October 2, 2025 • 53 mins
In a world that often feels heavy and uncertain, finding moments of peace can feel like a radical act of self-love. In this gentle and timely episode of Deeply Well, Devi welcomes Michelle Maros, a mindfulness teacher, author, and co-founder of Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life, for a nourishing conversation on grounding ourselves amidst global chaos.
Michelle shares the heart behind her upcoming book, Dear Friend: Daily Love Notes for Contemplation, Connection, and Clarity, a collection of reflections designed to offer quiet encouragement in loud times. Together, she and Devi explore the emotional weight many are carrying right now, and how practicing mindfulness, even in small ways, can become a lifeline for well-being.
This episode touches on mental health, the ongoing practice of authentic self-care, and the bravery it takes to remain true to yourself in a world that often asks us to shrink. Michelle’s insights remind us that showing up for ourselves, with compassion and presence, creates a ripple effect far beyond our individual lives.
If you’ve been searching for softness, for grounding, or simply a breath of calm, this episode is a warm hand on your back, gently guiding you home to yourself.
Connect @DeviBrown @MichelleMaros
Pre-Order Dear Friend by Michelle Maros, Available Everywhere November 4th.
Learn More MichelleMaros.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Holds it.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Now, release slowly again deep in, helle.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Hold release, repeating internally to yourself as you connect to
my voice. I am deeply well. I am deeply well.
(01:22):
I am deeply.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I'm Debbie Brown. And this is the Deeply Well Podcast.
Welcome to Deeply Well, a soft place to land on
your journey. A podcast for those that are curious, creative,
and ready to expand in higher consciousness and self care.
This is where we heal, this is where we transcend.
(01:54):
Thank you everyone is always so much for being here.
I'm Debbie Brown. This is deeply well. Oh Lord. The
state of the world. I'm not even trying to say
that in a funny way. The state of the world,
it's a lot. There's a lot of things. There is
(02:16):
so much, especially if you live in the US and
listen to this show. There is so much happening for us,
and so much that is unknown. And then there is
so much that is happening on the insides of us
right now. And so I just honor the fact that
all of us, myself included, my God, we're holding so
(02:41):
many things at once. And to be quite honest with you,
as a visible person and this capacity, I have no
idea how to hold all of it in a way
that is necess sssarily meaningful or supportive for you. Right now,
(03:04):
I'm doing my best, and I'm trying to understand how
God wants to use me in this moment, and I'm
waiting for those answers. But I feel like I am
understanding how to move and how to hold my personal
(03:25):
life right now, how to be with my family, how
to be in my community, how to make sure that
I am creating the space through my practices that I
need to hold both of these polarities right now. But professionally,
(03:47):
when it comes to needing to show up on Instagram,
needing to show up in all the places, I'm figuring
out what does that look like in a time like this?
What is helpful, useful, authentic? And I'm really excited for
today's episode. I feel deeply excited and inspired when I
(04:08):
have guests come on the show, because every person I
have on this show I find deeply, deeply fascinating and
interesting and meaningful to the world right now, and that's
how I choose guests and the guests that I have today.
I'm excited to explore this conversation. We're going to be
talking about her new book that's coming out in November,
(04:30):
but we're also going to be talking about what it
is to show up in this moment that is so
nuanced and layered and complex and terrifying. So I'm excited
for our guests for today. Today's guest is Michelle Merris.
(04:54):
Michelle is the co founder of the nonprofit organization Peaceful
Mind Peaceful Life Life, which is devoted to supporting mental
health and wellness through workshops, courses, and an inspiring online community.
Alongside her mom and co host Barb, Michelle brings heartfelt
conversations and actionable insights to their podcast, Life Happens with
(05:17):
Barb and Michelle. With a background in journalism and extensive
training in meditation and mindfulness, she leads workshops and seminars
at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Florida Atlantic University, and
she shares mindfulness tools with teens through the Barb Schmidt Fellowship,
empowering next generation of thought leaders and change makers. Michelle
(05:38):
has a new book debuting November fourth, Dear Friend, Daily
Love Notes for Contemplation, Connection, and Clarity. It's the Year
of Daily Reflections three hundred and sixty five gentle, heartfelt
notes to help you pause, reconnect, and nurture true self
care in just a few minutes the day, Michelle offers
(06:01):
the wisdom and encouragement of a trusted friend to keep
you grounded and inspired through life's ups and downs. Dear Friend,
is an invitation to align with your heart, build resilience,
and remember you are always worthy. Please join me and
welcome being Michelle, a devoted teacher and guide on the
(06:22):
path to living.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Thank you so much. That was super emotional listening to
you read all of that. Really, yeah, it was feeling
very emotional these days anyways, Like you were saying to
open up the show with just life and what's happening
in the world around us. But you know, as you
talked about how do you show up in the different
(06:43):
facets of your world, Hearing you talk about the book
and the work and just everything that I've been doing
up until this point, it just kind of like rushed
in and hit me. So thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Oh my gosh, what a.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Pleasure having me. I'm so excited to be here with you.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Thank you. I'm so happy to have you here. And
like I have so many things going through my mind
right now. First, like to kind of speak to like
that piece, like I can't even imagine what a tall
order it is in this exact moment to even come
up with three hundred and sixty five heartfelt notes.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
No what?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
No?
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Okay, how so where did you pull it from?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Good question? And I still am like it feels like
I blacked out and now there it is. But my
funny brain was like, oh, that'll be easier than writing
a you know, standard format book. You know, I have
had lots of ideas for books, but this one being
one as well. And I'm like, let's start here because
(07:52):
it's small chunks of writing and not fully flushed out chapters,
and maybe that'll go easier. And that was true for
a little bit until it's like, oh, you've only gotten
through March of you know, all of the days of
the year, and there's so many days, least six months,
and it makes you realize how many days there actually
are in a year. And then you know, of course
sleep day, so there's actually technically through sixty six and yeah,
(08:18):
it was it was quite a journey. Yeah, but you know,
I really pulled from things that I've written for you know,
over the past twelve years working with Peaceful Mind, Peaceful
Life and blogs and you know, stories from my own
life and lessons that I've learned and and tried to
come up with and say the things that maybe I
would have wanted someone to say to me, or have
(08:40):
had someone say to me that helped or that was
comforting or that was motivational. But there's a lot of
days in the year.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's a lot of days.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, And going through the editing, I was like, yeah,
it was a journey.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I need more, Yeah, I know, Yeah, but how amazing.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yeah, I'm glad that it's done. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
That part of the author's journey is so wild and interesting.
It really is like you just like you do reach
a point where you're like so fed up of your
own work.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yes, at the last round of edits, I was like,
it was a weird toggling back and forth because I
can I'm not a standard perfectionist, but with this I
was like, I don't want there to be in years.
I wanted this sentence to be said in the best
way that I could say it, So I I was
always excited to fine tune it. But then towards the end,
I'm like, I hate this, get this out of my face.
(09:36):
I know, I see this again. And it was funny
because I recorded the audio book a couple of months
ago and that was really the first time I had
really come back to it after sending in the last
round of edits, and it was a really interesting experience
to be like, oh, I like this, this is nice,
and the I'm you know, I found a couple typos, so.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That's oh my god, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
But it is that it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Oh I found typos in my final copy, the one
that is in stores now, and that like gives you
a certain kind of tick inside, like it just it
eats you from within and you're just like.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Ah, yep, and there's there will be typos in the
one that's printed, so you can find them, see if
you kind of I My mom is like the editor
of everything. She's just really good at spotting stuff, and
I sent her a couple of the places where I
noticed it. I'm like, do you can you find the
typo here? And she was like, where is it? So
(10:39):
it's like become a game. But but yeah, yeah, like
you know, things fall through and.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
It's okay, it's Okay, it's okay, it's okay. As I
told my seven year old last night as we were
like both crying through getting through homework, She's like, you
don't have to be perfect.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
There's no such thing exactly. Yeah, and like, you know,
make it fun. It's a game. Now, let's see what
we can find.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
And God wants it to exist. It needs to be here,
you know. So we got to trust that. We got
to trust that all the ways it comes out. And
for sure, because I hadn't been error, it's written into it.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Absolutely, Because I could be the person that's like, oh,
it's not ready, it's not ready. It's yeah, money and
then what ten years later, right, nothing's out and.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
The world needs it. Now you gotta push through. I'm
going to take a couple steps back, so I want
to share with the audience. I first met you and
your mom, Barb Schmidt. She a legend, bar peaceful Barb.
I first met the two of you when my friend
Lovey did this really amazing thing that probably could never
(11:43):
happen again now that I think of it. It was
like this once in a lifetime.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
It's like lightning in a bottle.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
I think, Yeah, lightning in a bottle. It was called
Share the Mic Now. Was this was twenty twenty, right, yep?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I believe, yeah, because it was really it came together
during George Floyd Yeah and May June.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Oh that's right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. I
remember that time span for many reasons.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I think a lot of us probably want to forget,
but it happened.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
I was like, that was the window I filed for divorce.
That was like we're stuck inside, We're in the pandemic.
I remember I had just started with Choper Global. Yes, yeah,
And so she did this this amazing initiative called called
Share the Mic Now, and so many women from different
(12:36):
worlds and walks of life, or you would think, we're partnered.
And my partner on this journey was your mama, Barb. Yeah,
and we got to I got to take over your
wildly wildly loved and popular and like cult like following
(12:58):
of the page Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life on Instagram, which
has it a beautiful community and so much inspiration can
be found there. And we were partnered and I got
to take over your page and share some thoughts and
share myself. And I remember after that like we all
had got on a zoom, like preparing to do this
(13:18):
to like meet right, because of course it was zoom.
And I remember we all got on and we just
like we were on that phone call that zoom yeap forever.
It was a deep like deep reflection, like it was
such a love fest, and the two of you invited
(13:40):
me into so much of your work after that, Like
I forget all the things that we did. It's now
five years, five years ago. I can't what no, oh
my god, but I remember you both just like, oh,
you just held me so beautifully and I got a
chance to like dip my feet in my toes into
(14:00):
your world with your beautiful community and share and do
some different things. And we've just been, you know, deeply
connected ever since. And every time I get a chance,
like every time your mom comes to town and I'm
telling you, I'm like, oh, now, like you better get
to the city we're in, like me and Barb would
(14:21):
hit the town like we would just go out for
beautiful meals and spend time. And so I say all
that to say, you know, like even in reading everything
in the bio, like I think to really speak to
the work that the two of you do and have done,
like I think you have really especially within like your
(14:42):
peaceful mind, peaceful life world. I mean, just done a
ment work to raise consciousness, so much work to get
like these practices, to get meditation to people, to get
higher awareness to people, and to also do it with
I think that through your channels and outlets, you do
(15:04):
it in a way that is so warm and so inviting,
you know. And it's hard work, you know, the work
you talk about, the work we do. It's hard stuff.
It requires you know. And I think, yeah, the way
that you both share and teach, which has me so
(15:25):
looking forward to your book because it's really done through
deep wisdom and storytelling and gentle pointing out of things
for people to really transform with, you know. And I
think now more than ever, that's the kind of work
we need. Like this is not a season to be
doing work in the style of beating yourself up in
(15:54):
any way, right, pushing yourself to the limit, you know,
like getting in your dark. That's not this season. Like
this is a season of being uplifted, of being held,
of having having new spaces to reflect so one, thank you.
That's our backstory.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
So much. We think about my mom and I talk
about it all the time. How that was such a
beautiful initiative was share the mic now, But how amazing
was it that we got to be partnered with you,
and just how aligned everything was, and all of the
beautiful messages and insights that you brought to the community,
but just that we were able to connect and stay
(16:37):
connected since then. It was such a gift during such
a you know, obviously very difficult time. And it's like
those little silver linings of difficulties sometimes are what you
have to cling to. But I also appreciate that you know,
you said that showing up for these platforms and creating
content around the spaces.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Were talk about let's talk about this because.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Especially a one and done like, ah, we did it.
It's a journey.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
And you all have millions of people on your platform,
like let's be clear, like you are your audience's multi
millions of people. And so I think I would really
love to sit with you in that, you know, like
as a teacher, as someone holding space for extremely large,
diverse community in this time, right people from all over
(17:30):
all walks of life. We're in a hard time. I
know you got a sensitive heart, right like you are. Yeah,
but not just that, I mean in the sense that, like,
you feel people deeply, and you're very vocal and honest
about the things that you see happening. This is a
(17:52):
conversation that I think a lot of us are looking
to have and don't know how to have, right Because
a lot of people right now, you'll get so many
comments from people that's just why aren't you talking about this?
Why aren't you talking about this? Or I don't agree
with that, that's wrong. I don't believe that. When you teach,
(18:14):
and when you have a platform, your work is the
work of sharing your thoughts, your beliefs, your values. It's
the work of teaching elevated consciousness, which is love, compassion, strength, resilience, practice, right,
(18:35):
fuel for the path. Like and you're a human being
on earth, alive right now, with your own life and
your own past. How do you hold space for all
of it?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
What are your thoughts on this simple, easy, easy question?
Speaker 1 (18:55):
But it's true.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
But I think another piece to all of those things
that you said, there's also the uncomfortable truth that also,
I think is what's being asked for us to talk
about in this moment of time. And I think what
you said so beautifully about we're being asked to sit
with and elevate ourselves, but also not necessarily be blinded
(19:21):
or not paying attention to what is true and what's
in front of us. And that's where I think we
get this tricky dynamic, especially on social media, of why
are you talking about this? Or you said this, but
you said that, and what do you really think it?
Because there is so much happening and so many opinions,
But it's like where it's the discernment to know where
(19:45):
where do I insert myself? Where do I maybe let
people that have more expertise speak up, and how do
I do it in a way that perhaps the most
people can hear it without being triggered or turned off immediately. Yeah,
and it's it's really hard, but I think you know,
(20:08):
which is why I always love following you and hearing
your insights. It's like starting from yourself and having the
trust within yourself to trust your intuition and know, Okay,
this is what I'm feeling right now. And you use
the word values, which I also think is so important.
It's like, what do you value? And if I value,
(20:28):
you know, the well being of all this is something
maybe that's happening, that's you know, counter to my values,
So what do I do about that? It's like I
find myself having those, you know, internal conversations all the time,
and I think also not being perfect. We were talking
about perfectionism before we hit record, and it's like not
(20:50):
being perfect about things and sometimes knowing that maybe I'm
going to say something that's not going to land or
it's going to ruffle some feathers. But you know, I'm
not trying to be a perfect human. I'm just trying
to show up and speak about things from a human experience.
But it's certainly really interesting times right now, for sure,
(21:12):
because I do think right now there is an energy
where people seem to be coming from a place where
they're committed to misunderstanding you and wanting to be ready
to like fight back. So it's hard, it's really hard.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
It's hard. It's hard, and.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
You know, like you talked about my book coming out,
I have a book coming out, and I'm not a
fearful person, but it's like when you have people behind
you that are invested in your work and you feel
that you don't want to let them down. You don't
want to do things or say things that could potentially
(21:50):
take away from some sort of success, and I've really
been struggling in that arena of like acting with an
alignment with what I've leave versus not sabotaging myself with
a project that I've been working years and years and
years on creating. So it's the dynamic is really tricky,
(22:10):
and I walk the tightrope every day.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
I think, yeah, for sure, deeply, Well, how do you
feel like you need to present?
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Like how do you think or how have you been
thinking about maybe the expectation of how you show up
versus how you want to show up? Is there alignment
between the two.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
What's interesting for me at least is I for a while,
I would get people commenting like I followed you for
you know, peace and inspiration and what you're saying isn't
that and you should stay in your own lane like
that kind of commentary.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Ah, And yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Things that are just and on peaceful mind, peaceful life.
You know, that's what happens there. You can get nice
sentiments and tools or practices or insights about life. And
I don't think you're going to find a lot of
things that are really going to trigger too many people there.
And that's great, But I think what people tend to
(23:25):
forget sometimes is like we are human beings and we're
living in this very messy world while also presenting you know,
content and this information. But I think a lot about
my values and sometimes I think about you know, I
talk a lot about finding the tiny joys in life,
and sometimes, you know, especially during COVID, if I could
(23:47):
hear a bird chirping outside my window when I was
stuck at home, I'm like, oh, that's really beautiful. That
lifts my spirits. But like the dissonance between that and
thinking about some people that are in circumstances where maybe
they don't even have that, And it's like, how can
I reconcile the suffering of so many when I'm trying
(24:09):
to share these insights, but like I don't even know
if those insights could reach those people because we're living
in such a messed up world, if that makes sense.
So it's like I often felt like this disconnect inside
myself where it's like I have to find a way
to also reach people that are truly suffering and like
acknowledge that that's real. Yeah, yeah, Like I don't want
(24:32):
to be in denial that there's a lot of really
sad stuff happening.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
So many horrifying things happening. Like, yeah, so many horrifying
things happening, and we're not built for it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
To see it. We're not in front of our faces
day in and day out. I do think that, Yeah,
we were not there.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
No humans have ever had to do that, Like we've
always gone through our things. Every generation, if you really
look back, has had their moment of their world ending
whatever that means, and to different degrees. Surely we're on
that threshold right now, right like human life as we
(25:14):
know it is completely changing. Just like that's off top.
That's not even touching politics, that's not even touching war,
Like human life, what it is to be alive, what
it is to work, like those things are fundamentally being
forever changed for the rest of human existence.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
It's wow to think about that.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
I just got shelf, Like what the rest of human
existence is changed now with AI, with technological advances, with
all of the things that we're seeing unfold. You know,
I never in my life when I was watching the
Jetsons and there were flying cars or self operating vehicles,
(26:01):
everything looked like the future. But me sitting in Santa Monica,
and one of those what are they called waymos, One
of those waymos drives by me with no one in it,
and it's an excellent driver. And I'm like, this is
just la, this is regular everyday life, like this was
supposed to look like the future. I know, it's it's insane.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
It's insane, like we are in the future, but the
future looks so different than I think maybe what we
thought it was.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Yeah, and then when we mix in, you know, almost
every country right now is having political warfare. Who isn't
I mean us in the US, I don't even know
how to begin to touch that. In France, it's happening
like everywhere, there are massive governmental changes to the systems,
(26:54):
not just the people, to the systems, to the policies,
to the all of it, you know. And so yeah,
it's just it's it's interesting. I think a lot about
other times. I think about, you know, when the world
felt like it was ending for people, you know, and
(27:14):
all the wars we've had or been a part of
in this country, when electricity came, and how different, Like
it's just so, but nothing really compares to this moment
where we're kind of having all of it at once
and we're having the elevation of consciousness like we have
absolutely never had it before on this planet.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
And so much access to so much information, yeah, all
the time. But also, like you said, with AI and
with just the Internet, it's like, how do you know
it's true? And how do you?
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Like?
Speaker 3 (27:46):
I think that's what we're grappling with a lot, where
you know, the influence people are being influenced by things
or seeing things or reading things. And you know, I
remember like back in the day, if you wanted to
know a fact about something, you like opened the encyclopedia
and like read about you know whatever, and that was like, Okay,
this is a verifiable source of information.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
And now and that's.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Exactly you had to seek it out and you know,
you knew you could trust it, and and now you know,
we're it's a blessing and a curse, I think, because
we're we have so much information at our fingertips. But
you know, obviously there's people that have intentions of sharing
things to maybe stir the pod or you know, spread
disinformation or spread you know, other nefarious things.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
And it's like, yeah, how do.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
We reconcile it all? And and you know, stay connected
to ourselves to know who we are and build the
strong foundation within ourselves to whether all of this because
I think, like you said, we've periods of time I've
always had you know, unrest and turmoil, and you know,
(28:56):
obviously we're in one now. It's like, okay, how do
we handle it and what do we want to do
with it? And I think it requires a level of consciousness,
like you said, to be like, Okay, I'm an active
participant in this world, in this life around me and
my community and my family, with my friends, Like what
is it that I want to show up with? Or
who do I want to be in this moment in time?
(29:19):
And like what is what is the intention behind it?
Like do I do I want to be someone that's
you know, being more of the solution not the problem,
And you know what does that look like? It's like
all these conversations that I have with myself or I
have with you know, the people in my life or
you know sometimes on social media too, and it's you know,
(29:40):
there's not obviously a right answer, but it's it's a
really interesting internal dialogue for sure. Ye that.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Yeah, It's just it's a dialogue that is in real
time just churning, just moving, changing form in so many ways.
So tell me specifically and I'll try to share.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Two.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
I got to come to it, But what are you doing?
How are you taking care of yourself right now? Where
have you kind of landed within yourself about how you
want to approach this moment?
Speaker 3 (30:21):
I love that question. So I think two things that
come to mind. Specifically. I did go to journalism school,
so I am like one of those people that like
loves to take an information and like find out breaking
news or like get to the bottom of things. So
(30:41):
that's kind of been my achilles heel during these times
because I can go down rabbit holes on the internet
and I'm just like, where did I Where did I
just get in?
Speaker 1 (30:51):
How did I get care?
Speaker 3 (30:53):
So but I also find that it's taught me a lot,
and so I love to learn and read about other
people's lived experiences and see like what's truly happening for
other people. So having boundaries with that for sure, to
know like when I need to take a break and
you know, come back to my own life and live
(31:15):
in my own world is has been hugely important. But
I know for myself that I really, I really am
recharged when I'm by myself and have just quiet time
and can just be and like I know, you know,
on the internet and social media you see like bedrotting
(31:36):
or like just staying at home on like a Sunday
and just being cozy. But like I those kinds of
days are where I thrive and I find if I
don't have, every once in a while a time where
I can just be lazy, you know, even though that
kind of makes me crazy because if you're taking care
of yourself, you're not being lazy, right, But like growing up,
it's like, oh, you didn't leave the house today, you
(31:59):
didn't do anything productive. Yeah, oh, so it's been letting myself,
you know, have those days, you know, where I can
just do what I need to do for myself, whether
if it's staying home and just being cozy at home
or you know, sitting on the couch with my cat,
like honoring that and not having judgment about what I
(32:20):
think it means from the outside in.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Yeah. Yeah, but it's it's it's.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
A constant checking in with myself of like what do
I need and what would help me in this moment?
And and sometimes there are little moments, you know, I
like to say a lot. You know, like my mom,
we call her the time demon because she's like she
has so much anxiety about time. I think it's from
like her younger years where she was like working in
(32:48):
McDonald's and always had to be on. But every time
I go somewhere with her, it's like we have to
leave extra extra rely, so we have like a cushion
so you're not late. And so like I've taken that
in for her, And so I got here early coming
to see you, because I'm like, can't be late. But
you know, I had some time then, No, but like
I had some time in my car where I could
(33:08):
just like say with myself and you know, not feel rush. Yeah,
I'm just like okay, I can take some deep breasts,
I can close my eyes, I can you know, listen
to music if I wanted to. And just like having
those small moments like before you go in and engage
with someone really helped me to where I'm not feeling
so scattered all the time.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
You know.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
So interesting about hearing you say that, because that is
such like honestly, that is such a like potent tool,
Like it really is, like and I am so in
alignment with that, Like I I find like I can
get a half day's worth of rest in five minutes
(33:48):
inside if I get that space and really lean into
it and I think it, and I what tends to happen?
I think with people, when you don't have practices, or
you you haven't been in a space of working with
your emotional regulation, you don't know how to spend your
(34:09):
time alone. Yes, and so even like an extra five minutes,
what am I supposed to do with this? Like the
first thing you do is get on your phone and
scroll or you know, something like that to just quote
unquote kill the time. And I think something that you
just made me realize that that's really beautiful about what
it is to be a meditator and do the work.
(34:32):
Is that training in meditation lets you really play with
time in such a fascinating way.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Like there's some times where I'll literally it's like my
little kind of playfulness with God where I'm like, God,
please let this next five minutes feel like five hours.
Let me get what I need to get in this time,
or you know, can I stretch it? Can I? Or
can you make this go a little faster? But when
(35:02):
you're in meditation, you observe times so differently, and so
really when you sink in and I always share this
when I teach meditation, of course, it's like you're looking
to get in the gap, right, like the space in
between thoughts, which usually is a second. So even if
you meditated for twenty minutes and only forgot where you
were for a second, that's the point that one second
(35:25):
is actually like doing miracles in your body. It's like
ten hours. So yeah, I feel so the same in
that it's like creating those pockets when we think that
there's not much that we can do right, or we
think we don't have this space to take on one
more self care this or and it's like no, it's
really that it's like, okay, you can build in to
(35:46):
get somewhere a few minutes early, yeah, and do nothing
and sit and be.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Or even just I was thinking about, you know, when
I used to work at corporate job, I would go
to the bathroom, you know, take a break, and you know,
some you just think you sit there and maybe you're
sitting there for a couple extra seconds just to have
your space. It's like even in those moments you can
close your eyes and breathe, you know, just go in
there and be with yourself. And it's like there are
(36:13):
these little pockets throughout a regular day where we can
just pause and not rush through them. Like you said,
maybe close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and just
like reconnect where it doesn't have to be you know,
a huge chunk of your day to get the benefits,
like you can connect and recenter and recharge with with
(36:34):
just that. And I think I love that you said
instead of like wasting away or speeding through that time,
Like how can you embrace it and use it for
you rather than you know, I mean, of course I'm
mind lessily scroll too, so like I'm not saying that's
something I'm ever going to do, but like that and yeah,
you know, just being with myself or closing my eyes
(36:57):
and it is really powerful or you.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Know that, like you know, and I think this is
so relatable for so many of us. Sometimes the day
is too overwhelming and so you pull the phone out
and you just lose yourself in the scroll for an
hour and watching something for sure, And it's like if
you want to do it, do it. When you stop
doing it, then maybe take a moment to take a
deep breath and gently massage your eyelids and you know,
(37:24):
the bone and the foundation around your eyes, your sockets,
your temples, so that you can be in your body,
so that you can also give yourself something you can
feel and don't judge your yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
You know, like I hear, oh I was my screen
time was so high and I did this, and then
it's like, okay, yeah, maybe if you if your screen
time is something that you want to work on, work
on it. But you know, if you sometimes like TikTok
will just give me the funniest videos and I'm just laughing,
and I'm like, okay, yes, screen time, my eyes are
staring at the screen for hours. But also I'm laughing
(37:59):
and I really needed that laugh. So why would I
judge myself for doing that. I'm like, Okay, that was
healing and therapeutic for what I needed in that moment.
Like I'm not going to extend that into judging myself
later and and creating like a loop of self condemnation
for doing something in the moment that was what I needed.
(38:19):
And it's like, yeah, pick your you know, it's like
mindfully or consciously choose what you're doing, like and do
it and then own it and then don't be hard
on yourself when you think you did something wrong or
that you wasted your time, because you chose it, and
you can always choose differently, you know, moment to moment.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
And I think that piece because I would challenge everyone
to like, don't judge yourself, have that moment, have the
fullness of it, and then say like if I do that,
I'm going to give myself this too. Yeah, at some
point today, at some point this week, I will take
two minutes to take deep breaths until that clock runs out.
You know, I will take a couple moments to hold
(39:04):
my own heart, massage my hands, like do something for
my body and my human being too. And I think
that that's such a some of those small, simple ways.
I think we can still kind of meet some of
those needs and not have to work so hard for
it and still do something that will incrementally grow your
(39:28):
ability to care for yourself.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (39:31):
I think what I've been trying to do in this
moment in time, I'm still figuring it out. Like I've
really been in deep prayer with God, like how do
you want to use me? Now?
Speaker 2 (39:41):
You know?
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Now that I finish my book, I still do my
all the work I do with the partners that I
have and with one on one clients. But when you
get one of your big creative things out, there is
a lot of space because it took a lot of
space to do that. So now I'm noticed saying like, oh,
I have like space for creativity, I have more space
(40:07):
for service. What do I want that service to look like?
Speaker 2 (40:11):
Now?
Speaker 1 (40:12):
I have a couple of ideas, but not all the
way sure yet, I'm really just in like communing with
God and just use me. How do you want to
use me?
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Now?
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Where do I go?
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Now?
Speaker 1 (40:23):
What does this moment need? And what do I have
to give this moment to bring to this moment? And
humanity in my life? But much like you, I really
relate to this. I've been letting myself do absolutely utterly
nothing like it. I work so much, I travel so much,
(40:46):
and I'm a mama, Yeah you know it all. Well,
it's getting done.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
But I'm I mean, now, I know I see what
I see on social media, but I'm like, oh, she's
here and there and this and that.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
But it's so amazing, thank you, It's I'm grateful. It's
many things. It requires a lot of the body and
the heart and the mind. And so I think something
I've loved now is that in some of the rest
work I've been doing with myself ever since I took
(41:21):
off my badge of busy about ten years ago, is
that I really trust that when I have nothing to do,
it's because it's God's reward for me. Like, I really
trust that. And so whereas I used to be like, Okay,
I got thirty minutes, what can I get done in
that time? And I would try to do something that
does need to get done in the house or in
(41:42):
my life. And now I say, I absolutely know I
can do that tomorrow. I absolutely know there will be
time to do that next Thursday. Take this thirty minutes
right now and sit and do absolutely nothing. And that
feels yeah. You know, I know we've been saying this
that rest is revolutionary, but it really is like something
(42:03):
to take in when you just let yourself sit and
look out a window or stare at the ceiling. It's
so true or accomplished, not a single thing deeply. Well,
your book is coming out November fourth.
Speaker 3 (42:24):
It's also my birthday, is it really? Oh that's special
my fortieth birthday. Oh, my crazy oh.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
That's a portal's.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
Plan for that. And when I got on the first
noom with my publisher, I had thought it was going
to be October and they said, okay, so pub day
is going to be November fourth, and I was like,
do you know that's my birthday and they're like, no,
so crazy. So it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
That is like very special. Yeah, that's very special by design.
Speaker 3 (42:59):
No actis so with this book.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
I mean, this is a tall order that we need
three hundred and sixty five heartfelt notes to help me. Yeah,
what is your hope for, dear friend? What is your
hope for this book? For who it reaches, for how
it makes people feel?
Speaker 3 (43:23):
So many things? You know, when we first started a
peaceful mind, peaceful life For those who don't know, my
mom's been practicing and then teaching meditation and mindfulness for
my whole life, and so growing up she taught workshops
at our local university and had you know, sat songs
and meditation groups. But also before going to school or
(43:44):
before starting the day, she would read a passage from
a book or a poem she loves poetry, or you know,
something that she had been inspired by lately. And so
that kind of set the tone for a practice for
me and for us of you know, starting the day
in inspiration, positivity, being uplifted before you know, the chaos
(44:06):
of the day unfolds, and you know, then fast forwarding
to peace of mind, peaceful life with that community of
you know, my mom coming in from her side with
all the tools that she had been practicing and studying
and teaching for all of these years. But for me,
I always felt too that it would be so amazing
(44:28):
to have a space where if people could find community
maybe if they don't have that in their everyday lives.
And this was like way back in Facebook days, so
before Instagram and all of those things, and I just
always wanted people to feel like they had to save space,
maybe feel like they were understood or could be exactly
(44:50):
who they were, or to get some inspiration or insights.
And so taking all of that with this book is
I just hope that you know it's called Dear Friend
because so many of the people that I've met online
and in social media and in real life, you know,
it's like we're friends, and this is what I would
(45:13):
say to you as a friend, but also maybe it's
something that I would want to hear from a friend
in the past. And I know that loneliness is such
a huge thing for people right now. We feel so
disconnected from each other, from large groups of people, even
from our friends, from our families, And so it's just
my hope that this book could be a friend if
you need it, could be, you know, a source of comfort,
(45:36):
or maybe you need a nudge to start a project,
or you know whatever. I hope that it meets the
reader where they are and gives them what they need
in that moment. And obviously I know that I can't
be everything to everyone, but it's just filled with with
the things that I've learned and picked up along the
way that have helped me. And I know that we
(45:56):
all are walking through this life with different perspectives and
viewing it through our own lens. But I do think
there are ties that bind us that can be you know, universal,
and so I hope that you know, whoever might need
it can feel comforted by it.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
Beautiful. When we end every episode, I ask for piece
of soul work from our guests. Oh, so that can
be a practice, that can be a reflection, that can
be a quote, but it's something to kind of integrate
the energy of what this episode is HM.
Speaker 3 (46:37):
I really like the concept of not being afraid of
what's true for you in any given moment, and not
being afraid to lean into your truth and take actions
from your truth, and maybe speak from your truth and
(46:59):
let let that practice build your confidence and your inner
strength from within. Because I do think these times that
we're living in are difficult, but I know that the
more that I listen to myself and trust myself and
follow my intuition or whatever guidance is guiding me, like,
(47:21):
I feel the strength within me build and it's like
I want to keep adding on to that. And it's
a practice, Like everything is a practice. And so what
I'm practicing is being brave and leaning into what's true
for me and not you know, I'm a recovering people,
please are. I have had a history of like caring
(47:45):
way too much about what other people think of me
and if I'm not going to be liked, and and
I really find myself pushing up against that in these
times because I know sometimes if I speak from what's
true for me, it's not going to be received by all.
How can I be okay with that? Because the practice
of doing that for me is what I needed to do.
(48:06):
And so it's that back and forth and just leaning
into the trust of it and knowing that it's that
it's okay. It's okay to not be liked by everyone.
It's okay to you know, to push back, you know,
and have feel that pushback from others, but know that
doesn't take away from my worthiness, from my worth for
(48:26):
my ability to be loved and accepted. And that's true
for everyone too. And it's like playing that game with
myself of you know, pushing forward and then internalizing it
and then being at peace with it.
Speaker 1 (48:44):
Say the first part again.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
I feel as if I'm in a practice of listening
to what's true for me, understanding what that truth equates
to as far as actions, and and trusting that it's
okay to speak my truth even if it means someone
else might not like it, or that someone else might
(49:09):
be angry, or someone else might misunderstand it. Those are
all okay, and that doesn't detract from me being a worthy,
lovable person in this world. That matters, and you know
that is true for everybody else as well.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Yeah, I love that. Get your journals everyone, because that
especially that opening sentence you said, I think is such
a powerful prompt to start like what is true for me? Now?
What is true for you? Sorry?
Speaker 3 (49:40):
No, no, just because sometimes the truth is like it
screens to us sometimes in silence, like I especially, you know,
when we started off this conversation about speaking up about things,
engaging in these conversations on social media, I found within
myself that there were times when I would sit with
myself and it just I felt the screen from within
of like, you can't be silent about this. Maybe other
(50:01):
things you can let other people tackle, but there were
issues that would rise up within me that I could
not ignore. And so that was the practice for me.
Am I going to ignore this or push it down?
Am I going to listen? I'm not going to sit
and see what is the best path, take some space
to like figure out what I want to say in
a way that's not like reactive and amped up, but
(50:23):
just like not being afraid to listen what the truth
is trying to tell me and ask for me in
this moment.
Speaker 1 (50:30):
I love that, dear friend. Daily Love Notes for contemplation,
connection and clarity is available everywhere. November fourth, your debut book,
How Can Everyone Connect With You?
Speaker 3 (50:45):
On social media. I'm at Michelle Merross our podcast as
Life Happens with Marbon Michelle and Peace of Mind. Peaceful
Life is our nonprofit that has all of the insights
and inspiration and beautiful wisdom like from people like yourself
all in all the social medias.
Speaker 1 (51:05):
Thank you so much for jank you so this is.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
So special, and I'm just so grateful for you and
all of the energy and insights and wisdom that you
put out into the world. It's so special.
Speaker 1 (51:16):
Thank you so much. Thank you, same, same, same, same,
And I can't wait, Like I love your podcast. I
can't wait to come with your podcast.
Speaker 3 (51:24):
Dabby will be on our podcast do a swap, y'all?
Speaker 1 (51:26):
Yesd Michelle, thank you so much, my friend. Thank you
for your work. Thank you for this book. I can't
wait to get it. I could use this deeply.
Speaker 3 (51:35):
It's coming to you. I've just been told that the
books are in the warehouse, so it's coming to you.
Speaker 1 (51:40):
Oh how exciting.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
Oh, the journey began, yep, the new author journey. Oh
my lord, it's a journey. Anything you need on the path. Wow. Yeah.
November fourth, Dear Friend, Daily Love Notes for contemplation, Connection clarity.
We all need a lot of that in our lives
and our hearts right now. Thank you for joining us,
(52:05):
Thank you so much, Thank you everyone, as always for listening.
Please share this episode with a friend and we'll be
back next week now Mistaydayday. The content presented on Deeply
Wells serves solely for educational and informational purposes. It should
not be considered a replacement for personalized medical or mental
(52:26):
health guidance, and does not constitute a provider patient relationship.
As always, it is advisable to consult with your healthcare
provider or health team for any specific concerns or questions
that you may have. Connect with me on social at
Debbie Brown. That's Twitter and Instagram, or you can go
(52:46):
to my website Debbie Brown dot com. And if you're
listening to the show on Apple Podcasts, don't forget. Please rate,
review and subscribe and send this episode to a friend.
Deeply Well is a production of iHeartRadio and The Black
Effect Network. It's produced by Jacquess Thomas, Samantha Timmins, and
me Debbie Brown. The Beautiful Soundbath You heard That's by
(53:09):
Jarrelen Glass from Crystal Cadence. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio,
visit the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows.
Take a deep breath in through your nose. Holds it.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Now, release slowly again deep in, helle.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Hold release, repeating internally to yourself as you connect to
my voice. I am deeply well. I am deeply well.
(01:22):
I am deeply.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I'm Debbie Brown. And this is the Deeply Well Podcast.
Welcome to Deeply Well, a soft place to land on
your journey. A podcast for those that are curious, creative,
and ready to expand in higher consciousness and self care.
This is where we heal, this is where we transcend.
(01:54):
Thank you everyone is always so much for being here.
I'm Debbie Brown. This is deeply well. Oh Lord. The
state of the world. I'm not even trying to say
that in a funny way. The state of the world,
it's a lot. There's a lot of things. There is
(02:16):
so much, especially if you live in the US and
listen to this show. There is so much happening for us,
and so much that is unknown. And then there is
so much that is happening on the insides of us
right now. And so I just honor the fact that
all of us, myself included, my God, we're holding so
(02:41):
many things at once. And to be quite honest with you,
as a visible person and this capacity, I have no
idea how to hold all of it in a way
that is necess sssarily meaningful or supportive for you. Right now,
(03:04):
I'm doing my best, and I'm trying to understand how
God wants to use me in this moment, and I'm
waiting for those answers. But I feel like I am
understanding how to move and how to hold my personal
(03:25):
life right now, how to be with my family, how
to be in my community, how to make sure that
I am creating the space through my practices that I
need to hold both of these polarities right now. But professionally,
(03:47):
when it comes to needing to show up on Instagram,
needing to show up in all the places, I'm figuring
out what does that look like in a time like this?
What is helpful, useful, authentic? And I'm really excited for
today's episode. I feel deeply excited and inspired when I
(04:08):
have guests come on the show, because every person I
have on this show I find deeply, deeply fascinating and
interesting and meaningful to the world right now, and that's
how I choose guests and the guests that I have today.
I'm excited to explore this conversation. We're going to be
talking about her new book that's coming out in November,
(04:30):
but we're also going to be talking about what it
is to show up in this moment that is so
nuanced and layered and complex and terrifying. So I'm excited
for our guests for today. Today's guest is Michelle Merris.
(04:54):
Michelle is the co founder of the nonprofit organization Peaceful
Mind Peaceful Life Life, which is devoted to supporting mental
health and wellness through workshops, courses, and an inspiring online community.
Alongside her mom and co host Barb, Michelle brings heartfelt
conversations and actionable insights to their podcast, Life Happens with
(05:17):
Barb and Michelle. With a background in journalism and extensive
training in meditation and mindfulness, she leads workshops and seminars
at Boca Raton Regional Hospital and Florida Atlantic University, and
she shares mindfulness tools with teens through the Barb Schmidt Fellowship,
empowering next generation of thought leaders and change makers. Michelle
(05:38):
has a new book debuting November fourth, Dear Friend, Daily
Love Notes for Contemplation, Connection, and Clarity. It's the Year
of Daily Reflections three hundred and sixty five gentle, heartfelt
notes to help you pause, reconnect, and nurture true self
care in just a few minutes the day, Michelle offers
(06:01):
the wisdom and encouragement of a trusted friend to keep
you grounded and inspired through life's ups and downs. Dear Friend,
is an invitation to align with your heart, build resilience,
and remember you are always worthy. Please join me and
welcome being Michelle, a devoted teacher and guide on the
(06:22):
path to living.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Thank you so much. That was super emotional listening to
you read all of that. Really, yeah, it was feeling
very emotional these days anyways, Like you were saying to
open up the show with just life and what's happening
in the world around us. But you know, as you
talked about how do you show up in the different
(06:43):
facets of your world, Hearing you talk about the book
and the work and just everything that I've been doing
up until this point, it just kind of like rushed
in and hit me. So thank you for that.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Oh my gosh, what a.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Pleasure having me. I'm so excited to be here with you.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Thank you. I'm so happy to have you here. And
like I have so many things going through my mind
right now. First, like to kind of speak to like
that piece, like I can't even imagine what a tall
order it is in this exact moment to even come
up with three hundred and sixty five heartfelt notes.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
No what?
Speaker 2 (07:27):
No?
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Okay, how so where did you pull it from?
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Good question? And I still am like it feels like
I blacked out and now there it is. But my
funny brain was like, oh, that'll be easier than writing
a you know, standard format book. You know, I have
had lots of ideas for books, but this one being
one as well. And I'm like, let's start here because
(07:52):
it's small chunks of writing and not fully flushed out chapters,
and maybe that'll go easier. And that was true for
a little bit until it's like, oh, you've only gotten
through March of you know, all of the days of
the year, and there's so many days, least six months,
and it makes you realize how many days there actually
are in a year. And then you know, of course
sleep day, so there's actually technically through sixty six and yeah,
(08:18):
it was it was quite a journey. Yeah, but you know,
I really pulled from things that I've written for you know,
over the past twelve years working with Peaceful Mind, Peaceful
Life and blogs and you know, stories from my own
life and lessons that I've learned and and tried to
come up with and say the things that maybe I
would have wanted someone to say to me, or have
(08:40):
had someone say to me that helped or that was
comforting or that was motivational. But there's a lot of
days in the year.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's a lot of days.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, And going through the editing, I was like, yeah,
it was a journey.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I need more, Yeah, I know, Yeah, but how amazing.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Yeah, I'm glad that it's done. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
That part of the author's journey is so wild and interesting.
It really is like you just like you do reach
a point where you're like so fed up of your
own work.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yes, at the last round of edits, I was like,
it was a weird toggling back and forth because I
can I'm not a standard perfectionist, but with this I
was like, I don't want there to be in years.
I wanted this sentence to be said in the best
way that I could say it, So I I was
always excited to fine tune it. But then towards the end,
I'm like, I hate this, get this out of my face.
(09:36):
I know, I see this again. And it was funny
because I recorded the audio book a couple of months
ago and that was really the first time I had
really come back to it after sending in the last
round of edits, and it was a really interesting experience
to be like, oh, I like this, this is nice,
and the I'm you know, I found a couple typos, so.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
That's oh my god, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
But it is that it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Oh I found typos in my final copy, the one
that is in stores now, and that like gives you
a certain kind of tick inside, like it just it
eats you from within and you're just like.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Ah, yep, and there's there will be typos in the
one that's printed, so you can find them, see if
you kind of I My mom is like the editor
of everything. She's just really good at spotting stuff, and
I sent her a couple of the places where I
noticed it. I'm like, do you can you find the
typo here? And she was like, where is it? So
(10:39):
it's like become a game. But but yeah, yeah, like
you know, things fall through and.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
It's okay, it's Okay, it's okay, it's okay. As I
told my seven year old last night as we were
like both crying through getting through homework, She's like, you
don't have to be perfect.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
There's no such thing exactly. Yeah, and like, you know,
make it fun. It's a game. Now, let's see what
we can find.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
And God wants it to exist. It needs to be here,
you know. So we got to trust that. We got
to trust that all the ways it comes out. And
for sure, because I hadn't been error, it's written into it.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Absolutely, Because I could be the person that's like, oh,
it's not ready, it's not ready. It's yeah, money and
then what ten years later, right, nothing's out and.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
The world needs it. Now you gotta push through. I'm
going to take a couple steps back, so I want
to share with the audience. I first met you and
your mom, Barb Schmidt. She a legend, bar peaceful Barb.
I first met the two of you when my friend
Lovey did this really amazing thing that probably could never
(11:43):
happen again now that I think of it. It was
like this once in a lifetime.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
It's like lightning in a bottle.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
I think, Yeah, lightning in a bottle. It was called
Share the Mic Now. Was this was twenty twenty, right, yep?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I believe, yeah, because it was really it came together
during George Floyd Yeah and May June.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Oh that's right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. I
remember that time span for many reasons.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
I think a lot of us probably want to forget,
but it happened.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
I was like, that was the window I filed for divorce.
That was like we're stuck inside, We're in the pandemic.
I remember I had just started with Choper Global. Yes, yeah,
And so she did this this amazing initiative called called
Share the Mic Now, and so many women from different
(12:36):
worlds and walks of life, or you would think, we're partnered.
And my partner on this journey was your mama, Barb. Yeah,
and we got to I got to take over your
wildly wildly loved and popular and like cult like following
(12:58):
of the page Peaceful Mind Peaceful Life on Instagram, which
has it a beautiful community and so much inspiration can
be found there. And we were partnered and I got
to take over your page and share some thoughts and
share myself. And I remember after that like we all
had got on a zoom, like preparing to do this
(13:18):
to like meet right, because of course it was zoom.
And I remember we all got on and we just
like we were on that phone call that zoom yeap forever.
It was a deep like deep reflection, like it was
such a love fest, and the two of you invited
(13:40):
me into so much of your work after that, Like
I forget all the things that we did. It's now
five years, five years ago. I can't what no, oh
my god, but I remember you both just like, oh,
you just held me so beautifully and I got a
chance to like dip my feet in my toes into
(14:00):
your world with your beautiful community and share and do
some different things. And we've just been, you know, deeply
connected ever since. And every time I get a chance,
like every time your mom comes to town and I'm
telling you, I'm like, oh, now, like you better get
to the city we're in, like me and Barb would
(14:21):
hit the town like we would just go out for
beautiful meals and spend time. And so I say all
that to say, you know, like even in reading everything
in the bio, like I think to really speak to
the work that the two of you do and have done,
like I think you have really especially within like your
(14:42):
peaceful mind, peaceful life world. I mean, just done a
ment work to raise consciousness, so much work to get
like these practices, to get meditation to people, to get
higher awareness to people, and to also do it with
I think that through your channels and outlets, you do
(15:04):
it in a way that is so warm and so inviting,
you know. And it's hard work, you know, the work
you talk about, the work we do. It's hard stuff.
It requires you know. And I think, yeah, the way
that you both share and teach, which has me so
(15:25):
looking forward to your book because it's really done through
deep wisdom and storytelling and gentle pointing out of things
for people to really transform with, you know. And I
think now more than ever, that's the kind of work
we need. Like this is not a season to be
doing work in the style of beating yourself up in
(15:54):
any way, right, pushing yourself to the limit, you know,
like getting in your dark. That's not this season. Like
this is a season of being uplifted, of being held,
of having having new spaces to reflect so one, thank you.
That's our backstory.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
So much. We think about my mom and I talk
about it all the time. How that was such a
beautiful initiative was share the mic now, But how amazing
was it that we got to be partnered with you,
and just how aligned everything was, and all of the
beautiful messages and insights that you brought to the community,
but just that we were able to connect and stay
(16:37):
connected since then. It was such a gift during such
a you know, obviously very difficult time. And it's like
those little silver linings of difficulties sometimes are what you
have to cling to. But I also appreciate that you know,
you said that showing up for these platforms and creating
content around the spaces.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Were talk about let's talk about this because.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
Especially a one and done like, ah, we did it.
It's a journey.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
And you all have millions of people on your platform,
like let's be clear, like you are your audience's multi
millions of people. And so I think I would really
love to sit with you in that, you know, like
as a teacher, as someone holding space for extremely large,
diverse community in this time, right people from all over
(17:30):
all walks of life. We're in a hard time. I
know you got a sensitive heart, right like you are. Yeah,
but not just that, I mean in the sense that, like,
you feel people deeply, and you're very vocal and honest
about the things that you see happening. This is a
(17:52):
conversation that I think a lot of us are looking
to have and don't know how to have, right Because
a lot of people right now, you'll get so many
comments from people that's just why aren't you talking about this?
Why aren't you talking about this? Or I don't agree
with that, that's wrong. I don't believe that. When you teach,
(18:14):
and when you have a platform, your work is the
work of sharing your thoughts, your beliefs, your values. It's
the work of teaching elevated consciousness, which is love, compassion, strength, resilience, practice, right,
(18:35):
fuel for the path. Like and you're a human being
on earth, alive right now, with your own life and
your own past. How do you hold space for all
of it?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
What are your thoughts on this simple, easy, easy question?
Speaker 1 (18:55):
But it's true.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
But I think another piece to all of those things
that you said, there's also the uncomfortable truth that also,
I think is what's being asked for us to talk
about in this moment of time. And I think what
you said so beautifully about we're being asked to sit
with and elevate ourselves, but also not necessarily be blinded
(19:21):
or not paying attention to what is true and what's
in front of us. And that's where I think we
get this tricky dynamic, especially on social media, of why
are you talking about this? Or you said this, but
you said that, and what do you really think it?
Because there is so much happening and so many opinions,
But it's like where it's the discernment to know where
(19:45):
where do I insert myself? Where do I maybe let
people that have more expertise speak up, and how do
I do it in a way that perhaps the most
people can hear it without being triggered or turned off immediately. Yeah,
and it's it's really hard, but I think you know,
(20:08):
which is why I always love following you and hearing
your insights. It's like starting from yourself and having the
trust within yourself to trust your intuition and know, Okay,
this is what I'm feeling right now. And you use
the word values, which I also think is so important.
It's like, what do you value? And if I value,
(20:28):
you know, the well being of all this is something
maybe that's happening, that's you know, counter to my values,
So what do I do about that? It's like I
find myself having those, you know, internal conversations all the time,
and I think also not being perfect. We were talking
about perfectionism before we hit record, and it's like not
(20:50):
being perfect about things and sometimes knowing that maybe I'm
going to say something that's not going to land or
it's going to ruffle some feathers. But you know, I'm
not trying to be a perfect human. I'm just trying
to show up and speak about things from a human experience.
But it's certainly really interesting times right now, for sure,
(21:12):
because I do think right now there is an energy
where people seem to be coming from a place where
they're committed to misunderstanding you and wanting to be ready
to like fight back. So it's hard, it's really hard.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
It's hard. It's hard, and.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
You know, like you talked about my book coming out,
I have a book coming out, and I'm not a
fearful person, but it's like when you have people behind
you that are invested in your work and you feel
that you don't want to let them down. You don't
want to do things or say things that could potentially
(21:50):
take away from some sort of success, and I've really
been struggling in that arena of like acting with an
alignment with what I've leave versus not sabotaging myself with
a project that I've been working years and years and
years on creating. So it's the dynamic is really tricky,
(22:10):
and I walk the tightrope every day.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
I think, yeah, for sure, deeply, Well, how do you
feel like you need to present?
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Like how do you think or how have you been
thinking about maybe the expectation of how you show up
versus how you want to show up? Is there alignment
between the two.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
What's interesting for me at least is I for a while,
I would get people commenting like I followed you for
you know, peace and inspiration and what you're saying isn't
that and you should stay in your own lane like
that kind of commentary.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
Ah, And yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Things that are just and on peaceful mind, peaceful life.
You know, that's what happens there. You can get nice
sentiments and tools or practices or insights about life. And
I don't think you're going to find a lot of
things that are really going to trigger too many people there.
And that's great, But I think what people tend to
(23:25):
forget sometimes is like we are human beings and we're
living in this very messy world while also presenting you know,
content and this information. But I think a lot about
my values and sometimes I think about you know, I
talk a lot about finding the tiny joys in life,
and sometimes, you know, especially during COVID, if I could
(23:47):
hear a bird chirping outside my window when I was
stuck at home, I'm like, oh, that's really beautiful. That
lifts my spirits. But like the dissonance between that and
thinking about some people that are in circumstances where maybe
they don't even have that, And it's like, how can
I reconcile the suffering of so many when I'm trying
(24:09):
to share these insights, but like I don't even know
if those insights could reach those people because we're living
in such a messed up world, if that makes sense.
So it's like I often felt like this disconnect inside
myself where it's like I have to find a way
to also reach people that are truly suffering and like
acknowledge that that's real. Yeah, yeah, Like I don't want
(24:32):
to be in denial that there's a lot of really
sad stuff happening.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
So many horrifying things happening. Like, yeah, so many horrifying
things happening, and we're not built for it.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
To see it. We're not in front of our faces
day in and day out. I do think that, Yeah,
we were not there.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
No humans have ever had to do that, Like we've
always gone through our things. Every generation, if you really
look back, has had their moment of their world ending
whatever that means, and to different degrees. Surely we're on
that threshold right now, right like human life as we
(25:14):
know it is completely changing. Just like that's off top.
That's not even touching politics, that's not even touching war,
Like human life, what it is to be alive, what
it is to work, like those things are fundamentally being
forever changed for the rest of human existence.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
It's wow to think about that.
Speaker 1 (25:37):
I just got shelf, Like what the rest of human
existence is changed now with AI, with technological advances, with
all of the things that we're seeing unfold. You know,
I never in my life when I was watching the
Jetsons and there were flying cars or self operating vehicles,
(26:01):
everything looked like the future. But me sitting in Santa Monica,
and one of those what are they called waymos, One
of those waymos drives by me with no one in it,
and it's an excellent driver. And I'm like, this is
just la, this is regular everyday life, like this was
supposed to look like the future. I know, it's it's insane.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
It's insane, like we are in the future, but the
future looks so different than I think maybe what we
thought it was.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Yeah, and then when we mix in, you know, almost
every country right now is having political warfare. Who isn't
I mean us in the US, I don't even know
how to begin to touch that. In France, it's happening
like everywhere, there are massive governmental changes to the systems,
(26:54):
not just the people, to the systems, to the policies,
to the all of it, you know. And so yeah,
it's just it's it's interesting. I think a lot about
other times. I think about, you know, when the world
felt like it was ending for people, you know, and
(27:14):
all the wars we've had or been a part of
in this country, when electricity came, and how different, Like
it's just so, but nothing really compares to this moment
where we're kind of having all of it at once
and we're having the elevation of consciousness like we have
absolutely never had it before on this planet.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
And so much access to so much information, yeah, all
the time. But also, like you said, with AI and
with just the Internet, it's like, how do you know
it's true? And how do you?
Speaker 2 (27:45):
Like?
Speaker 3 (27:46):
I think that's what we're grappling with a lot, where
you know, the influence people are being influenced by things
or seeing things or reading things. And you know, I
remember like back in the day, if you wanted to
know a fact about something, you like opened the encyclopedia
and like read about you know whatever, and that was like, Okay,
this is a verifiable source of information.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
And now and that's.
Speaker 3 (28:11):
Exactly you had to seek it out and you know,
you knew you could trust it, and and now you know,
we're it's a blessing and a curse, I think, because
we're we have so much information at our fingertips. But
you know, obviously there's people that have intentions of sharing
things to maybe stir the pod or you know, spread
disinformation or spread you know, other nefarious things.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
And it's like, yeah, how do.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
We reconcile it all? And and you know, stay connected
to ourselves to know who we are and build the
strong foundation within ourselves to whether all of this because
I think, like you said, we've periods of time I've
always had you know, unrest and turmoil, and you know,
(28:56):
obviously we're in one now. It's like, okay, how do
we handle it and what do we want to do
with it? And I think it requires a level of consciousness,
like you said, to be like, Okay, I'm an active
participant in this world, in this life around me and
my community and my family, with my friends, Like what
is it that I want to show up with? Or
who do I want to be in this moment in time?
(29:19):
And like what is what is the intention behind it?
Like do I do I want to be someone that's
you know, being more of the solution not the problem,
And you know what does that look like? It's like
all these conversations that I have with myself or I
have with you know, the people in my life or
you know sometimes on social media too, and it's you know,
(29:40):
there's not obviously a right answer, but it's it's a
really interesting internal dialogue for sure. Ye that.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Yeah, It's just it's a dialogue that is in real
time just churning, just moving, changing form in so many ways.
So tell me specifically and I'll try to share.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Two.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
I got to come to it, But what are you doing?
How are you taking care of yourself right now? Where
have you kind of landed within yourself about how you
want to approach this moment?
Speaker 3 (30:21):
I love that question. So I think two things that
come to mind. Specifically. I did go to journalism school,
so I am like one of those people that like
loves to take an information and like find out breaking
news or like get to the bottom of things. So
(30:41):
that's kind of been my achilles heel during these times
because I can go down rabbit holes on the internet
and I'm just like, where did I Where did I
just get in?
Speaker 1 (30:51):
How did I get care?
Speaker 3 (30:53):
So but I also find that it's taught me a lot,
and so I love to learn and read about other
people's lived experiences and see like what's truly happening for
other people. So having boundaries with that for sure, to
know like when I need to take a break and
you know, come back to my own life and live
(31:15):
in my own world is has been hugely important. But
I know for myself that I really, I really am
recharged when I'm by myself and have just quiet time
and can just be and like I know, you know,
on the internet and social media you see like bedrotting
(31:36):
or like just staying at home on like a Sunday
and just being cozy. But like I those kinds of
days are where I thrive and I find if I
don't have, every once in a while a time where
I can just be lazy, you know, even though that
kind of makes me crazy because if you're taking care
of yourself, you're not being lazy, right, But like growing up,
it's like, oh, you didn't leave the house today, you
(31:59):
didn't do anything productive. Yeah, oh, so it's been letting myself,
you know, have those days, you know, where I can
just do what I need to do for myself, whether
if it's staying home and just being cozy at home
or you know, sitting on the couch with my cat,
like honoring that and not having judgment about what I
(32:20):
think it means from the outside in.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
Yeah. Yeah, but it's it's it's.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
A constant checking in with myself of like what do
I need and what would help me in this moment?
And and sometimes there are little moments, you know, I
like to say a lot. You know, like my mom,
we call her the time demon because she's like she
has so much anxiety about time. I think it's from
like her younger years where she was like working in
(32:48):
McDonald's and always had to be on. But every time
I go somewhere with her, it's like we have to
leave extra extra rely, so we have like a cushion
so you're not late. And so like I've taken that
in for her, And so I got here early coming
to see you, because I'm like, can't be late. But
you know, I had some time then, No, but like
I had some time in my car where I could
(33:08):
just like say with myself and you know, not feel rush. Yeah,
I'm just like okay, I can take some deep breasts,
I can close my eyes, I can you know, listen
to music if I wanted to. And just like having
those small moments like before you go in and engage
with someone really helped me to where I'm not feeling
so scattered all the time.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
You know.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
So interesting about hearing you say that, because that is
such like honestly, that is such a like potent tool,
Like it really is, like and I am so in
alignment with that, Like I I find like I can
get a half day's worth of rest in five minutes
(33:48):
inside if I get that space and really lean into
it and I think it, and I what tends to happen?
I think with people, when you don't have practices, or
you you haven't been in a space of working with
your emotional regulation, you don't know how to spend your
(34:09):
time alone. Yes, and so even like an extra five minutes,
what am I supposed to do with this? Like the
first thing you do is get on your phone and
scroll or you know, something like that to just quote
unquote kill the time. And I think something that you
just made me realize that that's really beautiful about what
it is to be a meditator and do the work.
(34:32):
Is that training in meditation lets you really play with
time in such a fascinating way.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Like there's some times where I'll literally it's like my
little kind of playfulness with God where I'm like, God,
please let this next five minutes feel like five hours.
Let me get what I need to get in this time,
or you know, can I stretch it? Can I? Or
can you make this go a little faster? But when
(35:02):
you're in meditation, you observe times so differently, and so
really when you sink in and I always share this
when I teach meditation, of course, it's like you're looking
to get in the gap, right, like the space in
between thoughts, which usually is a second. So even if
you meditated for twenty minutes and only forgot where you
were for a second, that's the point that one second
(35:25):
is actually like doing miracles in your body. It's like
ten hours. So yeah, I feel so the same in
that it's like creating those pockets when we think that
there's not much that we can do right, or we
think we don't have this space to take on one
more self care this or and it's like no, it's
really that it's like, okay, you can build in to
(35:46):
get somewhere a few minutes early, yeah, and do nothing
and sit and be.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Or even just I was thinking about, you know, when
I used to work at corporate job, I would go
to the bathroom, you know, take a break, and you know,
some you just think you sit there and maybe you're
sitting there for a couple extra seconds just to have
your space. It's like even in those moments you can
close your eyes and breathe, you know, just go in
there and be with yourself. And it's like there are
(36:13):
these little pockets throughout a regular day where we can
just pause and not rush through them. Like you said,
maybe close your eyes, take some deep breaths, and just
like reconnect where it doesn't have to be you know,
a huge chunk of your day to get the benefits,
like you can connect and recenter and recharge with with
(36:34):
just that. And I think I love that you said
instead of like wasting away or speeding through that time,
Like how can you embrace it and use it for
you rather than you know, I mean, of course I'm
mind lessily scroll too, so like I'm not saying that's
something I'm ever going to do, but like that and yeah,
you know, just being with myself or closing my eyes
(36:57):
and it is really powerful or you.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Know that, like you know, and I think this is
so relatable for so many of us. Sometimes the day
is too overwhelming and so you pull the phone out
and you just lose yourself in the scroll for an
hour and watching something for sure, And it's like if
you want to do it, do it. When you stop
doing it, then maybe take a moment to take a
deep breath and gently massage your eyelids and you know,
(37:24):
the bone and the foundation around your eyes, your sockets,
your temples, so that you can be in your body,
so that you can also give yourself something you can
feel and don't judge your yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
You know, like I hear, oh I was my screen
time was so high and I did this, and then
it's like, okay, yeah, maybe if you if your screen
time is something that you want to work on, work
on it. But you know, if you sometimes like TikTok
will just give me the funniest videos and I'm just laughing,
and I'm like, okay, yes, screen time, my eyes are
staring at the screen for hours. But also I'm laughing
(37:59):
and I really needed that laugh. So why would I
judge myself for doing that. I'm like, Okay, that was
healing and therapeutic for what I needed in that moment.
Like I'm not going to extend that into judging myself
later and and creating like a loop of self condemnation
for doing something in the moment that was what I needed.
(38:19):
And it's like, yeah, pick your you know, it's like
mindfully or consciously choose what you're doing, like and do
it and then own it and then don't be hard
on yourself when you think you did something wrong or
that you wasted your time, because you chose it, and
you can always choose differently, you know, moment to moment.
Speaker 1 (38:41):
And I think that piece because I would challenge everyone
to like, don't judge yourself, have that moment, have the
fullness of it, and then say like if I do that,
I'm going to give myself this too. Yeah, at some
point today, at some point this week, I will take
two minutes to take deep breaths until that clock runs out.
You know, I will take a couple moments to hold
(39:04):
my own heart, massage my hands, like do something for
my body and my human being too. And I think
that that's such a some of those small, simple ways.
I think we can still kind of meet some of
those needs and not have to work so hard for
it and still do something that will incrementally grow your
(39:28):
ability to care for yourself.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (39:31):
I think what I've been trying to do in this
moment in time, I'm still figuring it out. Like I've
really been in deep prayer with God, like how do
you want to use me? Now?
Speaker 2 (39:41):
You know?
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Now that I finish my book, I still do my
all the work I do with the partners that I
have and with one on one clients. But when you
get one of your big creative things out, there is
a lot of space because it took a lot of
space to do that. So now I'm noticed saying like, oh,
I have like space for creativity, I have more space
(40:07):
for service. What do I want that service to look like?
Speaker 2 (40:11):
Now?
Speaker 1 (40:12):
I have a couple of ideas, but not all the
way sure yet, I'm really just in like communing with
God and just use me. How do you want to
use me?
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Now?
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Where do I go?
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Now?
Speaker 1 (40:23):
What does this moment need? And what do I have
to give this moment to bring to this moment? And
humanity in my life? But much like you, I really
relate to this. I've been letting myself do absolutely utterly
nothing like it. I work so much, I travel so much,
(40:46):
and I'm a mama, Yeah you know it all. Well,
it's getting done.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
But I'm I mean, now, I know I see what
I see on social media, but I'm like, oh, she's
here and there and this and that.
Speaker 1 (41:00):
But it's so amazing, thank you, It's I'm grateful. It's
many things. It requires a lot of the body and
the heart and the mind. And so I think something
I've loved now is that in some of the rest
work I've been doing with myself ever since I took
(41:21):
off my badge of busy about ten years ago, is
that I really trust that when I have nothing to do,
it's because it's God's reward for me. Like, I really
trust that. And so whereas I used to be like, Okay,
I got thirty minutes, what can I get done in
that time? And I would try to do something that
does need to get done in the house or in
(41:42):
my life. And now I say, I absolutely know I
can do that tomorrow. I absolutely know there will be
time to do that next Thursday. Take this thirty minutes
right now and sit and do absolutely nothing. And that
feels yeah. You know, I know we've been saying this
that rest is revolutionary, but it really is like something
(42:03):
to take in when you just let yourself sit and
look out a window or stare at the ceiling. It's
so true or accomplished, not a single thing deeply. Well,
your book is coming out November fourth.
Speaker 3 (42:24):
It's also my birthday, is it really? Oh that's special
my fortieth birthday. Oh, my crazy oh.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
That's a portal's.
Speaker 3 (42:34):
Plan for that. And when I got on the first
noom with my publisher, I had thought it was going
to be October and they said, okay, so pub day
is going to be November fourth, and I was like,
do you know that's my birthday and they're like, no,
so crazy. So it's a lot.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
That is like very special. Yeah, that's very special by design.
Speaker 3 (42:59):
No actis so with this book.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
I mean, this is a tall order that we need
three hundred and sixty five heartfelt notes to help me. Yeah,
what is your hope for, dear friend? What is your
hope for this book? For who it reaches, for how
it makes people feel?
Speaker 3 (43:23):
So many things? You know, when we first started a
peaceful mind, peaceful life For those who don't know, my
mom's been practicing and then teaching meditation and mindfulness for
my whole life, and so growing up she taught workshops
at our local university and had you know, sat songs
and meditation groups. But also before going to school or
(43:44):
before starting the day, she would read a passage from
a book or a poem she loves poetry, or you know,
something that she had been inspired by lately. And so
that kind of set the tone for a practice for
me and for us of you know, starting the day
in inspiration, positivity, being uplifted before you know, the chaos
(44:06):
of the day unfolds, and you know, then fast forwarding
to peace of mind, peaceful life with that community of
you know, my mom coming in from her side with
all the tools that she had been practicing and studying
and teaching for all of these years. But for me,
I always felt too that it would be so amazing
(44:28):
to have a space where if people could find community
maybe if they don't have that in their everyday lives.
And this was like way back in Facebook days, so
before Instagram and all of those things, and I just
always wanted people to feel like they had to save space,
maybe feel like they were understood or could be exactly
(44:50):
who they were, or to get some inspiration or insights.
And so taking all of that with this book is
I just hope that you know it's called Dear Friend
because so many of the people that I've met online
and in social media and in real life, you know,
it's like we're friends, and this is what I would
(45:13):
say to you as a friend, but also maybe it's
something that I would want to hear from a friend
in the past. And I know that loneliness is such
a huge thing for people right now. We feel so
disconnected from each other, from large groups of people, even
from our friends, from our families, And so it's just
my hope that this book could be a friend if
you need it, could be, you know, a source of comfort,
(45:36):
or maybe you need a nudge to start a project,
or you know whatever. I hope that it meets the
reader where they are and gives them what they need
in that moment. And obviously I know that I can't
be everything to everyone, but it's just filled with with
the things that I've learned and picked up along the
way that have helped me. And I know that we
(45:56):
all are walking through this life with different perspectives and
viewing it through our own lens. But I do think
there are ties that bind us that can be you know, universal,
and so I hope that you know, whoever might need
it can feel comforted by it.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
Beautiful. When we end every episode, I ask for piece
of soul work from our guests. Oh, so that can
be a practice, that can be a reflection, that can
be a quote, but it's something to kind of integrate
the energy of what this episode is HM.
Speaker 3 (46:37):
I really like the concept of not being afraid of
what's true for you in any given moment, and not
being afraid to lean into your truth and take actions
from your truth, and maybe speak from your truth and
(46:59):
let let that practice build your confidence and your inner
strength from within. Because I do think these times that
we're living in are difficult, but I know that the
more that I listen to myself and trust myself and
follow my intuition or whatever guidance is guiding me, like,
(47:21):
I feel the strength within me build and it's like
I want to keep adding on to that. And it's
a practice, Like everything is a practice. And so what
I'm practicing is being brave and leaning into what's true
for me and not you know, I'm a recovering people,
please are. I have had a history of like caring
(47:45):
way too much about what other people think of me
and if I'm not going to be liked, and and
I really find myself pushing up against that in these
times because I know sometimes if I speak from what's
true for me, it's not going to be received by all.
How can I be okay with that? Because the practice
of doing that for me is what I needed to do.
(48:06):
And so it's that back and forth and just leaning
into the trust of it and knowing that it's that
it's okay. It's okay to not be liked by everyone.
It's okay to you know, to push back, you know,
and have feel that pushback from others, but know that
doesn't take away from my worthiness, from my worth for
(48:26):
my ability to be loved and accepted. And that's true
for everyone too. And it's like playing that game with
myself of you know, pushing forward and then internalizing it
and then being at peace with it.
Speaker 1 (48:44):
Say the first part again.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
I feel as if I'm in a practice of listening
to what's true for me, understanding what that truth equates
to as far as actions, and and trusting that it's
okay to speak my truth even if it means someone
else might not like it, or that someone else might
(49:09):
be angry, or someone else might misunderstand it. Those are
all okay, and that doesn't detract from me being a worthy,
lovable person in this world. That matters, and you know
that is true for everybody else as well.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Yeah, I love that. Get your journals everyone, because that
especially that opening sentence you said, I think is such
a powerful prompt to start like what is true for me? Now?
What is true for you? Sorry?
Speaker 3 (49:40):
No, no, just because sometimes the truth is like it
screens to us sometimes in silence, like I especially, you know,
when we started off this conversation about speaking up about things,
engaging in these conversations on social media, I found within
myself that there were times when I would sit with
myself and it just I felt the screen from within
of like, you can't be silent about this. Maybe other
(50:01):
things you can let other people tackle, but there were
issues that would rise up within me that I could
not ignore. And so that was the practice for me.
Am I going to ignore this or push it down?
Am I going to listen? I'm not going to sit
and see what is the best path, take some space
to like figure out what I want to say in
a way that's not like reactive and amped up, but
(50:23):
just like not being afraid to listen what the truth
is trying to tell me and ask for me in
this moment.
Speaker 1 (50:30):
I love that, dear friend. Daily Love Notes for contemplation,
connection and clarity is available everywhere. November fourth, your debut book,
How Can Everyone Connect With You?
Speaker 3 (50:45):
On social media. I'm at Michelle Merross our podcast as
Life Happens with Marbon Michelle and Peace of Mind. Peaceful
Life is our nonprofit that has all of the insights
and inspiration and beautiful wisdom like from people like yourself
all in all the social medias.
Speaker 1 (51:05):
Thank you so much for jank you so this is.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
So special, and I'm just so grateful for you and
all of the energy and insights and wisdom that you
put out into the world. It's so special.
Speaker 1 (51:16):
Thank you so much. Thank you, same, same, same, same,
And I can't wait, Like I love your podcast. I
can't wait to come with your podcast.
Speaker 3 (51:24):
Dabby will be on our podcast do a swap, y'all?
Speaker 1 (51:26):
Yesd Michelle, thank you so much, my friend. Thank you
for your work. Thank you for this book. I can't
wait to get it. I could use this deeply.
Speaker 3 (51:35):
It's coming to you. I've just been told that the
books are in the warehouse, so it's coming to you.
Speaker 1 (51:40):
Oh how exciting.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (51:43):
Oh, the journey began, yep, the new author journey. Oh
my lord, it's a journey. Anything you need on the path. Wow. Yeah.
November fourth, Dear Friend, Daily Love Notes for contemplation, Connection clarity.
We all need a lot of that in our lives
and our hearts right now. Thank you for joining us,
(52:05):
Thank you so much, Thank you everyone, as always for listening.
Please share this episode with a friend and we'll be
back next week now Mistaydayday. The content presented on Deeply
Wells serves solely for educational and informational purposes. It should
not be considered a replacement for personalized medical or mental
(52:26):
health guidance, and does not constitute a provider patient relationship.
As always, it is advisable to consult with your healthcare
provider or health team for any specific concerns or questions
that you may have. Connect with me on social at
Debbie Brown. That's Twitter and Instagram, or you can go
(52:46):
to my website Debbie Brown dot com. And if you're
listening to the show on Apple Podcasts, don't forget. Please rate,
review and subscribe and send this episode to a friend.
Deeply Well is a production of iHeartRadio and The Black
Effect Network. It's produced by Jacquess Thomas, Samantha Timmins, and
me Debbie Brown. The Beautiful Soundbath You heard That's by
(53:09):
Jarrelen Glass from Crystal Cadence. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio,
visit the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows.
Host
Devi Brown
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