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Nearly Enlightened
Join Nearly Enlightened's host Giana Giarrusso and discover the body, mind and spirit connection! The Nearly Enlightened Podcast is for the soul-centered seeker who is on the path of personal growth and spiritual development. This podcast takes a light-hearted approach exploring topics rooted in themes of mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Nearly Enlightened
Politics, Peace & Purpose
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Amidst the chaos of today's political and media landscape, can we find common ground that transcends our differences? Join me, Giana Girrusso, as I share my personal insights on how we can harness our shared values for societal progress. By weaving spirituality into our daily lives, we explore how to engage in tough, respectful conversations that pave the way for constructive change. Through my own experiences of evolving perspectives, I emphasize the need to remain open to new information and ideas, fostering a Renaissance of art, connection, and empathy in our communities.
As we navigate this mass awakening towards a more conscious society, personal growth and self-care become essential tools for transformation. I share my journey of dealing with stress and anxiety, underscoring how practices like yoga and reaching out for support can illuminate our inner light, ultimately inspiring others and making lasting changes. Reflecting on the stark contrast between new and old media, we discuss the societal shift towards truth and analysis, and the importance of embracing all emotions without judgment. Lean on supportive communities and tools, as it's okay to seek help in facing both personal and collective challenges.
Balancing self-care with social change is a critical endeavor, particularly for millennials straddling the pre- and post-technology worlds. By setting boundaries with social media, engaging in joyful activities like baking and book clubs, and finding grounding practices through platforms like "Meditate to Elevate," we can reconnect with ourselves and others. I urge listeners to embrace discomfort in conversations and perform selfless acts, seizing opportunities to volunteer and spread kindness as the seasons change. Through meditation and meaningful dialogue, find peace amidst the chaos and continue progressing on your journey of personal and spiritual development.
Click here to join Meditate to Elevate and start your meditation practice today!
Nearly Enlightened Podcast
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Welcome back to the Nearly Enlightened Podcast. I am your host, gianna Girusso, and today I am my own guest, so there's no one on today. I took last week off and I thought it was time for a solo episode, since the last time I did a solo episode was like April and we've had a lot of amazing guests on, and the Nearly Enlightened podcast is really shaping up to be beyond my wildest dreams. I think it's so incredible that we have a library at this point of amazing episodes that are basically resources. They're conversations with people who are out there changing the world and and I'm so excited about that. So last week I really wanted to take last week off just to observe the week that it was. It brought up a lot of emotions, it was very charged, the media was going crazy and there was a lot of overwhelm and just like these nagging negative feelings, and, of course, I have a hot take on all of this.
Speaker 1:I personally am really excited in the direction that America is going. It doesn't matter who you voted for or what your political views are. I think that we're starting to see a tangible shift in conversations and in what the American people want, and I think it's really important to remember. That's my hot take. I think it's really important to remember that we're all more alike than we are different. So we watched mainstream media pit us against each other and really do the divide and conquer thing. This is not new news to anyone. This is something that's been going on for a very long time in mainstream media and I think it's time, as the American people, we demand better.
Speaker 1:I think that it's time that we take a look at bipartisan news and we are just looking at the facts. Opinion has no place in that realm. We just need the facts, and I think that, at the core, it doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum you're on. We all really want similar things. I think it doesn't matter if you're right or left or in between. We can all agree that we want peace. We want prosperity for ourselves and for our family and for our loved ones. We want access to real healthcare, science-based healthcare. We want good education for our future generations, and I think this is an important one, because it doesn't matter if you have children or not, but the education of future generations is so important because those generations are going to be the generations that take over when we're old and not able to be kind of in the mix. And if they're not educated, then that has a ripple effect down on society. And if they're not educated, then that has a ripple effect down on society. So I think it's time to remember that we all are more alike than we are different.
Speaker 1:So it's important to kind of ask yourself the tough questions like why does this time feel so divisive and heavy if really at our core we all want such similar things? Really at our core we all want such similar things? So I think that the political sphere it people say that political sphere and spirituality, religion, they have no place intertwined with one another. But I vehemently disagree. Um, I think that the shift forward we are going to see spirituality fused in every aspect of life, as it should be, and maybe that's a hot take too. But if you're going within, if you are doing that deep inner work that radiates out and we're going to see that change.
Speaker 1:I think right now we're seeing the systems and structures that no longer work for the whole start to crumble and not just crumble. But now people are waking up and being like, oh, I get it, this really is not working. So I think it's important for those of us that do get it, that have been on this train, that have been doing the work, it's time for us to start really stepping forward in having the conversations that are going to build the new structures and systems that do work for everyone. And I think that one of the things that we have shied away from in the last, however many years, is having difficult conversations, difficult, respectful conversations with one another that help to be or help to shape that change. So if we're all agreeing all the time or if we're all tiptoeing around each other's triggers, we're not having those tough conversations that really result in progress, and I think we've seen that stagnation play out. So I think it's time to start having these difficult conversations, to respectfully have these conversations.
Speaker 1:So, if you notice everyone that comes on this podcast, I don't always totally agree with everything that they're doing or saying, but we have really respectful, open conversations, really respectful, open conversations. And you know I'm a Gemini sun sign and Gemini sun signs we kind of get a bad reputation because we're known as, like the, the Zodiac flip-floppers, but for me, when I've, when I've come to a more grounded place, I I'm comfortable with changing my mind when given new information that makes me shift my perspective. So I'm not always changing my mind with given new information, sometimes it stays the same, but I am open to to shifting what I. What I say isn't Bible and that's been my kind of back and forth with the podcast is now the podcast is going on like three or four years old, so some of those earlier episodes, like I don't totally even agree with what I was saying, and some of them, is there good information there? Are they good? Healthy conversations? Absolutely.
Speaker 1:But being on this path, my perspective has maybe shifted in certain ways and evolved and I think that's a really healthy attitude and way of being. I think it's important to analyze things or reanalyze things when presented with new information, and I think that's where we're at. We are truly in a renaissance. So this is the time to create art, to write, to connect, to practice non-judgment, to have these tough conversations in respectful ways, because this is truly how progress is made and how we're going to push the needle forward in creating a better society, a healthier society.
Speaker 1:You know, I am really excited that RFK is getting a cabinet seat and we're talking about things like the science behind seed oils. Is not true. It went from being a machine oil lubricant to being a heart healthy oil. How did that happen? So we're really seeing the restructuring of health and capitalism and I truly could not be more excited. So we're coming off the 1111 portal yesterday. So a great time to kind of reevaluate and set forth what we want to see from the future, and I think that I personally think this is a very exciting time. I'm stoked, I am so excited that we are talking about health in a way that we haven't before, and it's sad that the mainstream media is just labeling RFK as like a conspiracy kook, because there is facts, there is science against the dangers of fluoride. It's not what we thought it was. So it's time to reanalyze, look at these things that we have just accepted as the status quo, and it's time to put the people back in the government. I, for one, am so excited.
Speaker 1:I think that this is a mass awakening for so many people, and people are searching, they're looking for the answers and I've said it on the podcast a million times it is time to go within. When you stoke that light from within, it just shines out and you give permission to other people to do the same, and I think that we are seeing that happen at such a rapid rate I can't say it enough, I'm so, I'm. I can't say it enough, I'm so excited. I think that this is the time to, it's the Renaissance, right. So it's time to go within to, to work on yourself and, in turn, let that be what moves all of your relationships, moves all of your relationships. We're coming back to choosing joy and self-care, and that looks a little bit different for everyone, but it's time to nurture ourselves and nurture this rebirth of this new society that we're honestly at the dawn of. So I think that it's time to move away from the negative, the fear mongering.
Speaker 1:I think that what we saw happen in this last election, it was really new media versus old media and the way that old media has positioned itself as fear and lies and exaggerations and, truthfully, misinformation. I think that we all chose new media. The bipartisan, take a hard look, analyze. I think that that we chose that as a people and and that's really excited that is a telltale sign of a true shift. That's that's happening. So we're seeing the crumbling of what no longer works and we're moving towards um, we're moving towards a better world. I know that sounds so surface and superficial, but I think that we're really going to start to see those changes in education, in healthcare and in government. Excuse me, I'm so excited I can't even talk.
Speaker 1:So I think some actionable steps to step forward is to really focus on your own inner peace, and this, you know, it always comes back to yoga. So yoga is the science of wellbeing and in the practice of yoga we learn to deal with stress, go through stressful, uncomfortable situations in a way that our body can handle it better. So in yoga we put ourselves intentionally in these stressful situations. So I say this all the time in my yoga classes the heat in yoga has nothing to do with your muscles, it has nothing to do with tissues. It has everything to do with making you uncomfortable. It's designed to bring you to those deep dark places of your brain. It's meant to make you feel like you're going to die. It's meant to bring you on this like journey, to, to spark kind of that inner dialogue so that you can practice coming back to center. So when your mind goes to those deep dark places, the practice of yoga itself is designed to take you there, so you can practice controlling your mind in a controlled setting. So when we're continuously bringing ourselves to this uncomfortable place, we're sweating, it's hot, we're moving our muscles, we're holding poses, we're building strength. When we bring ourselves to those uncomfortable places, we train our mind to stay in center and it's not always perfect, right. Sometimes we go to those deep, dark places and we need to practice coming back. But when we do this repetitively, we are literally rewiring our brain to better handle stressful situations.
Speaker 1:So last week I'll talk about this personally. Last week was a lot just collectively, and then some things that I had going on in my own personal life and let me tell you I spiraled Monday. Last Monday was a hard day for me. I emergency SOS Danielle Venus rising Um that's. She's been on the podcast a couple of times, she's a shaman and I was like I need a session, I need help, I need to calm the fuck down and I just need some assistance. And I think that whole experience as a whole is important, because in the past I would have just spiraled by myself, I would have made it worse and I would have beaten myself up for the spiral in general. But last week was a huge opportunity and it was a huge shift in how I handle things. So I didn't spiral by myself. I didn't allow myself to spiral for long. It was like maybe an hour or two, and then I reached out for help. I, I, I took action. I went to Danielle, I did what I needed to do to ground myself and to come back to a place of center, but I allowed myself to feel those feelings.
Speaker 1:I cried, I felt uncomfortable. I allowed myself to sit with the anxiety without shoving it down or like pushing it away or using substances to. I mean, I did smoke weed, but um, and that was, that was kind of after the fact Um, but I really allowed myself to fully feel the scope of what I was feeling, both personally and collectively, and, um, it really helped me to feel better, quicker. And that's not always necessarily the answer, right, because we're not meant to feel like amazing good 100% of the time, like we are humans having a human experience and we're meant to feel the full range of human emotions, and those aren't always positive. So I really allowed myself to sit with that, without judging myself, without beating myself up, and that wasn't how I always handled situations like this. So I was really in this place where I knew that I, I knew that there was a shift happening both collectively and personally.
Speaker 1:So that was just a little bit about my experience last week. Like we're all going to make it. We're all going to make it through, it's going to be okay. But we just have to lean on the people and the tools to help bring us to that better place. And that's okay to ask for help in a healthy way and I'm personally really proud of myself for that because, like I said in the past, I wouldn't have asked for help. I would have kind of just spiraled by myself and made it a hundred times worse and so I really hope that this gives you permission to kind of dig in and find what works for you. It's going to be different for everyone.
Speaker 1:I share um on my website, on my social medias, on this podcast, the tools that work for me. But let this be your permission to go find the tools that work for you and maybe it's a little bit different. Maybe it's mountain climbing, maybe it's paintballing, like I don't know. Just find what works for you. Maybe it's an Epsom salt bath at the end of the night or an Epsom salt foot soak, like just lean into the practices that work for you and allow yourself to explore, like when, when you're finding those tools that are that are going to work for you.
Speaker 1:Like you may not find it right away, like you, you know, maybe it's. You try yoga, but maybe yoga is not for you, and I don't truly believe that. I believe, if you give it time, yoga is for everyone. But just as an example, like you're, maybe you mountain bike right and maybe that's not for you. Maybe you need something a little bit more restful. Maybe you need a stretch class or just a moment to lay on the floor and do some self-care, like rollout techniques, roll out on some tennis balls or use a Theragun, like whatever it is for you. Just start to explore those tools and the more you allow yourself to be open and explore the tools that work for you. Just start to explore those tools and the more you allow yourself to be open and explore the tools that work for you, the easier it comes to you. You'll find those things right, and maybe it's just like painting pottery, maybe it's finding a new hobby, maybe it's cooking a new recipe, like whatever it is. Just go out there and be curious without judgment, and I know that that in itself is a practice like we've all been conditioned to judge ourselves pretty harshly. We're usually all our own hardest critics. I know I'm speaking from experience there, but let the practice be like.
Speaker 1:Meditation has been so important and powerful to me because it allows us to be the observer of our body and mind and I say this all the time when I'm guiding meditations is to observe your thoughts, observe your body sensations, without assigning any attachment or emotion or meaning, so without judgment. Maybe you have a nagging shoulder injury. So every time you sit down to meditate, that shoulder injury just speaks to you. It just like kind of acts up. It's achy, like whatever. It is like. Allow yourself to observe that without judgment or whatever thoughts arise. Like I tell my students, it's like you're lying on your back, you're watching the sky, you're watching the big, fluffy, real clouds roll by. It's the same way when observing your thoughts. It's like your thought is that fluffy cloud, so just noticing it and watching it move out of view. It's the same thing with our thoughts. We're just allowing the thought to come up. We're not assigning any attachment or emotion or meaning to that thought. We're just like looking at the thought with the observer's eye and letting it go.
Speaker 1:And the more we practice these tools, the easier it becomes to do and every day is going to be different. Right, it's like a roller coaster ride, but it's the practice that really roots us and grounds us there. And I think it's so important to find those tools, to find those practices that work and really hold onto them, make them a part of your daily life. And we all have the time. We are lying to ourselves when we say that we don't have the time. We do.
Speaker 1:Check your screen time. My screen time is a couple hours a day, like if I can scroll through my phone for a couple hours a day, I can certainly carve out time for five minutes of meditation, and I'm saying that for myself and I'm saying that as a reminder to you if you think you don't have time. Check your screen time, check where you're prioritizing, where you're giving your time to like. Time is the most precious resource that we have. So let's stop kidding ourselves. We all have 24 hours in a day, maybe less than that, cause we sleep for, hopefully, eight hours.
Speaker 1:Um, but use your day intentionally. But use your day intentionally because what's on the other end of that phone? It's not real. It's not real and it's used by the mainstream as a tool to manipulate and fear monger. And, just like you know I think I've said this on the podcast before like you know, we demonize AI, but AI can be a really amazing resource for a small business. So it's all in the intention of how you use something. So if you're using your phone to doom scroll, to be programmed excuse me, be programmed by certain ideologies or thought processes, then we're not using it intentionally.
Speaker 1:You know I curated my. You know everyone was like, oh, last Tuesday, stay off. Last Tuesday and Wednesday, stay off your phone, stay off the internet. Like what? Yeah, that's great, but like, have you curated your algorithm so that you're not seeing the bullshit things? Like I actually had two really great days, so after Monday being like really tumultuous and just feeling all these things, letting that go and coming back to a place of center, I felt so awesome and grounded and excited on Tuesday and Wednesday, and not because of who won, not because of anything like that, but I, because it was a huge opportunity to go a little bit deeper. I really curated my algorithm.
Speaker 1:So I'm not seeing those, those fear mongering posts, I'm not seeing the division and I mean sometimes it slips in, but not letting yourself succumb to that, and knowing, knowing when to take a break, because it's it's healthy to take social media breaks. You know, if you're a millennial, we're like the last generation that we really were. Our childhood really became before the technology boom. So we have, we're like in these two worlds, like we can survive without it, but we really see the tools and the benefits for it. You know, if it wasn't for technology, like I wouldn't have this platform, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. So it's a, it's a healthy dance and a healthy balance and, um, I think that goes for for all of life like, have that healthy balance, take the social media breaks when you need to.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying to you know, there's so much division. I was saddened to see like, oh, if you voted for this person, I can't be your friend anymore. And in the 2020 election I I lost, um, one of my best friendsances and views and some of my views on where America should be headed, and that person took that as division, as hate towards themselves. And it wasn't that at all, um, and I think it's really sad that people are are losing friends because we can't have differences of opinions and this goes back to having those tough conversations. We can have different views and different opinions and we can still love and respect one another and we can still be in each other's lives. Like, just because my viewpoints might be different than yours and yours might be different than mine, it doesn't mean you have to fight about it. You know, maybe we have healthy, nonjudgmental, calm, loving conversations about it, because that's how progress comes about, that's how we come together in compromise out. That's how we come together in compromise, that's how we create these new systems that work for everyone. By having these tough conversations.
Speaker 1:And I think there's a lot of people that are coming to power right now that are willing to look at this, willing to have these tough conversations, and we're ready to shift America into the true superpower that it should be. You know it's time that we upleveled our education. We went from being first in math and science in the 40s, 50s and 60s Now we are like dead last, like we owe our children better than this, like I you know, elon Musk talks about it a little bit like where are all the inventors and the innovators? Like it is time to put those people at the forefront, like it's time for new inventions and new ways of thinking. So I'm really excited and I think the work starts with the self, like the more you find these tools that you can um, you can focus on building a healthy relationship with yourself, that just reverberates out and and you start to become become the light that's going to spark this change.
Speaker 1:So if you're having a tough time dealing with the last week or just like the uncertainty of what's to come, some tools that I have for you are to be take to take mindful or to be mindful in your media consumption, so no one to take breaks know when to set boundaries. So one thing for me it's like my phone goes off around 1030. I put it on airplane mode whatever happens, from like 1030 PM to like 9 AM when I put it back on, like it can wait. Like 9am when I put it back on, like it can wait. So I set that hard boundary for myself. Like my phone is on airplane mode at night when I'm like getting ready to rest, um, so that would be my suggestions around that.
Speaker 1:And then I would say, if you're having a tough time with the last week or so, do what brings you joy, gratitude journal, spend time in nature. Nature is truly healing, it's grounding. It will bring you back to perspective. Spend time with the trees. Spend time with your feet in the ocean, even if it's super cold. Allow yourself that experience with the trees. Spend time with your feet in the ocean, even if it's super cold, like. Allow yourself that experience.
Speaker 1:Engage in hobbies that uplift you, or find hobbies that uplift you, like. I think that technology has taken over so many facets of our lives that people have lost the art of the hobby, and this is something that I've been working on, I've been coming to. Many of you know that I am like a sourdough queen, so I love to bake. That is my outlet when I need to just bring some joy into my life, when I need to just like unplug, when I need to just like unplug, when I need to just like not think and be in that flow state, I'll always like whip up something good.
Speaker 1:The other hobby that I love and that brings me so much joy is I belong to a book club and we meet every four to six weeks, and not only has that like upped my, my reading game, so I'm reading way more books than I, than I used to. I used to only really read books that had to do with yoga and healing and self-help. So it was like really serious, heavy stuff all the time. But this book club allowed me to tap into. I mean, we read every genre but like fiction and just like exercise, that imagination muscle, and I get to get together with a wonderful group of women every four to six weeks who we wouldn't normally like, our paths might not have normally crossed. We're all connected through one person who was my cousin, who she started the book club almost two years ago. So this book club has been going on for almost two years and it's so amazing to just bring these women together who have different views, have different experiences, come from different walks of life. Some are single, some are married, some are mothers, some are childless. We are so different but we come together for this book club and it's always such an amazing connection. We just met this past Saturday and it was exactly what my soul needed. We literally sat there for like five and a half hours just enjoying each other's company eating, chatting, talking about the book, talking about life things and having that connection is absolutely invaluable.
Speaker 1:So if you're looking for connection, start a book club, join a book club, soul Sanctuary, justine Harrington. She's been on here before in the past, soul Sanctuary, her business. They have a book club that meets, I believe, monthly. So if you don't know anyone or don't have people who you think would join your book club, go out and find one there. It's really just like such an amazing experience to like be collective, read something that you might not normally have read. It really broadens your horizons and it has been such an integral part of my healing the last like year and a half, um, to just meet and have that space. It's. It's been truly um something that I am eternally grateful for. It's literally helped propel me forward through the heart the hardest year of my life.
Speaker 1:Um, something as simple as as going to a book club and you and sometimes I don't finish the book, sometimes I hate the book, sometimes I love the book but just allowing yourself to show up in that space and be in community and connection, there's really nothing like having that. So if you don't have that, go out and find it, make it happen. God helps those who help themselves. So if you're sitting and, like I'm manifesting, I'm waiting, like you will be waiting for the rest of your life, you have to put it to action. You have to show the universe, show God that that you're willing to make those steps and everything comes in flow. Make those steps and everything comes in flow. So if I can encourage anything today, in this episode, it's to prioritize self-care and to lean into the practices that help you become the best versions of yourself, regardless of any external circumstance, because no one can take these tools away from you, no one can take education away from you. So when you're investing in yourself, whether it be through monetary means or by time, it's invaluable. You are you, you're doing the work. You're doing the hard work that most people don't even have the courage to show up for.
Speaker 1:Another thing that I wanted to talk about in regard to this whole situation in regards to the political sphere, the social sphere, what's going on? This is a little bit of a hot take, but no political figure is going to save you. No political figure is going to shift the whole landscape as we know it. It's about holding these people accountable and getting involved, so finding that inner peace, finding the tools that work for you. They reverberate out and they give permission to people to do the same, and I think that we need to look at this not just on the whole, but in our government and our political sphere, as well as holding these elected officials, holding them accountable. So the things that were promised like let's make sure that they come to fruition, because something that we talk about authenticity and integrity and I think that these are things that we have let go from our political space and it's time that we bring them back. It's time we bring back integrity and authenticity and we do what we say we're going to do.
Speaker 1:We're people of our word and that all of this work starts with the self. So what we're looking for in ourself is like what we see mirrored out in society. So if we are practicing this work, if we are doing this work and we're just going to see it mirrored back to us, and it just this movement just grows and grows and grows until we, you know, we're creating the world that we want to see. We're being the change that we want to see. So it really starts from within, and no one can take that power from you, no one can give you that power. That power is part of your birthright, it is part of who you are. So take ownership of that. You have the power to shape your internal world through conscious choice and practice. So what are you choosing today, right now, tomorrow? Let that be your guide. So I think this brings me to my work.
Speaker 1:So, as many of you know, yes, I'm this podcast host and I bring a slew of amazing practitioners to you, but I really started this work way back in I would say I started in 2011, 2012 of really going within and finding the tools that worked for me, and then, once I became solid in those tools, I was like I have to teach this, I have to learn how to teach this, I have to be a teacher of this work, and so I became a yoga teacher and with that, I have over 900 hours of yoga teacher training experience almost a decade of teaching experience. I've been in this world for a little bit now and I'm really starting to take the steps to bring my work to the masses. So I teach a lot of in-person classes here in Rhode Island and, while that's amazing and that really fills me up and I love interacting with people face to face I have students all around the country and hopefully all around the world, and so I want to create tangible tools that can be accessed from anywhere. So something I've been talking about for a little bit is I have a online guided meditation portal called Meditate to Elevate, and it is a supportive resource to help you find grounding, inner peace, that mental resilience. This is for everyone. This is for the people who say they can't meditate, they can't do yoga. This is for everyone. This is for the people who say they can't meditate, they can't do yoga. This is for you. There are meditations in there as short as three minutes long. We all have three minutes.
Speaker 1:So meditate to elevate is a online guided meditation portal. It's 1299 a month. It's super affordable, and in there there's more than 35 guided meditations and it's constantly growing. I myself guide some of the meditations. There's also other teachers in there as well, and this is a portal that's just growing. So I know that there's apps like the Calm app and like whatever else, and those are great resources too and like whatever else, and those are great resources too.
Speaker 1:But if you want something that's a little bit more personal, that is just a small, humble business that its intention is to really reshape the world that we live in, then this portal is for you. It's for people who don't have the time or say that they can't. It's for the naysayers. It is really just like an amazing resource. There are meditations as short as three minutes long, as long as 30 minutes long. There's something for everyone. There's heart-based meditations, there are, I'm just like, clearing your mind meditations. There's bedtime meditations, um, and it's constantly growing. So, um, I'm open to suggestions. There's also, um, starting next month, there will be a live meditation every single month. The recording will also go up on there.
Speaker 1:So it's just a growing resource of guided meditations. So I hope that if you're searching, you're looking, you don't know what's next like. You'll consider checking it out. And if you want a little sample, just reach out to me at info at nearly enlightenedcom, or you can reach out on one of my social medias I am Gianna Rosa or at nearly enlightened, reach out, um, and I will be happy to gift you a guided meditation so you can just sample it, see, um, what it's all about, see if it's for you. So don't be afraid to take those, those steps forward, um, because when we become stagnant, that's when the spiral, the fear, um, all those yucky feelings kind of creep through.
Speaker 1:So take some actionable steps, like find a daily grounding practice, whatever that means for you. Maybe it's a brief meditation, maybe it's a breathing exercise, maybe it's a walk in nature, maybe it's putting your feet in the grass, maybe it's taking your dog for a walk, like whatever it is, find that daily grounding practice that works for you. Maybe it's starting your morning off slow, with an herbal're at how you're feeling on both ends. Whatever that daily grounding practices, find it and schedule it in if you have to Make it a non-negotiable part of your day. Remember to have respectful conversations.
Speaker 1:So, even if somebody has a different point of view, if their views are vastly different, if their experiences are vastly different, have respectful conversations with people that have different viewpoints than persuading, because when we're trying to, when we're listening to respond versus just listening, we're listening with that persuasive thought oh, they said this, this is what I'm going to tell them after. But really listen and analyze, digest and then come up with your response and notice like, maybe that respectful interaction, maybe it shifted your viewpoint a bit. And and allow that to be like, allow yourself to have respectful conversations with people who might have different viewpoints, because I think that the magic that we're looking for is in that space. It's in that space of uncomfortability. I don't know if that's a word. Discomfort, having those uncomfortable conversations really is where change sparks, it's where progress happens, it's where innovation happens, it's where compromise is born, and I think that that is a beautiful skill to have is to be able to be a listener and to have a respectful differing point of view. So just allow yourself to to to experience that.
Speaker 1:Um, I know it can be challenging. I myself, like when I get frustrated or I feel like someone isn't truly hearing me, like I have that Italian anger that that comes through very quickly. Um, italian anger that comes through very quickly, and that is part of my practice, is to take a breath, take a moment to rein that in. That's okay to be spicy sometimes, but be respectful that on the other end of your internet conversations, your interactions out in the world, there's another human being on the other end of that. So it's important to remember that we're all just doing the best we can.
Speaker 1:And, lastly, I would encourage you to find things that bring you joy, that spark joy, encourage, um, I encourage a commitment to do something that brings you joy every day, even if it's something really, really small, and maybe that's paying it forward. Like if a wise teacher once told me, like when you're stuck in these patterns of negativity of like these deep, dark, awful feelings, like if you do something for someone else selflessly, without expecting anything in return, there's no better way to shift your energy. So, if you're looking for something joyful, this is the time of year that charities are looking for volunteers. It's getting colder, so people who find themselves without shelter, without housing, like your magic is needed. So do something for someone else.
Speaker 1:If you don't know what brings you joy, or if you don't have, you know, the monetary means to pick up a new hobby, like I don't know fly fishing, if you don't have money to drop on, like equipment for things, like, just do something nice for somebody else, like something so small can really give so much fulfillment. So I think that this is a good place to wrap up. I think that or I hope that this is your reminder find peace amidst chaos, and sometimes that is as simple as making a choice. And I invite you to explore, meditate, to elevate as a tool to deepen your practice of inner peace, of controlling the mind. There's only one direction to move on this journey of personal growth and spiritual development and that's forward. So we can't let last week pull us back or make us bitter or spark hatred for the other half of America that might've chosen different, america that might have chosen different. But this is a place to come together and find common ground, to find the peace within and to find the similarities in people who might have different viewpoints, because we are all more alike than we are different. So I will leave you with that today Do what brings you peace.
Speaker 1:Pay it forward. Do something nice for someone else. So thank you for listening to me ramble. I'm sorry I said um and like probably like 6 million times. I know that can be very challenging to listen to. If you liked this episode, please like, subscribe, share. Share it with someone you love. Share it with somebody who might need to hear this message Um. Share it with somebody who might need meditate to elevate. I hope to see you all in that portal. There's a community there of like-minded people who are taking action to be the change that they wish to see in the world, and I hope to see you there. I'll talk to you next time. Thanks for being here.