November 27, 2025 • 25 mins
As we move into the holiday season, emotions can feel heavier, louder, and more complicated than they look on the outside. In today’s special Thanksgiving episode, I sat down with two of my pod sisters, Kena and Jennifer, for a warm, honest, and deeply grounding conversation about gratitude, body awareness, boundaries, and the truth of what the holidays bring up for so many of us.
Together, we explore:
- Why gratitude is a year-round practice—not a one-day event
- How to listen to your body before the holiday chaos begins
- What it means to “observe, not absorb” during family gatherings
- How to return to your center when you feel overwhelmed
- The power of micro-moments, breathwork, tapping, and body scans
- Why honoring your feelings is essential (especially during the holidays)
- How to set boundaries with love, clarity, and self-respect
- The importance of choosing your energy and intentions each morning
- Letting go of expectations and giving yourself permission to be human
This heartfelt conversation is full of grounding tools and gentle reminders that you can return home to yourself—anytime, anywhere.
Whether you're excited, anxious, grieving, overloaded, or somewhere in between… you are not alone. You get to move through this season at your own pace, with your own presence, and with as much softness as you need.
You can follow my Beautiful pod sisters at:
Kena Siu : https://www.instagram.com/midlifebutterfly/
Jennifer Chambers : https://www.instagram.com/j_b_chambers/
You can find me at:
https://www.instagram.com/cataton/
https://www.facebook.com/casey.taton/
You can find what sparks me at:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AgeRtyojY/
https://www.instagram.com/lmbdcelebrations/
Music by: Jason and Ashley Scheufler
Artwork by: https://www.instagram.com/graphx_ink/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hey friends.
Welcome to the Enter Sparkpodcast.
I'm your host, Casey Caton.
If you're looking to hearstories of transformation and
personal growth, this podcast isfor you.
My guest and I will be sharingthose sparking moments that has
changed the mental living a morefulfilling authentic life.
I'm so excited for you to heareach unique story.
(00:24):
So sit back, relax, and let'sget started.
Hey friends.
Welcome back to the Enter Sparkpodcast.
I'm your host, Casey Taton.
Today I am talking about theholidays.
(00:46):
It's really been weighing on myheart and.
Last year I didn't have mypodcast out and going, and I
wanted to talk about just theholidays and the pressure and
all the feelings that just comealong with the holidays.
And the holidays are not alwayshappy for everyone.
(01:08):
The holidays can be a verydifficult time for a lot of
people.
It comes with being able to setboundaries, you know, some
people.
Have lost family members.
Some people don't have a family,and you know, we just, the
honest truth is we don't knowwhat's going on in anyone else's
(01:28):
life, what they've been through.
If they celebrate the holidays,you and here in the us you know,
Thanksgiving is a.
Big deal.
It's talked about the after partof it, the black Freddy
(01:48):
shopping, we call it here in theus and just all of it together.
And it was really just weighingon my heart of what does
Thanksgiving mean to me?
What does it feel like?
And I want to just acknowledgethat wherever you're at today.
(02:11):
I want you just to know thatyou're enough, right where you
are, and that I love you just asyou are.
Whatever your holidays looklike, just go into him with an
open mind.
No caring, no judgment.
(02:31):
Just be present.
And just be grateful.
I actually sent my pod sisters amessage we were going to meet
today and about two minutesbefore we were gonna meet, I
said, Hey, would anybody like torecord with me?
(02:52):
We'll just do a short segment onthe holidays and what it means
to us, and I hope you love thisconversation.
As you're getting ready forThanksgiving, as you're getting
ready for whatever this day hasfor you, whenever you're
listening to it, I just really,truly hope you love this
(03:12):
conversation that I got to havewith my pod sisters.
And right off the bat, you'llhear, uh, a little blooper of,
of me laughing, and that's trulywhat my processors are about.
We have so much fun together.
And we get to dig into the deepconversations, the feelings, the
(03:32):
emotions, just the real rawtruth of life.
And I knew it would be a greatconversation just to have with
them.
So I'm thanking them so muchbecause I really gave them like
a two minute notice of like,Hey, can we record today?
This has been weighing on myheart.
And so stay tuned.
Here it is, and I hope you enjoyand love this conversation as
(03:55):
much as I do.
Hey friends, sorry.
(04:15):
This is Casey T, your host, andI have with me today my pot
sisters, Kasu and Jen Chambers,and we were just having a
beautiful conversation.
We were talking about gettingready for the holidays and what
the holidays feel like.
So we just wanna share with youour thoughts on the holidays and
(04:36):
what it feels like and how weeach have our own beliefs, our
own thoughts, and how we justconnect with what that really
means to each of us and how itreally fills.
I'll just start.
First of all, we talk aboutgratitude a lot and I think we
associate Thanksgiving withgratitude and being grateful and
(05:00):
it is something that we work onall year long.
And I don't think it's just aone time thing.
I think it's just truly tappinginto.
The love we all get to sharewith each other and gratitude
for the world, gratitude for allthe things we do.
That is really what gratitudemeans to me is not just a one
(05:22):
time, let's celebrate theholidays and really bring
awareness to it.
Then it's really about bringingit all year round.
Does anyone wanna say how theyfeel about gratitude?
Cana?
Yeah, I do agree.
It's.
I think it's a practice., I dogratitude.
I practice gratitude during mywhole day, like since I wake up,
(05:47):
like, thank you.
Like I can feel my body and thenI actually.
Offer gratitude for, you know,like my shoes and they're my
legs and my belly and you know,I do a full scan and then also
like, yeah, I'm alive again andI, and then I'm grateful for the
water that I am drinking.
'cause the water is life.
You know, I'm putting some lovein there.
(06:08):
I feel so grateful having thisconversations with you ladies,
right now.
And I also give gratitude everytime.
Well, most of the time when Ieat.
Being grateful, not just forhaving the food there, but for
everyone behind who made thatpossible, you know, and then
also being grateful for theweather, whatever it is.
(06:30):
But that's, mother nature iscyclical and so it's, it's
really cool.
I guess it's a way of seeinglife because the more I
practice, the more gratitude andmore grateful I can be every
moment.
Uh, I love that you just saidthat it's really about being
grateful for every moment andthat you acknowledge that it's a
(06:51):
practice.
Yes.
Yeah.
Jen, do you wanna share?
Yeah, that's really keena.
I love that because the thingthat's really hard about
gratitude is that sometimes wealways get down on ourselves
because we don't feel gratefulenough.
I think about that all the timeactually.
I was actually talking to mytherapist the other day and he
(07:13):
was like, but I feel like youare really excellent in noticing
the small things in life.
And he calls those, and I'veheard it called glimmers other
places.
And I mean, that's the way thatI.
Think that I'm practicinggratitude more often is noticing
those small moments, like reallytiny moments like having a cat
(07:34):
on your lap or a reallyexcellent cup of tea, or a
gorgeous sunset, or the factthat you got the wordle in two
instead of five, or you know,just these little things.
I think those are lessintimidating to me than like,
oh, I have to be grateful foreverything in my whole life.
And yes, I am of course, but Idon't feel it unless I really
(07:58):
take the time to notice, becauseI don't necessarily practice in
that way that Kena does.
And I, and I really want to.
I like that.
So I guess the micro moments ishow I'm practicing it more right
now.
Hmm.
That is so good.
I think it's, um.
(08:18):
It all comes down to a practice.
Mm-hmm.
That even though we're eachpracticing it, I do daily
meditations, I write a gratitudejournal and mm-hmm.
And so we're each practicing itin different ways, but just that
we're also aware of gratitude.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And it's not just a one daything.
Mm-hmm.
(08:38):
It's truly like, this is how welive.
Yes, and I love what Kena saidabout doing this scan.
That's something that I havegotten out of the practice of
doing, but I think that's areally easy way to tap into that
because I am so incrediblygrateful for the fact that I can
walk.
I mean, for me, that's a biggerdeal than most people because
there was a long time when Icouldn't, you know, but like,
(09:00):
just the fact that my feet move,the fact that I'm able to do
things for myself that I neverthought that I could do, you
know, the.
I think that having that dailyscan of those things helps you
remember to be grateful for thebigger things.
Definitely.
Yeah.
I agree with you.
(09:21):
I'll tell this story later onanother podcast about me falling
but it was just so muchgratitude of the people that
helped me.
Mm-hmm.
And for my mom helping me showerwhen I couldn't get my knee wet
with stitches.
And it's just gratitude of ourhealth.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
You know, there was so many likeThanksgivings and holidays that
I wasn't able to attend before.
(09:42):
And so I really love what Canasaid about really just checking
in with your body and doing thebody scan.
Mm-hmm.
Um, Cana would you talk aboutthat?
Yeah, sure.
Well, I usually start with the,with my toes.
Like I, so once I wake up still,like under the blankets or the
sheets and just start likewiggling, you know, my toes, and
(10:04):
then like, oh yeah, still, youknow, like moving and then
feeling the heels and thenshaking a bit the legs and just
being grateful, like, okay,still functioning, you know, and
then shaking also, you know,with.
With my womb and my belly anduh, my chest.
And then sometimes I put myheart in, you know, uh, my hand
over my heart and I'm saying,yeah, still there, you know?
(10:26):
Mm-hmm.
Still be eating there and thengo checking with the shoulders.
And then, well, for me, becauseusually when I am stressed is,
that's what I get, the heavinessin my shoulder.
So it is like.
Also noticing there, okay, sohow am I feeling now that I'm
awake and having the presenceand also like moving the arms
and then okay, and then the neckand, okay, what's going on Also
(10:49):
in, in my head and beinggrateful the same time like for
my eyes.
And like sometimes I focus moreon the on one thing, sometimes
focus more on that and anotherthing, but it's just that
connection with the body.
Before doing anything else'causethat connection with ourselves,
that's the most important one.
(11:10):
We gotta meet ourselves first,so then we can meet the world
outside once we get out of bed.
Oh, I love that so much.
Uh, that's exactly, that's, Iwas thinking the same thing.
I do that with my yoga practice.
You know, you, you feel more athome with yourself when you're
grateful for your physical.
(11:30):
Person and in my yoga practice,like being, being able to tap
into your own presence.
It's, and really feel whereyou're at and feel grateful that
your legs hold you up and that,you know, I think that's a
wonderful way to think about it.
Kena to, to really, it allstarts with the body.
It does.
(11:51):
Mm-hmm.
It's so powerful that you know,just brought it up of.
We think about gratitude aboutother things, but really it
starts within ourselves.
Mm-hmm.
And just from the moment we openour eyes of being grateful and
just, I love how you justshared, I kind of put you on the
spot there, so thank you.
I'm just like, it's okay.
(12:11):
My pleasure.
Thank you.
That's why I wanted you to shareit because if you would see her,
she's like lighting up talkingabout it.
And so it's like as you walkedus through it, it was like I
could feel myself.
Oh, are my shoulders gettingtense?
Like mm-hmm.
You know, when you talk aboutcertain things, but it's all
becomes within us and so we canbe grateful for all the things
(12:34):
outside us, but if we're notgrateful for our own bodies
mm-hmm.
And everything, that's reallywhere it all starts.
Mm-hmm.
And I wanna add something.
Uh, this practice, I juststarted it in, I don't know, in
the last, uh, weeks.
Really tapping it into how Iwant to feel during the day.
Mm-hmm.
So I'm still there.
(12:55):
I know the sound of my alarm.
Uh, I just make it a song andlike, it's done.
It's done.
You know, it's done.
That's what my alarm is tellingme when it rings off in the
morning.
So it's like, what?
It's done, it's done that I'mfeeling good today.
It's done this dream that I'mhaving over here.
It's done.
This other thing that I want toachieve, you know?
(13:17):
So just by, ah, you know,feeling all the chills before
getting out of bed and saying,yeah, like this is possible and
filling up my body with thisenergy of positivism most of the
time.
Yeah, sometimes it's not, butit's like, and it's okay too.
You know, accepting whateveremotions are happening there,
but most of the time, likegetting into this, idea of Yeah,
(13:40):
it's possible., This body wasgiven by source, you know, by
God, whatever you want to callit, and it's welcome to do
everything and it's abouttapping into possibility and not
limitation.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
It's what you choose.
To pay attention to Exactly.
(14:03):
Before getting out of bed.
Right, right.
Yeah.
Choosing to tap into thefeelings of positivity and
possibility.
Mm-hmm.
Rather than, yeah, my, you know,my ankle hurts and yes, that
also happens, but allowing spacefor all the things and pay
(14:26):
attention to the things that wayyou're projecting the energy
towards the stuff that you want.
I love that.
And projecting the allergy tothe day.
Right, right, right.
Things are gonna happen.
They're always gonna happen.
But at least if we start withthat intention, we did that
attitude.
Mm-hmm.
The day is gonna approach usdifferently because we have
already another, you know.
(14:47):
The energy.
We are energy.
So if our energy is projectingthat the good things are gonna
happen, most likely that's whatwe're gonna get.
Or if we, you know, stumble orsomething, then we're gonna be
calling to, okay, that happened.
Somebody pissed you off, you getcentered again.
Or, oh, you are sad.
Okay, but the, let's getcentered again.
And then just coming back tothat kind of intention that we
(15:10):
are setting since, we wake up.
I love that so much that youjust acknowledge that we set the
intention even if wake upfeeling like we're aware maybe
they have this ache or pain, butwe just mm-hmm.
You know, refocus on what wewanna focus, that we actually
have the choice mm-hmm.
To start our day, how we wannastart it.
(15:32):
Mm-hmm.
And that you brought it back tocenter of like how people are
gonna piss us off during theday.
Mm-hmm.
And that's, I think, huge, like.
Especially when we're talkingabout going into the holidays,
there's all the added extrastress and things aren't always
gonna go the way you want, butyou have the choice to come back
(15:52):
to you at any point during theday.
I have to share something reallyquick, my tip for that, and it
works in the holidays for me.
Um, because yeah, there's gonnabe those moments where there's
gonna be one person that'sannoying or, you know, something
happens during your day,especially in the holidays when
you're, everybody's expectationsare high.
(16:13):
Um, and it's easy.
But my trick is, if I can't likephysically leave.
The room that is happening.
I just really quietly, I do thetapping.
I'll tap on my, um, my chest orI'll tap on my, lower arm.
Or I can even tap on my thigh.
I'm at the dinner table andsomebody says something that's
(16:34):
really infuriating.
Oh, and tapping brings me back.
And then also just taking acouple deep breaths wherever I'm
at.
It's always a good reminder tome that yes, I can come back to
myself.
And yes, I have these values,these boundaries that I've
already set, and that helps forme.
Preparing and having those kindsof things in place is so
(16:55):
helpful.
I love that, Jen.
And as you said, we come back tothe body, right?
We're in control.
So just noticing, okay, this ishappening, this is happening.
And it's like, again, choosingfrom there, just taking a bit
deep breath and don't getattached to whatever
conversation or whatever they'resaying because Right.
You know, you choose.
(17:15):
Mm-hmm.
And say, you know, I better justkeep quiet.
I'm okay.
I'm okay.
And just, you know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The awareness of it.
Mm-hmm.
Like just becoming I think we'reall so aware.
So if anybody's listening andthey are like not aware, I think
that's the first thing is beaware of your own thoughts and
(17:38):
remember like you're in controlof your own body and your own
self.
'cause I love what Jen justshared of just the power of
stopping to breathe.
Just without of tapping.
You can do that anywhere.
And it, I think it's just soimportant that we remember that
(17:58):
it's that, you know, when we goto places, there's so many
people and it's like, yeah, wecan be positive and all this,
but if something happens and weget triggered, it's not them,
it's us.
And it's like coming back hometo ourselves and knowing like,
okay, this is.
Making my body get tense, theawareness and then bringing it
(18:21):
back home.
And that, you know, Jen justgave us great examples of how to
do that.
How to just come back home toourselves and it's no huge
extreme thing like anybody cando these things.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
It's toughening to thatawareness.
Mm-hmm.
(18:42):
And then, and remember that weare the observer.
You know, it's, yeah, it's ourdots.
Yes.
Yeah, your dots, but you are notyour dots.
Just observe them.
That's it.
And as you observe your dots,observe other people too.
I love this, quote.
It says Observe, don't absorb.
(19:05):
Ooh.
And we tend to then absorb whatother people are saying or how
they are acting and stuff.
But no, it's not up to us.
Just observe them and that's it.
And that kind of, if you thinkabout it, it kind of, um.
Yeah, since the holidays andstuff.
With that saying, I mean, thatquote is like creating a little
(19:26):
like energetic, uh, shieldaround you that's saying, yeah,
no, I'm in here.
I'm in control of myself, notthe other people.
So I'm just gonna observe themand whatever they are saying,
or, you know, I don't want toget involved with that.
I'm just gonna listen and it'sokay.
I'm observing, not observing,and it makes the difference a
(19:47):
lot.
Beautiful.
I'm gonna like tattoo that on mythigh or something.
That's amazing.
Or at least write it on a stickynote and put it in front of my
door.
That'd very good reminder, likebefore you leave, observe, don't
absorb.
Observe.
Exactly.
That is so good.
(20:07):
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah.
I know that we could carry onforever, but I just wanted to do
a little short episode on.
Just gratitude as we're walkinginto the holidays, into the end
of the year, but really just howthis practice is used all year
for all of us, and I am so, sothankful for each of you.
(20:29):
My pod sisters are seriously thebest blessing in my life, and I
love that we can celebrate eachother.
We can talk about, all thethings we're going through in
life and just.
We're all aware of coming backhome to ourselves and we get to
share things like this.
So I just wanna thank you for,talking about gratitude with us.
Mm.
(20:49):
If we could all say a closingthought.
My closing thought today for anylisteners would just be let go
of the expectations.
Just live in the moment.
Just truly be present whereveryou're at and let go of the
(21:10):
outcome.
Like whatever it's meant to beis gonna be, and you get to
choose to be grateful for whereyou're at.
Do either of you wanna sharesomething?
I would say that it's okay to,um, it's okay to feel the
(21:41):
feelings where you're at nomatter what during the holidays
and honor that, honor yourselfand remember that you can come
back at any minute to whatboundaries you've set for
yourself and.
That it's just so important tome.
It's so important to me to that,like I said earlier, pre
planning that out for me,knowing what I will accept and
(22:04):
what I won't, and the energylevel that I'll accept and that
I won't, and knowing that youcan remove yourself at any time.
You got to do what's right foryou.
Love that.
Yeah.
Well, just to complimentwhatever, you know, you, you
lady said, talking aboutboundaries.
I think it's good.
(22:24):
We usually know when we dealwith certain person like what
may happen, so just.
Kind of like, think about it,okay, this might happen with
this person.
Okay?
So just think about how wouldyou like to act the next time?
So in a way, you are prepared.
Mm-hmm.
That, okay?
This person might say somethingand it might actually trigger
(22:46):
me.
How do I want to act?
Do I want to keep quiet?
Do I want to leave the room?
Do I want to say politely?
Okay.
That's your point of view.
I respect it, but I, I, I don'tlike it, you know, like I
respect it, but this is myportfolio.
Mm-hmm.
Like, yeah, doing those kind ofpractices in the mind, because
we usually, our minds usually dothat, right?
(23:07):
They are like, okay, what'sgonna happen?
And that's what we get, uh, allthese, um, anxiety because we
move to that future.
So that's what Casey, what shesaid about staying present,
that's important.
Mm-hmm.
But then our mind is alwaysplaying us because we're playing
in that future.
So if you're gonna play thatfuture, then make a mental plan
(23:30):
of what can happen so you canset the boundary in advance.
Mm-hmm.
So that's my take.
Love that.
Love that.
I love that so much too.
Yeah.
I wanna thank you guys so, somuch for.
Just being here and all yourgratitude and just awareness and
(23:51):
just all the things we can sharewith each other.
And if anyone is listening, Iguess here's another final note
is that I know that we're alltalking about all these positive
things, but we are all human aswell, and we have all
experienced, we experienced theups and downs and we share it
together, and I think that'sreally important to acknowledge
(24:12):
like.
I think, and one of you guyseven said about, we can remove
ourselves to different things,but it's okay to fill your
feelings.
And so just as you're goingthrough these days, I mean, and
really the whole thing of thisis, is you get to make it a
lifelong practice.
And so even though we're doingthis right before the holidays,
(24:36):
it becomes really a lifelongpractice that we get to carry
with us every single day.
Yeah.
I have so much gratitude for youguys.
I love you all so much.
I love you.
Y'all too.
You too.
Thank you for having us.
Thank you.
Thank you for tuning intoanother episode.
(24:57):
I hope today's story inspiredyou to embrace your own journey
of growth and change.
Remember, transformation isn'talways easy, but it's always
worth it.
If you enjoyed this episode, besure to subscribe.
Share it with a friend, andleave a review.
If you found something thatsparked you in this episode and
may spark a friend, I encourageyou to go share with them.
(25:17):
If you have your own story youwould like to share, I would
love to hear it.
So please reach out to me.
Until next time, friends, gohave some fun and let those
sparks lie.
Hey friends.
Welcome to the Enter Sparkpodcast.
I'm your host, Casey Caton.
If you're looking to hearstories of transformation and
personal growth, this podcast isfor you.
My guest and I will be sharingthose sparking moments that has
changed the mental living a morefulfilling authentic life.
I'm so excited for you to heareach unique story.
(00:24):
So sit back, relax, and let'sget started.
Hey friends.
Welcome back to the Enter Sparkpodcast.
I'm your host, Casey Taton.
Today I am talking about theholidays.
(00:46):
It's really been weighing on myheart and.
Last year I didn't have mypodcast out and going, and I
wanted to talk about just theholidays and the pressure and
all the feelings that just comealong with the holidays.
And the holidays are not alwayshappy for everyone.
(01:08):
The holidays can be a verydifficult time for a lot of
people.
It comes with being able to setboundaries, you know, some
people.
Have lost family members.
Some people don't have a family,and you know, we just, the
honest truth is we don't knowwhat's going on in anyone else's
(01:28):
life, what they've been through.
If they celebrate the holidays,you and here in the us you know,
Thanksgiving is a.
Big deal.
It's talked about the after partof it, the black Freddy
(01:48):
shopping, we call it here in theus and just all of it together.
And it was really just weighingon my heart of what does
Thanksgiving mean to me?
What does it feel like?
And I want to just acknowledgethat wherever you're at today.
(02:11):
I want you just to know thatyou're enough, right where you
are, and that I love you just asyou are.
Whatever your holidays looklike, just go into him with an
open mind.
No caring, no judgment.
(02:31):
Just be present.
And just be grateful.
I actually sent my pod sisters amessage we were going to meet
today and about two minutesbefore we were gonna meet, I
said, Hey, would anybody like torecord with me?
(02:52):
We'll just do a short segment onthe holidays and what it means
to us, and I hope you love thisconversation.
As you're getting ready forThanksgiving, as you're getting
ready for whatever this day hasfor you, whenever you're
listening to it, I just really,truly hope you love this
(03:12):
conversation that I got to havewith my pod sisters.
And right off the bat, you'llhear, uh, a little blooper of,
of me laughing, and that's trulywhat my processors are about.
We have so much fun together.
And we get to dig into the deepconversations, the feelings, the
(03:32):
emotions, just the real rawtruth of life.
And I knew it would be a greatconversation just to have with
them.
So I'm thanking them so muchbecause I really gave them like
a two minute notice of like,Hey, can we record today?
This has been weighing on myheart.
And so stay tuned.
Here it is, and I hope you enjoyand love this conversation as
(03:55):
much as I do.
Hey friends, sorry.
(04:15):
This is Casey T, your host, andI have with me today my pot
sisters, Kasu and Jen Chambers,and we were just having a
beautiful conversation.
We were talking about gettingready for the holidays and what
the holidays feel like.
So we just wanna share with youour thoughts on the holidays and
(04:36):
what it feels like and how weeach have our own beliefs, our
own thoughts, and how we justconnect with what that really
means to each of us and how itreally fills.
I'll just start.
First of all, we talk aboutgratitude a lot and I think we
associate Thanksgiving withgratitude and being grateful and
(05:00):
it is something that we work onall year long.
And I don't think it's just aone time thing.
I think it's just truly tappinginto.
The love we all get to sharewith each other and gratitude
for the world, gratitude for allthe things we do.
That is really what gratitudemeans to me is not just a one
(05:22):
time, let's celebrate theholidays and really bring
awareness to it.
Then it's really about bringingit all year round.
Does anyone wanna say how theyfeel about gratitude?
Cana?
Yeah, I do agree.
It's.
I think it's a practice., I dogratitude.
I practice gratitude during mywhole day, like since I wake up,
(05:47):
like, thank you.
Like I can feel my body and thenI actually.
Offer gratitude for, you know,like my shoes and they're my
legs and my belly and you know,I do a full scan and then also
like, yeah, I'm alive again andI, and then I'm grateful for the
water that I am drinking.
'cause the water is life.
You know, I'm putting some lovein there.
(06:08):
I feel so grateful having thisconversations with you ladies,
right now.
And I also give gratitude everytime.
Well, most of the time when Ieat.
Being grateful, not just forhaving the food there, but for
everyone behind who made thatpossible, you know, and then
also being grateful for theweather, whatever it is.
(06:30):
But that's, mother nature iscyclical and so it's, it's
really cool.
I guess it's a way of seeinglife because the more I
practice, the more gratitude andmore grateful I can be every
moment.
Uh, I love that you just saidthat it's really about being
grateful for every moment andthat you acknowledge that it's a
(06:51):
practice.
Yes.
Yeah.
Jen, do you wanna share?
Yeah, that's really keena.
I love that because the thingthat's really hard about
gratitude is that sometimes wealways get down on ourselves
because we don't feel gratefulenough.
I think about that all the timeactually.
I was actually talking to mytherapist the other day and he
(07:13):
was like, but I feel like youare really excellent in noticing
the small things in life.
And he calls those, and I'veheard it called glimmers other
places.
And I mean, that's the way thatI.
Think that I'm practicinggratitude more often is noticing
those small moments, like reallytiny moments like having a cat
(07:34):
on your lap or a reallyexcellent cup of tea, or a
gorgeous sunset, or the factthat you got the wordle in two
instead of five, or you know,just these little things.
I think those are lessintimidating to me than like,
oh, I have to be grateful foreverything in my whole life.
And yes, I am of course, but Idon't feel it unless I really
(07:58):
take the time to notice, becauseI don't necessarily practice in
that way that Kena does.
And I, and I really want to.
I like that.
So I guess the micro moments ishow I'm practicing it more right
now.
Hmm.
That is so good.
I think it's, um.
(08:18):
It all comes down to a practice.
Mm-hmm.
That even though we're eachpracticing it, I do daily
meditations, I write a gratitudejournal and mm-hmm.
And so we're each practicing itin different ways, but just that
we're also aware of gratitude.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And it's not just a one daything.
Mm-hmm.
(08:38):
It's truly like, this is how welive.
Yes, and I love what Kena saidabout doing this scan.
That's something that I havegotten out of the practice of
doing, but I think that's areally easy way to tap into that
because I am so incrediblygrateful for the fact that I can
walk.
I mean, for me, that's a biggerdeal than most people because
there was a long time when Icouldn't, you know, but like,
(09:00):
just the fact that my feet move,the fact that I'm able to do
things for myself that I neverthought that I could do, you
know, the.
I think that having that dailyscan of those things helps you
remember to be grateful for thebigger things.
Definitely.
Yeah.
I agree with you.
(09:21):
I'll tell this story later onanother podcast about me falling
but it was just so muchgratitude of the people that
helped me.
Mm-hmm.
And for my mom helping me showerwhen I couldn't get my knee wet
with stitches.
And it's just gratitude of ourhealth.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
You know, there was so many likeThanksgivings and holidays that
I wasn't able to attend before.
(09:42):
And so I really love what Canasaid about really just checking
in with your body and doing thebody scan.
Mm-hmm.
Um, Cana would you talk aboutthat?
Yeah, sure.
Well, I usually start with the,with my toes.
Like I, so once I wake up still,like under the blankets or the
sheets and just start likewiggling, you know, my toes, and
(10:04):
then like, oh yeah, still, youknow, like moving and then
feeling the heels and thenshaking a bit the legs and just
being grateful, like, okay,still functioning, you know, and
then shaking also, you know,with.
With my womb and my belly anduh, my chest.
And then sometimes I put myheart in, you know, uh, my hand
over my heart and I'm saying,yeah, still there, you know?
(10:26):
Mm-hmm.
Still be eating there and thengo checking with the shoulders.
And then, well, for me, becauseusually when I am stressed is,
that's what I get, the heavinessin my shoulder.
So it is like.
Also noticing there, okay, sohow am I feeling now that I'm
awake and having the presenceand also like moving the arms
and then okay, and then the neckand, okay, what's going on Also
(10:49):
in, in my head and beinggrateful the same time like for
my eyes.
And like sometimes I focus moreon the on one thing, sometimes
focus more on that and anotherthing, but it's just that
connection with the body.
Before doing anything else'causethat connection with ourselves,
that's the most important one.
(11:10):
We gotta meet ourselves first,so then we can meet the world
outside once we get out of bed.
Oh, I love that so much.
Uh, that's exactly, that's, Iwas thinking the same thing.
I do that with my yoga practice.
You know, you, you feel more athome with yourself when you're
grateful for your physical.
(11:30):
Person and in my yoga practice,like being, being able to tap
into your own presence.
It's, and really feel whereyou're at and feel grateful that
your legs hold you up and that,you know, I think that's a
wonderful way to think about it.
Kena to, to really, it allstarts with the body.
It does.
(11:51):
Mm-hmm.
It's so powerful that you know,just brought it up of.
We think about gratitude aboutother things, but really it
starts within ourselves.
Mm-hmm.
And just from the moment we openour eyes of being grateful and
just, I love how you justshared, I kind of put you on the
spot there, so thank you.
I'm just like, it's okay.
(12:11):
My pleasure.
Thank you.
That's why I wanted you to shareit because if you would see her,
she's like lighting up talkingabout it.
And so it's like as you walkedus through it, it was like I
could feel myself.
Oh, are my shoulders gettingtense?
Like mm-hmm.
You know, when you talk aboutcertain things, but it's all
becomes within us and so we canbe grateful for all the things
(12:34):
outside us, but if we're notgrateful for our own bodies
mm-hmm.
And everything, that's reallywhere it all starts.
Mm-hmm.
And I wanna add something.
Uh, this practice, I juststarted it in, I don't know, in
the last, uh, weeks.
Really tapping it into how Iwant to feel during the day.
Mm-hmm.
So I'm still there.
(12:55):
I know the sound of my alarm.
Uh, I just make it a song andlike, it's done.
It's done.
You know, it's done.
That's what my alarm is tellingme when it rings off in the
morning.
So it's like, what?
It's done, it's done that I'mfeeling good today.
It's done this dream that I'mhaving over here.
It's done.
This other thing that I want toachieve, you know?
(13:17):
So just by, ah, you know,feeling all the chills before
getting out of bed and saying,yeah, like this is possible and
filling up my body with thisenergy of positivism most of the
time.
Yeah, sometimes it's not, butit's like, and it's okay too.
You know, accepting whateveremotions are happening there,
but most of the time, likegetting into this, idea of Yeah,
(13:40):
it's possible., This body wasgiven by source, you know, by
God, whatever you want to callit, and it's welcome to do
everything and it's abouttapping into possibility and not
limitation.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
It's what you choose.
To pay attention to Exactly.
(14:03):
Before getting out of bed.
Right, right.
Yeah.
Choosing to tap into thefeelings of positivity and
possibility.
Mm-hmm.
Rather than, yeah, my, you know,my ankle hurts and yes, that
also happens, but allowing spacefor all the things and pay
(14:26):
attention to the things that wayyou're projecting the energy
towards the stuff that you want.
I love that.
And projecting the allergy tothe day.
Right, right, right.
Things are gonna happen.
They're always gonna happen.
But at least if we start withthat intention, we did that
attitude.
Mm-hmm.
The day is gonna approach usdifferently because we have
already another, you know.
(14:47):
The energy.
We are energy.
So if our energy is projectingthat the good things are gonna
happen, most likely that's whatwe're gonna get.
Or if we, you know, stumble orsomething, then we're gonna be
calling to, okay, that happened.
Somebody pissed you off, you getcentered again.
Or, oh, you are sad.
Okay, but the, let's getcentered again.
And then just coming back tothat kind of intention that we
(15:10):
are setting since, we wake up.
I love that so much that youjust acknowledge that we set the
intention even if wake upfeeling like we're aware maybe
they have this ache or pain, butwe just mm-hmm.
You know, refocus on what wewanna focus, that we actually
have the choice mm-hmm.
To start our day, how we wannastart it.
(15:32):
Mm-hmm.
And that you brought it back tocenter of like how people are
gonna piss us off during theday.
Mm-hmm.
And that's, I think, huge, like.
Especially when we're talkingabout going into the holidays,
there's all the added extrastress and things aren't always
gonna go the way you want, butyou have the choice to come back
(15:52):
to you at any point during theday.
I have to share something reallyquick, my tip for that, and it
works in the holidays for me.
Um, because yeah, there's gonnabe those moments where there's
gonna be one person that'sannoying or, you know, something
happens during your day,especially in the holidays when
you're, everybody's expectationsare high.
(16:13):
Um, and it's easy.
But my trick is, if I can't likephysically leave.
The room that is happening.
I just really quietly, I do thetapping.
I'll tap on my, um, my chest orI'll tap on my, lower arm.
Or I can even tap on my thigh.
I'm at the dinner table andsomebody says something that's
(16:34):
really infuriating.
Oh, and tapping brings me back.
And then also just taking acouple deep breaths wherever I'm
at.
It's always a good reminder tome that yes, I can come back to
myself.
And yes, I have these values,these boundaries that I've
already set, and that helps forme.
Preparing and having those kindsof things in place is so
(16:55):
helpful.
I love that, Jen.
And as you said, we come back tothe body, right?
We're in control.
So just noticing, okay, this ishappening, this is happening.
And it's like, again, choosingfrom there, just taking a bit
deep breath and don't getattached to whatever
conversation or whatever they'resaying because Right.
You know, you choose.
(17:15):
Mm-hmm.
And say, you know, I better justkeep quiet.
I'm okay.
I'm okay.
And just, you know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
The awareness of it.
Mm-hmm.
Like just becoming I think we'reall so aware.
So if anybody's listening andthey are like not aware, I think
that's the first thing is beaware of your own thoughts and
(17:38):
remember like you're in controlof your own body and your own
self.
'cause I love what Jen justshared of just the power of
stopping to breathe.
Just without of tapping.
You can do that anywhere.
And it, I think it's just soimportant that we remember that
(17:58):
it's that, you know, when we goto places, there's so many
people and it's like, yeah, wecan be positive and all this,
but if something happens and weget triggered, it's not them,
it's us.
And it's like coming back hometo ourselves and knowing like,
okay, this is.
Making my body get tense, theawareness and then bringing it
(18:21):
back home.
And that, you know, Jen justgave us great examples of how to
do that.
How to just come back home toourselves and it's no huge
extreme thing like anybody cando these things.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
It's toughening to thatawareness.
Mm-hmm.
(18:42):
And then, and remember that weare the observer.
You know, it's, yeah, it's ourdots.
Yes.
Yeah, your dots, but you are notyour dots.
Just observe them.
That's it.
And as you observe your dots,observe other people too.
I love this, quote.
It says Observe, don't absorb.
(19:05):
Ooh.
And we tend to then absorb whatother people are saying or how
they are acting and stuff.
But no, it's not up to us.
Just observe them and that's it.
And that kind of, if you thinkabout it, it kind of, um.
Yeah, since the holidays andstuff.
With that saying, I mean, thatquote is like creating a little
(19:26):
like energetic, uh, shieldaround you that's saying, yeah,
no, I'm in here.
I'm in control of myself, notthe other people.
So I'm just gonna observe themand whatever they are saying,
or, you know, I don't want toget involved with that.
I'm just gonna listen and it'sokay.
I'm observing, not observing,and it makes the difference a
(19:47):
lot.
Beautiful.
I'm gonna like tattoo that on mythigh or something.
That's amazing.
Or at least write it on a stickynote and put it in front of my
door.
That'd very good reminder, likebefore you leave, observe, don't
absorb.
Observe.
Exactly.
That is so good.
(20:07):
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah.
I know that we could carry onforever, but I just wanted to do
a little short episode on.
Just gratitude as we're walkinginto the holidays, into the end
of the year, but really just howthis practice is used all year
for all of us, and I am so, sothankful for each of you.
(20:29):
My pod sisters are seriously thebest blessing in my life, and I
love that we can celebrate eachother.
We can talk about, all thethings we're going through in
life and just.
We're all aware of coming backhome to ourselves and we get to
share things like this.
So I just wanna thank you for,talking about gratitude with us.
Mm.
(20:49):
If we could all say a closingthought.
My closing thought today for anylisteners would just be let go
of the expectations.
Just live in the moment.
Just truly be present whereveryou're at and let go of the
(21:10):
outcome.
Like whatever it's meant to beis gonna be, and you get to
choose to be grateful for whereyou're at.
Do either of you wanna sharesomething?
I would say that it's okay to,um, it's okay to feel the
(21:41):
feelings where you're at nomatter what during the holidays
and honor that, honor yourselfand remember that you can come
back at any minute to whatboundaries you've set for
yourself and.
That it's just so important tome.
It's so important to me to that,like I said earlier, pre
planning that out for me,knowing what I will accept and
(22:04):
what I won't, and the energylevel that I'll accept and that
I won't, and knowing that youcan remove yourself at any time.
You got to do what's right foryou.
Love that.
Yeah.
Well, just to complimentwhatever, you know, you, you
lady said, talking aboutboundaries.
I think it's good.
(22:24):
We usually know when we dealwith certain person like what
may happen, so just.
Kind of like, think about it,okay, this might happen with
this person.
Okay?
So just think about how wouldyou like to act the next time?
So in a way, you are prepared.
Mm-hmm.
That, okay?
This person might say somethingand it might actually trigger
(22:46):
me.
How do I want to act?
Do I want to keep quiet?
Do I want to leave the room?
Do I want to say politely?
Okay.
That's your point of view.
I respect it, but I, I, I don'tlike it, you know, like I
respect it, but this is myportfolio.
Mm-hmm.
Like, yeah, doing those kind ofpractices in the mind, because
we usually, our minds usually dothat, right?
(23:07):
They are like, okay, what'sgonna happen?
And that's what we get, uh, allthese, um, anxiety because we
move to that future.
So that's what Casey, what shesaid about staying present,
that's important.
Mm-hmm.
But then our mind is alwaysplaying us because we're playing
in that future.
So if you're gonna play thatfuture, then make a mental plan
(23:30):
of what can happen so you canset the boundary in advance.
Mm-hmm.
So that's my take.
Love that.
Love that.
I love that so much too.
Yeah.
I wanna thank you guys so, somuch for.
Just being here and all yourgratitude and just awareness and
(23:51):
just all the things we can sharewith each other.
And if anyone is listening, Iguess here's another final note
is that I know that we're alltalking about all these positive
things, but we are all human aswell, and we have all
experienced, we experienced theups and downs and we share it
together, and I think that'sreally important to acknowledge
(24:12):
like.
I think, and one of you guyseven said about, we can remove
ourselves to different things,but it's okay to fill your
feelings.
And so just as you're goingthrough these days, I mean, and
really the whole thing of thisis, is you get to make it a
lifelong practice.
And so even though we're doingthis right before the holidays,
(24:36):
it becomes really a lifelongpractice that we get to carry
with us every single day.
Yeah.
I have so much gratitude for youguys.
I love you all so much.
I love you.
Y'all too.
You too.
Thank you for having us.
Thank you.
Thank you for tuning intoanother episode.
(24:57):
I hope today's story inspiredyou to embrace your own journey
of growth and change.
Remember, transformation isn'talways easy, but it's always
worth it.
If you enjoyed this episode, besure to subscribe.
Share it with a friend, andleave a review.
If you found something thatsparked you in this episode and
may spark a friend, I encourageyou to go share with them.
(25:17):
If you have your own story youwould like to share, I would
love to hear it.
So please reach out to me.
Until next time, friends, gohave some fun and let those
sparks lie.
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