Peggy Bundy from Married with Children was seen as lazy. She chilled on the couch, ate bonbons, avoided housework, and didn’t chase approval. That image became a cultural punchline, a symbol of what a woman shouldn't be. And yet, for many women, there was something oddly magnetic about her freedom.
She didn’t hustle for validation. She didn’t burn herself out trying to meet society’s impossible standards. She just was. And for that, she was mocked.
Now contrast her with June Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver.
The picture-perfect 1950s housewife. June wore pearls to vacuum, served home-cooked meals with a smile, and never seemed to break a sweat. She was praised as the ideal: selfless, put-together, endlessly giving. The embodiment of what a "good woman" should be.
Two opposite archetypes. One ridiculed. One revered.
But here’s the deeper truth: neither woman is wrong. The real harm lies in the shame women are made to feel for choosing one version of womanhood over another. Whether you resonate more with Peggy, June, or somewhere in between, you deserve the right to choose without apology. Especially when you’re choosing from a place of alignment, not conditioning.
For decades, women have been placed in an impossible double bind. If you do it all, you're praised, until you burn out. If you set boundaries or choose rest, you're selfish or lazy.
This isn’t just about domestic roles. It's about how we internalize worthiness.
Many of us were raised to believe our value lies in how much we give. How much we serve. How much we sacrifice. This belief system makes it difficult to rest without guilt. To say no without explanation. To choose what we want over what others expect.
This internal pressure doesn’t just live in the mind. It shows up in the body, tight shoulders, clenched jaws, anxious bellies. The more we push past ourselves, the more disconnected we become from our truth.
And when disconnection becomes our norm, shame moves in. We search for emotional healing support, not always knowing what we need, but feeling the weight of shame and exhaustion in our bones.
Shame is quiet, but corrosive. It whispers things like:
"You should be doing more."
"You’re lazy for wanting rest."
"You’re not a good mom/partner/entrepreneur if you…"
It keeps you locked in a loop of proving, performing, and pleasing. And what’s worse? Shame doesn’t motivate you to grow. It shrinks you.
True growth, the kind that transforms your relationships, your business, your self-worth, comes from awareness, not shame. It comes from reconnecting with your body, your values, and your voice. It begins when you decide to stop feeling guilty for wanting peace, space, or slowness.
Self-awareness is more than self-reflection. It’s the act of observing your inner world without judgment. Noticing the patterns you’ve inherited. Listening to the language of your body. Honoring what’s true for you in the present moment.
One of the most powerful ways to cultivate self-awareness is through mindfulness. Not the kind that demands silence or perfection, but the kind that invites you to get honest. To pause. To breathe. To check in.
Here’s a simple mindfulness practice for emotional awareness to begin:
Find a quiet space. Sit or lie down comfortably. Let your eyes close gently.
Take three slow breaths. Inhale and exhale through your nose.
Scan your body from head to toe SLOWLY. Start at your scalp and move downward: forehead, eyes, jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, belly, hips, legs, feet.
Then go back up. Reverse the scan from feet to crown.
Notice any sensations. Tingling, tightness, warmth, emptiness. Don’t label them as good or bad. Just notice.
If emotions arise, simply notice them. Are they pleasant or unpleasant? Unpleasant sensations may point to imbalance; pleasant ones may reflect harmony. Just observe with curiosity. These sensations will start to speak to you.
Stay with your breath. Let it be your anchor.
You don’t need to analyze anything. You don’t need to fix anything. Just notice. Just be.
Practicing this for even five minutes a day begins to shift your relationship with yourself. You become more attuned to when you’re acting from shame vs. truth. From obligation vs. alignment. You learn how to stop feeling guilty for resting and begin to access a new level of freedom within.
This is the foundation of emotional resilience, spiritual clarity, and authentic power.
We’ve been told that feminine power means being nurturing, selfless, and available. But real feminine power includes receiving. It includes saying no. It includes asking, "What do I need today?"
Peggy Bundy, in all her exaggerated, comedic glory, showed us a woman who didn’t bend over backwards to be everything for everyone. She had flaws, sure. But she also had sovereignty. And maybe that’s what unsettled people the most.
Being sovereign, being rooted in yourself, is threatening in a world that profits from your self-doubt.
June Cleaver modeled another kind of power. Graceful, composed, devoted. But her strength, too, must be chosen consciously, not worn as a mask to meet expectations.
Neither woman should be a blueprint. They are archetypes to reflect on, not cages to shrink into.
Your feminine power is unique to you. It might look like baking bread and hosting dinners. It might look like building a business and taking naps. It might look like all of it, or none of it. What matters is that you choose it, free from shame.
To release shame, you must first meet it, not with blame or resistance, but with curiosity.
Ask yourself:
Where did I learn that rest is wrong?
When did I start believing I had to earn love or approval?
What do I make it mean about me when I slow down?
These questions aren’t meant to diagnose. They’re meant to open. Because when you understand the roots of your shame, you can rewrite your story.
Releasing shame and finding balance doesn’t mean choosing between Peggy and June. It means making room for your own rhythm, your own needs, your own expression. It means creating your version of emotional healing support and claiming it unapologetically.
This work isn’t surface-level. It will challenge your identity. It will ask you to grieve parts of yourself that were never really you, but kept you safe.
And it will also set you free.
Once you become aware of shame, you get to choose how you respond. Maybe next time you feel guilty for sitting down during the day, you pause and breathe. Maybe you still get up and do the thing, but with awareness. Or maybe you don’t.
The win isn’t in the action. It’s in the consciousness.
From there, you can begin to make micro-shifts:
Saying no without over-explaining.
Resting before you're depleted.
Doing what you love, not what you "should."
Over time, those shifts become a life.
A life lived not from shame or pressure, but from truth.
You are not here to prove your worth by how much you do. You are not lazy for wanting stillness. You are not selfish for choosing yourself.
You are a whole, complex, powerful woman. Whether you find pieces of yourself in Peggy, June, or someone entirely different, your path is sacred when it comes from your heart.
And if shame is something you’re ready to shed, if the old stories are feeling too tight, too heavy, you don’t have to do it alone.
This work is gentle, deep, and life-changing. And it starts with a breath, a scan, and a willingness to get honest.
Let that be your beginning. You deserve to rest. You deserve to rise. And you deserve to feel free.
And if you’re looking for deeper guidance, you can work with me. As an Emotional Freedom Coach, I help women release shame, reconnect with their truth, and embody the balance they crave…in life, love, and business. Whether you're navigating shame around rest or simply learning how to stop feeling guilty for choosing yourself, emotional healing support is here and you're not alone.
There’s a pattern I see often in the beautiful souls I work with: the belief that their voice doesn’t matter.
Maybe this is you.
Maybe you’ve been told you’re “too sensitive” or “too much.”
Maybe you learned that keeping the peace meant keeping quiet.
Maybe you’ve stayed silent to avoid conflict or rejection, believing deep down that your truth wasn’t worthy of being heard.
If so, I want you to know this:
Your voice is not just important… It's sacred.
Many of us were conditioned to abandon our voice early on.
We became the caretakers, the people-pleasers, the ones who swallowed our needs for the sake of harmony.
We were taught that expressing our emotions was “dramatic,” that asking for what we needed was “selfish,” or that setting boundaries made us “difficult.”
And so we began to shrink.
We traded our truth for approval.
We believed that silence equaled safety.
But here’s the truth I’ve come to know through deep healing and soul reclamation:
Silencing yourself doesn’t make you safe. It makes you invisible to yourself.
Your voice is more than just sound.
It’s the energetic signature of your soul.
It’s how your truth moves through the world.
It’s how your boundaries, desires, and emotions take form.
When you speak your truth, even when it feels scary… you begin to build trust with yourself.
You start to feel seen from the inside out.
And that inner alignment ripples outward, attracting relationships and experiences that are rooted in truth, not performance.
Belonging doesn’t come from being quiet.
It comes from being authentic.
There is no love more powerful than the love you give yourself when you say:
“I will not abandon my voice just to be accepted.”
You are not here to dilute yourself to fit someone else’s comfort.
You are here to embody your soul.
To speak your truth with reverence.
To allow your words, emotions, and boundaries to be expressions of your divinity.
If this resonates with you, I invite you into a gentle practice:
Place your hand over your heart.
Take a deep breath into your belly.
Speak this out loud or whisper it to your inner child:
“My voice matters.
My truth is safe with me.
I am worthy of being seen and heard.”
Let these words become your new foundation.
Not because you need to be louder…
But because you are ready to integrate fully into the truth of who you are.
You are not alone on this journey.
I see you. I feel you. I’ve been you.
I want you to know… healing your voice is an act of soul remembrance.
This work doesn’t require perfection.
It simply asks for presence.
A willingness to show up for the parts of you that once felt silenced, and to bring them back into the light.
You are worthy of being heard not just by others, but by yourself.
With deep love and sacred truth,
—Rosaly, The Purifying Place
Rosaly Didonna is a Reiki Master, Spiritual Coach, and the heart behind The Purifying Place, a sacred space devoted to healing, remembrance, and soul embodiment. She holds space for women to journey inward, guiding them through deep energetic healing, soul alignment, and transformational shifts using Reiki, sound healing, Human Design, and spiritual coaching.
Rosaly’s work is a reclamation, and an invitation to return to your truth, release what no longer serves, and rise into the highest expression of who you came here to be. Through her 1:1 soul-led coaching, she supports you in activating your inner power and embodying your divine essence fully, unapologetically, and with love.
✨ Follow the journey on Instagram @thepurifyingplace
With spring around the corner, nature exemplifies the beauty of renewal. The days have more sunshine, fresh flowers are making their way up through the earth, and the air feels full of new possibilities. The transformation we see around us during springtime is also an invitation and a reminder that we, too, can shed the old, embrace change, and create something new.
Renewal isn’t just about change—it’s about realignment. It’s about clearing out stagnant energy, revisiting our intentions, and remembering that abundance is already within and around us. It’s a chance to reconnect with who we truly are so we can expand, grow, and create with conscious awareness. When we show up from that space, we naturally bring more vibrancy into our lives and the lives of those around us.
🌿 You’re feeling stagnant or restless in your energy or daily life.
🌿 You have the urge to declutter—physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
🌿 You’re feeling disconnected from your true self and purpose.
🌿 You feel a strong desire for expansion, growth, and/or new opportunities.
If any of the above resonates, it’s time to create the space for transformation.
1️⃣ Clear & Cleanse Your Energy
Just like spring cleaning your home, your energy field needs clearing too. Try Reiki, breathwork, or sound healing to help release what no longer serves you.
2️⃣ Set New Intentions
What do you want to call in for this next chapter of your life? Peace, abundance, creativity? Write it down, visualize it, and start aligning your actions with it.
3️⃣ Reconnect with Nature
Nature is one of our greatest teachers if we pay attention. Walk barefoot on the grass, sit in the sun, or jump into a body of water. Allow Mother Earth to help you transmute any dense energies into harmonious ones.
4️⃣ Listen to Your Inner Wisdom
Spring is a time of awakening. Pay attention to any intuitive hits, dreams, and/or signs guiding you toward your next steps. Your inner wisdom knows the way. Let it lead.
5️⃣ Embrace Growth
Change can feel scary for many of us, especially if you have a dysregulated nervous system. Let yourself flow instead of forcing it. Trust that everything shifting in your life is happening for you, not to you.
Are you ready to create your new life from a place of soul alignment? As the world around you begins to blossom and bloom, give yourself permission to do the same. Tap into the energies of the season: renewal, unlimited possibilities, conscious creation and expansion. Then, take a deep breath, set your intention, and allow the energy of new beginnings to flow through you.
Rosaly Didonna is a Reiki Master, Spiritual Coach, and the founder of The Purifying Place in Long Beach, CA. She guides women through deep healing, soul alignment, and transformation using Reiki, sound healing, Human Design and spiritual coaching. Through her work, she helps clients reconnect with their soul’s truth, release energetic blockages, and step into their highest potential. Connect with her for in-person and distance healing sessions, Human Design readings, women’s circles, and 1:1 spiritual coaching at The Purifying Place.
If you’re reading this, chances are you feel much like I did 18 months ago—overwhelmed, overworked, underappreciated, and disconnected. You go through your days managing your life and everyone else’s, rather than truly living it.
Does it ever feel like no matter how much you accomplish, it’s never enough? Do you find yourself giving endlessly to others, but feel drained and disconnected when it comes to your own needs?
The title of this article likely caught your attention because, deep down, you’re ready for a change. You want to break free from this vicious cycle of operating in survival mode and start shifting your reality. Am I right?
One of the most common questions I hear from women seeking transformation is: “Where do I start?”
No matter their circumstances, my answer is always the same: Start with personal accountability.
What is Personal Accountability?
Personal accountability is about stepping into ownership of your experiences in life. It’s recognizing that you have the power to choose how you respond to the events and situations you face and understanding that those choices shape your reality. It’s about shifting your mental narrative to one that supports the life you desire, rather than one that reinforces powerlessness.
At its core, personal accountability is the foundation of SELF-leadership—a crucial skill for anyone looking to live with alignment and intention. While we won’t dive into SELF-leadership in this article, it involves intentionally guiding your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in alignment with your core values, purpose, and desired outcomes.
Now that we understand personal accountability and why it matters, let’s look at 6 simple strategies you can start applying in your life today.
We can’t change what we aren’t aware of or willing to accept; real transformation starts with self-awareness. Begin by identifying the areas of your life where you feel stuck or unsatisfied.
Once you’ve identified these areas, ask yourself the following questions:
Once you identify the areas where you feel stuck and recognize some underlying root causes, you can take intentional steps to break the pattern. Personal accountability begins with recognizing where you need to make a change.
When you embrace personal accountability, you move from feeling like life happens to you, to realizing that life is something you actively create. Often, we become stuck when we identify with our past experiences, instead of shifting our focus toward intentionally taking action to create the life we desire.
Remember: Our current reality is the result of our past decisions, and our future is actively being shaped by the choices we make today. Every day presents a new opportunity to create the future you desire. Start now.
To take this a step further, the next time you feel stuck, instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” ask, “What is this teaching me? How can I respond in a way that aligns with the outcome I want?”
Our thoughts are powerful and have so much influence over our reality. This step is about noticing when you fall into negative thinking patterns, such as “This is just the way things are” or “I have no control over this.”
When this happens, pause and reframe. Ask yourself, “Are these thoughts actually based in truth?”
Then, choose thoughts that empower you: “I have the power to respond differently” or “I can influence the change I am seeking by rewiring my thoughts.”
Learning to shift your mental narrative is essential to taking responsibility for the life you want. It requires the willingness to recognize limiting beliefs, challenge them, and let them go.
Taking responsibility for your life means prioritizing choices and taking actions that align with the version of yourself you want to become. It’s about showing up, day after day, especially when it’s uncomfortable, and making decisions from a place of empowerment, rather than fear or discomfort.
When and only when you are willing to accept that you are the only one who has the power to shape your life, you reclaim your agency and become empowered to keep moving forward.
Personal accountability isn’t about perfection; it’s about making progress. By building a habit of compassionate self-reflection, you’ll stay committed to the process of creating the lasting changes you desire.
At the end of each day, ask yourself: “Did I make choices that align with the person I want to become?” rather than “Did I accomplish my goal?” Learning to move away from black-and-white thinking and pausing to celebrate all wins, big or small, builds the momentum needed for continued personal growth.
Many of us become so focused on the “goal” or “desired outcome” that we lose sight of the journey itself—and all the growth that happens along the way. I know firsthand the importance of fully embracing the journey, approaching it with a beginner’s mind, and detaching from desired outcomes. The real magic and alignment happens when we remain flexible and committed to ourselves from a growth perspective, rather than an outcome-driven one.
Part of the magic of living in alignment with your true self is trusting the process and believing in something bigger than you.
If there’s one key takeaway from all of this, let it be this: Surrender control, detach from expectations, embrace the journey, and watch the magic unfold.
The Path to Joy and Abundance Begins with Personal Accountability
To create the life you truly desire—one filled with joy, abundance, and purpose—the first step is to take full ownership of your experience. When you do, you’ll start to see that every choice you make will either bring you closer to the life you want or keep you further from it. The choice is yours.
I hope this article has inspired you and sparked the motivation to start applying these personal accountability strategies in your life today.
If you found this article helpful and want to dive deeper, I’d love to connect! Join me at my Downtown Toronto Happy Healthy Women events, visit my website, or follow me on Instagram for more resources and support on your journey!
Emily Zhuang is a Certified Health Coach, Lifestyle Transformation Coach, and creator of The Balance and Thrive Method. Emily specializes in empowering purpose-driven female entrepreneurs to define their self-worth and gain the confidence they deserve, so they can create the life they truly desire. By guiding women to realign their time, energy, and resources inward, Emily enables them to live in alignment with their true purpose, and experience a life of freedom and true fulfillment. Her client-centered approach focuses on whole-person health, addressing the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual states of being, utilizing sustainable lifestyle shifts rooted in her Core Pillars of Health to deliver lasting results.
As a high-achieving woman entrepreneur, you're no stranger to setting ambitious goals and pushing boundaries. But have you ever wondered why, despite your remarkable accomplishments, you sometimes find yourself doubting your abilities or focusing on perceived shortcomings? The answer might lie in a fascinating cognitive phenomenon called confirmation bias. In this post, we'll explore how understanding and leveraging this bias can be a game-changer for your entrepreneurial journey.
What is Confirmation Bias?
Confirmation bias is our brain's tendency to seek out, interpret, and remember information that confirms our existing beliefs while disregarding contradictory evidence. While this can sometimes lead to errors in judgment, it also presents a powerful opportunity for personal growth and achievement – especially for driven women like you who are shaping the business world.
The Double-Edged Sword for Women Entrepreneurs
As a woman entrepreneur, you may have experienced how confirmation bias can work against you:
But here's the exciting part: once you understand confirmation bias, you can flip the script and use it to your advantage.
Strategies to Harness Confirmation Bias for Your Success
Instead of dwelling on perceived shortcomings, actively seek evidence of your competence and resilience. Remember that pitch you nailed? The investor who believed in your vision? The team you've built from the ground up? These aren't flukes – they're proof of your capabilities.
Action Step: Create a "Success Journal" where you document your wins, big and small. Review it regularly, especially before important meetings or decisions.
Surround yourself with diverse perspectives that challenge your assumptions and broaden your horizons. Seek out mentors, join women's entrepreneurship groups, and engage with peers who inspire and push you to grow.
Action Step: Attend at least one networking event or conference per quarter focused on women in business or your specific industry.
Use confirmation bias to your advantage by clearly defining your goals and visualizing success. When you prime your brain to look for opportunities aligned with your vision, you'll be amazed at what you start to notice and attract.
Action Step: Create a vision board for your business goals. Include images of women leaders you admire, representations of your target revenue, and symbols of the impact you want to make.
When you catch yourself in a spiral of self-doubt, pause and ask: "Is this thought helping or hindering my success?" Replace limiting beliefs with empowering affirmations that reflect the leader you are becoming.
Action Step: Develop a set of personal mantras tailored to your entrepreneurial journey. Examples might include: "I am innovative and resilient" or "My unique perspective is my superpower."
Instead of fearing criticism, view it as valuable data for growth. Actively seek feedback from mentors, clients, and team members. When you receive praise, don't brush it off – internalize it as evidence of your capabilities. Feedback is a gift, and I’ll never forget the mentor who helped me understand this notion.
Action Step: Implement a regular feedback loop in your business, both for giving and receiving constructive input.
The Ripple Effect of Your Success
By harnessing confirmation bias for positive change, you're not just transforming your own entrepreneurial journey – you're paving the way for other women in business. Your success challenges societal biases and creates a ripple effect of inspiration.
Remember, the key to leveraging confirmation bias lies in consciously directing your focus toward the outcomes you wish to manifest. By doing so, you're not just building a successful business; you're reshaping the landscape and inspiring women entrepreneurs everywhere.
Are you ready to harness the power of your mind and take your business to new heights? The world is waiting for your unique vision and leadership.
Elaine Dickens, MA, Registered Psychotherapist, is a dedicated advocate for high performers and recovering perfectionists seeking to overcome burnout and deepen their emotional connection with others. Through her practice, Live Inspired Wellness, Elaine combines evidence-based strategies with actionable insights to guide clients toward sustainable success and well-being. Her expertise in mindset optimization, emotional intelligence, and ADHD empowers ambitious professionals to thrive both personally and professionally. Elaine's mission is to reshape the narrative around high achievement, proving that peak performance and personal fulfillment can coexist harmoniously. For inspiring resources on mindset and emotional wellness, follow Live Inspired Therapist on Instagram or visit our website.
Receiving feedback is an integral part of personal and professional growth. However, it can also be one of the most challenging aspects of developing any project, especially something as personal and meaningful as a course that you've poured your heart into. The art of receiving feedback really goes beyond just listening to others’ opinions; it involves processing, understanding, and using that feedback to refine and elevate your work.
I’d like to share my own journey with feedback, especially as it relates to refining my courses. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences since I started in the online space.
Let’s face it—receiving feedback can be emotionally taxing. When someone critiques your work, it’s easy to feel vulnerable, especially if the feedback isn’t entirely positive. We often tie our self-worth to our creations, making it hard to separate constructive criticism from personal judgment.
For me, creating courses is not just a job; it’s a passion. I’ve spent countless hours crafting content that I believe will make a difference. So, when I first started receiving feedback, there was an internal struggle. I had to learn how to take a step back and look at my work objectively. Was the feedback coming from a place of helping me improve, or was it just a matter of personal preference?
This distinction is crucial because it allows you to filter out the noise and focus on the feedback that truly adds value.
Some of my students and clients have been sharing feedback on Course Design School, my signature course, regarding the content, the delivery, and the experience so far, and their feedback is inspiring some incredible changes. It’s amazing how their insights have opened my eyes to new ways of enhancing the course, making it even more impactful.
I could kick myself for not thinking about some of these ideas sooner, but instead, I’m embracing the gift of their feedback and getting back to work. Every tweak and adjustment is bringing me closer to creating the transformative experience I’m striving for.
As I embrace this feedback, I have now started a process of refinement. I am revisiting the course material, tweaking, adjusting, and sometimes overhauling entire sections. The process isn’t easy—it requires time, effort, and a willingness to let go of certain elements that I had initially thought were essential. But as I make these changes, I am noticing a shift. The course is going to be more streamlined, the content more focused, and the overall experience more impactful for the participants.
This process is teaching me a valuable lesson that I know but needed a reminder of: no matter how good you think your work is, there’s always room for improvement. Feedback is not a sign of failure; it’s a pathway to excellence.
Based on my experience, here are a few tips on how to receive feedback gracefully and use it to your advantage:
The art of receiving feedback is a continuous journey. It’s about embracing vulnerability, being open to change, and constantly striving for improvement. My experience with refining my course taught me that feedback, while sometimes challenging to hear, is an essential component of growth. It’s what transforms good into great and what helps us evolve in our work.
As you move forward in your own projects, remember that feedback is your ally. Embrace it, learn from it, and let it guide you to greater heights. The path to excellence is paved with the insights of others, and it’s up to us to walk that path with an open mind and a willing heart.
Ready to embark on your own course creation journey? Let's turn your expertise into a profitable online course. Book your FREE 90 Days to Course Launch Breakthrough Call.
Tracy Sherriff is a Certified Course Creation Expert who helps coaches, consultants, and other experts transform their expertise into a profitable online course in 90 days with just 5 hours a week—no overwhelm! Connect with Tracy by visiting her website, tracysherriff.com, or finding her on Instagram @tracy.sherriff.
Our bodies have the extraordinary power to let us sense when danger is present, and oftentimes they do so without us having to think about it. We become acutely aware when dis-ease sets in and hampers our normal functioning. As a nurse working in the hospital setting the changes experienced by people are often managed by medication.
Have you ever experienced a sense within your body that doesn’t fit into the usual five categories? It is fascinating to note that our body has over twenty senses internally and externally. These incredible sensory functions manage to keep us safe and connected to the world around us. Without going into the scientific depths of how our sensory receptors function, exploring with a curious mind can help us tap into the wonder they hold.
We have all experienced pain in our lives whether it be at skin level, deep into the muscles, organs, or emotionally. Each one of these has special properties that can stop us in our tracks when triggered. When the pain response is activated, we have a choice of what we do with it. As a nurse, I ascribe to the definition of pain as “pain is what the experiencing person says it is, occurring when they say it does.” Pain provocation, quality, radiation, severity, and timing are all explored.
The other sense that we recognize as important is our temperature. Our body identifies heat and cold and has built in processes to allow heat to escape or trap it in. This is another protective process.
We also have mechanical receptors that sense our body position, balance, and muscle stretch. Such complexities that we do not have to think through. We do not have to think about the way our joint is positioned in space. There is structure and organized function aligned within our body.
We could also explore the internal receptors such as blood pressure, blood oxygen content, bladder stretch, having a full stomach, and lung inflation. All senses that we are fortunate we do not need to think about, recognizing how marvelous our body really is.
So, what happens when dis-ease sets in or medications interfere with the natural function of these senses? We become misaligned with our body and our internal senses can become dulled or impaired. It takes practice to stay in touch with these senses beyond the five. Taking time to activate your senses and observe them through meditation can help you live in harmony with your senses.
Christie is a dynamic wellness practitioner. As the founder of Wellness Haven and Health Christie offers a circular approach to wellness with offerings that honour the seven principles of wellness: emotional, environmental, mental, occupational, physical, relational, and spiritual. Christie is a life skills coach, happiness coach, a breath work facilitator, as well as a medical aesthetician. Christie is joined by her daughter, Abigail, who offers home organization and a decluttering service. At Wellness Haven and Health we encourage and support others in their wellness journey.
Learn more about Christie and her business:
Breathwork is a powerful practice that when integrated, can transform your life. When I was first learning about Breathwork there were a few guiding principles that led to my internal awakening and continues to guide my practice and my life.
Some of the principles sound easy in theory but allowing yourself to fully surrender and trust yourself in the process can be difficult but is essential. In Breathwork the concept of surrender does not signify defeat or weakness, rather an opportunity for personal insight. When you surrender to the process, you allow new experiences and opportunities to present themselves. Our thinking mind can act like a vessel, defaulting to stories or scenarios that reinforce limiting beliefs. With Breathwork we step away from this thinking mind and remove the distractions that impact our ability to live in the moment.
The next principle is what you resist persists and the way past is through. In a Breathwork session life material arises when you are subconsciously ready and equipped to face it. In this safe container, you have the opportunity to explore, heal, and resolve items that may be holding you back from wellness.
Other Breathwork jargon you might hear is, everything is grist for the mill. So what does this mean? Basically, it’s acceptance that what will be will be and whatever happens, happens. Whether there are glitches in the music or you are interrupted by family, or distractions in the room. Your frustration, anger, joy, and laughter: they are all a part of the Breathwork session. Breathe into the emotion, breathe into any movement you experience, breathe to deepen and maximize the experience. It is all energy ready to be released.
After a Breathwork session, it is important to take time to reintegrate into regular daily activity. Here are some of the transitional activities to help integrate:
There is no limit to what you can do to integrate, do what feels right for you. As Breathwork becomes one of your self care activities, you will notice how impactful it can be in your everyday life.
Christie enjoyed a long career in nursing and is now pursuing her passion in self development. Wellness Haven and Health offers Life Skills Coaching, Happiness Coaching, and Neurodynamic Breathwork. Encouraging self empowerment for all clients with a focus on the seven principles of wellness.
This is the work that changed everything for me.
As I look back, I see how my self image was a direct reflection of how I experienced life in my physical reality. I spent so many years trying to find myself. Now I know we get to create ourselves by using our minds. There is a vast difference between the two.
See I was searching outside myself for the answers. Who am I? What am I capable of? What am I worth? I thought confidence was something you had or didn’t have. I allowed my outside circumstances and results in my life to dictate my worth. My worth was dependent on achieving and being the best. I was only worthy if I was winning or coming in first place. I’m sure some of you can relate to this.
What I have come to know is that the image we hold of ourselves dictates our reality. This is referred to as our self image. We have an image we project to the outside world, what we wear, how we do our hair, how we carry ourselves AND we also have our inner image, the one we believe about ourselves. It’s that inner voice that plays over and over in our minds. The one that guides us, the one that determines our outside world. The one that the universe responds to. Our minds will always try to prove us right. If I have the thought that I'm not good enough or unworthy of money, then I will have experiences to show me I'm right. Alternatively, if I have a strong and healthy image of myself and my abilities, then I will have experiences that show me I’m right. Our belief in ourselves will dictate our results.
Our belief in ourselves is crucial because we will never outperform our self image!
Learn more about Kelly and her business:
We come into the world with a big breath often followed by a cry and we come to the end of life when our breath ceases. This is an automatic function that does not require us to think about it for it to happen but it is something that we can control.
When we are in pain we hold our breath, when we are anxious or excited our breathing becomes rapid. When we are at peace we have slow even paced breath. There is no disputing that breathing is essential to life and how we take care of our breath is important. The connection with our mental, emotional, and physical body is vital. There are many ways to utilize our breath to bring stability to this connection and Neurodynamic breathwork as a practice certainly can help.
Neurodynamic breathwork as a practice can:
Breathwork, in combination with other practices, helps you explore life in new dynamic ways. As integration takes place you will discover deeper aspects of life you never knew existed. Next month we will explore key principles of Breathwork and integration.
Christie enjoyed a long career in nursing and is now pursuing her passion in self development. Wellness Haven and Health offers Life Skills Coaching, Happiness Coaching, and Neurodynamic Breathwork. Encouraging self empowerment for all clients with a focus on the seven principles of wellness.
Hello dear HHW Global community!
As we greet the rejuvenating season of spring, I find myself reflecting on growth - not just the blossoming around us, but our personal journeys of expansion and transformation. Let's explore this together, through the lens of my own story and the wisdom of Ayurvedic elements.
Consider a thriving plant. When it outgrows its pot, we don't hesitate to transplant it into a larger one, giving it room to flourish. This simple act of changing containers is a powerful metaphor for personal and professional growth. Just like the plant, we too need space to expand, to reach our full potential.
When I first embarked on my solo journey as a Reiki master teacher, the world of business was uncharted territory for me. I felt like a seedling in a small pot, yearning for space. Joining the HHW community was my way of stepping into a bigger container. This leap not only nurtured my growth as a Reiki practitioner but also as a solopreneur. It was a transformation that resonated deeply with the essence of Reiki - flowing with life's energy and embracing change.
Ayurveda, often referred to as the sister science of Yoga, is an ancient holistic healing system from India. It emphasizes the balance of body, mind, and spirit through the understanding of the five elements – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. These elements represent different aspects of our existence and align with specific chakras, reminding us that growth is multidimensional. For instance, 'Earth' grounds us in stability, 'Water' nurtures our adaptability and emotional well-being, 'Fire' fuels our ambitions and transformative energy, 'Air' symbolizes movement and change, and 'Ether' connects us to the expansive, spiritual aspects of the universe.
This spring marks a special time in our collective journey - an opportunity to embrace the spirit of renewal and growth, aligning ourselves with the natural rhythm of the universe. As part of our Spring Awakening series, we will embark on a profound exploration of these Ayurvedic elements, each linked to specific chakras and meditations. This is more than just a learning experience; it's a transformative journey, allowing us to find our larger pot, where our roots can delve deeper and our branches can stretch higher. For more details about the series and how to be a part of this elemental harmony, please click here. Join us every Wednesday at 7:55 pm, from April 3rd to June 19th, as we embrace the renewing energies of Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether, fostering holistic growth and balance.
As we each navigate our path towards a larger container for growth, let's draw inspiration from the Ayurvedic elements. These ancient elements guide us in fully embracing our potential, reminding us that growth is a harmonious blend of understanding and aligning with the natural forces within and around us. In our 'Spring Awakening' series, we'll explore this synergy between the timeless teachings of Ayurveda and the enduring wisdom of Reiki. Together, these practices offer a holistic path to growth, balance, and well-being. Join me in this journey as we transcend our boundaries and flourish in this season of renewal and awakening. Here's to growing together in harmony and wisdom!
Nasreen, a Reiki Master Teacher and founder of Japan Reiki Studio, is also the Canada chapter head of the Japan Reiki Association. She introduces women to self-care and energy work through her Wellness Reiki Circle, a first step in their transformative journey. With a philosophy of 'me first, then everyone else,' Nasreen emphasizes self-healing as essential for empowerment. A former skeptic turned passionate practitioner, she dedicates her life to teaching, healing, and life coaching, aiming to elevate vibrations and spread resilience and positivity.
February, the month of love. Valentine’s Day has passed and with it the roses are drying, the chocolates are consumed, and the jewelry is worn or it’s found a home in the jewelry box. Lovely, but all temporary things. In life we see events unfold in our personal sphere and we cannot always control it all. What we can control is how we handle it. Lead with love. How do we do this?
Remember, you are your most valuable asset and it is essential to invest in you. Take personal inventory of what you like and don’t like then show yourself compassionate acceptance. Next to grace, make an honest plan on how you can nurture yourself in all parts. Understanding the importance of developing self love and acceptance is key to moving forward in life and business. It enables you to be firm in your boundaries and to identify what is acceptable in other relationships. Love that genuinely comes from deep within automatically flows out and spreads to others. As leaders and entrepreneurs leading with love will build a stronger community.
Christie enjoyed a long career in nursing and is now pursuing her passion in self development. Wellness Haven and Health offers Life Skills Coaching, Happiness Coaching, and Neurodynamic Breathwork. Encouraging self empowerment for all clients with a focus on the seven principles of wellness.
