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Nourish + Flourish

Nourish + Flourish is a podcast about navigating the often difficult terrain of finding what nourishes you — mind, body, and soul — so that you can flourish. Co-hosts Emily Levenson and Betsy Brockett may have different upbringings and diagnoses, but they do have is a shared interest in health and healing. Emily + Betsy wanted a space to explore all of the nuances surrounding health and wellness and to have deeper conversations about those topics.
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Now displaying: April, 2017
EPISODE #18 // How to honor the divine feminine that lives inside (with Shannon Ledford) 0
Apr 24, 2017

The topic of divine feminine energy has been showing up in our lives time and time again, whether it's in the form of intuition, creativity, or operating from a place of flow. It's the impetus behind Emily's deep dive into yoga. And it's the place that Betsy lives her life from on a daily basis. So when we came across Shannon Ledford, host and creatrix of the Honor The Feminine Podcast, we knew we needed to sit down with her and explore this topic more.

Our conversation with Shannon is filled with insights about the divine feminine and sacred masculine energies we all possess, what happens when those energies get out of balance (i.e.—doing versus being, pushing versus trusting, rational thinking versus intuition and creativity), as well as simple things we can all do to embrace more feminine energy in our lives.

We hope you enjoy learning more about Shannon and her perspective around divine feminine (and masculine) energies. Wanting to take a deep dive on all things feminine? Head on over to honorthefeminine.com and the Honor The Feminine Daily Facebook Group.

Topics Discussed:

  • Why we chose to explore this topic of divine feminine energy
  • Shannon's journey and why this topic is so important to her
  • The power of sisterhood
  • The small shifts that have had a big impact
  • Defining what masculine and feminine energy
  • The societal impact of feminine and masculine energy on children
  • What happens when your energy is out of balance
  • The implications of being busy
  • Transcendental meditation and Goddess Cards
  • Negativity and feeling depleted
  • Being able to discern what you really need
  • How motherhood opened up Shannon to feminine energy
  • Exploring the feminine in your own life
  • The invitation to follow your curiosity and explore
  • How to embrace more feminine energy regardless of how you identify
  • What nourishment means to Shannon

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Bonus: We got our float on and this is what happened. 0
Apr 19, 2017

During our conversation around Self-Care (Ep 14), the idea of sensory deprivation tanks or floating was brought up. Betsy was totally into it, while Emily was completely uncomfortable with the idea. As the conversation proceeded, the two agreed to try it out and scheduled their first float session a day or two later.

Today's bonus episode is all about the float experience — from the sheer panic it induced all the way through to the blissful relaxation that resulted. 

If you want to see our initial reaction to floating (Epsom crusted and all), check out our Facebook Live video: https://www.facebook.com/nourishandflourishpodcast/videos/1901449103425230/

 

To learn more about what floating or sensory deprivation is, or to schedule an appointment in the Pittsburgh area, check out Levity (https://www.floatlevity.com). 

 

 

EPISODE #17 // How to cope when stress rears its ugly head. 0
Apr 17, 2017
Good or bad, stress is something we've ALL felt. So why is it that some people seem to be better at navigating it than others? And why do some people seem to fall apart, when other seem to really shine when going through a similar experience? In today's episode, we're talking about it all. The good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly aspects of stress and how it impacts our lives. We also talk about the things that we've done — as children and adults — to manage its effects. And while we wouldn't call ourselves experts by any stretch, we've definitely had a lot of practice dealing with it. So take a listen as we delve into what stress is, how it shows up, and what we're doing to reduce its effects in our lives and our health.

What about you?

What are your favorite tools for dealing with stress in your life? What role does mindset play for you? Does it make things worse or help to reduce your stress?

The Episode:

 

Topics Discussed:

  • When did we become aware of the s-word in our lives?
  • The role fear plays
  • The physical manifestations of being stressed out
  • What we used to do to manage our emotions as kids and adolescents
  • Money, relationships, and living authentically
  • The psychological experience of stress
  • What are we doing to buffer ourselves against, or remove altogether, unwanted stressors
  • The power of mindset in changing how we feel
  • Is there such a thing as good stress?
  • The stress mountain and how to protect yourself from falling over the edge
  • A personalized toolbox for managing strong emotions

Resource Links:

Quotables:

[bctt tweet="Physical symptoms, when it comes to stress, are massive." username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="Stress comes, for me, when I don’t know how to manage what’s on my plate." username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="I would argue that all of our stress is self-made. It’s our psychological experience of the world." username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="It’s hard to go to sleep at night knowing you’re carrying a lie, or are feeling ashamed." username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="If I'm not able to fully nourish myself, that's when I feel stress. " username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="Rationally I would say, 'I can handle anything' and my body would laugh and say, 'no, you can’t.'" username="emilylevenson" [bctt tweet="I try not to let my stress 'spread,' which can compound its effects." username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="Awareness around what triggers me has been super helpful. " username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="Getting grounded in my purpose lifted a lot of stress from my life." username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="Our body doesn’t distinguish between good and bad stress, it just responds to it." username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="Any kind of transition is going to inherently bring with it stress." username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="Meditation and yoga are not a one size fits all Band-Aid for everything." username="emilylevenson"] [bctt tweet="You are the mountain and everything else is the weather. " username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="Something that helps me in every situation is to focus on the impermanence of it." username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="Every moment is so fleeting. That keeps me grounded the most. " username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="Every emotion or situation – good or bad – is not going to last forever, even if it feels like it. " username="cured_life"] [bctt tweet="If you can change how you interpret something, you can change how you feel about it." username="emilylevenson"]

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EPISODE #16 // How we find and maintain inspiration in the kitchen 0
Apr 10, 2017

We've spent a fair amount of time on the podcast talking about food — our personal food philosophies, how our health has been transformed through food, the pros and cons of local food, and even our favorite guilty pleasures. One area we hadn't focused on until today, is where we find and maintain inspiration in the kitchen.

We start the conversation with stories around when we first got comfortable with cooking and being in the kitchen. We then touch on our current habits, from menu planning to food prep in order to get delicious meals on our respective tables. And because no one is immune to food ruts, we also spend a fair amount of time talking about where we find our mojo again.

In typical N+F fashion, we come from completely different backgrounds and eating styles, and yet, we have similar tools and techniques that we draw upon when it comes to food.

What about you?

What are your favorite resources? Where do you find inspiration around food? What gets you excited about being in the kitchen or eating in general? And if you're not super into cooking, what have you been wanting to sample and what gets you excited to try something new?

 

Topics Discussed:

  • How we got comfortable in the kitchen
  • How our eating habits have shifted over the years
  • Menu planning, grocery lists, food shopping and how that works for us
  • Technique and ingredient-based cooking
  • Simplicity when it comes to ingredients and meal prep
  • Handling food slumps and getting bored with cooking
  • Staple recipes and what we cook most often
  • Our favorite resources — cookbooks, blogs, and tools

Resource Links:

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EPISODE #15 // How do you know when your intuition is talking? 0
Apr 3, 2017

Have you ever used the following words to describe something?

  • I just knew
  • Something told me
  • I get the feeling
  • That feels wrong
  • Something's off
  • Something stopped me
  • I just keep seeing it everywhere
  • I don't know why, but...
  • I have a sneaking suspicion
  • I feel it in my bones
  • I have an inkling

Congratulations! You've accessed your intuition.

Whether you believe it or not, we all have access to this deep sense of knowing. Sometimes it shows up as a curious event (took a different route to work), other times it shows up as a strongly held belief (I will be successful) or seemingly inappropriate feeling (unshakeable worry or anxiety). It can even show up as a repeat message (I've been seeing/hearing that everywhere!).

The key is learning how that deep sense of knowing shows up so we can listen. Which brings us to today's episode. We explore the ins and outs of intuition — how it shows up in our lives, how we define it for ourselves, and even what happens when we straight up ignore it.

So grab a hot cup of something and settle in for an intimate conversation between friends.

What about you?

What does that innate knowing look like for you and how does it show up in your life?  

 

Topics Discussed:

  • The power (and fear) around owning your truth
  • When we were first aware of a deeper sense of knowing in our lives
  • How we officially define intuitiveness
  • The ability to trust the messages we are being given
  • Where intuition is most present in our lives
  • Gut feelings and relationships
  • The weaving road of career and work
  • The things that cloud our intuition or make us ignore it
  • Ways to tap into our inner knowing
  • How intuition shows up for us
  • Sabotage and other ways we prevent ourselves from listening to that inner voice
  • The role intuition plays in our food choices
  • Curiosity and heart-led interests when it comes to innate knowledge
  • Allowing things to unfold versus pushing and doing

Resource Links:

 

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