Christina Tidwell 11/15/19 Christina Tidwell 11/15/19

Live Well Podcast | Ep #64 Ending negative self-talk and self-sabotage with Kari Owens

Today on The Live Well Podcast I’m speaking with Kari Owens about ending negative self-talk and self-sabotage. You might be aware of an “inner critic” or that voice in your head that constantly chatters or maybe just shows up at inopportune moments with less than kind thoughts. That voice that tells you you aren’t enough, you aren’t worthy, or that you won’t succeed. Most of us have experienced this inner “voice,” but many do not realize the impact that this inner critic has on our overall sense of self and wellbeing. In this episode Kari speaks about the impact of this negative self talk, and what we can do to begin to shift our internal dialogue to better support ourselves.

Most of us have experienced this inner “voice,” but many do not realize the impact that this inner critic has on our overall sense of self and wellbeing. In this episode Kari speaks about the impact of this negative self talk, and what we can do to begin to shift our internal dialogue to better support ourselves.

Kari is certified as a Life & Wellness Coach, and a yoga teacher working to empower women to listen deeply to themselves. She helps women put themselves first and reconnect with their body. Kari has coached thousands of women to develop a deeper relationship with themselves and truly live the life their soul desires. Kari is the Founder of Soul Power Women, a membership community with online courses teaching women all over the world how to connect to yourself, listen more deeply to your body, and honor your soul.

You’re going to love this powerful episode!

Click here to listen in iTunes

Click here to listen in Stitcher

Show Notes:

0:00 Intro
0:57 Introducing Kari Owens
2:39 Kari speaks about her personal experience with chronic illness and mindset shifts
4:00 Kari tells us what “self-talk” means and how we can start to pay attention to our own thoughts
- “What is the impact of me not speaking kindly to myself?”
5:45 Kari encourages us to take a look at different areas of our lives where the negative self-talk is really prevalent
9:00 How finding our limiting beliefs is like finding the root cause of an illness
11:00 How we self-sabotage at a subconscious level
18:00 Kari gives action steps to identify our negative self-talk and develop our “inner listener”
- “Put down your sword, you don’t have to be at war with your negative thoughts.” We don’t have to get upset with ourselves or berate ourselves for having negative thoughts, but rather open the door for curiosity and compassion.
21:00 What it means to “self-sabotage” and how we may not even know we are doing it
29:00 How coaching helps us to understand our limiting beliefs
30:00 How to bring in more helpful self-talk and “re-wire” our brains
- Repetition is key - your brain believes what it is told the most
- Focus on a clear outcome that you want or how you want to feel
32:00 Kari goes through an example of reframing a negative thought
43:00 “Don’t think about it, be about it.” We don’t need to apply the same “hustle” mentality that we do towards work or other areas of life. The transformation can exist just in the moment as it is recognized and you can see yourself differently.
47:22 Outro

Connect with Kari

Website | Facebook | Instagram

If you loved this episode, I'd be honored for you to give me a rating on iTunes. This helps me to get content out to others who are interested in getting control of their health through diet, lifestyle shifts and personal empowerment.

If we haven't met before, I'm Christina Tidwell and I'm so excited that you're here! I am a RN & Functional Nutrition Practitioner that helps those with autoimmune disease, hormone imbalance and gut issues heal without overwhelm so you can feel better in your body in a way that honors your unique needs and feels sustainable for the rest of your life.

If you suffer from:

Fatigue and energy crashes
Brain fog
Poor digestion
Painful periods and PMS
Symptoms of autoimmunity
Stress and overwhelm

...and aren't getting the support you need, I’m here to help guide you! My job is to clear the overwhelm, help you put the pieces of the puzzle together and co-create a sustainable path forward to help you reach your goals and feel better in your amazing body. When we work together you can’t fail.

In my health & nutrition coaching programs I support you in the quest to get back into balance by listening to your story, understanding your needs, getting to the roots of imbalance in the body and co-creating a sustainable path to healing together. These sessions weave together functional nutrition and science, lived experience, breathwork, mindset shifts, and intuitive guidance for a unique and full-spectrum approach to nutrition counseling and holistic health.

I always offer free 20-minute discovery sessions to get clear on your major health concerns and identify what’s standing in your way. Click the button below to set up your free consultation and we can create a plan of action specifically for you.

Book your free discovery session

Christina Tidwell 10/28/19 Christina Tidwell 10/28/19

My evening routine for relaxation and improved sleep

My evening routine for relaxation and improved sleep! Do you struggle with winding down in the evening? Do you find yourself carrying stress from your work day? Or still holding onto your to-do list? Do your thoughts keep you from relaxing or getting to sleep? Tune into to learn how to create supportive evening routine!

A few weeks ago I shared my morning routine for increased energy and clarity. This week I’d love to share with you how to create an intentional evening routine for relaxation and improved sleep!

Do you struggle with winding down in the evening?

Do you find yourself carrying stress from your work day? Or still holding onto your to-do list?

Do your thoughts keep you from relaxing or getting to sleep?

I want you to think about what your evening looks like from the moment you arrive home, or from the moment you eat dinner onwards. What are you doing? How are you feeling? First get clear on what your typical evening looks like.

Now get clear about how you WANT to feel…

Do you want to feel relaxed, at peace, calm? Do you want to get to sleep more easily? Do you want to have a few moments for yourself?

Once you get clear on these pieces, you can move forward with creating an evening routine that will help you achieve this.

My personal evening routine for increased relaxation and improved sleep.

Ever since I started working as a RN 8 years ago, I discovered the importance of implementing a “transition” routine to move into my evening. This was born out of the necessity to let go and put aside some of the intense things I saw and experienced at work that I was carrying with me into my evening.

For me this looked like taking a shower with really nice smelling soap and burning some incense/sage while honoring what I did that day and moving on. It’s not like it erased the day but it allowed me to get into a different headspace where I was able to be present and enjoy the rest of my day before bed without replaying everything I had just done and living in the past.

As someone who works from home, I still value and utilize this transition routine as a really important way to signal that I’m done with “work” time and I am moving into my evening.

This transition from work is a simple practice that I now encourage all of my health coaching clients to implement. Most of us are busy, stressed and overworked and find it really hard to turn off. We may look forward to getting home after work all day (is it 5:00 yet?) but then proceed to check emails and carry the stress of the work day around with us consciously or unconsciously. (I say unconsciously because sometimes I would think I was just fine and would weep at a touching soft drink commercial because I hadn’t really processed my emotional stress from the previous work days. Please tell me I’m not the only one that does this?).

This stress can seep into all areas of life outside of work and affect relationships, mood, sleep quality, health and how you show up as a human in your everyday life.

This “transition from work” routine will look really different for each person. The only thing required is that you do it mindfully and with intention.

Some routine ideas to transition from work:

Change into comfortable clothing
Take a relaxing shower or bath
Burn sage or incense to clear space
Breathe in some relaxing essential oils
Deep belly breathing (watch my 4-7-8 breathing video here) for 5 minutes
Guided meditation (these are easier if you find it really hard to sit in silence after the work day.
Write down some of the most stressful things you experienced in a journal so they aren’t swirling in your head all night.
Light some candles and relax for 10 minutes
Make a cup of tea
Do some hamstring stretches to release stuck energy
Lay on your back with your legs up the wall for a few minutes

It doesn’t have to be anything long or fancy, it just has to work for you. These small shifts make the biggest difference.

Once I transition into my evening I take stock of how I’m feeling that day and what I need. If a yoga class is something I need, I do that. If resting on the couch and staring at the ceiling is something I need, I do that. If taking time to cook a nice meal is what my body is asking me for, that’s what I prioritize.

Like I spoke about with my morning routine, I have a strict technology boundary (I have to be strict or else I don’t do this one!) and put my phone away by 8-9pm. This allows me time to fully disconnect from work, social media and anything that might keep my brain going into the evening.

I also try to minimize blue light that can decrease melatonin production in the evening by reducing screen use after a certain time. I find this helps me a lot, to get a deeper sleep! I definitely love a good Netflix binge, but realize that for me TV is usually a “numbing” agent and can sometimes stop me from getting actual, real, relaxation and restoration that my body is craving. If I’m feeling really depleted and tempted to just zone out with TV all night I make sure I get some quiet time to breath and feel where my body is really at.

I love to have a relaxing herbal tea or a magnesium drink to help me wind down as well.

I’ve never been someone whose had a particularly hard time sleeping (except when on higher doses of Prednisone in the past, oof!) but I still work to make sure I set myself up for success. If I don’t get good amounts of sleep my body really, really, really feels it.

A few things I do to support sleep:

Make sure my room is really dark. Any lights on can decrease melatonin production and disrupt sleep.
Sleep with my phone outside of my room (game changer)
Spray lavender mist on my pillow for some serious relaxation
Do some 4-7-8 breathing before bed
Avoid caffeine after noon
Manage stress using journaling, breathing and meditation throughout the day

I do find with my clients that one of the most common reasons for trouble falling asleep is unmanaged stress throughout the day. So notice where you are with that, and if your circling thoughts from the day are contributing to your inability to fall asleep.

You can try journaling before bed to get the thoughts “out,” listen to a guided meditation or simply do some breathing.

Just like the morning routine, there are many different things you can bring in and it all depends on what works for you and how you want to feel in your evenings. They don’t have to be long or complex, just simple, intentional ways to help you feel how you want in your day!

PREFER TO LISTEN? TUNE INTO THE LIVE WELL PODCAST BELOW (AND DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE SO YOU'LL NEVER MISS OUT!)

Click here to listen in iTunes

Click here to listen in Stitcher

Or if you’d like to play the episode right now in your browser, use the player below:

If you suffer from:

Fatigue and energy crashes
Brain fog
Poor digestion
Painful periods and PMS
Symptoms of autoimmunity
Stress and overwhelm

Book your free Discovery Session here

Christina Tidwell 10/28/19 Christina Tidwell 10/28/19

Live Well Podcast | Ep #63 Montel Williams shares what helps him thrive with Multiple Sclerosis

Today on The Live Well Podcast I have the honor of interviewing TV-personality Montel WIlliams about his personal experience with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Montel is an amazing advocate in the autoimmune and chronic illness community and I’m absolutely honored to speak with him! Join us as we speak about the importance of being your own advocate, the holistic approaches that most helped Montel heal, and his daily mindfulness practice that helps him stay positive and thrive with chronic illness!

Today I’m honored to have TV-personality and chronic illness advocate Montel WIlliams on The Live Well Podcast to speak about his experience with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and partnership with Novartis and the MSAA on the My MS Second Act program.

Montel Williams earned his media celebrity status as an inspirational Emmy Award winning television personality whom Americans invited into their homes for more than 17 years. He is a decorated former naval officer, inspirational speaker, author, entrepreneur and advocate for patients worldwide.

Montel was diagnosed with MS in 1999, but his disease had been undiagnosed for almost 20 years before then despite flare-ups that felt like “his feet were on fire” and continuous doctors’ appointments. Montel reflects back on his diagnosis as a mixed blessing, because it taught him the importance of willpower and advocating for yourself. He urges others diagnosed with MS not to let the disease define them, and to talk to their doctor about disease progression.

Shortly after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1999, Williams established the Montel Williams MS Foundation to further the scientific study of MS, provide financial assistance to select organizations and institutions conducting research, raise national awareness, and educate the public. The MWMSF has granted over $1.5 million dollars to research and has supported a study done at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, which discovered an MS gene.

Over the years, Montel has been involved with many initiatives that are focused on improving the lives of people living with various brain impairments and injuries. He has personally participated in studies and trials surrounding non-invasive brain stimulation therapy with phenomenal results. He continues to work with researchers and the U.S. Army to further develop their findings with the hopes of helping soldiers who have experienced blast-related traumatic brain injuries.

Montel is an amazing advocate in the autoimmune and chronic illness community and I’m absolutely honored to speak with him on The Live Well Podcast!

In this interview Montel speaks about:

The importance of being your own advocate
The holistic approaches that most helped him heal
His daily mindfulness practice that helps him stay positive and thrive with chronic illness!
His project, My MS Second Act, that aims to educate the MS community about disease progression including secondary progressive MS (SPMS).

Watch the video interview below or tune into The Live Well Podcast to listen. Enjoy this powerful episode!

Click here to listen in iTunes

Click here to listen in Stitcher

Show Notes:

0:00 Intro
4:00 Montel speaks about the importance of advocacy
- “You alone own the definition of who you are.”
5:47 Montel speaks about his MS diagnosis in 1999 and how he felt being told “you’re going to be in a wheelchair in 4 years.”
- “How can you give me that prognosis when you don’t know who I was when I walked in here?”
7:30 Montel speaks about the importance of conventional and holistic methods of care when treating MS and what pieces have helped him the most.
- “You don’t go to battle with one weapon in your arsenal.”
9:30 Montel speaks to how he adapted his lifestyle to best serve his MS.
13:00 The top holistic practices that have helped Montel heal:
- Diet
- Mindful movement
14:30 Montel speaks about the individuality of MS diagnoses
16:45 Montel speaks about what gifts his disease has given him
- “It’s made me more aware and more empathetic to my fellow man no matter what their plight might be.”
17:30 Montel’s personal mindfulness and self care routine
- “What did I do today that’s worth talking about tomorrow?”
- Montel writes down this statement, reads it out loud, and journals in the evening. First thing in the morning he reads it out loud to start the day with a positive win.
22:30 Montel speaks about My MS Second Act - a project to educate and empower MS survivors and share with them the tools that give them the ability to tell their own story so they can share it with others.
26:39: Outro

In partnership with Novartis and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA), Montel has created My MS Second Act, a project that aims to educate the MS community about disease progression including secondary progressive MS (SPMS). MS doesn’t look the same for everyone. People may consider it one disease, but there are actually different forms, including the lesser known form of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). SPMS is characterized by progressive and irreversible neurological disability [1].

Around 400,000 people are living with MS in the US [2]. Of these, 80% of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), an earlier phase of the disease, have the potential to progress to SPMS [3].

The goal of My MS Second Act is to inspire individuals to be vocal and vigilant about the next phase of MS and discovery that by sharing your story you can face this “second act” with confidence, hope and a resounding voice! Download your Storytelling Toolkit Here >>

Connect with Montel

My MS Second Act Storytelling Toolkit | Talk SPMS on Facebook

If you suffer from:

Fatigue and energy crashes
Brain fog
Poor digestion
Painful periods and PMS
Symptoms of autoimmunity
Stress and overwhelm

Book your free discovery session

Christina Tidwell 10/21/19 Christina Tidwell 10/21/19

My morning routine for increased energy and less stress

What’s the first thing you do in the morning when you get out of bed? Hit snooze a few times, grab your phone, or jump straight into helping others? How do you feel when you wake up? Energized? Not fully rested? Stressed out even before the day has begun?

What’s the first thing you do in the morning when you get out of bed?

Do you hit snooze a few times, grab your phone, or jump straight into helping others?

How do you feel when you wake up?

Energized? Not fully rested? Stressed out even before the day has begun?

Many of us wake up and feel like we’re already behind.

We may have emails to answer, kids to feed, and might not even feel rested from the night’s sleep! Many mornings we’re thrown into our day and our to-do list without taking a pause.

I felt like this for years, until I intentionally created a morning routine to give me some “buffer” time at the beginning of my day.

I started small, by taking 5 minutes in the morning to breathe and decide how I wanted to feel that day. I’ve since changed and grown my morning routine and I’d love to share it with you today for some inspiration!

Many of my clients find that their stress starts the minute they wake up. Although this may have been the pattern and reality for years, it’s my goal to show you a new way and help you get curious about how an intentional morning routine can help you bring more calm and energy into your day.

My morning routine begins the evening before

I take time to look over my schedule and understand my appointments and commitments the night before so I can fully give myself time in the morning without feeling like I’m missing something.

I also sleep with my phone outside of my room and use a wake-up light as my alarm clock (I’m a Seattleite, this light is necessary for the dreary Winter months!)

Keeping my phone outside of my bedrooms allows me to fully disconnect mentally which is really important. It also reduces the EMR I’m exposed to and any lights in the bedroom which can disrupt sleep as well. I don’t touch my phone when I wake up.

When I wake up in the morning the first thoughts that flood to me are usually those of obligations I have, client issues (yes I work out how to best support my clients in my sleep too ;) ) and my long to-do list.

Instead of giving in to these thoughts straight away and grabbing my phone, I allow myself to move through my morning routine without checking my phone. We all know how easy it is to just check “one thing” and be swept up into the demands of your day! This piece is critical to my morning (and I have to be so strict with myself, it’s tough!)

I take a moment to wake up, acknowledge I’m here in this new day and get out of bed.

I first take my morning supplements that need to be taken on an empty stomach (currently taking L-glutamine to help support leaky gut) but they change. I build this into my day to make sure I get them in and move on!

From there I dedicate anywhere from 10-20 minute to a meditation. Lately, I’ve been doing guided meditations on my Insight Timer App which have felt better than silent meditation.

Create a sacred space to set the tone for the day

I get my intuition muscle working early and feel into what I need for the day. This time used to feel forced to me, but over time has become almost sacred and I really look forward to it as a way to set the tone for my entire day.

When we wake up and get thrown into our day, we get stuck in a cycle of reactivity where we only have time and space to react to what is thrown at us.

By taking this time in the morning to set the tone and intention for how I want my day to go, or how I want to feel, I become more proactive rather than reactive.

Although I don’t know what the day will hand me, this time allows me to feel calm, get present, listen to myself and my body, and feel strong, centred and empowered to face whatever does come my way.

Often times I will use essential oils or light incense or candles to help me get into the zone.

If I feel compelled afterwards I will jot down a few things that came up, or that I’m working through in a journal and that’s that!

I always make my matcha latte after that with coconut butter, matcha, cinnamon and collagen peptides to give me something with a boost of protein and fat in the morning. Sometimes I’ll eat a full meal right then, but more often than not I will drink my matcha and then an hour later have a more substantial meal. This is what works for me right now to ensure my blood sugar is balanced.

If I’m taking a shower (which happens way less than it maybe should….) I will use a dry brush before to help with detox but also just wake me up! It feels amazing and I always feel a buzz of energy afterwards.

From there I start work whether that be client sessions, prepping and creating timelines for new clients, or creating content to share with you all!

Although many of these things remain the same, I allow myself to feel into what I actually want or need that morning which might be a quick stretch, a walk outside to breathe fresh air or even an extra 20 minutes of sleep ☺

If you don’t have much time in the mornings, that’s ok…

When I was working at the hospital and was at the mercy of the bus schedule, my time constraints were a lot greater. If I was shorter on time I would make sure I work up with enough time to create a “buffer” so I didn’t feel rushed and stressed. I also did my best to prep any breakfast or lunch I needed the night before. If you don’t have much time in the morning that’s ok. You don’t need a long, fancy morning routine to reap the benefits!

I recommend setting your timer for 5 minutes, sitting with your hand on your heart, breathing and getting into the place of how you want to feel in your day. Literally, start to feel that joy rise up in your chest or feel the ease or calm you wish to cultivate melt over your shoulders. You don’t need to do this for long, but by tapping into that feeling place you are training your mind and body how you want to feel and everything else will follow.