do this for?

    Was just committed to making it work.

  6. How’d you get your expenses covered?

    Addressed above - worked remotely and in many other jobs.

  7. What was one of your earliest successes and how you made it happen?

    Started to reach out to guests (for the podcast) who are mind blowingly awesome! As a result she got amazing guests on her show.

  8. What was one time when you really wanted to quit.  What helped you keep going?

    2020 was so hard! Body went on strike but kept going because the podcast felt like it was something bigger than her.

  9. What’s usually your biggest resistance (ex. Self-doubt, procrastination…) now?  How do you deal with it?

    Imposter syndrome. Watch mind and what it’s telling you.  Go to the woods.

  10. What’s the best thing you did that helped you create this life?

    Listened to intuition and trusted that I'’d be helped along the way.

  11. Top tangible action/tool that you’d recommend?

    Go into nature.

  12. Top mindset advice that you’d recommend?

    Watch your mind.  If you’re in a hard time, feel it then look for the door.  Hint - the right door is probably the scariest one to walk through!

  13. What do you do to check back and make sure that this is still the path for you (ie. that helps you decide that this is all worth it?)

    Go back in nature and tune back into space and connection.

Resources:

Book: The Untethered Soul by Michael A Singer

Book (it’s currently kicking her ass and she’s only on chapter 2): Burnout by Amelia Nagoski and Emily Nagoski

Links:

If you have any questions for Katie or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  realrebelpodcast.com

Email:   katie@realrebelpodcast.com

Instagram: @realrebel

Episode 178: Inner Wisdom, Inner Guidance & Purpose As The Expression Of Your Soul with Katie Buemann

 
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Rumi once said "this being human is a guest house" and he was so right!  We exist in ever flowing waves of shadow and light experiencing unsettling self-doubt, unworthiness and fear; but also expansive love, and freedom and purpose.  Our job as humans is to be a container for all of it.

In today’s episode we’re joined by the amazingly eloquent wordsmith, writer, intuitive and host of the Real Rebel Podcast, Katie Buemann. She steeps us in a meaningful conversation about this whole life thing and how to exist from a place of soul - of who you really are.

I first noticed Katie on her Instagram @realrebelpodcast because what she shared was resonating strongly with me. Her posts are simple and minimalist - black background and white letters, which is perfect because it leaves room for followers to notice the remarkable words that she shares. She writes about life and the intricate layers of it.

Our conversation echoes that and we pack in a whole lot!

In today’s episode you’ll hear about:

  • 5+ ways to connect to your inner guidance

  • The cages of self-doubt and unworthiness we keep ourselves in

  • Finding purpose

  • The desire for the soul to express itself

  • How to live from that place of inner being

  • And a card pull somewhere along the way

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Key Nuggets:

Rise Up To Be Who You Really Are:

Very early on, Katie knew that she wasn’t supposed to work a 9-5 job and walk the path of a conventional life. As she shares her story in finding her way to the life that she was meant for, she also shares the fears and challenges that met her along the way. Heartbreak, the scariness of leaping, and imposter syndrome being some of the things she’s experienced.

The wisdom from this conversation are like tiny jewels sprinkled throughout. Here are some of my favorites from what Katie shared:

“freedom is a deep knowing that you’re expressing your soul’s truth”

“…to have your heart no longer caged. That everyday your heart explodes as wide as it can”

“You don’t have to be an infallible human…you aren’t an infallible human”

“I’m human but I can also bang my head up against the wall”

5 Suggestions For Tuning Into Intuition

  • Get out in nature - be silent, listen to music or pop on a podcast. Let your inner self guide to how you need this time in nature.

  • Moving in nature - instead of sitting silently somewhere, walk, run, hike…

  • Dancing - flip through songs until something hits you

  • Writing - maybe even have a playlist specifically for writing

  • Driving

One of Your Biggest Lessons So Far:

See yourself honestly and with compassion because this human thing can be tough but it can also be beautiful. If you want things to shift, you need to start looking at yourself honestly but also with compassion because being hard on yourself doesn’t help!

Space to be human. You’ll get there.

What is one nugget of wisdom that you would share with fellow seekers who are on this journey of growth and transformation?

Don’t focus your efforts to reaching out to become someone. We tend to look around at people, places, jobs and all sorts of different things. This is a lot of output of energy! It’s not about “who do I want to become like?”. That’s a place of not good enough as you are. The true power comes when you look inside and you come to a full acceptance or at least beginning to accept who you really are.

Resources:

Check out Katie’s podcast, Real Rebel Podcast! She’s at all the places - I’m currently a Spotify user so I listen to her there! https://open.spotify.com/show/38EoozVo7HsXDvDOy2dT4r?si=HLhbA9cYSJan7sO0c3FVSw

Links:

If you have any questions for Katie or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  realrebelpodcast.com

Email:   katie@realrebelpodcast.com

Instagram: @realrebel


Episode 177: How She Got There - Yoga Teacher Trainer & Mentor with Ashley Zuberi

 
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How they got there episodes is where we get to hear stories from experts, yoga teachers, healers, coaches…basically anybody who doesn’t have a typical job title.

These are their for real, for real stories about how they followed their heart’s calling to do what they’re meant to do. This means we get to hear the sticky middle and all - How’d they start? Did they have a plan? How did they make money?

Today we hear from yoga teacher trainer and mentor, Ashley Zuberi, who you heard from in Episode 176: Handbook For Awakening - An Easy Guide To The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali

Ashley’s journey to doing the work she loves now (which includes teaching yoga, training yoga teachers and writing) is such an excellent example of how the path isn’t linear. It really isn’t! She lives in a unique position where she moves to a new city and has to start fresh every 1.5 years or so. This has resulted in her work ebbing and flowing between her love of marketing and her love yoga.

I think this is a great example of how doing what you love doesn’t have to be defined by a hard line. Seriously, it doesn’t have to look a certain way! Just because your journey might look different than someone else doesn’t mean that you’re doing it wrong!

See below for key nuggets and takeaways.

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Key Nuggets: Doing What You’re Meant To Do

  1. What’s your calling/purpose?

    To Teach

  2. What was that moment like when you decided to go all in and fully committed to doing what you’re meant to? 

    When she quit her job - she changed her mindset to believe that she could do it even though she didn’t have many role models in her life growing up to show her how to create her own business.

  3. How did you start? (for real, like way before being known for your work.  Did you quit your job first or did you do it on the side?)

    Started with freelance marketing. She did a lot of networking, tech meet ups, and getting familiar with the yoga community, which later on helped her with the yoga portion of her business.

  4. How did you transition from your 9-5 ( or whatever former life you had) and into this life?

    She started out with a bit of a plan but because she moved so frequently (every 1.5 years or so) she had to keep changing and do what worked for her. For example, the vibe in Boulder, Colorado is very different than a small town in Texas. What she did in Boulder didn’t work in the small town and she had to change.

  5. How’d you get your expenses covered?

    Savings and her husband’s support.

  6. What was one of your earliest successes and how you made it happen?

    A successful yoga workshop in a small town in Texas where 20 people signed up. It was a success because yoga isn’t very popular in this small town. She’d worked at building a community and it worked!

  7. What was one time when you really wanted to quit.  What helped you keep going?

    It’s not like one big time but even for the first 5-7 years there were many moments!  She’d be scrolling for jobs, rewriting resumes.

    Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster but what helped her keep going was that she knew this was her passion, what she loved to do, this was her calling.

    Feedback from students like emails and thank you cards really helped! 

    The question: what would you do even if you didn’t get paid for it? Also really helped her gain perspective.

  8. What’s usually your biggest resistance (ex. Self-doubt, procrastination…) now?  How do you deal with it?

    Self-doubt. The concept of stoicism helps with dealing with it.

  9. What’s the best thing you did that helped you create this life?

    Keeping the practice of yoga and meditation. To show up on the mat so that she can connect with herself, her passion and her inspiration.

  10. Top tangible action/tool that you’d recommend?

    Get clear on your message! What are you offering and who is it for?

  11. Top mindset advice that you’d recommend?

    Look at how you can serve.  Flip it from not being so much about you and more about how you can help your community.

  12. What do you do to check back and make sure that this is still the path for you (ie. that helps you decide that this is all worth it?)

    She asks herself “Do I still have something to share, do I still feel creative?”

    There’s always inspiration from somewhere and the day where there isn’t she’ll know it’s time to move on.

Resources:

Translations of the Yoga Sutras that Ashley loved reading:

The Unadorned Thread Of Yoga by Salvator Zambito

The Heart Of Yoga by TKV Desikachar

Links:

If you have any questions for Ashley or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  ashleyjosephine.com or inhalethrive.com if you are a yoga teacher looking for support in your journey teaching online.

Instagram: @yoginiashleyjosephine

Youtube: @ashleyjosephineyoga


Episode 176: Handbook For Awakening - An Easy Guide To The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali with Ashley Zuberi

 
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The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali are ancient texts that show you how to awaken to your true self.  The instructions are presented in about 196 sentences called “sutras”, which translated to English means “threads”. 

As it seems to go with wisdom that’s imparted from awakened masters (TAO Te Ching, Buddha, Yoda...) words are used simply and sparingly.

It can take a lifetime to understand the depth of Patanjali’s words but that’s not a bad thing. It’s kind of exciting that every time that you go back to a Sutra, there’s something new to be gleaned.

To be honest though, it can be a bit of a brain boggler to try to understand these texts!! This is why we have Ashley Zuberi on this episode.

Ashley is a yoga teacher and mentor to yoga teachers who has been studying the Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali for years. She’s actually in the midst of writing her own book about the Sutras!

She gives excellent advice on how to make the Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali more approachable and how to absorb the deep wisdom that’s offered.

She explains the basics of the Sutras in such an easy to understand way and shares what methods have helped her better understand them.

We talk about how to incorporate these teachings into your yoga practice and your day to day life.

I loved this conversation so much and think there’s going to be excellent takeaways whether you’re brand new to yoga philosophy or whether you’re more seasoned in your studies.

Topic Summary:

  • Basic breakdown of The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali

  • How to read the texts

  • Methods that you can try that will help you deepen your understanding

  • How to apply these teachings into everyday life and your yoga practice

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Key Nuggets:

What is the Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali?

Ancient yogic texts that guide you toward inner connection and enlightenment. There are 4 books or chapters to the Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali.

Book 1 is about what yoga is.

Book 2 is about how to do the practice.

Book 3 is about deepening the practice.

Book 4 is about why you should practice and what you get out of enlightenment.

Why is studying it worthwhile?

The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali is critical to the understanding of yoga beyond just the poses. It also helps in understanding your own inner connection.

How to better understand the Sutras

Here, Ashley shares with us what she did when she first started learning it. It took her 4-5 years to actually begin understanding the wisdom and when she did, it blew her mind! She read several translations side by side and that really helped.

Noteworthy wisdom from the conversation

We discussed the difference between knowledge and embodying that knowledge into wisdom. Understanding it intellectually vs understanding it within.

Huge message from this episode is that it’s not linear! “It” being life and everything that we do! This includes how you approach the Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali. You don’t read it once and you’re done. It’s something to come back to over and over again. Patanjali himself revisits similar concepts throughout the books.

* This is where one of Ashley’s book recommendations is SO helpful! InThe Unadorned Thread Of Yoga by Salvatore Zambito, the author takes similar threads and puts them side by side so that you can study it based on the message rather than in the order of the Sutras.

One of Your Biggest Lessons So Far:

Letting go and surrendering. When you try to control the situation, it’s just hard. When you let go there’s growth and more ease.

What helps Ashley surrender is meditation and also making sure to practice breath in height of something crazy happening and then presence follows.

What is one nugget of wisdom that you would share with fellow seekers who are on this journey of growth and transformation?

Pay attention to the mindset that you have around the journey. There’s this IT person that she knew and he always assumed something will go wrong rather than expect it to be perfect. This is actually a great takeaway because the truth is that everything isn’t going to work and expecting for everything to go perfect is . What can I do to serve?

Resources:

Translations that Ashley loved reading:

The Unadorned Thread Of Yoga by Salvator Zambito

The Heart Of Yoga by TKV Desikachar

Links:

If you have any questions for Ashley or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  ashleyjosephine.com or inhalethrive.com if you are a yoga teacher looking for support in your journey teaching online.

Instagram: @yoginiashleyjosephine

Youtube: @ashleyjosephineyoga


Episode 175: How She Got There - Astrologer & Business Mentor with Patricia Panasri

 
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How they got there episodes is where we get to hear stories from experts, yoga teachers, healers, coaches…basically anybody who doesn’t have a typical job title.

These are their for real, for real stories about how they followed their heart’s calling to do what they’re meant to do. This means we get to hear the sticky middle and all - How’d they start? Did they have a plan? How did they make money?

Today we hear from astrologer and business mentor, Patricia Panasri, who you heard from in Episode 173: Here’s What You Need To Know About Astrology.

One of my favorite messages from this episode is that you need to create a business that runs for you, not a business that runs you!! If you’re a yoga teacher or coach you have a business! But if you don’t have a business, that’s okay the above still applies. Just swap “business” for “heartfelt endeavor”. Whatever your heart is calling out for, the pursuit needs to work for you!

Patricia gives tangible advice on time management, how to actually create success and notes about learning to receive.

See below for key nuggets and takeaways.

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3 Noteworthy Takeaways:

  • Create a business where you decide how it’s run as opposed to a business that runs you. (If you don’t have a business, swap “business” for “heartfelt endeavor”). When you’re clear on what success means for you then you can set meaningful boundaries. For Patricia, boundaries sometimes means time away from her business to spend with her family and sometimes it means saying no to family so that she can spend time on her business.

  • Treat investing in your household as important as investing in training or a coach for your business/heartfelt endeavor. How much is your time worth? Hire a cleaner or subscribe to a meal delivery service to save you mental energy. The mental space it takes to run a household can be just as much or even more than it takes to run a business!

  • Money mindset - open up to all the different ways that you can receive.

Resources:

  • Book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

  • Book: Manifesting Miracles by Lonna Schaeffer

Links:

If you have any questions for Patricia or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  www.patriciapanasri.com

Email: hello@patriciapanasri.com

Facebook: @Patriciapanasriastrology

Instagram: @patriciapanasri

Episode 174: Wisdom Of 2020 - Be Yourself, Follow Your Heart, Show Up, Take Action, Let Go & Trust

 
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It's here! It's here! One of my favorite episodes is ready for your earbuds!

Every year since I started doing this podcast, I do a year end compilation of the wisdom and lessons shared from the interviews throughout the year.

The result is a jacked up episode full of inspiration from teachers, healers and experts all over the world.

It’s become a wonderful way to close off the year and it’s so much fun to look back on all of the fantastic conversations.

What’s really interesting is that sure enough, there seems to be common themes that emerge from what each person has to share. This year’s was:

  1. Be Yourself

  2. Listen To Your Heart/Soul

  3. Show Up And Do The Work That’s Soul Fulfilling. Don’t Burnout.

  4. Be Supported

Follow along and listen to the inspiration of 2020!

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Key Nuggets:

  1. Be Yourself

    What your heart’s calling for won’t necessarily follow convention. It isn’t always comfortable because it’s so different but don’t give up what’s true to you. When you are willing to embrace who you really are the magic begins! Well, I call it magic anyway. You may know it as intuition, inner wisdom or simply as ease & flow!

  2. Listen To Your Heart/Soul

    Being yourself might not come as easy so how do you know what you really want? In this part of the episode, guests offer up their inspiration and advice on how to follow your heart.

  3. Show Up And Do The Work That’s Soul Fulfilling. Don’t Burnout.

    Knowing which way to go is only one part of the equation. The other part is actually showing up and taking action, which takes a lot of courage! Not only that, but to do it in a way that is soul fulfilling rather than using sheer force of willpower that ends in burnout.

  4. Be Supported

    Final theme that showed up. Our heart callings are each unique to us which maybe creates the notion that we must travel it ourselves, but that’s just not true! There are many teachers, healers and experts (much like the guests on the Curious Monki) whose very purpose is to help you on your journey! Don’t make yourself do it alone, find support!

Resources:

If you haven’t already, join the What The Hell Just Happened?! Coaching FB community. This can be your starting point for support!

Episode 173: Here's What You Need To Know About Astrology with Patricia Panasri

 
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It’s enchanting to think about the messages that are written in the stars and our connection to the moon.

That somewhere past our vast blue sky, there is a cosmos of planetary dances that can be decoded. A fate? A destiny?

Actually, in terms of astrology what do the planets really tell us? And what exactly is astrology?

More importantly, what do we do with the information that astrology grants us?

So what if mercury is in retrograde or Aquarius becomes the ruling planet - how can we use that to our benefit?

Thank goodness I got to talk to Patricia Panasri, astrologer & business mentor!

In this episode, Patricia teaches us all things astrology! After listening, you’ll walk away knowing how to apply astrological occurrences (full moons, Scorpio season…) to your life.

In specific, you will learn:

  • What is astrology really?

  • How can we use astrological readings so that we can benefit from them? (ex, it’s a full moon and it will bring about intense emotions - so what? how can I use it to better my life?)

  • Productivity hack with the Moon Cycles

  • How to follow the energy of the moon

  • What it really means to be a Scorpio (had to come up - I’m a Scorpio plus we recorded in November. If you’re a Scorpio too (sun, moon or rising) it’ll give you some good insight!

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Key Nuggets:

What is astrology really?

The study of the energetic movement of planets and the effect it has on us. Patricia dispels this misunderstanding that astrology is the same as your horoscope. She also takes time to good naturedly answer my question about why the planets affect us (of course I have to ask one of those questions. I need to know why!!)

Scorpio Season and A Glimpse Of What’s To Come For 2021

Scorpios have the rap of being super intense and Patricia explains why. Patricia also shares how one zodiac season ties to another.

What do we do with this information?

So you’re on Instagram and you see that all the astrologers are posting about some Full Moon Lunar Eclipse and that we’re in the month of Aries (hypothetical). What does that really mean and what do we do with that information?

Patricia helps us better understand how to use all of this information together to create momentum in your life.

Cycles and a productivity hack

I don’t usually choose favorites but this was my FAVORITE part of the interview! You really need to listen to it. Patricia teaches us how to tune into the moon’s energy and with your own moon cycle (aka. menstrual cycle). She gives tangible and actionable advice that you can begin applying.

Also a very important reminder to us that although our society likes to work in linear ways, we are not linear beings! We’re cyclical beings and when you can tune into your own cyclical nature, you will get better results in your life.

One of Your Biggest Lessons So Far:

Rest and don’t push too hard even if there’s a deadline and there’s something you want to finish.  When you step back and take a break it’ll make a world of a difference.  Pause. Patricia learned this from all the times when she worked on her business 7 days a week and found that those were certainly not the most successful days of her business.  

What is one nugget of wisdom that you would share with fellow seekers who are on this journey of growth and transformation?

Allow and surrender.

Running and growing a business isn't a linear path. It's a cyclical path. Some weeks you're fired up and other weeks you want to stay in bed. Don't be fooled by people who are 'ON' all the time. Rest when you need to. Give yourself grace as your growing and evolving.”

Links:

If you have any questions for Patricia or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  www.patriciapanasri.com

Email: hello@patriciapanasri.com

Facebook: @Patriciapanasriastrology

Instagram: @patriciapanasri


Episode 172: Inspiration For Finding Inner Peace (Daily Inspiration)

Everything I've been saying about stillness and acceptance can be wrapped up in these eloquent words of the classic poet Wu-Men.

My favorite meditation teacher, Tara Brach, reads it out in many of her meditations and I find that it settles me back into a place where everything is okay.


Work With Me

Let's get you some coaching so that you can stop staying stuck tight in a bud.

Coaching helps you create a stronger sense of inner connection so that you can remember how amazing you are more often than not. As a result, you’ll step into the fullest version of yourself and have the confidence to live the life that you know you're meant for.

Schedule a complimentary discovery coaching session with me


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Episode 171: Try This Mantra To Feel Good Now (Daily Inspiration)

Where you focus your attention is where energy flows. But when your attention is on things that are less than ideal how can you change the trajectory so that energy flows to a more ideal place?

Here's a mantra to use that will immediately help you change your focus from a downward trajectory (ex. "I'm doing it wrong, I'll never get it right...") to a focus that sends your energy upwards and closer to what you want.

**PS. I want to hear what you think of these Daily Inspirations - what kind of topic would help you with what you're experiencing right now? Let me know hello@curiousmonki.com or DM me on Instagram @curiousmonki! 


Work With Me

Let's get you some coaching so that you can stop staying stuck tight in a bud.

Coaching helps you create a stronger sense of inner connection so that you can remember how amazing you are more often than not. As a result, you’ll step into the fullest version of yourself and have the confidence to live the life that you know you're meant for.

Schedule a complimentary discovery coaching session with me


Subscribe to Curious Monki

iTunes | Spotify | Libsyn

Episode 170: When In Doubt, Be Still (Daily Inspiration)

Inner stillness is the pathway to inner wisdom.  From that space you'll get all the answers that you seek.

It's as simple as that but we often forget to do it.  Why? Because we've been conditioned to do just the opposite - to look outside of ourselves for somebody else or something else or to do something to find answers.

Today's daily inspiration is a reminder to use your internal guidance.


Work With Me

Let's get you some coaching so that you can stop staying stuck tight in a bud.

Coaching helps you create a stronger sense of inner connection so that you can remember how amazing you are more often than not. As a result, you’ll step into the fullest version of yourself and have the confidence to live the life that you know you're meant for.

Schedule a complimentary discovery coaching session with me


Subscribe to Curious Monki

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Episode 169: How She Got There - Spiritual Mentor & High Priestess with Lisa Hillyer

 
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Welcome to the very first episode of this type of interview! In this new addition to the podcast, I ask guests a lightening round of straight forward questions about how they came to be able to live a life doing what they were meant to.

Not just the pretty and clean version, but the for real, for real version - challenges, doubts and realistic things like how they were able to pay their bills.

Lisa Hillyer from Episode 168: Re-Awakening To Inner Truth shares with us what her journey really looked like from being an interior designer to coach to yoga teacher to spiritual mentor & high priestess.

In this episode you will learn what resources Lisa recommends to get over money mindset struggles and why she actually never actually felt like giving up (which is so rare!).

See below for key nuggets and takeaways.

Resources:

If you haven’t already downloaded the PDF list of books that Lisa recommends, download it here. She actually ended up recommending 8 books throughout both parts of the interview and I’ve put them together for you based on category.

If you want to listen to the interview that I did with Lisa back in Episode 19 about Trust & Surrender, listen here.

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3 Noteworthy Takeaways:

  • When I asked her if she had a plan when she first started, Lisa said “I didn’t know what I was doing but it didn’t feel like an option to stop”. This is noteworthy because when you follow what your soul is calling for it’s not always linear and mapped out step by step like we’re used to. It took me a while to learn to follow the feeling in your body instead because that’s the navigation of your soul.

  • Because Lisa embraced the hard parts, the challenges she came across didn’t seem so hard…or at least not any harder than they had to be. I think that’s noteworthy because often times we come across an obstacle which might be hard but what makes it harder is the doubt that begins to creep in and the fear thoughts that, that instigates (ex. “it’s not working so that means I’m not cut out for this” “I’ll never get there…”.)

  • You don’t get the whole map right off the get-go so you just need to follow what feels right to you, right now and trust that the best that you can do is enough. Even if you did have a whole plan of where you want to land, do what I offered up in the first bullet and make sure that you keep checking in with your body’s compass! It’s almost a sure thing that the way you want it to happen probably isn’t the way that it will happen. There will be turns and pivots because you learn more as you move forward.

If you want to get the full list of book recommendations from Lisa, you can download the PDF list that I made for you here.

Links:

If you have any questions for Lisa or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  http://www.heartsoulhealthwellness.com/

Instagram: @lisa_hillyer


Episode 168: Re-Awakening To The Truth Within with Lisa Hillyer

 
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“We all come here with a divine calling and dreams that we want to bring forth” - Lisa Hillyer

Lisa Hilyer is a spiritual mentor who guides women & men to their inner truth, to the well of wisdom that is waiting to awaken. It was an honor to have her on the show again - she first came onto the Curious Monki to share her wisdom on trust & surrender for Episode 19.

Back then she was travelling the path of yoga. Since then, she has taken the path of the High Priestess.

This episode was a rich discussion about connecting to who you really are from the perspective of a Priestess.

We talk about:

  • Sovereignty

  • Awakening - what are we awakening to? how do we awaken?

  • Embracing the darkness (shadow)

  • Feminine & Masculine energies

  • Patriarch & Matriarch and the balance of them

In this episode you will learn:

  • How to reawaken to the truth within

  • What the divine feminine and divine masculine is

  • What the difference between feminine/masculine energy versus matriarch/patriarch is

  • How to re-balance the imbalanced patriarch that we live in

  • How to reclaim your inner power

  • Lisa gave so many awesome resource recommendations! (see Resources below)

Resources:

  1. Lisa gave so many amazing book recommendations to learn more about the rising feminine, inner truth and money mindset (it’ll make more sense when you listen to Part II of the interview - Ep. 169). The full list is in the “key nuggets” below or you can download this PDF of the Book Recommendation List.

  2. Highest Self Meditation on her website.

  3. Joe Dispenza’s Breaking The Habit Of Being Yourself Meditation (RE: help you get in touch with your highest self)

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Key Nuggets:

What are we awakening to?

We talk about what is it that we’re really waking up to and how do we do it? In a nutshell, we’re reawakening to the planet and ourselves. We’ve been living in a boxed in world for so long that we’ve forgotten that “We all come here with divine calling and dreams that we want to bring forth”.

A Priestess is somebody who guides others back to their own inner truth. She guides the rise of the feminine and worship the Earth and the goddess. She shows up ready to be in service.

Lisa lends a perspective of awakening - of getting in touch with who you really are - through the lens of a Priestess.

How to awaken?

This is where we talk about the cyclical nature of nature and how we can come back to our inner truth by falling back into rhythm with it.

Sovereignty

This is my new favorite word! A reclamation of your own inner power. To be loving enough to serve but strong enough to choose you first. Lisa puts it “I love you but I love me more. I am the queen over my domain”.

Feminine vs. Masculine; Patriarch vs. Matriarch

This part was reallllly cool! Lisa talks about the imbalance of energies that we’re currently in and how that’s affected us and our planet. I do the thing that I do and ask questions like “but why did women have to be the ones to get shunned in the patriarch?” and Lisa answers graciously by giving us background of what was suppressed and is now rising (ex. the wise woman, the one who allows herself to be supported)

One of Your Biggest Lessons So Far:

Surrender. Allow yourself to be supported & held, you don't have to do it all on your own. Not have to figure it all out.

What is one nugget of wisdom that you would share with fellow seekers who are on this journey of growth and transformation?

Trust and let yourself be supported and held – not just by other humans but by something greater.  Trust that you’re being led – when you’re led by soul it’s never wrong.  When you get the bread crumbs follow them and nuggets of wisdom.  When you stray or veer off that’s when you follow ego.

Resources:

Here are the list of book recommendations from Lisa:

  • Womb Awakening by Azra and Seren Bertrand

  • Mysteries Of The Dark Moon by Demetra George

  • Rise Sister Rise by Rebecca Campbell

  • Waking The Tiger by Peter Levine

  • You Are A Badass At Making Money by Jen Sincero

  • The Science Of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles

  • Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

  • Earth Is Hiring by Peta Kelly

  • If Women Rose Rooted by Sharon Blackie

I created a PDF list with the books categorized by topic. You can download it here.

Links:

If you have any questions for Lisa or want to learn more, connect with her through:

Website:  http://www.heartsoulhealthwellness.com/

Instagram: @lisa_hillyer


WELCOME - REFRESHED & READY: Here are the new and exciting things that are ready for you!

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After free-flowing with 10 coffee talk episodes (which I loved doing btw), the podcast refresh that I’ve been working on for the last few months is finally ready!

In this episode I give you a little behind the scenes of why I decided it was time to freshen up a bit, what I hope that these new updates will help you with and what you can expect going forward.

I also redid my intro and share a bit of my story with you. When I first started Curious Monki I was still working a 9-5 job and desperate for purpose. Since then, I’ve left my corporate job and dived head first into entrepreneur life. I have experienced massive transformations - like m-a-s-s-i-v-e, since I took the leap. I share with you how everything made so much more sense when I realized that at the end of the day, your mindset is what matters the most when pursuing heartfelt endeavors.

Here are the key nuggets that will be most useful to you:

  • Instead of just an exploration of yoga and healing, the podcast is now focused on tools and knowledge that will help you stop playing small, expand into the fullest version of yourself and live a life doing what you’re meant to.

  • My intention is for this to be a place where you can work on both inner connection and moving forward. I want the ideas and conversations help you become somebody who listens to their inner wisdom to courageously go for what they want.

  • The most important thing that I’ve learned since trying to pursue my heartfelt endeavor is that it’s all a mindset game. Doesn’t matter what credentials you have or what state of the art program you’ve taken to learn how to do something - if you don’t believe that you can do it and are overcome with self-doubt, you’ll keep telling yourself lies like “I don’t know how to do it” or “I need to wait until I ____(fill in the blank…the possibilities are endless)_____ before I can really do it”

    I’m so glad that you’re coming along on this journey! Thanks for listening

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Episode 167: 5 Questions You Should Ask Before Closing Out The Year [Coffee Talk #10]

 
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We spend so much time and energy chasing the destination that we forget to see how far we’ve come - to acknowledge our transformations and absorb the wisdom.

Even though this year has been a challenging one, you've also probably experienced growth because growth comes from challenges and doing hard things.  Before you write off the year, take the time to reflect and find the nuggets of wisdom that await you.

In this episode, I'll give you 5 Questions to reflect upon that will help you do just that!  Grab a journal and a pen and download the questions below.

RESOURCES:

  1. Download the 5 Questions  You Should Ask Before Closing Out The Year

  2. Episode 132: A Place To Rest Meditation (incorporates Tara Brach's RAIN meditation)

  3. The new podcast that I started with my co-host, Olena Gisys: Becoming Yourself Podcast

  4. Join the FB Group hosted by me and two other life coaches: What The Hell Just Happened?! Coaching Group


Book a coaching session with me:

The first session is on me and you can choose to use it however you want - get help using your intuition to navigate parts of your life that you feel stuck in; figure out what feelings you want to be in more often than not; learn to get more ease and flow into your life. 

Book a session with me here.

Subscribe to Curious Monki

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Key Nuggets:

Warm Up Questions:

  • What helped you get through this year?

    • Me: Emily In Paris (Netflix), Radical Compassion by Tara Brach, RAIN Meditation

  • What favorite book or podcast did you discover this year?

    • Me: Loved listening to Brene Brown’s Podcast, Unlocking Us. In specific, her episode with Vivek Murthy on Loneliness

Episode 166: One Life Changing Question To Bring Ease & Flow Into Your Life [Coffee Talk #9]

 
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When you're able to prioritize, let go of expectations, embrace imperfections while still being able to meet the mark of your intention then you live a life of EASE & FLOW.

But how can you get into a place like that especially when your current state might be one of frantic stress and overwhelm? (thoughts of "how will I get all of this done??" or "there's not enough time"...might be running through your head).

You do it by asking one pivotal question:  How can this be easy?

In this episode you'll learn how to use this question to bring you to a place where you feel more easeful than overwhelmed; more peaceful than stressed.

RESOURCES:

Book a coaching session with me:

The first session is on me and you can choose to use it however you want - get help using your intuition to navigate parts of your life that you feel stuck in; figure out what feelings you want to be in more often than not; learn to get more ease and flow into your life. 

Book a session with me here.

Subscribe to Curious Monki

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Resources:

If you haven’t downloaded the Change Cycle Series yet, get it now! You’ll learn what 4 phases you go through in every change you encounter and how to deal with each phase so you can move through with more ease.



165: Stop Putting So Much Pressure On Yourself If You Want To Align With Your Soul [Coffee Talk #8]

 
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I got a few potent reminders this week that I'm passing onto you.  Here's what you'll get from this episode:

1. You're setting yourself up for failure if you expect your first try to be perfect.  You get much further when you let yourself fail because you spend much less time doubting yourself.

2. On that note, remember phase 3 of Martha Beck's Change Cycle?  Trying to do something new is supposed to be hard.  Once you normalize that, it's easy (kind of paradoxical). Resource to learn more about the Change Cycle below.

3. Stop using your current set of instructions if it's not working and look for another set instead.

4. One simple question that will bring you much ease & flow if you ask it often.

3. Stop using your current set of instructions if it's not working and look for another set instead.

4. One simple question that will bring you much ease & flow if you ask it often.

RESOURCES:

Book a coaching session for deeper, 1-1 support!  

The first session is on me and we'll sit down together for 60 minutes to look at what's holding you back, untangle it as much as we can and come up with at least one step for you to move forward.

Book a session with me here.

Subscribe to Curious Monki

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Resources:

If you haven’t downloaded the Change Cycle Series yet, get it now! You’ll learn what 4 phases you go through in every change you encounter and how to deal with each phase so you can move through with more ease.



Episode 164: 3 Ways To Connect To Your Inner Wisdom For Guidance, Answers and Making Decisions [Coffee Talk #7]

 
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I used to think that I was tone deaf to intuition but have since learned that everybody has access to their own inner guidance system.

There are also a gazillion ways to access your inner wisdom/higher self/ soul/heart messages/true self...whatever you want to call it. 

Here are 3 of my favorite ways.  Try them out and let me know how it goes!  Remember that practice is key!  It won't happen overnight but the more you utilize these tools, the more you'll trust in the guidance.

You'll learn how to connect to your inner wisdom for:

1) when things feel bad and you need to know what that "icky" feeling is trying to tell you

2) when you feel stuck and need answers for moving forward

3) when you need to make a decision...especially big decisions

RESOURCES:

Book a coaching session for deeper, 1-1 support!  

The first session is on me and we'll sit down together for 60 minutes to look at what's holding you back, untangle it as much as we can and come up with at least one step for you to move forward.

Book a session with me here.

Subscribe to Curious Monki

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Resources:

If you haven’t downloaded the Change Cycle Series yet, get it now! You’ll learn what 4 phases you go through in every change you encounter and how to deal with each phase so you can move through with more ease.



Episode 157: Transitions, Doing What You're Meant To Do & Changes To The Podcast [Coffee Talk #1]

 
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The changes in between seasons usually evoke reflections about transitions. There's something about autumn that seems more magical than the rest thought.  Maybe it’s the jeweled colored foliage or maybe it’s that the gradually more naked trees makes the transition more evident than any other season.

Harness the autumn energy and take this opportunity let go of what no longer serves you.

In this episode, I give you 3 questions that you can use as journal prompts to shed what no longer serves you just like fall leaves releasing off the trees.

Also, I’m making some changes to the Curious Monki podcast and I tell you all about it here!

So excited for a new adventure with you!

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Resources:

If you haven’t downloaded the Change Cycle Series yet, get it now! You’ll learn what 4 phases you go through in every change you encounter and how to deal with each phase so you can move through with more ease.



Episode 156: 5 Effective Ways To Shift Your Mindset From Drained & Disheartened to Confident & Hopeful w/ Amanda Kingsmith on Matcha Mornings

 
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Today you’re going to hear an interview like none other that you’ve heard on the Curious Monki before. That’s because today I’m the one getting interviewed! Instead of asking the questions, I’ll be answering them!

This episode is actually a re-publishing of the interview that I did on the Matcha Mornings podcast hosted by Amanda Kinsgsmith.

I wanted to share it here with you because it’s relevant to the exploration of energy that I’ve been doing lately. 2020 has been a handful and no doubt many of us are feeling drained and exhausted.

Last week you heard from Shamanic Healer, Kara Hanks 155: Essential Knowledge About Protecting Your Energy - A Shamanic Healer’s Guidance , and the week before that you heard from psychic medium Rebecca Gibson 149: Are You An Empath? How To Protect, Clear and Optimize Your Energy w/ Rebecca Gibson.

In this episode, I share with you what I know about creating more energy into your life. As I’ve said before, energy is your most important commodity. When you’re feeling drained and exhausted, it doesn’t matter how much time, money or friends you have because you won’t have any energy to enjoy it.

Here’s the perspectives in terms of mindset:

The thoughts you think most of the time can give you energy to create the life you want or it can drain you keep you tight in a bud. If you keep your energy clear, you’ll live to your fullest potential.

"Whether you think you can, or think you can't you're right" - Henry Ford.  If what you think is true, spend you energy on the thoughts that will bring you closer to the life that you want.

Grab and journal & a pen to follow along as I show you 5 ways to believe that you can do it. Each tool gets progressively deeper into the subconscious mind where our habits and deeply embedded thought patterns are stored.

Topic Summary:

  • 5 ways to create a healthy, energizing mindset

  • The subconscious mind and the role it plays in our thought patterns

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Key Nuggets:

5 Effective Ways To Manage Your Mindset So You Have The Energy To Create The Life You Want

  1. What is your body telling you - is what you’re thinking a true or a lie?

  2. Choose to think better thoughts

  3. Dissolve energy draining thoughts by disproving them

  4. Use a metaphor to access difficult problems that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to talk about

  5. Align yourself to how you want to feel

Remember, the thoughts you think most of the time can give you energy to create the life you want or it can drain you keep you tight in a bud. Choose to spend your energy on the one that brings you closer to the life you desire!

Resources:

Episodes mentioned in this podcast:

Episode 28: Mastering the Business of Yoga: Three Key Items You Need To Succeed with Amanda Kingsmith

Episode 128: Feeling Crappy? A Simple Coaching Tool To Improve Your Mindset In Minutes with Amber Goodenough

Episode 149: Are You An Empath? How To Protect, Clear and Optimize Your Energy with Rebecca Gibson

Episode 155: Essential Knowledge About Protecting Your Energy - A Shamanic Healer’s Guidance with Kara Hanks

Links:

Checkout Amanda Kingsmith’s podcasts, all hosted under her podcast network, WanderBarn:

Website: https://wanderbarn.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderbarn/

The episode that I did for Matcha Mornings: Tools for Shifting Your Mindset During COVID-19 with Veronica Thai