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Around this time I start to review my year and check in with what is important to me. I ask what I want to do more of, less of, keep doing, and what I may need to stop doing. I think about how I am spending my time now and what I may want to do 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?

Questions are my way of being open to listening for guidance. Some questions I've been pondering lately include:

• What's trying to emerge in my life?

• What gifts do I feel compelled to share now?

• What do I need to release now?

A few weeks ago in episode 24, I talked about M.E.E.T and Grace. Asking questions about how much Money, Energy, Effort and Time I'm willing to devote to what is being asked of me or what is calling to me. You might enjoy it if you haven't listened to it. So check it out.

Our time on this planet in this physical body is finite. We have a certain amount of years, days, minutes and moments. How do I choose to spend my time right now?

I also check to see if my core beliefs and philosophies changed? So far, my beliefs are still the same.

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!

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Today as I was cutting fruit I allowed myself to do one thing...cut the fruit. No television, music, radio or podcast. Just me and the fruit I was preparing. I was home alone and I was in silence. And it felt AWESOME. I was focused and intentional and the fruit tasted delicious as I was nibbling whilst cutting. lol.
I must say I have really come to enjoy the quiet. At one time silence for me felt very scary. I would dread not having something to distract me. With practice, I have learned to relish silence. In the silence, I hear the gentle whooshing of the fan as I lie in bed in the mornings before I get up. I hear the birds singing and inviting me to come outside to see what the weather feels like. I have learned to be with my feelings and emotions so much better since I have been embracing silence as a daily practice.
Silence is my intimate partner on life's journey. In the silence I remind myself to be open and receptive to receive answers to questions I may have. I also learn that sometimes I don't have to or need to say anything, just be quiet.

What is your relationship with silence? Do you embrace the
opportunity for the stillness that may come with it? Does the quietness make you feel uncomfortable? Maybe you never thought about it? What would happen if you embraced silence as a daily practice?

Most things in life are enhanced with practice. I invite you to join me to practice a little bit of silence. I call this a slice of silence.

So let's take a few minutes to just be with the silence.

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This is a podcast about shaking things off in life. Enjoy this re-broadcast from Week 40 of 2024.

If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you listen regularly, thank you!

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 too 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 at a tree or a flower to take a few breaths. Being in nature is very calming and soothing for the body and our nervous system. Even if you can’t step outside, look out the window or find an image only of something in nature that you find beautiful or breathtaking. Taking a few breaths and being in nature is something you can aspire to do daily.

Recently I have had comments or messages sharing how much you enjoy the breathing practices I share. I really enjoy hearing from you all, and thank you so much for listening and taking time to share your thoughts and feelings with me.

One thing I love about breathwork is that you can do it anytime, anywhere and no one has to know. And it is also free, simple and easy. You know that means we have to practice, right?

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On Thursday last week, I was out running errands before my part-time job at the Stockbridge local library and I had a taste for Cracker Barrel pancakes so I decided I would stop there before I went to work. I didn't have to be at work until 4 PM so I was having a late breakfast.

As I walked up to the hostess stand another woman walked up exactly at the same time. We greeted the hostess, and said one when she asked how many people were in our party. She said she would seat us at the same time and we followed her into the restaurant.

The other woman being seated turned around to me and said something like do you feel weird like me, when you eat by yourself? I don't mind eating alone, it gives me an opportunity to do my word search or read or just be. I said “Do you wanna join me for lunch?”

We sat down, and Sandy and I had a delightful lunch/breakfast. Interestingly enough, the food inspectors were there so our food was delayed by quite a few minutes which gave us even more time to chat and enjoy our adventure. I asked Sandy a question and she continued sharing information about herself. At one point, she did say I've been talking a lot, tell me something about you.

We chatted about work, family, and life in general. When the food finally came, I was able to eat a little bit before I had to leave to go to work. I said my goodbyes and smiled at Adventure #1.

At the library we have monthly programs for adults, young adults, and children. On this day, we were doing Mahjong. One of the games I play online is Mahjong, it is different playing on the computer than in person. In person there needs to be four people, and I volunteered if they needed additional people/staff for the program.

I was really excited when they needed a fourth. I sat down and learned how to play American Mahjong. I really enjoyed it, it's stimulating and fun. We played three games and although I didn't win, I had a blast. Adventure #2 complete.

On Saturday afternoon, my husband, TD and I drove down to Albany, Georgia, my hometown. We attended game night as part of my 45th high school reunion activities. I don't remember the last one I went to, I know it's been about 10 years. Thanks to Facebook and Instagram I have several classmates that follow me and join me on my breath breaks and some may even listen to my podcast. Lol. Thanks to all that do!

It was a blast! We played games, laughed, had school trivia, food, and fellowship. I am so glad I went. Adventure #3!

Lunch with a stranger, playing a new game in person, Mahjong, and going to my 45th High School reunion. And we stopped by the Bass Pro Shop in Macon, Ga on the way back… that was sort of an adventure, so I’ll call it 3.5 adventures in four days! lol

Did I start the week planning those adventures? I did not... I just let life do what life does... and I said yes!

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Earlier this year, I said I wanted to do at least one sentence as a journal entry every day. Until a few weeks ago, I'd only missed maybe one or two days this year.

When I opened my journal on June 7th, the last dated Entry was May 30th. I looked at the date and smiled. I had given myself grace. And I did not write a journal entry that day.
I have never been that committed to journaling. And I noticed lately my entries were very basic. If I journaled at the beginning of the day, it was more engaging and active, and I laid out my desire for the day. If I
journaled at the end of the day, it was a quick recap of what it happened. As I looked at my entry on May 30th I thought to myself, why am I doing this right now?
I decided to give myself a break from daily journaling. I mean, who is it benefiting, anyone? Every now and then when I'm doing some cleaning and organizing, I will pull out a journal from the past and read through it and I do take note of the growth I have experienced. And that's about it. My observations may make it in a podcast or not. I gave myself GRACE.

Why was I doing this? What was I getting out of it? Do I want to continue to spend my time, energy, or make the effort to do this daily? Right now, the answer is no. Right now I find myself being even more intentional with my money, energy, efforts, and Time. The
clock is ticking. Life and time are finite for me as a person having a physical experience here on planet earth.
How do I want spend this precious time I have left? I do love a good acronym. lol I ask myself how I want to M.E.E.T. this moment or experience. What will I have to invest; my Money, Energy, Efforts, And/or Time? Most things require one or all of these. Am I willing to commit money, energy, effort or time to do whatever it is? This question helps me prioritize my time, experiences and memories I am creating.
I will continue to journal when I feel called to do so. Releasing the daily commitment to journal felt just right.
Where can you give yourself grace? Is it in saying no to something you really don't want to do? Maybe you started reading a book you don't wanna finish reading because you're simply not interested. I did that
earlier this year, it felt great to release the "requirement" to finish that book. Lol Are you spending time with peopled and you really don't enjoy their company?
I invite you to join me now for the M.E.E.T. (MEET) Clarity Practice. I'll ask you the question and give you some time to allow a response to come to you and you will respond out loud with your answer.
My intention with this practice is to offer a way to prioritize and to be intentional about where you're focusing in your life.

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This is a podcast about celebrating life’s milestones and moments.
If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you listen regularly, thank you!

How are you feeling about things these days? The world is experiencing a lot of turmoil including the weather, political changes, and even in our personal lives, it can be a lot to process. When things are not going the way I like them to go, it may be easy to question what’s happening in and to the world. It can be easy to write off the world as this horrible place and feel like, why bother, nothing good is happening anyway.

And then I have those times of remembering to stay in the moment and enjoy what is happening… I am reminded that you, I, and the world are, and will be just right. I remember that life is about moments and milestones. And in each moment, we can take it in. Feel it in our bodies. Notice how we feel. And be with those feelings. And yes, those feelings may range from deep despair to extreme happiness.
Life is filled with moments, including births, graduations, marriages, divorces, anniversaries, celebrations, and death. The milestones in life can be our pathway to happiness and joy.
I had not seen Ryan Delaine for several years in person, he was in college. During the pandemic, he and his family; parents, Chris and Susan, and brother Justin, meditated with me regularly on the weekends. At that time, I hosted a daily meditation practice live on Facebook. Most weekends for about three years, the Delaine family would meditate with me. And sometimes they were the only people to meditate live with me. I have such fond memories of those times.
When my husband TD and I arrived at the Delaine family home to celebrate Ryan’s college graduation, I felt so proud and excited for this milestone for him and his family. What a lovely reminder that even when the world feels chaotic, we must continue to enjoy, celebrate, and embrace all of life‘s uncertainties.
As Ryan and his friends left to continue the celebration elsewhere, they all said goodbye to every person that was there. In my day, we called that good home training. Lol.

This weekend celebration reminded me of my book excerpt, Celebrate Everything! I hope it serves as a reminder to take all of life in.

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This is a podcast about practicing gratitude.

If you are new to the podcast, welcome and if you listen regularly, thank you!

It’s still May and Nay

⁠CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL MEDITATION PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE⁠

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 scientifically proven to be a stress buster. Grateful people are more optimistic and reap the health benefits of the practice. Cultivate the practice of appreciation and look for what you are learning from your experiences. Simply say out loud throughout the day, “thank you.”

Practice: Do you have clothing, food, and shelter? What about sight, touch, smell, taste, hearing? Be grateful if you do. The next time you begin to feel ungrateful, think of all the basic things in life you have to give thanks for.

Affirmation: I am grateful and appreciate my life.

That was an excerpt from my book, audiobook/e-book, Why Struggle?life is too short to wear tight shoes.

Practicing gratitude for me is often saying thank you all day long, silently and aloud. I can feel my body surging with such warm feelings when I do this simple practice. It’s time to practice.

Well, guess what time it is? It’s time to PRACTICE… Let’s do it!

I hope you enjoy this Gratitude Practice that reminds me that gratitude is an attitude and a practice. https://youtu.be/4M9xd90BiTo?si=P0XRBZkTybLimyOH

THIS IS A REPLAY OF 2024 - WEEK 23

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This is a podcast about knowing yourself and having sustainable practices.

Developing and sustaining a daily meditation practice for over 25 years helped me gain a deeper level of self-awareness. I have learned that the more I practice the more I gain a level of self-mastery with what I am practicing. Being self-aware and having personal insight allows me to recognize when I need to focus on a specific tool or technique, MORE.

I remember when I was at dinner with a few former colleagues in 2017 and an active shooter entered the restaurant. We were ending dinner when we heard the words, “Everybody down.” I was with three much younger ladies reminding them to breathe and affirming that we would be okay.

Was I concerned as we were underneath the table waiting for more news? Of course. I also had a strong sense that we would all be fine.

As the scene dispersed and the police arrived we found out that the person who instructed us to get down was a retired police officer. Time passed and the shooter was apprehended and we all left to return safely to our homes.

One of the definitions of trauma is a “deeply disturbing or distressing experience.” Yep, I would say it was a traumatic experience. When I arrived home I checked in with TD and I immediately went to my living room and lay flat on my back on the floor. I found a sound vibration recording on YouTube that focused on healing, safety and feeling grounded. I listened to the recording and felt my body begin to release some of that energy and relax.

The next day as I told my brother about what happened he reminded me to rest. After our conversation I felt my body physically releasing some of the stress and I had a very long nap. I also felt achy later that day. I knew I needed help processing what happened so I called the Employee Assistance Program and I was able to schedule counseling. I also called the ladies to suggest they reach out for support via their Employee Assistance Program as well.

This quote from Bessel A. van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, reminds me to be truthful with myself.

“The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.”

My nervous system was impacted by that experience. I learned a lot in

the therapy sessions about processing trauma and how the book title states, “the body keeps score.” We feel trauma in our bodies and it helps to have ways to release what the body is holding on to.

I have different practices I use to keep grounded, stay centered and to release energy that is stuck in my body. Practice is the opportunity to fine tune our skills so when we are called to use them, we can use them effectively. Here are a few practices I do regularly to reduce stress on my nervous system.

• Emotional freedom technique (EFT) also known as tapping- specifically for trauma or an experience. I found Regulate Your Nervous System After Trauma by Julie Schiffman. Here is a ⁠link⁠.

• Schedule a counseling session,

• Sound vibration meditations to shift the energy in my body - Jhene Aiko’s ⁠Trigger Protection Mantra⁠ is a staple for me to have playing in the background. It’s very soothing and she has several available for different lengths.

Life has unexpected detours ALL the time. In addition to breathing practices, meditation, laughter, and approaching experiences with curiosity helps me practice less judgment of myself and others.

What are some of the ways you navigate life’s unpredictable journey? Leave a comment wherever you are listening to this podcast.

You can also email me at ⁠barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com⁠. And if social media is better for you, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, are best.

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