Why Struggle? Podcast W Barbara J. Faison

All Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON This is an episode about guess what… gratitude! Greetings and welcome to 2024 - Week 45 - Still Grateful! If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and if you listen regularly, thank you. Yes, I am still grateful. Several times this year, and just as recent as a few weeks ago, I was sharing scientific proof of how gratitude impacts our lives. And I'm still talking about that. Lol. Last week I mentioned that my initial regular colonoscopy was scheduled for September 26 and it got canceled due to the hurricane's passing through the area. I completed the rescheduled procedure on Friday and everything looks good. So I am still grateful. Allowing myself to find gratitude in all things, even what may feel unpleasant really helps me maintain an even, steady state of mind. So you know what that means if you've been listening to me for any length of time, will do something to practice being in that state of mind. I'm calling this a thank you practice. If you'd like to join me, ple

All the links : LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON AUDIO - I'd rather listen - 11:48 mins 2024 - Week 44 -Things are Always Working Out! You can listen to this on my podcast - 11:48 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about things always working out for my highest good. One of my beliefs is that everything happens in divine order. I can think of so many times that I had a plan and my plan didn’t execute like I hoped it would. And when I would take the time to reflect and review, what happened was just what needed to happen. Everything is purposeful, even if I don’t get why at the time. I was scheduled for a routine colonoscopy on Friday, September 27th at 1 pm. I called Kaiser Thursday morning to confirm that everything was still set because we were expecting a hurricane to hit the area. I was told my procedure was still scheduled and to check the APP and online portal in case anything changed. Here’s the thing, the preparation for the colonoscopy requires you to

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

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

All the links - LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 -  Week 41 - A Simple Practice This is an episode where I share a simple practice you can use to stay grounded. If you are new to my podcast, welcome! If you’ve been listening, I say thank you. I say thank you to anyone that takes the time to listen. I appreciate you! There is a grounding technique that helps with anxiety and connecting you to the present moment. It's called the 5 4 3 2 1 Technique. It’s one I know and use, so I thought I would share it with you so it may be something you can put in your practice toolkit. Here's an example how it goes.  Notice 5 things you see. • I see rosebushes, river, birch trees, a red cardinal, a lounge chair, and a white truck 4 things you touch: • My chair • My hand to my heart • My cell phone • My yoga mat 3 things you hear • Cars passing by • Someone cutting their • A plane flying overhead 2 things you smell. • The heat • My hand lotion 1 thing you taste. • A ginger mint This 5 4 3 2 1 practice can help you and I encourag

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BarbaraFaison Week 40 - Shake it Out and Breathe You can listen to this on my podcast - 7:01 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about breathing. Well, there is a lot going on in the world isn't there? And we know we can't control anybody else but ourselves, right? What I've learned is sometimes the best response is no response. Trust me I have learned this the hard way… talking way to much. Lol. It feels like we're able to see so much of other people's lives, because we are. Technology allows us to see what other people are doing, or at least what we think they are doing on many levels. It can be frightening. Whether it's watching someone do a live stream, a short on YouTube, or something on TikTok; we think we know what's happening in other people's lives. Do we, really? I'm reminding myself more and more to step away from so much of the busyness and noise of daily life. Even if it's stepping outside for five minutes to look

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 39 - Slow Down and Breathe You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:32 mins or or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)      I love this quote - “Autumn is about to show us how beautiful it is to let things go.” - Anonymous In the northern hemisphere, Autumn or fall is the time to start slowing down. In some places the temperatures are dropping, we aren’t quite there yet in metro Atlanta. It’s coming though. Do you feel the change in yourself, moving from the energy and excitement of summer to wanting to slow down? Autumn is the time to start slowing down, releasing and letting go of whatever you need to release.  Nature shows us now to do it. The trees are letting go of the leaves to prepare for the winter. What about you? What are you preparing for by releasing and letting go? I’ve learned that around this time I want to DO LESS… so guess what? I’m doing less. I am giving myself permission and in case you need someone to give you

ALL LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 38 - Gratitude Practice I feel so grateful to be alive at this particular time. In my lifetime I have been able to experience not having cell phones or faxes, as well as not having GPS systems. I'm extremely grateful that these are now a part of our daily lives. However, I do feel that living in a time before all of those modern conveniences were available allows me to step away easier than people who may not have had the experience of living without these tools. I'm also grateful that science continues to confirm things like the importance of gratitude in our daily lives. Here are a few benefits of having a regular gratitude practice: Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions and we tend to use less negative language. Gratitude helps even if you don’t share it, try writing a letter to someone and you don’t even need to share it, you will benefit just from writing your thoughts down. Gratitude takes time so write down what are grateful for regul

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

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

All LInks: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 35 - Meditation: Let’s Breathe Together Week 35 - Meditation: Let’s Breathe Together Over the last month I have shared my Meditations, Affirmations and Practices - My M.A.P. Meditation and breathwork are so essential to my daily life and I am so grateful. In this excerpt from my book/audio/eBook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes I share my thoughts about meditation as a practice and we also will have a brief breathing practice at the end. Meditation/Visualization Exercises So what is meditation? One of my favorite descriptions of the meditation process is that meditation is mental hygiene. Every day we brush our teeth and shower or bathe before leaving the house. We make sure we are properly groomed before presenting ourselves to the world. Meditation, a form of mental hygiene, is a way to prepare my mind for the day by allowing me to connect with my inner guidance. Meditating regularly is like muscle training; the more I meditate, the more in

All the LINKS: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 34- My Practices - Part 4 - My M.A.P. You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:47 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)2024 - Week 32 - My Practices - Part 2 - My MAP This is an episode about the P in my M.A.P. My M.A.P. How are you doing? How’s it crackalackalacking? Mom use say that and it always makes me smile. With so much going on personally and around the world, it’s great to have moments of laughter and also prayer. In the last two episodes, week 32 & week 33, I shared my meditations and affirmations as part of My M.A.P. practices. Today I’m sharing P, the prayers. Enjoy this excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes is My M.A.P. - Prayers. My M.A.P. – PRAYERS When I wake up and before I open my eyes, I pray. I take a deep breath and say out loud, “Thank you, God.” TD and I each say a prayer out loud before we begin the day. I pray all day, every day. My standard prayer

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 33 - My Practices - Part 3 - My M.A.P. This is an episode about the A in my M.A.P. In last week's episode, week 32, I talked about the M - meditations from my M.A.P. I shared a grounding practice that is a short meditation to stay grounded when my life may feel busy. Pressing my feet down on the ground and saying “I am on solid ground” is an example of a powerful practice and affirmation to stay connected and rooted to where I am in the world and it reminds me that I am safe and all is well. In today’s podcast I am sharing affirmations! On my life’s journey I have been saying, writing and creating affirmations for almost 30 years. I hope you gain insight from the A in my M.A.P. - Affirmations. Here is the excerpt from my book/audio/eBook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes, My M.A.P. - Affirmations. My M.A.P. – AFFIRMATIONS An affirmation is a statement you believe or assert to be true. I believe every thought is an affirmation and ever

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON My M.A.P. In last week's episode, week 31, I mentioned that we make around 35,000 decisions a day. Listen, that’s a lot of picking and choosing. lol. We may decide what to eat, what to wear, how to spend our day, and more. Any way you look at it, a lot of decisions are being made…ALL DAY LONG. If I don’t have certain things I do to manage my mind, I can easily begin to feel overwhelmed. Managing my mind is essential to staying grounded in my life. And I am so grateful that I started these practices a long time ago. Another one of my practices I call my M.A.P.: Includes meditations, affirmations and prayers. This excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes is My M.A.P. - Meditations. My Spiritual Practices Slowing down and paying attention to what is right in front of me has truly opened me up to more opportunities and grace. Silence, meditation, listening to music, walking, and forgiveness are some of my spiritual practices

All links: http://LINKTR.EE/barbarafaison 2024 - Week 30 - My Practices - LEGging (LEGging) This is an episode about my Learning Evolving & Growing My Practices Part 1 - LEGging Life is sooo much about what we focus our energy on. Dr. Wayne Dyer’s quote is one I remind myself of, “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”  Yep, it’s also one of my guiding principles. In episode 2024 - Week 24 I talked about my beliefs and life philosophies. One of them I call -  Learning... Evolving... Growing (LEGging baby!) = PRACTICE. I hope you enjoy this excerpt from my book/audio/ebook, Why Struggle? Life is too short to wear tight shoes called Learning... Evolving... Growing (LEGging baby!) = PRACTICE.   When I initially wrote Why Struggle? I was convinced that life was about discovering yourself. I even named my publishing company In Search Of Publications based on that belief. The longer I live, the more I believe that we are here to discover, create and accept ourselves at each st

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 30 - How are You Sleeping? You can listen to this on my podcast - 5:42 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only) This is an episode about sleep! Have you ever had a night where you didn’t sleep well? I didn’t rest well for a few days because I had some pains in my body. It was rough. My left shoulder was bothering me so I couldn’t get be on my left side, and my right lower back above my hip was hurting and when I turned to lie on my back, I just couldn’t get comfortable. I could feel the after effects of the restlessness several days later. I’m grateful that my sleep is back to normal now . Having a sleep hygiene routine has been very helpful. I usually get off my phone or tablet about 30 minutes before I go to bed and lately I have been either reading a book with essays or doing a jigsaw puzzle to calm my mind down and get ready for bed. The mind likes to have something to do, so I do my best to make my before bed that stuff,

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 29 - Life’s Simple Pleasures! This is another episode about life’s simple pleasures! Life’s Simple Pleasures! Life is a journey. A trip. A deck of cards. Life defies a single definition because moment by moment, life changes. Life is different for each person every moment. Just as life changes, we change and grow based on our experiences. Treat yourself to something because you met a goal – celebrate! Life simply is. Being alive is cause for celebration! Take a moment to think of a reason to celebrate. Treat yourself to something because you met a goal – celebrate! Perhaps you didn’t use your cell phone when you were having a meal. CELEBRATE! Every day find reasons to be grateful for life and celebrate! Sometimes it’s just as simple as not beating yourself up about something you did. Now that is cause for a major celebration. Practice: Think about the music you’ve listened to, the movies you’ve seen, the friends in your life and how they may have changed ove

This is another episode about how CHANGE…the only constant in life. lol The only constant is change. Everything must change. Man plans and God laughs. These quotes remind me of how important it is to learn to go with the flow of life.  Have you ever made a plan, and just watched it completely fall apart? Yep, that's what happened to me over the long weekend last week. My hubby, TD and I were planning to visit his family in Tennessee over the 4th of July weekend. I packed everything and we were on the way. We stopped at Bucc-ee’s, yep, again. Lol. TD hadn't been able to reach his father, so I reached out to his aunt, Del in the parking lot of Love’s, which is across the street from Buccee’s. We went there because, well Buccee’s didn't have hot chocolate, TD likes to mix hot chocolate with coffee. Interesting. We sat the parking lot talking to both his aunt and his father and we made the decision to turn around and go back home. Covid-19 was increasing in the area so we headed back south. Luckily,

All the Links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 27 - Silence and Letting Go This episode is about silence and letting go. This year I have taken a few road trips. I have traveled for anywhere between 3 to 9 hours at a time and allowed myself to be in silence for at least an hour. I worked my way up to this over the years. I would immerse myself in silence. I would allow my thoughts to do what they do, go all over the place.  It's a lovely reminder that I can't control everything. Lol.  I started off with 10 to 15 minutes of silence and now I can go longer especially if I'm in the car alone. Within the last 30 days I've attended the funerals of my aunt, Rosa, and my cousin, Marlis. I am grateful I was able to ride down to Tampa with my brother, Tony and his wife, Patricia, both times. Sitting in the backseat very comfortably, I might add; I crocheted, read, listened to podcasts and audiobooks on the 6+ hour rides. Of course we stopped along the drive and one of our stops is Buc-ee’s, if y

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON 2024 - Week 26 - 2024 Mid-year Review You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:40 mins or click the link here for the YouTube Channel version (audio only This episode is about checking in with 2024. We are halfway through 2024 so this week I decided to look back at some of the accomplishments and experiences I've had so far. I started doing this around 2018 after TD, my husband and I were having a conversation about the last time we had gone to visit his family in Tennessee…we couldn't remember when it was. After that I started writing down a year in review so that wouldn’t happen again. Lol I had already been keeping a daily quick log of things I wanted to remember in mini journals, I would buy in 3 packs that would often have quotes on them like fascinating thoughts. Most days of the week I do a quick note with the date and what I wanted to remember. My journal from 2017 had a note on 9/23/17 that while we were on vacation in Panama City, Fl, a woman on the be