In this episode Suzanne continues the discussion about the Six Basic Emotions. This week she unpacks the emotional state of SURPRISE.

She discusses that SURPRISE can be two-fold. It can be both bad or good. It can be an incident that scares you or an experience that brings you great happiness.

Harnessing SURPRISE, both bad and good:

• Mindfulness: non-judgement, non-attachement
• Breathing: awareness of the breath in various emotional states
• -Yoga: 
  • sun salutation to relieve tension in the body 
  • mantra meditation to relax the mind

​Suzanne shares a few of her own experiences with surprise, both good & bad. She then invites you to get out there and treat your loved ones to a GOOD surprise. 

Be sure to get on the mailing list for even more Feelings Fitness goodness. Just put "opt-in" in the subject line of an email sent to suzanne@feelingsfitness.com 

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.

Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 

Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram www.instagram.com/feelingsfitness/ too.

In this episode Suzanne discusses the touchy topic of fear. She shares some of her personal experiences with fear and how she has not allowed them to stand in the way of her success.

She begins by pointing out that avoiding fear can often times make it worse. We are better off leaning into our fears as opposed to running away from them.

She discusses her current motivating factor for addressing her fears...the fear of passing fearful feelings along to her kids.

By seeing fear through a growth mindset lens, kids and adults alike can learn from their experiences with fear. The Big Life Journal is a great option for opening up discussions with kids on overcoming fear through a growth mindset.

In this episode, some suggestions on how to harness fear are...
-Consider a mantra such as "train your brain to be stronger than your emotions"
-Talk to yourself, view yourself as the observer and talk your way through your fear.
-Use mindfulness & the breath to calm the nervous system.
-Educate yourself on the nuances of brain chemistry.
-Use essential oils
-Use a Tiger's Eye gem stone: hold it in the left hand, release fear out of the right hand.
-Write down your fears & burn them(obviously, take caution with this suggestion).

 Here are some references/resources mentioned within this week's podcast episode: 

1. Big Life Journal (for kids)
2. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
3. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
4. Essential Oil: Stress Away by Young Living
5. Crystal: Tiger's Eye 
6. Intention: "Train your brain to be stronger than your feelings/emotions"
7. Song: Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons

Be sure to get on the mailing list for even more Feelings Fitness goodness. Just put "opt-in" in the subject line of an email sent to suzanne@feelingsfitness.com 

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.
Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 
Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too.
​

In this episode, Suzanne discusses the emotional state of sadness. 

It's okay to NOT be okay. But we must know how to deal with this feeling.

This begins a six week series. Each week discussing one of the six basic human emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, disgust & anger.

The Kobe Bryant, world renowned basketball legend, helicopter tragedy has created a lot of sadness for many people lately, so starting with the emotional state of sadness just felt right. 

When a tragedy like this occurs, even to someone we do not know, our empathy kicks into high gear and we feel for all who are affected by it. We feel sad for them, we ponder what they must be going through, and we wonder how they will work through their grief. Then we question our own existence. 

It can be complicated when it comes to explaining death to kids, especially if it happens to be someone whom they idolized. The key is to be open to having a discussion around sensitive subjects such as this.

Breath Break: Ujjayi breath(victorious breath).

How can we deal with sadness:
-Use pranayama, yogic breathing techniques
-Practice yoga, focus in on the heart chakra using poses such as camel, cobra, fish, wild thing, bow, wheel, etc...
-DoYouYoga.com article Four Heart Opening Yoga Poses and How Yoga Can Heal Your Heart by Charity Poole.
-Cardio exercise too. MY "hot" Yoga.
-Connect with others, write/tell your story
-Do not avoid how you are FEELING.

A quote from the movie Vanilla Sky, "without the bitter, baby, the sweet ain't as sweet." Unfortunately in order to truly appreciate the beauty in life, we also have to move through some dark times too. 

Make the most of today because tomorrow is not a guarantee!

Be sure to get on the mailing list for even more Feelings Fitness goodness. Just put "opt-in" in the subject line of an email sent to suzanne@feelingsfitness.com 

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.
Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 
Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too.

In this episode, Suzanne sets the stage for a six week series focusing on six basic emotions; happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust & surprise. She seeks to squash the stigma of asking for help when it comes to maintaining emotional well-being.

She wants everyone listening to know that it's healthy to FEEL. There are plenty of strategies to help DEAL with big feelings. Dealing with these feelings is truly how we HEAL.

She recommends the Feelings Fitness Formula, yoga + mindfulness = emotional well-being. That being said, a healthy dose of telling your story and/or writing your story can be cathartic as well.

This episode takes a deep dive into the human brain to help us understand why we do what we do and why we feel the way we feel. The primitive brain, the brain chemistry & the more modern brain all play a factor in emotional well-being.

Primitive Brain:
-It has a negativity bias.
-Its default is to search for danger.
-It served our ancestors well as they sought to survive in the wild.

Brain Chemistry:
-Amygdala: almond shaped set of neurons in the medial temporal lobe of the brain known to play an important role in the processing of emotions.
-Vagus nerve: a large nerve that sends signals between the brain and the organs
-Cortisol: the body's stress hormone released from the adrenal glands that is responsible for the fight, flight or freeze response.
-Neuroplasticity: the brain's lifetime ability to reorganize itself through new neural connections.

Modern Brain:
-Due to the primitive brain, humans are anxious & hyper-vigilant even when things are going well.
-When it senses growth, alarm bells go off.
-But, with the knowledge of neuroplasticity thanks to modern science, we now know that the brain is more like a muscle & can grow new connections and create new pathways in order to be successful in todays modern world.

Be sure to get on the mailing list for even more Feelings Fitness goodness. Just put "opt-in" in the subject line of an email sent to suzanne@feelingsfitness.com 

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.
Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 
Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too.

In this episode, Suzanne dives into her vision for 2020 and how the Feelings Fitness Formula is helping her do so.

Yoga 
-Asanas or poses
-Pranayama or breath work
-8 limbs of yoga as a roadmap to living a yogic lifestyle

+ Mindfulness 
-Home
-Health
-Happiness

= Emotional well-being
-Being resourceful when it comes to emotional well-being
-Training the brain to be stronger than the feelings

She shares examples of her own families highs & lows in order to show how the Feelings Fitness Formula can be used in every day family life. Examples from this episode are..

An epic fail when it came to setting goals for 2019 and how for 2020 she is going to focus on SMART goals instead. Listen in to find out what SMART stands for and how you can use it to set your own goals.

Home - De-junk January due to messes created during the holiday season.
Health - Dry January. Focus on eating whole foods.
Happiness - Family Meetings & mapping out Family Fun.

Upcoming episodes will focus EMOTIONS. Feelings Fitness will be taking a deep dive into the hardwired human brain to help train the brain to be stronger than the feelings.

Be sure to get on the mailing list for even more Feelings Fitness goodness. Just put "opt-in" in the subject line of an email sent to suzanne@feelingsfitness.com 

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.
Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 
Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too.

In this episode Suzanne discusses why you should NOT let your critics get the best of you.

She shares a personal experience of being criticized and how she conquered that awful feeling of "not good enough."

She also shares her favorite quote that always puts being criticized into perspective.

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.

​Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 
Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too.

In this episode, Suzanne explains why she chooses to set an intention rather than a resolution for the new year.

Resolutions tend to feel so negative. They tend to be that shaming voice inside our head telling us that we aren't good enough.

Intentions feel more positive and uplifting. They seem to lend themselves towards goal setting.

Suzanne discusses her intention to "train her brain to be stronger than her feelings," and she invites you to do the same.

By using tools such as yogic breathing, meditation and mindfulness, this intention is very achievable. It will make life's many challenges feel much more manageable.

She also shares two of her favorite meditation mantras that she learned from Kristen McGee at Peloton Meditation. 
-"Peace above me. Peace below me. Peace around me. Peace within me."
-"Where I am. Is where I am meant to be."

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.

​Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 
Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too.

In this episode, Suzanne shares her favorite books from 2019. She explains how one positive book leads to another and how this can have such a positive impact on life goals.

Although her full book list is long, she chooses excerpts and quotes from her top five to share.

Top 5 List:
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
Raising Good Humans by Hunter Clarke-Fields

These books have guided Suzanne both professionally and personally. She highly recommends each and every one of these.

Podcasts mentioned:
Rise Podcast with Rachel Hollis
Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield
The Mindful Mama Podcast with Hunter Clarke-Fields

In this episode Suzanne gives suggestions on how to "Just BE" during the holiday season.

She drops a whole bunch of "BE" bombs...

Be present.
Be patient.
Be prepared.
Be intentional.
Be flexible.
Be willing to see other points of view.
Be kind.
Be generous.
Be gentle.
Be understanding.
Be conscious of time.
Be traditional.
Be forgiving.
Be grateful.
Be graceful.
Be faithful to your beliefs.
Be a big kid.
But, be on your best behavior.
Be one with your breath.

She also invites you to test out BOX breathing. A technique that has been shown to enhance performance and concentration. It is said to aid in stress relieving too. It has also been sited as a treatment method for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

To do box breathing, also known as, four square breathing...
Begin with a full exhale.
Inhale through the nose for a count of 4.
HOLD for a count of 4.
Exhale for a count of 4.
HOLD for a count of 4.
Repeat...ideally for 4 full cycles.

Did you enjoy this episode? Do you want more? Be sure to subscribe & leave a review on iTunes or Spotify.

​Want more details about this episode? Head over to the website, www.feelingsfitness.com. 

​Want more connection with Feelings Fitness? Join me over on the Feelings Fitness Facebook page, www.facebook.com/feelingsfitness/. You can also find Feelings Fitness on Instagram too