Why Struggle? Podcast W Barbara J. Faison

All the links 2024 - Week 5 - Be Adventurous This is an episode about how the mind creates ideas and stories. And how it’s important to decide what’s important to you and not let your mind get carried away. My birthday was January 22, which fell on a Monday and my intention was to do a trip to a cabin with my husband, it’s a vacation we’ve not done together before. I like doing new things and not necessarily traveling to places I’ve been before, unless it’s going to Destin Florida, which I absolutely adore. I digress. In my mind, I found a place, and we would go there and be nice and cozy. I also created this lovely weekend of snuggling up somewhere, and staying warm and just relaxing. Well, my mind creates all kinds of interesting stories and adventures. As it came closer to the time to book something, I didn’t want to do that. A part of me wanted to stay home. Another part of me wanted to go away. I was back and forth for a few weeks. I just couldn’t decide. See how the mind does! Guess what I did... I let

All the links This week I intended to do a different book excerpt. After my morning meditation, this is the one that presented itself for today. Here we go. I have one brother. Tony has two children, Byron and April, and one grandchild, Aiden. I married TD and gained two bonus sons, Tyriel and Dewayne. My mother used to say we are a small family, but we are mighty. My parents instilled in us a bond that continues to this day. My brother has been my protector, my agitator, my friend, and my confidant my entire life. Growing up, I was involved in theater, band, oratorical contests and more. Growing up, he was there, (like it or not) at all of the dance recitals, music recitals, graduations, theater productions, and whatever ever else I had going on. I can still hear my parents saying, “you support and protect your sister.” And to this day, he still does. He has been to book signings, salsa birthday parties and most recently my meditation hike. I am so grateful to have him in my life. I am a person who has to

All the links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison 2024 - Week 1 - Your Belief System In the 80’s  AT&T had a marketing campaign called Reach out and Touch Someone.  It was all about the power of your voice. The power of your voice to offer comfort. The power of your voice to offer healing. The power of your voice to offer just what is needed at that time.  Over the weekend, we celebrated the life of Mary A Hopson. Mrs. Hopson was the mother of a dear friend of mine, Gina. Mrs. Hopson was a fashionista, and a beautician, and a part of my village growing up in Albany, Georgia. Earlier in the week before the service on Saturday, I reached out to Gina just to say hello. We talked for over an hour, laughing, and reminiscing about a deep and rich history we’ve had for over 40 years.  It reminded me of the power of your voice and the power of having a rich history with someone.   As we celebrated, Mrs. Hopson’s life, I was reminded of my own mother and father and what an amazing community and support I had growing up. Re

All the Links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison (2024) - Week 2 - Breathing Practice It’s winter y’all and I really get into nerd mode at this time of the year. I enjoy reading and learning and resting. Right now I’m listening to the audio program, Unlock Your Wise and Mindful Brain on the Insight Timer app. As a premium member you get access to thousands of courses, including mine and I love learning, so there you have it. In the audio course, Dr. Karolien Notebaert, shares scientific proof that mindfulness is beneficial and essential for our well-being. In fact, she says as a scientist she really didn’t believe mindfulness meditation was beneficial until she tried it. And now it is one of the things she highly recommends to manage stress and to help with brain function.  Did you know that mindfulness can be practiced for 5 to 10 minutes a day to help you relax, increase your self-awareness, and calm your nervous system. I’m coming up on a birthday on the 22nd and giving myself permission to rest during the winter

All the links - Linktr.ee/barbarafaison There was a time we were told that when you drank alcoholic beverages you lost brain cells and that was that. The cells were gone. Wait… what? Once you lost brain cells, they were gone? Yep! I grew up in that time. I grew up, thinking that if I drank, I would lose brain cells, and that was just not an option for me. It’s OK. Don’t be sad. lol Being the nerd I was and still continue to be…that worked out well for me, because I don’t like the way I feel after I drink. So I don’t really drink. I might have an alcoholic beverage once every two or three years. And when I mean beverage, I mean a few sips. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I had anything alcoholic to drink. Nerd Alert! Good news…that is not true. And we have lots of science that now proves that the brain can change and adapt to experiences - it's called neuroplasticity. It's your brain’s ability to absorb information and evolve to manage new challenges. The brain evolves as we do, as long as we

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON Week 52- Celebrate Everything!! Listen to this on my podcast - 5:30 mins or my YouTube ChannelWe are now in the season of winter. Words associated with winter include: Rest. Introspection. Hibernation. Death. Loss. Cold. Celebration. Holiday. Hope. Festivities. Joy. Guess what, you get to decide what you want winter and your life to be. If you live long enough you will experience loss and death and you will also experience celebrations and festivities. I remind myself often that whatever I DECIDE to experience, EXPERIENCE IT FULLY. lol. When I recently enjoyed a slice of cake with Moosetracks ice cream, I really enjoyed it. I savored the taste of the chocolate, the ice cream, how it felt as I took my time and really enjoyed the experience. The excerpt that I’m sharing this week from my book/eBook/audiobook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes, is Celebrate Everything! Celebrate Everything! Life is a journey. A trip. A deck of cards. Life defies a single

All the links: LINKTR.EE/Barbarafaison Week 51 - 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

ALL LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON It feels like we are back in full swing with the constant going and doing. So much to be done, so little time. Sigh. One of my practices is to set alarms on my phone and change the word alarm to something like… take three deep breaths or stop and breathe. The excerpt that I’m sharing this week from my book/ebook/audiobook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes, is SLOW DOWN. LOL. It seems appropriate with all the hustle and bustle of the holidays going one. I hope you enjoy it! 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 di

Week 48 - Think Like a Child All the links: LINKT.REE/BARBARAFAISON You can listen to this on my podcast - 7:01 mins          In the US, the holiday season has officially started. Over the weekend my hubby, TD and I were in Columbia, TN visiting his family. TD’s great niece, Leliana will be three this week and she was full of energy and brought a lot of joy to the household. If I could just get little of that energy! Lol. It’s always a blast to be around young children to watch how they engage with people and the world around them. Spending time around her reminded me of one of the topics in my book, Why Struggle? life is too short to wear tight shoes, Think Like a Child. Take a listen and let me know your thoughts. Think like A Child Do you remember the last time you laughed until you cried? When was the last time you were really curious about how something worked? When was the last time you looked at something and were amazed? A young child has a unique outlook on life and can help you remember how aweso

Week 47 - What are You Practicing? All the links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison In episode 39 - Gratitude is an Attitude and a Practice - I shared that enhanced optimism, better sleep and lower levels of anxiety and depression are a few of the benefits of practicing gratitude. Did you also know that people who practice gratitude experience less aches and pains? That’s a great reason to write, speak or express gratitude regularly. Enjoy this excerpt from my book called, Be Grateful. Be Grateful I say “thank you, God” all day long. I feel so blessed and grateful for my life and the people in my life. Even when things are not as great as I would like them to be, I’m still grateful for I know I have the ability to move forward. Do you have all five senses? BE GRATEFUL. Can you walk? BE GRATEFUL. Are you able to eat? BE GRATEFUL. Do you have shelter? BE GRATEFUL. Do you have clothing for your body? BE GRATEFUL. Can you read? BE GRATEFUL. Can you think and express yourself? BE GRATEFUL. Being grateful has now been scien

Week 49- Why Struggle? Embrace Change All the links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison How are you treating life? I hope you are slowing down and getting the rest you need. I am practicing Hygge (pronounced HOO-ga) - which means to surround yourself with people, activities, and things that make you feel cozy, loved, happy, or content. Check out week 45 - How do you Hygge? to find out more about the practice. Change is what life is all about, right? Doing less, following nature’s guidance and getting enough rest are a few changes I’m learning to embrace.  When I wrote my book/ebook/audiobook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes, it was as much a reminder for others as it was for myself.  I’ve been sharing excerpts from the book and will continue doing so over the next few weeks. It's a simple change that allows me to share some of the topics and it's great way for people to find out what the book is all about. I hope you enjoy this excerpt called Embrace Change. Embrace Change! You probably go

All the links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison Week 45 - How do you Hygge? You can listen to this on my podcast -   Have you heard of the Danish practice called Hygge? Hygge (pronounced HOO-ga) is the Danish concept of cozy comfort that brings happiness and contentment. I just love the sound of that. The article - Pouring From and Empty Cup? Three ways to refill emotionally shares more about this concept. Here is a quick excerpt: “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. On Saturday, my dear friend, Kym, hosted 12 women at her house for a Coffee and Conversations gathering that we have been enjoying now for over 11 years. Sometimes we have a topic, o

All the links - Linktr.ee/barbarafaison When I wrote my book, Why Struggle? Iife is too short to wear tight shoes, I wanted it to be a reference for myself and for others. I envisioned someone picking up the book, reading one of the principles, the practice and speaking the affirmations out loud. So, let's do that. Enjoy this excerpt from my book called,  Self-Confidence is Like the Weather Some days I wake up feeling fantastic! Some days I don’t feel as great when I wake up. It’s okay. Life is still happening all around. Self-confidence and self-esteem are like the weather. Hot, cold, cloudy or rainy – the weather is always changing. Some days we feel great about ourselves. Other days, we want to crawl back under the covers and wait for a new day. When I’m having a particularly challenging day, I go to bed as early as I can. Oftentimes, if I can, I will take a nap. There is something about sleeping that mentally shifts my energy and helps me move forward. I am comforted by knowing that tomorrow is a new

ALL THE LINKS - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON My mission is to share my voice to heal, educate and inspire. I have learned that for me self-love is practice, like most of life. My mom used to tell me to “pat myself on the back” and I know that reminder from her still runs through my head and it does help me have more love and compassion for myself. Saying I’m proud of myself for whatever is happening is another way I express love to myself.  A few weeks ago I received what I call a “digital download”. This might be an idea, a reminder or the title of my next meditation. As I began to stir in my bed, I started to receive a self-love meditation, so I grabbed my phone. Let me say this, I don’t sleep with my phone in the bedroom. My husband brings it to me when he leaves for work, so when I get a download, I can grab it. Anywho…I usually open my One Note App and begin speaking what I received into the app. Then I edit it and start the recording and testing process. Special thanks to Laura Mandelson, Tracey and Mike Ra

ALL THE LINKS - linktr.ee/barbarafaison My Grandma Honey taught me to crochet when I was young, not sure what age exactly, I suspect about 10 years old. I've crocheted on since the 80's. In 2009 I discovered Creative Expressions Crochet Group, a monthly gathering of all levels of crocheters/crafters where I have found a community that inspires me to grow and learn even more and not just about crochet.  Most second Saturdays I will be socializing, crocheting and sometimes learning new stitches.  In episode 40 I shared that self-care is not a One and DONE. My crochet group time is part of my ongoing self-care. At our meeting on Saturday we re-visited a stitch called corner to corner - and I have to tell you something. When we did this stitch before, I was NOT open minded about it at all. lol.  While were learning,  I shut down and got extremely frustrated. I also had added extra pressure on myself because I was trying to make a blanket for a gift  so I needed to have it done by a specific date.  After

“Autumn is about to show us how beautiful it is to let things go.” - Anonymous I'm letting go of resistance more and more these days. Reminding myself that it is important to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. And that most things are not that serious. lol So today's podcast is encouraging you to take 303 seconds to listen to Just Breathe, an offering available on my YouTube channel. Take the time to be with yourself for a full five minutes and just breathe. Click here for the Just Breathe - 5 minute practice. So, how do you feel? I'd love to know how you felt if you took the 5:03 mins.  You may reply to this newsletter or you can reach me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com. If social media is easier for you to reach out, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are best. The card I pulled for us today is the #4 LISTEN - I ACCEPT that my feelings are VALID How you feel is how you feel. Accept how you feel in the moment and open yourself up to the next feelings that come along. Use PROMO CODE: Ship10 for Free US s

Week 40 - Not One and Done All the Links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison Greetings! September was Self-Care Month and we are now in another month. While self-care month is over taking good care of yourself is not a one and done situation.  How many things can you think of that are one and DONE? You know what I mean, right? You do it once and that’s it. For example, I wanted to go skydiving before I turned 40, I did a tandem skydive jump (that’s when the instructor is connected to you when you jump) at age 38, that was a one and done. I don’t see myself doing that again. lol Can you imagine if we could just say I forgive you once and that took care of the past, present and the future? Hah! Or if I said I was grateful for my food once and that was it? As far as I can tell, that doesn’t happen. Life is lived in each moment, and our experiences and emotions are also happening in the moment. My observation is that many life experiences are mostly NOT ONE and DONE. When we are graced with another day on earth, there are

Week 39 - Gratitude as a Practice is Self-Care All the Links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison Greetings! My mission is to use my voice to heal, educate and inspire by sharing tools to help people live life better. I have embraced gratitude as an attitude and a practice. I do have moments of “why me” and “what in the world is going on” - and I have learned to find the gratitude in the experience.At one time we thought the brain was fixed and couldn’t be changed. Science continues to discover that we have the ability to change our brain and gratitude is one way we can reshape our brain. Enhanced optimism, better sleep and lower levels of anxiety and depression are a few of the benefits of practicing gratitude. I love having the science to back up what used be called, whoo whoo. lol. As soon as I become aware that I am alive and awake, thank you, God are my first words. A few years ago my husband, TD, and I started saying our morning prayers before he would leave for work and they always start with…thank you, God… a

All the Links - linktr.ee/barbarafaison This is the week that officially starts off the next season, autumn. And since last week, the temperatures have dropped a little bit and it is cooling off. The quote I shared last week is still with me. “Autumn is about to show us how beautiful it is to let things go.” - Anonymous Are you slowing down any? I’ve been writing and recording a few audio tracks and so I’m sharing one with you today. It’s called Breathing Space and is five minutes long. If you take the 300 seconds to listen, I’d love for you to leave a comment on my YouTube channel. The meditation is at 5:20 if you want to listen here. Click here for the Breathing Space Practice on YouTube. I’d love to know if you took time to slow down or maybe enjoy time in nature. You may reply to this newsletter or you can reach me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com. If social media is easier for you to reach out, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are best. I’d love to know your thoughts, leave a comment here or you can reach m

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON In honor of Self-Care Month, I'm offering 15% off the products on my website until the end of the month. You can use the code SELFCARE15 to get the 15% off. Enjoy this offering of I Surrender. I hope it inspires or encourages you! I’d love to know your thoughts, leave a comment here or you can reach me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com. If social media is easier for you to reach out, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are best. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/barbara-faison/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/barbara-faison/support