Zen(ish) Mommy

Learn how to be mindful with author Aimee Morgan, "The Chaos Antidote; a fable about mindfulness"

Episode S2E9: Show Notes.

 Do you find yourself checking on your phone every few minutes? Do you struggle to be present? Are you often preoccupied with worries about the future and past decisions? If so, mindfulness might be a welcome antidote to the chaos of your modern lifestyle. In today’s episode, we get together with Aimee Morgan to talk about her new book The Chaos Antidote: A Fable About Mindfulness along with its accompanying workbook The Chaos Antidote: Six Week Mindfulness Workbook. 

In our discussion, Aimee shares her journey to mindfulness after a life-threatening miscarriage prompted her to reexamine her life. After participating in the comprehensive Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course by John Kabat-Zinn, she felt compelled to distill those ideas and rework them for her two new books. Aimee reflects on why she chose to disseminate these approaches to mindfulness through fables to make them accessible and ensure a broader impact. Listeners will hear how mindfulness techniques have helped Aimee in her life, what her daily practice looks like these days, and how to start your daily practice. Aimee breaks down her original daily reflection practice GLOWY, as outlined in her workbook, and gives some useful tips for overcoming one's fear of difficult emotions during meditation. We loved having Aimee on the show and had a fantastic conversation full of insightful wisdom, kindness, and hope, you won’t want to miss this!

Key Points From This Episode:

●      Aimee defines what mindfulness means for her.

●      Aimee describes her book The Chaos Antidote: A Fable About Mindfulness and why she chose to share her ideas on mindfulness through accessible stories rather than a traditional self-help format.

●      Why the characters in Aimee’s book are relatable, everyday people.

●      How Aimee’s book is an accessible way into mindfulness.

●      Aimee shares her journey with mindfulness.

●      How Aimee took the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course by John Kabat-Zinn and distilled what she learned from it to form part of her book.

●      The challenges that mindfulness has helped Aimee overcome.

●      The benefit of identifying anxious thoughts.

●      How Aimee has learned to self-regulate through mindfulness.

●      A description of the workbook that accompanies The Chaos Antidote: A Fable About Mindfulness.

●      Aimee shares her daily practice.

●      Hear Aimee’s advice for creating a daily mindfulness practice.

●      A look out for Aimee’s Mindfulness Academy, coming soon!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Aimee Morgan

Aimee Morgan on Facebook

Aimee Morgan on Instagram

Aimee Morgan on Goodreads

Mindfulness Academy

The Chaos Antidote: A Fable about Mindfulness

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Learn how to be mindful with author Aimee Morgan, "The Chaos Antidote; a fable about mindfulness"

Episode S2E9: Show Notes.

 Do you find yourself checking on your phone every few minutes? Do you struggle to be present? Are you often preoccupied with worries about the future and past decisions? If so, mindfulness might be a welcome antidote to the chaos of your modern lifestyle. In today’s episode, we get together with Aimee Morgan to talk about her new book The Chaos Antidote: A Fable About Mindfulness along with its accompanying workbook The Chaos Antidote: Six Week Mindfulness Workbook. 

In our discussion, Aimee shares her journey to mindfulness after a life-threatening miscarriage prompted her to reexamine her life. After participating in the comprehensive Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course by John Kabat-Zinn, she felt compelled to distill those ideas and rework them for her two new books. Aimee reflects on why she chose to disseminate these approaches to mindfulness through fables to make them accessible and ensure a broader impact. Listeners will hear how mindfulness techniques have helped Aimee in her life, what her daily practice looks like these days, and how to start your daily practice. Aimee breaks down her original daily reflection practice GLOWY, as outlined in her workbook, and gives some useful tips for overcoming one's fear of difficult emotions during meditation. We loved having Aimee on the show and had a fantastic conversation full of insightful wisdom, kindness, and hope, you won’t want to miss this!

Key Points From This Episode:

●      Aimee defines what mindfulness means for her.

●      Aimee describes her book The Chaos Antidote: A Fable About Mindfulness and why she chose to share her ideas on mindfulness through accessible stories rather than a traditional self-help format.

●      Why the characters in Aimee’s book are relatable, everyday people.

●      How Aimee’s book is an accessible way into mindfulness.

●      Aimee shares her journey with mindfulness.

●      How Aimee took the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course by John Kabat-Zinn and distilled what she learned from it to form part of her book.

●      The challenges that mindfulness has helped Aimee overcome.

●      The benefit of identifying anxious thoughts.

●      How Aimee has learned to self-regulate through mindfulness.

●      A description of the workbook that accompanies The Chaos Antidote: A Fable About Mindfulness.

●      Aimee shares her daily practice.

●      Hear Aimee’s advice for creating a daily mindfulness practice.

●      A look out for Aimee’s Mindfulness Academy, coming soon!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Aimee Morgan

Aimee Morgan on Facebook

Aimee Morgan on Instagram

Aimee Morgan on Goodreads

Mindfulness Academy

The Chaos Antidote: A Fable about Mindfulness

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Healing Through Plants with Audrey Barron

Food is medicine, but the industrialized food system has got so many of us hooked on processed, nutrient-poor food that harms rather than heals us. Audrey Barron is a medicine woman, creative talent, and owner of Ezra’s Enlightened Café in Indianapolis, a vegan, gluten-free, and 100% GMO-free restaurant. She is as passionate about plants as she is about empowering women to take back their own power and heal from the earth while trusting their intuition. Audrey is not simply hopping on the growing vegan trend; she has used plants to heal herself and, in this episode, she shares that journey with us. From struggling with a myriad of health conditions like insomnia, skin issues, and gut problems, Audrey found that eliminating certain foods from her diet and adding more plants changed her life, and the better she started feeling, the more she could learn about the healing power of plants. We talk about mainstream medicine, its approach to dealing with disease, and why this often disempowers people. Our conversation also touches on the importance of listening to your body rather than following food trends, insights into Audrey’s Medicine Woman program, and the power we all have when we listen to our intuition. Audrey's approach to plants and food is mindful, aware, and puts women back in the driver’s seat, and to get a taste of what her message is all about, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

•   Audrey’s health struggles, when they reached their peak, and her journey of healing. 

•   The improvement Audrey saw after eliminating dairy and gluten from her diet. 

•   Veganism is not necessarily right for everyone; you have to listen to your body. 

•   The stories Audrey has heard about how a changed diet has improved people’s lives. 

•   There is a disconnect between mainstream medicine and proper disease treatment. 

•   We have to find a way to be empowered advocates for our own health. 

•   As mothers, we have to lead by example and model healthy behavior. 

•   The reception to Ezra’s in Indianapolis, a place that did not have many healthy options. 

•   People underestimate the cost of truly organic food; it’s a hard business. 

•   Why Audrey does not like the idea of fake meat as veganism becomes more popular. 

•   Small farming can help people who need meat eat higher quality products. 

•   How having six acres of land has changed Audrey’s life. 

•   Details about Audrey’s Medicine Woman program and the way it empowers women. 

•   Aubrey does not want to be an expert; she wants to guide women to their innate expertise.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ezra's Enlightened Cafe

Gaia Chef

Medicine Woman

Audrey Barron on LinkedIn

Audrey Barron on Twitter

Audrey Barron on Instagram

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Healing Through Plants with Audrey Barron

Food is medicine, but the industrialized food system has got so many of us hooked on processed, nutrient-poor food that harms rather than heals us. Audrey Barron is a medicine woman, creative talent, and owner of Ezra’s Enlightened Café in Indianapolis, a vegan, gluten-free, and 100% GMO-free restaurant. She is as passionate about plants as she is about empowering women to take back their own power and heal from the earth while trusting their intuition. Audrey is not simply hopping on the growing vegan trend; she has used plants to heal herself and, in this episode, she shares that journey with us. From struggling with a myriad of health conditions like insomnia, skin issues, and gut problems, Audrey found that eliminating certain foods from her diet and adding more plants changed her life, and the better she started feeling, the more she could learn about the healing power of plants. We talk about mainstream medicine, its approach to dealing with disease, and why this often disempowers people. Our conversation also touches on the importance of listening to your body rather than following food trends, insights into Audrey’s Medicine Woman program, and the power we all have when we listen to our intuition. Audrey's approach to plants and food is mindful, aware, and puts women back in the driver’s seat, and to get a taste of what her message is all about, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

•   Audrey’s health struggles, when they reached their peak, and her journey of healing. 

•   The improvement Audrey saw after eliminating dairy and gluten from her diet. 

•   Veganism is not necessarily right for everyone; you have to listen to your body. 

•   The stories Audrey has heard about how a changed diet has improved people’s lives. 

•   There is a disconnect between mainstream medicine and proper disease treatment. 

•   We have to find a way to be empowered advocates for our own health. 

•   As mothers, we have to lead by example and model healthy behavior. 

•   The reception to Ezra’s in Indianapolis, a place that did not have many healthy options. 

•   People underestimate the cost of truly organic food; it’s a hard business. 

•   Why Audrey does not like the idea of fake meat as veganism becomes more popular. 

•   Small farming can help people who need meat eat higher quality products. 

•   How having six acres of land has changed Audrey’s life. 

•   Details about Audrey’s Medicine Woman program and the way it empowers women. 

•   Aubrey does not want to be an expert; she wants to guide women to their innate expertise.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Ezra's Enlightened Cafe

Gaia Chef

Medicine Woman

Audrey Barron on LinkedIn

Audrey Barron on Twitter

Audrey Barron on Instagram

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Speaking up about the imperfect reality of motherhood is important to dispel the guilt and shame surrounding this topic. It’s okay to say that you need time away from your child for self-care! It’s okay not to “bounce back” after having a baby! Motherhood is an incredible thing, and we are blessed to have that experience, but it’s certainly not all perfect and wonderful. It’s a gamut of emotions, but no one talks about it. Adopting a both-and mentality is important – it’s both beautiful and difficult – as is finding the support you need and making sure not to compare yourself with others. Today we are joined by Jaya, a Healthcare Project Manager, mom of two boys, fashionista who loves yoga, spirituality, and who believes in all the connections of people through the heart and soul. Tune into this episode to hear Jaya share her experience of motherhood, both the ups and the downs, as she talks about dealing with family pressure, discovering there is no “normal”, the need for external support, and taking time for yourself. Find out what she learned between baby one to baby two, including accepting her changed body, taking the pressure off of herself to create aspirational content about motherhood for social media, and taking “perfect” representations on Instagram with a pinch of salt. Tuen in to find out more! 

Key Points From This Episode:

•    Jaya talks about the night she had her first son and the disconnect she felt with motherhood.

•    Learning to deal with family pressure to have kids and sticking to your own timeline.

•    Jaya explains that she wished she knew what she was signing up for – the imperfect reality.

•    Learning that there is no “normal”, as Jaya learned with sleep patterns or breastfeeding.

•    The shame and guilt around breastfeeding (or being unable to breastfeed).

•    It takes a village to raise a child: Jaya talks about the need for external support.

•    The issue with the lack of honest feedback and support for postpartum depression.

•    Why Jaya believes having freedom of choice is crucial – it’s okay to need time to yourself!

•    Accepting changes in your body post-pregnancy and not comparing yourself to others.

•    There is only so much you can do as a mother – to be there, you need time for yourself.

•    The value of potentially taking a break from social media as a new mom.

•    How the tides are changing on social media, with messy, imperfect representations of motherhood overtaking the curated ones.

•    Jaya has taken the pressure off of herself to create aspirational content for social media.

•    Taking what works for you from influencer’s content and leaving the rest.

•    Jaya asks Jessica what inspired her to start her organization.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jaya

Jaya’s Website

Jaya on Instagram

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Speaking up about the imperfect reality of motherhood is important to dispel the guilt and shame surrounding this topic. It’s okay to say that you need time away from your child for self-care! It’s okay not to “bounce back” after having a baby! Motherhood is an incredible thing, and we are blessed to have that experience, but it’s certainly not all perfect and wonderful. It’s a gamut of emotions, but no one talks about it. Adopting a both-and mentality is important – it’s both beautiful and difficult – as is finding the support you need and making sure not to compare yourself with others. Today we are joined by Jaya, a Healthcare Project Manager, mom of two boys, fashionista who loves yoga, spirituality, and who believes in all the connections of people through the heart and soul. Tune into this episode to hear Jaya share her experience of motherhood, both the ups and the downs, as she talks about dealing with family pressure, discovering there is no “normal”, the need for external support, and taking time for yourself. Find out what she learned between baby one to baby two, including accepting her changed body, taking the pressure off of herself to create aspirational content about motherhood for social media, and taking “perfect” representations on Instagram with a pinch of salt. Tuen in to find out more! 

Key Points From This Episode:

•    Jaya talks about the night she had her first son and the disconnect she felt with motherhood.

•    Learning to deal with family pressure to have kids and sticking to your own timeline.

•    Jaya explains that she wished she knew what she was signing up for – the imperfect reality.

•    Learning that there is no “normal”, as Jaya learned with sleep patterns or breastfeeding.

•    The shame and guilt around breastfeeding (or being unable to breastfeed).

•    It takes a village to raise a child: Jaya talks about the need for external support.

•    The issue with the lack of honest feedback and support for postpartum depression.

•    Why Jaya believes having freedom of choice is crucial – it’s okay to need time to yourself!

•    Accepting changes in your body post-pregnancy and not comparing yourself to others.

•    There is only so much you can do as a mother – to be there, you need time for yourself.

•    The value of potentially taking a break from social media as a new mom.

•    How the tides are changing on social media, with messy, imperfect representations of motherhood overtaking the curated ones.

•    Jaya has taken the pressure off of herself to create aspirational content for social media.

•    Taking what works for you from influencer’s content and leaving the rest.

•    Jaya asks Jessica what inspired her to start her organization.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Jaya

Jaya’s Website

Jaya on Instagram

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Episode : Show Notes.

Calling all parents! You’ve probably realized by now that this parenting gig is tough, but today’s guest will help put an end to all that parental suffering! Welcome to the show our guest, Michelle Gambs, who is a parent coach and psychotherapist with a degree from The University of Notre Dame. After 20 years of coaching parents, a simple philosophy emerged which she turned into the book, titled Stay Away from Option D. It gives parents permission to be imperfect, while still bringing peace to your home. In this episode, she outlines what options A to D are and why you should avoid option D. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the importance of allowing your children (and yourself) to make mistakes, filling your own cup up first, and responding rather than reacting, and Michelle explains the five basic psychological needs of children, why you shouldn’t take it personally when they misbehave, and why it’s okay to celebrate not resorting to option D. It’s easy to parents poorly, and much harder to parent well, so tune in today for some helpful advice!

Key Points From This Episode:

•    How much of Michelle’s own experience as a parent went into her book.

•    Hear what options A to D are and why you should avoid D.

•    What you can do when you do D, starting with showing remorse.

•    The importance of allowing your children (and yourself!) to make mistakes.

•    A reminder that you’re not alone: whatever you have been through, other parents have too.

•    The role of yoga and mindfulness in grounding you and helping you make better decisions.

•    Filling your cup up is key to being a good parent; you can’t exhale if you don’t inhale.

•    Reacting versus responding: reactions take no thought, responses are thought out.

•    What Michelle means when she says children will have their five basic psychological needs met no matter what.

•    Why you shouldn’t take it personally when your children misbehave; you can’t take credit for their successes and failures.

•    Michelle speaks about comparison and why she believes it is the thief of joy.

•    What options A through D look like during the morning and evening routines.

•    Michelle uses the ‘broken record’ analogy to point out when to find an alternative solution.

•    Hear a bit more about how Michelle strives to keep adapting her parenting strategies.

•    Final advice from Michelle: celebrate not doing D, because it’s hard to parent well!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Michelle Gambs on Instagram

Michelle Gambs on Facebook

Michelle Gambs on YouTube

Michelle Gambs

Stay Away from Option D

Sex is a Funny Word

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

Self-Love Collective Waitlist

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Episode : Show Notes.

Calling all parents! You’ve probably realized by now that this parenting gig is tough, but today’s guest will help put an end to all that parental suffering! Welcome to the show our guest, Michelle Gambs, who is a parent coach and psychotherapist with a degree from The University of Notre Dame. After 20 years of coaching parents, a simple philosophy emerged which she turned into the book, titled Stay Away from Option D. It gives parents permission to be imperfect, while still bringing peace to your home. In this episode, she outlines what options A to D are and why you should avoid option D. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the importance of allowing your children (and yourself) to make mistakes, filling your own cup up first, and responding rather than reacting, and Michelle explains the five basic psychological needs of children, why you shouldn’t take it personally when they misbehave, and why it’s okay to celebrate not resorting to option D. It’s easy to parents poorly, and much harder to parent well, so tune in today for some helpful advice!

Key Points From This Episode:

•    How much of Michelle’s own experience as a parent went into her book.

•    Hear what options A to D are and why you should avoid D.

•    What you can do when you do D, starting with showing remorse.

•    The importance of allowing your children (and yourself!) to make mistakes.

•    A reminder that you’re not alone: whatever you have been through, other parents have too.

•    The role of yoga and mindfulness in grounding you and helping you make better decisions.

•    Filling your cup up is key to being a good parent; you can’t exhale if you don’t inhale.

•    Reacting versus responding: reactions take no thought, responses are thought out.

•    What Michelle means when she says children will have their five basic psychological needs met no matter what.

•    Why you shouldn’t take it personally when your children misbehave; you can’t take credit for their successes and failures.

•    Michelle speaks about comparison and why she believes it is the thief of joy.

•    What options A through D look like during the morning and evening routines.

•    Michelle uses the ‘broken record’ analogy to point out when to find an alternative solution.

•    Hear a bit more about how Michelle strives to keep adapting her parenting strategies.

•    Final advice from Michelle: celebrate not doing D, because it’s hard to parent well!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Michelle Gambs on Instagram

Michelle Gambs on Facebook

Michelle Gambs on YouTube

Michelle Gambs

Stay Away from Option D

Sex is a Funny Word

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

Self-Love Collective Waitlist

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

In the age of highly-curated social media, where so many people are hellbent on showing perfection rather than reality, someone who is unafraid to speak their truth is refreshing. Dana Rebecca Gordon of Dana Rebecca Designs is known for keeping it honest on social media. Her hundreds of thousands of followers agree that showing up and sharing the small moments in life is appreciated. Dana is not only an entrepreneur; she is also a mom and all-around badass. In this episode, we talk about the challenges that come with being an entrepreneur. While it is great to be your own boss, it can often be a thankless job, and this aspect is often not openly discussed. Dana highlights the similarities between being a business owner and a mother and she shares why she thinks that the mainstream idea of balance does not actually exist. We also talk about the importance of modeling self-love for your children, given the pressures that come with social media. Dana grew up with a mother who loved her body and she acknowledges the impact it had on her. Naturally, we touch on the pandemic, and Dana talks about how, despite how difficult it has been, it has given her perspective both with her family and her business. She has shared special moments with her children and established connections with her community by talking about things that are usually off-limits. There is so much power in speaking your truth, and if you feel afraid to use your voice, our conversation with Dana will inspire you to move past that fear.  

Key Points From This Episode:

•   Get to know Dana, her background, and how she became a jewelry designer.

•   The emphasis Dana’s father placed on education despite not going to school himself.

•   Not enough people talk about the obstacles that come with being an entrepreneur.

•   There is no such thing as balance; you have to accept that something will always give.

•   The importance of taking things day-by-day rather than trying to do it all always.

•   A big lesson that Dana learned from 2020; you have to learn to let it go!

•   Similarities between being an entrepreneur and being a mom.

•   Why Dana prefers to take things one day at a time rather than looking at the big picture.

•   The thankless work of raising your teams and your children.

•   Our actions leave such a big impression on our children.

•   There are so many challenges that come with raising children in the age of social media.

•   Ways the pandemic helped Dana to reset and think differently about her family and business.

•   Why Dana has fallen in and out of love with her career multiple times.

•   What Dana has learned from being real and speaking her truth on social media.

•   Social media can distort our reality and disconnect us from the world around us.

•   Dana Rebecca’s mission to make women feel special no matter their budget.

•   What jewelry means to Dana; it’s not just the piece, it’s about the moment attached to it.

•   Coming in at price point first: how this approach is shifting jewelry purchasing.

•   What Dana would say to her daughters if they wanted to start their own business one day.

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

Self-Love Collective Waitlist

Dana Rebecca Designs

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy

Putting Your Oxygen Mask on First with Emily Nichols

Women and mothers are conditioned into believing that being exhausted and constantly busy is part of the deal. Yes, life has inevitable demands. But if you do not care for yourself, you cannot look after others. Emily Nichols is on a mission to show women how to put their own oxygen masks on first. As a self-care coach and host of the wildly successful Self Care Isn’t Selfish podcast, Emily inspires women to create habits where they prioritize their well-being once more. In today’s episode, Emily opens up about her own self-care journey that she and her husband embarked on in 2015. We hear about how the Whole30 program helped her break both physical and mental habits that were holding her back. After working on her nutrition, Emily then turned her attention to fitness and mindset. This three-tiered approach of nutrition, fitness, and mindset is the framework Emily now uses to help her clients establish their self-care routines. We also hear about her podcast and what her goals for this platform are. Taking care of ourselves helps us show up better in all that we do, so tune in today to get some inspiration from Emily’s story. 

Key Points From This Episode:

•   What Emily means when she says she wants to help women ‘put their oxygen mask on first.’

•   The reason that moms often wear exhaustion and busyness as a badge of honor.

•   Emily’s self-care journey, which started in 2015, and how she finds balance now.

•   Details about Whole30, the elimination protocol that kickstarted Emily’s health journey.

•   Food is part of so many of our experiences, so restriction is not sustainable.

•   The physical and mental benefits Emily experienced doing Whole30. 

•   What Emily’s work as a Whole30 coach entails.

•   Why Emily decided to call her podcast Self Care Isn’t Selfish.

•   Find out what Emily’s self-care routine looks like at the moment.

•   How Emily’s faith has grown over time and how it ties into her taking care of herself.

•   Emily’s approach to balance and how she finds flow in her life.

•   What Emily hopes her podcast will achieve and the message she wants to leave women with.

•   Emily’s favorite way to move her body; she loves burpees!

•   Obstacles Emily sees her clients facing when it comes to establishing a self-care routine.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Mom, Slow Down!

Jessica Nicole on Instagram

Self-Love Collective Waitlist

Emily Nichols

Emily Nichols on Instagram

Emily Nichols on Twitter

Self Care Isn’t Selfish

The Whole30

From Coffee to Wine 

Jacqueline Martinez

Orange Theory

The Zen Mommy on Instagram
the Zen Mommy