Tag: wellness

Body, Mind & Spirit Connection

Posted in faith, UncategorizedTagged , , , , 79 Comments

“Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.” – Anne Wilson Schaef

I spent the last four days on the dark side. It started about 10 days ago when my nine-year-old daughter got sick. And then my five-year-old son and I succumbed a week later. Nausea, congestion, achy joints, headache, low energy – the works.

As much as I hate being sick, it always reminds me of how integrated mind, body, and spirit are. When something interferes with my usual blend of energy, optimism and faith, I get a glimpse of the flip side of fatigue, doubt, and cynicism. The foundation of what I believe to be so solid all of a sudden is revealed as a glass floor.

In the fifteen years before he retired, my dad was a pastor of a church in an affluent community. He remarked that it was hard for people who were so successful to see their spiritual needs. Flipping through some of his sermons from that era, that theme emerges again and again. When we are doing well, do we remember to tend to the beliefs and practices that see us through tough times?

It reminds me of people who are hard to help. You know the ones in your life that always have a plan and so much self-sufficiency that they never need a favor? I don’t have to look far because I’ve just described my family, myself included. If people are out of reach for human assistance, is it hard for God to help them too?

At least when I was sick and didn’t feel like eating, I had plenty of food for thought.

(featured photo from Pexels)

You can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/ and Instagram @wynneleon

I co-host a author, creator and storytelling podcast with the amazing Vicki Atkinson. To tune in, search for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Pocketcasts (and subscribe) or click here. Or the YouTube channel features videos of our interviews. Please subscribe!

My other projects include work as a CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), speaking about collaboration and AI through the Chicago Writer’s Association, and my book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.

Drawing Our Own Lines

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“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.” – unknown

My nine-year-old daughter came home from art class the other day with a new trick. When trying to draw something specific, try turning the object you are drawing upside down. She said it helps to keep the brain from interjecting that we’re doing it wrong.

I loved that suggestion to help tame the inner art critic. And it ties in so well with all the incredible perspective and inspiration Vicki Atkinson and I learned from talented artist and author, Danny Gregory in Episode 109 of the Sharing the Heart of the Matter podcast.

Danny shares his incredible journey from being an ad agency creative director for 30 years to becoming a renowned author and artist. His books and newsletters are not just inspiring; they are a daily call to create and live with purpose. They read like good philosophy, urging us to embrace creativity every day.

Our conversation with Danny was nothing short of inspiring. We delved into morning routines, where I meditate and Danny creates art before breakfast. Why? Because, as Danny delightfully quips, our inner critic tends to get up later.

Vicki and I discovered the magic of illustrative journaling with Danny. Art, as he explains, helps us adapt to life’s changes, builds our confidence, and gives us control over our perspective. It keeps us from being stuck in the mundane.

Danny’s enormously popular YouTube channel, Sketchbook Skool, is less about teaching how to draw and more about understanding the chemical process of creativity. He reminds us that our inner critic is no more correct than we are. Talking with Danny is like having a good coach who not only teaches us skills but also provides the mindset to be most productive.

Join us as we explore the scenic and beautiful places we go as creators. You won’t want to miss this insightful and inspiring conversation with Danny Gregory! And then sign up for Danny’s weekly newsletter for more great inspiration from the amazing Danny Gregory: https://dannysessays.com/

We know you’ll love it!

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 109: Daily Dose of Creativity with Danny Gregory

Episode 109 transcript

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Links for this episode:

https://www.dannygregory.com/books

https://dannysessays.com/

https://www.dannygregory.com/

https://www.sketchbookskool.com/

https://www.dannygregory.com/monkey

From the hosts:

Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/

My book about my beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith;

(featured photo from Pexels)

Take One Day Away

Posted in inspirationTagged , , , , , 83 Comments

“Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” – Maya Angelou

I’m typing this post on a Sunday morning while sitting on the floor of a hotel room as my kids sleep. This weekend, we didn’t have any events scheduled, the weather was unpredictable, and March doesn’t have any holidays so we made up a get away of our own. On Saturday afternoon we checked into a hotel for one night. It has a pool and is less than 1 mile from our house.

It sounds silly as I type this but I swear the psychological benefits are real. We walked away from all the regular stuff – homework, practice, pet care, cooking, and cleaning – to change it up for 21 hours. This small shift has reminded me that all that we carry isn’t as immoveable as it sometimes seems.

The kids have explored every feature of our 300 sq feet hotel room and spent quality time watching the freeway because the room is fun but not all that scenic. We’ve splashed and swam in the pool, and are about to head down to a FREE all-we-can-eat breakfast buffet.

I know it’s not really free but it still feels freeing. I wonder how many restorative breaks are waiting for us on the other side of silly?

(featured photo is mine)

You can find me on Instagram @wynneleon and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wynneleon/

I co-host a storytelling podcast featuring authors and artists with the amazing Vicki Atkinson. To tune in, search for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music or Pocketcasts (and subscribe) or click here. Or the YouTube channel features videos of our interviews. Please subscribe!

My other projects include work as a CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), speaking about collaboration and AI through the Chicago Writer’s Association, and my book about my journey to find what fueled my dad’s indelible spark and twinkle can be found on Amazon: Finding My Father’s Faith.

For the Love of Soup

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“You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot – it’s all there.” – Maya Angelou

When I was in elementary school, I lived one block from school. One of the best things about the proximity was that I could walk home for lunch. What I remember most about those lunches is that my mom often fed me soup: split pea, tomato, potato, and chicken noodle.

Fair to say, I have a lot of fond memories about soup. So I really enjoyed the Episode 98: Soup’s On podcast conversation I had with Vicki Atkinson and blogger and teacher, Beth Kennedy, over a big pot of soup.

Metaphorically speaking of course because we’re separated by three different time zones. But otherwise, we can really stretch the goodness of soup.

Beth tells us why she likes soup so much to inspire more than 20 posts over the years. We discuss the multicultural as well as the community aspect of it.

Vicki and I ask about how she finds the terrific quotes to go with the hearty content. Beth shares some of the unusual sources that you wouldn’t expect in a quote about soup.

We laugh about the different concoctions we’ve made and share the recipes – not only for a wonderful meal but also for community and connection.

We also talk about the Himalayan stew that inspired Beth’s post and how it’s like the melting pot of Everest Base Camp.

This is a great episode that will feed you on many levels. With an accompanying recipe, it’s great inspiration on the literal level. But also on the story-telling, creativity, and collaboration levels as well.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling over a cup of good soup.

We know you’ll love it!

P.S. Please click through to the Episode 98: Soup’s On with Beth Kennedy post for Beth’s Some Like It Hot Chili recipe.

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 98: Soup’s On with Beth Kennedy

Episode 98 transcript

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Links for this Episode:

Beth’s Blog: https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com/

Good Soup by Beth

From the hosts:

Vicki’s book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/

My book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

(featured photo from Pexels)

The Gift of a Pause

Posted in podcastTagged , , , , , 42 Comments

“Sometimes it takes an overwhelming breakdown to have an undeniable breakthrough.” – unknown

I hit a wall this week – a metaphorical one, of course.

It was after getting Miss O back to school for 4th grade and Mr. D in his jump start program for Kindergarten last week, then flying with the kids to Northern California on Friday for my niece’s baby shower, flying back on Sunday, getting Mr. D ready for his first full day of school on Monday, then teaching a webinar on Tuesday.

After all that, I don’t blame my body for needing a break. If only I was smart enough to give it a break without catching a head cold. Well, always something to learn.

Fortunately, one of the last things I did before coming down with this cold was record a podcast with Vicki and my meditation teacher, yoga teacher, massage therapist, and friend, Deirdre Wilcox. I say fortunately, because Deirdre is so incredibly good at putting everything in perspective – even yucky colds. It’s no wonder she’s such a well-regarded wellness educator.

As my teacher and friend for nearly 30 years, Deirdre has shared so much grounded wisdom with me. Of her many gifts, one that I love that is highlighted in this conversation, is her ability to help frame what we are experiencing in biological terms.

So she walks us through the shift from summer to fall in terms of the cues our bodies are receiving. And this leads to a huge a-ha for me about the persistent question I get at the end of summer, “Have we done enough?”

Deirdre suggests some practices that reduce the overwhelm as we move from the freedom and spontaneity of summer to the structure of autumn. One of the things I like most about her approach is that she understands that the things that have a chance to stick are the small ones.

So she suggests some small changes for us to incorporate as we move towards falls. Ways that we can incorporate rituals to thoughtfully move from one season to the next.

And one of my absolute favorites, an invitation to take it all in and notice what we did with our summer before we move on.

I’m confident you’ll love the scenic and beautiful places we explore as we share the power of storytelling.

We know you’ll love it!

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor:  Episode 84: Autumnal Shift with Deirdre Wilcox

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Transcript for this episode: Episode 84 transcript

Links for this Episode:

For more about Deirdre and the incredible work she does: Deirdre Therapeutics (deirdrewilcox.com)

Other episodes featuring Deirdre Wilcox

Episode 27: The Power of the Pause with Deirdre Wilcox

Episode 14: Holding Space with Deirdre Wilcox

Episode 10: The Power of Intuition with Deirdre Wilcox

From the Hosts:

Vicki’s recently released book: Surviving Sue

My book about my beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

(featured photo from Pexels)